throwing him in paradisa~

[pocketmage]

Oookay, so a magic castle that kidnaps people and slowly chips away at their souls? That doesn't sound like much fun. Not to mention the fact that I've only been in your head for... what, maybe a week officially?

[ Sigh. ]

Don't you think it's a little early to reserve me and start writing that application? I mean, you haven't even tested me out or anything! Can you even write me correctly? I'm pretty smart, you know- and you're at Lloyd's caliber.

[ A pause. ]

You don't even remember all of your multiplication tables. So how are you going to make me look smart at all?

Well, at least I hear there's a lot of people I know there, so I won't be alone... even if that's what made you want to put me there in the first place.

Comments

[wilder]

Ahaha...[oh boy]

You know, I'm pretty sure she lives in there.

[pocketmage]

...

Lives in there?

Wait, Raine's there? At Paradisa?

[wilder]

Yeah, she's been there awhile now.

[oh my god he can see how this is going to be a horrid train crash]

[pocketmage]

[ This is a genuine happy smile. Are you ready to break his dreams? ]

Why didn't you say so earlier? This makes it a lot better! I mean, I'm not happy she's there because the castle is bad, but...-

[ You get what he means. In a selfish way, he's glad she's there- if only because he has a place to be. By her side. ]

[wilder]

[Oh goddess of course he uses his moe happy face on me right before I crush his spirits]

Yeah, I get what you mean. I just...

[he swallows]

Heard anything about losses yet?

[pocketmage]

... [ His smile falls quickly, although he still seems pretty happy. ]

Losses?

[ he asks carefully, Zelos' sudden serious tone confusing him. ]

[wilder]

Yeah. Whenever someone comes to the castle, they lose something. An item, an ability, [a beat] a memory....

It's different for everyone, but it's usually something important.

[pocketmage]

[ ... His sudden happy mood is slowly dissipating. ]

So... Raine...

[ He feels some sort of dread at the pause before 'memory'. ]

Is- is she okay? What did she lose?

[ he asks, feeling like he already knew what it might be. ]

[wilder]

She's fine. She just...

[This is hard. He did not want to be the one to break the news. Or need to break the news at all. As an older brother? He knows just about the pain this one will cause. As bothersome as his loss is, he considers himself lucky NOT to have the same loss as Martel and Raine really. ]

The thing she was lost...was her memories of you.

1/2

[pocketmage]

[ ....... Somehow, he had almost anticipated it, from the moment he thought of memories. What other memories could she have lost that would matter so much to him, anyway?

That still doesn't stop his widening eyes, still in shock from hearing it confirmed. ]

2/2

[pocketmage]

[ He looked down, away from Zelos, the dread multiplying, and he actually felt his eyes sting. ]

Oh... I- I get why... why you didn't mention... [ his throat chokes up, and he stops talking, afraid to continue lest he cry.

He doesn't want to cry in front of anyone, much less Zelos. ]

[wilder]

[Zelos meanwhile says nothing. What is there to say? That your sister still loves you? That clearly it means you're important to her? That all sounds like the sort of bull people try to tell you because it sounds nice when it doesn't change the reality of the situation. ]

[Instead he'll just gently put his hand on the kid's shoulder as a gesture of comfort. He looks in Genis's direction but not directly at him, so he doesn't feel like he's being stared at. Really? He doesn't care if the kid cries. It's a fair thing to cry over, Zelos would be concerned if he DIDN'T get teared up, if anything]

[There are some days that he really hates the castle more than others. ]

[pocketmage]

[ The redhead might notice how Genis' shoulders start trembling violently, considering he has his hand on one- he's staring at the ground, trying his best to hold in any noise at all, but the tears are impossible. So his vision gets blurry as they run down his face.

To be honest, as much as he was a smart-ass with him, Genis was really appreciating how he was offering comfort, in his own way. Yet... as much as he played tough over the course of the regeneration journey, he was still twelve. It wasn't enough. ]

I... what if-... [ he tries to speak, hiccuping a little. ] I don't want to... to lose memories... [ he takes a deep breath. ] O-Of anyone.

[ He might take a hesitant step closer to him. If this was Lloyd, he would immediately be hugging him tight, but he was still a bit distant with Zelos. ]

[wilder]

[He certainly notices the trembling. He'll get down on his knees so he's closer to Genis's level, he keeps his body language open for a hug if that's what the kid needed and uses the hand on his shoulder to rub in a comforting way. He knows Genis is still a bit distant with him, so he's trying hard not to make the kid freak]

You might not...a lot of people haven't.

And even if you do...we'll just all do what we can to remind you, okay?

[pocketmage]

[ Really, if someone told Genis that he would ever need comfort from Zelos before this, he would have probably burst into laughter. But now, here he was, crying his eyes out over this dumb stupid castle and its dumb stupid losses, slowly edging closer to him, thankful he wasn't laughing but being accommodating. ]

Please- please do. I can't imagine- does- does Raine know she has- [ and he stops again, letting out a choked sob.

Does Raine know she has a brother?

Genis would eventually find himself wrapping his arms around Zelos- the thought that she might even not know anything about him was too much. ]

[wilder]

[He wasn't laughing because while Zelos has an extremely long list of faults, he made up for at least a few of them by being a good brother when it counted...at least when he didn't get insane ideas in his head anyway. Genis wasn't Seles, yet while he wouldn't readily admit it, he still cared for the kid a great deal. It was hard not to after such a long journey with him.]

[Being as such, Genis hugging him won't even cause him discomfort or the attempt to pull away, as he would with most people if they initiated contact with him (even Lloyd or Colette would receive some degree of that reaction). Instead he simply returns the hug, wrapping his arms around the young preteen and rubbing his back in a slow manner. He's a bit out of practice, but overall it's not too different from when he would hug Seles years ago.]

She knows. Raine knows about you.

[pocketmage]

[ He lets out a choked-up sob when Zelos returns the hug, the back rubbing actually reminding him of what Raine would do to comfort him. How awfully bittersweet. He had forgotten Zelos had a little sister...

He found his lips curling up into a little smile, though. At least she knew about him.

Although they wouldn't probably have the same kind of relationship at all, at least she was aware. ]

Y-yeah? A-a lot... or?... [ Would she recognize him on sight? Would she recognize his voice? Anything? ]

[wilder]

She's met you before, since coming to the castle.

[While he wasn't there when it happened, he stalked enough of the journal, especially people from Aselia, to know that much]

So yeah, she'd at least recognize you.

[pocketmage]

Oh... that's good. [ he sighed out, his eyes still stinging, but the tears were slowing. Thankfully so. ]

It... it would be worse... if she didn't know anything. I... I don't know what I'd do. [ he admitted, letting out another little hiccup. ]

You... remember your sister, right?

[wilder]

Yeah, don't worry. I'm sure she'll still want you around. [He trusts Raine, she cares about Genis, memories or not]

[a very slight nod] Yeah, I do.

[pocketmage]

I hope so. [ he says, his voice a little small. He knew that if it was the other way around, he would do his best to take care of her in return. ]

And that's good. If she ever comes to the castle- she'll have you. [ He's almost a little jealous; why couldn't it be the other way around? But as soon as the thought hits him, he feels insanely guilty, and tries to shake it off. No, he didn't want anyone to feel like he was feeling right now. ]

[wilder]

Hey, I know it.

[and that gets a very soft snort] Yeah, but don't be so glum. You got Raine, memories or not. And you still got Lloyd, Colette, Sheena...[And him but what is admitting that] Hell, even Noishe is around. You're not gonna be alone.

[.........He'll leave the Martel atom bomb for another day]

[pocketmage]

[ Finally, Genis finds the tears are stopping, and his throat burning considerably less. Even if he feels a tiny headache coming on from his attempt to restrain his sobs, earlier. He gives a little nod, not wanting to let go just yet. Partly because his face was wet with tears and he probably looked like a little kid.

Which he was, but he didn't like to admit it while travelling with everyone.

Knowing that almost everyone was around made him smile a bit, though. ]

Y-yeah. That's true. I'll just make sure that she at least likes me, if she can't remember me.

[ He sounds a little determined to do this. ]

And... hey. [ His voice is still a bit shaky, but there's a bit of a teasing tone in there. ] You forgot about you.

[wilder]

That won't be a problem. I think at least subconsciously she misses you- she keeps trying to give me homework, dude.

[ESSAYS AND EVERYTHING. NEVERMIND I ALREADY GRADUATED]

[And he groans at that and reply in a teasing tone too] Please. I'm still not convince we shouldn't have sold you with your stuff.

[pocketmage]

[ He can't help but laugh a bit. Raine was always one to pile up on the homework... and that reply made him pull back finally, with a little grin on his face as he wiped at his tears with the backs of his hands. ]

Aw, I think you'd miss me. [ he teased back, obviously glad they were already bantering instead of being awkward. ]