Waking the Dead 2.0 || May 16, Shin Yamatai || Coming Home.

[icarusalsoflew]

[He had been... vague, whenever they had asked him exactly where they were going. Lenneth had known the moment he had oh-so-casually mentioned a detour now that the Hounds were done with their route. It had been in her eyes.

At least she is loyal. At least she respected him enough to say nothing.

He leads the War Hounds through a forest in the far reaches of the island, and they end up stepping out to a waterfall. A little further down, along the river, there's a beautiful house there. It's been restored to its former glory, properly furnished, renovated and modernized wherever it had to be. There's a garage, for one.

He takes just one moment out take the sight of it in, and try not to think of the ghosts. It never gets easier, coming back here, and yet...

Turning to them with a smile now.]

So. This was my old house. I think we can take a break here for now.




[OOC Notes:
+ The Shinta House is your typical traditional Japanese home from like, centuries back - furniture is all old and traditional. Yes, there are photos from lots of different life times here and there; if you want deets, lemme know. There's a garden out back, a small training hall, and a path into the forest that actually leads to the graves of his parents.
+ Feel free to make your own threads if you guys want to explore on your own and talk to each other! You're also welcome to tag Hikaru's thread, which I've put down there just because.]

Comments

[icarusalsoflew]

Hmm...

[Moving to the wall now, assessing. Then he's picking out three. All of them look like they could have belonged to a man, not a boy. The first one - black, crimson and gold - is almost demonic, the face of a wolf that brings hell down upon its enemies. The second is colored the same way as the first, but the face is angular, a little kinder. The third is completely black and bereft of any other embellishments save for a near imperceptible crimson ring around the eyes.]

Cycle 9, Cycle 24, and Cycle 27. The lifetime that I made Zangyaku, the lifetime right after Zangyaku and the Methuselah joined hands in an alliance, and... well. [Smiles.] The lifetime that I met those three blades, and told Nyx that she could go fuck herself.

[atlas_shrugged]

I hear a lot about those Blades, sir, and have been lucky enough to find a good friend in one of them. [ He thinks of Deirdra, that linefaced superwoman, and how they became fast friends. ] They changed your life? Broke some bad habits of yours?

[ He thinks on the statement about Nyx and remembers his talk with Father Aidan about her, and how he felt inside when he was told that there was some abstract being out there deciding whether things should stay or go. ] When Nyx comes back, I'll throw the finger at her with you.

[icarusalsoflew]

They did.

[Which is one of the reasons why he loved each and every single one of them. (He loved them enough to step away when he had to, and let them deal with their own things.)

Chuckling a that.]

Let's have you flip the bird at smaller targets first, eh?

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brigade laughs at that. ]

Don't worry, I don't plan on trying to punch her [ Well, not until he got stronger. If ever he got strong enough to help with such a feat ]. I'll just throw you at her. I'm sure you'll manage. [ Even as a joke, he knows how devastating a tactic that could be in any situation. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

I don't know, she gave me a run for my money the last time.

[Smiles.]

It would be good to have you at my back, if she ever comes around in the near future.

[atlas_shrugged]

Well you're still here and she isn't. [ Brigade pushes him lightly with his forearm. ] I think that's a good sign you did a pretty damn, good job.

[ Brigade smiles. ] Don't worry, I've got your back. And I'll watch you put her in her place all over again.

[icarusalsoflew]

[If you're still here.

Perish the thought. It's mostly because nobody wants Nyx back anytime soon. If she did come back, that means that they have failed. So.]

I'll hold you to that if it happens.

[atlas_shrugged]

I'll be dead before I break that promise. [ Brig says with a laugh. ] You just make sure to kick her back to wherever she's come from so we can drink and celebrate after. I'll back you up every step of the way.

[icarusalsoflew]

Good. Now...

[Setting the masks back, smiling crookedly at Brig.]

Up for some sparring? We might as well, since the others are all doing their own things.

[atlas_shrugged]

I was wondering when you'd ask, Brother.[ Brigade thinks it and his Zangyaku mask wraps itself around his head. He still hasn't gotten used to the fact that his voice becomes a deeper metallic when he wears it. ] You can show me your father's smithy after. I would like to know his story and pay my respects at his and your first mother's grave.

[ He bows before he takes a stance and draws his shield ] But that can wait for later.

[icarusalsoflew]

Excellent.

[And of course he has a good time, during their spar. Brigade's a good fighter, and also someone that he doesn't have to be too soft with. That, and he did need to make his Bladian Quota (Jessie Vice's words, not his) for the day.

Once they're done, he's stepping back, going for his cigarettes. Nothing like nicotine after a good rush.]

Want?

[Offering a cigarette to his companion now.]

[atlas_shrugged]

As always. [ Brigade takes one and lights up. ]

I'd ask you to not hold back but then I guess if you unleashed everything, I'd be a puddle of pieces on the floor. [ Brig laughs ] But feel free to hit as hard as you want, okay? [ And then he adds ] I won't break.

[icarusalsoflew]

As hard as I want then.

[Because really, if he went all out, it was STILL going to hurt, Brig.]

So you wanted to go to the forge first, right?

[atlas_shrugged]

Yup. [ He's seen Hikaru's training room, and now has the honor of having sparred with him in there too. ] I think it'd be nice to get to know the people who sired you and your sister.

[icarusalsoflew]

There isn't much to say about them, honestly.

[And maybe a part of him doesn't WANT to say much, given what they did. Sure, they were just being people of their era, but...

Anyway. Walking out now, heading for the path.]

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brigade follows after, and begs to point out the obvious ] Sound like there's a lot to say about them, actually. You're the man who has something to say about everything. [ Brigade falls into step with him, walking at his side ] You don't have to talk about them if you don't want to. It's all right.

[icarusalsoflew]

Mm, well. [How does one put it.] It's not that I don't want to, I suppose. It's just been a long time since anyone has asked me about them.

[Which means that he never had to really consider his feelings over his first life in a while.]

[atlas_shrugged]

People don't bother? [ Brigade walks alongside him as they head toward the smithy ] Or am I the dumbhead again who doesn't know it's a topic most people don't really broach.

[ From Hikaru's reluctance, Brigade presumes it wasn't a very happy lifetime. Hikaru opens up easily when it comes to happy memories; like how he did with the three masks in the training room ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[Chuckles, smiling crookedly in Brig's direction.]

It's a bit of both. [A beat.] To be fair, the most important part of my first cycle was meeting Aidan, Riley and Alistair.

will play this as Brig not having read Alistair's dossier. Just Aidan's dossier.

[atlas_shrugged]

I'm sorry-not-sorry that I'm your new, direct friend, Brother. [ Brigade grins back with a cocked eyebrow. ]

Was this... the lifetime of Deus Ex Machina? It was mentioned in Father Aidan's file. Other than the name, it didn't really say much. [ Brigade notes the change in direction. But he'll ask about Hikaru's parents again later when they get to the smithy. And maybe their graves. ]

that works!

[icarusalsoflew]

Yeah, that's the one. He had come to Yamatai because he kept running into my sister in his dreams.

[Chuckling.]

Kind of romantic, right? And the fact that I had the Godslayer helped, I suppose.

Re: that works!

[atlas_shrugged]

Actually, it kind of is. [ Brigade feels saddened at the thought of that though. He's never really told anyone that he has no dreams of his own. His Promethean condition prevents him from having any. Either he just closes his eyes and wakes up, or he finds himself in someone else's dreams, as an unwanted visitor. A dark figure in the corner. A bogeyman under the bed.

It's why he's trained himself as well to only sleep the exact number of hours he needs. ]

[ Brigade remembers Inquisitor Henry Lim and his worry over saying the name ] Am I allowed to say its name now that it isn't around me, or are you the only one allowed to say its name ever? [ Brigade laughs a bit ]

What is the Godslayer? And why did it choose you?

[icarusalsoflew]

It's a powerful Relic that has integrated itself into the way that this world works. It always activates itself when a big change is about to occur. As to why it chose me...

[Heh.]

Who knows?

[He's stopping now, and looking up towards the smithy. A snap of his fingers, and the lights go on inside, along with the lanterns along the path that they're standing on.]

Here we are.

It's constantly dark nga pala. Dang storm.

[atlas_shrugged]

I'm guessing it's one of the reasons they chose you for whatever Project: Deus Ex Machina was? [ and fucked your life over ]

[ Brigade appreciates the simple beauty of the lights ] Your father was the smith, I'm guessing? And your mom?

yup!

[icarusalsoflew]

It's the only reason, really. Can't kill a god if you don't have the right equipment.

[(...)

I love you too, Brother.]

Yes, he was the finest smith in the kingdom. My mother was a former handmaiden of the Storm Queen's court.

[Opening the place up now. It's been restored to its proper state, which is probably something that archaeologists and history buffs would freak the fuck out about. How many times can you find a place like this with all of its equipment intact and in perfect working condition?]

Come in. Sit where you like.