Scene Archives

sits on a convenient bench outside Zaed’s forge, which might not make much sense to be there but is there anyway. She’s reading a small book with a very suggestive cover and shitty paper that’s already yellowing. With her other hand, she occasionally sends swirls of pellucid gnosis around the drinks next to her, and burning gnosis around the food, keeping them their proper temperatures as she waits. She’s frowning at the book, not quite appalled, but like she’s thinking very, very hard about … a couple of things. Mostly, though, she’s waiting. More or less patiently, even.

is in there for a good number of hours, but eventually does need some kind of a break and heads outside, only to find someone who’s probably been there far too long waiting, and places a hand on her head. “You know we have devices that let us find and get ahold of one another do you didn’t need to sit out here… reading…” He quirks and eyebrow, glancing down.

tilts the cover towards him. It’s called Becoming The Scorpion Queen’s Slave and it features a man with long, luscious blond locks tied up in … complex leather straps, hanging from Jae’s stinger. She assumes it’s Jae at least. This version is wearing heavy makeup, a similar amount of (spiky) straps as the man, and is considerably bustier, which she thought was sort of impressive. “There’s a whole series of these,” she says, that same … blank fascination in her voice. “They use paper and they print these and sell them for not very much lucre at all.”

: “Ayup.”

: “I haven’t asked, but I don’t think her stinger lays eggs or alters pheromones either?” She hands him a bottle of sarsaparilla, still ice-cold from her gnosis work, and bites into a warm pork bun.

: “Well, not the first, for sure.” Aurelius takes the bottle gratefully, angling it carefully against the back of the bench before popping the cap off.

: “Jury’s still out on the latter.”

nods. “It’s horrible. I’m annotating it and I’m going to give her a copy.” She offers him his choice of pork buns from the carton as well.

takes it with his free hand. “It’ll be real awkward if you happened to send her one of the ones she wrote.”

: “If she wrote this one she needs to know her prose sucks ass. ‘Best in the room’ my fucking foot,” she mutters, but she does shut the book and tuck it away. “How’s forge time going for you? This is your daily nosy girlfriend check-in.”

: “Mm, well, can’t argue that.” He takes a bite, chewing on it thoughtfully. “Fine. Really, you could have just shot me a message, though this does make looking for a snack easier.” Then offer a smile.

smiles back. “I wanted some time to just read. And I wanted to see you but it wasn’t urgent enough that I had to interrupt you. The Linkpearl’s great and all, but. It’s not the same, really. “

frowns a bit. “Though I wonder if they make good books on the Beast? I mean. I knew this one would be bad, but there were a lot of schlocky-looking novels.”

: “Wow, judgy.”

: “Oh? Do you have a favorite in the Taken By The Scorpion Queen series that you’d recommend?”

: “Absolutely not.”

laughs. “Well, you did say you’re not much of a reader.” She takes a bite of another pork bun. “Also wanted to see how you were doing. Things seemed … hm. With Zaed earlier, you seemed a million miles away most of the time. You’ve seemed a million miles away a lot of the time, really. Kinda makes me want to drag you back down to the ground, at least for a little while.”

rolls a shrug, finishing off the pork bun before washing it down. “I’m fine? You do always seem to think I’m worse than I actually am though.”

nods thoughtfully, and picks up another pork bun but mostly rotates it in her hands. “I know. Or rather. I know I worry. And I still can’t tell if you’re okay or if you’re not. And. Hm.” She looks up at him. “I knew you wouldn’t take that weapon—Zaed’s prototype. Or. I was fairly certain. You’ve been defining yourself as Aurelius more and more since we’ve been here. But I was wondering how … you felt about that process I guess? If it’s hard, if you need anything. If you want to talk. You know. Standard Salme-questions.”

finishes the last of his drink while hmming. “I wonder if your need to put everything into words is part of why you were so drawn to being the Sword-Saint. Hrm.” Another shrug. “It’s a process? I’m not really sure I feel anything in particular about it. Not thrilled with seeing the disappointment on people’s faces, but I understand why they can’t really help it. Not really beating myself up about it though, I don’t think.”

: “I think actually that for a very long time I didn’t have the luxury of talking about much of anything with anyone.” She looks down at the pork bun she’s still rotating in her hands. “But yeah, I do. Like to verbalize things now I guess.” She finally takes a bite out of her somewhat … lukewarm bun, chews, swallows. “I don’t think there’s as much disappointment as you think. I think there’s … grief. And curiosity.”

: “Same thing.”

: “Do you really think so?” she tilts her head at him.

: “In this case? Absolutely.”

: “May I ask … why?”

considers for a moment, then meets Salme’s gaze. “You don’t… have much experience with seeing someone off to a Hunt and them never returning, do you?”

shakes her head. “No. The death I’ve encountered has been. Intimate.”

: “Well, that’s… really all it is. The grief comes from the disappointment of knowing of knowing something went wrong, knowing someone’s not coming home this time.”

draws her knees up to her chest. “It seems. Weirder than that, to me. The people I’ve talked to keep seeing him in you. And when they tell me about him, I can kind of see it too? It feels. Maybe even more dangerous than grief, or disappointment. Like if they’re not careful, they might forget you aren’t him? And that would be a serious disservice to you.” She presses her lips together and traces one of the poleyns that covers her knees. “But. I can’t imagine anyone ever actually getting to know you and being disappointed you exist. Even if it sits alongside an enormous grief.”

: “You are a bit biased on that point, yeah.”

: “Though, I’ll point out, I did not strictly mean disappointed in me. Just, disappointment, in general, at the situation.”

: “Ah. Yeah. I can see … that. Disappointment in general.” Sets her feet down on the ground. “And I know I am biased. But I also don’t think I’m wrong. Zaed at least wants to get to know you. I think Saranzaya would—I know that’s more complicated. I think she’ll stay away unless you seek her out. But I don’t think you need to avoid these people if you don’t want to.” She stands up, and attempts to look him in the eye, which still requires a lot of craning her neck. “And if you’d rather avoid Annarr’s footprints as much as possible, that’s fine too.”

: “Yeah, I know. Both ways.”

nods and then adds, “You probably. Didn’t doubt this, but. I still like who you’re becoming. Very much.”

: “Ha, I’d hope so.”

: “That said, I was wondering you’d. Hm. Maybe sometime consider … I mean, I know we’ve got food together, and we’ve run errands together, and we’re going to go to that play hopefully, but. I’d kind of like you to show me what you like about Queenstown, or about the Beast. I don’t want to distract you from your forge time, but,” she laughs a little, “we’re alive and here and. Again. You spend a lot of time in your head. I’d like to spend some time together with you out of it. And without me interrogating you about your feelings.”

gives Salme a skeptical look.

raises her eyebrows at him. “Yeah? You think I can’t go, what, an afternoon without interrogating you about your feelings?”

: “I mean, historically…”

: “…Anyway, seems like kind of a funny request to pose to me, after all the ‘be yourself’ conversations we’ve had, when I’ve technically only been here as long as you have.” A pause a slightly frown, “…Meant that mostly as a joke, don’t get too in your own head about it.”

: “But if we’re relying on memories of things I think might be cool or fun… well. Do recall you asking this of someone that preferred to spend the vast majority of their time alone. Which leaves us with. Hmm. Eating. Building things. Fighting. Things where those three overlap…” Aurelius scratches at his chin.

: “Iron Chef competition?” She offers.

: “Sure, and we’re already signed up for the big ‘un.”

: “Well okay. Let me rephrase what I was trying to ask, because I recognize I did not use the precise combination of words you needed to hear.” She takes one of his hands, and then the other, and holds them between her own. “Aurelius tou Asilos, second of his name, new-formed gestalt and beloved synomote, would you do the honor of discovering things to love about Queenstown with me? I’ve already gotten to explore a couple places, and I’d love to see what delights and fascinates you. And if you don’t have any ideas, there’s a dinky shooting range down the street where they give out these horrible scorpion figurines to whoever makes the best shot in a competition, and that seemed stupid and fun.”

: “Hmm.”

: “Probably would have been a lot easier on both ends had you simply said ‘Aurelius I would like to go on a date’, honestly.”

: “But sure, I reckon I can slot my darling girlfriend in for a bit of time between crafting sessions.”

looks at him and then laughs. “That’s what the play was for! And I … sure. I want to go on a date. I want to go on many dates with you. But I meant what I said about discovering the Beast together. I get you don’t always … you’re not Awa, you aren’t going to be awed by … well, much of anything, really, I don’t think. But still. I want to have fun together.”

: “And I think I could probably beat you at that dinky shooting game. I’ve been practicing.”

: “I see someone’s been doing a lot of day drinking to go along with their smut perusing. Fitting right in, here in the big city.”

laughs again. “Ah. There’s the shit talker I know and love.”

: “When, exactly, do you expect me to believe you’ve had TIME to practice, between being whisked away to strange bazaar locales, participating in brazen duels, several rendezvous with Zaya, a romantic night on the town with Awa, babysitting my meeting with a master smith and then getting a lot of reading in? Hmm?”

: “I wasn’t babysitting. Zaya said it’d be hot. Which it was.”

: “And I’ve still had time to practice. I practiced a bit before I started reading.”

: “Uh-huh.”

: “Do you honestly think you could give me a weapon as beautiful as that and I wouldn’t find time to spend with it?” She’s tapping her foot now, though, a little irritated.

isn’t quite ready to challenge him to a shooting match, but she’s not not ready.

: “I absolutely thing you have a great many things occupying your time instead, yes.”

: “Okay. Then allow me to demonstrate. We can set up targets here. You can use Elizabeth’s gun, and I can use mine.” She lifts her chin in challenge, aware that all of this is … a little absurd. Perhaps more than a little.

: “Do you realize those stalls don’t let you use real guns right? They’re dinky little toys that shoot corkscrew caps.”

: “Yes. I realize that. Which is also why I thought I might stand a chance, because I can’t imagine even you are particularly skilled with a dinky toy. But if you think I didn’t adequately appreciate your gift then higher stakes and a different approach is required.” She lifts her chin a little higher.

: “I think I have a reasonable grasp on how the mundane flow of time works… and also… would hope you are not going around shooting things simply because you have a gun now.”

: “Oh. Is that not allowed here? I thought shooting into the crowd while riding the tram was standard.”

: “No, that’s strictly confined to the pulp novels my dear.”

shrugs. “There might be a warrant out for my arrest then. I’ll be facing the queen’s justice shortly. It was nice knowing you, Aury.” She gives him a brief salute.

: “Ah, well. Suppose it’s back to the forge for me then.”

returns the salute.

: “And I suppose it’s time for Jae to tie me up with lots and lots of leather and have her wicked way with me,” she says with a dramatic sigh. “I’ll see you through the silken veils of her harem.”

: “Enjoy yourself.”

stares at him, thinking. Pondering. Jaw clenching and unclenching.

raises an eyebrow.

: “Well,” she drawls, “I suppose I can leave you to it then. I guess if I only get this one wild and precious life, I should try everything at least once. I’m sure Jae would make time for me.”

: “Are you… pouting… because you were being a tad ridiculous and I was ridiculous back instead of getting jealous at obvious bullshit…?”

: “No. I’m pouting because your commitment to the bit was better than mine.”

: “The benefit of not wearing my heart on my sleeve, I suppose.”

: “Yeah.”

: “So.”

: “How good of a cook are you?”

grimaces. “I can feed myself on long journeys and not die?”

: “Alright. Well. That’s something we can go do now, I think, that’s something a bit unique to the city and might be a fun experience. They have these restaurants where rather than cooking for you, there are grills and griddles and the like with a table and seating build around them, and they bring you the food to make yourself. ‘why in the name of Goddess would I go to a restaurant where I still had to cook myself’, you might be wondering, and that’s because they have all kinds of high quality and rare ingredients that you might not want to normally stock for yourself normally. Also specialty house beers and sauces and the like.”

smiles at him. “You just ate a bunch of pork buns.”

: “Which is not a no but if you aren’t hungry we don’t have to.”

: “I ate one pork bun, which is a simple snack and most definitely not a meal. I have no idea how many you may or may not have consumed while I was in there, though.”

: “I did not stuff my face with the snack I got to share with you while you were in there working, Aurelius.”

laughs a bit. “I’d like to go try that restaurant though. Since my marksmanship doesn’t seem like it’d offer you an adequate challenge.”

flashes a grin. “Oh I mean I can still show you up in that regard too if you really want.”

: “You know. I would like that.”

huffs a bit. “You know, I had an easier time impressing the fucking Scorpion Queen than you? You know that, right?”

: “Yeah, she’s real washed.”

: “Wait were you trying to impress me? How?”

stares at him. “I’m always trying to impress you? It has been an Ongoing Attempt that I have been singularly unsuccessful at? But I did want to show you how much better I’ve gotten with the gun, which I practiced with this morning at one of the many, many, many firing ranges around the Beast. Also an attempt to impress you: keeping up the bit long enough until you broke.”

stares at Salme in return. “I see.”

: “You’re looking at me like I’m insane.”

: “A little bit.”

: “Hmm… this is probably like with the gifts, isn’t it?”

: “Maybe?”

: “I want to say it isn’t like the gifts but … maybe? Is it … really that odd? That I’d want my boyfriend to find me as impressive as I find him?”

: “It’s a little weird that you tend to go about it by doing things I already think you’re capable of doing, at least, or by framing it as a challenge rather than you wanting to show off…? Hmm.”

: “Ah. Well. I mean I also. Again. Wanted to do things with you. Not just. Have you watch me or whatever. Be a worthy partner I guess?” She blushes. “I know you’d do just about anything for me. I know you don’t mind doing things for me. I—“ She presses her hands to her face. “This is mortifying, and you have enough on your plate you don’t need me being weird on top of it.”

shakes his head and lets out a small laugh, before placing a hand on her head. “Well, luckily for the both of us we’re both fairly used to the other being weird at this point. Though, really, I must object to you even insinuating you’re not already “worthy“ of being a co-conspirator.”

: “Well. I told you I watch you. I see you. You’re constantly there for me, caring for me. I’m pretty sure you’d do just about anything for me. And I know I ask for a lot. I’m a bit more,” she says the next word with a bit of a sneer, or something like it, “tenebrous than I thought I was. Than I’d like to be. And.” She peeks at him between her fingers. “I just. Sometimes I imagine you being excited about doing something with me? I don’t know. Maybe you have been and I just don’t know how to read it? So I keep thinking. Maybe I’ll manage it this time? Maybe that’s what the gifts are about and the ‘impressing you’ is about?”

: “Hmm… yeah, I think I’m just not as… expressive… as you perhaps expect me to be? But also, yes, sort of had a lot going on. And at the moment might perhaps be a bit more focused on finishing preparations than… indulging in other things. It was nice to see you just now though, and I would have enjoyed doing something with you as well, exceedingly awkward invention aside. Still could.”

drops her hands so she can actually look at him. “I know you aren’t particularly expressive, and I wouldn’t ask you to change yourself for me. Of that I am certain. If I need to get better at reading you then I’ll just work on getting better at reading you.” She nods. “And we can forget this conversation happened and go get a meal, if you’d like? I … really like it here, and I would like to spend some time here with you before we leave.”

: “I don’t think either of us is actually going to forget it, but we can sweep it under the rug for sure and go to something fun instead.”

lets his hand fall from her head and holds his hand in offering to her.

takes his hand. “Well how about instead we can table it for when you’re not in the middle of an existential crisis and complex weapon-and-armor preparations? It’s not a big enough deal that I’d rather talk about it than have fun.”

: “Sure that works for me.”

squeezes his hand. “Thank you.”