realityshifted | (no subject)

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tales of the abyss (d1) peony

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What's all this then? It's pretty unexpected, I have to say. If this is what I've been missing out on, I'll have to start sneaking out of the Palace again.

[he looks around idly, seeming pretty calm and unmoved by it all. He's just chill and almost pleasantly so]

Still, as nice as the scenery is, pulling people into Machines isn't something to be taken lightly. Grand experiments like this without the consent of the test subjects aren't something I can condone. I might have to talk to some people. Hopefully there aren’t any idiots I know getting themselves mixed up in anything they shouldn't be. It would be a hassle to have to clean up someone else's mess again.

[a sigh that's somewhere between annoyed and unamused. He crosses his arms over his chest, and if there was a throne somewhere he'd take a seat. Oh well, he'll just look around expectantly]

So how about someone come out and tell me how to get out of this place? While the look of the place and the new surroundings are great, being trapped too long in one place would be annoying.

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[Peony laughs]

No need to get uptight about it. It's just something I have to ask. We're in a Machine in the middle of space.

[he holds his hand up, before putting a hand on Asch's shoulder]

And hey, you can't blame a sheltered idiot for being sheltered. Hell, I spent half my life sheltered. But I got it, you're the real Asch.

[UGH UGH PERSONAL SPACE. Just shrugging it off would be considered offensive, but he is going completely stiff and ugh ugh ugh god damn it who thought bringing him here would be a good idea.]

... You should know something. Whatever thoughts you had about the past or the future might be jeopardized because of what has happened here already.

[He omits the part where it's his fault in true Fabre fashion.]

Also, until a few days ago, this place was completely populated by monsters.

Oh? And what happened here all ready?

[and he completely wraps his arm around Asch's shoulder, mostly due to how stiff Asch is becoming]

Monsters, huh? I hope Jade didn't have too much fun killing them. You know how he gets, [he pauses, tilting his head to get a better angle on Asch's face] or do you?

... The one you call Luke is here, and he has no memories of anything regarding the Akzeriuth incident. That's what I'm talking about.

[get off get off get off get off damn it why is peony not telepathic!?

Asch just stares back. With Luke's face. But he has very old eyes in comparison.]

I'm aware.

[The last time they spoke, Jade was dissecting giant zombie hands or something. So yes.]

So it's like that. [if he was telepathic, he'd totally keep leaning on you just because, Asch.]

[but hey, at least Peony can stop worrying about whether or not Jade is conducting shady fomicry experiments. On the other hand...]

And no one would take advantage of something like meeting a past version of someone, right? [he's mostly worrying about what Jade would do with that kind of power, but if Asch is from further ahead as well, he has to ask]

[Haha. Haha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Shit.

Asch reaches up and attempts to remove Peony's shoulder as nicely as he can manage.]

Your Majesty. What do you think is better: allowing some reckless idiot to destroy your people while you know how to stop it; or preventing the loss of those lives and those that might follow at the cost of the future you have?

[That should about sum up Asch's feelings on the subject.]

[and Peony lets him remove his arm]

The past isn't designed to be changed. Preventing one action might cause a far worse one in the future. You'd have to be a pretty reckless idiot to try to change something like that.

I don't have a past or a future. All I have is right now.

The final decision rests with Luke and Tear.

If it's like that, try to worry less about changing things that have all ready passed.

It's not your job to tell anyone their future. Or did you suddenly become a Fon Master?

Tch. [That is not a comeback.] Of course you'd side with them.

There's a chance to stop it. If you don't take that chance, then it's just like clinging to the Score.

I'm sure you know by now that it's no longer valid.

[he laughs] You should be careful or you'll start sounding like the kind of guy who thinks everyone is against him.

[but then he shrugs, the amusement gone] The way I see it, I figure some guy going around telling people their future is just as good as having a Score around.

[But it's true!]

If someone told that idiot, he'd just take it right to Van and ruin everything.

We can't even be sure that it's the same world yet. This place is so obnoxious...

Idiots have a bad habit of doing stupid things with good intentions.

And hey, if it's not even the same world, you shouldn't worry so much about Akzeriuth. You don't even know if it's in danger there.

And if it is the same world, leave it alone.

Hmph. Maybe you can say that. [Asch blames himself for what happened. Peony might be able to read that in the way his eyes drift to other parts of the Plane, or maybe not-- it's your call.]

[he frowns as he watches Asch, his gaze not wavering as Asch's eyes drift.]

They were my most precious people. I would save them if I could, but I can't. That moment passed us by and we just have to live with our mistakes. You would be smart to remember that.

[Asch resumes eye contact eventually. He's not going to change his mind though.]

We don't know the repercussions of meeting in this place. The future you know might already be in jeopardy. You say "leave it alone", but that might make things worse.

Luke and Tear both have questions that I can't answer.

Do you really believe that?

So you can't answer their questions. It can't be too hard for you to be elusive, you'll be fine.

I believe that he's going to do something stupid no matter what information he's given. [He crosses his arms again.] That doesn't mean we can't change what that is.

Edited 2010-11-13 21:47 (UTC)

And wouldn't it be awful if someone gave him information and he did something even stupider than your wildest expectations?

You wouldn't think like that though. You're too wrapped up in your own selfishness.

[he sighs, shrugging] Whatever, it can't be helped. Everyone goes through that phase. And hey, I wouldn't usually say anything about it, [and he gets more serious] but there's an entire world you're putting in danger, and that I can't let that happen.

[Asch expected him to say something like that, but having an Emperor here, and an uncooperative one, will make his life very hard.

He does not look happy, nor does he give up political ground.]

... I'll keep your words in mind, Your Majesty.

If you say so. [he shrugs, accepting Asch isn't going to listen to him for now] Try not to do anything too stupid. It would be a pain to have everything get screwed up.

I'm not going to do anything. [It's a source of frustration for him-- that he has to wait, that he has to do this stupid experiment with Jade and Tear and DRECK first, that he can't have what he wants most right now.

Even with a beautiful, endless expanse like the Plane, Asch feels trapped.]

There's something to be said for accepting when you can't change things, too. Not doing anything isn't as bad as it sounds. It's tough, but sometimes it's for the best.

So, what else can you tell me about this place?

[~HIS WORDS~

(Asch's head.)

He crosses his arms.]

... The reason we're brought here is for an experiment. [He hates that word so much.] Occasionally people are given strange side-effects. Sometimes the people in charge let monsters loose, trap people here, and force people to kill each other.

Meredith Sault is the one in charge. She's tall, hoods herself at all times and answers questions without answering anything. She works in tandem with the twins Lapis and Lazuli. I think they're some kind of construct.

Man, that doesn't sound too different from half the stuff you're facing at home right now, I bet.

Oh yeah, I saw her when I first woke up. She looked pretty good. It's a shame she has to be involved in all these shady experiments.