Dragon Ball: Days of Future Past

[KnightDisciple]

Adiago laughs. "Wise! If I'm wise, Mato's a philosopher!" Her laughter trails off into a chuckle. "I just understand the demands of the job. And yes; you have people with you who understand. We'll support you." She leans back, and a serious look comes over her face. "And now, to come to my point: Appa."

She lifts an eyebrow, giving Bassoon an amused look. "Appa has seen you in a mood before, Bassoon. He can handle it. No, what he's having some trouble parsing is that last night -- the occasion, in particular, and the mood you were in -- was the first time you called him, 'son.'"

Click to shrink...

Bassoon smiles slightly at Adiago confirming she'll be there for him.

"Well, you get what I mean. If nothing else you have more experience. I've heard wisdom comes with advanced age, after all."

At the second topic being rased, Bassoon blinks, scrunches his face in thought, and then silently goes through realization.

"Oh. I....I suppose I did. It...I suppose that should have had a bit more pomp with it, but I was tired enough it just...slipped out?"

He starts to look concerned.

"Is...is that wrong? Should I not have said that?"

 

[PoptartProdigy]

Bassoon smiles slightly at Adiago confirming she'll be there for him.

"Well, you get what I mean. If nothing else you have more experience. I've heard wisdom comes with advanced age, after all."

Click to shrink...

Her eyes widen in mock outrage, and she drives her elbow into his ribs -- not hard enough to hurt. "Ha! Bite your tongue."

At the second topic being rased, Bassoon blinks, scrunches his face in thought, and then silently goes through realization.

"Oh. I....I suppose I did. It...I suppose that should have had a bit more pomp with it, but I was tired enough it just...slipped out?"

He starts to look concerned.

"Is...is that wrong? Should I not have said that?"

Click to shrink...

"Hmph. Should? In my opinion, young man, the time was far past due! She folds her arms. "But the timing...Appa is happy, you understand? Deliriously so. He's been wanting you to call him that for quite some time. And now, you have. But...on a day when you were mourning members of your team. On a day when you were hurting, Bassoon. Appa's been waiting for this. He wanted to spend the day together as father and son, and you couldn't give him that. So, as he tells me, he's trying to focus on the happy, even as it fights with him feeling sad and worried for you. As he did not tell me, but I know well enough to see anyway, he is trying very hard not to resent you for taking that day from him, because he knows that's not reasonable. So...he's feeling caught. Do you understand?"

 

[KnightDisciple]

Her eyes widen in mock outrage, and she drives her elbow into his ribs -- not hard enough to hurt. "Ha! Bite your tongue."

Click to shrink...

"You know it'd just grow back."
He somehow kept a straight face while saying that.

"Hmph. Should? In my opinion, young man, the time was far past due! She folds her arms. "But the timing...Appa is happy, you understand? Deliriously so. He's been wanting you to call him that for quite some time. And now, you have. But...on a day when you were mourning members of your team. On a day when you were hurting, Bassoon. Appa's been waiting for this. He wanted to spend the day together as father and son, and you couldn't give him that. So, as he tells me, he's trying to focus on the happy, even as it fights with him feeling sad and worried for you. As he did not tell me, but I know well enough to see anyway, he is trying very hard not to resent you for taking that day from him, because he knows that's not reasonable. So...he's feeling caught. Do you understand?"

Click to shrink...

By the time she's done, tears run down Bassoon's face as he grits his teeth and clenches his hands hard enough to draw blood.

"Yeah. I ****ed up one of the best and most important relationships in my life. Probably because this is all so...so different. Adiago, I'm good at acting like I understand all these nuances all the time, but, well, I'm Namekian. We don't have-"
He stops, momentarily at a loss for words, before continuing.
"-Traditional family structures that the overwhelming majority of sapient species have. We understand family, but the community-bond is just as strong. Parents, children, sibilings, the concepts blur together with 'friend' and 'neighbor'. We are Namek, and Namek is us."

He tries to control his breathing and the quivering in his voice as he continues.

"I think I've come to understand what having a son really means for most sapients. Much like Lord Piccolo and Ser Gohan. But...not always. And I built up my nerves about 'making it official', knowing how strong his connection with you still was. As you'll recall, he made a comment about you moving in with us. Even had a funny look on his face I never figured out when he said it."

Bassoon looks genuinely confused, which is probably highly amusing.

"What I'm trying to say is, my emotional and intellectual connections on this are all messed up, and after the disaster that was yesterday, and the repeated thoughts about writing to families about losing sons, daughters, spouses, parents, etc., the concept of 'FAMILY' was just...just bouncing around. And....I spoke without thinking, and hurt someone I not only care about, but am immensely responsible for."

He holds his head in his still-slightly-bloody hands.

"How do I make this right? How will he ever forgive me?"

 

[PoptartProdigy]

"You know it'd just grow back."
He somehow kept a straight face while saying that.

By the time she's done, tears run down Bassoon's face as he grits his teeth and clenches his hands hard enough to draw blood.

"Yeah. I ****ed up one of the best and most important relationships in my life. Probably because this is all so...so different. Adiago, I'm good at acting like I understand all these nuances all the time, but, well, I'm Namekian. We don't have-"
He stops, momentarily at a loss for words, before continuing.
"-Traditional family structures that the overwhelming majority of sapient species have. We understand family, but the community-bond is just as strong. Parents, children, sibilings, the concepts blur together with 'friend' and 'neighbor'. We are Namek, and Namek is us."

He tries to control his breathing and the quivering in his voice as he continues.

"I think I've come to understand what having a son really means for most sapients. Much like Lord Piccolo and Ser Gohan. But...not always. And I built up my nerves about 'making it official', knowing how strong his connection with you still was. As you'll recall, he made a comment about you moving in with us. Even had a funny look on his face I never figured out when he said it."

Bassoon looks genuinely confused, which is probably highly amusing.

"What I'm trying to say is, my emotional and intellectual connections on this are all messed up, and after the disaster that was yesterday, and the repeated thoughts about writing to families about losing sons, daughters, spouses, parents, etc., the concept of 'FAMILY' was just...just bouncing around. And....I spoke without thinking, and hurt someone I not only care about, but am immensely responsible for."

He holds his head in his still-slightly-bloody hands.

"How do I make this right? How will he ever forgive me?"

Click to shrink...

At the mention of Appa's idea about her moving in, Adiago has a sudden and violent coughing fit.

Then she pats Bassoon in the shoulder. "Bassoon, calm down. Appa is confused and upset, but you haven't ruined things. This is a bump. A serious one, yes, but only a bump. Not a wall."

She sighs. "Family is no different from other relationships, in some ways. People make mistakes, and they argue. They either make up, or don't. Appa is not truly angry with you. He is confused. What needs to happen is a conversation. Don't go to him pleading for absolution for some grand sin; that will make him uncomfortable. This is not a failed relationship. It is a trial, same as anything else. I'm not here to speak to you about how you destroyed things. I'm here because Appa is confused and wouldn't be able to express what he's feeling. What needs to happen now is for you to talk to your son." She smiles, standing. "He's over there, trying to eavesdrop through my psi." She points to a nearby bush. "You two will be fine, Bassoon." She steps away.

 

[Genon]

He shakes his head. "Too little information. Not timestop, though; we'd notice the timeline stalling out and falling out of synch, if nothing else."

Click to shrink...

As he was talking, she wrote up an email--or rather, her far-future equivalent of it--to Trunks on her implants. Taking full advantage of the processing speed granted to her by her ki training, she explained the situation and included the exact scrolls that demonstrated the issue, by their designation in the Time Vault's library, as well as the times on each scroll's output that things started to disappear. She even spruced up her email with video clips and photos of the problem in action, aided by her occipital lobe implant. Then she sent it.

The whole process took about 0.5 seconds. After she was done, she said, "I just messaged Trunks about the situation." She didn't move from her position, however. "On the off-chance that Trunks asks me to see him, or heads over here immediately, do you want to help me talk to him about this? You're the 2IC of the squad, after all."

 

[PoptartProdigy]

As he was talking, she wrote up an email--or rather, her far-future equivalent of it--to Trunks on her implants. Taking full advantage of the processing speed granted to her by her ki training, she explained the situation and included the exact scrolls that demonstrated the issue, by their designation in the Time Vault's library, as well as the times on each scroll's output that things started to disappear. She even spruced up her email with video clips and photos of the problem in action, aided by her occipital lobe implant. Then she sent it.

The whole process took about 0.5 seconds. After she was done, she said, "I just messaged Trunks about the situation." She didn't move from her position, however. "On the off-chance that Trunks asks me to see him, or heads over here immediately, do you want to help me talk to him about this? You're the 2IC of the squad, after all."

Click to shrink...

Mato-

Hesitates. Then he grimaces and nods. "Might as well, although I don't know if he'll give it very high priority."

In point of fact, no response from Trunks comes in the next while.

 

[Sucal]

It didn't appear that anyone wanted to join Bonny. That was disappointing, she had been looking forward to trying out the hotsprings with other people around. Leaving behind a body to soak and relax in case others came, Bonny focused on making her top half look presentable, as she stretched out on a sunbathing chair.

Making sure only those bits were visible, she sent a brief com message to Chronoa.

"Need any help?" There was a slight splooshing sound included in her words, as if they contained an extra hidden signal. In this case, it was something akin to the sound you'd hear if splashed with Time.

 

[KnightDisciple]

At the mention of Appa's idea about her moving in, Adiago has a sudden and violent coughing fit.

Then she pats Bassoon in the shoulder. "Bassoon, calm down. Appa is confused and upset, but you haven't ruined things. This is a bump. A serious one, yes, but only a bump. Not a wall."

She sighs. "Family is no different from other relationships, in some ways. People make mistakes, and they argue. They either make up, or don't. Appa is not truly angry with you. He is confused. What needs to happen is a conversation. Don't go to him pleading for absolution for some grand sin; that will make him uncomfortable. This is not a failed relationship. It is a trial, same as anything else. I'm not here to speak to you about how you destroyed things. I'm here because Appa is confused and wouldn't be able to express what he's feeling. What needs to happen now is for you to talk to your son." She smiles, standing. "He's over there, trying to eavesdrop through my psi." She points to a nearby bush. "You two will be fine, Bassoon." She steps away.

Click to shrink...

Bassoon calms down a bit, though he raises a confused eyebrow at her coughing fit. Her psychic senses get the impression he's just more confused, but doesn't' want to rabbit-trail by asking about the matter right now. He focuses on steadying his breathing and pushing his healing a bit, cleaning himself up with a subtle bit of Ki and Magic.

"I...no, you're right. It's just...I'm new to both of these jobs, and while I have backup for my 'commander' job, this whole 'being a parent' thing, less so, and it's more important, to boot. And I have perfectionist tendencies. Not a good combination sometimes."

At the mention of Appa being nearby, Bassoon looked pensive, before nodding.

"Thank you, Adiago. We'll talk later."

As she walked away, he turned toward where she'd pointed, his own mind sending a gentle pulse that exuded calm and inviting.

"Appa. Could...could we talk for a bit? Please?"

 

[PoptartProdigy]

Bassoon calms down a bit, though he raises a confused eyebrow at her coughing fit. Her psychic senses get the impression he's just more confused, but doesn't' want to rabbit-trail by asking about the matter right now. He focuses on steadying his breathing and pushing his healing a bit, cleaning himself up with a subtle bit of Ki and Magic.

"I...no, you're right. It's just...I'm new to both of these jobs, and while I have backup for my 'commander' job, this whole 'being a parent' thing, less so, and it's more important, to boot. And I have perfectionist tendencies. Not a good combination sometimes."

At the mention of Appa being nearby, Bassoon looked pensive, before nodding.

"Thank you, Adiago. We'll talk later."

As she walked away, he turned toward where she'd pointed, his own mind sending a gentle pulse that exuded calm and inviting.

"Appa. Could...could we talk for a bit? Please?"

Click to shrink...

The bushes somehow manage to both flinch and look guilty while doing it. An impressive achievement.

Then they sprout an Appa, which is, if anything, more impressive still.

Appa steps away from the bushes and approaches Bassoon. He fiddles with his hands for a moment. "I...I didn't hear anything."

 

[PoptartProdigy]

It didn't appear that anyone wanted to join Bonny. That was disappointing, she had been looking forward to trying out the hotsprings with other people around. Leaving behind a body to soak and relax in case others came, Bonny focused on making her top half look presentable, as she stretched out on a sunbathing chair.

Making sure only those bits were visible, she sent a brief com message to Chronoa.

"Need any help?" There was a slight splooshing sound included in her words, as if they contained an extra hidden signal. In this case, it was something akin to the sound you'd hear if splashed with Time.

Click to shrink...

Hi, Bonny. I'm pretty busy; what did you have in mind?

 

[Sucal]

Hi, Bonny. I'm pretty busy; what did you have in mind?

Click to shrink...

"You can't be everywhere, I can and there isn't enough people with our particular skill set that a spare pair of hands can't be useful. Got any scutwork or basic stuff that needs to get done so it doesn't distract you from the other stuff. Apprentice level stuff, like forging nails for a blacksmith or weaving bandages for the hospital. Also got some new brews for a kai strength Headache cure you might want to try later."

Considering Chronoa was Chronoa, Bonnys translation was rather easy. She was bored and wanted to get some low level practice in, plus she knew they wouldn't appreciate her in administration or the hospital due to the recent missions.

 

[PoptartProdigy]

"You can't be everywhere, I can and there isn't enough people with our particular skill set that a spare pair of hands can't be useful. Got any scutwork or basic stuff that needs to get done so it doesn't distract you from the other stuff. Apprentice level stuff, like forging nails for a blacksmith or weaving bandages for the hospital. Also got some new brews for a kai strength Headache cure you might want to try later."

Considering Chronoa was Chronoa, Bonnys translation was rather easy. She was bored and wanted to get some low level practice in, plus she knew they wouldn't appreciate her in administration or the hospital due to the recent missions.

Click to shrink...

Chronoa's voice turns amused. You want my job, Bonny? She giggles. Well, if you want scutwork, fine. Find the Gatekeeper, tell him I said to let you help with portal maintenance. Do whatever he tells you.

 

[KnightDisciple]

The bushes somehow manage to both flinch and look guilty while doing it. An impressive achievement.

Then they sprout an Appa, which is, if anything, more impressive still.

Appa steps away from the bushes and approaches Bassoon. He fiddles with his hands for a moment. "I...I didn't hear anything."

Click to shrink...

Bassoon gestures for Appa to come sit with him. Once the boy had sat down, the Namekian took a deep breath before starting.

"Appa, I'm sorry. I let my mental state slip such that, instead of talking with you about it and, well, making a day of it, I casually took the next step, and made what was probably obvious already 'official'. So. I want to hear it from your own mouth. Are you okay with me considering you my son? Adoptive or no, we've found ourselves in something beyond just a ward and a guardian, or at least that's how it feels to me."

 

[PoptartProdigy]

Bassoon gestures for Appa to come sit with him. Once the boy had sat down, the Namekian took a deep breath before starting.

"Appa, I'm sorry. I let my mental state slip such that, instead of talking with you about it and, well, making a day of it, I casually took the next step, and made what was probably obvious already 'official'. So. I want to hear it from your own mouth. Are you okay with me considering you my son? Adoptive or no, we've found ourselves in something beyond just a ward and a guardian, or at least that's how it feels to me."

Click to shrink...

Appa's jaw drops. "Am- am I okay with it?!"

He stands up, looking furious. "Are you kidding me?! Of course I'm okay with it! That's not the problem here!"

 

[KnightDisciple]

Appa's jaw drops. "Am- am I okay with it?!"

He stands up, looking furious. "Are you kidding me?! Of course I'm okay with it! That's not the problem here!"

Click to shrink...

"Appa, when I took you in, it came out of a chaotic situation. Neither of us made the decision that day to end up where we are. Which doesn't lessen the bond we've formed; to me, it makes it more precious.

But I also acknowledge that I am not your birth father, and that I didn't have a place in your life like Adiago did for many years. I don't want Adiago to tell me this is what you want, I want you to tell me, and I've had enough people presume things in my life I don't want to even approach doing that with you."

Bassoon's face is...confused, hurt, and frustrated, though Appa can sense it's at himself, not the teenager.

"I barely understand all of this when I stop and think about it. I...I didn't have a father like most people did; we Namekians rarely have that same...same relationship. I've studied other cultures for decades, been around and befriended humans and saiyans and more besides for decades, but...I'm living it, now, and some days it feels natural and some days I feel like I'm doing the steps of a dance I don't know and never got a class for. I...please, Appa. I'm trying, here."

His eyes are watery as he speaks.

"I want us to be a father and son. I didn't realize it, consciously, until recently. I've been struggling to figure out how to have this talk, because I was scared of hurting you, or being hurt. And now I've hurt you anyway, because I let pain and frustration and a long day slip me up. I robbed you of something, and I'm sorry. How can we make this up?"

 

[PoptartProdigy]

"Appa, when I took you in, it came out of a chaotic situation. Neither of us made the decision that day to end up where we are. Which doesn't lessen the bond we've formed; to me, it makes it more precious.

But I also acknowledge that I am not your birth father, and that I didn't have a place in your life like Adiago did for many years. I don't want Adiago to tell me this is what you want, I want you to tell me, and I've had enough people presume things in my life I don't want to even approach doing that with you."

Bassoon's face is...confused, hurt, and frustrated, though Appa can sense it's at himself, not the teenager.

"I barely understand all of this when I stop and think about it. I...I didn't have a father like most people did; we Namekians rarely have that same...same relationship. I've studied other cultures for decades, been around and befriended humans and saiyans and more besides for decades, but...I'm living it, now, and some days it feels natural and some days I feel like I'm doing the steps of a dance I don't know and never got a class for. I...please, Appa. I'm trying, here."

His eyes are watery as he speaks.

"I want us to be a father and son. I didn't realize it, consciously, until recently. I've been struggling to figure out how to have this talk, because I was scared of hurting you, or being hurt. And now I've hurt you anyway, because I let pain and frustration and a long day slip me up. I robbed you of something, and I'm sorry. How can we make this up?"

Click to shrink...

"I..." Appa trails off with a series of muttered words that Bassoon certainly was not responsible for teaching him. "I don't..." He looks around at the -- it occurs -- extremely public setting. "...can we please go inside?"

 

[Sucal]

Chronoa's voice turns amused. You want my job, Bonny?

Click to shrink...

"Depends, can I have Broly as my assistant and choose his uniform? Because those would be some excellent perks." She didn't quite say anything, but there was a general idea that involved Broly covered in oil, that occasionally needed his fearless leader to touch it up by hand. Bonny may have giggled once or twice herself in response.

"Scutwork lets me practise. Practise means I can eventually deal with more important stuff, when we have time for proper lessons and less fires to put out. Then maybe you could take a holiday. Drag Trunks to one of those Universe 2 resorts that promise romantic success or your money back." There was one in particular that was supposedly run by a former Kamikazee fireball that she briefly considered tempting.

 

[PoptartProdigy]

"Depends, can I have Broly as my assistant and choose his uniform? Because those would be some excellent perks." She didn't quite say anything, but there was a general idea that involved Broly covered in oil, that occasionally needed his fearless leader to touch it up by hand. Bonny may have giggled once or twice herself in response.

"Scutwork lets me practise. Practise means I can eventually deal with more important stuff, when we have time for proper lessons and less fires to put out. Then maybe you could take a holiday. Drag Trunks to one of those Universe 2 resorts that promise romantic success or your money back." There was one in particular that was supposedly run by a former Kamikazee fireball that she briefly considered tempting.

Click to shrink...

Presumably, Chronoa gets her sputtering done out loud, because you know she doesn't have the self-possession to respond as calmly as she does.

Offer's appreciated, but being a god is not something I can just take a break from. In any case, get on down to the Gatekeeper if you want to help for now. We can talk about the rest later.

 

[KnightDisciple]

"I..." Appa trails off with a series of muttered words that Bassoon certainly was not responsible for teaching him. "I don't..." He looks around at the -- it occurs -- extremely public setting. "...can we please go inside?"

Click to shrink...

Basson stands slowly and nods.

"Yes, we can."

He moves swiftly, though certainly not so fast Appa can't keep up, until they return to their home. He quietly lets them in and goes to get each of them a glass of water from their kitchen, before going to their living room to sit down, trying to give Appa space to stand or sit, depending on his mood.

 

[Sucal]

Presumably, Chronoa gets her sputtering done out loud, because you know she doesn't have the self-possession to respond as calmly as she does.

Offer's appreciated, but being a god is not something I can just take a break from. In any case, get on down to the Gatekeeper if you want to help for now. We can talk about the rest later.

Click to shrink...

"Bah humbug. Anyone can take a break from anything if they try hard enough."

Adjusting her clothes with a thought, Bonny disappeared from her previous location to appear 'near' the Gatekeeper. Now the rather stoic and tacturn man was something of an old foe of hers, considering she'd play pranks on him and he'd ensure she always ended up in embarrassing locations whenever she tried to use the gates to travel. Really, it was a fair thing almost, a little tit for that. But not in this particular time. She wasn't sure what happened in the other missions, considering no one filled her in, but while hers was rather successful, at least one of the others might have been catastrophic.

So she appeared 'softly' in the room, using the slightest amount of magic to ensure she didn't do anything surprisingly, merely fading into view on a chair stealthily.

Or at least as stealthily as one could when wearing a vibrant pink shirt proclaiming she'd go F*** herself, but she had standards.

 

[PoptartProdigy]

Basson stands slowly and nods.

"Yes, we can."

He moves swiftly, though certainly not so fast Appa can't keep up, until they return to their home. He quietly lets them in and goes to get each of them a glass of water from their kitchen, before going to their living room to sit down, trying to give Appa space to stand or sit, depending on his mood.

Click to shrink...

Appa sits. He appears fairly uncomfortable. At length, he says, "I'm not really mad or anything."

That's a lie. He's trying really hard for it not to be, though. Or feeling very guilty about it being a thing.

Maybe Asiago was onto something about the whole, "big apology," thing.

"Bah humbug. Anyone can take a break from anything if they try hard enough."

Adjusting her clothes with a thought, Bonny disappeared from her previous location to appear 'near' the Gatekeeper. Now the rather stoic and tacturn man was something of an old foe of hers, considering she'd play pranks on him and he'd ensure she always ended up in embarrassing locations whenever she tried to use the gates to travel. Really, it was a fair thing almost, a little tit for that. But not in this particular time. She wasn't sure what happened in the other missions, considering no one filled her in, but while hers was rather successful, at least one of the others might have been catastrophic.

So she appeared 'softly' in the room, using the slightest amount of magic to ensure she didn't do anything surprisingly, merely fading into view on a chair stealthily.

Or at least as stealthily as one could when wearing a vibrant pink shirt proclaiming she'd go F*** herself, but she had standards.

Click to shrink...

"'Sup, Red?" he says, barely glancing your way. "Something you need? I'm pretty busy today."

---

@HorizonWanderer

It's been about a month.

There have been other missions, of course. The Patrol is at war now, no question, and the tempo is rising to match. You've been kept busy.

Thus, it's not new to have somebody in authority getting you out of your home at odd hours.

What's new is Adiago on your doorstep, peering at you with an almost suspicious gaze. She nods decisively, after a moment. "It's time. Tell Lilli you're going to be busy for a while and come with me. We're killing that thing." She turns away and walks a few steps away from the house.

The interfering bitch.

Those thoughts have been happening more frequently, of late.

 

[Sucal]

"'Sup, Red?" he says, barely glancing your way. "Something you need? I'm pretty busy today."

---

Click to shrink...

"Yeah, I know. Here to help."

Well, helpish. She'd likely take a little bit to pick up what was needed, but in the long term it would be helping, share some of the work load that few others could handle, and getting some practice in. Either way, it was a more serious reason for turning up, rather then tormenting him with rocks or shorting his sheets.

"Chronoa said to let me help you on portal maintenance."

 

[PoptartProdigy]

"Yeah, I know. Here to help."

Well, helpish. She'd likely take a little bit to pick up what was needed, but in the long term it would be helping, share some of the work load that few others could handle, and getting some practice in. Either way, it was a more serious reason for turning up, rather then tormenting him with rocks or shorting his sheets.

"Chronoa said to let me help you on portal maintenance."

Click to shrink...

"Oh, good," he says, seventeen of the bloody things opening as he does. "I'm not a mage. You do transformation, right? Stabilize any where the edges are wobbling. Transform them into something stable. You'll get a better hang of how to do it with Time as you go."

 

[HorizonWanderer]

Name: Luke Anderson
Location: Toki-Toki City
Date: Month Twelve
Status: ... Time to do the thing? ... Time to do the thing.

'Not as rusty as I thought I'd be,'

Luke quietly mused to himself as he lounged slightly on one of the couches he'd gotten for the home. After the debacle with the Oozarus and a very intense debrief of what he'd been through, Luke had taken it upon himself to relieve his commanding officer's burden just a tad. In a practice that the Red Ribbon Army had started to honor the memory of those who died, and one that he had preformed once before in the Time Patrol already, he sought out and gathered as many memories, stories, and life tales as he could of those who had died in battle. One corner of a park had been dedicated to a simple, unassuming obsidian black pillar, words, names etched into the smooth surfaces.

And upon that pillar, Luke poured every memory he gathered into it.

Moments of happiness, sadness, triumph, tragedy, of the little things, of the larger things. ... The Corps didn't always have the luxury of finding an in-tact body. Sometimes no body at all. So... this was their solution. A gravemarker, filled with the memories of those who knew the person in question. Gone, it said, but never forgotten. So long as Luke and people like him lived... Those who fell in service to all would not fade into obscurity. The good, the bad... the people they were.

It was a small thing, a tiny thing in the grand scheme of things, but...

It was something that Luke took a certain sense of pride in.

...

Anyway, the rest of the month had gone more or less as expected. Nothing quite as... intense as fighting the self proclaimed 'Dragon Slayer' in the portal-world he was shunted off into, thankfully. It was a nice break to fight someone decently powerful for a change, and someone who didn't so horribly outclass him in raw power like the Enemy did, or like that mage guy that was more or less beaten before Luke could do anything. On the flipside, considering the costs as well... Well, the one fight was more than enough for him. He certainly wouldn't complain about a lack of similar fights, considering that the battle had cut his mental network's connection off from everyone else...

There wasn't anything he could have done about the other Patrollers falling in battle in their portals, either. ... Idly, he wondered if each one was tailored to counter the Patroller in question, if the fact that he fought a 'Dragon Slayer' was any indication. ... Luke's skill in fighting wars was still as good as ever, it seemed. Go to brief meeting, get deployed, complete objective, return. That's basically all that it'd been for the last month or so. None of it was really surprising for Luke, either. Wars tended to be a long, drawn out, exceptionally bloody affair after all...

Oh, there was something new though.

That being Adagio showing up.

Luke blinked, got up, and opened the door... And found a rather scrutinizing gaze pouring over him.

He blinked again.

She wasn't coming on to him righ-?

"It's time. Tell Lilli you're going to be busy for a while and come with me. We're killing that thing."

Click to shrink...

...

He blinked thrice.

Oh. Right. That. That was a thing. ... Surprisingly, it really hadn't been much a problem at all. Sure the voice was something he actually heard now, but it was... Not subdued, but it certainly didn't seem to be nearly as bad as what Adagio'd talked about beforehand. He'd even had a conversation with it, once or twice. Mind, the voice didn't usually deign to respond, but it had briefly spoken to him, directly.

The interfering bitch.

Click to shrink...

Oh, there it was now.

Luke rolled his eyes slightly.

'I know a one-on-one fight with no observers would have been preferable, but come on, you knew this was going to go down like this.'

Couldn't blame Adagio for feeling like that either, even if it probably'd have been easier just to do it on his own. Years of military service, however, had hammered in the necessities of redundancy, even if they didn't seem needed at the exact moment in time one thought of them.

A slight ping went out.

@Lunaryon

"Lilli? Gonna go fight the shadow-thing sitting in my head for a while, Adagio's gonna watch. Mind the house while I'm gone, alright?"

And with that he went.

...

To wherever Adagio was leading him.

The sacred battleground of her people, perhaps? That'd be neat.

 

[KnightDisciple]

Appa sits. He appears fairly uncomfortable. At length, he says, "I'm not really mad or anything."

That's a lie. He's trying really hard for it not to be, though. Or feeling very guilty about it being a thing.

Maybe Asiago was onto something about the whole, "big apology," thing.

Click to shrink...

Bassoon thought about his words for a moment before he spoke.

"It's okay that you feel angry, Appa. I appreciate that you've recognize that anger, and worked to not let it tell you what to do. I did hurt you with what I did, and I'm sorry. I'm taking this as a lesson. So my next question is: If this had gone the way you wanted it to, what would we be doing?"