[ this is a digitized mess; one that couldn't make up its mind on what it should project, switching back and forth between pieces of memories that all feel so far away now. sariel is barely affected by what's going on, not even when the spliced remains of the simulated deputy head dematerializes within a blink of an eye. that it seems like he never existed in the first place is probably the only thing that reels a reaction out of sariel, and even then it's still pretty insignificant.
(he breathes, a soft exhale. a quiet rise and fall of his chest.)
when he speaks next, it doesn't address lucilius' question because it's not like he knows how to articulate what he wants to say. there's a danger here that isn't tangible, at least it's nothing like all the things he's buried (exterminated) in the past. however, it's still his duty to be lucilius' shield and blade, and so he lingers close to him just in case something else happens. ]
Yes. I used to visit this place a lot... but that was a long time ago.
[ a thoughtful pause, one that allows him to look around at the broken bits of the place. ]
[ As the projection continues to whirl to life, Lucilius reaches out to the nearest NPC, its face oozing between his fingers like puddy when he squeezes down; it's nothing more than a half-formed being that fades away again at the slightest provocation. The greatest threat here might just be that they could lose their corporeal forms too, dissolving just as easily as everything that lives here.
But he glides forward without hesitation, unruffled as ever. He knows these halls too well anyway, ground real enough that his footfalls tap lightly against the stone (except for where it transitions seamlessly to grass and dirt). The rest of the atmosphere is slightly less familiar, but Skydweller territory all started to look the same after a while anyway.
It's a strange roost for an angel, for sure. He raises a brow, slowly, incredulous. ]
You wanted to see ants.
[ He's not sure whether to be fascinated at his absurdity, or disappointed. But even Lucifer had his strange fixations—must be some tick in their wiring, a side effect of having personalities.
In any case, there is indeed an ant trail; Lucilius steps along it carefully, never breaking the line even as his robe trails behind him. ]
...Executioner turned entomologist. I hadn't taken you for a scholar, Sariel.
[ His intelligence was never his brightest feature. He must be out hunting down bugs for some other reason. ]
[ there are weird phrases here and there; free us seems to be the loudest and most common one, but it all falls on deaf ears. whatever reaction sariel might have given the broken NPCs earlier on is now replaced with a single-minded focus that has him following dutifully after his creator. his steps are quiet, almost unnervingly so, like he's a shadow that can easily blend in with the darkness.
when stone blends into grass, the structures all around them become less familiar. there are tall trees amongst tall pillars, dense underbrush along broken rocks. there's a quaint cottage off to the side that sariel thinks he's seen somewhere before, but it's not important. the trail of ants on the ground are what matters most, a part of him relieved when lucilius doesn't step all over them. ]
Yes. I wanted to see the soldier ants.
[ that's the simplest answer he can give, even if it's a repeat. having conversation has never been his strongest suit either. ]
It was always quiet when I came to see them. [ there are no screams. there's no one pleading to be spared. ] However... it's not so quiet right now.
[ and he has no idea how to fix that, short of burying everyone around them. ]
[ As solitary as he was, Lucilius is used to being flanked by angels, whether they're just fluttering in and awaiting orders or hovering about to protect him from his ever-growing pool of enemies. It doesn't rattle him any; he'd be more annoyed if Sariel wasn't falling in step anyway.
But even with 2000 years and the world deteriorating and rebuilding around them, Sariel is tractable as ever, and things between them haven't changed a day. Except for these... insects. That's the real irregularity here, not a bunch of glitchy landscapes; he pays them no heed, no nostalgia lost on the familiar scenes anyway.
His voice cuts through the rest. ]
Silence is a state of mind—it will be quiet again if you ignore them.
[ It's easy to tune out the eerie whispers and cries building around them when they keep repeating the same, pointless mantra. (It's not like freedom comes to those who whine the loudest, anyway.)
His one-track mind takes them near the convergence of several ant pathways, clearly heading into a nest. He opts to ignore Canaan and all his labs falling apart around him in favor of the humble ant. ]
...Well? [ Enlighten him on why they're here, Sariel. ]
[ sometimes the smallest and most subtle differences in something that never changes are enough to be as obvious as the amusement written all over belial's face. sariel doesn't really know it right now, but this is where it all starts, where the featherline cracks on glass walls add up until it makes a mess of everything he knows. it's funny how the more belial answers his questions, the less he understands in the end.
but maybe that's better than the alternative, and yet before he could stop himself - ]
I don't understand. I don't have any experience with that.
[ it only makes sense; he is the former angel of execution, after all. these hands that were holding onto belial's just a few moments ago were made to destroy and crush anything that stood in his way. he doesn't understand what it's like to be gentle, even if you told him. even if he says he gets it. ]
[ Belial lets the disappointment sit plainly on his face, shaking his head at Sariel's quick surrender to such an experience. ]
You can also generate it by eating, but you're going to need money to buy food in the first place—it's not profitable.
[ He holds his hands up helplessly as he shrugs, confident that he'll be able to sway Sariel's opinion. Fumbling and uncertain as he may be, the angel of execution is still a tenacious beast, and Belial doesn't doubt that he'll adapt to the requirements of moonlacing as he settles into the new world.
It just takes rewiring a few of those instincts. ]
Are you feeling shy, Sari? Have a little more faith in your ability to learn.
[ whatever belial is trying to do, it works. the disappointment on belial's face is enough to make sariel start backpedaling and reconsidering his options. then again, it isn't like he had plenty options to begin with so this scenario is no different than cornering him against a wall. ]
I don't... know where to start.
[ it's as honest and plain as this answer can get. the next thing he says, well, it's pretty simple too. it's probably the exact thing belial wants to hear. ]
Will you show me?
[ there are plenty of reasons why this is a terrible idea, but when has sariel ever doubted the man before him? ]
[ As expected, Belial smiles, a slow certain thing as he takes Sariel's hand to lace their fingers together again. His hands are cold, but he doubts that Sariel will mind, holding on tight as he starts to lead them back toward the residential area again, something warm and pleased settling in his chest. ]
Of course. I'll be gentle too.
[ It is worth celebrating in his view—primal beasts existing as nothing but machines, void of their own pleasures and pursuits living in a world that relies on indulgence and physical intimacy. Under the rule of gods who necessitate such revelry? It directly opposes the order and logic of the Sky Realm, and it fascinates him that the natives in this world would so peacefully accept such unruly laws of nature.
Even if it's only a pit stop, at least it's entertaining. ]
But where are you going to put all those ant colonies? Maybe you should find a burrow first.
[ the captured sprite floats around quietly within the net, making it look like makeshift balloon given the way sariel is holding it. he watches it curiously, head tilted slightly to the side. it's a good thing it didn't explode but... ]
This seems inefficient.
[ if he was meant to catch as many of the sprites, it feels weird to use the net while there's already one trapped inside. ]
Where should this one go now that I've caught it? If I bring one back then this will take more time...
[Ren hasn't talked to the person who started this whole mission, but he figures someone must have handed out the net, so he taps his chin.] I guess the person who told you to catch them...? Though I think you should be able to catch more than one at a time if you're careful.
[Assuming the creature doesn't fly out at the first chance it gets, which seems like a potential concern.] It'd be nice if they gave you something other than the net to keep them in while you catch more...
[If physical contact with them is such an issue, it seems like a much safer option.]
[ sariel doesn't look convinced. if he uses the same net to capture another sprite, who's to say it won't just float away before he succeeds? maybe if he acquires more nets... ]
They only gave me this. [ the whistle. he blows on it, just because he can. what happens next is something he didn't expect: there's a flurry of sprites surrounding them at this point. ]
—Oh. I'm not sure... how I'll be able to take all of them back, without doing it one at a time.
[ at least he doesn't have to hunt them down anymore. ]{
[Well, that certainly explains the presence of the whistle. Ren curls a hand over his mouth in what seems to be a thoughtful gesture, but is actually him making a pretty strong attempt at stopping himself from laughing at that.]
Well, definitely remember not to touch them...I guess if we could find something other than a net to put them in, like a big piece of fabric you could make into a bag or something, it'd be easier.
[They don't need a world-ending glitter detonation going on here, but Ren figures the sprites aren't going to be quite cooperative enough to let him pied piper them all the way back with the whistle.]
[ even if she blushes, it's not like sariel knows the implications of that and so he'll have no reason to tease her over it. he dutifully follows her directions and heads north.
this is going to be a pretty quiet walk, but hopefully she's comfortable. ]
[ She's had worse rides, and one of them involved a mythical creature, so really, she won't complain. She'll really only speak up to guide him until they reach the park, with its lush and verdant greenery and the natives out picnicking. ]
Here. It may be hard to find them in the grass, but if you look for dirt...
[ sariel follows her instructions without questioning them, and soon enough, they'll be at the park she told him about. neither the vibrant greenery nor the prismals mulling about are what he focuses on; rather, his eyes scan the area for any small peaks from the ground.
when he finds one, he wastes no time in heading over there, not too fast so as not to jostle the one he's carrying. he stops just a few steps away from crystal-like ants going about their day. ]
... We found them.
[ despite the lack of enthusiasm, he is pretty pleased right now. ]
[ the life of a primal can be cruel, but sariel has no concept of cruelty; at the very least, he'll never understand why the Singularity and his crew fought so hard to convince him that belial isn't worth it. that he's just being used. isn't that his purpose? to be used by his superiors however they deemed appropriate. it's just how things are; there's no reason for it to be any different.
he thinks about what to say in response and ends up defaulting to one of his simplest answers. ]
I want to go see the ants.
[ if it were possible to go back to that residential park, that's where he'd be right away - but something tells him that can't be done. not anymore, not so easily. ]
They help me think sometimes.
[ or they help him stop thinking altogether, when things get really bad (as they usually do). ]
[ An expected answer, but Lucio still pretends to be a little surprised by it, tapping his chin contemplatively as he had seen the other moonblessed do on occasion while thinking. ]
...Ants? I believe I saw an anthill on the way here in the park.
[ It's interesting to see what primals marvel over other and what aspects of the Skydwellers and their lives appeal most to them. To Belial, it may be something as complicated as desire and intimacy, and to Sariel, it's the most inane of creatures, often ignored or forgotten until they start to become too invasive. But even simple things can become dangerous. A whole army of bullet ants will render any mortal numb with pain.
He holds out a hand invitingly towards Sariel after a moment. ]
Would you like me to take you to them? Perhaps, there is something we can observe together that went unnoticed before.
[ Which isn't untrue. The creatures of this land are different than those created by the Omnipotent. Who's to say they don't drastically differ from memory? ]
[ sariel quietly looks at the offered hand for the longest time, as if it's something foreign. he reaches out to take it in the end, but there are questions written all over his face. ]
But the sprites...
[ don't they still have to return them to the mage? as much as he'd like to head over to where the anthill is, he feels some measure of responsibility to return the ones they have acquired after he made a sprite explode earlier - even if it was all an accident. maybe it'll stop him from feeling this weird, tight sensation in his chest.
it's guilt, probably. ]
After we return them, I would like to see the ants.
[ he'll do his best not to be distracted by his own selfish desire to see the ants right away. ]
[ that's a dangerous path to start following after - the way angels worked in the Sky Realm - it's too much for the first meeting.
but it's true; sariel is as clueless as they come, mostly because the more mundane things when it comes to what it's like to live as a skydweller (land dweller now...) are things he never really encountered. never really had the time to, given how busy he was with burying the Sky Realm's foes.
did he lose his way? ]
... Yes. I think so. I will choose another door.
[ it seems the easiest way to fix this, probably. ]
[ there are a lot of things that don't make sense to sariel either. after uriel sat him down and explained the past two millennia, he came out of that conversation with only more questions by the end of it. some things are just beyond the scope of his own understanding, but even if he doesn't get it, he sees no reason to withhold information like that from allies.
if olivia asks, he'll do his best to relay things as they are, but for now - ]
Yes. It has also been a while since I was last here. [ a whole lot has happened in between too. ] But I would like that, if it's not too much trouble.
[ he almost looks delighted (?) by the offer, even if it's way more subdued on his face. maybe the correct term is something closer to hopeful. ]
I want to see what kind of ants they have here.
[ will they be just as prismatic as the pegasus he saw on the moon? only time will tell. ]
[ She has very little emotional affect herself, however she can more or less understand his mood by the subtle shift in his expression—it seems he's willing to go along with her, and she's appreciative of his cooperation. (She feels a certain sense of duty toward her brethren, and it wouldn't do to leave Sariel behind in an alien world...) ]
It's no trouble.
[ She offers him a hand up, nevermind the ludicrous difference in height between them. ]
If you're unable to satisfy your curiosity, you can always return here later.
[ A practical observation, though she'd rather avoid the simulation. Despite the convincing sky above them, it still feels much like a surreal cage, and of course she isn't keen on Belial's presence here, either. (His false pleasantness is part of her memory as well, and it clashes with her knowledge of him in the present. Like facing the counterfeit of a counterfeit, each reiteration less trustworthy than the last.) And, she'd rather Sariel stay away from his influence, direct or indirect—though she hasn't realized it's a bit too late for that. ]
Well then. Shall we?
[ As if to haunt their footsteps, their Deputy Head smiles at them peaceably as they leave, purple liquid seeping from his eyes as they step outside the room, dribbling from the corners of his sharp smile. ]
[ sariel is quiet for the longest time as he processes the new information. this is beyond his working knowledge of everything, likely something that wasn't included when he was created since it wasn't necessary for his role. however, now that his limiter is gone...
who knows just how much he'll learn while he's here. ]
I see. [ and then, as if emphatizing. ] I don't know if it's something I will get used to either.
[ it just seems odd for someone like him to participate in moonlacing, that's all. ]
[He's not gonna lie: Adra finds it difficult to believe that Sariel has experience with anything, even after just meeting him. He chides himself for making assumptions--a bad habit--and waves Sariel over. He's got an array of knives hanging from magnetic strips on the wall, each one shiny clean and perfectly sharp. He grabs one by its handle and offers it to Sariel: it's big, about seven inches long, with hollow edge depressions along the blade.]
For cooking, or ...?
[He's guiding Sariel to a bowl of oranges, anyway. Placing one on the cutting board, he gestures between it and the knife.]
Well, I guess it doesn't really matter. I just need these sliced.
[ sometimes the life of a primal beast can be surprisingly simple, but once they're faced with the more mundane things in life - like cooking, for example - most of them will adapt to it like fish on water, and others, well. others are a bit more like sariel in that regard, confused, unsure of what to do, but more than willing to learn.
he takes the knife that was given to him and holds it properly. while the scythe is his weapon of choice, he knows how to hold a dagger and this is close enough to its shape. ]
Not for cooking.
[ and he doesn't say much more beyond that.
blinking, he looks down at the bowl of oranges. he reaches for the one on the cutting board and slices it neatly in half. no fingers nor ants were harmed during the entire ordeal. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
▶ TDM .004
■ ʟᴜᴄɪʟɪᴜs
[ this is a digitized mess; one that couldn't make up its mind on what it should project, switching back and forth between pieces of memories that all feel so far away now. sariel is barely affected by what's going on, not even when the spliced remains of the simulated deputy head dematerializes within a blink of an eye. that it seems like he never existed in the first place is probably the only thing that reels a reaction out of sariel, and even then it's still pretty insignificant.
(he breathes, a soft exhale. a quiet rise and fall of his chest.)
when he speaks next, it doesn't address lucilius' question because it's not like he knows how to articulate what he wants to say. there's a danger here that isn't tangible, at least it's nothing like all the things he's buried (exterminated) in the past. however, it's still his duty to be lucilius' shield and blade, and so he lingers close to him just in case something else happens. ]
Yes. I used to visit this place a lot... but that was a long time ago.
[ a thoughtful pause, one that allows him to look around at the broken bits of the place. ]
I wanted to see the soldier ants.
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But he glides forward without hesitation, unruffled as ever. He knows these halls too well anyway, ground real enough that his footfalls tap lightly against the stone (except for where it transitions seamlessly to grass and dirt). The rest of the atmosphere is slightly less familiar, but Skydweller territory all started to look the same after a while anyway.
It's a strange roost for an angel, for sure. He raises a brow, slowly, incredulous. ]
You wanted to see ants.
[ He's not sure whether to be fascinated at his absurdity, or disappointed. But even Lucifer had his strange fixations—must be some tick in their wiring, a side effect of having personalities.
In any case, there is indeed an ant trail; Lucilius steps along it carefully, never breaking the line even as his robe trails behind him. ]
...Executioner turned entomologist. I hadn't taken you for a scholar, Sariel.
[ His intelligence was never his brightest feature. He must be out hunting down bugs for some other reason. ]
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when stone blends into grass, the structures all around them become less familiar. there are tall trees amongst tall pillars, dense underbrush along broken rocks. there's a quaint cottage off to the side that sariel thinks he's seen somewhere before, but it's not important. the trail of ants on the ground are what matters most, a part of him relieved when lucilius doesn't step all over them. ]
Yes. I wanted to see the soldier ants.
[ that's the simplest answer he can give, even if it's a repeat. having conversation has never been his strongest suit either. ]
It was always quiet when I came to see them. [ there are no screams. there's no one pleading to be spared. ] However... it's not so quiet right now.
[ and he has no idea how to fix that, short of burying everyone around them. ]
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But even with 2000 years and the world deteriorating and rebuilding around them, Sariel is tractable as ever, and things between them haven't changed a day. Except for these... insects. That's the real irregularity here, not a bunch of glitchy landscapes; he pays them no heed, no nostalgia lost on the familiar scenes anyway.
His voice cuts through the rest. ]
Silence is a state of mind—it will be quiet again if you ignore them.
[ It's easy to tune out the eerie whispers and cries building around them when they keep repeating the same, pointless mantra. (It's not like freedom comes to those who whine the loudest, anyway.)
His one-track mind takes them near the convergence of several ant pathways, clearly heading into a nest. He opts to ignore Canaan and all his labs falling apart around him in favor of the humble ant. ]
...Well? [ Enlighten him on why they're here, Sariel. ]
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this tag... was in my spam folder I'M SORRYSDFSDLKF
■ ʙᴇʟɪᴀʟ
[ sometimes the smallest and most subtle differences in something that never changes are enough to be as obvious as the amusement written all over belial's face. sariel doesn't really know it right now, but this is where it all starts, where the featherline cracks on glass walls add up until it makes a mess of everything he knows. it's funny how the more belial answers his questions, the less he understands in the end.
but maybe that's better than the alternative, and yet before he could stop himself - ]
I don't understand. I don't have any experience with that.
[ it only makes sense; he is the former angel of execution, after all. these hands that were holding onto belial's just a few moments ago were made to destroy and crush anything that stood in his way. he doesn't understand what it's like to be gentle, even if you told him. even if he says he gets it. ]
Maybe there's another way.
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You can also generate it by eating, but you're going to need money to buy food in the first place—it's not profitable.
[ He holds his hands up helplessly as he shrugs, confident that he'll be able to sway Sariel's opinion. Fumbling and uncertain as he may be, the angel of execution is still a tenacious beast, and Belial doesn't doubt that he'll adapt to the requirements of moonlacing as he settles into the new world.
It just takes rewiring a few of those instincts. ]
Are you feeling shy, Sari? Have a little more faith in your ability to learn.
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I don't... know where to start.
[ it's as honest and plain as this answer can get. the next thing he says, well, it's pretty simple too. it's probably the exact thing belial wants to hear. ]
Will you show me?
[ there are plenty of reasons why this is a terrible idea, but when has sariel ever doubted the man before him? ]
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Of course. I'll be gentle too.
[ It is worth celebrating in his view—primal beasts existing as nothing but machines, void of their own pleasures and pursuits living in a world that relies on indulgence and physical intimacy. Under the rule of gods who necessitate such revelry? It directly opposes the order and logic of the Sky Realm, and it fascinates him that the natives in this world would so peacefully accept such unruly laws of nature.
Even if it's only a pit stop, at least it's entertaining. ]
But where are you going to put all those ant colonies? Maybe you should find a burrow first.
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■ ʀᴇɴ
[ the captured sprite floats around quietly within the net, making it look like makeshift balloon given the way sariel is holding it. he watches it curiously, head tilted slightly to the side. it's a good thing it didn't explode but... ]
This seems inefficient.
[ if he was meant to catch as many of the sprites, it feels weird to use the net while there's already one trapped inside. ]
Where should this one go now that I've caught it? If I bring one back then this will take more time...
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[Assuming the creature doesn't fly out at the first chance it gets, which seems like a potential concern.] It'd be nice if they gave you something other than the net to keep them in while you catch more...
[If physical contact with them is such an issue, it seems like a much safer option.]
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They only gave me this. [ the whistle. he blows on it, just because he can. what happens next is something he didn't expect: there's a flurry of sprites surrounding them at this point. ]
—Oh. I'm not sure... how I'll be able to take all of them back, without doing it one at a time.
[ at least he doesn't have to hunt them down anymore. ]{
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Well, definitely remember not to touch them...I guess if we could find something other than a net to put them in, like a big piece of fabric you could make into a bag or something, it'd be easier.
[They don't need a world-ending glitter detonation going on here, but Ren figures the sprites aren't going to be quite cooperative enough to let him pied piper them all the way back with the whistle.]
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i'm happy to ~montage fabric shopping so ren can leave him to his glitterbug-catching devices
gomen i died
enjoy (un)death
as i continue to stay dead 😭 but wraps this thread up...!!!
■ ғɪᴏʀᴇ
Okay.
[ even if she blushes, it's not like sariel knows the implications of that and so he'll have no reason to tease her over it. he dutifully follows her directions and heads north.
this is going to be a pretty quiet walk, but hopefully she's comfortable. ]
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Here. It may be hard to find them in the grass, but if you look for dirt...
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when he finds one, he wastes no time in heading over there, not too fast so as not to jostle the one he's carrying. he stops just a few steps away from crystal-like ants going about their day. ]
... We found them.
[ despite the lack of enthusiasm, he is pretty pleased right now. ]
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■ ɴᴏᴛ ғᴀᴀsᴀɴ
[ the life of a primal can be cruel, but sariel has no concept of cruelty; at the very least, he'll never understand why the Singularity and his crew fought so hard to convince him that belial isn't worth it. that he's just being used. isn't that his purpose? to be used by his superiors however they deemed appropriate. it's just how things are; there's no reason for it to be any different.
he thinks about what to say in response and ends up defaulting to one of his simplest answers. ]
I want to go see the ants.
[ if it were possible to go back to that residential park, that's where he'd be right away - but something tells him that can't be done. not anymore, not so easily. ]
They help me think sometimes.
[ or they help him stop thinking altogether, when things get really bad (as they usually do). ]
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...Ants? I believe I saw an anthill on the way here in the park.
[ It's interesting to see what primals marvel over other and what aspects of the Skydwellers and their lives appeal most to them. To Belial, it may be something as complicated as desire and intimacy, and to Sariel, it's the most inane of creatures, often ignored or forgotten until they start to become too invasive. But even simple things can become dangerous. A whole army of bullet ants will render any mortal numb with pain.
He holds out a hand invitingly towards Sariel after a moment. ]
Would you like me to take you to them? Perhaps, there is something we can observe together that went unnoticed before.
[ Which isn't untrue. The creatures of this land are different than those created by the Omnipotent. Who's to say they don't drastically differ from memory? ]
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But the sprites...
[ don't they still have to return them to the mage? as much as he'd like to head over to where the anthill is, he feels some measure of responsibility to return the ones they have acquired after he made a sprite explode earlier - even if it was all an accident. maybe it'll stop him from feeling this weird, tight sensation in his chest.
it's guilt, probably. ]
After we return them, I would like to see the ants.
[ he'll do his best not to be distracted by his own selfish desire to see the ants right away. ]
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i can't look at lucio the same anymore
me neither... me neither
the sparkliest himbo
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and thas'a wrap...! until the next himbo thread. u_u
■ ɴᴀᴏᴍɪ
[ that's a dangerous path to start following after - the way angels worked in the Sky Realm - it's too much for the first meeting.
but it's true; sariel is as clueless as they come, mostly because the more mundane things when it comes to what it's like to live as a skydweller (land dweller now...) are things he never really encountered. never really had the time to, given how busy he was with burying the Sky Realm's foes.
did he lose his way? ]
... Yes. I think so. I will choose another door.
[ it seems the easiest way to fix this, probably. ]
I apologize for the intrusion.
■ ᴏʟɪᴠɪᴀ
[ there are a lot of things that don't make sense to sariel either. after uriel sat him down and explained the past two millennia, he came out of that conversation with only more questions by the end of it. some things are just beyond the scope of his own understanding, but even if he doesn't get it, he sees no reason to withhold information like that from allies.
if olivia asks, he'll do his best to relay things as they are, but for now - ]
Yes. It has also been a while since I was last here. [ a whole lot has happened in between too. ] But I would like that, if it's not too much trouble.
[ he almost looks delighted (?) by the offer, even if it's way more subdued on his face. maybe the correct term is something closer to hopeful. ]
I want to see what kind of ants they have here.
[ will they be just as prismatic as the pegasus he saw on the moon? only time will tell. ]
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It's no trouble.
[ She offers him a hand up, nevermind the ludicrous difference in height between them. ]
If you're unable to satisfy your curiosity, you can always return here later.
[ A practical observation, though she'd rather avoid the simulation. Despite the convincing sky above them, it still feels much like a surreal cage, and of course she isn't keen on Belial's presence here, either. (His false pleasantness is part of her memory as well, and it clashes with her knowledge of him in the present. Like facing the counterfeit of a counterfeit, each reiteration less trustworthy than the last.) And, she'd rather Sariel stay away from his influence, direct or indirect—though she hasn't realized it's a bit too late for that. ]
Well then. Shall we?
[ As if to haunt their footsteps, their Deputy Head smiles at them peaceably as they leave, purple liquid seeping from his eyes as they step outside the room, dribbling from the corners of his sharp smile. ]
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[ sariel is quiet for the longest time as he processes the new information. this is beyond his working knowledge of everything, likely something that wasn't included when he was created since it wasn't necessary for his role. however, now that his limiter is gone...
who knows just how much he'll learn while he's here. ]
I see. [ and then, as if emphatizing. ] I don't know if it's something I will get used to either.
[ it just seems odd for someone like him to participate in moonlacing, that's all. ]
... I have experience with blades.
[ does that count? ]
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For cooking, or ...?
[He's guiding Sariel to a bowl of oranges, anyway. Placing one on the cutting board, he gestures between it and the knife.]
Well, I guess it doesn't really matter. I just need these sliced.
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he takes the knife that was given to him and holds it properly. while the scythe is his weapon of choice, he knows how to hold a dagger and this is close enough to its shape. ]
Not for cooking.
[ and he doesn't say much more beyond that.
blinking, he looks down at the bowl of oranges. he reaches for the one on the cutting board and slices it neatly in half. no fingers nor ants were harmed during the entire ordeal. ]
Like this...?
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