You're Gonna Let It Eat You Away

[happyduckbutt]

WHO: Ventus (happyduckbutt) and OPEN
WHERE: Lakeside, Alpha Trion's Quadrant
WHEN A couple of days after the resolving of the Glyphless
WHAT: Restlessness, reflection, and slight disturbing of the peace.
WARNINGS: --

     Several splashes marked the passing of the first stone, the ripples marring the smoothness of the lake's usual surface before the offending object was swallowed into its depths by common laws of physics. From the water's edge, the blond-haired keyblade wielder watched as the ripples spread slowly until they seemed to vanish back into its original stillness, at least so far as he could see. He looked down at his hand, tossing the flattish rock that he held before taking a step back to counter his balance as he pulled his arm back to skim the rock across the water's surface, just as the first.

     This one didn't go as far, making only a couple of sloppy skips across the water before disappearing with a plop. It kind of reminded him of how he was feeling. It hadn't been a week since everything had happened, and it wasn't anything he could forget any time soon, if ever. Things here hadn't stopped, the injured were being tended to, and here he was, feeling a little lost.

     Thinking about the things Saber had told him, Ventus still didn't feel satisfied for the things that had to be done, even though such seemed the only way to resolve things. He wondered if talking to any of the Firstforged would help either, but he'd been hesitant to try. They were probably busy with things too, and he figured they had a lot of things to consider as well.

     With a sigh, the boy stooped down to pick up another rock to toss. He rubbed his thumb over its flat surface before he looked out at the lake again. Drawing a deep breath, he swung his hand back and then hurled the rock forward, a series of plips and splashes following.

Comments

[littlecrowgirl]

The lake was one of the things that Kay loved about Trion's quadrant. It was like a giant mirror, and sometimes she would just come out to stare at it to think things over, to run through her notebook of everything she'd learned here on Cybertron... It was the perfect place to just...sit and think.

And as it turns out, she wasn't the only one who thought so. The lake had been popular recently, what with Blurr burying the glyphless close by, with the larger bot bringing another robot body back with him...and now Ventus picked up her signal. She'd learned to stay away from the first two--they needed time. And dealing with the dead was sometimes a personal matter. But this seemed harmless enough.

"Wow, that's a pretty good toss...I never really learned how to do that."

She's behind Ventus at the moment, arm bent behind her back and holding onto the elbow of the opposite arm, bouncing on her feet idly.

[happyduckbutt]

     He almost jumped, clearly startled to realize he wasn't the only one standing there. Turning, he forced a smile as he saw who it was, not that it was too difficult to match the voice to name.

     "It takes a little practice to get the angle just right," he said, glancing back over his shoulder at the lake and the already fading ripples. "But once you get it, it isn't too hard."

[littlecrowgirl]

As if to try it herself, she picks up a stone, attempting to imitate his process. It's less than successful, and merely sinks into the water upon contact.

"Darn."

[happyduckbutt]

     Ventus chuckled, reaching down to pick up another stone.

     "Maybe...don't try to focus on making it touch the water. Act like you're just throwing it parallel to it." He held up the stone between his finger and thumb before he let its edge rest against his palm as he readied to throw it.

     "-and it's more in the wrist than your whole arm towards the end of it," he said, right before giving the stone a fling. A satisfying round of several splashes followed.

[littlecrowgirl]

"Don't focus on making it touch the water...," she repeats, picking up the flattest stone she can find, closing an eye to judge that. After watching Ven's demonstration again, she gives it another toss. It seems to cooperate better this time, but it's no skipping stone like he's got.

"Ugh, stupid rock!"

Her arms fold, snuggling into that scarf of hers.

"What are you doing all the way out here, anyway?"

[happyduckbutt]

     With a lopsided smile the boy watched as the rock did little better than the first of Kay's attempts.

     "Oh, I just wanted to be somewhere that I could try getting my mind off of...things."

[littlecrowgirl]

She's not giving up just yet. Once the rock starts to sink again, she's back down, searching for another rock to use.

"...Because of what happened?"

[happyduckbutt]

     There was no point in denying it, and it would have been difficult to do so regardless. His smile faded as he gave a single nod, looking back towards the water and the rings that were yet spreading from Kay's last throw.

     "...yeah..."

[littlecrowgirl]

She picks up a rock, inspecting it for any flat surface before putting it down again, shaking her head.

"Sometimes it's easy to forget how scary this place can be..."

( Text. )

[pendragon]

((Thought maybe we can start out as text, and then perhaps Saber can find her way over?))

[ Saber had been thinking about the lad who had been having a few struggles with the recent events at hand. It had a been a few days or so since she heard from him, and things had calmed down somewhat. No harm in checking in on him. ]

How are you faring?

[Text]

[happyduckbutt]

((That works!))

[The ping on his Link easily draws his attention in the stillness of the area. His smile is brief at the message after seeing who it's from, but the question posed, though simple is one he finds difficult to answer.]

I'm all right, I guess.

[Was he really?]

...I'm not hurt, anyway.

[pendragon]

That's a good start. Where are you currently located?

[ Conveniently, Saber is headed in the direction of the graveyard to check if poor Blurr is still there and not taken care of yet. He likely is considering how many others could arrive there faster than her, and how many care for him. ]

[happyduckbutt]

I'm by the lake.

[He doesn't feel like he has to specify since there's only one lake around here as far as he knows.]

( and switching to prose! )

[pendragon]

I will be there shortly. was the final text sent.

"Shortly" ends up being about ten minutes, which is fairly quick considering she was almost in the center of the Haven. Skirting along with a blaze of green behind her, she slows down to a normal speed once the lake is in view. It doesn't take long to see the figure along the edge of the lake.

As Saber sees Ventus and recognizes him as such for certain, she walks along the lake's edge towards him, giving a wave as she's about twenty feet away.

\o/

[happyduckbutt]

     Ventus had just finished skimming another stone across the glassy surface of the lake when he spots the other blond's approach. He lifts his hand to wave back at her.

     The boy is actually happier for the company. He isn't the type who likes to seclude himself for long if he's feeling down. Being alone only seemed to make you feel even worse. It's with a genuine smile, even if it isn't up to the usual brightness that he's shown himself capable of, that he greets the girl once she's gotten closer.

     "Hey."

[pendragon]

((Feel like going on an aimless trip to make sure Blurr, who I'm having already be helped out since slow humans are slowpokes, is no longer in the graveyard?))

"Greetings," Saber returns as she comes to stand beside him. Facing the lake, she pauses as she looks across it. "I have not been in this quadrant yet. It's quite peaceful. This was good timing, as I was already headed in this direction."

She'd feel out from his response if asking him to go along with her to the graveyard to ensure Blurr was seen to was a good idea or not. The graveyard may not be the most pleasant place, but it may preoccupy his mind for a bit if he were to go with her.

[happyduckbutt]

((Sure, why not!))

     "It's a nice place," he agreed as he looked out towards the lake waters again. "If I'm not looking from Prima's temple, I like being here in person." It reminded him of home, if only vaguely. The Land of Departure was full of ponds, lakes and fountains.

     Feeling that familiar ache that he'd figured was probably homesickness, Ventus quickly grasped for other things to talk about. He turned, pointing off in another direction. "There's a little area that people have started farming. It's nice to know that things can grow around here at all." The place in general could do with a lot more greenery, but he supposed if it was made for giant men of metal, they had little use for plants.

[notyourblueangel]

Thundercracker was restless, but something heavy in the air - so to speak - kept him from feeling like flying right now. Which in itself spoke volumes. Except that the Seeker didn't feel like exploring what he was feeling or why. But he was restless enough to want to get out. Somewhere.

Leaving his room in Alpha Trion's, he remained on foot as he wandered a bit, finally spotting movement at the lake. Drawing closer, he recognized the boy at the edge. The Decepticon knew nothing of skipping rocks, but the way the rock "bounced" on the surface of the water fascinated him - not that he'd admit it. Still, he drew closer, finally crouching down on his thruster-heels, wings low on his back. He didn't know what to say - or if there was anything to say - so initially he'd just offer a sort of two-fingered wave, forearms braced on his thighs to help stabilize and balance him.

[happyduckbutt]

     Not nearly so distracted as to miss the movement nor approach of someone Thundercracker's size, Ventus looked up from his rock-skipping then. He recognized the coloring quick enough, and he remembered the face from his first talk with the Decepticon, even if it had been a while ago now.

     It really never seemed to be that long until you actually stopped to think about it, did it?

     At the wave from the Seeker, the boy smiled faintly as he waved in turn. Seeing friends was always a sure way to cheer him up.

[notyourblueangel]

It doesn't take a terribly empathic person to tell when someone's upset. Which is good . . . because empathy isn't exactly one of Thundercracker's stronger traits. The boy did seem to brighten a bit, though, when he recognized the Seeker.

When had he gone from terrorizing fleshlings to befriending them?

Thundercracker shook the thought from his head with a mental sigh. He wasn't sure which was the greater "problem" - the fact that he was doing it, or the fact that he found he rather liked didn't much mind it.

"You okay?"

Yeah, dumb question, but he had to say something. Besides . . . it was sincere.

[happyduckbutt]

     "Been better," he admitted, looking down at the ground again, his eyes in search of another ideal rock to throw. "...but...I guess I'm doing okay."

     Weighing a stone in hand, Ventus glanced back at Thundercracker. "What about you?" He felt he had to ask, after all, he hadn't been able to keep track of everyone.

LOL ask him again "tomorrow" after TFA Megs has made his presence known. XD;;;

[notyourblueangel]

He nods, understanding. "Anything in particular, or . . . just everything in general that's happened lately?" Honestly, either answer would be perfectly believable. For anyone here.

He hesitates an instant as the question is turned back on him. For the most part, he's unaffected. Among the Glyphless, there'd been no friends or former comrades of his, no one he'd known. Except one . . . or rather an alternate of him.

Was it bad of the Seeker to be relieved that the mech had died with the rest?

"I'm fine. Especially now that . . . that mess is over." That was an impersonal way of putting it - callus, even - but being more personal might only open a wound he didn't want to deal with. He didn't know if Ventus had known anyone among the Glyphless.

Pff

[happyduckbutt]

     "About the things that happened lately," he supplied, knowing he probably didn't have to say anything more specific. Ventus paused to pick up a stone, straightening again as he looked back over at the Decepticon.

     He wasn't sure what to make of the reply. It was only a mild relief that things were over, only the boy couldn't really think of things as resolved. "...are they really over..?"

[notyourblueangel]

Thundercracker hesitated at the question . . . and shook his head. "I don’t know. No, I guess, since something always comes up – the old thing again or something new. As far as the Glyphless? We've been warned all along that anyone who doesn't get processed through one of the temples – whoever doesn't get found soon enough, I guess - will go crazy like that after a time. So instances of it happening again? Probably. Having the numbers again that we just had?" He shakes his head with a heavy vent of air. "Pit, I hope not."

He'd cast his gaze out over the water as he'd spoken, but now he looks back down at Ventus. "You going to be all right?"

What made him ask that, he can't say. He shouldn't care. He knows that.

However...

[happyduckbutt]

     He hadn't necessarily expected an answer. He had no reason to disagree with Thundercracker's response either. It was true, after all, and the sentiments were shared when it came to the thought of so many arriving unmarked and unprotected again.

     No, there was no simple answer to it, or at least there wasn't any one answer that they wanted to hear.

     Ventus turned the small stone over in hand, shrugging half-heartedly. "I don't know. I guess I will." He had to be, didn't he?