is it a sin to be weak hearted?

[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!]

[The news of his sister’s engagement came as unexpected to Mithos, even though it probably shouldn’t have. Raine has been with Jack since before he had even been born; he’s known the man his entire life. He’s always accepted it as the norm, and despite the over-protectiveness he harbors for his one and only sister, he entrusts her wellness to the strange, strange man. But getting married is always a big deal, isn’t it? The supposedly unbreakable bonds of marriage have always been part of an odd, grey area in their family, marred by the conspicuous absence of a father Mithos never knew. But whom Raine had known. He just wants to make sure his family is in good hands.]

[written | locked to Jack Sparrow – 50%]

Jack,

I trust you to take good care of Raine. She’s my only sister, and she deserves to have all the happiness in the world. You’ve done fairly well these past nearly fifteen years that I’ve watched, and even before then, but that doesn’t mean you can start slacking off anytime soon.

Your soon-to-be brother-in-law,
Mithos

[A short while after relaying this message, he can be found all about the village plaza. The mission: find something that suitably says “Congratulations, beloved sister of mine, you’re getting married!”, and within the budget of his slim allowance. There is no tradition that dictates such a thing, but he feels it’s necessary anyway. Feel free to run into him at any point on his trip, which includes the flower shop, the clothing store, and the general item shop, as well as on the way from and back to Community Housing 2. Of course, he’ll stop and rest by the fountain at some point too.]

[An ooc side note: Some replies may come from imatreestill, my shiny new side-account created for icon purposes because I'm cheap like that. DON'T BE ALARMED.]