private psl

[foundfate]

["I want to be free of the ghosts to see. That is my wish: to not be burdened by them anymore."

"Unfortunately, I cannot grant that wish. But I can send you to someone who can grant it."

That answer gave Watanuki jack-all to go off of, though, and he was left standing in a field of pink flowers looking absolutely befuddled. How had he gotten there? Where was he in the first place? The flowers seemed to go on forever, and all that was around besides them was a floating tower in the sky.

Well, that seemed like Watanuki's best chance at getting an answer, so he tried to step in that direction, but found that his legs were tangled up in the flowers. He fount this out by tripping, somehow, and ending up face-first in the flowers with a yelp.]

What- why are they-

[Oh, to be tangled up in the Garden of Avalon. His sins weighed him down, and he didn't even know it.]

Comments

[myrdd]

I did not! It's just natural for a flower to dislike being grabbed so rudely like that by a stranger. If you have the habit of grabbing beauties willy-nilly, let me tell you: that's the fastest way to turn them off.

[foundfate]

That- I'm not grabbing any beauties!

[He says that as he tries to grab the front of Merlin's clothes. He just wants to shake him a little bit, honest.]

[myrdd]

Well, yes. I'm more of a handsome devil.

[He dodges by leaning to the side. How effective this is remains to be seen given how voluminous his robe is.]

[foundfate]

[Watanuki misses the grab, but he might accidentally catch the edge of Merlin's robes anyway, because he is a klutz and missing the initial grab sends him stumbling through the space Merlin had been in.]

[myrdd]

[That's a pretty large stumble when they both end up crashing on the floor.]

Ow!

[A solid hit to the back! That'll be made worse depending on how Watanuki ended up.]

[foundfate]

[He ends up face-down next to Merlin, with his arm flung over Merlin's midsection.

He lays there for a moment before slowly lifting his head to glare at Merlin.]

This is all your fault.

[myrdd]

[He sniffs, unrepentant, and pokes the arm.]

Says the boy with grabby hands.

What has you so flustered anyway? That stalk was far from phallic.

[foundfate]

I wanted to hit you with it.

[Yep, that's the entirety of his frustration.

To make up for it, he's going to lift his hand up, like he's about to pull away from Merlin. But then he will ball his hand into a fist and let it thunk down on Merlin's abdomen. He will have his revenge! Even if it's not actually enough to hurt anyone.]

[myrdd]

-- guh!

[Look, he might have a little more muscle tone compared to your average Caster, but the abdomen is still a vulnerable spot. How rude!

(Except he's absolutely playing up the hurt part, complete with an exaggerated curl before "languishing" with his arms stretched loosely on either side of him.)]

Oh no. Thine merciless iron fist hath caved this belly mine. How the light fades...

[foundfate]

You're fine.

[Okay, Watanuki's had his revenge, so he will move to sit up now.]

But to be safe, you just get broth for dinner tonight.

[Okay no that's his real revenge.]

[myrdd]

If it's your cooking, Watanuki, I'm sure broth will serve.

[He's also not sitting up just yet.]

[foundfate]

You-

[gah!]

You're supposed to be horrified by that idea, not just accept it!

[myrdd]

That so? Pardon me - ahem!

[Except there isn't even an ounce of contrition in his expression.]

Your clemency I beg for me and the hole in my stomach! I can't even get up from the floor, knowing what horrible lack awaits me at dinner.

Surely someone as benevolent as you won't leave me bereft of the simple joys in life?

[foundfate]

[Merlin u shit.]

It might work better if you're not smiling while you say it!

[myrdd]

[/bow

Fine. Here - Merlin places one hand on his chest and holds up the other, like someone on their sickbed. A somber, almost mournful, expression crosses his features.

This arrangement of facial muscles doesn't come naturally to him outside of certain events, but hey - at least he's not using an illusion for this moment of pretend?]

Please?

[foundfate]

[Wow. Merlin is a good actor. Watanuki is impressed enough to actually stop being so mad.]

...alright, fine, I'll cook you real food.

[Watanuki no, he's just messing with you?

Though this might be proof enough that, despite Watanuki's erratic behavior, he's not as malicious as he can seem to be sometimes.]

[myrdd]

[Why, thanks. He's spent time figuring out why human expressions are the way they are, for all that he can't truly understand their core.]

Fantastic. [Time to finally sit up! He dusts the back of his robe.] What a kind child you are.

I think I won't put you through sword exercises this afternoon once you're done with the dishes, but fear not. Your hands will be suitably tired.

[foundfate]

You know I'm 17, right?

[He's totally grown up, not a child at all!!1

But he's going to get up off the ground now, and after a heavy sigh he'll offer his hand out to help Merlin stand up fully.]

[myrdd]

You know it's impolite to compare your age to youthful old men, right?

[He could've gone for "ageless" at this point, but.

Anyway, he was about to stand up when that hand's held out to him. Merlin blinks, still not used to this with how often he keeps his distance, but not accepting would only highlight how unusual this all is, no? So he takes Watanuki's hand and compromises by putting most of his weight on his staff.]

Thanks. I'll make sure to rely on you if we ever find an actual road to cross.

[foundfate]

I figured the rules were different when the 'youthful old man' never aged.

[Smart idea Merlin, Watanuki is still a noodle and may have struggled to help someone up.]

I don't think there's any roads around here, but who knows what the future will bring, right?

[myrdd]

[That's not wrong, but no answers other than a grin will be given.]

Who knows, indeed? [Now doesn't this bring to mind certain preparations being made in an isolated continent on the texture of the world?] ...perhaps you'll have the opportunity to do so in less than half a decade.

Done with the dishes already?

[foundfate]

[Merlin, turning the Garden of Avalon into a bustling city.

Also, something about that last answer startles him.]

I am, but- half a decade? Really?

[He thought this would be like high school and only take 3 years.]

[myrdd]

"Less than." And that's only an estimate.

[Whenever that king's dreams turn into reality. Whenever that facility's preparations become useful. What use is learning all this unless his pupil gets the chance to grow and work out for himself how his talents can be used? And afterwards, Merlin will personally wipe Watanuki from their databases, for his student is one individual the Association should remain ignorant of.]

Mind, a little walk outside doesn't mean I'll be done with you yet. So do your best, o pupil mine, and mayhap I won't need to take up that much of your time.

[But seriously - this sort of thing usually takes at least a decade! And apprentices typically started at a younger age.

Surprise ♡]

[foundfate]

[Merlin showing his affection for Watanuki by keeping him off of the Association's radar. So nice, Merlin.

But Watanuki is starting to realize just how long he's going to be here, and he blanches a bit. He had no idea what would happen after, honestly. Now he's starting to ask questions.]

But- won't everyone notice I've been gone for years and years?

[myrdd]

[That's not affection, but an anti-meddling measure.]

Let me put it this way: the Space-Time Witch's Shop is between worlds, and Avalon exists on a layer of reality separated from the one you came from. The time difference may not be strictly equivalent - indeed, when you step out of the Shop, the world you were in might not have moved on in any significant manner.

[The more important question, really, is how Watanuki will reconcile the person he'll become to the one he was. Returning to the place of one's origin isn't always coming home.]