empatheias | ( open ) there are countless stars in my heart, there's one star that shines painfully

Entry tags:

( open ) there are countless stars in my heart, there's one star that shines painfully

Who: Warrior of Light and you?
Where: Around Verens
When: Throughout the first week of the month
Format: [ brackets ]
Open/Closed: Open
Summary: The longer he's here, the more something about the Warrior seems to become... off.

A) the wall of names part 2;

[ Another month, another trip to the wall, another moment in allowing his gaze to roam over each and every name there. It's getting closer to a year since his arrival within this world and while he's been departed for a short period of time due to a calling back within the conflict, still he finds himself here... and he finds that as time goes on, more and more names appear on this wall... and he's come to notice that he recognizes quite a few now.

There's a particular man who comes to mind as he glances down to a cracked stone on the ground. Blond hair and in so much pain, having injured himself due to his grief at the realization that someone he cared for very much had disappeared from this world with only their name left behind on this wall. He remembers the way in which he had gently healed his hand and listened to his pain... and now he finds that this very same man has his name on the wall as well. The Warrior comes to frown a little. Perhaps he went back to the one he had missed so much. He can hope for that, can't he?

But that's the problem with this wall. The names seem to multiply more and more as time goes on and he finds that this wall becomes more familiar with those who appear on it, going from one to three to five to nine. Nine names. Nine that he can put a face to, recall memories with. Nine that are no longer within this world and he comes to find that it means something... somehow.

There are no cats with him this time nor company as he tends to travel alone. There is, however, a dull sort of ache that bleeds from him and strips the very grass around his shoes of its colour, leaving it cold and gray. He'll be standing there for quite some time... more like hours to be exact. ]

B) the tree of memories;

[ This is a place in which the Warrior doesn't often find himself, the wall of names being more the place to frequent rather than this tree. But today... today he is looking for something... a memory, wanting to see it with his own eyes. The petals that come to touch his palm show brief glimpses of a conflict which he seems to hail from. But these fleeting memories are not the one he's looking for and it's with a sigh that he allows these petals to gently fall from his palm. Peculiar that the grass around him seems to be devoid of colour... ]

C) to market we go?;

[ To be here at the market is not at all unusual for the Warrior given the fact that he comes here once a week to pick up food and any supplies needed what with his cottage being a little ways out of the town. However, on this particular day, he is without his basket that he typically carries under his arm and instead, walks through merchant's square without even coming to stop at any of the usual stalls. He seems dazed, out of it, not entirely lost within his thoughts and yet... not exactly here in the now either. With every step that he takes throughout the square, a washed out colour of the very ground itself is left behind as sort of footprints in a way. He doesn't seem to be listening to anyone or anything else but rather to whatever (or whoever) it is that seems to be playing over and over again in his head. A knight clad in dark armor and a spire-like sword which he drags alongside him... memories that seem to be pushing themselves to the forefront of his mind more and more as of late.

Paying attention to where he's going? No... not today it seems. ]

D) winter in summer;

[ It's a lovely day for a stroll in the park and if one happens to be doing that, they might come across some beautiful flowers, trees lush with green leaves... and a Warrior sitting on a bench... more or less frozen. His head hangs as he stares to the ground, a gentle frost having coated him entirely but it's his fingers curled under the bench that seem to be wearing a thick layer of ice over them, freezing them to the bench more or less. But it's not just the frost in the warm weather that is strange. It's an almost distortion around the Warrior that seems to somehow blur everything around him, almost seeming dreamlike and unreal. But it's very real, as is the ice and frost that have covered him here on the bench.

Best to watch your step lest you slip on a little runaway frost. ]

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Why do you think you have to suffer this alone?

[ Squall moved in front of Warrior, crouching down on one knee to try and get a look at his face. ]

You aren't the only one who knows of this pain. Hell, I shut people out of my life for twelve years of my life.... because some stupid part of me thought shutting others out would prevent me from ever getting hurt again. And it didn't. Instead it just made me feel incredibly lonely...

[ Squall frowned softly. ]

You aren't here alone, so can't you depend on me a little more?

[ With Squall crouching in front of him, the Warrior doesn't look to him but instead, looks behind him on the ground, gently allowing the fingers of his freed hand to wiggle a little more as chips of ice fall from the tips. ]

Have you ever agreed to the deaths of your comrades?

[ He asks that softly, allowing his gaze to finally look to Squall. ]

Because I allowed that of you.

You aren't the type to make those decisions on a whim. You must have had a reason for it.

I wanted to save you all.

[ Fingers curl under the bench tightly. ]

Sometimes in order to do that... sacrifices must be made... I allowed it to spare you all from a death far worse.

[ The Warrior swallows thickly then, nails scratching against the wood of the bench. ]

I was prepared to die in place of all of you. Because... I had faith in all of you to continue on without me.

[ Shaking his head, the Warrior hangs it a little more. ]

That is what I am good for... even here... I watch you all disappear one by one again. Even if you don't remember me, even if you are not the same, you are still someone I recognize, someone I hope to recognize me one day but it won't be. Because I am to be the last one standing. Always.

Tch.

[ Squall frowned a little more, squeezing at Warrior's knee for a second before standing up again. ]

If you think I'll let that happen, you have another thing coming.

[ Squall turns around, making it seem like he was just going to abandon Warrior there in his anger, in his hurt, but when he finally got a good distance away, he held a hand to his head and held out his other hand, an aura started flowing around him.]

BROTHERS, I NEED YOUR HELP!

[ A loud explosion of earth and rubble. A loud growl and out of nowhere appeared a flashy show from none other than the brothers, two minataur looking GFs both in different sizes. ]

You should know by now, I'm just too stubborn, Warrior.

Edited 2018-06-07 06:25 (UTC)

[ Confused, the Warrior looks to "the brothers" not knowing who or what they are or even what this could possibly mean. Did Squall mean... to fight him? But he is without his weapons and is not able to summon them as some are capable of. ]

What is... do you mean to fight?

[ But, gently in the back of his mind, he recalls a conversation he had had with Squall some time ago and it causes him to tilt his head. ]

But you... this will drain you, won't it?

I need you two to do a favor for me.

A favor for you??

You haven't summoned us in so long and you expect favors??

Guys. Now's not the time.

You hear that, Big brother? Now's not the time~

Mr. Fancy pants doesn't have the time to hear us. Figures

[ Squall lets out an annoyed sound, holding a hand to his head. ]

Pick up the bench and follow me. Unless you don't think you can do it?

What?? of course I can do it. I'm the strongest lifter after all!

Strongest lifter?! Excuse you, but I believe you are mistaking yourself for Myself, younger brother.

I could out lift you any day!

Then bring it on!

[ The two minataurs start headbutting each other, trying to shove the other one back in frustration until they hear a loud piercing whistle from Squall. ]

You will have plenty of time to bond later, now get a move on!

[ The two brothers let out a tiny yelp and quickly rush to each side of the bench. They don't actually lift the bench off the ground. Instead, they did their fingers into the dirt and begin lifting the bench from the dirt below it. ]

[ This is... not at all what the Warrior had imagined happening? And it shows with the confusion on his face when the two summons(?) make their way over and start to lift the bench off the ground... with the ground. Fingers gripping tighter under the bench, the Warrior blinks a few times as he's lifted up by the two brothers. ]

Where... are you taking me?

[ Squall starts walking on ahead of the two summons. He keeps his hands balled up, concentrating on the power to keep them here. He wasn't going to let Warrior freeze to death out here, and he didn't trust him to help himself. ]

We're going back to your place. We'll work on removing you from the bench and then retrace your steps to find your Amulet. I won't take any arguments.

[ He turned his head back. ]

From any of you.

[ With being carried on the bench as he is and more or less still frozen to said bench, the Warrior isn't really in any position to argue now, is he? So, he sits there with his head bowed and watches the way the ground seems to move beneath him as he's carried. ]

I can't believe you... is this seriously how reckless I used to be when Sora first met me?

[ he says out loud but mostly to himself. It just hurts him, that Warrior would think this is the only life he could live, that he could possibly think he was any less of a person than anyone else. He's tried so hard to tell Warrior he was important to him, but maybe... he just wasn't saying it loud enough. ]

[ The Warrior allows his eyes to fall shut and does his best to try and ignore that voice within his head, the one in his dreams, telling him of his pathetic attempts at trying to make friends... how no one could understand him... how they would all look at him differently if they knew who he really was... something that he himself doesn't even know.

So, he remains quiet as they go, trying to ignore those thoughts.

Trying to ignore Garland. ]

Are you still with me, Griever?

[ Rather than say anything, the Warrior simply nods slowly in regards to Squall's inquiry. ]

We'll get you inside... and I'll warm up some water. That ought to be the safest route to get you unstuck.

Thank you...

[ Is all he says, softly at that, still looking down as he's carried by "the brothers" for his... home. ]

[ It takes them a little while, but Squall finally gets Warrior home with the help of the brothers. He escorts them into Warrior's home and when they set his bench down, Squall dismisses them before they could sass anymore. He looked rather tired, exhausted even, but he was determined to help so he ruffles Warriors hair and makes his way to the kitchen to grab some warm water. ]

[ Sitting there (because what else is he going to do?) with his eyes turned down, the Warrior knows where they are yet can't even bring himself to really look around. Instead, he sits there, gently allowing the tips of his freed fingers to wiggle some before he comes to slowly glance up, noticing one of the cats curiously looking to him from the stairs. ]

You care... don't you?

[ Squall comes over with a warm bowl of water and a few cups as well. He sets the bowl down beside Warrior and gently takes his freed hand to ease them very slowly into the bowl. ]

You are their cat father after all.

I meant... you.

[ Gently he says those words, not allowing his gaze to look up to Squall just yet. ]

But I was told... no one could.

[ Squall gives him a stare before stubbornly pressing his forehead against Warriors. ]

I wouldn't have given you the name Griever if I didn't like you.

But...

[ But Garland has said that no one could understand him, not in the way in which he is capable of and how those he considers comrades... friends... are nothing of the sort. ]

Have you... had someone come here from your world before?

I have... once. She left a few months after coming though...

[ Squall leaves Warrior's hand in the warm water as he starts to gently pour the cups around him, hoping that eases up the ice. ]

No one has come from my world.

[ Those who wear the same faces as his comrades from the conflict? Yes. But from Cornelia, or even from the conflicts themselves... no. ]

Perhaps it is meant to be that way.

Maybe you're right. Maybe it's better this way, because now you can be somewhere you can live and feel different feelings.

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