[After the standard video message and introduction exchange, Edward makes his way to the greenhouse to meet his assigned inmate for the month, as agreed. He doesn't usually wear his armor on the Barge, and today is no exception, though it's a more purposeful choice, the same as he's done when meeting all his other temps. Doesn't seem to matter how long he's been here, it still feels like "dressing down" to him, regardless of what else he's wearing. (Which, today, is a white dress shirt, brown slacks, and his newsboy cap, with his Pip-Boy warden item clipped onto his belt next to his communicator. No openly worn weapons, though there's a knife in his right boot.)
Once he spots Ilde, he makes his way to her at a relaxed pace, footfalls heavy to announce his approach in case she hasn't noticed him yet.]
[ She turns from where she was investigating the leaves and stems of a tall plant; always concerned for their health. Her expression gazing up at him is solemn, a natural downward pout to her mouth and unhappy eyes. ]
Hello.
[ She has seemed, all along, unconcerned by his appearance. If his height and build intimidates her in person, she does not show that either. She does not draw any closer and will not offer her hand in greeting, however. ]
It is... no trouble.
[ That is to say, refusing would not have aligned well with the vision she wants to portray of herself at this time. ]
[ Honestly, it's a complicated question for her to answer. She has made nice with plenty of wardens, she can get anything she wants whenever she wants it. The role is mostly an unimportant one to her beyond the fact that, if she ever wishes to graduate, she will require one. She is not convinced yet that graduation interests her.
And that may be the answer. ]
I dislike... those who try to inspire me to graduation. I will decide in my own time if I wish to continue on, the wardens have no right to that.
Pretty sure I couldn't even if I wanted to. It's a personal thing, anyway - if you're gonna do it's not gonna be because of me. And not just because it's not something I've got any right to, though you're right. I don't.
[He can help, if needed, but he knows better than most than pushing too hard isn't gonna work a lot of the time.]
If there's anything you've been wanting back, I can ask the Admiral about it, though. Not as a graduation thing. Just a 'not having this is weird' kinda thing.
They continue to insinuate that I should graduate, to use my warden's wish to save my world. I have lived and died already in service to that place. It is wrong to ask me again for more.
[ She is talking vaguely about some wardens who project a lot of their damage in her direction. She cares for them, but is also disgruntled under the pressure of their concern. There is bickering. Sometimes screaming.
She frowns. There isn't very much that she wants, but... ]
There is a book of poems left behind. I do not want a copy of it, I would like its original form.
I can't really stop them from making that suggestion. But it's your world. You get to be the one to decide what's done with that. And if that means leaving it be, go for it. Not every world needs to come back.
[Some do! But there have been plenty more that have stayed lost to the darkness.]
Let me know the title, and I'll see what the Admiral can do.
[There's a brief pause, before he answers, as if he's trying to figure out the best way to explain.]
There's a... prophecy, kind of, back home. The kind that got written into a whole book, of what was gonna happen in the future. But it could only exist because someone lived through all that history and kept watch over the artifact that was letting the guy who wrote it see the future.
And the guy who had to live through all that? Was me. And if I went back home there'd still probably be stuff to do. Not so much here, though. No Book of Prophecies is gonna touch this place.
[ She does not follow the bulk of it. But she also lived at the center of a mad man's prophecy. She was a martyr, and it sounds like he is some kind of herald. She was tasked with being her god's heart, and he was tasked with being his master's eyes.
It raises an uncertain question. Was Dreus's prophecy false, or was the Admiral simply powerful enough to disregard its pull? It makes her queasy not to understand the reality of her own situation. ]
That's... what you meant, about doing whatever you want.
[ She is quoting him, it's not the way she'd phrase that herself. ]
Little bit, yep. But also I figure it's a good enough place to start for most folks. Sure, the Admiral's got us all here, but he's not rushing anyone out the door, either.
[If he had been, Xigbar would certainly not have managed to wend his way to graduation as he has.]
Also he said he could get you that book, so... keep an eye out for it, I guess?
[ She sounds a little distracted, she may have something to ruminate on. How would she feel if she really didn't have to make any grand decisions and could just spend her time how she wanted? ]
Then I'll give you my short version. Don't kill anyone not trying to kill you or other people. Call me if you need weaponry, or a resurrection, or someone's being a shit to you, doesn't need to be a warden or inmate.
Page 1 of 11