[July Open] 65% more rock per rock

[rutility]

Characters: Rutile, Leo, the Fool, Padparadscha, Raven, and anyone else who wants to hop in!
Date: Early July
Location: Die Rosa Tulpe, outside city limits, etc
Situation: A pre-business meeting with the Fool, discovering their talent with Leo?, discussing the barrier with Padparadscha, roommate shenanigans with Raven, and July's Faith 4
Warnings/Rating: Nope!



A ▸ ARRANGEMENTS, FLORAL | the fool

Despite their dedicated exploration of the city, Rutile still has not managed to see every location in Aifaran. Die Rosa Tulpe is low on their list for being primarily a food place, and given that Rutile has little interest in food (except for the proportion of it that spontaneously turns to ash, which they've gathered is rare), they've taken their time getting around to it.

When they enter, they're not certain why that is. The coffee shop is actually quite pleasant, with plenty of green and growing things, and at this time of day, uncrowded. It has just the right amount of proximity to the street that one doesn't feel isolated, but enough privacy to be a good place to work. Rutile stands in the door, observing the patrons. Their eyes widen when they see the Fool sitting at a table with his wares, but, never one to intrude, they keep to themselves unless noticed.

B ▸ MIND YOUR MANNERS | leonardo watch

Rutile appraises the milky white stone between their fingers with some disinterest. Quartz, they decide, based on the hexagonal structure and the scratch it leaves on their forearm, and they toss it behind them without a care for who or what it may hit. Small loss: one couldn't step outside without tripping over some variety of quartz.

They stand up and dust their labcoat, straightening it around their shoulders, and turn about to head back into the city. In their hand rests a small collection of precious stones that they contemplate as they walk away; deep in thought, they're hardly watching where they're going.

C ▸ ARE YOU MY DAD? (FAITH 4) | open

If Rutile has been homesick lately, their feelings are quickly cured by the Arybar child leaking some sort of chartreuse sticky substance all over their labcoat. Their skill with juniors is unremarkable at best; now, with hardly the authority to say for sure what is wrong (are they hungry? sick?), it takes something of a dive.

Still, they do their best. Rutile crouches down to eye level with the child. "Alright now," they say, and try to be gentle. "That's quite enough of that. I can't help you when you're upset like this."

The child cries louder. Rutile cringes inwardly. Few juniors have ever been this difficult.

D ▸ NOTHING VENTURED | padparadscha

Rutile is of several minds about their upcoming journey with Aly: first, and foremost, they are excited. It feels good to finally have something to do besides yell at other Dreamfolk across the Lae. But second, and of no smaller concern to them, is the danger of the proposed venture; they do not fear much for their physical safety, but it is a fool who wanders away in secret and expects to be found later. And the third, secret, smaller mind simply wants Padparadscha’s opinion.

It has been several centuries since Rutile last had to actively seek Padparadscha. Like another limb, Rutile feels it keenly when Padparadscha isn't by their side, and the ghost of their presence has haunted them for millennia. They’ve grown used to having them nearby, and though they easily recall a time when they and Padparadscha roamed separate from one another, it is so long ago now that they’ve forgotten what it’s like to be independent creatures. The difficulty of it surprises them. Though they’ve learned Aifaran’s layout well, they still don’t know Padparadscha’s haunts, and the landscape is so different from their island that there are few similar areas to try.

So rather than waste time combing the city, they send them a text message, via yimo:

I would like to discuss something. Can we meet somewhere private?

and sit down to wait for a response.  

E ▸ WILD CARD | open

[ PM me or hit me up on plurk for a starter, or just write one in yourself! I'm game for anything.]


 

Comments

[iseeall]

Leo wanted to shoot back that he didn't MEAN to distract, his mouth was just doing things his brain wasn't telling it, but now the gem person has him by the arm and his first instinct is to tug away. "What? No, I'm fine, I'm not that delicate. It just hurt."

Now that they were up close, the gem was even more mesmerizing, but Leo put a hand over his already closed eyes like it would help somehow. "I'm sorry if this is a dumb request but like...could you stand a bit farther away? I wasn't expecting someone so...bright."

[rutility]

Rutile lets Leo go without further ado; he is the best expert on his personal health, and so long as he's not in immediate danger, there's no need to make a fuss.

They're taken aback by his request, though. With a puzzled frown, they retreat a few steps into dappled shade. They are shiny, though their colors are rather dull compared to someone like Padparadscha's, but Leo's eyes have been closed this entire time. It's possible he sees in a different way altogether, they conclude, though they have no idea how. "Bright? How can you tell?"

[iseeall]

Right. He should probably explain about his eyes, but without saying too much...this was usually the hardest part. Thankfully the gem person backs off and Leo is able to 'look' at them better.

"I can't exactly tell you everything, but I have...really good eyesight. Like better than 20/20." And that was putting it mildly. "I haven't really met a gem person looking like you either."

[rutility]

Rutile has no idea what 20/20 means, but it's fine. They cross their arms, though the gesture is casual, not aloof. "Your eyesight must be truly spectacular to see with your eyes closed. Are there gem people that don't look like me, then?" they say, pointing out the logical conclusion to his words.

(Certainly, Padparadscha couldn't be said to look anything like Rutile - to Rutile. To others, though, it's possible that the most they see is ... well, Leo put it best. Shiny.)

[iseeall]

"Well most of the rock people back where I'm from look like literal boulders. I've honestly never seen one that looks like...a living gemstone. That's a new one. Well, I never made it past high school geology or chemistry so I can't say much more but....um, my name's Leo," he finished lamely.

He wasn't sure what else to say, honestly. He really didn't want to say anything about his eyes, but in a place like Aifaran it was much easier to question how someone could see through their eyelids.

[rutility]

Rutile's eyes widened in surprise. "There are... rock people, where you come from?" they wondered. They had thought their island was the only place they could be found, but of course it made sense that there were other lands on the planet with Lustrous. Perhaps Leo was even from somewhere nearby - the prospect was revolutionary. "Tell me about them," they said hastily, forgoing introductions. "Please."

[iseeall]

Oh. Not quite the reaction he was expecting, but maybe they were like Zed and the only one of their kind. Leo tried wracking his brains, eventually just pulling out his camera. "I've only talked in passing with a couple of them and I'm pretty sure there was a talking geode just rolling around in the subway but uh...."

He finally flipped to a couple wider shots of the city, holding it up so Rutile could see. On the streets lined by huge buildings were a multitude of different creatures, some so strange and fantastic they were hard to describe. One picture had a large shadow of something flying overhead, and in another could be spotted one of the rock people Leo was talking about; though this one looked like a boulder had decided to grow legs, go out, and buy a jacket.

[rutility]

It was safe to say that Rutile had never seen the likes of what Leo showed them, even in the colorful realm of Konryu. They reached out as if to touch the camera, although they kept their hands to themselves; their jaw dropped slightly with fascination. Leo's world was almost certainly not their own, they realized with some dismay, but it was wondrous nonetheless.

"These are beautiful," they murmured, though whether they referred to the photos or the content is anyone's guess. "You come from a magnificent land, Leo. You must miss it."

[iseeall]

Leo actually blushed from the compliment; maybe they weren't talking about his photographs, but god, it had been so long since someone took such a genuine interest in what he was showing.

"I-uh. Thanks. But really this city is actually kind of strange compared to the rest of my world. It's very chaotic and dangerous, but...I do kind of miss everyone. My friends and my sister." His expression grew more somber as he flipped to a few more pictures, this time featuring people. "Sorry. I'm being depressing."

[rutility]

Leo's melancholy was evident even to Rutile; dutifully, they examined the photos of strange people he showed them, allowing him his reminiscence. "It is difficult to be without your family," they said. "But your experiences here will strengthen you so that you'll better be able to serve them when you return. Try to keep that in mind."

If their words rang hollow, it was because they were that. Rutile too struggled with being separated from their life and their work, and unlike Leo, they had no images of their home for comfort. But Leo was clearly not even of age with the juniors, and it thus fell to Rutile to see him taken care of. That much, at least, they could do.

[iseeall]

"...you don't have to try and feel sorry for me, you know." Sorry, Rutile. Leo could tell that they didn't quite know what to say. "I just got a bit homesick for a minute seeing the pictures."

He tried to brush off the sad feelings, and hopefully Rutile didn't know him well enough for it to work. "Do you miss your friends too?"

[rutility]

It's true that Rutile doesn't know Leo well, and it's true that they're not used to how humans display emotions, either. But it's also true that they've been healing gems for hundreds of years, and they know a subject change when they see it. Rutile presses their lips together, considering the question.

They are surprised by how long it takes to answer. Certainly, they miss their clinic, and many of the other Lustrous, but there are as many things they don't miss, or things they have gained only because of Aifaran.

"Yes," they say, so they don't have to think about it any more. "Of course I miss them. They are my home, after all."

[iseeall]

Well, that was a bit of an odd answer, but Leo wasn't going to question them about it. He had no right to, dodging the answers the way he was anyway. The problem was he was left with an awkward pause with which to find something to talk about.

"Ah, I never got your name, did I? Also what gem are you made out of? It looks really cool."

[rutility]

It was an awkward pause, and one Rutile was all too aware they'd caused themselves. It was with relief that they took Leo's next question.

"Oh, dear, how rude of me," Rutile said hastily. "I am Rutile - it's what I'm named, and what I am made of."

[iseeall]

"Rutile...huh. I'm not familiar with that gemstone. But I like the patterning. The string stuff inside the crystal parts is really amazing," Leo said. Then, suddenly remembered, he extended his own hand in greeting.

"I'm Leonardo Watch, but you can call me Leo."

[rutility]

Rutile hesitated a moment - physical greetings were not common amongst gems; the risk of breaking was too high - but then gingerly reached out and took Leo's hand, grasping it as gently as possible.

"You introduced yourself already, Leo," they reminded him with a grin. "That said, it is still a pleasure to meet you."

Then they added, "And, I'm flattered to hear you like the striations. Rutile is actually quite a common inorganic inclusion; there are some kinds of quartz that end up striped because of it. I think I have a sample..." Snatching their hand from Leo's, they reached into their labcoat pocket and sifted through some clattering pebbles for a moment. "Ah, here it is!"

Rutile pulled out a small piece of rutilated quartz, displaying it in their palm for Leo to see.

[iseeall]

"Uh...I did? Fuck. Oops." He was good at remembering and talking to pretty gem people. However, he did feel the solid stone in Rutile's grasp, suddenly very glad that they decided to be gentle. He forgot how humans rated on the mohs scale, but he was kind of squishy.

Still, he was instantly curious about the piece of rock that Rutile pulled out. "Huh. I'm not an expert of geology so I don't think I've heard of Rutile, but..."

Leo gingerly took the rock to hold it up to the light, opening one of his eyes to let out its alien blue glow. "It really does look like you!"

[rutility]

Rutile suppressed a laugh. "I like to think I'm a little more trim than that," they said. If there was a grin on their face, it was due to the absolute fascination with the eerie glow coming from Leo's eye. It almost reminded them of the luminescence from the jellyfish.

"So, is this what you meant when you said you had vision better than... what was it, twenty-twenty?"

[iseeall]

"Well I mean you're prettier-I MEAN. MORE SHINY. Than this rock," Leo said, nearly dropping said rock. Oh fuck, maybe they didn't hear him say that. That's right, his eyes. Leo knew he probably shouldn't talk about them to random people, but it was kind of hard to explain how he knew all these things without sharing something.

"20/20 is normal for human eyes. I don't...have normal eyes. I can see a lot more than most people can." He closed them, but attempted to hand the piece of quartz back to its owner.