hugtopia | Text; Nalom 28

[Seeing his brother with a tablet in his hand had become something of a common sight upon arriving at this place. Seeing his brother with that familiar smug look of self congratulations, however...that had been lacking.

Peter smiled as he leaned against the door frame, a bowl of what was supposed to be oatmeal in his hands.]

What are you working on? Here. Eat this before it cools any further.

[He not only learned how to do a thing but also composed a relatively successful missive, Peter. Don't judge him his small victories.]

I'm merely collecting some information, Brother, do stop fussing.

[Breakfast? What? oh.... yes that's a thing people do in the morning isn't it? He hadn't realized he was hungry.

That happens when you skipped dinner.]

Collecting some information?

[He arched a brow, pushing off the door frame so that he could cross over to the table that was serving as his brother's desk, setting the bowl down with a pointed little push in his sibling's direction.]

Eat. It...almost tastes like it should?

It's hardly Mrs. Beaver's porridge but it's not that bad.

[Weeks without a breath of wind in her sails and the threat of starvation a very real possibility gives one a new appreciation for food. They'd been down to naught but hardtack, scarce rations of that even.]

Mmm... regarding the gods here.

[See? Once it's in his face he's quite content to shovel it into his mouth. He just... forgot he should go make something.]

[It was an appreciation Peter shared, though his experience had been less sea faring and more siege.

While Edmund tucked into the food, Peter reached out and snagged his brother's tablet, careful to not touch the screen lest he mess something up on it. He didn't need to touch it to read it, after all, and the more he read, the more he smirked.]

Wouldn't it make more sense to simply ask people? Everyone here seems friendly enough. I could take you to the tavern that Regis and I had tea at. It was delightful, and the cats were quite charming.

[As was the man, but Edmund didn't need to tease him any more.]

[The Look Edmund gives his brother is a familiar one, clearly telling him to hold his tongue lest he say something foolish. And yet.... He continues speaking and Edmund hates how much his disapproval looks like sulking on his childish features.]

Yes, I'm certain everyone would merrily treat the thirteen year old as though he had any idea what he was talking about.

[He huffs a breath, trying to keep his tone at a scoff instead of outright scathing. Peter, this time, hadn't done anything to earn his venom.]

Though I will note that is about the dozenth time you've mentioned this Regis of yours this week.

[He knows you Peter, you never talk about people that much unless they've made an awfully profound impression.]

I think you are giving yourself far too little credit, Brother.

[He hadn't done anything to deserve his brother's sharp tongue, and yet he could hear the promise of it in every clipped word. It made him tilt his head a little as he pondered the reasons, but in the end he gave his brother the respite he was all but screaming for.

Putting Ed's tablet back down, he moved so that he could lean against the nearest wall, one shoulder shrugging.]

Surely not a dozen, but perhaps he's been on my mind and therefore quick to my tongue.

At least

[His smile is soft for a moment, a quiet acknowledgment and brief show of gratitude to his brother for not pressing the subject. Then the smile slants into a smirk, brow cocking as he leans back in his chair to eye the blond curiously.]

Perhaps not quickly enough from the way you've been speaking.

[See, Edmund, he can take a hint. Just, most of the time, he doesn't feel that he needs to. Why bother tiptoeing around a subject when one can just face it head on? The only reason would be when facing it head on would be useless. He lacked the ability to make his brother the age he was supposed to be, nor did he have the understanding of what it was like to suddenly be placed into a much younger body.

Pushing the subject would have only caused Edmund to blow up like a indignant mare. Much better to just let the younger have his fun at Peter.

Fun which did not, at all, cause that sudden stripe of color bloom over the bridge of his nose. Not at all. It was just...warm.]

Hush, you. He has a suitor and I'm not sure if the rules of this place are more Narnian or Archenlandian.

He has a suitor, does he?

[Ah but Peter can you endure the insufferable glee that blush causes? Because Edmund looks far too pleased with himself.]

You could simply ask you know. It would be easy enough to mention Lu.

[The smirk flickers for just a moment. By the Lion, he misses her.]

[Edmund looked so pleased and Peter rolled his eyes before indulging in the rather childish urge to flick his fingers in his direction.]

I say, that is a bit rich considering you've barely left this house. It would be equally easy to explain that you are, in fact, much older than you appear. It would not be the strangest thing I've seen in my explorations. In fact, I'm fairly certain that a similar situation happened with Regis' suitor...

Yes and I've a reason for it.... You have hardly left the house either, save to flirt with your Regis.

[Is he wrong?]

Don't be a child simply because you can't hide your crush.

Untrue! I attended the gathering and learned how to make a 'smoothie'. Regis wasn't even there.

Eat your breakfast, you sarcastic ass.

[He rolled his eyes and stalked back over to pointedly tap the bowl before turning back towards the door.]

You really should come out with me some time, Brother....

[The fact that Peter turns to leave means Edmund has won and he's grinning around a spoonful of oatmeal when his brother turns back toward him. Edmund rolls his eyes in return, each of them as exasperated with the other. It takes a moment for him to swallow, take a drink of his.... "juice" and then he lifts a hand and makes a shooing gesture.]

Perhaps. [Empty promises and they both know it.] But not now. Go on, I've studying to do.

[Ed may be getting an incredibly misleading first impression of Will as calm and serious, with the way the end of the month is wearing on him like this. He can't just sit and fret all the time though, so he's currently in the kitchen, with his tablet propped up so he can talk while he cooks.]

Lately, there have been some mild earthquakes. They're announcing messages from the gods; you need to link arms with someone and press your heads together to hear their voices. Just do what you see the locals do, and you should be able to manage it.

Several months ago, while participating in a ritual for Ohma, a whole lot of us seemed to get some mysterious Dora deposits in our bank accounts, too. The priests said it wasn't them, and nobody else seems likely to have done it--so it's possible that Ohma was rewarding us directly for paying our respects.

They provide rewards and answer prayers in other ways--physical and magical. Things have shown up here from our home worlds, like a few of my Pokémon, and my boyfriend got younger somehow.

I'm not sure if it's the gods' power returning, or just some quirk of the Aellyn itself, but there have been other strange things that happened, too. Things like our fortunes for the year coming true in strange ways, and our thoughts turning visible for a few weeks, and Ainea's mice flooding out of her temple to infest the city.

[Oh. He's cooking. Ah... it would be much more convenient for Will if Edmund simply spoke in return. He knows that, truly he does. But the idea of all his efforts being dismissed because of his age prevents him from doing so. It may be one thing for Narnians to look at him and see the legend, it's something very different for Londoners, even more so for those here.]

Many of the larger effects I have seen evidence of in previous posts. Items returned all seem, from what I've seen, to be of a minimal size.

I'm afraid I don't know what a pokemon is.

You say he got YOUNGER?

[It's fine, it's fine. It's not like he doesn't have enough distractions literally underfoot, after all. This time, the camera doesn't show Will at all; he just picks up his tablet, angling it down to show Arche sitting and staring at the stove with rapt attention, nose twitching and tail wagging hopefully.]

She's one species of Pokémon--they're like animals, but different. Animals don't seem to be capable of nearly as much.

Probably only by a handful of years, but he did. He had no idea how it happened--it just did, all at once, while he was recovering from an injury protecting the city at one of the temples. A reward for his valor, maybe, or answering a wish that he had been physically capable of doing more.

She looks a great deal like a Fox I once knew.

Which deity was responsible for this change?

There's really no way to be sure. But I'm assuming Diacht, since that's the flock he belongs to, and the temple he was recovering in? Diacht seems like the type who'd want to reward a follower for courageous service and noble deeds.

What's a Fox, though?

Diacht. I see. I will make a point to speak to the priests there first, thank you.

Oh... if she had a long tail, thick like a bottle brush but not so fluffy with the cream/white only at the tip. And no mane. Black stockings, as well, but her red is quite accurate. They are known for being clever tricksters, a little sly but with good hearts. The one I was most familiar with was quite the hero, actually.

He was a good friend.

So like Nickit or Fennekin, or maybe Vulpix..... A clever trickster with a good heart sounds about right, though.

[The description actually gets a little laugh out of him; Arche fluffs up proudly, ears perked and nose raised high.]

He sounds nice. What are you going to talk to the priests about? Choosing your patron god?

Ah! The genus classification for foxes is vulpus. I imagine your vulpix is very similar. The taxonomy has latin roots. Is the same true of your pokemon?

The nature of these divine favors they offer.

Oh, really? That's interesting..... Our scientific community uses ancient Sinnohan as their standard.

Maybe they'll have better answers for you..... I don't think anyone knows exactly what the gods are capable of.

Sinnohan. I'd like to see what other similarities there might be between the species.

[As a matter of fact there's a delay between that text and the next, as he makes a note of the pokemon Will already mentioned. This nerd.]

I've heard and seen plenty of mentions of items being returned from various worlds but the less quantifiable demonstrations of power are what I'd like to learn more about. Like your friend regaining his youth.

Between the species? I don't know..... I've only heard of a few animals so far, so I'm not really sure if all Pokémon have counterparts, or how different they are.

[SUCH a nerd.]

That's the only example I can think of off the top of my head, at least. Are you hoping to pray for something like that yourself?

I merely wish to know what they are capable of so that we may have a baseline to compare future tasks to.

Future tasks? Sounds like you're planning to put them to work.

[A bold thought, if that's true. Still, it's not a bad idea to try and get some better understanding of the gods they're supposed to be serving.]

I guess the priests would be the ones to ask about it, if anyone is. Maybe they've got some old legends they can tell you?

They say our presence is allowing the gods' power to grow. By rights that should mean they are more capable as time goes on. I'd like to see what sort of increase we're talking about.

I guess you're right. It'll be interesting to see, won't it? Maybe we can even actually plan the best way to bring this place back to life, once we know more about what they can each accomplish.

There is a distressing lack of nature to be found here and if any of what I've heard exists beyond the walls is true then I can only hope that we find ways to restore the world as well.

Oh, it's real. A few people got outside the city months ago, and even managed to get a short video of what was out there. It's not a pretty sight. You can probably find it if you go back in the network a ways.

I will see what I can find, thank you.

No problem. Let me know if you find out anything interesting, okay?

Of course

[Magolor always opts for video when he can anyway; he likes for people to see exactly who and what they're talking to, and have the clarity of how it comes off without the ambiguity of text. For this, though, he mostly just doesn't feel like typing it all out.

He waves chirpily into his tablet even though there's no video looking back at him on the other side.]

Wow, you get right down to business, huh? We could always use people like that. I do happen to have a story of my own!

[It's definitely appreciated, giving Edmund time to try to wrap his mind around what, exactly, he's looking at. Not that it encourages Edmund to do the same. There are too many preconceptions of his abilities when others can see him, not as a man but a child.

He misses Narnia even more.]

I find it most effective. I would have been far more curious of these things had I not first needed to learn the nuances of these devices.

If you don't mind me asking... what, precisely, are you?

[He reads the text as it comes through, which just means a shot of him staring at his screen for a few moments there; it's always a little awkwardly amusing to mix text and video. But that's part of why he does it, really.]

Precisely speaking, I'm a Halcandran! But that might be a little too precise to be useful. Hehehe! I'm just a traveler from a different planet than yours. A lifeform from beyond the stars.

I've meet a few stars but I cannot say I've known anyone from BEYOND the stars. That is fascinating.

I don't suppose you've offered information on your world and species to Chief Besithia?

[This time he has to wonder whether that means celebrity-stars or literal-stars, and the contemplation that passes across his face as he reads is genuine. But that can wait for now. As he finishes up, he nods and brightens again.]

Good old Chief! I sure have. You can probably find it in those records he's so proud of. I didn't tell him everything there is to know, but we had a good discussion about it a while back. He was fascinated too!

I will have to look into it. Of course it is fascinating to meet others not of your like. I'm rather used to being on the other side of such encounters, however.

Ohhh, are you a traveler yourself? Then this must not be all that surprising to you! I don't meet a lot of humans who've been around outside their world.

I am. I, myself, have only been to two worlds but I have a friend who has seen a great number more.

And now I have seen into Aslan's country, however briefly, if that counts at all.

Since I don't know what that is, I couldn't say why it wouldn't! Where is that?

Beyond Narnia, though I'm not certain if it is a separate world or merely inaccessible. Aslan's country, for I have no better name for it, is far beyond the Eastern Ocean. We had sailed some months past the Seven Isles before we came to it.

[This is phrased so incredibly quaintly. This guy definitely sounds like someone from a sleepy, backwards planet like Pop Star, which is its own kind of charming.]

Well, was it worth it? If it took you that long to get to, I sure hope it was.

We accomplished much along the way. As they say, it's about the journey not the destination.

I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Hehehe, you're a philosophical sort along with being scientifically minded. Is that why you're asking about the power of the gods? I can tell you a story about a time I witnessed it myself! You might appreciate it. I'm scientifically-minded too.

I suppose I am.

I would greatly appreciate that, thank you.

Well then, here goes!

[Now the reason for him refusing to text will probably become a little more obvious . . . or one of them, anyway. He does also just like for people to be forced to pay more immediate attention to him.]

You asked for a date, right? I couldn't tell you exactly, but I know it happened back in Lasdia, right when the first group of us all arrived. The natives held a citywide game for us: we had to gather ribbons of four different colors, one for each god, and each god had their own task to complete to earn the ribbons. Well, first you had to collect ribbons from your own temple, and then later we swapped them . . . but the point is, I'm with Diacht myself. The God of Truth! And Diacht's task involved bringing someone into their temple with you and confessing some honest truth about yourself to them. Once you'd done that, the priests would hand you a ribbon and you could walk out with it. Makes sense, right?

So of course, being scientifically minded as you are, I had to see what would happen if I tried lying. Would I get away with it? Did the natives have some power to know if we were telling the truth? So I brought a partner in there with me and went up to the altar, and told them a lie instead of a truth.

. . . At first, nothing happened, just as I expected. We went up to the priests to gather our ribbons, and they didn't suspect a thing. I went right out that door with the prize in my hand! —But before I could leave the temple grounds, the ribbon dissolved into dust in my hands. Some power did know I'd been lying and didn't deserve the prize. When I asked them about it, no one knew what had happened . . . and when I tried the challenge again and told the truth the second time, I got my ribbon and left with it just fine.

The point is, there was some force at work there that could tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and disintegrate an object from a distance based on that knowledge. That kind of thing is only possible through magic! And the natives don't really deal in magic. If they do, they're hiding it from us and pretending it's the work of the gods . . . that's possible, but it's a muuuuch bigger issue, isn't it? The only reasons they could possibly have to go out of their way to lie about the entire setup here are super serious accusations. As weird as it is, it's actually more likely it was just the power of Diacht acting on his own temple grounds.

—Well? What do you think? This was pretty minor compared to things like the earthquakes, but I'd just arrived, and it was the first experience I had with feeling like I'd crossed one of the big guys personally. That kind of thing sticks with you!

Text; Nalom 28

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still text sorry Will

<3

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/shitposts linguistic bullshit without consulting castmates I'm so sorry

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all the text, sorry Magolor.

this is gonna keep being video

stubborn fools

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