(no subject)

[arkadia]

Eden's found his way up to the rafters, again, and this time he has books! Three rather heavy, rather dusty tomes, in fact -- two of them are at his feet, and one of them (untitled, but with a clock on the front cover in gold) is settled against his legs, as he languidly turns the pages.

There are also several waitrats standing on a table, straining up to try to give him the brightly coloured milkshake he ordered. They've formed a little rat-tower. It's not helping.

Comments

[messwiththebest]

"Oh, here."

Sombra slides in on cat-like feet from the right, neatly lifting the bright milkshake and tossing her translocator up right next to Eden's leg.

Then she vanishes in a faint purple flash, reappearing instantly next to Eden, milkshake held out in one hand.

"You are very terrible, to come up here where the rats could not reach. I think some of them were crying!"

She's kidding.

[arkadia]

"On the inside, I'm sure they were weeping," Eden agrees, cheerfully, taking the milkshake and sipping on the straw. "You didn't tell me you could teleport."

[messwiththebest]

"It is a secret that I hold close to my breast save at great need, my friend."

Great need like, you know. Delivering a milkshake because those rats seemed so very put upon.

Sombra has a heart, okay?

[arkadia]

"This was the greatest of needs," Eden agrees. "I'm very thirsty, after all."

[messwiththebest]

"Never say that Sombra has let you down," she says grandly, dropping into a sprawled-out pose along the crossbeam.

[arkadia]

"In these difficult times, you've been my most dependable ally," Eden agrees, around the straw. "What've you been doing, anyway?"

[messwiththebest]

"Seeking to be a dependable ally to others in need!"

Of course.

[arkadia]

"That doesn't sound that fun. Kinda seems like it'd get tiresome after helping the fifth or six ally."

[messwiththebest]

Sombra waves her hand in a carelessly dismissive gesture.

"The fun comes later."

[arkadia]

"Later is ages away, though. The fun should happen now, and also all the time, forever."

[messwiththebest]

"I do not disagree with you, friend Eden. Do you have any idea how we might go about making that happen?"

He always has good ideas! Surely this time will be no exception.

[arkadia]

"Could probably get some fireworks and set them off. If we do it indoors, the explosions will be super packed together and pretty."

[messwiththebest]

"This is true. But I think Bar would not appreciate being set on fire."

She taps her gloved fingers against her mouth, thinking.

"However, if we angle things very low over the lake, it will be easier to cluster them together there, as well, no? And there will be less yelling in the end."

Sombra takes this moment to press her hand over her breastbone, palm flat.

"I am very delicate and prefer not to be yelled at."

[iprotectyou]

Having foregone his armor, Baze sits at a nearby table, etching designs i nto a conical forestock for his lightbow that he forged himself out of aluminum. A pitcher of ice water sweats near his left elbow, along with two glasses, only one of which is full. He also yawns periodically, as he's still worn out from three day's work at the forge and Emcee's party.

Baze snickers at the poor rats' predicament, and waves at Eden.

"Hoi, Eden! May the Force of others be with you! Would you like to come down and get your milkshake? Maybe have a drink of water?"

[arkadia]

Eden has to consider this for a moment. It is a very comfy rafter. Eventually, though, he picks up the other two books, and tips sideways off the rafter, righting himself in mid-air to land on his feet.

The rats rather hurriedly hand him his milkshake, squeaking irritably.

"What'cha doing?" He asks Baze, ambling over. "Making something?"

[iprotectyou]

Baze immediately makes room for him and his books, nudging out the chair opposite. The Jedhan beams, nodding exactly once.

"I'm engraving designs into a bow, for a larger lightbow. It's the traditional weapon of the Guardian of the Whills, and by finishing its construction, I hope to be a Guardian again."

Baze shows off the two long, aluminum pieces of the prod, or bow.

"Whatcha reading?"

[arkadia]

"When'd you stop being one?" Eden asks, casually, settling into the chair. "These are just books. Old tomes on time, thunder, and wind magic. They're from the Leopardos library, but I think most of them are from the Master of Master's collection, 'cause ..."

He angles the book he's holding towards Baze. It is a visibly ancient text, handwritten in beautiful cursive, with complicated diagrams. In the margins, there is a drawing of what looks like a fluffy ostrich, with an arrow pointing to it and a scribble saying 'A COOL GUY.'

[iprotectyou]

"Close to two decades ago," Baze says, feeling weary down to his bones. Poor, poor Chirrut. Is this what he felt all that time? Baze wonders. He shakes it off to stare at the strange bird in the stranger book.

"Huuuh. That's, um. Wow. Okay, then. Is the book at least useful to you?"

[arkadia]

"Not even a little, I've read most of it three or four times now, and I'm still not even a tiny bit closer to stopping time," Eden says, mournfully. "Looks like the Master didn't find it that useful, either, half the notes in here are about how it doesn't make any sense. S'probably why he handed these books off to Foreteller Gula."

[iprotectyou]

"I'm sorry to hear that," Baze says, shaking his head.

"And Foreteller Gula doesn't know either? Provided you could even ask him."

[arkadia]

"He probably knows loads about this stuff, but getting him out of his study is impossible," Eden grouses. "Foreteller Ava was the one who recommended these books to me."

[iprotectyou]

"Of course she did," Baze says, dry as Jedhan dust. He etches a groove into the conical forestock.

"Who else would help you? Have you found a mentor in Vulpes aside from her? She's a pretty good one, though."

[arkadia]

"Apparently there's another Light-user in Vulpes, Prishe, but Foreteller Ava didn't seem to think she'd be up for training me," Eden says, turning a page. "But Ava trains kids from other Unions every morning anyway. I didn't recognise most of the people there -- there's a few from other Leopardos dormitories, a couple from Anguis, one of Mateus' cronies in Ursus, and a few from Unicornis, though."

[iprotectyou]

"She trains kids from other Unions? That's great!" Baze says, carving an angular spiral into the soft metal.

"How did you score an invite to that?"

[arkadia]

"Just showed up at Vulpes looking for someone to train me. She recognised me from the whole -- stealing from Ursus thing and told me I could come back in the morning for training."