eighteen [action]

[imatreenow]

[Friday afternoon finds Mithos dragging a granite statue through the streets of Luceti. It will look familiar to those who can claim Aselia as their home world, carved adoringly in the likeness of a young man wielding dual swords. The figure is planted atop a base that bears a plaque engraved with the simple honor, "The Hero Lloyd Irving." All together, it stands at about three and a half feet, scaled down from the original model.

For Mithos, it's a bitter reminder of things that could never have been. Its sudden appearance in his house had been an elbow nudging him sharply in the ribs, an obnoxious stage whisper prompting, "Hey, remember that time all your hopes and dreams were crushed?"

Yes, yes he remembers.

Which is why he had to get rid of it. The first day, he dragged the statue behind the house, let it topple into the river, and watched the determined stony face sink below the surface. The next morning, it found its way back to his living room. Each day, he drags it farther away, and each morning it proudly comes back.

His route today takes him up from the south end of the village through the north end and into the woods. The farther away, the better.]

Comments

[action]

[imatreenow]

I'm not. [So blunt, and yet oh so sharp.]

Perhaps I should explain in a way that even you can understand. [Then he dangerously enunciates every word:] I want nothing to do with you.

[He's not protecting himself against anything the other might do while they hoist the statue away - he's protecting himself from the complacency that would follow if nothing happened. He doesn't want to give away even an inch of trust.]

[theboywiththebook]

[Henry awaits for the other boy's answer. He may be older than him by a lot, but he's never not tried to help someone who was older than him.

However, hearing the boy's response, Henry can just tell...this boy is more or less reluctant to take it. For whatever reason that is.]

Okay...but, when you do, you can talk to me on the journals. I also live in Community building 1 on the second floor.

action;

[imatreenow]

...I'm not a human. [He thinks this should be reason enough to deter her. They can't be friends because they're too different.]

[imatreenow]

And what if there isn't another way? You can't save everyone. You can't find a perfect solution for everything.

[action]

[not_a_troll]

[Honestly, Loki finds the other's response rather over the top. But except for that he is not quite fazed by it. Actually, he is giving Mithos the most blank stare he is capable of.]

Now do not make jabs at my intelligence, that is most uncouth.

[Loki leans a bit closer as if he is going to tell the blonde boy a big, big, big secret.]

Un-der-stood. Fare-ye-well

[imatreenow]

[He doesn't answer, because he doesn't want to encourage the boy with anything he says. He doesn't know what to say. He just pulls at the statue and hopes he'll be left alone. The lack of control is uncomfortable - he can't just snap a journal shut and end this. He can't hide.]

[savedtheworld]

Even if I can't save everyone doesn't mean I shouldn't try. And- and I can try to find solutions as close to perfect as possible.

[action]

[imatreenow]

[Oh, you do not even know the meaning of over the top yet.

Mithos steps back to compensate for the distance closed between them when Loki leans in. He's about ten seconds away from hitting you, Loki.]

[action]

[not_a_troll]

Now I have explained it in a way you understand, right? Right.

[So Loki takes a step back as well and waves shortly.]

[imatreenow]

[He scoffs.] You sound just like him. [His tone makes it clear that this is not a compliment.]

[savedtheworld]

Like who? [Even if it doesn't seem too hard to guess with the way the conversation started.]

[imatreenow]

Lloyd.

[action]

[imatreenow]

Get out of my sight. [He's not waving back!]

[action]

[not_a_troll]

Well oops.

[He shrugs and walks off.]

[sketchingideals]

...I'm sorry Mithos, but I don't believe that.

[The words come out without Jeb even having to think too much about them. Jeb's seem too much of Mithos to even consider that a real possibility. Even with his own insecurities, he knows that's a lie. That Mithos is probably just trying to protect himself.]

[theboywiththebook]

[Henry will leave him alone now. If only because he's guessing why he's so hostile is because he's uncomfortable.

He'll just say one thing.]

I'll see you later.

[And he leaves.]

[savedtheworld]

[Yep. Aang glances at the statue again. And he finds himself reminded of the statues of Roku and the other Avatars at the Southern Air Temple. And the giant statue of himself that he's heard will stand in the future. Then he looks back to Mithos, pensively.

If it was the Professor giving that comparison, it would be one thing. But given what he's heard about Lloyd's actions now, he doesn't know what to think.]

But I don't want to fight you.

action;

[gleamed]

[Considering the people she had met in Luceti, finding someone who looked human but wasn't doesn't come as much of a shock. But why did he think it would make such a difference?]

That doesn't matter to me!

[action]

[idealism]

What's wrong with it?

[revolutionarygirl]

[She just watches with a sigh. The more she sees of this kid, the more she's reminded of Nanami.]

[imatreenow]

He said the same thing. [His words aren't full of vindictive anger as much as they are simply emptied and cold.]

You disagree with me, do you not? Raine must have told you about me. I don't know how much she said, but you must know something.

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[imatreenow]

[No matter how many times he hears these words, no matter how many variations he hears, he still has a hard time making sense of the meaning behind them. It is an abstraction, something that cannot be grasped. He tries not to allow his expression to change, and he tries again.]

I'm different from you.

[action]

[imatreenow]

I don't need any reminders.

[shiningbinds]

There was a time where you weren't... but we are not those people anymore, are we? [Not said in anger, but defeated acceptance.]

[action]

[idealism]

So this is someone you used to know?