OPEN | still the road keeps on telling me to go on

[likethelight]

Who: Allen and you, you, yes you too...
When: Throughout July after the gala
Where: Various! see within
What: Allen's a new amplify/vacuum Rook with a new weapon! And learning by doing is... hm... (unsure) Also various derping on the farm jobs in Petrosian.
Rating: No worse than PG-13


♜ 1) zero gravity, what's that like?(Caissa, Hall of Glory)

[ After the gala, Allen's to be found in the courtyard training far more often than before, hours both unorthodox and not. Having switched to wearing a simple sleeveless training uniform with white gloves and seeming to be sporting a left arm that's entirely red and tattooed up his shoulder, he... does not seem to be practicing with his sword today. It'd be pretty easy to tell; giant white luminescent manablade that it is.

No, today he seems to be in almost meditative focus and facing a stone fence upon which a single apple rests (there's a nearby bushel). Focus, focus...

Snapping his wrist towards the apple he mouths something, sharp and certain, and yes, there's a distortion, a warp, and... ]

Wah—! [ Still not what he was anticipating.

Given that instead of pulling the apple towards him he's just rocketed himself into, well. You.

Have fun with that. He's pretty slender but damn if he isn't weirdly solid. ]

♜ 2) beyond these heavy aching feet (Caissa, Hall of Glory)

[ ...or maybe some other time when he doesn't feel like slamming into or having blunt objects repeatedly slammed into him—actually he looks kind of bruised and there's a bandage on his scarred cheek... Allen can be found sitting with his back against one of the stone walls, frowning lightly as he twists his left arm about. It's clad in a gauntlet, one that appears almost demonic with its lightly clawed fingertips, pitch black like metal heated to the point of soot, and etched intricately up through the armguard, 'til it mingles with a design of white feathers that sweep back like a wing. Good and evil, holy and unholy.

And, apparently, thoroughly vexing.

Because, when he grips his armored hand then, it armor glows with an inherent white mana, wisping up from the sharp fingertips to flare away like a wing by his elbow. It activates, clearly. And yet no matter how he's hit something with it, tried like with his gravity magic to fling something with it, willed it to do something—in none of those instances has anything ever happened.

Which is why Allen's going to scowl lightly and twist it about again in case that might shed some new light if he squints at it just so. Is it defective...? ]


[ Judgement is his new weapon that can... mess with someone's head pretty good. For the better! Maybe. Mostly. Check out his permissions page for it first. Do you want your character to have to struggle with why they fight here in Enprise and face up to what kind of person they are? It'll do that.. ]

♜ 3) is someone there? (Petrosian, weeding job)

[ You know, this has been one of the more relaxing sidejobs Allen's taken on in his life. It's actually... nice? Working out in the fields, even if it's just weeding. But it actually feels rewarding, working with their hands like this and getting out of Caissa for a while. Even if Farmer McRonald was a little... scary. It's even a nice day; the sun hasn't been up long and it smells like dew and fresh earth.

Which is why something horrible is about to happen.

And that is why when he turns around to respond to something you've just said, Hero, probably with a smile and lighthearted offhand remark...his expression suddenly becomes very, well...

Animated. In a peculiar kind of horrified recognition. ]

Ah!! [ POINTING, and in somewhat of a panic as he starts to scramble to his feet. ]

Behind— [ !! Behind, well. You. Because... what happens when harmless bug-eating plantlife taps into deep underground currents of mana..? Apparently they can get very large.

Very large.

And apparently this one wants to eat you now.

Don't worry, if you weren't reacting quick enough there will be an exorcist plowing into you before the flower snaps at where they just were because apparently this thing has teeth?? ]

♜ 4) been a long road to fallow (Petrosian, tilling job)

[ Working with machinery should be... a little less life-threatening though, right? Probably not.

They've been out here for a while now though, probably to great effect for the first fifteen minutes before the tractor broke down. Now the last hour has been spent alternatively tinkering with, begging, and threatening to kick the ancient rustbucket. As such that they've finally decided to call a break to clear their heads a little before trying again. Or giving up and doing it by hand. (Allen's coming really close to just getting a hoe and doing it by hand, he's had to do it before. There were bills to pay.)

For the moment though, he stops and peers curiously down from his seat on top of the great hulking dearth of defunct machinery at you, hero, sipping on the last bit of a juicebox with his shaggy white hair tied back in the world's tiniest attempt in vain at a ponytail. His carrier seems to crane to look as well, actually. It's actually kind of scary how they seem to move in twain...

? ] What are you doing?


♜ 5) are the memories I hold still valid? (Caissa, Hall of Glory Music Room)

[ Music... is said to be healing. An explosion of humanity; something that when it hits you, you feel no pain.

And that music that is in the soul can be heard by the entire universe.

Which is why perhaps you might hear a piano playing some night as you pass the music room. A lullaby, perhaps. Except that beyond the fact the melody is haunting, something both terribly sweet but sad, something that tugs and might make you think of a missed loved one, there's almost a vibration about it. Something deeper. (Mana, woven into it.) And perhaps while feeling something well in you at that, bittersweet, if you were tired you suddenly feel a little rejuvenated.

(Amplify maestro.)

(And as the only advice Allen Walker ever received about how to play the piano, after all, was to weave his hopes and desires into it. His emotions and very self.)

But that's only for when it's quite late at night or that inbetween time before dawn, when he thinks no one is there to notice. Perhaps, even, there might be the sound of a boy singing, who while not poor at it certainly wasn't trained to do so. But then he would have to be really certain no one was likely to be up. ]

♜ 6) Wildcard

[ Anything!! PM me here or send me a message at Dichrous. I don't bite and we can spin up a closed prompt! ] 

Comments

5

[chronosynthesis]

[There's such a fresh, familiar ache in Allen's song that Syrlya can't do anything but be drawn to the sound--first out of curiosity of whatever was muffled down the halls. But then clearly with his ear pressed against the door and heaves a heavy sigh. He hasn't been sleeping well. This isn't helping, but that's fine.

So he gently, slowly pushes the door open so he can peek inside at whoever else if finding themselves up and musical at this hour. He's trying not to interrupt just yet, at least.

... His carrier is a little less reserved, and waddles out from between his feet and straight for the piano.]

1/2

[likethelight]

[ Syrlya walks in just when he's humming lightly along in tune with the piano, so the melody sounds... almost like it's missing something. Not like the boy is missing any notes, but that the music written the way it is is soft when it feels like it should swell. A piece rife in emotion the way he plays, but with half of it left unvoiced.

He is trying—practicing—after all to see if he can gain some conscious control over how he weaves this new ability into the music. It has the ability to affect others he knows. But it is sort of impossible to tell without someone else there...

But even if Caren got him to start playing again, he's a bit skittish to do it around others.

He doesn't hear the door open but jolts for a moment and stops playing when something comes up and bumps his foot because... ]

! [ Ah! ]

2/2

[likethelight]

[ ... ]

...flower? [ What the... Wait, it's familiar... ]

[chronosynthesis]

Oh! [Syrlya scrambles in once he notices Flower getting away--he almost picks it up, but it's now close and patting Allen's leg with a wide grin. So Syrlya stands on the other end of the piano with a sheepish grin.]

... Sorry. I did not mean it interrupt your playing. It sounded lovely.

[likethelight]

[ Why is this carrier patting his leg... why does its smile look so creepy...

Allen turns back to the Sylvari with a slightly sheepish grin tugging on one corner of his mouth. His own carrier, resting atop the piano where normally sheet music would be, seems to bristle at the flower patting its master's leg. Kind of like a hissing cat.... ]

It's okay.. [ A blink too. ] Ah—thank you.

[ To which he offers by means of an explanation: ] It's not something I had tried for a while.

[chronosynthesis]

You are a musician? [He ducks around the piano to pluck his carrier back into his arms.] Is it something you did in your world?

1

[sky_sharkling]

[There's more than one Rook outside training today, but Akito had been on his way to a more empty section of the courtyard, since he'd already learned what damage the gravity magic can do when it goes haywire.

But then there is an Allen and the light yelps in surprise as the poor guy comes hurtling this way. Thank goodness for that Rook upgrade, but still. Ow. Given he is tiny, Akito gets knocked off his feet, hitting the ground and being stunned for a moment. Wasn't expecting that at all.

He's just going to lie here being a tiny bit dazed for a moment until the world works out which way is up]

1/2

[likethelight]

[ Clearly Allen's first brush with gravity magic hadn't gone nearly as poorly as it should have then to treat this with more caution.

But wah! There they go, end over end until they come to a stop and Allen, gritting his teeth with a grimace, leverages himself to a sitting position and rubs his head. Ow...

—except not ow, actually. It's like getting buffeted with impact a bit but it doesn't hurt. It's just reflexive. ]

2/2

[likethelight]

[ But— oh. ]

Ah! [ Scrambling a little, he gets off Akito and immediately offers him an apologetic hand up. ]

Sorry... [ But recognition floods his face then as well. Oh! That kid, from the first day they trained..

...kids!! Wait, right. ]

[sky_sharkling]

It's okay! I didn't really feel it, oddly enough.

[Akito pushes himself upright, shaking his head before setting that hand and taking it, carefully getting back to his feet. Oh hey, he knows you! Name, name...]

Ah...Allen-san, right?

[likethelight]

Mn! [ The Exorcist brightens a little, offering an apologetic smile as they stand. ]

A—kito, is it...? [ thinking fast...! Their names are similar he remembers.. ]

Sorry, I was practicing, and— [ gestures ]

... it takes a little getting used to.

2 for time2guineapig

[geneolgian]

[ It's kind of hard to miss whatever Allen's doing with his weapon, and Yew being the curious little bird he is (with some free time on his hands right now today), flits over to check him out a little (no, not like that). He tilts his head over Allen's frustration. It is strange that it isn't apparently doing anything... ]

Are you...having some problems with your weapon?

o9!!! sorry for the delay! rl a butt, etc etc

[likethelight]

[ ! ] Ah... [ Hesitating for a moment. ]

Mm. [ It's a sheepish admission. Both from not being the sort to take his irritation out on others and from being a little surprised at being approached, so the mild scowl he'd had while tapping ruefully at the plated armguard fades the instant Allen looks up and sees the other boy standing there. ]

A little, I guess.

It's my second but I haven't been able to figure out how to use it yet.

pats shoulder

[geneolgian]

That is a little strange. I don't think they'd just give you a defective weapon...

[ Would they? Well, that's actually up in the air, but. ]

If it's a gauntlet, maybe you have to initiate physical contact with an enemy or something.

[ Or an ally, if it's more a supportive(?) magic weapon. ]

[likethelight]

[ Hm. ] Perhaps.

[ Concentrating again—he's gotten better at that, redirecting his mana (will) where he wants it to go—he lets the gauntlet activate. Ethereal white wraps from the clawed fingertips up his arm in a wisping pattern, like feathers that molt off and disappear harmlessly into the air. To the touch, it'd be cool and warm both, like snow falling on warmed skin.

Allen gives a practice flex of his hand, but nothing happens. ]

It doesn't do anything when I use it against the practice dummies though.

I was thinking it might be a conduit of some sort, maybe. [ Like his other weapon. Or something. ]

[geneolgian]

A conduit? For mana, you mean?

[ Against his better judgment, Yew curiously reaches out when Allen activates his magic weapon again (he did mention that it apparently doesn't do anything, so it could be safe...?), fingertips brushing against the wisps of white mana, and before he can hear Allen's response, he stumbles forward a little, the dream-like feeling of his gauntlet's ability overtaking the feel of solid ground below his feet, and having caught sight of something in his vision. Many things, actually.

Blood is a very distinctive color, he's come to find. It's hard to glance over it when it's spilled from comrades, friends, family, or even one's self, much less forget it.

He can't forget the sneer of a fox spirit either, peering into people's hearts, digging her claws into metaphorical wounds thought to be healed (or rather, simply hidden well enough), and revealing hidden truths even Luxendarc had yet to know.

But interspersed between these memories are also joyous ones: the blur of light blue that jumped out of darkened woods to save him in the nick of time. The soft touch of a magnolia flower's petals against a woman's cheek. The man with the mess of brown hair whose first words were "good morning" upon waking up for the first time in years. The laughter of new comrades who pull no punches when it comes to teasing and prodding, gladly jumping into a group hug at the opportunity. The reunion of family, friends, and lovers, and the hope that dared to brim once more in the eyes of asterisk holders once thought to be forsaken.

Most importantly though, he sees a lone figure standing nearby, and although he wants to say something to him, anything, Yew isn't sure what, so he simply seemingly stares at (or rather, through) Allen, eyes wide. He hasn't broken free of the weapon's ability yet, after all. ]

3

[sommer]

[ Despite Allen's warning, Anna stands in place, looking just as clueless as she did before even any danger presented itself. What the heck does she know about farming? Weeding? Apparently not a whole lot, as she seems to be carrying a rake and a bucket with her. Her face is also covered in quite a bit of dirt. ]

What? Is it-- is it on my face again? [ Why is he pointing at her?! WHAT IS HE TRYING TO SAY-- ] Use the words that you know!

[likethelight]

[ MISS ANNA...

His mouth is working to make words!! Ones that are even proper English!! Except—

Aw, bollocks... ] Please get out of the way!

[ He's going to have to apologize profusely to her, but here's your introduction to one (1) Allen Walker, Anna. Right as he finds his tongue.

Because in a blur of kicked-up dirt he's going to (unceremoniously but not ungently...!) throw her over his shoulder, rake and all damnit, and haul ass as a vine slams down with a disturbing amount of force where she'd just been standing. Unless she's remarkably adept at stopping hero-boys in their tracks (you never know). But then that might just end really poorly. ]

[sommer]

[ Did he just-- OH HELL NO ]

Hey!! What are you--

[ Anna tries wriggling her way out of this attempted kidnapping, until that vine slam catches her attention. When she realizes what's going on here, she's as limp as a ragdoll as she lets herself be carried off. ]

What is that?!

[likethelight]

[ What is it? ]

Mad! [ Probably because they were just uprooting its runty siblings... or babies... Hup!

Lunging to the side, he narrowly avoids a snap of—well the head of it kind of resembles a flower, but that sure is a lot of teeth it has. (Teeth??) ]

Sorry, miss—! [ It's probably a bit of a bumpy ride and he's really quite sorry—!, but thankfully the plant is, well, a plant and is rooted in place.

Although as he sets her down when they're a short (it seems safe) distance away, he does have to sweat a little at how the flower flails about like it's about to just uproot itself and march over. It's—huge... ]

Are you alright...?

continuation for Gil!

[likethelight]

[ Gil...

Allen—he's actually quite forgotten about the tray of delectables he's been balancing. They're actually not terribly important right now. His expression has just smoothed, suddenly quite surprised—

Eyes a little wide more in perhaps thoughtful realization than shock, though. ]

...what's he like?

Your master.

[interchained]

He's a really gentle person, selfless, kind and polite as well...he doesn't want to cause trouble to his friends and wouldn't hesitate to give up his life to save someone, no matter whether they're a friend or not. To think of it...he even tried to become friends with someone who truly despised him. [A short pause here as his smile widens.] He succeeded, of course. It's a funny thing because that person would be my adoptive brother.

[He omits the flaws on purpose...]

1/2

[likethelight]

[ His adoptive brother...? Gil— ]

2/2

[likethelight]

[ Heh... ]

Ehh? [ It's soft and spry; almost teasing. ]

That's not a funny thing at all.

[ Because truly, Allen's lit up at that with such quiet yet warm sort of smile. ]

He sounds like someone I'd like to meet very much.

[ Because just look how much talking about him got you to light up like that as well, Gil. ]

[interchained]

[He notices the almost teasing tone and gets a little defensive about what he has just said.]

If you heard him talk shit every day about the Vessalius house and then see him become friends with one of them...well, I just thought it was quite funny.

[Why Allen is smiling so much...it beats him.]

I hope you'll get to meet eventually. We all could hang out together or something...why did you stop eating?

[Gil asking important questions as usual.]