The hour is late, and snow falls, gently, over the Imperial capital.
They do not make balconies here, so instead you sit in a windowsill and watch it fall. Even triple-paned, the glass does not keep out the chill.
And here you sit, and here you wait. He will not make you spend all of eternity, but just long enough to prove that making you wait agitates him more than it does you.
Three days it has been since you gave unto Emet-Selch the crystals containing your memories of Elpis, recounted nearly in full. The hour is midnight.
You know he is there before he arrives. It's quite funny, really, how much more easily he can make that elderly body move when no one who needs to be taken in by the act is looking.
"I still do not believe your tale," he says, and you cannot bite down upon the smile that comes to your features.
"After all this time?" you say. "You wound me."
He folds his arms, and for a moment you see him, that ages-younger man. "I do not believe it," he says, frowning, "but nor can I see any other explanation. Loath as I am to speak to Hydaelyn... There is none other who retains reliable memories of those days."
You say, "If you intend to go by means of Sharlayan, you'd best wear something else."
There's a pause, and then, incredulously, "Really? That is all you have to say on the matter?"
"I have a lot to say on a lot of matters, but you're going to do what you want anyway," you say. "The Altiascope is functional, it's possible to physically traverse without discarding one's flesh, and I can get it opened expediently by twisting the Forum's arms behind their backs. But it's a physically demanding enough journey that 'Solus' wouldn't be able to take it, never mind the political implications."
He stares at you, then folds his arms. "So you've already spoken to her, then."
"I would be stupid not to," you say. "But that was in a vision of the starshower, and you're not going to be having one of those any time soon."
A slightly softened frown. "I have my own ways," he says finally. "And besides, I would have a separate accounting from each of you before I make my decision. If there are inconsistencies to be had in your stories, I will find them."
"Of course," you say. "I expected no less." You look out to the snow falling.
"You could at least pretend to be less blase about this," he says. "Your claim of destroying Zodiark - for that alone, I ought to destroy you with my own hands, here and now."
"You won't," you say. "You won't take the risk that my tale could be true. Because if it were, then you, Emet-Selch of the Convocation, would be demanded by duty to first ensure that the Final Days never occur again upon this or any other star."
A hmph his only response to that idea. You know him. You knew him before you were born, and you knew him after his death.
"No last favors to ask?" he drawls. "No demands for a show of good will? You truly intend to simply leave?"
"I have every confidence that you'll come around eventually," you say. "Though - if you were to name Titus your heir formally, that would soothe my nerves on some of the lesser matters."
"Varis must truly have made a poor impression on you," Emet-Selch replies.
You look back at him then, meet his eyes, gold to gold. "Varis is an idiot and a well-manipulated tool," you say. "But Zenos? Zenos terrifies me. And putting every barrier possible between him and power is yet another form of fighting the end."
Another hmph. "...I will consider it," he says.
"Thanks," you say, just as casually. You hop down from the windowsill and step towards the door, your path bringing you close to his figure. Solus is less a mountain than his kindred, so you can pass quite close to him indeed -
Close enough to put your hand over his where it supports him on the cane he always carries, and lean in close to say, "I did miss you, for what it's worth. I hope that some day we can cease to dance around each other, on two separate paths of time."
And after you let that moment hang suspended for half a breath, you say, "Sleep well, Your Radiance," and dart off to the door, pulling the shadows up around you as you go. It won't truly hide you from his sight, of course, but sometimes it's all about the act and the parts you play.
From her eternal position over your shoulder, Zero does not express herself so casually as to sigh, but she says, You cannot help yourself, can you?
no subject
They do not make balconies here, so instead you sit in a windowsill and watch it fall. Even triple-paned, the glass does not keep out the chill.
And here you sit, and here you wait. He will not make you spend all of eternity, but just long enough to prove that making you wait agitates him more than it does you.
Three days it has been since you gave unto Emet-Selch the crystals containing your memories of Elpis, recounted nearly in full. The hour is midnight.
You know he is there before he arrives. It's quite funny, really, how much more easily he can make that elderly body move when no one who needs to be taken in by the act is looking.
"I still do not believe your tale," he says, and you cannot bite down upon the smile that comes to your features.
"After all this time?" you say. "You wound me."
He folds his arms, and for a moment you see him, that ages-younger man. "I do not believe it," he says, frowning, "but nor can I see any other explanation. Loath as I am to speak to Hydaelyn... There is none other who retains reliable memories of those days."
You say, "If you intend to go by means of Sharlayan, you'd best wear something else."
There's a pause, and then, incredulously, "Really? That is all you have to say on the matter?"
"I have a lot to say on a lot of matters, but you're going to do what you want anyway," you say. "The Altiascope is functional, it's possible to physically traverse without discarding one's flesh, and I can get it opened expediently by twisting the Forum's arms behind their backs. But it's a physically demanding enough journey that 'Solus' wouldn't be able to take it, never mind the political implications."
He stares at you, then folds his arms. "So you've already spoken to her, then."
"I would be stupid not to," you say. "But that was in a vision of the starshower, and you're not going to be having one of those any time soon."
A slightly softened frown. "I have my own ways," he says finally. "And besides, I would have a separate accounting from each of you before I make my decision. If there are inconsistencies to be had in your stories, I will find them."
"Of course," you say. "I expected no less." You look out to the snow falling.
"You could at least pretend to be less blase about this," he says. "Your claim of destroying Zodiark - for that alone, I ought to destroy you with my own hands, here and now."
"You won't," you say. "You won't take the risk that my tale could be true. Because if it were, then you, Emet-Selch of the Convocation, would be demanded by duty to first ensure that the Final Days never occur again upon this or any other star."
A hmph his only response to that idea. You know him. You knew him before you were born, and you knew him after his death.
"No last favors to ask?" he drawls. "No demands for a show of good will? You truly intend to simply leave?"
"I have every confidence that you'll come around eventually," you say. "Though - if you were to name Titus your heir formally, that would soothe my nerves on some of the lesser matters."
"Varis must truly have made a poor impression on you," Emet-Selch replies.
You look back at him then, meet his eyes, gold to gold. "Varis is an idiot and a well-manipulated tool," you say. "But Zenos? Zenos terrifies me. And putting every barrier possible between him and power is yet another form of fighting the end."
Another hmph. "...I will consider it," he says.
"Thanks," you say, just as casually. You hop down from the windowsill and step towards the door, your path bringing you close to his figure. Solus is less a mountain than his kindred, so you can pass quite close to him indeed -
Close enough to put your hand over his where it supports him on the cane he always carries, and lean in close to say, "I did miss you, for what it's worth. I hope that some day we can cease to dance around each other, on two separate paths of time."
And after you let that moment hang suspended for half a breath, you say, "Sleep well, Your Radiance," and dart off to the door, pulling the shadows up around you as you go. It won't truly hide you from his sight, of course, but sometimes it's all about the act and the parts you play.
From her eternal position over your shoulder, Zero does not express herself so casually as to sigh, but she says, You cannot help yourself, can you?
In answer to her, you only laugh.