asgardeventide | 003; video/text

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003; video/text

[Hanging in the Odin Welcome Hall. Itsuki offers a smile and a typically composed look to the bracelet.]

Greetings, everyone. Perhaps not all of us have had a chance to go through the publicly available, ah, discussions with our resident trickster god. I thought that I'd perhaps offer a little executive summary of information which was new, at least, to me, to those who haven't been able to. It is attached as a text file to this message.

Of course, I would love to hear other thoughts on these matters. My own opinion is that Loki's argument was reasonably compelling. No matter what our true affiliation is, there is certainly no purpose to be served by not even appearing to be cooperative. For my part, I'm inclined to say that cooperation is in fact the best route for all our interests. [Though of course he'd say that either way.]

[text]
Pertaining to the gods: - Odin's powers or resources are taxed by maintaining our presence. - Freyr is said to be a hostage from Vanaheim and to have incurred displeasure due to his advocacy on our behalf. The same to some extent can be assumed for Freya. - The ruler of Utgard is the "brother" of Loki, and likely hostile, certainly chaotic. - Sigyn is the wife of Loki. Despite this, the mythological incident with the horses, which I presume refers to the story that Loki was once the mother of a horse, is not denied. - The prospect of our rebellion is not a harmless one for them. They have repeated that we are the "chance to avoid the apocalypse." This reinforces two points, which, of course, we knew already: 1) The gods are not a uniform entity, but represent a spectrum of views. 2) Both they and we have stakes in our presence here, despite their power over us. Pertaining to the war: - The expected conflict should arrive within one year. - The war is predicted by a certain prophecy. - Allies of these gods include elves, as well as the gods of Vanaheim. - Enemies include the giants of both types, whose attacks on the city we have seen previously. Finally, Sena Kashiwazaki-sama provided some excellent advice on the comportment and conduct befitting a god. I would advise anyone, and indeed, everyone, to study it carefully.

[added after this thread]

Miss Hel, would you mind if I asked you a few questions?

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[ Later she'll congratulate herself for keeping the smile on her face still and steady, even if the effect is like something suddenly and violently going cold. At least she has the foresight to keep from freezing in place, even casually goes and bites into her cone after a second. ]

...An ice headache. I'm not sure what you'd call them but - wow, they're really hard to get rid of aren't they?

[He laughs politely, casually. In obedience to her earlier stricture, he won't say that no one should have to do that and she should speak up.]

I think the colloquial term for what you're referring to is "brain freeze". And yes, it's difficult to deal with, and further, it's one of those things that no one can help you with, although most other things aren't like that.

[He shrugs.] But anyway... Is that all?

[Because he could probably make a decent guess at it, if she doesn't want to say, putting together a few pieces. On the other hand, it's a lot for one day, isn't it? So maybe he'll let her alone here... He hasn't quite decided, so...]

[ Surprising no one, she's at something of a crossroads herself, unable to decide whether she prefers his polite questions or the sincere ones. The former are a bit easier, yes, and there has been a lot already...

But maybe instead of confessing the problem itself she'll settle for telling him what makes it easier to live with. That the reason she's enjoying herself so much now is - ]

I like knowing things. [ She smiles; better to jump in without preamble. ] I've said that before haven't I? Definitions are my favorite but - I like categorizing things too. And applications. Finding uses for the things I read about makes them feel real. Like when you taught me about cannabis? [ giggle ] I'm sorry, but I was kind of surprised that you were so patient. I'm not the easiest person to talk to, I know. Sometimes it's just - it's a lot. Everything here. Everyone. [ an explanation for another time ] My world was constant for so long... Having a thousand new textures and smells and sounds and - and people now? Yeah. Heh. It's just a lot.

[ There's so much more to it, but a large part of her is terrified by the possibility that she might never stop once she starts. ]

I said leaving my tower wasn't the most defining moment of my life and it's not. The thing that changed my life? It was knowing I'd have to lie to my mother to get what I wanted. That was when my life began, and I can't go back on it, the decision to do what I have to even when it hurts. Even if it's a choice I have to fulfill on my own. I like it here but I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel guilty for it, and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't lonely sometimes. [ Without drawing any attention to the action whatsoever, she reaches for his hand a second time as she talks, not quite touching but waiting instead to see if he'll take hers. That's all of his questions so far answered in what is mostly honesty. She deserves indulgence for that, doesn't she? ] Mm. But keeping secrets with a secret keeper helps. And I think I like this much better than learning about plants.

[He listens carefully, trying to piece together exactly what she's saying here. The question had been what she was keeping to herself, after all. What about her was the problem that she'd been keeping back? Earlier, he remembered, she'd just been talking about her hair, and her mother, and...

Oh. Right. Cannabis. He feels oddly guilty about that. He'd been making fun of her, after all, albeit just a little bit. Well, it would be impossible to explain that, though, given the cultural context.

As she goes on, he half-feels like objecting, because he actually finds her quite easy to talk to, all things told--easier than almost anyone he knows at home, certainly. Her naivete is, on the one hand, a buffer, and, on the other, endearing. And her intelligence and perceptiveness is very welcome--even though she always puts things in much straighter terms than him. And--well, he's just going in the same circles as before, right?

If he guesses at it, it's something to do with her relationship with her mother, now that she mentions her again. All the complicated topics--the hair, the tower, the life-changing moment--are involved there. Something's up; and without knowing really what her world is like, he can't be sure that her mother didn't have a point. Maybe they lived in a very dangerous area. On the other hand, never going outside--that was deprivation of the highest order. Still, it's hard to say without knowing...

She finishes up, and then there's quiet as he considers it more. Abruptly he notices her hand extended again. Is she okay with that again? Or is it just a coincidence? Or has she been waiting for a while? Man... this is hard. Okay.]

I see. If it helps... I feel like that's a very mature way to look at it. Of course there will be some bad moments, some uncertain moments or guilty ones. [Okay, okay; he reaches over and takes her hand again, pressing it lightly.] But you won't have to feel lonely. You're the type of person who can make friends easily. ...And you have an ally, of course.

[He smiles.] Plants aren't so bad, either. We still haven't started our cannabis farming, after all.

Then... we will! [ And if not for the conviction in her voice she might have rouble believing herself after the uncertainty she'd just felt. ] The flood put kind of a temporary stop on things, and - everything that came after happened so quickly? But we will. Definitely. We'll plant things since you supposedly don't know a lot about botany. You can teach me more about being a Brigade person... and I'll show you how to make a reverse chicken... and we can make sandwiches that look like puzzle pieces...

[ And like her brazen declarations you'd never guess anything had ever been wrong at all from the way she natters on. There's a newly pronounced bounce in her step and she holds her head high, eating the ice cream in earnest now between rambling. That's the problem with her sadness, she supposes, and the root of why others seem to find it so hard to believe she feels any at all: it's difficult not to find some small joy in spite of things.

That aside, Rapunzel isn't sure she wants to laden him with the rest anyway. Especially not the part about how having friends isn't quite the same as never being lonely. ] I think if I ever save up enough money to by the titan arum I'll have to call it Koizumi. Isn't - that what allies would do? [ no... ]

[He smiles. Those ideas sound very familiar, or at least redolent of familiar overtones. Though rather nicer and less pushy.

Indeed, the bounce-back from her evident uncertainty just a moment before is amazing. And if he hadn't seen the earlier bit, he would never have known. But he did see that, and so despite how cheerful she seems, he rather suspects that it's not all solved. How could it be?

Perhaps--almost definitely--her cheeriness isn't put on or fake. And is that a difference between them? Pretending all the time to be cheerful, or pushing himself to be -- well, it's not always easy to define what would be "real" or not about his own smiling mask now. Sometimes it is, but more of the time, it genuinely marks that he's pleased. The James-Lange theory of emotion has some basis to it, after all, he thinks; because he smiles, he's pleased. And that becomes a habit, until it's not clear what's what. Rather, there's just an undercurrent always flowing that might appear at a certain time.

But in any case, if she's going to be happy for now, so will he.]

I'd be happy to do all of those things, Rapunzel.

[...pause...]

But, ah, perhaps it's not strictly necessary to name the plant after me. Unless I also have a plant named after you. And even then, I'm not sure it's complimentary to have the plant that looks like two monsters named after me.

Why? Your ice cream is going to melt by the way. It's one thing to be a human being and to act like a despicable thing, but when you're actually just a monster from birth you can't really help yourself! [ Yes this explanation satisfies her completely. Monster stories weren't so much a staple of her childhood as the stories of evil people doing horrible things to one another.

Obviously it's no tremendous offense comparing Itsuki to the former. ]

It isn't an insult. And you're both very tall if it helps. Well - taller than me. [ She pushes up on her toes and reaches with the ice cream hand in a pitifully calculated attempt to compare their heights, though the wobbling doesn't make for anything accurate. ]

[...and he tries to avoid any drippage from that ice cream hand.]

Certainly, but I am a human being, after all, and I can help myself, so if someone described me as a monster, it would still be unflattering. Still, if you like it... [He bows a little.] The name is at your service.

Is it then okay if I name a Venus fly-trap "Rapunzel"?

[And now, attention to the melting ice cream.]

Ah— Venus...flytrap....

[ She's speechless. Congrats. ]

Is something wrong with that?

[ As she's still standing on her toes with the ice cream above her head (one mutinous drop comes down on her nose), Rapunzel figures she has about four seconds before losing her balance. Despite having learned through Gothel's strict instruction to dance en pointe, grace and clumsiness tend to exist side by side in her world, and embarrassment isn't exactly conductive to poise. Huffing, she drops down on her soles.

But after watching him suspiciously for a moment the pout becomes a smug nod of approval as she turns and smirks. ] Not at all. Venus flytraps use their hair and small size to their advantage, you know. I think it's perfect.

[He watches for a while with a straight face, before breaking into a very slight laugh, and then producing a handkerchief and offering it to her gallantly.]

I think it's all quite perfect too. For similar reasons.

You think? [ It does away with imitation pride in her expression for sure; she sets about wiping her nose a little too cheerfully. ] I'm surprised you didn't go for the most obvious one. I left myself wide open for it too!

I would think a decent man doesn't go for a lady's vulnerable spot, even when she leaves herself wide open, unless perhaps she asks for it.

[He says in an innocent, ice-cream-eating tone.]

[ ...... ]

I didn't know you were a decent man.

More decent perhaps than many you'll meet.

[ Oh that's the truth. Truer than he knows perhaps. ]

You don't need to be. If you don't want. I can take it. [ She shrugs, ducks her head, and prays the latter isn't noticeable. ] I mean it probably gets exhausting having to be decent all the time. Heh.

[He looks at her curiously, the smile falling a bit flat yet again. What was that she'd mumbled...? ]

There's nothing about you that makes me want not to be decent. And--you really don't need to take it if someone isn't...

[darn it Rapunzel why do you make people care]

I wouldn't! I mean— I don't. I wouldn't let someone walk all over me like that. [ Even if she'd like to dispute that because for all intents and purposes people shouldn't be good to her at all, she'd been thinking along different lines this time. ]

Actually what I meant would've been redundant anyway so— Let's pretend I never said that all right? You are very decent. More than, even.

Just... [ she considers ] Don't let that keep you from going after my vulnerable spots if that's what you want. Okay? That I can take. And - I don't really have to ask for it to want it. [ as brilliantly worded as ever ]

[He blinks. Maybe he didn't hear correctly. Maybe he's still not hearing correctly. "I don't really have to ask for it to want it?" He is just a teenage boy--somewhere inside he is, anyway.]

... Well. Ah... I won't hesitate to argue with you if I disagree. And I won't let you off the hook with easy excuses... but you already know that. All the same, one should only go after things if there's a good reason to.

I guess it's all right if that's your reasoning. [ Where is this sudden, vague indecision coming from?? Sigh. ] I just— I like that you don't hold back with most things. That's why it's redundant for me to ask you not to.

Okay, um— Right. Just so we're clear. I like that you don't treat me special. You don't sugarcoat things and you're not patronizing or... weird about everything because of where I'm from or what I don't know. People think they have to protect me when they don't. I can take care of myself just fine if what I'm seeing is honest. And you're the only person who does that so I don't want you to think you have to change. That's all.

[He nods decisively.]

I see. [It actually is odd, because Kyon would be very surprised at a description of Itsuki as "not patronizing", "not weird" or perhaps even "not sugarcoating." But then again, even Kyon would have to admit that that's because of special circumstance. What is certainly true is that he doesn't doubt that she can take care of herself reasonably well.]

You have my word on it. We're all strangers in a strange land, as they say. Don't worry about it in the least.

Who says that? [ Her face freezes halfway through making an expression of confusion though. She's getting off-topic again.

Instead, she clears her throat and produces his handkerchief in offering. ] In that case... can I make a confession?

It's a quote from a book.

[He says absently. And, um, thank you for his own handkerchief back, Rapunzel. I guess. He wonders idly whether she would say the same thing if "confession" had the same connotations for her as it did in Japan, which he's almost entirely sure it doesn't, which isn't a big deal anyway, of course.]

But please, go ahead.

Heh. You'll have to show me which book. [ Note the deliberate absence of the word "tell". ] Mm, but I'm afraid I've been lying to you all this time. Which isn't exactly fair of me... Sorry. I couldn't help myself.

Truth is? We passed the nursery a long time ago. I basically led you down the wrong road on purpose. We've been going in a big pentagram.

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WHAT DID SHE MEAN THEN why am i dumb

NO IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE UNCLEAR AND ok she's the dumb one tbh

oh uh i see now :)

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