rand al'thor. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dragonmount) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
aionlogs2022-07-28 09:00 pm
dragonmount) wrote in aionlogs2022-07-28 09:00 pm
OPEN
WHO: Rand & you!
WHAT: Event aftermath
WHERE: Greentruth and Godsblood
WHEN: Late Soviseri to early Firaseri
WARNINGS: Will add as needed
WHAT: Event aftermath
WHERE: Greentruth and Godsblood
WHEN: Late Soviseri to early Firaseri
WARNINGS: Will add as needed
GODSBLOOD
[ he lays low.
after vaeka's execution is prevented, after things start to quiet, he risks one trip to the building where he'd been living. he isn't there long: enough to check on eleanor (and dodge questions about the fading bruises on his face), enough to speak to the person he rents from, and enough to vacate his apartment. he doesn't return there. he doesn't visit any of his usual haunts, before or after the kenoma leave the city, nor any of the handful of places that'd gotten used to giving him odd jobs. the idea is to effectively vanish, and he does a decent job of that.
if asked, he isn't totally unavailable, especially to fellow aions. he's avoiding the kenoma, yes, but he's just as much avoiding the godsblood locals who know him. so: if asked, he'll admit he can be found at ernesto's. and he's not unwilling to meet people in the city, either, so long as they avoid some of the more populated areas at busy times. caution isn't his native language, but it's one even he can use sometimes. ]
GREENTRUTH
[ once things settle further, once the kenoma envoy finally leaves godsblood, he starts chancing trips back to greentruth. carefully, of course; after however vaeka was found out, they have to tread carefully. and the safe haven in the forest is more important than ever, now that the regent has seen fit to remind them that godsblood is technically under their domain. he'd never do anything to jeopardize it.
more saliently, after getting stabbed in the leg by a surprisingly strong girl and her huge magic scythe, getting around isn't as easy as it usually would be, even with healing. those with an ability to use or see magic predating their arrival in horos might notice, at moments, the faint glow of a weave wrapped around his bad leg. he only uses it while standing still, mostly — the logistics of getting this small magic to move with him when he walks aren't currently in his skillset — but it helps him be more stable on his feet than he really is. and he's here, after all, to work.
he still offers instruction in archery and related skills, can be easily found carving bows and fletching arrows (sitting, usually) or else correcting stances and generally providing advice for anyone who wants to learn. his own lessons in swordplay unfortunately likely have to wait till he's better, but that doesn't mean he never wanders over to borrow a training blade and...you know, start getting ideas. recent experiences in godsblood might have made the prospect of becoming a swordsman more painful, but not enough to stop him.
but maybe the real difference is that now, not infrequently, he practices channeling. usually some safe distance from more populated areas, but not impossible to find, he'll find somewhere to sit and — those aforementioned with an ability to see the Power will be able to notice a swirl of light and darkness around him. those who can't will only be able to see the effects of his channeling. he likely looks strange, often frowning at his hands before,
an orb of light appears between them, floating through thin air,
or a gust of wind blows around the area, (though hopefully not too violently? but also: no promises. weirdly, no matter how violent the gust, his hair and clothes stay completely unruffled),
or thunder seems to rumble overhead, briefly,
or, just maybe, he accidentally shoots off a fireball in your direction.
in any of the more dangerous cases, he'll scramble to his feet hastily, wincing, and dispel the magic with frantic apologies. see: ]
Sorry! I'm sorry. I didn't see you there.
WILDCARD
[ hmu if you'd like to plan something! the intent is for this post to be a catch-all for the month of august. ]
greentruth;
Aside from being banged up and briefly imprisoned with Ryunosuke, Thoma isn't too banged himself –just a few scrapes, burns, and bruises. Nothing that won't go away with time, but the fact that he can still walk is probably proof enough he's not in too bad of a state.
He lifts a hand to wave to Rand once he's in view before quickening his steps to join him. His other hand rises, a bit of fire gathering in his palm as he gives Rand a half-smile. ]
Did you drop this? You should be careful where you toss them. Anyone else would be missing a few strands of hair by now.
[ More importantly– ]
...How was... everything? Are you all right?
no subject
he's been similarly worried about how those in venera fared, and in light of — everything, it's so good to see friendly faces, and alive and well. not uninjured, maybe, but not too badly injured; and, light, aren't they all injured, whether they were in godsblood or venera? the regent wanted a more ferocious fight, and they got one. the bruising on his own face is fainter now, the rest not so obvious as long as he doesn't try to move or walk too quickly.
smiling, he waves back. answers, ruefully, ]
I'm lucky it was you. The last thing anyone needs now is some trouble with friendly fire. [ wheeze. and, as for the question, ] Vaeka's safe now. There was no execution.
[ one of the most critical things. rand had his own stint with miserable captivity after accidentally killing a man, is admittedly sitting because the wound he picked up from the fight to save vaeka is still healing, but — none of that is so important. ]
And I got out all right. What about you?
no subject
His eyes rake over Rand more slowly once he's close enough as he nods. Even if Rand is downplaying it, he can tell he didn't escape entirely unscathed. ]
I'm all right, too. I don't think I got hit as badly as the others in Venera.
[ He knows Kaeya isn't one of theirs, but it still ached to see the only other person from his homeland be brutalized like that. Even though it had to be done, his stomach still twists into knots when he thinks about it.
He's quick to shake himself out of it and focus back on the topic at hand. ]
I don't have any healing magic, but I can prepare a few salves to help numb some of the pain or fix some warm fish stew for you? You had to have worked up an appetite by now with all that fire practice.
no subject
[ not that others in venera fared worse — though, admittedly, if rand knew thoma was thinking about one of the kenoma he might be less sympathetic after recent events — but just that thoma got out of it all okay. small mercies. despite the success with vaeka, with saving some of the targets in venera, it feels so much that they need these small mercies. better than no mercies at all, when looking for the motivation to keep going.
which isn't, exactly, a thing that he needs. there's been a fire in him since the regent's address, and it's only seemed to burn hotter and hotter by the day. anger can be a fine motivator, failing anything else. how much work there is in this world before he's done.
he frowns faintly in a flicker of concern, but thoma pulls himself together too quickly for rand to ask. and then his frown grows a little, for a different reason altogether. ]
You don't have to go out of your way to do any of that.
no subject
[ He'd have been buzzing around Lumine if she were still here, but now he's got no one from his world to look after. He also doesn't like his thoughts to drift as much as he used to, if only because they tend to replay some of the horror of seeing mangled up bodies strewn about on the streets post-battle. While he's no stranger to combat, the thought of extreme violence still makes him uneasy, especially against the citizens who had no strength of magic to fight back.
It's easier to take care of the problems he can fix, no matter how minute. ]
Besides, I'm sure a big, piping hot bowl of fish stew would make your stomach rumble after all that practice. I can even give you pointers, if you want.
[ Not that he really knows much about magic outside of pyromancy, and even that seems to just happen naturally rather than requiring a lot of conscious effort and thought. ]
no subject
which, weirdly, helps his case. the fact that thoma's willing to admit that he wants to do this kind of thing, that it'd make him feel better, makes rand more willing to relent. he doesn't need to be fussed over, of course, but maybe if it's for the cause of helping thoma, he can swallow his pride a little.
and it's not like rand isn't hungry. or isn't open to tips, for that matter. ]
Alright, alright. [ isn't graceful< but there's no heat to it. ] We can eat something. You must be hungry, too.
no subject
[ Otherwise, he'll have to take a long detour to fish more. He's been trying to capture a lot while he's outdoors and has been doing his best to keep them well-preserved, but there are a lot of stomachs to feed. ]
Is fire your only area of magical expertise? I know a lot of the Aions have been picking up new tricks lately. Kaeya, from my world, seemed to have also mastered a new element...
[ One he didn't use on Thoma, even when he could have, but Thoma's trying hard not to think about their fight. He'd rather think about new skills. New talents. Training. All things he can do to help himself and those around him improve. ]
no subject
[ even if there is fish in the stores. much as rand itches to keep pushing himself with training in whatever ways he can, this is a necessity. something practical. so he stands, nods to thoma that they can start heading towards the stores, and then either to cook or fish, whatever's needed first. ]
I can use any element, but I could always do that. I don't think I've learned anything new here. [ at least, nothing he couldn't theoretically do at home. as for kaeya, ] I haven't met him. What can he do now?
no subject
[ It just sort of happened while he was talking to his lord about his future. He's not sure if he has to express some kind of deep fealty to one of the locals to do it again, but he also doesn't really mind having one specialty either. ]
And Kaeya used to have just a cryo-vision, but he upgraded to mastering hydromancy, too. With just that, he can freeze anyone in place.
[ Theoretically speaking. Thoma has yet to witness him really go all out.
He leads Rand over to where he'd last seen their wonderfully sad barrel of fish and finds it ...empty. Hopelessly empty. He heaves out a disappointed sigh. Just another day in Greentruth really. ]
Fish stew might just have to wait, if you don't mind snacking on the last of my rice balls instead?
no subject
[ asked, surprised, with a sideways glance as they walk. he's assuming thoma doesn't mean eyesight, but he's not really sure what else he could mean.
there's a day pretty soon when he'll put two and two together between thoma's description of kaeya and the blue-haired man he meets at the shrines when new aions awaken. maybe the same day as the
ic shittalkcommunion post of akua's. but right now he just nods and listens, considers that. are water and ice different powers? well, he guesses.and he leans over the barrel of fish to find...oh that is, very sad. he's not entirely surprised, even as he breathes out, but Oh No. with a sideways smile, ]
I'll have one if you'll have one. We can go fishing later.
no subject
[ And he's trying to help Rand with his stress rather than add to it. With that in mind, he grabs his stashed away basket of rice balls, holding it out to Rand so he can help himself. ]
There's salted fish inside, and I made them this morning so they're still pretty fresh.
[ As fresh as they can be without a functioning fridge or ice box in Greentruth.
He takes one for himself and leans back against the nearest counter to address his vision. ]
People in my world aren't born with powers like you probably were or other folks in other worlds. They get them from some divine force... like a blessing. A lot of locals in both my homeland and in Inazuma seem to think the Archons, who are like gods, are the ones who had them, but they appear spontaneously.
[ He wishes he still had his jewel to show Rand. ]
I thought you'd have to be pretty special to get one, but I was just a housekeeper when I got mine. Still am really, but that's why I can control fire.
no subject
and it is tasty, so there's that, though rand wouldn't expect any less of food thoma made. it's only now that he can admit to himself that he had been hungry. he hasn't been neglectful, exactly, while staying with ernesto. the perro would never let him get away for long without eating and sleeping with some semblance of normality. but he has been practicing for a while, and he probably didn't eat since breakfast. maybe. he doesn't remember. anyway, ]
Can you control anything else?
[ asked slowly, tone neutral. light, how strange this is. powers as a blessing from the gods. something for special people. something lucky. he can't even imagine it. ]
no subject
Just got the one element, but it's more than enough to protect what's important to me.
[ Besides, he rarely fights alone, so he has others to cover different elements for him. ]
Lumine, who used to be here, could control a few.
[ The perks of her being a world-hopping outsider from a different universe. ]
Do you regret having your own? I'm sure you could do a lot of amazing things with them... and there must be a lot of people you want to protect too.
[ He recalls the list of names Rand had given him when they had both first arrived at Godsblood. Thoma hasn't stopped trying to look for any of them everywhere he goes. ]
no subject
he continues eating his rice ball as he listens, nodding. of course thoma would think about his power, his vision, in terms of protection. that thoma cares about other people and wants to look out for them was maybe the first thing rand ever learned about him. the way thoma embodies his love, and his kindness, is such an enviable thing.
do you regret having your own?
he swallows the last bite of his snack, pausing as he considers that. he's more surprised to be asked than anything; no one's ever posed that kind of question to him before. ]
There are, [ he admits slowly. he'd tried so hard to protect his friends, his family, his home, his world. but what's starting to become clear to him is that there are people he wants to protect in horos, too. people who are starting to matter to him very much. some of this realization comes with the bitter sting of regret, and some...fear, in its ways. light, how he hates his power. but... ] I think...if I could protect people with this power, then I wouldn't regret it. Having it would mean something.
[ then he shakes his head, rueful. ]
That must sound foolish.
no subject
Not at all. The way I see it, power itself isn't bad. It can be wielded to protect or to destroy. Everything comes down to the person wielding it themselves. Receiving my vision didn't change me as a person.
[ Rather, ending up Inazuma and being taken in by the Kamisato Clan had. Without the siblings, he'd probably still be a hapless villager, staring at clouds and daydreaming about nothing in particular. ]
There are a lot of people here weaker than us who probably need the protection, even if they don't want to ask or admit it, so it's a good thing you came. I know I wouldn't mind you watching my back anytime.
[ He's well aware he's not the strongest of fighters
he's only a gacha 4* after all, so he can use the extra help wherever he can get it. It would be even better if they can make some pretty effective elemental reactions between the two of them. ]