eswareinmal | Chapter 4 - 11th of Rebirth's Decline

[The orb shows Giles, sitting in one of the fields on the outskirts of Schwanheim, but he's not looking back at the orb, nor showing any sign of his surroundings.

No, instead, he's looking at the mirror he found around his neck, when he woke up before the battle. It's hovering in the air, spinning very slowly, and shadows flicker across its silvered surface. But they're clearly very interesting shadows - Giles doesn't take his eyes off the mirror, even as he addresses the orb.

The only other notable feature of the scene is that Giles is wearing gloves, and occasionally and completely subconsciously tugs on the edge of them, as though reassuring himself that they're still on his hands.]

Um, apparently there is another kingdom, across the thorns. Or, um, there was. We have no way of knowing if it's still there, simply because...well, we have no way of knowing what's happening beyond the thorns.

But I thought, well, if we could get back in touch...

[He draws in his breath sharply, as though troubled by a grim thought. The mirror slowly stops spinning, and then falls to the ground with a soft chiming. Giles curses softly under his breath and picks it up, polishing its bright surface industriously with a sleeve.]

...apparently, um, whatever I am now, it involves the capacity to scry. I'm not sure what the extent of this new talent is, yet, but I thought I'd try and find out. Perhaps, um, if I can get good enough, myself and, and whoever else has this ability, we might be able to combine our talents and, and contact the rest of the world. For assistance, or for information...well, there's no way to know.

This, um, this might seem a silly question, but do any of you mind if I look in on you from here? Knwoing the name of who or, or what I want to see, that seems to help me get a lock on it. As such, I thought I'd ask your permission first, before I went snooping around on whatever you were doing.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Aaaa-- I forgot, you weren't here when the beanstalk when up... [[so sheepish]] It's pretty odd, they're like... mm.... old fashioned modern? Retro? I guess you could call it. Not at all like here.

The giantess seemed nice enough... if we can find another way up, I'm sure they wouldn't mind letting us look.b

Hm...

[Well, this is certainly new information. Encouraging information, as well. A shame the place seems to be short of beanstalks at the moment.]

Do you know, um, about how high up it was? [The greater the distance, the more exhausting it is to Helios.] Good lord, I can't remember the last time I've been around anything even approached modern, old fashioned or otherwise.

Mmmm... It was pretty high up... it felt like it took forever to climb!

and if it weren't for how big everything was up there, I'd almost say we should try and move up top! [[a small laugh]] It would just feel like we were all 3 years old again, or worse!

Yes, um, I would file the daily risk of getting stepped on as, as "worse", actually. I would imagine that close proximity to giants tends to include such a risk, however well meaning the giant.

[Giles stares thoughtfully up at the sky, and the drifting clouds overhead, as though he's hoping to see the kingdom from his place sitting in the grass.]

Wonder if I could see that far up...

I don't think they'd step on us... I came up to about the knee of the giantess, almost. It's sort of about.. 4 or 5 times the size, rather than a hundred. Else we really would have been in trouble!

And I'm sure you must be able to. After all, we could climb it so it's not impossibly far!

You could climb...

[Giles stares up at the sky for a few seconds longer, before picking up the mirror and setting it to spinning gently in the air again. He focuses his attention entirely on its silvered surface, drifting into the trance it takes to see beyond what his eyes can tell him...

...he gets a sensation of distance, and a room, but nothing more definite. Giles finds himself coming out of the scrying of his own volition, feeling a bit dizzy with the effort.]

Yes, um, that's...much less far than I thought it would be. F-For, um, for giants.

[[blinks a few times]] Could you see it?

I saw a place. Um, r-rather a large place, or that's what it felt like from here. That's, um, about all I could find. Not even sure I could really be said to have seen it at all.

I was close, though. With a rest, um, I could probably reach further.

Something to work up to, ne? [[a smile]] It's a pretty cool thing, even when you're just starting out! [[and much better than being a ghost. Even if Giles being a ghost was pretty awesome.]]

[So much better than being a ghost.

...okay, even if being a ghost had had its perks. Perks that Giles is only just starting to learn how to do without. It's difficult, keeping up with people in a crowd or keeping track of them without being able to stalk their shadows as naturally as breathing. But god if it isn't nice to be able to walk on solid ground again.]

I couldn't have done it without your assistance, Bakura. Everyone's, actually - I, I can only see as far as I know to look, after all, and especially in terms of those that have been here longer than I have, you all have certainly helped point me in the right direction.

[[Glee! He was helpful!]]

Glad I could help out!

I wonder if maybe we should put something together... since there's not really any good information from the natives, I mean. So that people who haven't been here as long can know what those of us who've been here longer already have figured out, maybe?

I think that would be a marvelous idea, actually. [Now he's just wishing he'd thought of it already. Well, any sort of written record wouldn't have been terribly helpful for Giles, anyway, up until a few days ago.]

Even with the orbs, s-someone's always busy, or gone off, or distracted. Having something all in one place would probably be a literal lifesaver, at some point. Certainly when the next new moon comes around, at least.

I, um, I wouldn't keep it at the castle, though. Or at least, um, not at the library. I'm not sure I'd trust the people there with something that important to us all.

Un... Is there any other sort of central place for everyone, thought?

[Giles tries to think of one, he really does, but...after a second, he sighs in defeat.] Besides the inn, I can't really think of one. The sign, maybe. Anyone in town must pass by that blasted sign at least once a day. Or, um, or the Forest. It doesn't seem as though anyone goes there that often.

The sign would be a worse place than the library, I'd think. I wonder... maybe we should make some sort of central place. Maybe a guild of sort? I'm sure if we tell the natives that it's to better our efforts fighting the thorns, they'd be happy to give us some place we could use.

Our own central place...?

[...Giles seriously considers this.]

There are a few places on the outskirts of town. They aren't much, not from what I saw, but, um, it doesn't seem as though we all get together that often. That would be the ideal situation, you're right.

As long as it can hold out the water to protect anything inside, it should be fine, right? Since we wouldn't all be living there!

[[He's really starting to perk up at this idea. While it wouldn't be as elaborate as the ManCave back at Hell Towers, having some sort of communal space...

There was a very deep pang of nostalgic loss for a moment before he pushed it away. He'd get back there eventually. Somehow.]]

No, we wouldn't. Really, as long as there were enough space around the building itself that we could gather outside, it probably wouldn't need to hold more than a few of us at a time.

[...] Who would we go about asking for this place, then?

[[... good question]]

...The king, maybe...? Someone at the castle, I'd think.

...the king. I, um, I think it's safe to say he owes us that much, after...well, after recent events.

I'll be sure to ask him, then. It shouldn't be too hard to word it so that he'll agree!

Chapter 4 - 11th of Rebirth's Decline - [Orb]

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I have no idea where that extranious b came from up there O.o

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