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 Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2018 7:00 pm
“Look, even if you don’t like food from Earth, you should absolutely try some of this. It’s the best ******** thing you’ll ever eat from this miserable chunk of rock. And if you’re not going to eat it, then you can bet your a** I will,” Oberon announced even before he reached the top of the hill where he knew the strange man(?) known as Caedus resided. Why he insisted on living in a place like this and not in a house or other offered place, he didn’t know. Probably because he didn’t trust the people of Earth as much as many of the natives didn’t trust him.
It had been at least two years since the emergence of this strange man and the followed attempt of an attack on Negaspace. It didn’t turn out so well. People died. People were naturally angry. Had it been a set up? Why weren’t they told enough about Negaspace to prepare? Either way, although Oberon didn’t really want to request help from a man who might turn on them, buuuttttt desperate times.
“Here,” Oberon said, lowering the bag he carried on his shoulders to the ground, “I don’t know what you drink, but this bottle has water, if you’re into that. And this one has some hot tea. And this other has chocolate milk. I’d suggest the chocolate milk. Strange to have with lasagna for some, but it’s great.”
Once on the ground, Oberon unzipped the bag to pull out the container of food and a fork and the three closed choices for drink. It was only fair to offer something when wanting something in exchange.
“I’m not gonna beat around the bush. My brother is dying; got energy leaking from his starseed or some s**t like that. So if you’ve got any of those crystals that might help either him keeping his own energy or will let me give him mine, that would be great. Alternatively, or in addition, I’m a few years deep into research on youma. What they are, their correlation with animals in the world today, how far removed they are from once being human, that kinda stuff. As I’m sure you know, they eat energy, and if I can give them my energy with a crystal or two of yours, it would help a lot.”
There was a pause as Oberon continued to speak into the darkness, and he cringed a little at himself.
"Oh, I'm Oberon," he added, hoping that was enough of an introduction when there was more important things to discuss.
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Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2018 5:39 pm
When Caedus first heard the voice, he suspected he was receiving more than one person for company that evening. At first, he thought he was eavesdropping on a conversation meant for someone else but his attentiveness to the words made him realize that in all of this, there was only one voice. He had been resting against a tree, nestled between the gnarled roots. One elbow was propped on one of the raised roots and he was taking the opportunity to let his tired body rest. He didn’t want to be seen like this, though; the voice didn’t let up and it was enough to encourage him to push himself up. The noise was lost to the forest, but he seemed to creak as he rose. His bones were old, and while he might not have been human it wasn’t difficult to tell that even now he probably wasn’t in the best of health. He had been protected by the darkness—close enough to hear but far enough to be concealed and, regardless of whatever plans he’d had for the evening, he made his way towards the voice. He was quiet as he walked, sans the faint rustling of leaves and branches beneath his feet. Oberon was easy enough to find, and Caedus bowed his head in silent greeting when he emerged. “You seem like you have a lot to say. Or ask,” he said, in place of any other formalities. He did not approach beyond that, either out of trepidation or because he still felt as if he needed an invitation to come closer. A noise grumbled in the back of his throat, as if he were thinking—probably disgruntled at the thought of youma—but he didn’t waste much time before he spoke again. “…I will offer what assistance I can but I do not know if I can be of much help. Your brother,” he said, with a bit more energy than before. If Oberon was intent on getting to the point, he could follow suit. “What is his name?”
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 10:19 pm
In spite of his desire to talk to this man, whatever he was, Oberon still knew enough to be cautious. He’d been facing dangers in this war since he was just a child. He was still a child. But a child with just as much curiosity. Now, at least… he had a little more understanding about how things worked.
Crouching a little longer to be able to pull the lids off the containers and set out forks to be used, Oberon took several steps back, not knowing if the man’s hesitation was because he felt the need to be cautious, or because he felt as though Oberon should know enough to be cautious of him.
Oberon held up his hands to show they were empty, but then lowered them slightly to gesture at the food and drink he brought.
“I’d happily prove they’re not poisoned if you’d like. Can’t promise I won’t eat the whole thing though,” he grinned and lowered his hands to his sides.
“My brother’s name is Valhalla. A knight of Jupiter. Wears green and brown with a funny looking winged helmet. He’s dumb, and too nice for his own good, but a lot of people would be sad if he died.”
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2018 10:54 am
“No, there is no need for that. I trust you. But you brought it, you are more than welcome to it,” Caedus said. His hunger was still a monumental thing though and, when Oberon had finished setting things up, Caedus slowly lowered himself to sit down next to the food. He creaked when he moved, and exhaled, as if he were an old man. By Earth standards, he was; by his own standards, it was hard to tell. He remained with his hood drawn, apparently still wary about his appearance. “I know Valhalla,” he said, reaching carefully for the container of food. Lasagna and chocolate milk; he would take the boy’s recommendation. “We have spoken before. I do not think he is dumb. But he is nice. I am saddened to hear that he is suffering.”
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2018 9:17 am
”Excellent,” Oberon chirped, plopping down cross legged across from the strange man that seemed to have joint problems from the sounds of it. Should he be creaking like that? How old was this guy if he’d been trapped in Negaspace for… the Cauldron knows how long…
“He’s nice, I guess,” he shrugged, reaching out to help himself to some of the food. What?? Caedus said he was welcome to it! “He’s a self-righteous do-gooder who believes the scum of the universe could change for the better if given the chance.”
Valhalla was too naive, too hopeful to last long at this rate. He would be let down, his dreams crushed, his innocent views would corrode. Oberon, on the other hand, had a fairly good grasp of reality, or at least he felt he did. There wasn’t good and evil. There were choices and ingrained compulsions and the desire for survival and growth.
“Me? I don’t care if anyone changes, but I do want to understand why living beings do what they do. I’d rather observe and learn instead of destroy or preach about purification or how to avoid corruption. That’s why I want to be able to give my energy to youma easier. To study them. To find out if they are capable of change, or if they just want to survive. And… I want to be able to save my brother, so he can continue to make people think there’s still some hope in the world.”
He knew it was a long shot, but if this guy could possibly help him, then he would be sure to not waste any chance he could get.
“Why did they lock you up, anyway? Why not just kill you or corrupt you?” he wondered out loud, and then grimaced. “Sorry, if that’s a touchy subject, you don’t have to answer.”
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Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 5:50 pm
Caedus ate and listened; he nodded along with what the boy said to indicate that he was paying attention, no matter how distracting the meal might have been. He watched attentively, eyes on Oberon as if he needed to see his face to understand his words. He swallowed the mouthful he had. "It is only touchy because I am ashamed I could not do more. Your questions do not bring ire. I appreciate the bluntness." Beating around the bush was more confusing than he cared to admit. He lowered the container he had been presented with and took a moment to consider how to answer. "I was not locked away by choice, I do not think. I wore no chains. There was no cell. There was a clamor in the hall. We were separated. I lost my group. There were guards rushing." His eyes narrowed, like it was a strain to remember, or perhaps it simply brought him great pain. "...We ran in different directions. It was the protocol we had established. If something went wrong, we needed to scatter. One of us would have needed to return home with information. We were useless if we were all dead." The words were bitter, hurt. He was still pained by the idea of losing the others in his group. "I was corralled. I used to be fast. But the castle was a labyrinth. I could not find the door. Beryl had an army of her creatures. I defended what I could. I ran, though. As fast and far as I could. There were so many of them, of her youma. It was my own fault." The words were more bitter than any he had spoken before and resonated with the sharpness of cracking glass. "...If I had run a different direction, perhaps I would not have wound up trapped. There were monsters unlike any I had seen before. They were pushing, fighting. I don't know if Beryl knew where I was. She must have assumed me dead." Silence, for a moment, and then, "No one came looking. She might as well have been right. There was no salvation where I came from. I do not dwell on it if I can avoid it. She would have had more satisfaction to have my corpse but I had always assumed that if I was out of her hair it was good enough for her." The container remained lowered and at some point during his story he had looked downwards. Now, he drew in a long, quiet breath and looked up. "You seem very wise for one so young. Though I do not know what you hope to discover of the youma. They are soulless creatures. They have no light in there eye. None I have ever met were capable of anything but hatred. Wild animals consumed something darker than primal urges. You must keep yourself safe. Do not be too reckless with them."
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