4. Kindness

[sarcasmancer]

Characters: Jade Curtiss and you! Plus a locked prompt to Fon Master Ion.
Setting: Floor 48 (graveyard), Floor Eighty-Eight (bar), Room 1-16 (Locked to Ion), early in the month.
Format: Tag in the format you like and I'll match it.
Summary: Backdated towards the beginning of the month. I meant to post this before but I have been ridic busy oh my god so many tags I haven't tagged back on I'M SORRY GUYS. Jade checks the monthly list of people who have "gone home" and finds two he knows well. A couple of open prompts, plus Jade checking up on Ion to make sure he's OK in light of this news.
Warnings: It's Jade and the topic of death and loss. Intense morbidity is sure to follow at some point, though that will be after a lot of cheerful evasiveness. For now, though, nothing in particular.


==F48/Graveyard==

It isn't the first time that Jade has visited the grave of someone he knows. It isn't even the first time since he arrived at the Tower. Given the nature of the place, it doesn't shock or surprise or even sadden him, though that's largely due to his own... shall we say, eccentricities. It's because of those eccentricities that when he realized early in the month that Tear and Anise were nowhere to be found that his first thought was to come here, so there's no way it could take him aback.

It does, however, disappoint him.

Jade had gone to a lot of effort of looking out for Tear while she had regained her true powers, and he had gone to a lot of effort having a talk with Anise in regards to Ion. No--it's more than that, of course, and he knows it. But here their names are, side by side, neatly informing the world at large that they are no longer here, regardless of any effort any of the concern parties had taken.

The red-eyed man considers the headstones for several moments. Then he adjusts his glasses, the reflected glare briefly hiding his eyes from view, and turns to walk away.


==F88/Bar==

There's something inherently wrong about a bar that doesn't have any alcohol most of the time, but it has the kind of atmosphere Jade would prefer at this point in time. The tumbler in his hand clinks with ice, though what would be a good scotch on the rocks is merely ice water. He takes a sip from it regardless, considering the smoky air in solitude.

A solitude that is likely to be broken at any moment, but one takes what one can get when one can.


==R1-16/Locked to Ion==

Gloved knuckles wrap on the door to dorm room 1-16. Room assignments had been reshuffled, but since he and Ion were both on this floor, Jade doubted that he would have been moved to. He waits patiently for someone to answer the door, and once he sees the green-haired replica, he offers him a smile and holds up a bag. It smells wonderful; inside are freshly-made curry donuts.

Well. Really they're just nutrition bars that are under the illusion of having been cooked into curry donuts, but again, one takes what one can get. Curry is a specialty of Jade's, too, so long as you like your curry spicy. Fortunately, they've been adjusted to whatever Ion's preference level is.

It's awfully nice of him, so of course he can't be straightforward about it.

"I made too many for myself, so I thought I'd stop by to share," he explains, which is technically the truth--just not the whole truth, that he made too many for himself because he was actually making enough for himself and Ion. "May I come in?"

Comments

==F88/Bar==

[oathshackledbird]

[A half empty wine bottle clinks against the bar near Jade's glass. The deliverer of something perhaps only slightly better than the ice water currently in the Colonel's cup? That would be Diarmuid. He leans against the bar and gives Jade a look that is a cross between understanding and concern. A lot has happened recently. How hard has it all hit Jade if he's sitting alone here with a glass of water when he could be out getting into some new kind of mischief?]

Looks like you could use a real drink as much as me. I've been nursing this bottle a while so it's not the best, but considering it is just a bottle I took from the kitchen the last time we were lucky enough to get any, it wasn't ever that good to begin with. Want some anyway?

[sarcasmancer]

[Unless that's extremely bad wine, it is most certainly better than ice water. Jade turns his attention towards the wine bottle and its bearer, and smiles slightly to see Diarmuid.]

You'll need to try harder than that if you're trying to convince me not to accept.

[By which he means 'yes.' Jade gestures to whomever is currently tending the bar, and a pair of wine glasses are delivered promptly. A tumbler is no receptable for wine, no matter how bad its quality.]

[oathshackledbird]

Well, then it's a good thing that I'm not really trying to talk you out of it, hu?

[Diarmuid smiles and then pours some wine into both glasses. Once he has, he sets the bottle to the side and raises one of the glasses to Jade.]

Here's to surviving the Administrators' latest round of tricks. Lets hope we gained more than we lost...

[Though, Diarmuid has to admit he has a feeling that Jade's troubles are less to do with what happened to Jason and more to something that happened later. After all, the man had been in a reasonably good mood at the party.

But then again, Jade is Jade...]

[sarcasmancer]

[Jade waits for Diarmuid to fill--well, "fill"--his glass, then raises his in time with the spearsman's in a morbid toast.]

Unless we figure out a solution to the overarching problems, I'm afraid ultimately we'll all lose everything.

[Jade is Jade is Jade, which means he's ever the realistic downer when the situation isn't looking good. He takes a sip of that wine. As his companion said, it's not very good, but waste not, want not.]

By the way, I'm afraid I have bad news for you.

[oathshackledbird]

Nothing is lost unless we stop trying, which I have no intention of doing.

[Diarmuid takes a sip of the wine in his glass and frowns, not at the poor taste since that had been expected, but at Jade's words.]

I was afraid of that. My guess is since you're really not been here long enough to have an opinion one way or another about Jason, this has nothing to do with that.

Who was sent home?

[It's a logical guess really considering how many have been sent away recently...]

[sarcasmancer]

[The fonist smiles, but his response is a mild:]

My, my, what fervor.

[Jade is Jade is Jade, after all. He takes another sip, savoring it, as Diarmuid draws an accurate conclusion. ...He knew there was a reason he liked the Heroic Spirit. Though he won't say it, Jade respects his mental acuity.]

Tear, among others. You do seem to have bad luck with her, don't you?

[oathshackledbird]

[Jade doesn't need to know Ancient Gaelic to realize the muttered words that slip from Diarmuid's mouth are curses. The tone makes it loud and clear. He falls silent after that, shaking his head.]

I am sorry. You knew her better than I, so perhaps I should not be so upset, but...

[He shakes his head and takes another sip of his wine.]

So many have been sent away. What once filled five floors now barely fills two...

Dorm 1-16

[fragileprophet]

Ion was glad he was awake not to miss the knocking that came to the door. He didn't know too much about one of his two new roommates, but they all seemed to be early risers. Rick was gone already, on his usual patrols, and Asch always seemed to have something or other to attend to. Ion spent the most time in the dorm, as was to be expected, what with his health always flickering between different stages of weakness.

He was, in fact, mulling over how energetic he was feeling as he reclined against his mattress and stared at the plain, white ceiling when the sound came. Ion didn't bother picking up his staff as he swung his legs out of bed and made his way over to the door; it wasn't a far distance to travel. The boy fully expected whoever it was to be looking for someone who wasn't there, but seeing Jade immediately tugged a pleasant smile across his face.

The donuts helped, too.

"Of course!" Came the cheerful, almost song-like reply. Ion held the door open more fully, stepping aside so Jade could enter. "This is very thoughtful of you, Jade."

[sarcasmancer]

That pleasant smile won't last long. Jade returns the expression, but as he does so, he searches the replica's expression for any sign that he's hiding any emotional pain. Has he already learned about Anise? Jade's used to being the deliverer of bad news, but he prefers not to say what someone already knows.

"Not at all," he says dismissively as he enters. "It was a lot of trouble to gather the ingredients, and you're the least obnoxious person I know here."

All of which continues to technically be true. Once the door is shut, he offers Ion's share to him. It's still warm, but thanks to the trip from the kitchens to the dorms, it's not so piping hot that Ion can't just start eating it right away. Jade does, at least, and takes his time doing so.

so sorry I made you wait so long ;u;

[fragileprophet]

The first telltale sign emerges in the form of Ion averting his gaze away from Jade's searching one. He can tell when he's being analyzed. Usually, he doesn't mind--but Jade's one of those few people who can always read through his gentle facade.

"Thank you," he says politely as he gets comfortable again and takes the donuts he's offered. When he eats, he does so in small bites to make them last. "They're quite good!" Ion smiles wider, and laughs lightly. "I suppose I should have expected no less."

Of course, Ion has an inkling of what it is Jade may really have presented himself for. Ion would rather ignore this inkling, even if doing so would do him no favors. He had been mourning so many disappearances lately, and so quickly...and Anise had come at the worst possible moment. It hadn't been a conscious decision to do so, but when he noticed her name directly across the hall had vanished from the door and then rushed down to double-check at the cemetery, Ion had opted to completely shut down.

This wasn't something he was so sure he could handle really addressing. It wasn't something he wanted to address. The hurt had been too big and too acute and it had left him numb. Ion was surprised he had managed to get away with silence this long.

"So," he prompts after a moment, not at all unkindly, "what is it that's really brought along this visit?"

Ion is, after all, just as much a fan of beating around the bush as Jade, if perhaps a tad more tolerant.

haha it's okay, i am behind on a lot of tags, so uninspired

[sarcasmancer]

"Oh? Does that mean you were unsure of how they would taste, Fon Master?" Jade wonders, voice and smile mild. Not that he would blame him if he were; Jade is capable of cooking well, but he's perfectly aware that he's a terrible person who might deliberately drug food to see its results on its unsuspecting subjects. He wouldn't do that to Ion, but he also wouldn't tell Ion he wouldn't do that to him, so caution wouldn't be out of the question.

That's not his purpose here, though. His purpose is to deliver bad news, and to make sure that Ion has eaten something so that Jade knows exactly when the young replica last ate once said bad news arrives. On top of that, it looks like Ion might already know; there's something about his demeanor... But better to be certain.

Particularly since Ion sees right through him, too. That does make things simpler, though it turns Jade's smile wry for the few seconds that it remains. He doesn't actually respond until Ion has finished his meal, though, which Jade ensures by taking his time to eat his own curry donut.

"I wanted to check on you. If you already know about it, then you ought to be able to guess why. If not, then I have bad news for you," he finally replies.

"Anise has been sent home."

Floor 48, and I can't remember if they know each other's names so I'm going to assume they do

[notsogrimreaper]

[Ryoji had been doing his usual rounds around the Tower, and usually, when running into someone he knows, he tends to approach and start a conversation. When he sees Jade on the graveyard floor, he falters. He really doesn't want to approach him after their last conversation, even if it feels kind of rude to run off...

Eventually, Jade turns to leave the floor, and now Ryoji knows he can't leave so easily. He gives an awkward nod and a small smile, trying not to be too nervous when faced with an intimidating acquaintance.]

Jade-san... Hello.

Jade definitely knows Ryoji's thanks to Yukiko; we can assume he told Ryoji his name too, no prob

[sarcasmancer]

[Rude? Perhaps. Jade wouldn't have especially minded it, though he's be amused that someone capable of killing him would nonetheless find him intimidating, even if it was an aspect of them beyond their control.

When he turns, he spots the young man, noting his nervous demeanor but not bothering to remark on it. He gives him a curt nod and a return smile that does not reach his eyes.]

Ryoji. Paying your respects?

o7 also going to just tag this because I can

[notsogrimreaper]

[Ryoji tends to find a lot of people intimidating, and Jade tends to be sophisticated enough to be that way even though they have talked before. Ryoji seems to be acutely aware of how ridiculous he must look, standing awkwardly around.]

Um, yeah. G-Guess so...

[He does come here once in a while, just to say hello to the many friends he's lost in his time here, and to ask the few versions of himself that came before him to forgive him for getting the chance they can't have.]

What about you?

Well hi there~!

[sarcasmancer]

[It'd be easy to poke fun at Ryoji with how nervous he is right now. It would be easy, but Jade's not really in the mood to bother. ...That more than anything is an indication that this is affecting him.]

Strictly speaking, these graves don't actually represent one who has permanently died, so not really. I just came to make sure of something.

[Which is good because it sure doesn't come across via how he talks.]

Hello~

[notsogrimreaper]

[Ryoji just shrugs. He's not exactly one to argue, but some of what Jade's saying... just makes him feel upset enough that he has to speak up.]

Maybe they don't represent permanent death, but in some cases, they do. Some of these people died before arriving here, and returned to that death when they disappeared. And even for those that haven't... the fact that they're stuck on their dead worlds proves that we should think of them. The graves are here so we can remember them... remember what they're going through.

[And make sure that they remember just what they're fighting for here.]

A-Anyways... that's just what I think. What are you making sure of?

[sarcasmancer]

[It's fine that Ryoji speaks up. Jade won't argue with him. Case in point:]

Mm... You do have a point.

[A beat.]

A couple of companions from my world are missing, and a hunch brought me here. It seems they've been sent home, unfortunately.

Floor 88

[gleamingly]

This floor is a lot cleaner than the Snuggly Duckling, Rapunzel thinks as she steps onto it, but conceivably is meant to be something similar. The bar makes that obvious enough.

She is still getting used to seeing other people when she walks around the tower. So seeing Jade seated at the bar comes as a surprise, but she takes a seat a few stools over from him and looks around anyway. This is a lot quieter than the Snuggly Duckling too... it's almost uncomfortable.

So she looks over when she hears the ice clinking in his glass and makes an attempt at smalltalk. "Is that any good?"

[sarcasmancer]

For some people, the quiet is part of the draw. The bar is a good place to think, so long as you're all right with the haziness and the adult atmosphere. Jade is, so it works out quite well for him.

He pays Rapunzel no obvious mind when she sits down nearby, though he does make note of her presence. It isn't until she actually speaks to him that he turns his head to look at her.

"As far as water goes, it's palatable," he replies, setting the glass down. "I'm afraid, despite the way this floor looks, there isn't much more available here than that--but at least the water won't kill you. Probably."

Floor 48 (Hope it's not too late!)

[ninjainviolet]

And when he turns, he'll discover that he isn't alone. For some time now, Sheena had been coming to the Graveyard when she can to pay her respects to those whose names are etched in the stones. Some she knows and some she doesn't, but all cause her immense grief at knowing their fate, and she had felt it only right to come by and pray for them.

Today, though, is the first time she's not alone since she had started this practice, and while she could have done what she had come to do, she had decided to leave Jade alone in his grief. Before she can do so, however, he turns, her eyes full of concern as she greets him without any quips or sarcasm.

"Jade..."

(Not at all! I don't do a ton of tagging during the week anyhow)

[sarcasmancer]

There's a familiar face, though he hasn't chatted with her at length in a while. Jade pauses to regard Sheena. He'd been aware of the presence of someone else in the graveyard, but... well, as long as he'd been left alone, he was willing to leave well enough alone in return.

"Sheena," he replies, giving her a polite nod of greeting. "I wish I could say it's a pleasure to see you again, but that would be rather tasteless given the location." A beat. "How are you?"

After all, she, too, is visiting graves.

:) (Sorry for not replying sooner, but work did me in.)

[ninjainviolet]

Her usual demeanor subdued by the aura of their surroundings, Sheena, far from being insulted by his comment, nods in both greeting and agreement as she approaches him. A lot's happened since the last time they had spoken, but none of shows under her deepening concern for the man as she grows closer. She had seen enough to have come to the conclusion that this is a personal visit for the man, that he had known those whose names are on the markers.

So, when she finally stops, she shakes her head. "I'm fine, but don't worry about me. How are you doing?"

[ooc: She's never met Anise, but she's met Ion, who mentioned her. She just hasn't seen her name yet.]

no worries, I know how it is

[sarcasmancer]

Jade didn't mean it to be insulting, so it's good that Sheena doesn't take it as one. (Really, when Jade is insulting you, you'll know it.) As the ninja approaches, though, she'll see that Jade's expression is a mask, reflecting none of what he thinks or feels. Whether that's cause for yet more concern or not is up to her.

"Passably," is Jade's somewhat blase response. "I wasn't able to find a couple of my companions from Auldrant when I went calling on them, so I decided to check here." He looks pointedly at Tear and Anise's graves, hands now slipped into his pockets, and says nothing further.

[ninjainviolet]

And yes, as Sheena gets closer, she can't help feeling that something is off about him. Something is very wrong, and it's not until she's next to him that she realizes what it is--thanks to his expression and answer to her question.

He's completely stoic right now. And who uses such a neutral word like "passably"? Now, even in their only talk, he hadn't been running on high emotions, but there had been something there. Unless not showing his grief was how he handled it.

Sheena, however, has no control like that. The sadness in her eyes deepens when she she hears whose graves these are and she peers around him to offer a silent prayer to both, her words freezing when she sees the one.

"Anise? Isn't she Ion's Guardian?"

[sarcasmancer]

Who uses such a neutral word? Jade "Balfour" Curtiss, that's who. They'd had a pleasant conversation Jade's first day there, but that was under rather different circumstances. Sheena now has an opportunity to see another side of Jade, and she may not like what she witnesses.

But that's another matter, and Sheena won't understand it better if she doesn't ask--not that there's any guarantee that Jade will give a straight answer. He does at least step to one side to give her a better view of the graves. Her response nets her a single nod.

"Yes," he says. "Ion's had more than enough troubles, too. He's held out well so far, but I'm concerned about how this news will affect his mental state."