ioduanlogs | [July Open] 65% more rock per rock

Entry tags:

[July Open] 65% more rock per rock

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.]

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Ah, are you trying to say you're not old as well? [Padparadscha smiles a little. Rutile's not quite as old as them, true enough, but most of the younger gems seem to lump them in with Padparadscha and Yellow Diamond's ilk regardless.

It seems like the subject of learning new things might be relevant to why Rutile has called them here, though, so they make a slight prompting motion with one hand to their remark.]

Well, you're certainly leading me to wonder, saying things like that. You called me here to tell me something, didn't you?

[Their tone is lighthearted, but they really do want to know what warranted such a meeting as this.]

[ Rutile rolls their eyes, but they grin. ]

Of course. I happen to be the youngest gem in the area, with all the energy of youth at my fingertips. You may be wiser than I, but you're also certainly more boring.

[ The words are all in jest, though. The truth is that Rutile often does feel far older than their years. Their profession has aged them, perhaps.

Their gaze slides out to sea, watching the shift of waves on the horizon. It is easy to pretend they're somewhere far away and several hundred years ago, as they let the peace of the moment surround them. ]

I did. You know, of course, of the Narrakra returning, and of the strange behavior of this world that we can't explain. You know also of the Planes and the Barrier, both of which hold mysteries and, perhaps, answers.

[ They pause. ]

I'm going to go explore the Barrier.

Well, then, I'll be boring and say that two gems doesn't make for much of a sample size, doc.

[Their tone is faintly amused, but chances are Rutile is still older than most of their undead and not-quite-living people here. Padparadscha's ran into a few people who seem to think several hundred years is old, and it's been a little funny to see that sort of attitude.

They let Rutile explain themselves without interruption, though, even if by the end of it their expression is somewhat difficult to read.]

How far do you plan to go? [They know of the Barrier, indeed, and the risks of venturing beyond it. If something left behind there happened to disappear, Rutile would only end up cast into yet another unfamiliar world, without answers and probably in a similar predicament to what befell the Narrakra.]

Fair enough. Euclase was always the hand at statistics, not me.

[ (In fact, Rutile is approximately tied for second oldest. They, of course, don't know this, and they'd feel very safe in agreeing with Padparadscha in that regard.)

Padparadscha's question hangs in the air. Rutile had known that this would not be a trivial undertaking, but something about their partner's carefully neutral tone and expression paints the expedition in a new, more somber light. Their subtlety has taken years for Rutile to learn to parse; now, though used to the reaction, they still can't tell quite what Padparadscha is thinking. It would cow them, were they not accustomed to the aloof nature. They wonder offhand if Padparadscha reads Rutile with as much ease as the other has difficulty. ]

As far as I need to.

[ As a paltry reassurance, they add, ] I don't intend to put myself in danger. But, then, I think that no one ever does. I just need to do something. I can't sit back and simply let things happen again.

[It's not much of a reassurance, no. Most people don't intend to put themselves in danger, but danger finds those who make rash decisions the most easily. Padparadscha can't help but wonder whether this has been thought through to the fullest, or whether Rutile is merely letting their pride direct them.]

You know what I always say. Be mindful of what it is you plan to do. [The solemnity more typical of Padparadscha's offerings of advice creeps onto their face at this point.] And the fact that the whims of personal pride can drive people to hasty decisionmaking.

[That's a bit more on-the-nose than their typical offerings of advice, but it has to be said, especially after Phos. That ended up going somewhat better than Padparadscha had expected, but they consider that an exception, not the rule.]

[ Phos is precisely the reason Rutile is doing this, though they will never admit that out loud. They'd expected the mindfulness advice - they hadn't spent their younger years listening to Padparadscha's counsel for nothing. Still, Padparadscha's comment about pride hits a little close to home, and their reply is curt. ]

I am mindful, when I have the luxury of it. One doesn't spend centuries rounding on warriors without learning what comes of carelessness.

[ What comes of carelessness... Much of what Rutile remembers is a dark night with a full moon, horror filling their being, burning with rage as they realize what's happened. Their tools in their fingers, their vision scored with cracks from shattering. Phos had gotten away with it because of Rutile's hesitation. Rutile would not hesitate again. ]

This isn't about pride. It's about discovery. About finding out where those sailors have been, and what happened to them, and how to keep it from happening again. And it may be about finding a way home.

Well, we certainly have those luxuries here. [Mindful can mean different things to different people. Padparadscha doesn't get the impression themselves and Rutile have landed on the same meaning for this particular venture.

Still, it's not like them to outright tell someone not to do something or demand some kind of adequate explanation. They're certainly not hiding the fact that they don't consider it a good idea, but in the end, it is what it is - advice, and nothing else.]

It seems your mind is set, in any case. Who are you planning to travel with? [Together is unwise, but alone would be incredibly stupid, so presumably this has come about because Rutile's agreed with some other party to do it. Rutile largely seems to have come to alert them rather than have any expectation of being convinced otherwise, so they may as well familiarise themselves with who else thinks this is a good idea.]

[ This conversation is not going as well as Rutile had hoped it would, but perhaps that's to be expected. On the surface, of course, the exchange is polite as one could dream; it's Rutile whose pride is slighted by the subtle barb of Padparadscha's words, and who hears what goes unsaid.

Still, they did not come here seeking Padparadscha's blessing, they remind themselves. They have lived without it for centuries now, and can go on a little longer. ]

Another Dreamfolk called Aly, who I gather has some experience with strange occurrences like this. We plan to leave in a couple of weeks, and are preparing now.

[Not someone Padparadscha is familiar with themselves, then, though it may be worth looking in on them at some point before this trip goes ahead. They doubt Rutile would work with just anyone, but it's possible their determination to do this has left them in a position where they may commit oversights.]

So what kinds of preparations still need to be made? If the other Dreamfolk is a living person, that seems like it would be a considerable amount of time for them.

[Matters of months seem to be considered long for organic beings, judging by the incident with the Narrakra.]

Aly is living, yes. I imagine she has far more expertise on the kinds of preparations she'll need, and the length it takes to do them, than we do.

[ When was the last time Padparadscha had questioned Rutile this thoroughly? Surely not recently - it couldn't be recently, they realize bitterly, since the last time they had an extended conversation with Padparadscha that wasn't in Aifaran must have been over a thousand years before, and so much has changed in the interim.

Alright, two can play at this game. Rutile tugs at the fingertips of their gloves as they reply. ]

I need nothing more than a blade. She needs food and something to carry it, but when I accompanied her to the market things went quite smoothly. I'm sure she would be grateful for your opinion, though, as I would have been for the last several centuries.

[So it's going to be like that, then. Padparadscha's smile remains unfazed, but there's a faint trace of what might be a roll of the eyes as they tilt their head. Dealing with Phos back when had been little different to dealing with a child, and this feels rather similar.]

Trust me, there's no need to pretend to be grateful for it. Not everyone's pride takes such blows so easily. [There are so many worse things they could say to Rutile, but they'd be completely unnecessary, and probably cause unnecessary damage while they're at it.] As I said earlier, it seems as if you're set on this one way or another, so forgive me if I'm seeking what information I can before you're already gone.

[Padparadscha doesn't intend to incite anything, but if Rutile is going to be that direct, then they'll provide a slight bit of directness back.]

[ Even as the words slip from Rutile's mouth they know it is the wrong thing to say, and undeserved. There is no taking them back now, though.

After a while of silence, they continue, ]

There is nothing to forgive. The fault is mine. It has been a long time since I had my judgment questioned, that's all.

[ Which is still the easier thing to admit to. The harder thing - that perhaps they need their judgment questioned - is relegated to a tiny part of their mind where they can pretend it doesn't exist. The grin that spreads across their face is a reluctant one. ] But, that was always the point of having teams, wasn't it?

[On one hand, it's almost progress that Rutile is willing to admit Padparadscha's condition was troublesome for them. On the other, they can't help but wonder if it wouldn't have been more helpful to reach that point back in their world. Perhaps that way they would have reconsidered their stance on offering Rutile the full truth.

As it is, Padparadscha seems unbothered, offering a slight smile and mild shrug to the question.] Well, it depends on the team, doesn't it? There are people like that angry little one, Bortz, that won't be held back by any partner.

[And at the same time, are they truly partners anymore? Rutile has taken the course of science, and while Padparadscha doesn't doubt their sentry skills are still honed, it's not their primary role any longer. It's an unusual situation, to be sure, when a gem chooses a different path to what they were initially assigned.]

[ Rutile shoots Padparadscha an appalled glare, their head whipping around with impressive speed. They open their mouth to retort... and then their expression softens. ]

Alright. Being compared to Bortz. There are worse things, I suppose.

[ And then it darkens. Does Padparadscha know about - ? Yes, they almost certainly do. Diamond ran to the moon with the rest of them. The others wondered about it, but to Rutile their motivation was clear: Bortz had driven away the one gem who had a chance at keeping up with them. It was obvious to anyone paying enough attention.

A sudden fear takes them. They have to know. ]

Padparadscha, I have never considered myself held back by you; you know this. My words were unfounded. If anything, I have held you back... Are you suggesting our dynamic has changed?

[That's a question that's difficult to answer honestly, and Padparadscha's expression remains unreadable as it's asked. There's certainly one thing they could say to that which they're sure would shake Rutile...but it's still really something they'd prefer not to share, especially not so frivolously.

Considering Rutile had already been shaken enough here by what happened with Phos taking them away, who knows how they might react to the implication that Padparadscha had given up on their success long beforehand?]

I think it would be unwise to believe it hasn't. It's been a long time since we've been able to work together like we once did, and at least one of us has changed a lot in that time. You're the scientist of us - would you expect anything to remain completely the same when such a large factor has changed?

[It's a straightforward enough way to put their answer without doing undue damage. Things have certainly changed, but perhaps not in the manner that Rutile was asking about.]

[ Padparadscha’s words are not accusatory - at least, Rutile doubts they are, though the doubt is born from such strong desire for it to be so that they cannot trust their own feelings on the subject. Suddenly the empty beach and rolling waves, deserted save for Padparadscha at their side, seems far too crowded.

They realize that perhaps that is part of the problem. ]

Of course not, [ they say, though what other choice do they have? ] I just...

[ Their words are curt, but it is frustration wih themselves. ] I thought we were beyond that. My own arrogance, I suppose. That’s all.

[That, at least, gets Padparadscha to laugh slightly. Of course, many gems feel as if they are unchanging, because in the most literal sense, some are. But people like Phos, or even Padparadscha, serve as proof otherwise - it's the nature of Padparadscha's existence that they must be changed to continue to function. To them, the concept of change is perhaps a little closer than it might be for one like Diamond or even Bortz.]

Ah, well, I'm sure some of us truly do believe that. But I've become so spotty over my time that it's a little bit strange being the same every time I wake up now. Don't you think?

[They nod slightly downwards, towards their chest and the filled tunnels through it.]

You laugh, but even with a thousand different pieces, you never stopped being the same to me.

[ The words are meant as a sort of comfort, a reassurance that even when the pieces change, the whole stays the same. But even to Rutile those words are hollow. Phosphophyllite hasn’t been the same in years. ]

You’ve given me much to think about, Padparadscha, which I suppose was the purpose of asking you here to begin with. Thank you for that.

Really? I suppose that explains a few things, then. [Why they kept trying, for one, on the assumption that Padparadscha would want the same thing as them. Perhaps they did once, but things do change, even without notice.

Nonetheless, they give a faint smile and a shrug, glancing back towards the sea.] Well, someone has to, don't they? I want to be sure you've thought about this as much as possible before it's done.

"...that explains a few things, then."

[ That is delightfully cryptic, which is what one comes to expect when dealing with Padparadscha. Rutile finds that they don't want to ask what it is Padpa is referring to. It's enough to know that things are different now.

Rutile hovers a bit, shifting their weight between one foot and the other, feeling the strange shift as sand grinds underneath. They laugh, once, but it's without humor. ]

You can be sure that I'll be thinking about it right up until it happens.

I should get back, though. I believe I've taken enough of your time.

Well, time is never anything we've had a shortage of. But I'll let you get back to your planning.

[It seems like Rutile's time would be more valuable than theirs as of current. They do have a limit on how long there is before they go on this journey.]

I was planning to stay out here a while longer anyway.

[It's a peaceful view, and more comparable to home than a lot of things here.]

[ It's debatable. Rutile has just as much free time on their hands as Padparadscha does these days. Rutile nods, casting one last glance at the sea before turning back to the Bridge. ]

Enjoy the view.

[Padparadscha raises a hand in farewell before turning back towards the sea, seemingly at ease in their position. However, they have much more to think about in the wake of that conversation...]

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[July Open] 65% more rock per rock

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