Synopsis: Forbidden Blossom finds Philokrates and has an honest - if not complete - confession.

Location: Crystal Fang Smile

Recorded: Sunday, May 30, 2009

Cast: Forbidden Blossom (as Aisha), Philokrates, Dreams of Elsewhere

 

"...And so you see - i before e except after c," says Phil. Well, not really, but he's better at teaching than his player is, so assume he said something smart. Did we mention he's finishing up a lecture on the nature of discourse and the written word for about thirty or forty people? I'm SURE we did. We musta. Regardless, he is, just outside his living tree house. It's gone great, he hasn't even had to choke the life out of anyone yet.

Dreams of Elsewhere is keeping herself occupied with a chalk slate behind most of the students. Younger by several years and, oh yes, human- she's clearly bored by the lesson- not the first time she's heard it -and just as clearly not about to say anything to disrupt the class. It wouldn't be prudent. Not by a longshot. Which Philokrates is, haha.

 

Moving past the edges of the crowd is a white-garbed form, trying to peek about people to get a proper view of whoever's heading the gathering. Then, she notices Philokrates, not that she's certain of who just yet. She does stand out, though, her white garb standing out against the simpler dress here. Curiosity is clearly apparent on her face as she tries to get a better impression of what's going on.

Philokrates gently disperses the crowd back to their homes - they murmur noncommital goodbyes, having been explicitly warned against saying 'good lesson' or 'thank you' without absolutely meaning it, and erring on the side of caution. The first guy who did that took a right hook to the jaw and was banned from class forever, and they don't want to be next.

 

Phil looks to the woman in white, and beckons her closer. This is probably when she sees, as the crowd disperses and leaves line of sight, that Phil has no feet, standing on stumps.

 

Dreams of Elsewhere looks over at the woman in white, curiously. "I'm sorry," she says, walking up to her. "Who died?" Her eyes flicker, somewhat apprehensively, towards Philokrates.

 

Philokrates asides to Dreams, "White doesn't always mean a funeral, outside Great Forks. Sometimes it implies purity, rather than death."

 

Looking over, Aisha smiles embarassedly, putting her hand to her chest. "Oh, no, this... this is not funeral... ah." She shakes her head. "I did not mean to alarm. I have heard of that custom, but I have travelled from a place it holds little stock." She looks over to Philokrates, nodding in agreement.

 

Philokrates turns to his visitor. "I am Philokrates of Great Forks," he says, and this next bit sounds rehearsed, with an air of ritual: "I see through lies infallibly, and to me the sight of a lie is a repellent violation of the truth; if you lie to me, or before me, I may kill you on the spot. Do not test the limits of my mercy, and we shall have no quarrel. Do you understand me when I tell you this, that I will kill you here and now if you lie to me?"

 

Dreams of Elsewhere ohs, brightening a bit. But she stays quiet, letting the newcomer answer the Very Important Question.

 

Philokrates looks slightly nervous of what your answer might be - god help him if the answer itself is a lie, because that just gets awkward. And violent.

 

Aisha blinks, looking surprised as her green eyes widen. "Ah, I suppose, but... ah...?", she looks to Dreams as if seeing if she's having a joke played on her. "Are you a god?", she says, seeming confused. It seems a very unusual sort of madness, for a man, after all.

 

"He's of the Chosen," Dreams replies, as that explains the madness and the speech. Which it might. Given the affirmitive, if confused reply, she smiles and holds out a hand. "I'm Dreams of Elsewhere. Pleased to meet you."

 

"I am Solar. I apologize; I have, I believe, accidentally imposed a deformation of the mind upon myself in my experimentation with self-altering magics," says Philokrates calmly. "What is your name?"

 

Aisha calms a little, but she bears the sort of hestitancy many people get when faced with power. She takes up Dreams' hand, shaking, and then says, "Aisha. I'm honored to meet you both." She scratches her cheek, and adds, "I'm sorry to hear that.", to Philokrates. "But I see why you have to say it, then, I suppose the alternative..." She closes her eyes, letting out a sigh.

"The alternative is no good for anyone, yes."

 

Philokrates narrows his eyes. "You are not being wholly honest with me," he murmurs, voice full of menace - but calms. "But you have not lied to me, either. I'll leave you your secrets. Why have you come to visit me, then, knowing not what I am? I have little to recommend me for tourists other than my nature."

 

"You're also a good teacher," Dreams says loyally. And honestly. I mean, magically enhanced super-training /is/ good. She gives Aisha another look. "Unless you're not here to see him," she says. Her posture changes subtly, tensing.

 

Philokrates says, "Relax, Dreams. I'm confident she's not here for the bounty..."

 

"I... have other names, it is true. I..." Blossom closes her eyes for a moment. "... not all of us can bear what full honesty brings, sometimes." She looks over to Dreams, and blinks, her eyes wide again, "Oh, no! It's nothing like that." She looks back, and says, "I just came from Great Forks, I heard of you there, I thought to visit as I travel out this way." She bows slightly. "But I'm obviously just troubling you...", she says as she takes a step back.

 

Philokrates glowers. "They tell you of me and they don't warn you of the nature of my crimes? What assholes!"

 

Dreams of Elsewhere blinks at Aisha. "Do you have some enemies in Great Forks?" she asks. "Or perhaps you own a great property and stand to bequeth it to someone on death?"

 

Philokrates says, "I am extremely tired of being someone else's murder weapon..."

 

Dreams of Elsewhere gives Philokrates a level look. "If you stopped killing people, you'd stop being used as a murder weapon. No one wields a dulled blade or cracked bow if they have a choice," she replies, perhaps overly familiarly with the murderous demigod. But then, it also has the tone of a conversation that's already well worn.

 

Aisha winces slightly. "I..." She sighs, and looks down. "... apparently have been decieved myself." Letting out a deep breath, she looks up, and then adds to Dreams. "Oh, not exactly. Well, maybe the former, it's possible. I don't know what I could have done, though." She looks up to Philokrates, shaking off her tension somewhat. "Well, thank you for the warning."

 

Philokrates grumbles. "I let the one student go, didn't I? I am learning to tolerate it." Granted, the student was pummeled to the point of incoherent weeping, but, they live!

 

Dreams of Elsewhere gives Aisha a curious look. "So. Who decieved you?"

 

Philokrates says, "There's no danger in simply not answering, mind you."

 

"It's something I will have to see to on my own.", replies Aisha, and shakes her head before smiling with a grateful expression. "But nothing truly terrible has come of it, thankfully."

 

Philokrates says, "For the best. Tell me... How did Great Forks seem, when you saw it? I have... missed it."

 

"And do you know Visions of Blue? The Burning Feather estates?" Dreams asks, eagerly.

 

Philokrates says, "Yes! How do they fare?"

 

Aisha says, "Oh, quite well compared to many places... the temples and prayers... it is hardly anything like I am used to. but there is trouble with some of the newcomers, as I understand. It's sad to see. But of Burning Feather... I've heard the name, but I really don't know. I'll have to see the next time I find myself there, certainly!

 

Philokrates looks slightly dismayed. "I see."

 

Dreams of Elsewhere gives Aisha a confused look. "So... what are you here for? I mean. Do you often go to visit people you hear of in passing in cities you're passing through?"

 

Aisha looks apologetic, saying, "I can see the next time I'm by. I'm afraid I have a journey still ahead, but.." She looks to Dreams. "I do have my reasons, but... it's gotten so mixed up this time around."

 

Dreams of Elsewhere mms, and shrugs at that. "Well. If you'd like, you could stay for tea." She gives a meanignful look towards Philokrates. "But I don't recommend staying unless you'd really like to."

 

Philokrates looks sheepish.

 

Aisha smiles genuinely, sighing. "I'm sorry to have gotten off on the wrong foot so badly. Tea would be great."

 

Philokrates smiles. "Of course," he says, looking pleased. Watching him walk inside his house again is... eerie. He moves like a deer, walking on stumps, delicately balanced.

 

Dreams of Elsewhere bustles in the house behind Philokrates, setting up the pot for the water, and a few porcelian plates, setting out fresh fruit. "So. What do you do, Aisha?"

 

Aisha settles in. "I am still finding myself... I only recently decided to leave home for the first time. My parents were quite rich, and so I am trying to find what I would do." She looks to Philokrates. "I met one of the Chosen a while ago... I admit, I am curious." There's an odd tinge of sadness to that last comment.

 

Philokrates sits at the table, brushing it clean. "I recommend a period of time as a manual laborer," he says. "It provides useful perspective on the world."

 

Dreams of Elsewhere rolls her eyes at that, but doesn't actually say anything to the contrary.

 

Aisha nods. "Maybe... but I have places to see, first. Walking farther than I knew possible. My feet are quite convinced it's a labor."

 

Philokrates says, "You'd be amazed how far you can walk."

 

The teen girl gives Philokrates a /very/ long look at that. "She might not be," Dreams of Elsewhere points out. "Amazed, that is."

 

"Oh, no, he's quite right on that, but amazement comes more from the things I've seen, and the places I've been." She folds her hands loosely on the table. "I'm afraid I never really much had the chance when I was young."

 

Philokrates looks embarrased. "Well. I mean - most people are." Oh, teacher, that needs teaching! "People are built to walk, I think. To travel. To seek out... or escape. It makes me wonder why it is so."

 

Dreams of Elsewhere chuckles to herself, mentally adding one to her tally. "Ask the Gods, I suppose."

 

"To walk, to run. I... it is a strange thing, I didn't really understand until Cricket..." She bites her lip. "... until somebody showed me I was free after all."

 

Philokrates says, "Who's Cricket?"

 

Aisha falls quiet, and then closes her eyes. "He was... one of you." She takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

 

Philokrates says, "One of the Solar Exalted, you mean."

 

"Yes." Aisha says, shaking a little. "Yes.", she says again, swallowing deeply.

 

Philokrates says, "And it was... unpleasant for you?"

 

"N-no, he was always... the Wyld Hunt came for him.", Aisha says, closing her eyes as a tear falls down her cheek.

 

Philokrates is quiet. "And so you come to meet other of his kind, to... remember him."

 

Aisha nods, simply, raising her hand to put her hand over her face. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't... I mean..."

 

Philokrates says, "It's a dangerous form of memorial... Tell me of Cricket?"

 

It takes a bit of time for her to pull the tears aways, swallowing. "He was brave, and handsome..." She bites her lip, looking slightly away. "... I never... I didn't know him that well, I know now. I didn't really care about where he was from, or... or anything like that."

 

Philokrates nods quietly. "The Solar can... our power, our glory, can be blinding, like a drug or a wine. It is something that can be used cruelly... But I do not know what happened, between you and him."

 

Aisha says, "I don't know, I just know... I... he was everything.", before closing her eyes once more.

 

Philokrates says, "And now he's dead."

 

Aisha simply nods, shaking a little as she takes deep breaths, obviously trying to compose herself.

 

Philokrates reaches over the table, and pats your shoulder reassuringly.

 

Aisha's breathing slows, and she opens her green eyes, nodding. "I'm sorry, I... it's still...", she says haltingly.

 

Philokrates says, "I..."

Philokrates glances away. "...When my last incarnation died... I left behind many who depended on me. Believed in me, the dream that I presented."

 

Aisha bites her lip again, momentarily, as she rubs her eyes, falling silent save for her breaths.

 

Philokrates says, "And... when I learned of these, in my new reincarnation, I was torn... Did I have a responsibility to live up to these expectations?"

Philokrates says, "...In time I decided that I could not - that I could only live up to my own expectations."

Philokrates says, "But... I have seen those like you, before, who sought someone dead."

Philokrates looks you in the eye. "I think you should find the world of your own desires - the world within your own heart - instead of fixating on the memories of this hero.

 

Aisha stares at Philokrates, and then nods. "I... thank you... but I don't know... I... but I will think on that."

 

Philokrates says, "You must be honest with yourself as well as with others."

 

Aisha says, "I..." She starts to rise. "... I will try..." It's a little tired, but her smile shines through.