Mmhm, a European king. He didn't really look like a king, though, just an average guy...
[She sounds proud, but also more than a little embarrassed as she laughs through her nose.]
After the show, he actually knelt down and took my hands. "It is as if a god dwells within your fingers," [she quotes in her best dramatic kingly impression.] I was totally speechless! All I'd done was perform like I always did.
[She opens her mouth to protest that no, she's just a Piano Freak-- but you know what? Ever since she came here, no one's made fun of her talent, or called her a loser for doing what she enjoys. So many it's time to start letting that nasty nickname go.]
Haha... thanks.
[She nestles herself more comfortably on his shoulder and sighs.]
There was a representative from Juilliard there, too... and a lot of famous pianists.
[She trails off, exhaling another sigh through her nose.]
Do you ever... think about what you would have done after high school, Arisato-kun?
[ "Be homeless" seems like a tactless answer. And he never seriously thought about college before. Hell, he didn't even think he'd go to high school when he was younger. ]
Not really.
[ He shifts a bit, trying not to disturb Kaede as he thinks. What would he do if he got back to his world, and Nyx was defeated? He's no Super High School Level student -- he doesn't have Prodigy back home. But people seem to like him nowadays anyway.
Maybe, if he went to college, Mitsuru would let him work for her... It seems the easiest route to take. ]
[She's quiet to let him think, closing her eyes. Being this close, she imagines she can hear his heartbeat, a rhythm as steady and reliable as he is.]
Oh!
[She opens her eyes when he speaks again, though she doesn't shift away.]
Working for a friend sounds really fun! And you guys would probably keep doing SEES stuff too, right? I guess when you're busy protecting people, you're not really thinking about stuff like university...
[ Nod. He's not sure it would be fun, exactly -- she did make them all attend cram school for a week during their summer vacation -- but it wouldn't be bad either. ]
It slips the mind.
[ He doesn't really want to think about higher education anyway, so it's even easier to forget about. ]
[He's so admirable, thinking more about protecting people than about what he'll do after that. Not that it matters much now, with the Hunger having destroyed their worlds, but if they can manage to go back...
Her fingers draw back from the railing to tug her blanket more securely around her shoulders.]
Hey, Arisato-kun... When we defeat the Hunger and everything goes back to normal... do you think the Director will send us back?
[It's a soft question, quiet enough that he could probably pretend not to have heard it over the sound of the ocean waves. But ever since he explained the concept of different timelines as real things that exist, it's so hard not to dwell on what will happen after they've succeeded. If things are destroyed, she'll... definitely die, won't she? No matter what.]
[ Is it possible? He doesn't really think so, even if most of the Reclaimers are banking on it.
Either way, he doesn't think anyone in SEES would want the Hunger to continue consuming worlds. If it can be fought, countered, even just distracted for a while, he has to try. For them. ]
...Y-yeah. It only makes sense that we'd all get to go home once this is all over!
[She swallows hard and closes her hands into fists to hug her blanket around herself more tightly. She's certain they'll defeat the Hunger, but less certain about what comes afterward. If destroying the Hunger can restore timelines, then it only makes sense that everyone will want to go back to the way things were. That's their goal, after all!
It's just there are no diamonds to bring people back to life in the real world.]
W-Well... [she forces a smile, injects some of her usual cheer into her voice.] Let's not worry about that for now! All we have to worry about right now is making sure Dour-kun gets back to his family safely, right?
You can tell me no, but... [she hesitates, gathering her courage. It's stupid to be nervous about something like this, but she did preface it by saying it was something stupid.]
...Could you... give me a hug...? I don't... mean to be weird, but...
[ He takes a step back from the railing to face her fully, and wraps an arms around her, pulling her in and resting his chin on her shoulder. Once she's settled he wraps the other arm around her, holding her quietly. ]
[ What's on his mind right now? Wondering what's scared her. But she also said she doesn't want to think about it. So he spends a moment glancing around the deck until another thought occurs to him, his eyes settling out on the water. ]
[She hums a few notes, a soft melody against his shoulder.]
I hope it stays that way... don't moments like this seem like they're right out of a fairytale? I never imagined the stars could reflect off the water like this.
[A pause, then she huffs a laugh.] I guess that's why they call it the Sea of Fallen Stars, huh? A lot more poetic than "the Pacific Ocean."
[Kaede had rather been hoping they could leave that part of the mission to the Royal Guard, hence her mission with Ferran to try to use an auction-house bust to restore faith in them.]
You'll just have to save your swashbuckling pirate-fighting for after we find Dobhar-chu's family.
[ If there was ever a neon sign flashing "don't go running at them with your sword" out there it's plastered right on top of Captain Ferryn, relic wielder. ]
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[ Wow! He can definitely see being nervous about that. ]
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[She sounds proud, but also more than a little embarrassed as she laughs through her nose.]
After the show, he actually knelt down and took my hands. "It is as if a god dwells within your fingers," [she quotes in her best dramatic kingly impression.] I was totally speechless! All I'd done was perform like I always did.
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Kaede is certainly good enough for that kind of reaction. Damn, though. He must have been a romantic. ]
You're talented.
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Haha... thanks.
[She nestles herself more comfortably on his shoulder and sighs.]
There was a representative from Juilliard there, too... and a lot of famous pianists.
[She trails off, exhaling another sigh through her nose.]
Do you ever... think about what you would have done after high school, Arisato-kun?
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Not really.
[ He shifts a bit, trying not to disturb Kaede as he thinks. What would he do if he got back to his world, and Nyx was defeated? He's no Super High School Level student -- he doesn't have Prodigy back home. But people seem to like him nowadays anyway.
Maybe, if he went to college, Mitsuru would let him work for her... It seems the easiest route to take. ]
Maybe work for my friend.
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Oh!
[She opens her eyes when he speaks again, though she doesn't shift away.]
Working for a friend sounds really fun! And you guys would probably keep doing SEES stuff too, right? I guess when you're busy protecting people, you're not really thinking about stuff like university...
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It slips the mind.
[ He doesn't really want to think about higher education anyway, so it's even easier to forget about. ]
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[He's so admirable, thinking more about protecting people than about what he'll do after that. Not that it matters much now, with the Hunger having destroyed their worlds, but if they can manage to go back...
Her fingers draw back from the railing to tug her blanket more securely around her shoulders.]
Hey, Arisato-kun... When we defeat the Hunger and everything goes back to normal... do you think the Director will send us back?
[It's a soft question, quiet enough that he could probably pretend not to have heard it over the sound of the ocean waves. But ever since he explained the concept of different timelines as real things that exist, it's so hard not to dwell on what will happen after they've succeeded. If things are destroyed, she'll... definitely die, won't she? No matter what.]
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[ Is it possible? He doesn't really think so, even if most of the Reclaimers are banking on it.
Either way, he doesn't think anyone in SEES would want the Hunger to continue consuming worlds. If it can be fought, countered, even just distracted for a while, he has to try. For them. ]
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[She swallows hard and closes her hands into fists to hug her blanket around herself more tightly. She's certain they'll defeat the Hunger, but less certain about what comes afterward. If destroying the Hunger can restore timelines, then it only makes sense that everyone will want to go back to the way things were. That's their goal, after all!
It's just there are no diamonds to bring people back to life in the real world.]
W-Well... [she forces a smile, injects some of her usual cheer into her voice.] Let's not worry about that for now! All we have to worry about right now is making sure Dour-kun gets back to his family safely, right?
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...
Dobhar-chú.
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[It's a little closer to correct this time, and she can't help but laugh softly, turning to hide her face against his shoulder.]
I really hope we can find his family.
...Can I ask something stupid?
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Sure.
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You can tell me no, but... [she hesitates, gathering her courage. It's stupid to be nervous about something like this, but she did preface it by saying it was something stupid.]
...Could you... give me a hug...? I don't... mean to be weird, but...
[She really wants one.]
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[ He takes a step back from the railing to face her fully, and wraps an arms around her, pulling her in and resting his chin on her shoulder. Once she's settled he wraps the other arm around her, holding her quietly. ]
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[She almost didn't expect him to just do it! Even though she did ask, and he rarely says no to anything she asks.
But he does, and she wraps her arms tightly around him and rests the side of her head against his with a soft sigh.]
S-Sorry... thanks.
[Her fingers dig gently into his back as she takes a breath.]
What... do you think about when you can't sleep, Arisato-kun?
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> Whatever crosses my mind. ]
Friends. Music. Annoyances. Stories... Whatever crosses my mind.
[ He doesn't usually focus on one particular thing. Just spaces out until he's asleep or too frustrated with laying down. ]
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Definitely picked the right dialogue option though.]
...Can you tell me about some of it? Whatever you're thinking about.
I just... want to think about something else for a little bit.
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... The sea is calm tonight.
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[She hums a few notes, a soft melody against his shoulder.]
I hope it stays that way... don't moments like this seem like they're right out of a fairytale? I never imagined the stars could reflect off the water like this.
[A pause, then she huffs a laugh.] I guess that's why they call it the Sea of Fallen Stars, huh? A lot more poetic than "the Pacific Ocean."
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Hm... We need a swashbuckling hero.
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His words make Kaede laugh, though, a quiet, genuine laugh.]
We already have a swashbuckling hero on board, don't we?
[She draws back from the hug, just a few steps, and with one outstretched finger boops his nose.]
Found him!
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Hey! He blinks at the boop. He may have a sword, but... ]
I'll have to fight pirates.
[ That's what swashbucklers do, right? He's pretty sure that's in their job description. ]
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[Kaede had rather been hoping they could leave that part of the mission to the Royal Guard, hence her mission with Ferran to try to use an auction-house bust to restore faith in them.]
You'll just have to save your swashbuckling pirate-fighting for after we find Dobhar-chu's family.
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[ If there was ever a neon sign flashing "don't go running at them with your sword" out there it's plastered right on top of Captain Ferryn, relic wielder. ]
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