[A lot of it was painful in a way that was needlessly complex. River, out of everyone she had told about the experience, put it plainly:
"I think for the first time in a while, you were faced with a big challenge and that rattled you. Not only that, you could only depend on one guy, and no offense, but it sounds like he was kind of an asshole."
[He doesn't have anything to prove it, and maybe it's a heedless assumption, but his intuition rarely's wrong: Taka thinks maybe he's unknowingly circling around a sore subject.
Normally, he wouldn't prod further without due reason, but... Well, no, that's not true. By his very nature, he's nosy. Goes hand in hand with being good at his job, and even though his "job" has been up in the air for years now, you don't quash old ingrained habits so easily.]
Friendly town local? Or maybe... someone with enough magic to send somebody so far away back home?
[Lucinda smiles and tries to make sure her lips aren't too thin and tight. Already, she knows it won't reach her eyes.]
They were understanding of my situation and knew it was imperative for me to go home. We both worked together to find something or somewhere that would serve as a big enough gap for me to traverse through.
[Sort of. Kind of. It was problem-solving together through gritted teeth probably.]
[There. Something in her expression, like a shadow beneath still water. It's not exactly a lie, but it's not the whole truth, is it? A hole in the tapestry.]
...Well. I'm glad it did.
[He's gonna. Finish off his food, first. He doesn't want it to get cold.
But then, finally-]
If you hated it, though, you can be truthful. Not like I'm going to judge you. Not everyone's always the same degree of helpful — believe me, I know.
With current company helping me out? I have no doubt about that.
[He laughs, eyes crinkling at their corners, but even still, something whirls in the back of his mind. Something still missing; something little detail that shouldn't matter, and yet it feels as though it's massive. Whatever vagueness her story might be covering up.
Ehhhhn. He both loves and hates that his instincts always have to make it more complicated than need be.]
What was your favorite part of the new place you visited, though? I'll tell you mine first: the food.
[The kindness of the town and the flowers. Noted, but for now, he remarks on one over the other.]
That's nearly unheard of, but I'm glad you were treated well. Where I'm from, I'm always looked at as a foreigner.
[Even in the remade world, all of the outlanders looked at him like he didn't belong, or was some kind of strange, exotic creature. For as much that changed, some things definitely stayed the same.]
Makes it feel like there are always eyes at your back.
[In this world, history swept up her people into a new land and many settled down to support one another in making a new life. Decades have passed, but at the root of it all, things are quite the same.]
You'll have less of it here, I think or at least the form of it isn't anything new.
Anyways, how was your meal? If you compliment the cooks enough, they'll be eager to let you try more of our cuisine.
[So there it is. Lucinda has worked with and around those with keen investigative instincts. She's aware of the games they play and the questions they ask and how they ask them.
He asked because he noticed how vague the details were. She kept them to herself because she wasn't sure, but now...
[Blue. Something in him feels like a shard of ice, and even he can't quite tell if it's alarm or the beginning of critical information truly about to unfold. Both, maybe.]
Just wondering if there was any kind of connection. You know, me being here, you being elsewhere — wouldn't it be a logical correlation that maybe the world you visited could've been somehow related to my own? Might've been my own? Like there's a shared doorway we've passed through. Why, I'm pretty sure I know of a town that's supposedly infamous for its blue flowers.
[Casual shrug.]
Then again, that doesn't make sense, does it? Because then you would've recognized the name Saxea, and said something before now, right?
That would explain that telltale feeling of nails prickling at his gut — he was right. There was something here worth unraveling, and it's critical.]
Turner's Vale...
[If only the others were here— No, actually, that might be detrimental. They haven't cool enough heads to be blasted with this relevation to not upend the conversation completely; Taka does, or so he believes.]
[IN FACT, he affects at utterly casual as he leans back in his chair, arms crossed.]
That's a Dredger town, you know. Or, it was. [Hand waggle again.] Ahh, it's complicated, but... You know, Miss Lucinda, we've been trying to figure out how to get to that place for a little while now.
[She does seem calm; taking it all in stride. He wonders if he should read into that, too.]
Precisely that. The forest surrounding the town is, well, I don’t know. Cursed? Enchanted? Whatever you want to call it, anyone who enters is fated to get lost and wander endlessly, seeing visions of their worst fears. New and old nightmares on repeat. The only way to escape it with your mind intact is to follow the path into town or out of the forest… But that path, apparently, doesn’t show itself just for anyone.
[He sighs.]
You need to be invited by one of the villagers first. And that’s… What’s the saying? Its own jar of worms?
Mm, bad luck on your part. But it does make it sound like there's another way in, so maybe we don't have to travel the entire continent hoping to stumble onto an invite.
[Leans forward a little.]
Who found you?
[At this point, he basically knows that she met Weir. How else would she know that the Vale used to be a Dredger town? No one knows about the previous world that he's ever met, after all; no one except those who still remain.
But maybe he just wants to judge how quickly she'll confirm it herself.]
[There's no room to be evasive, not anymore, but somehow she manages. Her friends stir beneath her skin; whether in reaction to his name or to her stirring memories of her time with him.
One of the servers, sensing the tension in the air, quietly passes by to take their dishes and disappear into the back of the restaurant. When they're gone, only then does Lucinda conitnue.]
I stayed with him for a while, as I've said. We had our... [The medium gestures lazily with one hand as if it means anything.]
... Disagreements. But all in all, I held up well.
A man like Weir Dredger, I'm surprised you could stand him at all. He's a bastard.
[He says his name outright as though to drag the elephant in the room into the spotlight. Like it might disperse the roundabout way she's treating this subject — that, and he doesn't mind sharing his own opinion of the man. It isn't very high.
His gaze is sharpened; not cutting, but it's clear he's focused on her replies and body language now.]
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finalflight2025-01-02 03:40 pm
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[A lot of it was painful in a way that was needlessly complex. River, out of everyone she had told about the experience, put it plainly:
"I think for the first time in a while, you were faced with a big challenge and that rattled you. Not only that, you could only depend on one guy, and no offense, but it sounds like he was kind of an asshole."
The doctor's diagnosis was accurate as always.]
I had some help.
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Normally, he wouldn't prod further without due reason, but... Well, no, that's not true. By his very nature, he's nosy. Goes hand in hand with being good at his job, and even though his "job" has been up in the air for years now, you don't quash old ingrained habits so easily.]
Friendly town local? Or maybe... someone with enough magic to send somebody so far away back home?
Both?
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[Lucinda smiles and tries to make sure her lips aren't too thin and tight. Already, she knows it won't reach her eyes.]
They were understanding of my situation and knew it was imperative for me to go home. We both worked together to find something or somewhere that would serve as a big enough gap for me to traverse through.
[Sort of. Kind of. It was problem-solving together through gritted teeth probably.]
And so it worked itself out.
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...Well. I'm glad it did.
[He's gonna. Finish off his food, first. He doesn't want it to get cold.
But then, finally-]
If you hated it, though, you can be truthful. Not like I'm going to judge you. Not everyone's always the same degree of helpful — believe me, I know.
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[Lucinda almost doesn't care, but the way he words his response is almost kind. It would feel bad to spurn it with more of her insincerity.]
... It wasn't as easy or as concise as I put it, I'll admit that much.
[And it was inaccurate to say she didn't hate any of it. Hate was such a strong word, however, too strong of a hue to paint the entire picture with.]
Either way, I made it through. And in your case, you'll have an easier time.
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[He laughs, eyes crinkling at their corners, but even still, something whirls in the back of his mind. Something still missing; something little detail that shouldn't matter, and yet it feels as though it's massive. Whatever vagueness her story might be covering up.
Ehhhhn. He both loves and hates that his instincts always have to make it more complicated than need be.]
What was your favorite part of the new place you visited, though? I'll tell you mine first: the food.
[Compliments to the chef.]
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[The medium visibly relaxes and answers his question more easily than she thought.]
I liked the flowers. The townspeople were kind too. They were always willing to lend a hand and were generous to me even though I was a foreigner.
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That's nearly unheard of, but I'm glad you were treated well. Where I'm from, I'm always looked at as a foreigner.
[Even in the remade world, all of the outlanders looked at him like he didn't belong, or was some kind of strange, exotic creature. For as much that changed, some things definitely stayed the same.]
Makes it feel like there are always eyes at your back.
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[In this world, history swept up her people into a new land and many settled down to support one another in making a new life. Decades have passed, but at the root of it all, things are quite the same.]
You'll have less of it here, I think or at least the form of it isn't anything new.
Anyways, how was your meal? If you compliment the cooks enough, they'll be eager to let you try more of our cuisine.
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[Traveling companions are nice like that, even he'll admit.
He nods stoutly, smiling.]
The food was wonderful. Hit the spot. Can't wait to see what else they whip up for dinner. And then for breakfast.
[And then for lunch... then dinner... then breakfast...]
Oh, can I just ask one more thing? Then I'll leave your tale as your own, promise.
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[He Will Be Fed...!
Lucinda was sipping her drink as Taka presents his initial question. She nods.]
Go ahead.
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What kind of flowers were they? The ones you liked so much.
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[So there it is. Lucinda has worked with and around those with keen investigative instincts. She's aware of the games they play and the questions they ask and how they ask them.
He asked because he noticed how vague the details were. She kept them to herself because she wasn't sure, but now...
With nothing to hide, she smiles placidly.]
Blue.
Why do you ask?
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Just wondering if there was any kind of connection. You know, me being here, you being elsewhere — wouldn't it be a logical correlation that maybe the world you visited could've been somehow related to my own? Might've been my own? Like there's a shared doorway we've passed through. Why, I'm pretty sure I know of a town that's supposedly infamous for its blue flowers.
[Casual shrug.]
Then again, that doesn't make sense, does it? Because then you would've recognized the name Saxea, and said something before now, right?
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[Silently, she pushes her drink aside and leans forward with her elbows resting on the table.]
... It's safer not to make assumptions.
[Who is she talking about? Him? Herself? Yes.]
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And who's the one making assumptions here, miss? [He huffs.] Maybe it'd be better to put all our cards on the table?
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[Lucinda draws back, putting her hands in her lap and thinks. Finally, she decides it's time.]
Turner's Vale.
[She turns her head to glance outside the window where the parking lot is.]
It wasn't so bad.
1/2
That would explain that telltale feeling of nails prickling at his gut — he was right. There was something here worth unraveling, and it's critical.]
Turner's Vale...
[If only the others were here— No, actually, that might be detrimental. They haven't cool enough heads to be blasted with this relevation to not upend the conversation completely; Taka does, or so he believes.]
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That's a Dredger town, you know. Or, it was. [Hand waggle again.] Ahh, it's complicated, but... You know, Miss Lucinda, we've been trying to figure out how to get to that place for a little while now.
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[Lucinda remains eerily calm which wouldn't be so abnormal with her usual countenance, but in this case there's more to it than that.]
Was it because of the forest surrounding it? Coming from the inside, that was the biggest challenge among other things.
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Precisely that. The forest surrounding the town is, well, I don’t know. Cursed? Enchanted? Whatever you want to call it, anyone who enters is fated to get lost and wander endlessly, seeing visions of their worst fears. New and old nightmares on repeat. The only way to escape it with your mind intact is to follow the path into town or out of the forest… But that path, apparently, doesn’t show itself just for anyone.
[He sighs.]
You need to be invited by one of the villagers first. And that’s… What’s the saying? Its own jar of worms?
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[Neither here nor there.]
Funnily enough, I woke up in that forest. I might have been lost indefinitely if I hadn't been found.
The things you've just described, I experienced at a later date.
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[Leans forward a little.]
Who found you?
[At this point, he basically knows that she met Weir. How else would she know that the Vale used to be a Dredger town? No one knows about the previous world that he's ever met, after all; no one except those who still remain.
But maybe he just wants to judge how quickly she'll confirm it herself.]
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[There's no room to be evasive, not anymore, but somehow she manages. Her friends stir beneath her skin; whether in reaction to his name or to her stirring memories of her time with him.
One of the servers, sensing the tension in the air, quietly passes by to take their dishes and disappear into the back of the restaurant. When they're gone, only then does Lucinda conitnue.]
I stayed with him for a while, as I've said. We had our... [The medium gestures lazily with one hand as if it means anything.]
... Disagreements. But all in all, I held up well.
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[He says his name outright as though to drag the elephant in the room into the spotlight. Like it might disperse the roundabout way she's treating this subject — that, and he doesn't mind sharing his own opinion of the man. It isn't very high.
His gaze is sharpened; not cutting, but it's clear he's focused on her replies and body language now.]
How much did he tell you?
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