namestrees | IC Inbox

I wasn't really expecting it, to be honest. I was worried about waking you.

[But he called anyway, which means this is probably pretty important maybe.]

You saw the message about Jinx. [not a question, he'd seen Lloyd reply to the originally message. It's hard to mistake that handwriting okay.] I just... wanted to see how you were doing.

[Oh. That. Man he still hasn't really... processed it? Like he's trying but this place is weird.]

Yeah, I saw it. It feels... Real sudden? Like I just saw her a few days ago, and the person writing says she'll be back again in a day or so and...

[Mmm. He's thinking for a moment.]

It doesn't really... feel real, I guess? I know it is, I know it's really hard for everyone, but... It's just weird, is all. I don't know if I should be sad it happened or glad it won't stick or-- or what. I guess all that really matters is whatever she wants when she's back.

Sorry if that was a difficult question. I think I understand your confusion, though. Is it necessary to mourn if she's just going to come back, right?

I think that it's fine to be sad that it happened. What happened was... unexpected. I was right there and I was unable to do anything.

[There's Kratos, knowing the words to put to those feelings. Do you mourn someone when they'll be right back? Does it carry the same significance? Would Jinx even care?]

...She told me she's died before. Back in her home. And some sort of... I dunno, some kind of technology they had brought her back, and that's why she's so strong. I didn't really understand how it worked.

[Wait, back up-]

You were there too? What even happened? They said something about a phoenix?

Mm. A powerful creature native to this place that was twisted by the incense. As a result, it became hostile, and began attacking people. Jinx and I were part of a group that went out to stop it, but it was quite a bit more powerful than we'd expected. Jinx did... something? With one of her weapons. I'll spare you the details, but there was an explosion. I don't remember much after that, I was in midair and I guess I hit the ground pretty hard.

[Okay, so Jinx... who knows, made an explosion? And--]

Wait you don't remember- Did you get knocked out? [WHILE IN THE AIR. HOW FAR FROM THE GROUND WERE YOU--??] Are you okay?

He has a concussion. Along with extensive burns and broken ribs.

[ Tattling to your boy? Yup. ]

I'm f--

[And then SOPHIA RATS HIM OUT. Hm time to correct course.]

...I'll be fine.

[SOPHIA YOU A BRO-- but also, eh, he's caused worse damage to Kratos. So.]

I guess that makes sense, if you were fighting a phoenix... What's with this place and fire monsters?

[SIGH.... Well. Kratos is where Sophia is, which means it's probably somewhere safe, and he's talking so he can't be doing that badly...??]

Thanks for looking after him, Sophia. Or yelling at him until he looks after himself. Whichever you're doing.

[ One day, she'll get to that chapter in your connected life stories, and Sophia will really wonder how she ended up involved with you people.

(Buckets and water, changing fate, man.) ]

There wasn't a lot of yelling. [just looking Very Worried, apparently it works a charm?] I'll be keeping an eye on him until he's recovered enough to use magic again.

[Kratos makes a noise that's somewhere between an exhausted sigh, a wince, and "I dunno". He's had a really long day okay.]

I don't expect it to take too much longer.

[To be able to use magic, that is. Realistically he has no idea how long it'll take, but he really REALLY doesn't want to make Lloyd worry about him, of all people.]

Can you even heal that kind of stuff? [Asking because he HONESTLY DOESN'T KNOW. Look, Raine was their go-to healer back home, she had the fancy unicorn horn, but also Lloyd has no idea what the rules on healing are. But then again, maybe Kratos was just acting like he couldn't heal good when he was pretending to be Mr. Mercenary. Unclear.]

...I'm glad you'll be alright.

[And even though he's quiet for a moment, there's still a sort of tension here. Man, today has been.... well. Absolutely bonkers. And he's torn between giving Kratos space to rest and at least clear the concussion a bit, or just diving right in.

Haha j/k, he's always been one to leap in with both feet.]

I wish you were feeling better but... I do have to tell you. I ran into someone at Coba. That's part of why I stayed out so late. [Noishe whines helpfully, be it encouraging Lloyd, or giving his sympathies to Kratos, or just not understanding why the medallion voices can't be here and petting him??]

...I talked to Mithos. He's... still pretty mad about everything. [Understatement of the past 4 millennia tbh]

[ Well now. That. That's a name she HAS heard about.

She lowers her voice; perhaps Lloyd can hear it, perhaps not, but to Kratos she says: ]

..I'll leave you two to talk?

[ Perhaps thiiiiiiis is a conversation Sophia shouldn't be here for? At least, not right now.

(WOULD THAT SHE COULD BE THERE TO PET YOU, NOISHE. Next time you visit, for sure.) ]

[Kratos is no Raine. His healing is good for patching up injuries sustained in combat, but anything too extensive is out of his reach. His current injuries are probably not too bad, though.]

I can handle it, and even if it's too much, there are other healers in Coatepec.

[Will he actually talk to them??? Eh well as long as Sophia is here maybe. She won't let him get away with his bullshit.

BUT ANYWAY. He is a little concerned about that tension, hoping that he's not the one that's bothering Lloyd. A lot has happened, though. Jinx blew up, Kratos is hurt and not around, Lloyd just got done traveling. Lloyd's got a lot going on.

But then he drops that bomb and Kratos is not at all prepared for it. Also he has a concussion and that's probably not helping with the processing... process. Actually it takes him maybe a little too long to reply. Which is fine, because Sophia has chosen now to peace out. Stunned, he just manages to nod to her before returning his attention to Lloyd.]

L-Lloyd, you...

[SORRY THAT'S THE BEST HE HAS AT THE MOMENT just be patient he's old.]

[...Yeah, he should have expected that kind of reaction. Especially what with him being concussed?? Apparently? Sorry, dad, you should have slept more.]

I'm fine. It was-- As civil as you'd expect, I guess.

[No one got nuked, no one got stabbed (so far in the thread) so like. That's pretty good.]

I just.... wanted you to have a heads up about it.

[Another pause, and happy Noishe noises as he's running his fingers through the dogmonsters fur. What a good emotional support beast. Really should have left him in Coatepec apparently, though.]

I don't have any reason to fight with him here, so I just... offered to answer some questions. [You can iMAGINE HOW THAT WENT.] ...How're you doing, though?

[HE CAN'T SLEEP??????

He's listening but he's not listening? He's stuck on the MITHOS IS HERE PART, so by the time Lloyd gets to "how are you doing", Kratos has reached the rubbing his face in frustration and swearing under his breath phase.]

God dammit...

[Which is muffled by said hands rubbing his face, but the CONCERN??? is clearly still there. Eventually he does actually register what Lloyd is saying though, and answers with an almost robotic:]

I'm fine.

[he's not FINE, LLOYD.]

He didn't attack you?

Well, he definitely thought about it. At least a few times.

[If it happened is TBD i guess???]

And you don't sound fine. [A sigh.] I know, this is-- the worst timing. [Does good timing ever exist for this??]

[He just

sighs

a long, exhausted sigh.]

Sorry. I guess I'm not fine, but there's nothing that can be done about it right now. I'm glad you let me know.

I suppose I'll have to have some words with him.

[Look they either have to deal with it now or later there is no 'never' option. Still, Lloyd.... feels pretty bad, bringing this up to him. When he just got exploded by a phoenix and watched a young girl die. But hey, life is fast and hard.]

What do you mean, 'nothing that can be done'?

[It's an earnest question, because... he doesn't quite get what it means.] I mean, if you hit your head too hard, I get that it's hard to really think about things... But even if we don't have to do anything, we can still figure out where we are about it.

[You know, actUALLY COMMUNICATE?]

I plan on just... letting him figure out what he wants to do here. But I told him I wasn't gonna pretend I'm not here, either. So he'll have to deal with me as much as we have to deal with him.

[did he tell mithos about kratos or not HMMMM UNSURE, ALSO TBD.]

[Life is fast and hard and in some cases way too long and that's kind of uncomfortable.]

I just-- regarding my current level of 'fineness'. I can't do a lot about it right now aside from take it one step at a time.

[STEP 1: recover from exploding
STEP 2: panic but like internally
STEP 3: recover from this brand new migraine that he's experiencing...]

All I know right now is that my biggest concern is you. Mithos is a manipulator, and a damn good one. You have a curse that makes it difficult to control your temper. I don't want him to find a way to take advantage of that.

Oh yeah, I didn't say anything about that. [THE ONLY SMART DECISION HE HAS EVER MADE IN HIS LIFE and boy is it an Important One.] It was hard enough just to get to 'no, the incense is actually serious', really...

[But yeah uhhh RAGE FIRE CURSE definitely. Something he has to watch. And maybe that's why he feels so fucking exhausted, having been trying to keep that in check the whole damn time.]

I'm fine. And it's not like we're hanging out or plan on talking more or anything. I just-- thought if I saw him, I should let him know I'm here, too. It didn't seem fair otherwise.

[Is there a logic, there, is there not? Who knows. But it felt right.]

...Sorry to give you more to worry about, though. I guess I picked a pretty bad time to leave. [...No, lbr, it's better that he wasn't there for the phoenix fight.]

That's good.

[VERY SMART LLOYD, Kratos is glad you didn't say anything about that curse to the one person who would find a way to use it to his advantage. He's not so sure telling Mithos that he was here was a good idea? But like what even is a good idea anymore?]

There's no need to apologize. It's better that I find out now than run into him later with no warning, and there's no way we could have foreseen any of this happening. Especially not after it had been quiet for so long...

[Well, quiet-ISH. Quieter.]

[It's okay he gave him way more unfortunate knowledge SO HEY it all evens out???]

Yeah, I guess a few weeks of quiet is more than we've had.... well. Since getting here. [There's a tired sort of amusement at that. It was nice. You know, the parts he was mostly normal for. The week he was an emotionless husk doesn't count.]

Hopefully that phoenix acting up isn't the start of anything else crazy... I was hoping the break would last a little longer than this. [HE STILL HASN'T ACTUALLY... SEEN VIPER ABOUT THIS DUMB CURSE?? AND NOW MORE SHIT IS HAPPENING? Ugh.]

[Is that how it WORKS???]

Yeah. I was hoping the same thing. This place certainly can be frustrating.

[Understatement of the century. Kratos sighs, winces a bit as he shifts in his seat. Can this place maybe CHILL A BIT?]

How's Noishe doing? The mask still working out?

He's doing better than you and me, for sure.

[Noishe had been dozing, but he does rouse enough to give an affirmative noise. Yep! Doing good!]

I've been trying to be careful, too. I stopped in Tikal for a few days, to make sure he had time to rest and anything could wear out. And I'll probably stay in Coba for another day or two-- though everyone says the incense is a lot thinner the closer you get to Kiichpan.

[Man, RIP your broken ribs.]

I know there's not a lot you need, but is there anything you'd want? I can talk to Sophia, see about getting you something while you're on the mend. [He's pretty sure heals can't hurry up that concussed feeling.]

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excellent

the real question is will i ever catch up on them (no)

LMAO RIGHT...

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off-medallion, somewhere behind Kratos

SIGH WOMAN

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