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 Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2022 7:06 pm
As far as Vyn was concerned, the Vanguard had no allies from Earth.
The Negaverse was a means to an end; it was clear to him that no working relationship between their Queen and the Commodore could heal a rift caused by orders disobeyed on the battlefield. The White Moon, similarly, would never allow the Vanguard to forget the Commodore’s actions; if they did not attack the Vanguard outright, they would belittle the Vanguard at every opportunity.
Perhaps, then, it was not Earth they should be looking to for answers.
Outside of the Vanguard, few of those who’d been brought here were familiar to Vyn, but there was one face he caught sight of that Vyn remembered from a realm of darkness and tar.
“Surtur,” Vyn called when he drew close enough.
He left the Vanguard momentarily — while they were still together, before many of them could split off again — stepping over rubble and debris as he made his way toward the Senshi with the horned tiara.
“You are the only Senshi I know here who does not actively pose a threat to us,” he explained his presence. “I thought to warn you against trusting our inorganic hosts.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2022 7:19 pm
Despite the company (because he always enjoyed Ymir’s company) and the self-decided task at hand (because if he was able to help Almadel procure a few more valuable objects for his hoard-- stock… then he would be content with keeping himself busy), Surtur was finding this mythical realm of mystery and wonder to be a little… lackluster.
For a world that was supposed to be something out of a fairytale, the zealous robots were, well, a surprise, but not necessarily something he’d expected.
There were statues of various poses and provocativity that had pulled his attention for a short while, if only because it was strange that there would be people represented when there were none to be found now. Perhaps a natural disaster? Maybe they abandoned Astraya long before these robots sought refuge there. It was also possible that Chaos had tarnished the very core of Astraya, leaving nothing but rubble and dust in its wake.
He lifted his head in delighted surprise when he heard his name being called, and he smiled brightly at the Vanguardian as he approached.
“Vyn! It’s been a while. You look well. Still kind of skinny,” he observed, but quickly shut his mouth and eyebrows knitted together at reason behind Vyn’s approach.
“Thank you for the warning. We will be sure to heed it. May I introduce a dear friend of mine, and I assure you he does not pose a threat either,” Surtur said as he gestured to the Senshi with him.
“This is Ymir. Vyn. Has something happened that makes you distrustful of them?”
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Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2022 7:39 pm
Ymir was immediately distrustful of anyone, no matter their origins, but Surtur, while not always the best judge of character, was still a decent judge of anything that might pose a danger to them, and Surtur seemed relaxed in the presence of this Vyn. Ymir hovered a step or two behind, peering over Surtur’s shoulder. He knew nothing of Velencya or the Vanguard, only bits and pieces of what Surtur had shared of his brief time with this Corporal.Vyn came to a stop as soon as he thought their proximity was acceptable — close enough that they could converse in private, without anyone else overhearing, but not so close that either of their personal space was invaded.
He had yet to put away his blaster. At the moment, he held it loosely at his side, watchful, on edge, but not yet trigger happy.
“We’ve come by some information,” he said. “Not much, but more than we had when we arrived. The Vanguard’s relationship with the White Moon has been strained since our arrival on Earth, so I am unsure how much any of you have learned, but…”
Vyn glanced around to make sure none of the robots lingered close. Truly, he did not know how much he could trust Surtur either, or the Senshi Ymir with him, but he also knew Surtur to be a special case among Senshi. Vyn would be a fool not to attempt some measure of goodwill.
“We know there is a beacon of some sort, which we’ve been told is responsible for our being here, as well as our inability to leave. And the inorganics… They seem to have a concerning interest in starseeds.”Ymir’s eyes narrowed as he considered the Velencian — not in anger or suspicion, but curiosity. That Vyn was willing to share information was encouraging, though Ymir did not know what to make of anything he heard.
A beacon. So the man they saw when they first came here was not responsible? Or was the beacon his? Were the robots his? What could they possibly find so interesting about starseeds?
Hadn’t one of those foul Chaos-corrupted Senshi claimed that man didn’t have a starseed of his own?
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Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2022 7:56 pm
“What could they possibly be interested in starseeds for…?” Surtur asked out loud, crossing his arms over his chest as he frowned thoughtfully. He was grateful for the information. Any little bit would help keep them alive, he suspected.
“They’d be better off asking Cosmos, although… maybe they can’t get in contact with her. I can’t say I’ve ever successfully gotten in contact with her,” he admitted, glancing over to Ymir with a frown.
Maybe it was better that he hadn’t. If he’d been rescued from the Chaos on Surtur before Ymir had been freed from his prison… what then? Would he have just suffered alone?
No, it was better this way. He was able to endure the endless days of hiding from the Chaos, and he would do it again.
“I don’t suppose you have the location to this beacon, do you? Maybe that is the key to getting us back home,” he started and then paused. “Well, back to Earth.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2022 8:23 pm
Vyn shook his head guiltily. Lysvi’s message had not offered those details, and he had not had the opportunity to find the beacon himself.
As for the inorganics… Vyn did not like the path his thoughts took when he considered their quest. Either they were malfunctioning, or they’d been programmed to yearn for starseeds, or…
“I would offer more details if I had them,” he said, and found that he meant it. Perhaps their interactions benefited from Surtur having spent so little time on Earth, among the White Moon senshi and knights who called it home. Surtur did not have any biases against Vyn or his people. “If we learn more and I get the chance, I will be sure to notify you.”
Vyn bit his lip and glanced around again. He looked over Surtur’s shoulder to Ymir, unsure how much the paler Senshi knew about anything. He seemed wary, distant, but familiar enough with Surtur.
Hesitantly, Vyn continued, “If we manage to find our way back to Earth, I was wondering if you would be kind enough to take me to Surtur.”Ymir didn’t know anything about robots or inorganic life. His world had been advanced enough that people with means could travel among the stars, but aside from that, they relied very little on the sort of technology that seemed to exist here. Like Vyn and Surtur, he couldn’t determine what anything that was not alive could hope to gain from a starseed.
Was it curiosity, perhaps? Or had the people responsible for the robots’ creation had an interest akin to the Negaverse?
Ymir watched Vyn carefully, taking in his darting eyes and the nervous mannerisms.
“Why would you want to go to Surtur?” he asked.“My people lost our homeworld centuries ago,” Vyn said. “We have been searching for ways to reclaim it and revive it, but so far we have been unsuccessful. I’m afraid we are running out of time. The synthetic world that has been our refuge will not sustain us forever. We came to Earth hoping we might find answers. It has survived so long. If we knew how…”
If they knew how, what then? How were they to know if it would benefit them at all? Their circumstances were so different. Perhaps the two, Earth and Velenia, could not compare.
“If it is true that you have been on Surtur all this time, I… I was hoping there might be something there to explain why, or how. I thought it might benefit my people to learn more, and… in return, if you require assistance, I would offer you what help I can.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2022 8:34 pm
Surtur continued to frown, but he grew a bit more concerned when his World was brought up. It was possible to take another person there, but would he want to risk it? Would he want to witness them being taken by the mist that rose from the valley floors and consumed everything it touched?
But he needed allies to help him. He knew he wanted to cleanse his world of the Chaos there, but he had no idea where to start. Other than asking others.
“It would be dangerous,” he warned, but he suspected Vyn already knew that. “I don’t know how I survived that long. My people lived long lives by Earth’s standards. But a thousand years…”
He shrugged at the thought. There was no point in dwelling on it. He cast a concerned glance at Ymir, and then nodded to Vyn.
“Alright. I can take you. Provided we get back from this place, first.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2022 9:03 pm
“I… Thank you.”
Vyn swallowed. His people lived even longer lives than Surtur’s seemed to, but even to Vyn, a thousand years seemed like a considerable length of time to survive anywhere as hostile as many of their worlds had become.
Perhaps this wouldn’t lead to anything. Perhaps it was another dead end. Vyn struggled not to get his hopes up.
Did the Commodore know? Was he aware that there were anomalies like Surtur? Vyn did not like to assume, but he thought, due to their familiarity with one another, that Ymir might have survived similar circumstances.Ymir cocked his head to the side, vaguely intrigued.
He did not share Surtur’s determination. If his moon fell, it made no difference to Ymir. Either he would die with it, or he would lose the last of his powers and live the rest of his life without them. Neither circumstance seemed particularly egregious, when he’d lost so much already.
Ymir chose not to say so. Surtur might not like the thought, and he was all Ymir had now.
“My world is the same,” he offered, useless as he thought it would be. “If traveling to Ymir would help, I would be willing to facilitate it.”“Thank you,” Vyn said again, almost breathless with relief. His worries had not abated — they still had to find a way back to Earth first — but having some sort of direction was preferable to having nothing at all. “Thank you, yes, if you could, I… I would be grateful. Either myself, or one of my colleagues…”Ymir shrugged. It made no difference to him who accompanied him.“Is there any way I can contact either of you?” Vyn asked. “Are there places you frequent on Earth?”“There’s a park on the western side of the city,” Ymir said. “We could frequent the area so you can find us. We’ve been staying with the Princess, but I doubt she’d take kindly to us disclosing an exact location.”“Oh… yes… right…”
Vyn suppressed a wince. He remembered two royals from the hilltop — a Prince, so full of bluster, and a Princess who kept her distance, occupied with other matters. Vyn did not relish the thought of meeting either one of them.
Decision made, Vyn cleared his throat and said, “In the meantime, be wary. I do not believe the locals will make it easy for us to leave.”“Thank you,” Ymir replied, though he did not yet know that the Velencian could be trusted.Vyn gave them both a curt nod, then took his leave of them, heading back toward the comfort of the Vanguard.Ymir watched him go. He waited until Vyn was out of earshot, then grabbed Surtur by the arm to pull him around, looking him in the eye.
“Tell me you didn’t offer him a place in your harem.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2022 9:19 pm
Surtur had been busy watchined Vyn’s retreat, and hadn’t expected to be so roughly pulled around by Ymir. His eyes widened at Ymir’s words, and then a sly grin crept its way onto his face.
“Ah, I haven’t had the opportunity to yet. He seems rather absorbed in his duties. However, once I get him alone, I’ll be sure to extend the offer,” he hummed thoughtfully, because why not? Vyn was attractive. He was probably a little too stuck up to agree, but sometimes you never knew.
“Why? Do you think it would be a bad idea?”
It was just a gentle tease. He knew Ymir was prickly enough, but Surtur would make up for his teasing later, if given the chance.
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Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2022 9:28 pm
Ymir scoffed and scowled, then released Surtur’s arm and turned away.
“You’re despicable,” Ymi said, without any heat.
He began to walk in the opposite direction Vyn had gone. Ymir’s shoes were less practical for scaling rubble, but he’d gotten by so far. The longer they were here, however, the more he began to tire. He’d conserved his strength as much as he could, but he rather hoped they didn’t run into a situation in which they’d need it.
Beacons and robots and starseeds. What else might they find here?
“We should keep searching,” he suggested.
He didn’t wait for a response before leading the way. Surtur would keep up, he was sure.
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