pop rocks

[cutlery]

[ By the time Sebastian reaches out in Communion, he’s already felt the fullness of his rage and taken it out. Viciously. It’s an occasion where he’s grateful for what Ryad provides, lest he had to express it in a more troublesome way.

Sebastian’s usual affect is warm and friendly, if with a polite distance, but today, it’s ice cold. His Communion is always expressed as something dark, but there’s a secondary sensation that comes today as well. It’s the unsettling sensation of being watched that makes someone’s hair raise. After all, there’s uncountable eyes in that abyssal dark. ]

I shall be brief. Someone broke into my home a few days ago and left a “gift” most unwelcome. A Shard belonging to someone from my home. Yet, though I kept it isolated to inspect it further, that did not seem to matter. It infected the Shard that Lady Yima gave me. A Shard that is now no more, for it burst. The soul that was in that little rock is no more.

[ His voice becomes more tense at that last sentence. It’s clear he’s very intentionally holding back his temper significantly. ]

I make this announcement for my fellow Zenites’ sake that they might destroy any they come upon immediately. Also to inform them that there is a way for these Shards to be tampered with that has been exploited. But let me also be clear.

I will find whoever was unwise enough to step into my home and play with my pet. I went through great lengths to obtain that soul, and I do not take kindly to being robbed of it. But there is no need for threats beyond that, is there?

[ So he says, but it’s crystal clear—Whoever it was, they’re in grave danger if they’re discovered. ]

Comments

[kaientai]

I'm sorry for your loss.

[ whatever ryouma chooses to believe, a soul may have been wiped from existence forever, which is worth recognising even if sebastian chooses to call it a pet. within communion, he is content to linger at the edges of that abyss, and there is a strong impression of something large and covered in scales coiled around him protectively but also somewhat possessively. ]

It's interesting that it was possible to do this without the same happening to your Shard. All things considered, I guess we should be thankful it wasn't a worse outcome.

[ he doesn't have much to add to this, but he knows it's worth keeping an eye on. ]

[cutlery]

[ Normally, Sebastian would be interested in how Ryouma's Communion presents itself, or rather, what's coiled around him so protectively. It is strange, but whatever curiosity feels is dampened by—

...Well, he's not sure. Sympathy isn't something he expected to receive. It doesn't make sense to him, in a way, so there's simply nothing in response. No particular bite, no gratefulness, just a void of emotion, however brief. So, he moves on. ]

Mine is fine. I did have a thought that it could spread. [ Briefly, anyways. Between the unholy anger. ] But it was visually distinct, at least to my eyes. I see nothing of it left.

[kaientai]

[ it doesn't matter much to ryouma that he gets nothing in exchange for his sympathy because it was offered with no expectation of anything in return anyway, so it is what it is. interesting, though, considering that reaction (or lack thereof) speaks to sebastian's nature. ]

That's a relief to hear! I'm sure there are broader implications that those with greater expertise in this area than myself will surely be thinking about, but I can only see what's in front of me.

[ he's a simple guy who is just going to stick to what he's good at. ]

If Meridian fails to restore our worlds, the souls that remain in Kenos are all that's left, so every single one is precious.

[ even the soul of someone who is definitely his competition. he hasn't gotten to a place where he thinks of anyone as his enemy yet, but his opinion wouldn't change anyway. ]

And if we succeed, I would hope everyone has the opportunity to return home again.

[cutlery]

[ It’s another unexpected answer, but this one is a little more… Well, baffling isn’t quite the right word, since he understands where this comes from, but he’s still never had someone express it to him. Perhaps for obvious reasons, since he’s made no secret of what he is. ]

You sound rather like Quetzalcoatl.

[ It’s something that he has to comment on, since he hasn’t missed her stance even though he’s never responded to it. It’s part of what Silco absolutely loathed about her and would be her undoing, he was certain. ]

What of those who do not wish to return home?

[kaientai]

Oh, yeah? I guess we'd have something to talk about then!

[ Of course, at this point, he has no idea who that is, given his total ignorance of foreign mythologies. In any case, it's good to know there's someone on the same page. He's used to being the only voice in the wilderness, so it's a welcome bit of solidarity with a stranger out there. ]

It's my understanding that Meridian doesn't discriminate about whose worlds get brought back, and they aren't forcing anyone to go anywhere in particular. I don't think I've got a number big enough for how many worlds probably exist out there, especially if you consider how many different people there are in Kenos who all come from slightly different versions of Earth.

I'm sure everyone can find a place to go where they can be happy. That's why I don't really understand the point of fighting when there's a place for everybody.

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian at least listens seriously. It’s hard to tell in Communion when his emotions seem to run very dull (minus the occasional burst of anger at the moment), but he’s considering it. He also considers whether to give a real response or a dismissive one, but… Considering his foul mood, he leans towards the former. ]

A noble thought. However, it does come with some assumptions. There is one that is most relevant to me, for I am a rather unique case.

[ He pauses, but for once, it’s not to give it any sense of gravity. It’s just another pause of consideration of whether to say it so straightforwardly. ]

There are few worlds where I would be welcome, I imagine. Who would willingly accept a demon coming to their world? It is little different than letting a wolf roam a pasture.

[kaientai]

Hm? What makes you think that?

[ There is a curious lean to that question. Ryouma isn't sure what makes a demon a demon, but he would've expected to have a more limited viewpoint between the two of them. ]

There's no reason to assume all the worlds out there are the same, is there? How many people do you suppose ended up forced into Ryad because something perfectly natural in their worlds makes them outcasts in this one? A wolf probably wouldn't be welcome in a world run by chickens, but there's sure to be a world out there full of other wolves.

Wouldn't that be more fun, anyhow?