halcyon days

[crypddyd]

[So, things were going fine- they were planning to counter this strange contest Esme had dropped in their laps. Kingslayer was willing, at least little, to talk to him again. He had recently been cleaned up by Ruin so no longer looked (or smelled) quite so feral. Lion was doing okay.

Lion is no longer doing okay. And can be found pacing the Executor House like his namesake. Occasionally stopping to write frantically on a piece of paper on the dining room table but never sitting down for long.

If anyone pauses to read it he won't stop them: it's three lists of names, each under an animal-based title: Blue Lions, Black Eagels, Golden Deer. Next to the Lions list, he has an arrow- Source of my name???? and more arrows pointed to the House Leader slot of both the Lions (`me`) and the Eagles ('other House Leader, can't remember them. Why? I can remember Claude but not them...`) and at the end of the Lions list (`4 others here, but can't remember them??? One was a retainer to me I think? And the other three are in a lot of memories- we were close???`)

And above all the lists, underlined and circled: Professor Byleth Eisner

He's having a bad time]

Comments

[schardynfreude]

[OH BOY oh boy Chiron is. hesitant on approach. Lion is possessed of terrifying strength to rival Kingslayer, and watching him pace, to madly scribble, to mutter, makes him wary of another incident like the aforementioned armor on the roof.

And he knows a lot better than to come up from behind, or from the blind side. He makes his footsteps heavier, clears his throat, comes to stand a...respectable distance from the young man.]

Have you been so blessed or cursed with memory?

[crypddyd]

[Thank the Goddess he makes himself known before speaking- because while Lion isn't in full-on memory madness, he certainly looks... stressed. He still jumps slightly, blinking owl-ishly at Chiron before sighing]

That... is a complicated question.

[schardynfreude]

Mm. Seems most things here regarding memory are complicated. That some regain them and others see fit to let them lie...

Nothing too terrible, I hope?

[crypddyd]

Memories of... a period of time. Nearly a year, I think. So, some good. Some bad.

[He thinks of Remire, and snarls softly to himself before shaking it off.]

But... more good than bad. Yes, I would say more good.

[And he actually smiles- and for once without a hint of sadness to it.]

[schardynfreude]

[Lion is in many ways like his namesake. (well it's questionable if chiron knows what a lion is but shh) When he grows, Chiron goes very still.

But the genuine smile makes him relax, exhaling a breath he had unconsciously been holding.]

Such is life, I think, suffice it to say. I'm glad for you, truly. You deserve all the good memories you can get. A balm for the spirit.

[crypddyd]

[After Ruin he is a bit more aware of peoples' body language around him, and while Chiron's visible relaxing hurts his heart a bit, he decides to ignore it.]

Thank you, and you're right. We all need what little blessings we get here

It's strange though, I am still not... this... in the memory. So I clearly am still missing a lot. It was disorienting, remembering having both eyes for such a long period of time.

[schardynfreude]

[He chuckles.] Imagine how Phoenix must feel about his memories.

There is hope yet, then, that perhaps you lived a fulfilling life. Long, perhaps. I think we can understand now not to put stock in guessing ages by current appearances, after all.

[crypddyd]

Do you suspect our appearances may not match our ages?

... I will admit I hope you're right. Not for my sake but...

[They have a LOT OF CHILDREN HERE]

[schardynfreude]

...Let's say it's certainly a sincere wish of mine. I have suspicions, and then there are those who don't seem to have anything concrete to go off of. [sup actual ancient suit of armor kingslayer]

Not to say children do not die. It's an unfortunate truth. But, certainly we can hope that some of ours have grown to be beautiful adults and simply do not remember a form of their lives in which that was so.

[emberserker]

Good to see somebody's planning around here. ...what is that, exactly?

[crypddyd]

[He looks a little embarrassed]

Oh... it's actually a memory I just recovered.

[emberserker]

Oh -- hmph. Well, it must be important enough to distract you. Who were these people?

[crypddyd]

My classmates.

[emberserker]

I see. You must have been good friends, but something's concerning you beyond that, isn't it?

[crypddyd]

Yes. there are memories missing of that time still. or more specifically, people.

[emberserker]

Just don't let it distract you. We've got someone to take down who nearly wiped us all out because we decided to be nice a moment. You know that.

[crypddyd]

I do... that is why I'm sorting this now. It would be a disaster if I pushed it back and had a bout of memory induced madness like-

[Kingslayer]

-others have at the worst possible time.

[phantasmagorial]

[ ... Oh, this looks familiar. It's not quite the same intensity as last time, but something about the restrained mania of all this pacing and scribbling hits in a familiar way and she thinks she knows what this is – but hopes she's wrong.

She hovers in the doorway for a moment, unsure if she should approach or not, before eventually speaking up, her voice a little timid. ]

Um... Lion? Is something wrong?

[crypddyd]

L-lady Rei?

[He pauses in his pacing, and when he notices her discomfort his face falls in distress that is completely different from his manic energy before]

Oh... please. I am not... not dangerous.

[phantasmagorial]

[ Oh no. They might call him Lion, but when his face falls like that, he looks more like a kicked puppy. ]

Oh, n–no, no, I just– I didn't want to startle you, when you're so busy...

[ But with his reassurance, she does draw a little closer. ]

Is everything okay?

[crypddyd]

Everything is... acceptable? Upsetting but not- not like before.

[He's frowning but it looks more like he's thinking very hard, not fighting ghosts in a mad panic like before. He groans and rubs the bridge of his nose]

It's... given me a headache...

[phantasmagorial]

[ And Rei's face falls in turn. ]

More memories...

[ She feels a twist of guilt in her stomach as she regards him. With every memory he and the other Executors regain, it seems to bring about some sort of upset. Maybe that's natural, to mourn what's been lost, but...

It makes her wonder sometimes, if it would've been kinder to let them go back to being Specters. ]

Um– is there anything I can do to help...?

[crypddyd]

...talk to me? Perhaps a break would do me some good.

[phantasmagorial]

Right. Maybe we could go for a walk, as well? I'm sure it'd help to step away from all your notes for a while. It always helps me.

[crypddyd]

Oh... yes, that sounds lovely, actually.

[Rei, you are a genius]