aquaveiled | Abraxas IC Inbox

[He possesses the unfortunate ailment of all newcomers to the Horizon, the inability to remember so much that would come to define him. Maybe that's a kind of freedom to some; a kind of clean slate in which to express emotion and curiosity freely, dependent upon the shape of their character prior. For Sephiroth, it only manifests as wandering, knowing something has gone missing but unaware and unable to know how or why. Lost, but seeking.

He finds a plaza of stone, illuminated by pink circular-like adornments. Ruins that he cannot hope to recognize linger in the distance, though he is certain that they did not exist before he set foot into this place. The centerpiece appears to be a large, hovering crystal, golden rings circling it lazily. That is a curiosity of its own, but it is the sound of singing and dancing that truly draws his green-eyed attention elsewhere: an assortment of… creatures at a distance, small with little bouncing pom-poms atop their heads.

Sephiroth ambles towards them, and shows no hesitation in bending down just enough to pick one up without preamble. He turns the wiggling little cat-like thing to face him, frowning.]

I’ve seen this before.

[Somewhere— where? A mog? Moogle? The images are far-away but present, gone hazy like that of a dream. But the look of this creature is very distinct, and he is sure his memory does not fail him here.]

[ Himeka's visits to her domain have been infrequent of late. With Estinien and Relena's disappearance, more of her attention has been put to the world beyond. Horizon has become something of a welcome distraction from the realities they must face, a way to hide into memories and places she holds near and ear even if they are presently so far away.

This is one of those times. She's been very busy on the farm and constantly trying to make contact with the newer Summoned in Solvunn, even she can use a break. Which, apparently, means surrounding herself with equally chatty dragonets and Moogles alike. It's a different type of conversation.

She is normally one to gladly welcome any visitors into her Domain, but at the present she's distracted with a lunch that she has conjured up for herself as she enjoys a little aerial show of dragonets above her. It's not until the group of dancing Moogles decides to sound the alarm that Himeka realizes something is amiss. ]

"Alert! Alert! Our brother has been mog-napped, kupo!"

[ Himeka jumps up immediately as the once dancing Moogles now frantically circle the visitor, waving their little hands and pleading in a series of mostly incoherent kupos. It seems she put some effort into making them just as ~~insufferable~~ lovable as they are in her own world.

What she sees, however...doesn't look quite like mog-napping. More like a singular man giving one of her Moogles a close inspection. Himeka raises a brow as she approaches a little more cautiously. ]

Is there something on his face?

[He appears to be unaffected by the group dancing around him in protest, offering them little more than a mild glance downwards where they titter around his feet in a series of harried kupos. Himeka’s approach earns only a similar consideration, quiet as his brows pinch enough to cast a shade across pale features. Sephiroth himself is dressed in clothing with the sign of the Tower embroidered over the heart; tailored in black, the regimented lines of his garb suggest that of a military uniform, though plain and otherwise unmarked.

A beat of silence. Then, in a similar way one might show off a document, or the part of a machine, he holds the little Moogle out, flipping it around a second time to face her for inspection.]

I recognize this. It’s a Moogle.

[Stated plainly, immune to the little creature’s wiggling. The Moogle may as well be trying to slip away from a steel vice, even if his grip lacks real force.]

Why is it here?

[ The Moogle flails, causing its brethren to similarly flitter about in fear and desperation. If it were anything but a gaggle of Moogles, it would certainly be something to be concerned about. Even Himeka doesn't take their alarm too seriously.

Himeka takes in his dress, finding it rather straight-forward for the creativity that Horizon can offer, but she really isn't in a place to judge. Whatever is comfortable, right?

To his question, she nods. ]

Yes, yes it is. That one's name is Moghod.

[ Moghod gives a high-pitched kupo-po! in affirmation. Himeka crosses her arms. ]

He's here because I made him, along with everyone else.

[ There are cries of outrage and rallying to action from the other Moogles...well, you know. The idea of it. No one is actually making a move to attack. They do rather like making it seem like they may, though. ]

...Are you in need of Moogles?

[Is he in need of Moogles? Sephiroth seems to consider that question with the same pause he gives any that are impossible to answer; no, he doesn’t need this creature, but it strikes something in him, like pulling a faraway cord connected to a memory lost.

Finally—]

No.

[With a concession that the Moogles will likely find favorable, Sephiroth bends down and sits Moghod down. Silver hair slips over his shoulders as he straightens again to look at Himeka.]

What good are they?

[Unintentional sick burn directed at said Moogles. But perhaps he better means what good will they do him? He cannot be sure.]

But I know their shape. I’ve seen it before as a mascot, though I don’t recognize anything else here.

[His eyes sweep their surroundings.] You created all of this?

Edited (tmw you notice a repeated icon and you can't abide by it) 2022-02-18 21:54 (UTC)

[ Himeka is patient, if anything, and seems to have no problem giving this visitor the time he needs to consider his options, no matter how much of a ruckus the other Moogles make. If only her calm would rub off on them, but alas, she has made them a little too like their real-world iterations.

As soon as Moghod is free, he immediately flails in a circle before fluttering upwards to join his comrades. The others flock around him and a series of frantic and relieved "kupos" echo like a chorus across the Zenith. ]

They are good companions and entertainers. And excellent craftsmen, when they put their poms to it.

[ On cue one of the Moogles brandishes a hammer, though it seems to be less out of a love for craft and more to make idol threads towards the silver-haired man.

The rest of the area, though...Himeka turns her attention away from their guest to the open stone walls that encircle most of the area. This brings a smile to her face. ]

This is the Zenith--or, well, a recreation of a place from my star. A home to dragons. A place that Moogles helped restore, actually.

[ Turning her attention back to the man, she inclines her head. ]

But Moogles can be found other places...they're part of the postal service, actually. Or seen often in the Shroud. Is that where you call home?

[Good companions? Debatable, he thinks. Entertainers? Dependent upon what one considers entertaining. Craftsmen? For some reason, he cannot seem to give them even glancing credit, finding it difficult to believe, what with their clumsy-looking bodies and noisy exclamations.

Sephiroth will not question it, however. It seem as though this is her creation, and thus the Moogles, as well -- they are what she makes them to be.]

The Shroud?

[Home? Sephiroth's expression scrunches for the first time, casting shadows. He reaches up, pressing the heel of a palm against his face, struggling to recall. But it is like fishing into deep, dark water with nothing willing to surface; he cannot remember what home entails.]

I can't remember. I don't know. It doesn't sound familiar to me.

[ Himeka nods as she crosses her arms. Granted she would understand underestimating their capabilities, that Moogles are rather silly creatures is not something she would ever refute. She wouldn't believe half the things they are capable of had she not seen it herself. ]

The Black Shroud? It's a region in Eastern Eorzea--

[ "I can't remember."

Oh.

Oh.

Well, this is certainly a confusing thing to be introduced to. Moogles rarely make sense even to those who know them well, in her eyes. Himeka's expression turns sympathetic. ]

Did you...just happen to awaken in this strange culmination of lands with no sense of self or purpose?

[ You know. Just an average day. ]

[You know, as one does.

Sephiroth lowers his hand, regarding Himeka a second time. Her assessment of his situation, and most importantly, its accuracy, seems to abate some of the disquiet of his memory loss. The lacking feeling of not being whole, and not exactly knowing why.]

...Yes.

[And how strange it is, to find oneself in such a situation, lost and wandering, but with no reason to even question. So blank-slate that all one can do is try to find purpose in someone else's creations.]

How has this happened?

[ No wonder the sight of Moogles must be troubling. (To some even without forgetting what they are.)

Himeka steps forward and then motions for this guest to follow her towards the large fountain in the middle of the area. ]

Why don't you come and take a seat? We can talk about it and what you may or may not remember. I can at least assure you that we've all been there.

[The Moogles are perhaps only troubling because they tug at a memory that isn’t there — a hole all the more prominent, if only he can see the shape of its outline.

The invite to move the conversation elsewhere is a welcome distraction, brief as it’d be to cross over to the fountain. Sephiroth nods, allowing her to lead the way. Though his curiosity is sharp, as always, now that he’s aware that she’s the host, he’ll only wander where he’s directed.

The Moogles will probably be happy about that.]

What do you mean?

[That they’ve all been there.]

Here.

[ She says as if that answers everything, motioning to the world around them. Which doesn't help, really, but at least he's only left in the dark for a few moments as she summons up some rather large cloud mallows for them to sit on. Soft and comfy.

Himeka plops down on her own as she motions for her guest to take his seat. ]

Or rather--all of here. The first time we come here it seems like we can't remember who we are or why we're here in the first place. But those memories will come back eventually.

[Eyes widen at the cloud mallows. The fact that she can conjure nearly anything she likes out of thin air, apparently, does not abate the surprise that she chose... this, but he eventually sits down, hair pooling around the bottom of his fluffy new seat.]

So we've come from somewhere else? That would make sense. [Why he can sense that there's more beneath the surface, even though he cannot peer past it. This is comforting, knowing that it is the default, rather than a permanent consequence.]

You said this was a recreation of your home. You have dragons?

[ She can think of nothing more comfy when at Zenith. If only he realized how fitting it was! Though as long as he finds them adequate enough it will work for her. Himeka knows the accommodates are likely not what he cares about right now.

Himeka nods to his first statement. ]

Though where you came from before, I can't say. Before...and before that. But the first before is likely one of three places, that's the one that you'll back to when you wake up.

[ Clear as mud, right? ]

Yes, dragons are a part of my home. Or rather they allowed me to be part of theirs.

[ She motions to the sky above them. ]

This is what the Churning Mists look like to the best of my memory. I...don't suppose that sounds familiar to you at all?

[ He did recognize Moogles, after all. ]

[Clear as mud and other very obfuscating materials, and his brows knit accordingly.]

And you're from one of those three places, as well?

[At least his sense of logic has remained intact, though her explanation tells him very little. Why only three places? What should he expect when he returns, when he "wakes up"? Should he equate this place to a shared dream?

At her gesture, his neck cranes up, taking in the vast scope of the sky.]

No. It doesn't. [Seem familiar. His line of thinking seems to follow the same trail.] Is that unexpected? Maybe Moogles are universal.

[ Himeka nods as she rests her hands in the soft fluff of the cloud mallows. ]

Not originally but from the place we all are, yes. I'm in the Solvunn Commune. I'm not sure if you are as well, but it's not a terribly big community so I think we can scratch that one off.

[ A little disappointed that doesn't ring a bell either. Mayhaps Moogles are universal? ]

You know...that would be an odd thing to hold all the shards together, but you may not be wrong. Their postal service has a very wide network.

Abraxas IC Inbox

first horizon visit;

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i feel you, i look back at old logs and go OH NO SAME ICON

it's a cardinal sin

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