009; console; video

[ruinsprofessor]

[Raine has spent much of her week attempting to handle several things at once, and as a result she looks both tired and slightly harried when she appears on video. All the same, there's something she hasn't handled which needs now to be outsourced.]

I'm looking for a Foreigner who arrived here a week or two ago. He's about a head taller than I am-- broad shoulders, auburn hair, carries a single longsword. His name is Kratos.

Should you see him, please don't try to apprehend or otherwise attack him. Simply inform him that I need to speak to him.

[She doesn't know why he's avoiding her. Although she has her suspicions, to confirm any of them would require talking to Kratos and finding out when he's from. Raine hesitates, then adds, very carefully:]

Depending on his point of origin, I may have some messages to relay to him from Lloyd.

...Thank you.

[And back to work. Perhaps this will bear fruit.]

Comments

[redlightgreenlight]

[Oh...yes, well, Valdis didn't like this man on principle then. Light magic and Hellhounds didn't mix well.]

I see.

[ruinsprofessor]

[Raine thought that might be the case.]

He's a good man; but wary, and he has reason to be.

[redlightgreenlight]

[Raine was a good person too, but that didn't make the light magic hurt any less.]

Wary of you?

[ruinsprofessor]

More generally.

[Raine tilts her head to the side. It's an equivocating gesture, neither yes nor no.]

We have had our differences, in the past, but those are behind me. I don't know what period of time he's from, however.

[redlightgreenlight]

[Valdis greatly pitied anyone who was on Raine's bad side. She'd been there. It was not a pleasant place to be.]

Ah yes, that pesky time difference...

[ruinsprofessor]

Yes. At least I've narrowed it down to a span of about six months; but there were some significant changes in that time.

[There is, for instance, one fight that will make more difference than several millennia.]

If I can find him, however, I should be able to set any concerns he has to rest.

[redlightgreenlight]

We've never spoken much about your world...I'd like to hear about it sometime.

[ruinsprofessor]

I wouldn't mind talking about it. Perhaps over lunch some day?

[Hesitant a little; still working on the shape of their friendship. But it's nice, to have people who want to know.]

[redlightgreenlight]

That would be nice.

Are you alright? It must be weird having more people arrive from your world.

[ruinsprofessor]

All right. I'll have more free time later this month, I think.

[She'll pencil Valdis in, as it were.]

[The question gets a faint tilt of Raine's head, and a mildly bemused look.]

I suppose it's strange. I've been here a long time, after all. Longer than I've spent with either of the recent arrivals from Aselia. However, what we went through together...

It's much like those of us who were here during the fight against Malicant, I suppose. Perhaps I don't know all of them as well as I might like, but we're bound together by that experience, and there are very few others who could hope to understand. With Kratos, it's something similar.

[redlightgreenlight]

I can understand that...too few do these days.

[ruinsprofessor]

Yes.

So even though it's been some time... it would be good to see Kratos again.

[And possibly important for his sake, if he's from before Origin; but that's a different matter, and not one to be shared here.]

[redlightgreenlight]

It's nice that you have people from your world...that you want to see again.

[It seemed that most people did.]

[ruinsprofessor]

There are just as many I'd prefer not to. Is there no one from your world you'd want to see?

[redlightgreenlight]

[She had to pause and think about that. The truth was that she didn't have anyone back on her world. Except...Pepper had told her otherwise, hadn't she?]

I suppose I'd want to see my brother...but even that would be hard. I've spent so long hating him and I didn't even know who he was.

[ruinsprofessor]

[Raine supposes that would be difficult, yes. But...]

Hmm. It's purely hypothetical at this point, of course. But that might be worth it, even if it's hard.

This city is good for second chances, after all.

[redlightgreenlight]

Yes...it is at that.

[ruinsprofessor]

[A solemn, considered nod in return.]

Should he appear, I would hope that you find what you're looking for.

...Still, there's no use borrowing trouble.

[redlightgreenlight]

I don't even know what I'm looking for, Raine...

[a small sigh]

And trouble seems to always find me. There's no need to borrow it.

[ruinsprofessor]

Perhaps you would benefit from examining that, then.

[Raine's voice is as gentle as it reasonably gets; she's trying to help, in her way. At least they can agree on not borrowing trouble.]

[redlightgreenlight]

I shall try.


I wish you luck finding your friend.

[ruinsprofessor]

Thank you.

[...it really does mean something, these days.]

[redlightgreenlight]

[Valdis is glad that it means something.]

No thanks needed.