[Open] Begin Anew

[crystalized_hope]

Who: G'raha Tia & You
Which: Open Log (possibly closed threads down below?)
Where: Various locations
What: A March catch-all and aetheryte shenanigans.
Warnings: There will be Endwalker spoilers more than likely. I will do my best to mark them accordingly. I need to update this for Endwalker stuff as well, but here is my opt-out post if people would rather not be spoiled about Shadowbringers or Endwalker. Feel free to fill it out to where you are in the game and I will say nothing past that in our thread.


AETHERYTES; (No spoilers beyond location in the video)

[Perhaps you've noticed a few crystal structures strewn about Reverein. If you hadn't, don't feel bad. There are only really three at the moment. One placed nearby the dream swings and the other one placed nearby stores. The last one is located outside of G'raha's home for the sake of experimenting. What are they? What do they do? It doesn't take much to realize that it appears to be made out of crystal. Mayhap from the crystal caves? Or was it something more? Simply touching it won't do anything. It appears to be just for decoration for the time being.

Well, that is until a cat boy with red hair and eyes appeared out of nowhere in a flash. He seemed composed for a time up until he collapsed to the ground, catching his fall with his hands. His breathing seemed slightly labored as he tried to compose himself.]

No... No luck this time either. Mayhap it best to further-- [Gods forfend. He did not miss aetheric sickness. Letting out a small groan before continuing his thought.] To further attune the coordinates... Mayhap adjust the amount of dreamotion as well...

[Oh. Were you standing right there this entire time? Don't mind him thinking out loud. He finally noticed he wasn't alone there. Pushing himself off of the ground, he gave an apologetic smile to his companion.]

My apologies. I did not mean to disturb the peace.

WHERE'S YOUR GREEN?;

[Having recovered from his aerthical sickness (mostly), G'raha has been otherwise occupied recently. The leprechauns weren't exactly weird-looking to him. After all, Lalafell were normally short like this. No. It wasn't the appearance that worried him. It was seeing so many unlucky people around that put him on edge. Meanwhile, there were those who seemed to have nothing short of amazing luck. Whatever the case, he had been on his guard as of late.

It all started little. Shoelaces untied that made him lose his balance, having a bag of flour explode open while at the market, flying produce? Annoying at best, but nothing he couldn't handle. And then his home turned green. Everything was green. Standing outside of his home...]

... Seriously? Did I upset someone?

[Can he clean this mess up or is it just there for an unknown amount of time? It was hard to say with how dreamotion worked here. Glancing down to the leprechaun with the yellow cap, he didn't like the look they were giving him.]

Is this some sort of message?

THOSE HALCYON DAYS;

[Having retrieved his lost job stones, it was a relief to have access to the rest of his magic. One he had been surprised to see was his Bard stone. It had been quite a while since he last touched a bow and arrow, much less a harp. There was a part of him that wondered if he could still perform properly anymore. So somewhere out in a far enough place out of the way of heavy foot traffic, people might hear what sounds like music in the distance. Not complete to say the least, but attempts to create it nonetheless.

If they chose to investigate where it was coming from, G'raha can be found somewhere outside, sitting by a tree. By now, he's managed to pick up on his innate skill he had thought once lost. Enough to be able to do a passable rendition of a song. No vocals while he's just trying to get the hang of playing once more. Anyone is free to stop by to listen.

He might even notice he's not alone and sheepishly smile to his company.]

WILDCARD;

[OOC: Hit my up for any other prompt ideas if nothing catches your fancy. If you want anything specific with G'raha, I'm more than happy to do a closed prompt as well. Feel free to poke me on plurk (byefelicia).]

Comments

[crystalized_hope]

[Give him a moment, Zelda. He's catching his breath for a moment. He's good, really! ...For now. At least until another wave hits.]

I'm...alright. [Getting to his feet now.] I'm terribly sorry for surprising you.

[crystalized_hope]

[G'raha was the one accidentally surprising him and the others and yet Tsurumaru's reaction was loud enough to surprise him instead. Looks like they're both affected. Getting back on his feet he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.]

Ah, I'm sorry to have surprised you. Are you alright?

[cranekin]

(He looks at G'raha! Then the crystal.

He touches the crystal! Then reaches out to touch G'raha with his other hand.

And just pats them both at the same time.

Pat, pat, pat.

He might have been surprised a second ago but now? Perfectly calmly,)

I'm fine.

(He's stopped patting the crystal and G'raha now but he sure is still touching both.)

[crystalized_hope]

[Well... This is certainly a thing.]

I am relieved to hear that.

[He's still touching him??]

[songbird_slayer]

[Something passed down? The tale was more important than she realized, then. Perhaps based on true events? Surely she should commit it to memory... but she would need to hear it a few more times first. She gave his hand a little squeeze.]

Mm. I would love that. A song is a wonderful means of expressing one's self... but, would you enjoy it? It's a very big step out of a lot of people's comfort zones...

[Dreams were dreams, but he shouldn't push himself into something for her sake. What she'd heard would last her a lifetime.]

[crystalized_hope]

I don't mind. It's really just not something I am use to anymore. After 300 years, I didn't think I'd even see this stone again.

I had considered picking up archery once more, but it didn't seem as useful.

[tantailizing]

[... Note to future self, take G'raha drinking when he's not busy. Or get Madhuri to do it.]

[And seeing G'raha's face light up just at the mention of 'boyfriend', Zidane almost smirks. Ooooh boy...]

Hehe, nice to meet you too! And again, don't worry about it. I'd give it a seven. You appeared outta nowhere surprised me! If you didn't almost get sick, I'd give you a nine.

[crystalized_hope]

[He might occasionally drink socially, but he's in no hurry. There's always the chance, especially if Madhuri had some part of it.]

Talk about a flashy entrance. [There was an attempt at a joke.] Well, sick or not, this is progress. With a few more adjustments and tests, hopefully traveling around will be easier. Until then, I'll just need to work on til it's perfectly functioning.

[songbird_slayer]

Oh, but archery! A beautiful sport, and a silent way to hunt. Saves you a lot of magic, too, Mr. 'Mass Levitation Spell'.

[Oh, but he'd paid his pound of flesh for that. Bedridden for some time, according to the chart that was notched to his bedroll. Who do you think was on the chirurgeon team overseeing those injured from the strike on the Tower of Zot?]

...But floating must have its perks too, I admit.

[crystalized_hope]

[Oof... That hurts. Why do you have to bring that up? It's true though.]

It...has a few...

[Ears twitching and tail flailing behind him. Did she also hear the reason why he started to learn it in the first place? Gods...]

But would archery have spared so many lives?

[The one time he acknowledges that he had be helpful, considering how many times he insisted he wasn't anything special.]

[tantailizing]

[He looks forward to that day.]

Yeah, you got it! [There's another brief laugh, his tail waving up and down. And then he tilts his head.] Er, you're not testing this all on your own, right?

[crystalized_hope]

I am. I would rather test it myself before I allow others to try it. I wouldn't want others to have to deal with aetherial sickness like this if it could be avoided.

[Though that -- too - - may need be given a new word when it was using dreamotion instead.]

I could not, in good conscious, allow others to get sick or injured somehow while these are still in the testing phases.

[songbird_slayer]

[Oh, you silly thing... she brought a hand to that tail and stroked it. There there.]

Not to that degree, no. But I mean that there's uses for archery, and it never hurts to have a backup if your main strategy isn't working.

[She paused, swore, and hid her face against his shoulder.]

Ah, sorry. You've run an entire city with no doubt advanced defenses and measures against an ever-shifting manner of foes. Changes in perspective and 'strategy' have been the name of the game for my dreams of late, so I suppose it bled into... being inadvertently condescending.

[tantailizing]

You sure? But, shouldn't you? Just to see if other people can go through it at all?

[Nice of him wanting to avoid people going through testing, but sounds like they outta be in on it already to him. Unless everyone else is used to this and a select group wasn't?]

[cranekin]

(Don't question it.

Eventually, he does take his hands back so he can clap.)

How exciting! I was really surprised.

(And now he's just... circling around him? He's looking up and down. Tsurumaru is weird sometimes, it's fine.)

What happened? Were you summoned? Or sent away? (It reminds him of very much of how other touken danshi appear when the saniwa summons them or how the saniwa sends them through the timeline for them to manifest in a new place.) Ah, but look at you.

(And he's reaching out again to pat him on the cheek!!)

Are you well? (Is he sick? He looks like he could use some water or something.) Come, come, sit down.

[sangopearls]

Ah – we have something similar, back where I'm from, though the purpose of these relics back at home is still unknown. The resemblance is why it caught my eye as quickly as it did.

[ It's fascinating; he would have thought G'raha was also from Teyvat had the crystals been shaped a little differently. The pause, though, makes Gorou wonder if that should be cause for concern. Ultimately, he doesn't know what to make of it, and Gorou brushes it off once G'raha introduces himself. ]

And you're right, I arrived not too long ago. My name is Gorou. It's a pleasure to meet you, G'raha Tia. How long have you been working on this? The craftsmanship is impressive.

[crystalized_hope]

[Shaking his head as he gave her hand a light squeeze and an apologetic smile. This was simply a discussion, nothing more. He didn't mean to make her feel like she'd said something wrong.]

You have not come off as condescending. You make an excellent point. I just wanted expecting you to mention the levitation spell.

[He didn't even realize she was there helping those during the assault, but how could he when he was unconscious for a while? And then he had an idea. Mayhap it would lighten the mood?]

Actually... There is something I wanted to show you. I recently discovered it and thought you might enjoy it.

[crystalized_hope]

I don't think that will be a problem. It may take others some. Time to adapt to them once they become safe to use, but I have no worries that other people will not be able to use them besides myself.

[Though he does intend to have that tested later.]

I would also like to limit the dreamotion that will be needed to use them to a minimal amount for productivity sake and ease of use.

[songbird_slayer]

You did a lot of good, Raha. The matanga were forever grateful not just for the rescue, but the softened fall. It wouldn't have helped any of them if they'd broken their poor necks falling upon their salvation.

[The Tower was a massive operation. Even if she were a regular old so-and-so, there was no doubt a wider call would have been made for experts in healing to handle so my patients at once- Radz-at-Han could only handle so many.

She lifted her head.]

Hm? What'd you find?

[crystalized_hope]

[There was something about Tsuru that made him chuckle lightly. Maybe because he used to be eccentric himself before he'd sealed the Crystal Tower and slumbered within it for a few hundred years; Although, he was certain that Cid and Rammbroes would think his own personality was tame compared to Tsuru. Tons of years and responsibilities dulled that side of him down.]

Ah, I've been working on creating a transportation system here in Reverein much like the network we have back home, but it comes with its own hurdles.

[Flinching slightly at the feel of Tsuru's hand on his cheek, another thing he hadn't expected but paid no mind past the initial touch.]

Ah, well... Something like this comes with some setbacks. Back home it was aetheric sickness, but I'll be fine once I get something to settle my stomach. Nothing to worry about.

[Now if he specifically needed something like Hannish cures, he'd have to find out.]

[crystalized_hope]

[He was silent for a moment taking that in. He knew that and yet found it hard to just accept that he actually did something useful. Not that he didn't before that time either.]

I was just relieved that I could help and that everyone was safe.

[After a momentary pause, he got to his feet and offered her a hand up with a smile.]

You'll just have to find out when we get there.

[songbird_slayer]

[Ooh. A surprise. She smiled back as she took his hand and rose. So curious was she that her tail was a-wigglin', despite still working on getting the feeling back in it.]

O mysterious Exarch... you'll have to let me know when to close my eyes just in case. Goodness knows with my luck I'll tread on my own tail or something.

[crystalized_hope]

[Making sure to pack up his harp carefully and bring it along, he began to lead the way with a light squeeze of her hand.]

Well, that just wouldn't do. It would be a shame to ruin the surprise, but even more so if you trip. [Kneeling down] Hop on.

[songbird_slayer]

[A chance to be taller? How could a girl say no? But pardon her as she took a moment to 'consider' the offer by fondly stroking his ears before she climbed on. He was low enough for her to do so, and again, who was she to say no?]

I hope the added height doesn't get to my head. Who knows what ideas I'd get?

[crystalized_hope]

[Ears twitching in response, at least it didn't take him by complete surprise now. He sort of just expects it from her by now. His ears and tail were a little more sensitive and she's pet both so far today. She's on a roll.

Once she was on, he secured his hold on her as he rose to start walking.]

Considering the ideas you get already, I should be worried about what goes on in that pretty head of yours. Now, no peeking.