staysilent | Gone fishin' but for science [closed]

...

[A fair and reasonable answer. Except, then he thinks about it.]

Ask someone else... to teach to me to fish... and not share with others... or use the... communal food stores... because I'm secretly undead... and trying to control myself...?

[He lifts a brow at Faust. Then he sighs and leans back.]

Mind if I... watch then...?

[Pls-]

No one's going to assume any of that if you just ask them to teach you to fish... just say you think it sounds like a fun hobby, or something.

[He casts again, eyes on the water.]

...So long as you're not too noisy, I suppose that's fine.

I suppose...

[He has doubts!!! But, not so much about this. Faust wants quiet so, once again, he gives it. He takes a moment, pushing the dirt about so he can bury the fish in the sand. Then, he folds himself back up and turns his attentions to the water. The sun sinks low and the waves lap and he imagines, for a moment, that the world isn't destroyed. It's not gone. He's just on vacation, taking time away from the world and himself. Once he's done, he'll go back and pick up where he left off.

It is more comfortable this time around.

And maybe, by the time he's done watching Faust, he'll know how to do this himself. Regardless, he decides he'll stop by later in the evening. He said he'd guard the door, so, why not?]

[He lets his mind wander once again as the silence settles and he's less acutely aware of the fact he's not here alone. He didn't fish that often back in the woods, in part because nets or magic served well enough when he lived right next to a stream. But with magic less of an option here, it's something peaceful and meditative to do that reminds him of home... and he can feed the smaller fish to the cats.]

[Having Teo here is vaguely distracting at times, if just because he can't help but wonder if he's making a mistake in the long run by giving him the impression he can live like a relatively normal person here. With what he knows of Teo's world, on top of his undead state, it's unlikely he has any sort of happy ending waiting for him. He's not that hopeful.]

[He catches a few more fish, some of them on the small side but they all go in the basket regardless. He doesn't cast the same calming spell that he did on the fish he gave to Teo, just being careful with how he handles them. He doesn't explain anything he's doing, but Teo is free to observe.]

[But eventually he'll dismiss the rod back to wherever he summoned it from and stand up with some subtle stretching.]

That's enough for now.

[He rouses when the rod is dismissed. Faust does magic so casually, like it's absolutely nothing, but it still catches him off guard. He shakes himself, rattling thought into motion. Then he starts to put himself back together- gaiter, goggles, hood, and gloves- then rises back to his feet.]

You caught... a lot...

[He sounds impressed. Even if some were smaller.]

[He picks up the basket rather than magicking it away. It's past dusk now, the lake reflecting the moon and stars, but he's not about to tell him he doesn't have to cover up in the dark. He was a little surprised he felt comfortable enough to take his disguise off at all, really.]

Mm. Anyway, you can stay here, or go wherever it is you go at night.

[They're Done Here. He'll start heading back the way they came.]

[Less need to cover up in the dark, but if they ran into anyone and he had his disguise down, they were in for a real shock.

He nods, but follows. Even if he does go back to town hall for a time, it's still a walk to get there. He has a question besides.]

Faust...Personal, I know... Not meaning to pry... but... is there anyone... back home for you...? Like... family...?

[He's not exactly surprised that he's being followed, it's not like there are that many ways to get back to town if that's where he wants to go. Though he can only hope he doesn't intend to try and follow him all the way back to the windmill...]

[It is technically a personal question, but maybe more so for a human. He doesn't seem bothered, at least.]

Family? I'm sure what family I had passed of old age centuries ago. [He can't say for certain, since he wasn't there...] I suppose there are a few others these days who might wonder where I am, or even wait for my return...

[He falls silent for a long moment, brooding on some thought, but eventually he goes on-]

Do you? Or can you not remember?

[He tilts his head]

They wouldn't be... old like you...?

[But others. That's something. It must hurt, he doesn't doubt that, but he can't help his envy. His head bows a little.]

Sometimes... sometimes I hear... voices... see faces... nothing clear. Nothing... I can... that feels... right. But...

[His hand lifts, hovering over his heart. His letter.]

I have this... My letter... I... I must have wrote it... I must have... And... I must not have... passed it along in time... [He feels it, the tightening of his throat. Just what he needs when it's such a struggle to talk.]

But it's... for someone... I was going... to meet them... wrote it down... where to meet... I wrote... how sorry I am... I wanted to be... more... I...

I loved someone. I don't need... my letter... to know that. I don't need... to feel... it's right... but I loved someone... And I... I hope that they...

[He stops talking.]

Edited 2021-07-10 02:59 (UTC)

[He's quiet as Teo struggles to get all of that out. That letter of his is clearly important to him. Not that he can blame him, when it's all he seems to have of his past. But...]

...I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you. Whoever you loved, you don't know where they are now... or if they would even accept you like this. If nothing else, you should be prepared for that possibility...

As for my family, no. They were humans.

[His shoulders sag a moment. Then he shakes his head.]

Could be dead... could be undead... what does it matter? What have I... to lo--

Wait... what?

[He stares at Faust.]

But... you said... you weren't... what?

[...He can't really argue with that. It doesn't matter while he's here anyway, unless someone he used to know ends up here as well.]

[Faust stares back at him a moment before he seems to realize what the issue is.]

Did I not mention? Wizards are born at random. So it's common for wizards to have human parents and long outlive their family... if they aren't abandoned or killed first, that is.

[If he hadn't covered up his face, he'd have quite the expression to show Faust. As it is, it's just more staring.]

That makes you... human... that... You're just... a different kind of... they can't... do that!

[He shakes his head, faster this time.]

Your world is... it makes no... sense! Killed because... powers? Abandoned...? What you can do... is amazing! Maybe... maybe some people would... be cruel... people used to... find dumb reasons... but it makes... no sense... that all would. Especially... their kid...

I am not a human.

[Spoken sharply as he scowls.]

Not every human hates wizards, but their hearts are fickle and easily swayed by fear. Even after four hundred years, little has changed...

[He's gone broody again.]

This changed... your world... is changing...!

[He gestures out then drops his arms back to his sides.]

Not saying... they deserve a chance... but you do.

...There's no guarantee it will change for the better. That chance came and went a long time ago...

[Since he's holding the basket he can't cross his arms, so he just holds one arm loosely across his middle.]

I no longer care what happens to the world. I will fulfill my duty as a Sage's wizard, but my obligation ends there. The same goes for whatever reason I was brought to this world.

[He wants to argue but, Faust makes a point there. Change really can be bad sometimes.

He wants to say that it still doesn't mean Faust doesn't deserve better, but instead, he asks something else.]

You really... don't care...? Even if the people... you care about... are there? The other... wizards...? Your home?

...It's not that I don't care what happens to them... [Even if he doesn't always express as much.] On the contrary, I wish for them to live long, happy lives.

[Maybe that's a contradicting thing to say after his previous claim, but he doesn't say anything to acknowledge that.]

[He looks up, turning it over in his mind. Then nods.]

You care... but you're tired... that makes sense.

[He can understand that. He gestures in the direction of town hall.]

No one here... will treat you like... like your world did... No hate... more freedom... Would promise it.

[He doesn't say anything to that. It's true enough, and he doesn't feel like putting the energy into insisting he doesn't care that much.]

[He scoffs at his claim, however.]

You can't say that for certain when we're all from different worlds, so don't go casually offering to make promises you can't keep. Honestly, how human of you...

Wouldn't that... prove my point...? If I am... human enough... from a different world... then I would know.

[Human enough. Maybe that's what he is. He likes that thought.]

[Sorry but he was still totally dunking on humans-]

That's right, you wouldn't know... humans can make and break whatever promises they like, but if a wizard makes a promise and breaks it, they'll lose their magic.

So it doesn't surprise me you'd be willing to make such a shoddy promise. What even makes you so sure the humans of your world wouldn't approach the existence of wizards with the same fear?

[That's a surprise. It makes it sound like a fairytale. No lies told or else... well, he's not just he knew that many fairytales to begin with.]

My world? ... Because there are monsters... they wouldn't have time... to focus on anything else. You're magic. Magic is... impossible... and amazing... it means... there's wonder... in the world... It means... there's possibility. My world is... hurting... harder to trust... because everything is harder... because... they're hurt too... they don't want to... hurt again... if they're afraid... it's because you're another person... but they're not afraid of... a wizard.

[Again he gestures out to the town.]

This is not...my world. The people here... they're all different. Like you. Us. We are... outsiders... even if we are all... different kinds. It's not... shoddy... The people... on these islands... I would be... very surprised... if any hated a wizard for being... a wizard... if they did... they're probably... just a dumb jerk anyway. You're not hurting... anyone.

... I'm sorry... I didn't know... the promise thing... I won't ask you to... ever. But... I won't promise... for nothing... I know... the value of trust...

...

[He hates Teo's sincerity and optimism, despite the dismal state his own world seems to be in. He hates it just as much as he can't bring himself to completely turn away from it.]

You're painfully optimistic and trusting for a dead man. But maybe you fear getting hurt less when you're already dead...

It doesn't matter if I'm accepted here or not. I'm no stranger to living and surviving on my own, and I intend to continue to do so here.

[...]

But I appreciate the sentiment behind your words... so, thank you.

[He laughs at that. Less fear getting hurt. Maybe. He certainly doesn't enjoy it but he supposes the consequences aren't as great for him. Unless he's found out, that is.

But it's that last bit that has him grinning through the gaiter. Perhaps it can be heard in his voice.]

If it helps even that much... that works... for this dead man.

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