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 Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 4:53 pm
The trip to his homeworld was something he’d promised Sasha, and he did keep his promises, even though the landing was jarring and the place was as dull as ever Chaldene was going to endure it because the other wanted to be here. They had, as usual, arrived inside of a wood building, a small herb shop perhaps, with a stick and thatch roof. The doors of the place let out onto a stick, and stilt, walkway that led to other similar circular buildings all held up on stilts that went into the water and mud that was below them. Reeds stuck up from the water, blowing gently in the breeze. It was down, to the left, that the path went to a small dock of sorts where Chaldene had a small kayak tied up.
Down in the water, beyond what could be seen, were sticks from roof tops, the bridge, and such that had long since been destroyed by their watery grave. The walk wasn’t as nice and easy as it should be, with hold in the walkway, and the incline down to the dock. The floors of buildings weren't even that stable, with holes in some places. It really wasn’t the best place to be.
The sky was rather blue, a few clouds, but there wasn’t any rain in sight though it looked like it had perhaps rained recently as things were moist and damp and wet, drops of water clinging to things still, as he made his way to the kayak he kept there. There were paddles, which he’d left tied up with the kayak on his last visit here…whenever that was. He really couldn’t remember.
All there was, as far as he could see, was water and reeds and tall grasses. Trees, though he couldn’t even be sure if the ground around them was solid enough to walk on or if it would give way under his weight. The tall grasses he couldn’t tell, in some cases, if they came up from the water or land…or both even. It was all tall, too tall to see over once in a kayak and on the water…so finding his way around would be impossible, things were overgrown and no sure path, it just looked like winding rivers and who knew if they were paths to somewhere or just how the water felt like flowing.
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:02 pm
Erinome had powered up as well, more than a little excited to finally be going back to someplace that was familiar even if being awake early in the morning was really hard on him. Yawning as he held onto Chaldene’s uniform, Erinome blinked as he recognized at least a bit of where he was.
Reaching out, he snapped off a piece of the tall grass and started nibbling on it with a smile. “Mmm, still good.” Hopping slightly, he tried to look over the grass as he started to think of where he might be on the planet. Taking a few confident steps, he pushed a bit of the grass down and peered around before looking back and nodding.
“I know where we are.” Feeling rather confident, he stepped through the grass, keeping to where he knew there was mostly solid ground as he kept a hand raised so the other wouldn’t lose his small frame since he knew he half blended into the greenery. He wanted to find where the wisps usually rested, if it was still around because everything here seemed much less lively than it used to be but at least it was better than his homeworld.
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:04 pm
Watching the other nibble on the grass he shook his head, that he was certain he’d never stop staring at. People didn’t eat grass, unless they had no other option for food, so to see someone so quick to jump to nibbling on grass was a bit…attention getting.
Following the other, stepping off the dock and onto…land, which he hadn’t even known was there, Ian hadn’t even really tried walking around this planet - at all. Land was hard to find and he didn’t know if it was stable enough to hold his weight. Not knowing meant he just settled on boat travel and it meant he got tired of the paddling…didn’t go far due to that, and not wanting to get lost entirely, and this place bored him to death.
“I’m glad you know, I haven’t a clue.” As far as he figured it was some small outpost or something…it didn’t seem like people lived here…it just being a few small circular buildings on stilts with a walking bridge connecting them all together. Any other buildings he saw on this planet were the same really…some larger, more buildings, but nothing which ever seemed lie homes - but again…he’d never really traveled here.
Following after the moving hand, pushing the grasses out of the way, he couldn’t even see past the grass to the ground to see where land met water…since he was doing his best to follow in the others steps so he didn’t wind up in the water…as he was certain it was close enough that a step or two off and he’d go in. “I never stepped off the dock…and into those grasses. There was water, a dock, and so I figured the grasses all came up out of the water - no land.”
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:05 pm
“Wisps…” Mumbling slightly as he ventured through the grasses and hopped back up to a different dock that led to where he thought there might be something interesting. Another grab at the grass as he munched happily, glad that it was still the same if not as lush as it had been in the past.
“Marshland, wisps lead normally.” It was the best way for those to wander when the boats were busy or they weren’t strong enough to row through the reeds and current like he was. Pausing, he turned this way and that way as he looked around at the various homes and tried to find any signs of the wisps.
“Somewhere… maybe sleeping?” Sounding hopeful as he wandered towards a larger building that looked more worn down than the others had. It was the one he remembered visiting when it had been a place for herbal medicines, somewhere he visited often to speak of various methods and mixtures that would help heal the sick or at least ease symptoms.
“Met Amel there…” Pointing over towards another building, near one of the docks that had another boat floating quietly by it. He couldn’t quite remember what that building had been for, things were still fuzzy from time to time but he felt much better being in a familiar place.
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:05 pm
Following, and watching, he let himself listen to the other. He was glad at least someone knew where they were going, as he was clueless, and with a larger set of buildings found he climbed up onto the dock and trailed behind. “Maybe it’s just because this planet has been dead for long…it’s not doing well enough to support them.” It would make sense, at least in his mind it would, he didn’t know much about other worlds as he didn’t talk about that with other people. Even those he lived with he didn’t talk to about senshi and knight things, it was something he really didn’t deal with.
“Maybe things’ll wind up in better shape over time…if I visit here more…” Much as he didn’t like the idea, much as this place bored him, it was something which made the other happy and considering how long they’d spent alone in space. Chaldene could do this to give the other something, he felt for the other in that way, to be alone in the world for so long…it felt overwhelming to think about. He couldn’t imagine it really.
“I’m not Amel, he’s gone, but I’m here and maybe…maybe I’ll try more. If you want grab as much grass as you want and we can bring it home. I’m sure we can find a way to bring enough home that you have a good supply of it between visits. I’ll keep up with visiting and take you with me. At least I’m less likely to get lost.”
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:08 pm
Frowning slightly he nodded. “Not as dead as Erinome though.” But maybe that wasn’t the right word… His home wasn’t just dead, it was tainted, and he could feel it when he tried to use his magic. It struggled against him, didn’t cooperate, and sometimes left him drained even if it didn’t go off quite right.
Squatting down, he plopped onto the dock and nibbled on some more grass before patting the wood for them to sit too. “I want to visit more, with you.” It would be nice, getting to be somewhere familiar without that feeling of chaos. He wanted to fix his home but he wasn’t sure if he could go back on his own and he knew he couldn’t bring the other just yet since he was still weak.
“I know he is…” And at that his face fell a bit, eyes staring down at his lap as he fiddled with a long piece of grass between his fingers. “I’d like it, with you Ian.” Even if they weren’t the same person they were still kind and were still helping him even if they didn’t know him or really remember him. He wasn’t sure how it all worked though so maybe they wouldn’t remember him and he had to figure out how to be okay with that.
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:09 pm
“Maybe not…but if visiting more helps then it’ll help to revisit your homeworld as well.” And it would help his if he did what he should and come here more often, which he knew he should do. He knew, from Maia, that more trips helped, how much he didn’t know, he assumed it varied with each planet though.
“Alright, I’ll bring you here more often…as often as I can we'll go together.” This wasn’t what he’d planned, even an hour ago this wasn’t what he had planned, and yet the words came and with it a promise. He’d bring the other here, he knew he would, because it would make them happy and it would help.
“I know, and yet I know you were close to Amel and I feel..bad that he is not here instead.” Because they had been close and because Amel would care more than he did…about Sasha and about this planet. They would have fought for it but that was because they had memories here, because this had been home for them. It was why Sasha wanted to come here, and often, and cared. Sasha had memories related to here and memories of Amel. “Alright, and since I’m not Amel, someone you knew, you can ask me questions about myself. To help you get to know me better. If you want.” And plucking some grass he offered it to the other as found himself a place to sit down.
“Pocket some in subspace. I would offer to grow it back home but I doubt it’ll grow and it might become invasive as well.”
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:11 pm
“Maybe… but dead here not tainted.” Trying to get his thoughts across when he still really didn’t know exactly how things were back home. It was the best he could figure out but he knew he couldn’t rush things yet, especially after how hard things had been on Daedalus for him.
“Yes then maybe wisps will come back.” A slight nod before he started nibbling on the grass he had in his hand. Thinking of how things had been, way back in the past, he hummed a slight tune he’d remembered the other would whistle. It wasn’t something he had ever figured out how to do but he’d tried his darndest still. Then as they spoke, a question bubbled up and he felt bad as it came out. “What happened to him?”
Covering his mouth, he frowned and shook his head. They couldn’t really know the exact details and he also wasn’t sure he wanted to know either. The change in topic was welcome and it had him thinking for a moment about things. “I do want.” Pausing to grab some more of the grass, he did pocket it in subspace to snack on later.
“Things you like? And… foods?” Because he had seen all sorts of things in the fridge but he figured they ate during the day when he was normally asleep. They were on opposite schedules even though the other tried to stay up with him sometimes.
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:13 pm
“I don’t know what happened to him…” Of course he didn’t, he knew some got memories but he was certain those came with time - time he hadn’t spent here in space. If he spent enough time here, which it seemed he would wind up doing, he might find out what had happened to Amel.
“Food and things I like….lets start with food I suppose. I like chicken with the exception being fried chicken. I don’t like anything greasy, including fast food. I wind up burping up the grease and oil…it’s really disgusting and unpleasant. I like to go to small, but really good, dives for food…places that aren’t well known.” But where the food was good and it was a close knit group of people who went there. He wasn’t picky per say but he did look at reviews of the places and he did check them out before ordering anything.
“I don’t typically go out to eat, I used to go out for food more often, so I’ve learned to cook since I still need to eat.”
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:14 pm
It was the answer he expected so he couldn’t really be disappointed but it was something he wondered about. “It’s okay.” He reassured them as much as he tried reassuring himself. If he didn’t know then he could assume that maybe it wasn’t horrible for them, that it was a kind passing or old age. But it tore at him a little wondering if they’d felt he’d abandoned them or if they’d tried to find him but found his planet locked off. Little bits of those emotions played over his face before he pressed his palms to his cheeks and shook his head to try and push them away.
“Quiet food places?” And chicken… it sounded sort of familiar if only he remembered it from seeing the words printed on some sort of clear material covered container in the fridge. It was meat he assumed, something that wouldn’t settle with him but he did tilt his head as they mentioned that it sometimes upset their stomach too. “Greasy? Is it like…” Thinking for a moment he traced an M in the air with his fingers. It was something he’d seen a video playing in between things they’d been watching on their computer. He wasn’t sure why it had come up but the food in the video had an odd sheen to it and he wondered if that’s what grease was.
“Go out? Oh picnic?” Was that still the right word? When he’d sit somewhere in the forest with Amel and snack on the things they’d made together while watching the flickering bugs on his planet or the wisps on their planet. “I want to… go out?” It would be nice maybe, even if he didn’t eat the same sorts of things as them.
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:15 pm
“I don’t like a lot of people or busy places…too loud typically.” There were, of course, rare occasions where he would go somewhere that had a lot of people and was loud. It was rare though because he really didn’t like to socialize and he tried to avoid it, he found it easier in less crowded places. Less occupied places meant the chances of someone coming up to him were lessened and that was the way he wanted it.
“Yes, like that or pizza. Other foods do it also but a lot of fried foods get to me.” And rather than see anyone about it, as he was certain they made something for it, he just avoided the foods altogether. He didn’t like them anyway so it didn’t bother him one bit. “I don’t think, given what you like to eat, that you’d like those sorts of foods either…” Which was a good thing, he didn’t have to worry about taking Sasha to any places like that. The clean eating the other did was good. “I should take you to the grocery store to help do some produce shopping, you just can’t eat anything till it’s all paid for.” But it would give the other a chance to find things to try. Though Ian typically went to two different grocery stores, since he was buying more exotic fruits now for the other.
“No, I don’t do picnics…I don’t know anyone to go on a picnic with really. I go out to small places to eat - I’ll take you next time. I’ll pick a place with good salad options for you. If you want to do a picnic we can try that as well.”
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:19 pm
Nodding, he agreed with the idea of quiet places without many people. It was something he was used to with his duties on Erinome as the senshi of his homeworld. It meant spending time in the endless forest making sure there were no signs of trouble while gathering the hard to find ingredients for the wide variety of medicines that were made there.
“Paid?” Was this like what Julienne had said about him not taking plants. “Ah… no stealing?” If a grocery store was like the merchants then it made sense that things had to be barter for and a trade should be agreed on before he could eat the goods.
“We can go?” He asked before they mentioned it and then nodded excitedly. “Yes!” Then he thought of another thing he wanted to ask.
“Do you… like tomes still?” Pinching himself after realizing he’d added still into the question, it was still hard not to tangle things together. “Or uhh computer… thing?” He wasn’t sure exactly what they did on the glowing box but they said it was work but he knew sometimes it looked like they did fun things on it because he was smart enough to know working didn’t make people smile or laugh very often.
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:20 pm
“Yes, paid, you can’t just grab things in a grocery store and walk out. You pay for things…so it trickles down from the store making money, which pays its workers…all the way to the growers. I can explain it better at home…” A lesson he didn’t think he’d ever have to give to someone, it was just how things worked, but he would explain it to the other later…a whole lesson on how people got paid for their work and how everyone in the chain made money.
“Tomes…books?” He questioned the other, figuring it was the same as on Earth. That was a rather old term to use, one he saw in some stories and in some games though. So he knew, thankfully, what the word meant. “Yes, I like to read - very much so. I have a lot of books…some I forgot to ever give back to friends and classmates.” He didn’t mean to forget but it did happen, he got tied up in reading things and then by the time he was done he’d be putting them into his own collection. “I read a lot on the computer as well. You could, if you want, say I gained that like from Amel.” Even if it wasn’t true…if it made the other happy, especially seeing something the two Chaldene’s had in common.
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:24 pm
Scrunching his face up, it sounded a lot like the merchants but way more complicated and something he never really managed much. But at least he had the base idea down which was a relief for him. “Okay, like trade?” Nodding in confirmation a bit as he started grabbing some of the foliage to tuck into subspace as he listened to the other.
“Yes, reading!” That sounded familiar even if the way it sounded was off from the way he remembered it being said. His face brightened at the fact they liked to read, something the other had done long ago with him. It was nice listening to them read aloud for him, even when he knew they were embellishing the story to keep him listening to it when it might be a drier one.
Then that bit of bittersweetness and he nodded again. They had some things that reminded him of Amel, both physically and now it seemed hobby wise. Maybe a bit too in the way they were kind but it was still different which was why he was having a hard time. “Come here and read? Together?” Something they might like to do while being here to try and help the planet out, something to maybe bring the wisps back.
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Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2024 5:28 pm
“Yes, trade I suppose. You give money and in return you get groceries.” Maybe, for the others sake, he should find some farmers markets to take them to. He would pay, of course, and the other could get food and see how the trading system worked. He;d have to give the other an idea of economics as well he supposed, not his strong suit at all, but he was sure he could find all the information Sasha would need to at least understand things…and money and how it worked. Because he assumed, since the other spoke of trade, that it was more items for items rather than money.
“I suppose, I mean there isn’t a whole lot else to do here. If we’re going to be coming here a lot reading would be a good way to pass the time. You can gather plants, grass, and I’ll read.” It would make the time go a bit quicker he figured. “You can read as well…or perhaps I’ll do the reading, just out loud, since some of the books might be harder for you…language barrier and all.” He wasn’t thinking of helping his planet out, or bringing the wisps back, with reading up here in space. He was thinking of how to pass the time…and help the other as well.
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