WHO: Cairngorm + various WHERE: Around! WHEN: Memory sharing event! WHAT: Closed prompts for characters to get a glimpse into ~the land of the lustrous~ WARNINGS: crystal body horror, dismemberment
[ Abomination is not even harsh enough, in their opinion. Which is why they make a half confused, half...almost offended expression at that, tilting their head just out of how incredulous that notion is. ]
Me and Phos? [ There's a few beats. ] We're— no, we're not partners like that.
[ That response leaves the implication that there are gems that are "like that", though. ]
There are gems who have relationships with their partners that are... a lot closer than others. [ Is that the best way to put it... the gems whose partnerships are like this are decidedly not just co-workers and not just friends. But gem society labels all partnerships the same, so they fail to put a name on this type of close relationship for him. Instead, they just shake their head strongly. ] But not me and Phos. I don't think they could focus on someone else if they tried...
[ That is a half-truth, but they don't care, so long as it'll convince Lupin that them and Phos are not A THING. ]
[ Lupin chuckles, shaking his head. The spoiler is that he was already 99.9% sure that they weren't A THING - the question had other purposes. And one of them was definitely to get that huffy reaction out of them. But that's a secret!! ]
Ha ha ha! All right, I get it, no love lost between you and Phos. [ he feels a little bad for Phos, to be honest... on the other hand, it sounds like they might have earned some of it. ] I'm glad you--
[ whatever he was about to say is abruptly interrupted. Lupin had forgotten, with how heated this discussion had become, that he should still probably be avoiding too much eye contact, and a reminder appears without warning.
At once, they're transported to a moonlit night in the English countryside (information Lupin's thoughts provide, though the name probably means little to Cairngorm.) There's a gaggle of soldiers wearing yellow uniforms gathered in the road, along with their cars, several of which are flipped over onto their sides; all of them have the muzzles of their long rifles pointed upwards towards a single, familiar figure perched atop the ruins of some old building.
"Fire!!"
The night air flashes as the soldiers pull the trigger; Lupin's body jerks as it's riddled with bullets, his silhouette vanishing from its starry backdrop. The captain of the soldiers, an older man with a long, curly moustache, begins to berate them for killing him when they should have captured him, but he's cut short.
"You cads... You... You've gone and done it. You've ended my brilliant life... Cut short... Too soon..." Somehow, his voice sounds out; somehow, he can be seen sitting up, then getting to his feet. They can do little but gape as he apparently returns to life, his voice trailing off into peals of laughter. For a bizarre moment, his form seems to swell like a balloon; then, suddenly, he explodes with a burst of blinding white light.
They didn't seriously think I'd just stand there and get shot, did they? I guess they did. Even in England, the police are just so predictable. Hold on for just a few seconds longer, my dear - you'll be mine soon enough.
Another series of bangs sounds out from amongst the soldiers and carriages as several more explosions are triggered, flooding the road with a white smoke that only grows thicker rather than dispersing. The men are in confusion; Lupin is not, and he cuts into the cloud like a shadow, making a beeline for one of the cars. There's a woman sitting there - a girl with tumbling brown hair and a face like a doll's, and before she can cry out in surprise when Lupin alights on the trunk of the car, he brings a finger to his lips, shushing her.
"Did I startle you? My apologies. Fear not - I'm not a ghost. That was just a trick. Now... Take my hand, mademoiselle. Shall we make our great escape out into the night?" He holds out a hand to her; she cringes away from it, shaking her head.
"N-no... Don't touch me, please... You'll die from the poison..."
Ah. That. I wasn't expecting the Horologium to be worried about hurting me.
"I'm aware of it. But that only comes from skin contact, doesn't it? And your gloves block the poison, do they not?"
The girl starts to make an excuse. Her voice is soft, fearful, not of Lupin, but of the world, of herself. She's very beautiful, Lupin thinks. He wonders how they could call her a monster. Just because of some pesky poison -- he doesn't pay it another thought, pulling her by the hand and sweeping her up into his arms as if she's lighter than a feather.
"I'll be all right. Trust me. See? I'm unharmed."
She stares up at him, bewildered. He grins.
"Relax, my lady. A beautiful face like yours is wasted without a smile to go with it. Now, leave everything to me." ]
[ Suffice to say, there are a plethora of things in this memory that Cairn has no way of understanding. Why Lupin is being shot at for example, what the purpose of this kidnapping is supposed to be, those strange machines that are moving around... its all a lot to take in at once. That little trick does read like magic to them, or some other superhuman ability, though they know distantly that that can't be the case.
They're grateful at least that they aren't feeling anything this time, though the appearance of that girl is strange and puzzling nonetheless. She's beautiful, they think, too. She reminds them of the prettier gems, the ones that have big, bright eyes and kind expressions, though she, like Lupin, lacks any sort of luster or shine. It's all sort of goes by really fast, him hoisting her up and everything; they're left in a state of shock when they come back to reality, their shoulders having tensed up unwittingly.
What they probably should have taken from that memory is that Lupin is cool, and way more dependable than they tend to assume. But: ]
So— you have always been this dramatic...
[ Is what first comes to mind to say, as they shift awkwardly and throw their glance away from his and across the room. It's better if they just try to make the transition back to reality smooth— no, they won't have a repeat of what he did, where they try to make too many assumptions about what they just saw. ]
...I didn't know humans could be poisonous to the touch.
[ The way they say it makes it clear that they've already got a good understanding of poison, and it's not just from their studies in the library. ]
[ all things considered, that was a pretty all right memory to share. Lupin blinks his eyes a few times as he regains his bearings, rubbing his temples. It was an action-packed minute or two; even he needs a second to remember what he was actually doing. He's completely forgotten what he was going to say to them, but that's fine. It probably wasn't important, right?
Cairngorm's comment gets a rueful expression out of him, and he shakes his head gently. (He could defend himself on the dramatic bit, but, really, they're completely right, and he knows it. And is okay with it.) ]
... Well, they aren't usually. Do you remember the girl I mentioned to you before - the one with a jewel for a heart? That was her. Her name is Cardia.
[ once again, his tone softens a bit. He remembers that night clearly enough that revisiting the memory wasn't much of a shock, aside from the aforementioned action. It wasn't very long ago, of course - but, more importantly, it altered the course of his life. ]
That jewel keeps her alive, but it also makes her skin secrete a poison that destroys anything it touches, [ he explains, carefully. ] ... That was the night I first met her. That gem, the Horologium, could be used as a horrible weapon. I wanted to steal it before it fell into the wrong hands. I didn't know that "it" was actually a "she."
[ For once, it seems like they don't need a further explanation. They just nod. ]
So that's how it is.
[ It makes sense, his explanation. Of course they'd found the notion of stealing a person kind of odd, but with his clarification about her circumstance... it's easier for them to understand than they expect. Being made into a weapon, secreting a poison, these are both concepts that they're familiar with. It seems a bit sad, the very existence of this girl, but it seems like Lupin had intervened on whatever tragic fate she'd been set up for, presumably successfully. ]
...She must have lived in isolation, right. [ The way she recoiled from his touch, how she feared the poison killing him; it's too similar to someone else they know from home. They're not quite sure they understand the relationship between these two, but if Lupin is the one that brought her out of that sort of lonely life, there must be something of note. But that shouldn't be their focus, right now. ] Until you met her, and brought her to that mansion.
[ They don't feel like they have to ask if she ended up being okay (he doesn't seem particularly sad remembering her?), so they instead focus on the greater context. ]
Good guess. You're right. She'd barely interacted with people before then.
[ she had her own circumstances - she'd gotten out of her home once before then - but Cairngorm is basically right. He's a little surprised at how readily they accept this information, of all things, when they'd been tripped up by things as straightforward as "chandelier" and "small dog breed" in the past... Then again, perhaps Cardia's existence seems more familiar to them. ]
She's really afraid of hurting people, and it seems like the man who created her told her to never go into the outside world, too. He told her all sorts of nasty things, and she believed him, of course. [ Lupin sighs. When he thinks about it, some of her problems aren't too different from Cairngorm's. Maybe he has a weakness for people like this. ] But she doesn't deserve to stay locked up - she belongs out in the sun with you and I. I'm planning on finding a way to cure her poison when I get back.
It's not a guess. There's actually a gem like her. [ They correct him, but it's done without any condescending. ] They, too, live in isolation because of their poison... but they choose to live like that.
[ No, Cardia's circumstances are different than they'd imagined. They guess they kind of assumed she took it upon herself to isolate herself from others the same way Cinnabar had, out of a desire to not harm other living things. It's different here, where she isn't doing it of her own volition. The kind of isolation he describes is maybe closer to the one they're familiar with, not that they have any particular desire to see themself in this strange girl.
Things make a little more sense now. ]
...You really think it's possible? To cure it.
[ They're not deliberately intending to sound rude here, but they do seem a bit skeptical, if only because they're thinking of her condition in the way gems think of their respective poisonous member of society. An immortal, unchanging crystal person isn't inclined to think biology can change too much sans replacing entire parts of yourself, after all. ]
[ the more he learns about her, the less likely "curing" her seems. The Horologium doesn't just make poison - it produces energy that keeps Cardia alive, with that poison as a byproduct. Stopping the poison without also stopping her "heart" will be a delicate task, if not outright impossible, and at the moment, he has no idea how one would even go about doing that.
But he remains undeterred. ]
If there's a way, I'll find it. If there isn't, then I'll be the one to discover it. I promised her that I'd grant her wish, and I don't go back on promises.
[ despite everything, he sounds confident, if not resolute, as if he refuses to acknowledge even the possibility of defeat. He simply doesn't lose. He's not about to start now. ]
One of your people has the same problem, though... That's interesting. In my world, she's one of a kind.
[ They will remain mildly skeptical about that, but Lupin is nothing if not persistent. They're sure he'll continue to try it no matter what if he puts his mind to it. They can't say they particularly relate to that conviction, especially in this case. ]
Cinnabar is one of a kind in our world too. [ They mention their name, in case he's familiar with the crystal. ] But the two of them are very different, even despite that, probably. Their problems might be the same, but Cinnabar was born with that condition, which is why it's likely irreversible...
[ They shrug. They were always too busy dealing with their situation with Ghost to care too much about Cinnabar's issues. The only reason they speak of it now is because its relevant, and even then, their tone is one of nonchalance, like it is something that cannot be helped. ]
Couldn't she also find practical uses for it? Like for fighting.
Well, sure... She's been able to use it for things like that on heists before. We've taught her a bit of self-defense. But...
[ this... may be harder to explain to Cairngorm than it would be to a normal person. He thinks most humans would understand immediately why it would be painful to live life never being able to touch another person; the gems, on the other hand, don't touch each other much at all. ]
She wants to be able to touch people. She doesn't like being isolated from the world. Even if it has its uses, for her, the cons outweigh the pros by a landslide. [ a pause. ] People aren't meant to be alone.
[ He's right; they don't see why it'd be so hard to just wear gloves all the time. Isn't that essentially the same? She does remind them more of gems here, that brand of caution is more similar to the way gems interact with the world around them than humans. Then again, he'd said she wasn't really human in the same way to begin with... ]'
Sounds complicated.
[ They don't know if they can understand this even if they try. It definitely sucks not being able to interact with the world and being apart from everyone, sure, but they'd also just bit the bullet and dealt with it, had never been actively seeking a way out of it. Cairngorm can't exactly say they empathize with trying to go against the hand you're dealt. ]
Maybe there's an answer to her condition is here, in this weird place... there are resources here not known to your own realm, after all. If I were you, I'd make use of them before I'm able to leave.
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Me and Phos? [ There's a few beats. ] We're— no, we're not partners like that.
[ That response leaves the implication that there are gems that are "like that", though. ]
There are gems who have relationships with their partners that are... a lot closer than others. [ Is that the best way to put it... the gems whose partnerships are like this are decidedly not just co-workers and not just friends. But gem society labels all partnerships the same, so they fail to put a name on this type of close relationship for him. Instead, they just shake their head strongly. ] But not me and Phos. I don't think they could focus on someone else if they tried...
[ That is a half-truth, but they don't care, so long as it'll convince Lupin that them and Phos are not A THING. ]
no subject
Ha ha ha! All right, I get it, no love lost between you and Phos. [ he feels a little bad for Phos, to be honest... on the other hand, it sounds like they might have earned some of it. ] I'm glad you--
[ whatever he was about to say is abruptly interrupted. Lupin had forgotten, with how heated this discussion had become, that he should still probably be avoiding too much eye contact, and a reminder appears without warning.
At once, they're transported to a moonlit night in the English countryside (information Lupin's thoughts provide, though the name probably means little to Cairngorm.) There's a gaggle of soldiers wearing yellow uniforms gathered in the road, along with their cars, several of which are flipped over onto their sides; all of them have the muzzles of their long rifles pointed upwards towards a single, familiar figure perched atop the ruins of some old building.
"Fire!!"
The night air flashes as the soldiers pull the trigger; Lupin's body jerks as it's riddled with bullets, his silhouette vanishing from its starry backdrop. The captain of the soldiers, an older man with a long, curly moustache, begins to berate them for killing him when they should have captured him, but he's cut short.
"You cads... You... You've gone and done it. You've ended my brilliant life... Cut short... Too soon..." Somehow, his voice sounds out; somehow, he can be seen sitting up, then getting to his feet. They can do little but gape as he apparently returns to life, his voice trailing off into peals of laughter. For a bizarre moment, his form seems to swell like a balloon; then, suddenly, he explodes with a burst of blinding white light.
They didn't seriously think I'd just stand there and get shot, did they?
I guess they did. Even in England, the police are just so predictable.
Hold on for just a few seconds longer, my dear - you'll be mine soon enough.
Another series of bangs sounds out from amongst the soldiers and carriages as several more explosions are triggered, flooding the road with a white smoke that only grows thicker rather than dispersing. The men are in confusion; Lupin is not, and he cuts into the cloud like a shadow, making a beeline for one of the cars. There's a woman sitting there - a girl with tumbling brown hair and a face like a doll's, and before she can cry out in surprise when Lupin alights on the trunk of the car, he brings a finger to his lips, shushing her.
"Did I startle you? My apologies. Fear not - I'm not a ghost. That was just a trick. Now... Take my hand, mademoiselle. Shall we make our great escape out into the night?" He holds out a hand to her; she cringes away from it, shaking her head.
"N-no... Don't touch me, please... You'll die from the poison..."
Ah. That. I wasn't expecting the Horologium to be worried about hurting me.
"I'm aware of it. But that only comes from skin contact, doesn't it? And your gloves block the poison, do they not?"
The girl starts to make an excuse. Her voice is soft, fearful, not of Lupin, but of the world, of herself. She's very beautiful, Lupin thinks. He wonders how they could call her a monster. Just because of some pesky poison -- he doesn't pay it another thought, pulling her by the hand and sweeping her up into his arms as if she's lighter than a feather.
"I'll be all right. Trust me. See? I'm unharmed."
She stares up at him, bewildered. He grins.
"Relax, my lady. A beautiful face like yours is wasted without a smile to go with it. Now, leave everything to me." ]
no subject
They're grateful at least that they aren't feeling anything this time, though the appearance of that girl is strange and puzzling nonetheless. She's beautiful, they think, too. She reminds them of the prettier gems, the ones that have big, bright eyes and kind expressions, though she, like Lupin, lacks any sort of luster or shine. It's all sort of goes by really fast, him hoisting her up and everything; they're left in a state of shock when they come back to reality, their shoulders having tensed up unwittingly.
What they probably should have taken from that memory is that Lupin is cool, and way more dependable than they tend to assume. But: ]
So— you have always been this dramatic...
[ Is what first comes to mind to say, as they shift awkwardly and throw their glance away from his and across the room. It's better if they just try to make the transition back to reality smooth— no, they won't have a repeat of what he did, where they try to make too many assumptions about what they just saw. ]
...I didn't know humans could be poisonous to the touch.
[ The way they say it makes it clear that they've already got a good understanding of poison, and it's not just from their studies in the library. ]
no subject
Cairngorm's comment gets a rueful expression out of him, and he shakes his head gently. (He could defend himself on the dramatic bit, but, really, they're completely right, and he knows it. And is okay with it.) ]
... Well, they aren't usually. Do you remember the girl I mentioned to you before - the one with a jewel for a heart? That was her. Her name is Cardia.
[ once again, his tone softens a bit. He remembers that night clearly enough that revisiting the memory wasn't much of a shock, aside from the aforementioned action. It wasn't very long ago, of course - but, more importantly, it altered the course of his life. ]
That jewel keeps her alive, but it also makes her skin secrete a poison that destroys anything it touches, [ he explains, carefully. ] ... That was the night I first met her. That gem, the Horologium, could be used as a horrible weapon. I wanted to steal it before it fell into the wrong hands. I didn't know that "it" was actually a "she."
no subject
So that's how it is.
[ It makes sense, his explanation. Of course they'd found the notion of stealing a person kind of odd, but with his clarification about her circumstance... it's easier for them to understand than they expect. Being made into a weapon, secreting a poison, these are both concepts that they're familiar with. It seems a bit sad, the very existence of this girl, but it seems like Lupin had intervened on whatever tragic fate she'd been set up for, presumably successfully. ]
...She must have lived in isolation, right. [ The way she recoiled from his touch, how she feared the poison killing him; it's too similar to someone else they know from home. They're not quite sure they understand the relationship between these two, but if Lupin is the one that brought her out of that sort of lonely life, there must be something of note. But that shouldn't be their focus, right now. ] Until you met her, and brought her to that mansion.
[ They don't feel like they have to ask if she ended up being okay (he doesn't seem particularly sad remembering her?), so they instead focus on the greater context. ]
no subject
[ she had her own circumstances - she'd gotten out of her home once before then - but Cairngorm is basically right. He's a little surprised at how readily they accept this information, of all things, when they'd been tripped up by things as straightforward as "chandelier" and "small dog breed" in the past... Then again, perhaps Cardia's existence seems more familiar to them. ]
She's really afraid of hurting people, and it seems like the man who created her told her to never go into the outside world, too. He told her all sorts of nasty things, and she believed him, of course. [ Lupin sighs. When he thinks about it, some of her problems aren't too different from Cairngorm's. Maybe he has a weakness for people like this. ] But she doesn't deserve to stay locked up - she belongs out in the sun with you and I. I'm planning on finding a way to cure her poison when I get back.
no subject
[ No, Cardia's circumstances are different than they'd imagined. They guess they kind of assumed she took it upon herself to isolate herself from others the same way Cinnabar had, out of a desire to not harm other living things. It's different here, where she isn't doing it of her own volition. The kind of isolation he describes is maybe closer to the one they're familiar with, not that they have any particular desire to see themself in this strange girl.
Things make a little more sense now. ]
...You really think it's possible? To cure it.
[ They're not deliberately intending to sound rude here, but they do seem a bit skeptical, if only because they're thinking of her condition in the way gems think of their respective poisonous member of society. An immortal, unchanging crystal person isn't inclined to think biology can change too much sans replacing entire parts of yourself, after all. ]
no subject
But he remains undeterred. ]
If there's a way, I'll find it. If there isn't, then I'll be the one to discover it. I promised her that I'd grant her wish, and I don't go back on promises.
[ despite everything, he sounds confident, if not resolute, as if he refuses to acknowledge even the possibility of defeat. He simply doesn't lose. He's not about to start now. ]
One of your people has the same problem, though... That's interesting. In my world, she's one of a kind.
no subject
Cinnabar is one of a kind in our world too. [ They mention their name, in case he's familiar with the crystal. ] But the two of them are very different, even despite that, probably. Their problems might be the same, but Cinnabar was born with that condition, which is why it's likely irreversible...
[ They shrug. They were always too busy dealing with their situation with Ghost to care too much about Cinnabar's issues. The only reason they speak of it now is because its relevant, and even then, their tone is one of nonchalance, like it is something that cannot be helped. ]
Couldn't she also find practical uses for it? Like for fighting.
[ Instead of replacing it entirely. ]
no subject
[ this... may be harder to explain to Cairngorm than it would be to a normal person. He thinks most humans would understand immediately why it would be painful to live life never being able to touch another person; the gems, on the other hand, don't touch each other much at all. ]
She wants to be able to touch people. She doesn't like being isolated from the world. Even if it has its uses, for her, the cons outweigh the pros by a landslide. [ a pause. ] People aren't meant to be alone.
no subject
Sounds complicated.
[ They don't know if they can understand this even if they try. It definitely sucks not being able to interact with the world and being apart from everyone, sure, but they'd also just bit the bullet and dealt with it, had never been actively seeking a way out of it. Cairngorm can't exactly say they empathize with trying to go against the hand you're dealt. ]
Maybe there's an answer to her condition is here, in this weird place... there are resources here not known to your own realm, after all. If I were you, I'd make use of them before I'm able to leave.