Settling In

[earthshatter]

Who: Aeleus and Ienzo
Content: Tea. Domesticity. More tea.
Location: Traverse Town, Fourth District, KH apartment and teashop
Time of Day: Middayish
Warnings: None

If there was one thing Aeleus had missed during the course of their stay in Castle Oblivion, it was the distinct lack of time to simply sit down and enjoy the company of another person. Not that he would begrudge any of the work that had come out of it. It had been necessary at the time, to say nothing of being actually useful under the circumstances. For now, however, he would be glad to let life unfold at a less breakneck speed.

Besides, it had been some time since he and Ienzo had last sat down to tea. In a similar vein, there were the finer details of this world to discuss yet, and if that wasn't something suitable to sitting down to tea he wasn't quite sure what was. Either way, he'd leave the topic of discussion up to Ienzo. He was - and always has been - perfectly content to simply spend time with Ienzo, regardless of what they did or didn't say.

Comments

[shadearchivist]

There really wasn't anything more comforting than settling down for tea with someone you could trust absolutely. Ienzo was fairly sure that this would always be true, no matter how much his life had changed. He wrapped his hands around his cup and gave a sigh.

"I should probably tell you a bit of what's been going on here."

[earthshatter]

Aeleus would have been highly surprised if it turned out to suddenly not be the case. If the loss of their hearts hadn't changed that simple fact, than surely it would take more than the twists and turns of life to make it anything other than comforting.

"It would be appreciated."

[shadearchivist]

"Hm...well, you were at the meeting, so you know more or less about the strange occurrences in the the town. Most of the people who have arrived so far seem to be fairly open about themselves, though no one is exactly eager to share information. I haven't noted any particular dangers, though Agent North's group and Ziva are soldiers." That meant that it would be worth watching them, if nothing else.

[earthshatter]

"It's an unknown world, for many. I can't imagine most would feel particularly free with personal information, in light of that." That none of them had done similarly was only to be expected. They'd spent too long amongst Organization to be anything but somewhat less than completely truthful.

"It may be useful to keep an eye on the soldiers, however."

[shadearchivist]

"You remember that I had Agent North and Theta over for a visit? I spoke with him at length about his troubles." Ienzo sighed and took a sip of his tea. "Apparently all of those people were involved in some sort of military project. Eventually, the project collapsed, leaving its members traumatized at best. North is from a time before the project collapsed, but Wash and York come from a point after that. It's caused a rift between them. It...troubles North very much." Ienzo frowned. He hoped North could and would work things out with his friends. He clearly want to, very much. There was nothing Ienzo could do to help him with that, however; Wash was an amalgamation of masks and lies, and whatever lay beneath them was something he was unprepared to deal with.

[earthshatter]

Aeleus nodded at the question, before settling in to listen. Given that Ienzo hadn't often had people over before this, he would have been rather hard-pressed to actually forget. The fact the most of them were involved with the military was something he'd already begun to generally to assume, but it was still good to have confirmation all the same. The rest, on the hand, was entirely new.

It took a moment before he spoke up, once Ienzo had finished laying out all the details. "I'm not surprised. However, he may need to find his own way forward, in this matter."

[shadearchivist]

"He was much less concerned about Agent York than he was about Agent Washington, though his primary concern for both of them was that their mental health is less than ideal." Ienzo shrugged. "I can't disagree, however I do wish him the best in maintaining his friendships."

[earthshatter]

"I haven't spoken much to either of them," Aeleus answered after a brief moment of silence. Certainly not enough to be able to judge the matter for himself, but there was no shame in accepting other people's assessments of a situation, even if it was secondhand information at best. "I would wish him the same, however."

[shadearchivist]

"For the most part, aside from interpersonal issues and what was discussed at the meeting, things have been quiet here. There was a...matter involving some of the keybearers, but I am still uncertain as to what occurred there. One of them, Ventus, seemed to fear Master Eraqus, but it seems that Master Eraqus meant him no harm. I don't know what came of it, other than Ventus' living with Princess Luna."

[earthshatter]

All in all, Aeleus was going to take the fact that matters were being relatively silent as a good thing. Should they suddenly prove to be otherwise he wouldn't be unable to handle it, but it was a pleasant change nonetheless.

"Assuming it hasn't come up again, I would be inclined to consider it of little importance. We can't ask the entire world to get along."

[shadearchivist]

"Certainly not with Even here," Ienzo muttered into his tea. "I almost wish something would happen; at least to give a clue as to what's going on here. I don't mind a quiet life, but I would prefer a quiet life at home."

[earthshatter]

Even certainly was something of a hindrance in so far as people getting along went. It wasn't terribly worrisome though. It was simply how Even tended to be and there was little need to change him, assuming someone even could at this point. The second comment, on the other hand, had Aeleus sighing softly into his own tea.

"I believe many here would. Things are unsettled as they are, to be here is... inconvenient."

[shadearchivist]

"I do hope that I might find something like this to do with my life at home," Ienzo admitted. "I used to think about ways to improve Radiant Garden, when we met our goal and fixed what had happened to everything, but I'm not as sure I want to contemplate that now."

[earthshatter]

There's no denying that Radiant Garden will still need to be repaired once all is said and done, but the idea of being able to simply have a moment to themselves when they wish... Aeleus won't deny it's a tempting idea. They've had enough of whirlwind lives to deserve a moment or two of silence.

"I'm sure we can manage something like that."

[shadearchivist]

"Will people allow us to do so?" What did people know at home about what they'd done and what they'd become? Some people knew, but what did most people think of them? Would they even be able to stay when they returned home? All of the questions plagued him, and he had no solid answers.

[earthshatter]

Aeleus had no more answers than Ienzo, although he generally assumed that someone would need to see to the care of the castle, and who better to know what it had once been like both inside and out? Beyond that, it was up to the citizens of the city and the various amounts of effort they went into repairing the alliances that had been broken. Past that, they would need to see how things went.

"We lose nothing by trying."

[shadearchivist]

"Mm. One hopes." Ienzo looked down at his tea. Life was changing quickly; he'd made a friend. Even if that friend was not under any circumstances going to learn about his past if he had anything to say about it.

[earthshatter]

It most certainly was changing, both here and back at the home they'd unwillingly left behind. Perhaps it was only fitting that they turn to hope, under such circumstances. It was the most they could trust, apart from each other.

"It'll work out."

[shadearchivist]

Ienzo nodded, a short jerk of his head. Aeleus was always so certain of things, whenever Ienzo needed him to be. It was why he worried sometimes about not being there enough for Aeleus. Maybe he needed to do more. "I hope you're right."

[earthshatter]

As far as Lexaeus was concerned, what Ienzo offered was already enough. Though there was little denying that he tended to be the rock on which everything was based, Ienzo did have his own share to bring to the table, not the least of which was the simple joy of his companionship. Of course, he had no real objection if Ienzo decided he needed to do more, but as he saw it there was no great need for him to do so either.

"We won't be able to tell for certain until we return home."

[shadearchivist]

"Which may happen at some point in the future, if we're quite lucky," Ienzo said. "I don't suppose you have any ideas regarding that."

[earthshatter]

"Regarding when we return home, or regarding how we might do so?"

He has answers for both, though many of them depend on the precise nature of what is to come and how the dream-realm works. But he knows enough to build ideas with enough flexibility that they work out all the same.

[shadearchivist]

"I meant the latter, though if you have any ideas regarding the former I'd be interested to hear them," Ienzo admitted.

[earthshatter]

"Nothing particularly well defined, I'm afraid."

There was still so much that was unknown about the realm of sleep, and for all that Aeleus understood what they'd been shown well enough, there was just as much he didn't understand. Surely a way to return home existed, but the full details of how to return was something he had to entirely figure out.

[shadearchivist]

"Mm." Well, that left them no worse off than they had been before. ...speaking of being no worse off, that did make something occur to him. "Perhaps we should have Even over for dinner at some point, and Xion. It would help us to keep tabs on what precisely he's doing."

Not that Ienzo was worried about Even; he was an adult who could care for himself.

[earthshatter]

Now there was something that hadn't occurred to Aeleus. It wasn't a bad idea either. It might prove difficult to pull Even out of his labs long enough for such an affair, but it wouldn't have been the first time.

"I agree. It would benefit all of us."

[shadearchivist]

"Perhaps Bolin should join us as well. He seems young, and I think he's used to having family about. It would give him something to focus on." Ienzo could sympathize with missing close family members, certainly.

[earthshatter]

Aeleus hadn't spoken much to Bolin about that in particular, but as ever, he was perfectly willing to trust Ienzo's assessment of the situation. Besides, he certainly didn't mind having another person for dinner, and it wasn't as if they didn't have more than enough space.

"I agree. Would you prefer to extend the invitation to him, or shall I?"

[shadearchivist]

"Would you mind doing so? I think he'd be more comfortable talking with you." Most people were more comfortable talking with Aeleus, it seemed like. It wasn't quite fair; Ienzo put a good deal of effort into understanding others.

[earthshatter]

"Not at all."

He's noticed roughly the same thing as Ienzo has, that he seems to be someone that people find easy to talk. It's not something he's ever tried to be either. It just simply seems to happen, and since it's useful, he's made no effort to stop being so.

[shadearchivist]

He had never liked people as much as he does now, though it's less a liking than it is a lack of antipathy, he supposes. Perhaps that counts as progress for him, but it would be rude to fish for compliments.

"I wonder who else will appear here."

[earthshatter]

"I wouldn't be able to say."

In theory, anyone could arrive, and from very nearly any time. He wouldn't deny that it would be nice to see Dilan arriving as well, but to the best of his knowledge there was no way to affect the drawing in on people. Besides, perhaps it was for the best to have at least one of their number somewhere they could keep an eye on things.

[shadearchivist]

"There doesn't seem to be any pattern; most people can fight, but some cannot, there's no one thing that people hold in common here, other than being here." It was strange, really. There was no rhyme or reason, and yet everyone seemed to get along, more or less, with each other. There had been some blowups, but no true enemies seemed to be simultaneously present.

[earthshatter]

"Indeed." It was certainly true that whatever was dragging people to this realm of sleep wasn't simply pulling from a single world, but many, but that certainly didn't decrease the likelihood of enemies appearing. Instead, it was left as an oddity; a marker that perhaps things weren't quite as they seemed.

"Perhaps it's something to do with this realm?"

[shadearchivist]

"It could be, but what?" Ienzo scowled. He didn't like not knowing. It made him feel edgy and uneasy and like things were not under his control. he didn't like that, either.

[earthshatter]

"I wouldn't be able to say. We don't have enough of the details. However it could be unconsciously selecting for people who have only minorly antagonistic."

As hypotheses went, there were no doubt better ones, but given the information they had so far it was plausible, if nothing else.

[shadearchivist]

"Mm..." Ienzo didn't like speculating in advance of data, even if that was the only type of speculation they could do right now. It was a plausible enough idea; maybe the dream world had some reason for wanting them all to get along. "Then that suggests that we need to cooperate."

[earthshatter]

It wasn't the most preferable of options, but it would have to do for the meantime. Even if the theory later proved to be untrue, that wasn't necessarily a problem.

"Would it be a surprise if we were meant to?"

[shadearchivist]

"I suppose not, but that means that whatever is bringing us here is quite definitely driving us towards a cooperative solution. It doesn't mean that the goal is a good one." Ienzo isn't inclined to believe that any goal he's being driven towards is good, at this point. It never has been before.

[earthshatter]

No, it certainly hasn't, and so Aeleus doesn't blame Ienzo for his cynicism in the matter. Besides, with things still as unknown as the are, a certain amount of skepticism may actually prove to be beneficial.

"It doesn't. But it gives us an idea of what to expect."

[shadearchivist]

That was true, and at the very least having something to work from was comforting. His skepticism was something that would have to be pried from his cold dead hands, at this point. "Mm. That's nice, I suppose."

[earthshatter]

"It's a start."

Perhaps not a good one, or perhaps it's one that will end up falling to the wayside as they learn more about the world, but they can ill afford to be picky about what they learn just at the moment.

[shadearchivist]

Ienzo nodded. "I suppose it isn't doing me any favors to obsess over it." That always seemed to lead to problems, or becoming more like Even, which was a problem in itself.

[earthshatter]

"Not in the long run, no." One Even was bad enough as things stood already. Besides, if he had to be honest with himself, obsession didn't really seem to be one of the things that Ienzo was suited for. Not to quite the same depths, anyway and that would have to suffice.