aquaveiled | Abraxas IC Inbox

[ Himeka is notably much less subtle about it, but her staring off at something randomly isn't all that odd for those that know her. Right now it appears that a case of some sort of bolts or other machine parts has her attention. Fascinating. ]

ωεℓℓ тнαт вσ∂εs ωεℓℓ cσмιηg ғяσм үσυ... ωнαт ιs ιт?

[ She will always follow his lead when it comes to being secretive, though.

Lay it on her, Thancred. ]

[ Thancred is well aware of how ominous this is, and he isn't meaning to leave her in suspense. He does hope that she's sitting down, wherever she is, but he doesn't delay any further in sending a message. ]

It's possible this is old news for you, but were you aware Fandaniel is here as well?

[ Fandaniel hadn't come up in their prior conversation at all, and Thancred can only imagine he would have, seeing how they'd even spoken of the Telephoroi. ]

[ It's a shame this has to be in...eye-writing, because the look on her face would say more than she can get out in proper text. ]

тнαт's ησт sσмεтнιηg үσυ ωσυℓ∂ jσкε αвσυт, вυт cαη үσυ тεℓℓ мε үσυ'яε jσкιηg? ρℓεαsε?

I wish I could claim it was merely a joke, but given that I had an entire conversation with him, I have to assume his presence here is very much real.

I do apologize for being the bearer of bad news, however.

ωнσ ιη тнειя яιgнт мιη∂ ωσυℓ∂ sυммση нιм? σя εvεη тнειя мσsт ωяσηg мιη∂?

нε's ησт ιη тнσяηε тσσ, ιs нε?

I asked him that very question. He doesn't seem to have any better idea than we do, though I wouldn't put it past him to attempt the same things here that he did back home.

No, he's in the Free Cities. I also didn't mention that you're here.

ησ, тнιs ωσυℓ∂ נυsт вε α ηεω тαяgεт. ωε ∂ση'т кησω мυcн αвσυт тнε sιηgυℓαяιтү αs ιт ιs вυт нε's ∂εғιηιтεℓү σηε σғ тнε ℓαsт ρεσρℓε ι ωαηт мεssιηg ωιтн ιт.

нε ∂σεsη'т кησω?

[ That's good. Right? Interesting...though she doesn't really want him to direct his ire to Thancred instead, Fandaniel's goals do seem to be less specific to the Scions and more to just. Chaos. ]

ι кησω sσмε ρεσρℓε ιη тнε ғяεε cιтιεs. мαүнαρs ι cαη αsк тнεү кεερ тαвs ση нιм?

[ She knows well that Geralt will not want an assignment, but she figures she can ask him to ping her if he sees something amiss. ]

If that's the case, it would do us well to learn more about the Singularity before he does if we can. We can at least attempt to stay a few steps ahead of him.

[ While it is possible that Fandaniel might focus in on Thancred as a denizen of Etheirys, he somehow doesn't think that he'll register very highly on his list of priorities. Time will have to tell with that, and he's prepared to deal with aught that might come his way. Dangling the Warrior of Light in front of an Ascian is never a good idea, however. ]

That might be a good idea, aye. Assuming whoever you ask knows how to employ some amount of discretion.

тнεяε's α тнεσяү тнαт ιт's тнε cεηтεя σғ αℓℓ ωσяℓ∂s. вυт ι нαvε ησ ι∂εα нσω тσ тεsт σя ρяσvε тнαт.

[ She supposes that people from so many stars have been pooled together should be evidence enough, right? ]

ιғ ιт's тяυε, тнεη ғαη∂αηιεℓ cσυℓ∂ sεт нιs sιgнтs вεүση∂ συя sтαя...

[ And take literally everything else with him, were he successful. ]

ι тнιηк sσ. нε gεηεяαℓℓү ρяεғεяs тσ sтαү υηιηvσℓvε∂, sσ ι ∂ση'т тнιηк нε'∂ ιηsεят нιмsεℓғ ιη αηүтнιηg. ι ғιgυяε нε ωσυℓ∂ вε αвℓε тσ ℓεт мε кησω ιғ нε нεαяs sσмεтнιηg, тнσυgн.

I've heard similar. Thorne is the closest to it, is it not? I'll see what I can look into on my end, once this is all done.

[ If Fandaniel is somehow able to sink his claws into the Singularity or harness its power in some way, it could be truly catastrophic. The last thing Thancred wants to do is give the Ascian ideas, but chances are he's already thinking of it.

He's already dealt with one Final Days, the last he needs is another. ]

That would be better than nothing. It would be best to have some eyes on him.

ιт ιs, үεs. тнσυgн ιт's ησт αη εαsү נσυяηεү ғяσм тнε cαsтℓε.

[ One she would take if it were feasible, even from Solvunn. But she's been to the borders and there are watchful scouts even in the more remote regions. They really don't seem to be wanting people going in and out...without permission. ]

ι тнιηк нε'ℓℓ υη∂εяsтαη∂. тнεяε αяε α cσυρℓε σтнεяs ι cαη тяү αs ωεℓℓ, sσ ωε'ℓℓ sεε.

ι ωση∂εя ιғ εмεт-sεℓcн αη∂ нүтнℓσ∂αευs αяε αωαяε...

I am hardly unused to difficult journeys.

[ Which Himeka well knows, but Thancred does not hesitate to remind her. If he could handle sojourns into Garlemald, surely he can manage a trip to the Singularity.

Then Himeka drops those two names and Thancred permits himself a sigh before replying. ]

I find it hard to believe they wouldn't know. The question is, what do they plan to do about it?

ιт ωσυℓ∂ вε ηιcε ιғ тнεү ℓεт υs υsε ρσятαℓs мσяε ғяεεℓү.

[ She really misses aetheryte travel. ]

ι'м ησт sυяε. ι cαη αsк αη∂ sεε ιғ нε's αт αℓℓ ιηcℓιηε∂ тσ αηsωεя. ι cαη'т ιмαgιηε нε's тσσ ғση∂ тнσυgн, αт ℓεαsт вεcαυsε нε ∂σεsη'т ℓιкε вειηg υρsтαgε∂ αη∂ ғαη∂αηιεℓ's gσαℓs αяε тσ ∂εsтяσү ғσя тнε sαкε σғ ∂εsтяυcтιση яαтнεя тнαη яεвυιℓ∂.

[ Not that she agrees with Emet-Selch's methods--far from it, even with clarity after his death. ]

[ Portals would be nice, assuming that such a thing wouldn't involve horrific aetherial sickness. Himeka won't know about any of that, so he refrains from mentioning it for now. ]

You may be right. While I would not wish a conversation with Emet-Selch upon anyone, you seem to be able to handle him better than most. If you do get the chance to ask, feel free to pass along what you learn.

нε яεαℓℓү нαs вεεη ση нιs вεsт вεнαvισя sιηcε нε αяяιvε∂.

[ Which where Emet-Selch is concerned may be a low bar, but she does want to alleviate at least one worry from Thancred's mind. Especially now that Fandaniel is there. ]

That doesn't count for much.

[ While Thancred will take what Himeka's saying into consideration, he is not willing to give Emet-Selch the benefit of the doubt either. She's much more forgiving than him, of course, and always has been.

Will she feel differently toward the Ascians when she has memories of Fandaniel orchestrating her body being stolen by the likes of Zenos? He hasn't had the energy or the heart to tell her about that. It's over and done with and would only upset her. ]

[ Not for Thancred especially and she doesn't expect that to change. He has more reason than most for not trusting Ascians and it was specifically what he went through that really stayed with her.

Even without knowing what she discovers in her future, her standing with Emet-Selch is...complicated. To say the least.

Her main concern is for Thancred, however. He's her family. ]

ι ∂ση'т ωαηт үσυ тσ ωσяяү.

[ As much as Thancred would like to ensure Himeka that he won't worry over her given whose company she must share, it would be a lie, and he owes her the truth. ]

Promise me this. If the situation changes and he crosses any lines, let me know. I will find a way to cross the border and come to your aid.

[ Even if that mainly just consists of punching Emet-Selch in the face. He would relish the opportunity. ]

Is he here at the summit?

ι'ℓℓ ℓεт үσυ кησω.

[ Will she also try and address it herself? Yes, that's also very probable. But she does her best to keep her promises all the same. ]

нε ιs, нε cαмε тняσυgн тнε sαмε ρσятαℓ αs ι ∂ι∂.

[ Notably she's left him to his own devices. Now is not the time to share that she has sought out his company purposefully before this. He has been a helpful, if grumbling companion from time to time. In particular his knowledge of the shards and calamities was information she needed, even if that became a dead end. ]

үσυ'яε ησт gσιηg тσ cσηғяσηт нιм, αяε үσυ?

[ Is this going to be Rak'tika all over again? ]

[ It may have been for the best if Thancred had not asked Himeka this question at all, if he'd simply sought out Emet-Selch on his own. The Ascian is not someone who's particularly easy to miss, though he does so enjoy shirking duties and napping instead of participating in much of anything.

Still, Thancred's already shown Himeka his hand. At this point he may as well be truthful about it. ]

I won't make a scene, don't worry. I would like to establish where we stand, however, and to do so with my memories intact.

[ So he wants to even the playing field. Not something easily done with Emet-Selch even without the, term, tension between the two of them. But Himeka won't stick her nose into that. ]

ι'ℓℓ мαкε sυяε тσ gεт α вσттℓε σғ αℓε яεα∂ү σηcε үσυ'яε тняσυgн.

[ Good luck, Thancred. ]

Edited 2022-04-05 18:07 (UTC)

I will gladly take you up on that.

[ Baffled as Thancred may be about Himeka's relationship with Emet-Selch and how she seems to always give him the benefit of the doubt, he at least understands now that it's complicated, given everything to do with her past life as Azem. He won't push her on it, particularly given that she's never questioned his own inability to forgive the Ascian. ]

In the meantime, we should both endeavor to enjoy aught else the summit has to offer.

Abraxas IC Inbox

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject