aquaveiled | Inbox @ aionlogs

It is approximately thirty seconds after Communion is first explained that Zenos leaps to the obvious conclusion about its potential, and an agonisingly long time after that before he is alone and able to experiment, but it should come as no surprise where exactly his thoughts turn. The prudent, cautious thing to do would be to test it first – perhaps with Meteion (though she will no doubt take that as encouragement to continue pursuing a friendship with him) or to irritate Emet-Selch (which is... honestly incredibly tempting) – but where his Best Friend Across Multiple Universes is concerned, he has never been given to prudence or caution.

And so, shard in hand and summoning every last ounce of mental fortitude, he reaches out to ask “Well, Beast, did you survive the fall?”

[Estinien will have been gone for the better part of a day, during the time that infections are truly beginning to show themselves among Aions. Eventually, Himeka will feel the tickle of his presence in her shard.]

Himeka...

[Though all he projects is her name, the emotions accompanying it are twisted and off-kilter. It doesn't feel much like his usual self, even though it's clearly his presence.]

[ Their time in Venera has been... busy, to say the least, but today had certainly taken the cake. When the dust settles, so to speak, Alphinaud goes to seek out Himeka, wherever she may be. And once he finds her: ]

... Ah, there you are. Good.

Any chance you could spare me a moment, Miss Himeka?

[ Can she feel the weariness rolling off of him through their connection right now? Because the last few days have been... eventful. ]

Estinien realizes that the Regent's nonconsensual Communion is finally over largely because he finds that he's no longer being bound and gagged. He awakes with a gasp from the place where he'd collapsed on the floor - thankfully, some of the hides they had on hand had softened his fall. Goodberries has been curled up on him while he was unconscious, apparently, and flitters away as he starts to shift.

He feels for the shard in his chest, reflexively checking that it hasn't been more damaged than it is already. Feelings its smooth surface beneath his hand, he begins looking around for his companions.

"Himeka...?" he murmurs.

"She's here! Right here!" Goodberries supplies helpfully, flying to Himeka's side and looking her over curiously.

[Estinien pings her shard, desperately reaching out to her through communion.]

Himeka... It's taken hold of me again...

Pray, hear me...

Hey!

[ The voice is familiar, if Himeka chooses to let it in. Its psychic slurring, liquor-soaked and pleasantly thoughtless, maybe slightly less so. ]

Himeka ... are you okay? You're alive?

[ Eventually, Dextera will show up to give Himeka... a letter! Dextera is very kindly playing postman and middleman after a chance encounter in Achamoth. On the outside of the envelope, the return address is simply to a "Marthe" in Venera. If she's so inclined to check further out of a sense of paranoia (completely fair), it is indeed a very normal, unmagical letter. No conniving on that level here, thankfully.

The handwriting on the letter is very neat and calligraphy-like, clearly written with a sense of care for appearance behind it. ]

Dear Ms. Himeka,

I write to you today in greeting, for we do not know each other. I am one of the Aions that had recently arrived in Horos, though as you may guess, one of the Kenoma. As such, may I first say that I sincerely understand should you refuse this correspondence. I know little of what you and Mr. Nightroad had endured, but the conclusion-to-be that I witnessed said much. If this letter causes you undue pain or suffering, then I shall not begrudge it in the slightest should you wish to stop reading here.

Should you continue though, allow me to say that I would have very much liked to have come speak with you in person, had it been allowed. I cannot guess at why this was a difficulty with any certainty, but I suppose it matters little. The fact remains that I wish to understand the Pleroma. It is a strange thing to find yourself here in Horos in the first place, much less to be conscripted in a war whose stakes may be clear, but whose players are not. Clearly, much had transpired well before my arrival. And also clearly, these events have created a bitter hostility. It is something I cannot begrudge, for I do not know what suffering the people here have faced, but its intensity is a strange thing when you do not share it.

As you were rescued, I happened upon Mr. Dextera, and we spoke of these things, if briefly. (I must extend my thanks to him as well for delivering you this letter, as quite reasonably, there are concerns about reaching out to you otherwise.) It was something that gave me hope that perhaps reaching out may be worth the effort. I admit, I have my own reasons for having chosen the Kenoma’s path, but I also do not believe that it is one that must be pursued through bloodshed and hatred. If we were able to pause for a moment upon a battlefield to exchange words and the promise of exchanging letters, it is something that makes me think such differences are not irreconcilable, no matter how foolish that may be.

I hope this letter finds you recovering and amongst dear friends. If you would give me the kindness of consideration to write back, then please send your reply to Venera.

Sincerely,
Marthe

P.S.,
As I would completely understand if these letters were examined together, please do pardon me for this letter quite closely resembling Mr. Nightroad’s. As we are strangers, this is but a letter of acquaintance, and so I simply chose to write the same thing.

[ Kaeya doesn't know how long he's spent waffling over this. A few days have passed since the Pleroma raided Achamoth in order to rescue Himeka and Abel from the Kenoma's clutches, and while they were successful in doing so, it wasn't a victory that came for free. He's not even sure if there's anything he can share regarding Estinien's fate so if it comes up, he knows he has to dodge it, even if that option doesn't make him feel all that great either.

At least no one else has to witness the way he's pacing in his own room. Back and forth, back and forth, as if he really can't make up his mind whether or not this is a good idea. A part of him already knows he doesn't deserve to, but he can't help but want to know how Himeka is doing anyway. It's hard to say if she feels any differently towards him after their last encounter, and he'd made the effort to stay far away from the pyres during that fateful day too.

Here goes nothing, anyway. With his shard held loosely in his palm, he closes his eyes and reaches out to her — hesitant and melancholic. The wintery frost of his mindscape can't hide either of that. ]

Himeka. You don't have to reply, but — [ He pauses, considering his next words carefully. ] If you can at least give me a sign that you're safe, then that's good enough for me.

[ Safe, not alright, because he knows she might not be alright. Not while Estinien is here and not there with her. ]

Inbox @ aionlogs

Forward-dated: Post-Mingle, Communion-space

During "The Cost of Innocence"

no subject

no subject

After the Regent's Address

A Half Hour After the Innocence Happens

late firaseri; voice

letter, 28th of firaseri

early sekiseri.