imatreenow | nineteen [written/voice/action]

[Mithos had come to in the forest, and the first thing he knew was that he was alone. The second thing he knew was that the mana here was so thin he couldn't sense it at all. A ripple of alarm spread through him, reaching wider with each second, but he forced himself to remain calm. He called out the names of his companions, but he didn't expect to hear any response cutting through the silence of the trees. His immediate concern is warmth. Through the trees, their limbs black and bare, he can make out the shapes of houses in the near distance - a village. He knows he can't risk venturing inside, especially if he doesn't even know where he is. The clothes he had woken up in are loose on his frame and they provide some protection against the cold, but they can't compare to a warm cloak. The upside of being a mage, however, is that you can build a fire in no time.

Once the flames are crackling, he can turn his attention to his next concern: the small book he had found in the snow, with his name embossed on the cover. He leafs through it, curious. And piece by piece, he figures out how to use it.]

[WRITTEN - mediocrely filtered to Kratos and Yuan]

Kratos and Yuan,

I found your names in this journal device. I hope this message finds its way to you. Where are you, and is Martel with you? I'm somewhere in the woods, but I don't know how I got here. I can see a village nearby, but I haven't approached and I don't know what village it is.

Please reply quickly.

Mithos

[Later, once the situation has been sorted out and he's settled in at House 8 with his two best bros in the whole wide world, he opens his journal again, this time to address a larger audience. He's had a lot to think about, a lot to digest. And perhaps his next move is foolish, but he feels that it's something he must do.]

[VOICE]

Good afternoon. Thank you for taking the time to listen... This message may not seem important, and maybe it will mean nothing to you...but it means something to me. My name is Mithos Yggdrasill. I arrived here earlier today, and the situation has been explained to me clearly enough. I'm not here to ask about that. [A small pause in which he can practically hear Yuan rolling his eyes from somewhere in the house, and his lips twtch in quiet amusement for a second before he calmly continues.]

I come from a world in conflict. Until recently, two powerful countries were at war - for nearly a thousand years, they fought each other for land and resources and power. That war has ended, but there is another, perhaps even more deeply-rooted war that still rages. People hold a lot of prejudices against each other. Elves look down on humans, and they look down on half-elves for having human blood inside them. Humans fear and despise half-elves for posessing magic that they lack. Everyone looks for someone else to blame. They look for someone they can put down to make themselves feel superior.

I don't know what your home worlds are like. Maybe they're similar to the world I know, or maybe everyone has learned to live together peacefully. I just want to be clear... I don't want to deceive anybody.

I happen to be a half-elf. I'm staying in the village right now, but if that makes you uncomfortable, I... Well, no, I won't understand. Whatever my blood may be, I'm no different from any of you. But I'll respect your wishes. I don't mean to cause trouble while I'm here.

That's all I wanted to say.

[ACTION]

[In the afternoon, delighted to learn that literally nobody cares that he's a half-elf, Mithos wanders out to explore the village more fully. First stop: clothes that fit better, because the set he woke up in were clearly meant for someone taller. He'll linger around the plaza, checking out each shop and stopping by the smithy to procure a sword. He doesn't expect to find the Eternal Sword here, but he feels a little naked without any blade at all at his side. He can be found anywhere in the village, a thoughtful look on his face as he learns the streets.]

[OOC NOTE: For those unfamiliar with Tales of Symphonia, or those who need a refresher, Mithos has returned from a mallynap thrown 4000 years into the past, to a time when he was this totally cool hero who stopped a war, stopped the world from dying, worked to end discrimination, and things like that. It's also worth noting that, to anyone who knows him, it will be apparent that he is younger - shorter, rounder face, higher voice. Basically how he was a year ago ~~so his icons are actually accurate again~~. But he's still recognizable as himself.

Also, I'm staying with a friend tonight and then tomorrow we drive back to campus, so I'll be tagging as much as I can today but after that I won't be around again until late Wednesday night at the earliest. Just a heads up!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Of course that would be the most sensible thing to assume. It means Mithos could return to being a psychopath at any moment. They need to be prepared and not let their guards down.]

What did you tell him?

[No use in lying, here:]

I told him that I would come get him, after I had spoken with you. [~~worst wife ever~~]

Great. [His hands clench into fists for a moment, but then he draws a deep breath and his composure relaxes again. He knows what's coming next.]

I don't want him in our house.

What choice do we have? He believes us to be his allies from that time, Yuan. We cannot simply turn him away and expect for him to not question it.

[That's true. He knows that's true, but... Dammit, the last time Mithos was in his house, it didn't end well.]

So take him to an empty apartment.

He will question that just as much. [He understands why this makes Yuan wary. It makes Kratos wary as well... but he really doesn't see any good options.]

No, he won't. He doesn't need to know we live in a house.

[Unless Kratos already told him. Dammit Kratos did you mention the house?]

He may already believe we live with each other, though I was vague with how I would be speaking to you. [...] However, I did tell him that both of us would fill him in on everything he needed to know.

[That sure evokes a loud, frustrated grunt from Yuan.]

So am I supposed to come along when you meet with him, or can I stay here and install additional locks on my bedroom door?

I'll retrieve him on my own. [He again can understand Yuan's reaction, but it doesn't stop him from breathing out an exasperated sigh, laughing in a way that wouldn't imply humor or happiness. Perhaps because Yuan's reaction, no matter how justified, is being shown in the most ridiculous of fashions. He sounds like a child.] You may stay here--I intended to go alone from the start.

[Childish or not, he's serious about this. He's going to the store as soon as possible to get himself a big padlock. Mithos has always had the opportunity to break into their house and kill Yuan in his sleep, of course, but he knows their old 'friend' is going to be more violent than usual the moment he regains his memories.

In fact, he should remove valuables from the living room while he's at it. Those are bound to get broken.]

All right. Then, I'll undoubtedly see you when you get back.

Yes. I'll see you then, Yuan.

[And now to find Mithos. He does feel terrible for putting both himself and Yuan at risk, but there seems to be no way around it without Mithos asking too many questions for the situation to stay as calm as it possibly can be. Not only that, but Mithos is their responsibility. Their burden. That's how it's been since Martel's death, and both of them are to blame for how things ended up--

He'll try not to think about that too much, for now.]

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