(no subject)

[earthshatter]

[There’s a brief moment of silence before this particular newcomer speaks up. Though he’s generally familiar with Traverse Town (and may be a familiar face to some of those already present), he takes a moment to carefully choose his words before he speaks. First impressions are important, after all, and more so in somewhere relatively unknown.]

I would be interested in knowing more about this realm. The moogles have already mentioned the Nightmares; is there anything else I should be aware of?

In addition, I would like to offer my services in dealing with the same, should anyone have need of such things.

[Dream Eaters or no, he knows better than to assume everyone is willing to get into combat, and if his strength can offer something of a shield, surely that’s better than nothing.]

Comments

[Action]

[defrostedpride]

"It wouldn't take much to be less immediately hostile, considering - " Some bitterness can pierce his oddly pleasant mood.

"Ienzo told me Riku killed you," he says abruptly. There was probably a better way to put that.

[Action]

[earthshatter]

There probably was, but Aeleus had long since grown accustomed to Even's bluntness. Besides, he'd been expecting the matter of his death to come up sooner or later.

"Not Riku," he corrected, in a surprisingly matter of fact tone of voice. "The shadow he bore." Riku had been simple enough to subdue, but an echo of the Superior's power, coming when he'd least expected it? That he'd been all but helpless against, and he'd found himself fading before he'd really been able to process everything that had happened.

Re: [Action]

[defrostedpride]

There were no words for how little Even felt like making the distinction. His expression said most of them anyway.

"Nevertheless. I find this fact...distressing. As a matter of safety." (He found it rather more than merely distressing, for reasons he couldn't have articulated had he wanted to try. Aeleus's strength was part of the nature of the universe. And then, there was repetition to dread. That would be worse than Aeleus never being here at all.)

[Action]

[earthshatter]

That much, Aeleus understood. If it hadn't been for his general preference to assign blame to the correct being, he might have been similarly inclined to not make the distinction. As for the matter of repetition, he generally preferred to believe that matters would at the very least be inclined to not require him to get into quite that sort of fight.

"Riku's presence here will provide no further threats. Had it not been for the shadow he bore, we would have had him. In addition, I believe he is no longer interested in physical combat of that nature.

[Action]

[defrostedpride]

Even was significantly less certain on this point, but Aeleus was better when it came to both judging people and judging physical combat. His opinion, therefore, took precedence.

Mostly. Even saw no reason to abandon suspicion entirely.

"If you say so, I suppose. It's not as though there's anything I can do about it, either way." Except try to sell Riku a potion spiked with something unpleasant, but that would be puerile. And Riku wouldn't take one from Even, anyway.

[Action]

[earthshatter]

Of course not. Even wouldn't be himself if he abandoned suspicion entirely and so Aeleus has grown used to simply taking it in stride. For now, he would content himself with the grudging acceptance that had already been offered and trust that matters would slowly resolve themselves over time.

"I do."