[ the temple area isn't very large, so he finds riza fairly quickly. her first clue is likely black hayate himself -- who immediately turns and barks once he catches roy's scent, and immediately runs over to circle around his legs, jumping up to earn some ear scratches from an exasperated roy. ]
Down, down...
[ but he doesn't actually do anything to stop the dog from jumping on him, instead looking up at riza. ]
[ yes, well, black hayate does make it much easier for her - bringing her attention immediately to roy as he steps close enough to be within dog barking range. it also earns her a slight frown from her, watching black hayate jump up on roy's legs and still manage to get pet.
she closes her eyes for a moment, lets the thought pass, and then she follows behind - stepping in closer to roy and giving black hayate enough of a look that he stops jumping, whining once before dropping his head and moving back over to sit near riza's feet - obviously aware that he did something he shouldn't have. ]
I'm starting to notice some of the more familiar animals. Some will get close to the edge of the forest, and I'm sure there are more further in. [ she hasn't....decided to go that far yet. ] There seem to be quite a few of those little white bats.
It's an infestation. The damn things are everywhere.
[ in sight exasperation, rubbing his nose slightly as he looks at black hayate, in some amount of sympathy. roy has received that look many a time; it never feels good. but he's quiet for a moment or two, stooping down to pet at black hayate regardless, rubbing his ears before speaking again. ]
I'm ready to talk, if you are.
[ about the coven, and what happened previously. to clear his head and to keep his attention focused on what lies ahead. he can't do that if he's constantly thinking about the past. ]
[ there's a partial smile at that - a they're kind of cute, i'd be okay with an infestation like that - but then roy is stooping down to pet black hayete anyway, and she lets out a breath, noticing the fond feeling that warms her chest.
a feeling that is immediately frozen in place at the sound of that. of roy, forcefully calm, i'm ready to talk. she hasn't realized just how much of it she hasn't talked about until he phrases it like that.
riza takes a breath and nods, her eyes turning back to the treeline. to the path around the temple. ]
[ as she offers, roy straightens to stand with a slight nod. ]
Where were you walking? The general perimeter?
[ old habits die hard, and roy knows riza better than anyone else in the world. but he slides his hands into the pockets of his coat and follows after riza, taking her lead on wherever she wants to go. ]
I haven't found anything else of large interest around there, which is a good thing. Probably.
[ old habits die hard, as does the uneasy feeling of being watched. of being in a place that is so wholly and entirely different that it takes an extra effort just to feel safe enough to sleep.
roy slides his hands into his pockets and falls into step with her, and for a moment, it does feel right. ]
It’s closer to probably than you think, sir. I’ve heard rumors of there being larger things further in; intelligent things. Though I’m not sure of their threat quite yet.
[ whatever that's supposed to be. roy has been keeping a careful eye on the network, letting the more naive ask questions. they're more likely to get a response out of their captor, or so it would seem. ]
This place seems rooted in reality, though. I haven't seen anything that shouldn't be, and I've managed to fall asleep. It seems we're truly out of Shehui and outside of Qri's grasp.
I'm also not entirely sure how I feel about not knowing where the forest ends.
[ answers from their captor are one thing, and riza is used to making due with scenarios that aren't always in her favor, or well understood, but if this is where they're supposed to be staying between worlds...
she lets out a sigh. ]
I'd be curious to know what Astoria's opinions were on Qri. Jumping from one galaxy-jumping witch to another seems...too coincidental.
[ there's a soft noise of agreement, from roy, at riza's first statement. it's disconcerting, but there's not much they can do about it at the moment. roy isn't willing to explore the forest without access to alchemy. nothing puts a forest into submission faster than fire. ]
She's claiming ignorance, and I believe her. [ there's no reason to lie, anyway. ] Some people from the previous Coven asked point-blank if they were working together, and she said she had no idea who Qri was. She seemed surprised that people expected her not to talk to them. And she definitely seems to enjoy the conversation.
[ almost too much, if roy were honest. but, what does he know. he's not exactly a bubbly personality. ]
[ well thank goodness roy is willing to read through all of those conversations, because riza was Not. ]
Do you think we're free of Qri, then? Completely?
[ even if it's not much better with regards to the situation, if she can be out of the influence of the last witch - after what happened to them, there - she can at least feel better moving forward. ]
[ roy is Nosy and wants to know all the things. it's a hazard of the job. ]
I haven't hallucinated.
[ which is about as comfortable as he'll get to saying "yes." he's not sure, and he hates not being sure, but this feels different, and roy will go with his gut instinct that this is different. for the time being. ]
[ there's a silence, at her statement, before he frowns to himself, putting together what he wants to say before he says it. it's not difficult to talk about, really, because he's sorted through what's bothered him, and what's eaten away at him, for some time, since they've arrived here. and now that he's figured it out, it's really just a matter of saying it. ]
I'm tired of monstrosities using the people I care about in order to get me to do something for them. Whatever it is.
[ finally. ]
Hughes was real, which meant Qri took him from that moment. She could have taken him from any point in time, but she purposefully took him from that moment. For what? To prove a point, or earn my loyalty, or force me to save him just to bring me here? I'm not a pawn.
[ and that's, honestly, what infuriates him the most. ]
[ through the silence, riza is patient. she wouldn't have brought this up if he hadn't, first. if he hadn't made it clear that whether or not he was uncomfortable, that this was important. and he's right, it is, and riza already - herself - has a list of things she can imagine bringing up.
when roy speaks, riza lets out a breath of air she hadn't realized she'd been holding in, her eyes turning to black hayate as he sniffs at a nearby bush, unaware of the conversation entirely. ]
Do you think Qri did it to win your favor? Or to force you to join the cause?
[ it's a little tense, talking around the subject. riza had been there, had seen hughes and - perhaps more importantly - seen roy's reaction to seeing hughes. they had been given the chance to save him, and in coming here, it had been once again ripped away from them. ]
[ which is another infuriating aspect of the predicament they had found themselves in; there's no rhyme or reason, no pattern, no clues. roy is used to operating underneath someone who holds more cards than he does, but roy holds none of them, and there doesn't seem to be a way to do that. and roy loathes feel powerless. ]
I know that the dead can't come back to life, and I know that attempting to do it pays a heavy toll. [ roy could be half in his grave, old and tired, and never forget what he found in the elrics' home on the day he found edward and alphonse in resembool. ] So what toll does something like that pay? What laws or expectations are forced upon them? And, more importantly, what happened to Maes?
[ was it a trick, or was it real. he's not sure, but he does know that: ]
It's bullshit, and she deserves to rot in hell for doing that to him. And to us.
[ with no small amount of frustration. ]
But I don't like feeling angry, and being angry won't change anything about what happened, or change the fact that Maes is dead.
[ if she's being honest, they've gone from operating under the assumption that the other side always held more cards, to wondering if cards are even involved at all. she has no concept of what astoria wants, what qri wanted, but for as much as she doesn't like feeling hung out to dry, she knows roy hates it more.
but he's making a good point - she'd been there with them when they'd gone to get the boys, and while she hadn't seen the same things he had, she had seen what it had done to him. ]
With how far we are from home, would there even be laws forced on them? Or would all of that shift around too? [ a beat, where she's just looking at him, waiting to see if he had any answers, if there were any answers to be had.
considering how riza doesn't have an answer for that one question, the one on both of their minds - what happened to maes keeps her silent for just a few moments longer. through the comment about hell, through roy's frustration, until she simply nods.
they continue walking in silence for another few moments before she speaks again. ]
[ there's a shrug, at her first question -- the rule of law, and of alchemy, is something that's been a comfort to him, even if he's constantly pushing the boundaries on the first. certain things must be true. hydrogen and oxygen compromise water; fire requires fuel and oxygen to burn; manipulating the airflow can cause certain things to explode. science is comforting, and here, science means nothing.
but at her second question, about maes, he pauses in his walk, to stop completely, because it's something he's been focused on. weighed heavily, repeated in his mind since shehui. ]
It's prolonging the inevitable. It would be cruel. He would be trapped here knowing he was going to be sent back to his death, once that woman is done with him.
[ finally. but, almost a little reluctantly: ]
But he deserves a chance to live, even if it's only for another few days. He deserves to know what happened. But I don't know if that's something he actually would want, or if that's something I need to hear.
[ roy stops, and riza finds herself taking two more steps before she comes to a stop herself, turning around to face him even if his eyes are elsewhere. in the back of her mind, she thinks about shehui, about how he looked standing across from her, standing in front of the tent, how do you grieve for someone who isn't dead.
so much of her chest is wrapped around that moment, the shaky way roy had looked at her. she wants to fix this, but she knows she can't. that it isn't something she can swoop in and take off his plate. he's not in that same place, now, but she worries. she always finds herself worrying.
but for now, she exhales softly, her eyes wandering just for a moment to see where black hayate has run off to a bit of grass, sniffing at what is probably more of those small white bats, before she turns back to him. ]
You need to be honest with him, General. You're correct, he does deserve to know. He would want to know.
He's not stupid, and I'm a horrible liar to the people who can tell when I'm lying.
[ it's not dismissive, but firm, and an acceptance of the unspoken warning (if you won't tell him, i will). lying to maes about his death is a different matter than lying to the elrics; maes will know, and maes will immediately call him on it, and then likely be furious with him. there's no getting out of that. ]
I already know what he's going to say. That it's not my fault, that I need to keep moving forward, that I made a promise to change the future so the past wouldn't repeat itself. I'm not so sure I want to hear it.
[ and roy pauses before huffing to himself, irritated. ]
-- what he would say, if he was here, and if the stars align and he arrived.
[ betraying his secret hope, that it happens. childish. ]
[ she appreciates the truth to his words, knowing that she'd step in, knowing that she wouldn't let him try and take the easy way out. she knows how difficult it will be, knows how much that puts on him in the process.
the catch is something she misses, when he first starts talking. the going instead of would. she finds herself wanting it for him, and with his catching of his own wording, feels herself get almost disappointed. ]
Yes, if he does arrive, I imagine he'd say just that.
[ riza feels...almost awkward, in the following moments. unsure of what to tell him, of what to say to fill the space. black hayate comes bounding back out of the grass, directly up to roy with an easy excitement, and riza is momentarily glad for the distraction. ]
[ indeed, the distraction is welcome, and he offers half a laugh. ]
Ah, leave him be.
[ as he pets black hayate, dutifully, but the dog (loyal to riza but excited for attention) abruptly sits at attention . . . but still allows roy to give him all the pets he demands. ]
He's a dog, let him be a dog.
[ this is why roy wasn't allowed to keep the dog. ]
[ but her admonishment is more fond than anything, knowing that in the face of roy's attention, black hayate would only listen to her if absolutely necessary.
it's why she exhales, shaking her head slightly. ]
Either way, I'm- [ she catches herself before the words slip out - i'm glad you're alright - and quickly checks herself. ] I'm glad at least this place seems peaceful enough. A short reprieve before we're thrown into another world.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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I'll meet you there.
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[ and she will be there! watching as black hayate chases a butterfly around in a nearby patch of grass. you know- casually. ]
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Down, down...
[ but he doesn't actually do anything to stop the dog from jumping on him, instead looking up at riza. ]
Find anything of interest on your walk?
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she closes her eyes for a moment, lets the thought pass, and then she follows behind - stepping in closer to roy and giving black hayate enough of a look that he stops jumping, whining once before dropping his head and moving back over to sit near riza's feet - obviously aware that he did something he shouldn't have. ]
I'm starting to notice some of the more familiar animals. Some will get close to the edge of the forest, and I'm sure there are more further in. [ she hasn't....decided to go that far yet. ] There seem to be quite a few of those little white bats.
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[ in sight exasperation, rubbing his nose slightly as he looks at black hayate, in some amount of sympathy. roy has received that look many a time; it never feels good. but he's quiet for a moment or two, stooping down to pet at black hayate regardless, rubbing his ears before speaking again. ]
I'm ready to talk, if you are.
[ about the coven, and what happened previously. to clear his head and to keep his attention focused on what lies ahead. he can't do that if he's constantly thinking about the past. ]
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a feeling that is immediately frozen in place at the sound of that. of roy, forcefully calm, i'm ready to talk. she hasn't realized just how much of it she hasn't talked about until he phrases it like that.
riza takes a breath and nods, her eyes turning back to the treeline. to the path around the temple. ]
Would you like to keep walking with me?
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Where were you walking? The general perimeter?
[ old habits die hard, and roy knows riza better than anyone else in the world. but he slides his hands into the pockets of his coat and follows after riza, taking her lead on wherever she wants to go. ]
I haven't found anything else of large interest around there, which is a good thing. Probably.
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[ old habits die hard, as does the uneasy feeling of being watched. of being in a place that is so wholly and entirely different that it takes an extra effort just to feel safe enough to sleep.
roy slides his hands into his pockets and falls into step with her, and for a moment, it does feel right. ]
It’s closer to probably than you think, sir. I’ve heard rumors of there being larger things further in; intelligent things. Though I’m not sure of their threat quite yet.
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[ whatever that's supposed to be. roy has been keeping a careful eye on the network, letting the more naive ask questions. they're more likely to get a response out of their captor, or so it would seem. ]
This place seems rooted in reality, though. I haven't seen anything that shouldn't be, and I've managed to fall asleep. It seems we're truly out of Shehui and outside of Qri's grasp.
( offline )
[ answers from their captor are one thing, and riza is used to making due with scenarios that aren't always in her favor, or well understood, but if this is where they're supposed to be staying between worlds...
she lets out a sigh. ]
I'd be curious to know what Astoria's opinions were on Qri. Jumping from one galaxy-jumping witch to another seems...too coincidental.
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She's claiming ignorance, and I believe her. [ there's no reason to lie, anyway. ] Some people from the previous Coven asked point-blank if they were working together, and she said she had no idea who Qri was. She seemed surprised that people expected her not to talk to them. And she definitely seems to enjoy the conversation.
[ almost too much, if roy were honest. but, what does he know. he's not exactly a bubbly personality. ]
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Do you think we're free of Qri, then? Completely?
[ even if it's not much better with regards to the situation, if she can be out of the influence of the last witch - after what happened to them, there - she can at least feel better moving forward. ]
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I haven't hallucinated.
[ which is about as comfortable as he'll get to saying "yes." he's not sure, and he hates not being sure, but this feels different, and roy will go with his gut instinct that this is different. for the time being. ]
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Sir, you said you were ready to talk. [ a pause, and then she looks over at him. ]
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I'm tired of monstrosities using the people I care about in order to get me to do something for them. Whatever it is.
[ finally. ]
Hughes was real, which meant Qri took him from that moment. She could have taken him from any point in time, but she purposefully took him from that moment. For what? To prove a point, or earn my loyalty, or force me to save him just to bring me here? I'm not a pawn.
[ and that's, honestly, what infuriates him the most. ]
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when roy speaks, riza lets out a breath of air she hadn't realized she'd been holding in, her eyes turning to black hayate as he sniffs at a nearby bush, unaware of the conversation entirely. ]
Do you think Qri did it to win your favor? Or to force you to join the cause?
[ it's a little tense, talking around the subject. riza had been there, had seen hughes and - perhaps more importantly - seen roy's reaction to seeing hughes. they had been given the chance to save him, and in coming here, it had been once again ripped away from them. ]
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[ which is another infuriating aspect of the predicament they had found themselves in; there's no rhyme or reason, no pattern, no clues. roy is used to operating underneath someone who holds more cards than he does, but roy holds none of them, and there doesn't seem to be a way to do that. and roy loathes feel powerless. ]
I know that the dead can't come back to life, and I know that attempting to do it pays a heavy toll. [ roy could be half in his grave, old and tired, and never forget what he found in the elrics' home on the day he found edward and alphonse in resembool. ] So what toll does something like that pay? What laws or expectations are forced upon them? And, more importantly, what happened to Maes?
[ was it a trick, or was it real. he's not sure, but he does know that: ]
It's bullshit, and she deserves to rot in hell for doing that to him. And to us.
[ with no small amount of frustration. ]
But I don't like feeling angry, and being angry won't change anything about what happened, or change the fact that Maes is dead.
( offline ) tags back a million years later???
but he's making a good point - she'd been there with them when they'd gone to get the boys, and while she hadn't seen the same things he had, she had seen what it had done to him. ]
With how far we are from home, would there even be laws forced on them? Or would all of that shift around too? [ a beat, where she's just looking at him, waiting to see if he had any answers, if there were any answers to be had.
considering how riza doesn't have an answer for that one question, the one on both of their minds - what happened to maes keeps her silent for just a few moments longer. through the comment about hell, through roy's frustration, until she simply nods.
they continue walking in silence for another few moments before she speaks again. ]
And if Astoria brings him here?
( offline )
but at her second question, about maes, he pauses in his walk, to stop completely, because it's something he's been focused on. weighed heavily, repeated in his mind since shehui. ]
It's prolonging the inevitable. It would be cruel. He would be trapped here knowing he was going to be sent back to his death, once that woman is done with him.
[ finally. but, almost a little reluctantly: ]
But he deserves a chance to live, even if it's only for another few days. He deserves to know what happened. But I don't know if that's something he actually would want, or if that's something I need to hear.
( offline )
so much of her chest is wrapped around that moment, the shaky way roy had looked at her. she wants to fix this, but she knows she can't. that it isn't something she can swoop in and take off his plate. he's not in that same place, now, but she worries. she always finds herself worrying.
but for now, she exhales softly, her eyes wandering just for a moment to see where black hayate has run off to a bit of grass, sniffing at what is probably more of those small white bats, before she turns back to him. ]
You need to be honest with him, General. You're correct, he does deserve to know. He would want to know.
( offline )
[ it's not dismissive, but firm, and an acceptance of the unspoken warning (if you won't tell him, i will). lying to maes about his death is a different matter than lying to the elrics; maes will know, and maes will immediately call him on it, and then likely be furious with him. there's no getting out of that. ]
I already know what he's going to say. That it's not my fault, that I need to keep moving forward, that I made a promise to change the future so the past wouldn't repeat itself. I'm not so sure I want to hear it.
[ and roy pauses before huffing to himself, irritated. ]
-- what he would say, if he was here, and if the stars align and he arrived.
[ betraying his secret hope, that it happens. childish. ]
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the catch is something she misses, when he first starts talking. the going instead of would. she finds herself wanting it for him, and with his catching of his own wording, feels herself get almost disappointed. ]
Yes, if he does arrive, I imagine he'd say just that.
[ riza feels...almost awkward, in the following moments. unsure of what to tell him, of what to say to fill the space. black hayate comes bounding back out of the grass, directly up to roy with an easy excitement, and riza is momentarily glad for the distraction. ]
Down.
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Ah, leave him be.
[ as he pets black hayate, dutifully, but the dog (loyal to riza but excited for attention) abruptly sits at attention . . . but still allows roy to give him all the pets he demands. ]
He's a dog, let him be a dog.
[ this is why roy wasn't allowed to keep the dog. ]
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[ but her admonishment is more fond than anything, knowing that in the face of roy's attention, black hayate would only listen to her if absolutely necessary.
it's why she exhales, shaking her head slightly. ]
Either way, I'm- [ she catches herself before the words slip out - i'm glad you're alright - and quickly checks herself. ] I'm glad at least this place seems peaceful enough. A short reprieve before we're thrown into another world.