Of course, he had followed. When had he done anything differently? There had only been a few times where Basiluzzo--Richard--had kept his distance, and even then, it had been tainted by Encke's secrecy and eventually Richard's urges to help. He could still picture the way he rose out of the pit at The Autumn that had burned, dragging out probably ten or fifteen civilians all on his own. Couldn't stay away. Never would have and never will.
But Encke did need a moment of peace, a moment away from him to make sure that he kept that in mind, a moment to also thank his world for coming to him when he needed it the most.
He had been spinning, spiraling, falling into the type of flashbacks that often overtook him when he thought much about boxes, about being trapped, about youma and being forced into something he never wanted-- when he felt it leave. He knew what that had been. Perhaps he felt closer to his comet than ever. Bonding to his comet hadn't even been a question for him, long before he found out what transcendence was when his comet had granted it to him. To know that connection could run so deep as to break his spiral amazed him in ways he couldn't say. The world breathed as much as he did, thought as much as he did, was as much as he did -- and Basiluzzo understood Encke's commitment to it, so when he said he was going to take some time to think alone on his comet, it was easily accepted.
He tapped the button on his cell phone and was whisked away without another thought.
Encke breathed in the air.
Almost as if the comet was reaching out to him at that moment, the balance that he had felt before came back easily, and any worries, anger, upset, all of it -- it eased back within moments, and he couldn't help a quiet laugh. "Love you too, Encke."
Maybe he was teasing the comet as if it was another living, conscious being.
It had chosen to set him near the gardens, a curious spot but not a spot he protested. Perhaps he could tend to the gardens a bit and pick a few ripe plants for a bit more of that space salsa preparation. Caedus could use some comfort food, probably. Not that he was sure that space recipes qualified as comfort food. Perhaps he should consult Luke for that... or Garber, maybe. Might also be a good choice--
He paused mid-step on his approach.
Something caught his eyesight that seemed to be moving, which felt unusual; the breezes weren't present, and he knew that he was the only one on the entire comet. He shook his head. Probably just dust moved by the breeze. Or maybe pollen that moved through the air. Nothing to focus on.
Encke continued forward, picking up the watering can he had left on the ground. Seemed to be empty. He clicked his lips together, let out a quiet laugh, and moved back toward the spout nearby to refill the watering can. Encke hummed quietly to himself, his mind surprisingly quiet as he focused on nothing and everything all at once. The intricacies of the task, the fact that they had been betrayed by the desperate, the fact that ultimately, none of the Velencians were bad people, those that they had lost and those that they had won, how clear the easily the water on Encke now flowed--
When the can was full, he drew away, heading back toward the plants and kneeling in front of the first bunch. Could probably pick a couple of those tomatoes, and it looked like that flower over there was doing pretty well, though it hadn't bloomed yet--
Encke blinked.
Movement.
His eyes caught movement again.
He edged a bit closer, curious. A spike of nervousness followed; since when did things endlessly move here? It was probably nothing, probably pollen, probably a seed, probably something that allowed the plants to bloom--
Oh.
That was when his eyes fully caught and saw it. There was a small firefly in front of him, of all things.
A ... a firefly.
He stared, one part in wonder and one part in disbelief, as the firefly leaned its body in toward the plant and appeared to take from it. Encke dropped the watering can, a small amount of the water splashing out into the soil beside him as the firefly picked itself out of the plant and wandered off, fluttering away and leaving a glowing trail behind.
It wasn't the only one.
As he looked, he realized there were others. The other flowering plants had glows around them that were not necessarily just from Enckean plant life. Streaks flew through the air as they wandered around the field, picking up pollen from the plants and moving it to other locations. Fireflies. Bees. Bugs. Life.
Encke finally found his air and his breath and his words again, and the first thing that escaped was a gasp, followed by a scramble to not pick up his watering can but instead to take out his phone, turning it toward the small creatures that flew around and recording them. Life. On Encke's Comet. Life.
Basiluzzo would never believe this.
It was different than plant life. That had been thriving on Encke for years. It was different than the life that flowing water and the electricity that sparked ahead appeared to bring. Technology coming to life and buildings lighting up the skies wasn't the same as this living and breathing life in front of him. Bugs. He had never thought he'd be delighted by--
Something else moved and caught his attention, and he watched as a larger bug floated by his vision, small translucent wings flapping outside of what reminded him of a beetle, of all things.
It swept by one of the fireflies.
It flew away.
The firefly was gone.
Encke couldn't help it.
The circle of life.
He laughed.
Backdated to November 2nd!
