mountain_sage | 027 [Voice/Action]

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027 [Voice/Action]

Everyone, I will be training at the barracks, should you need me.

[Should anyone decide to bother the sage, they will indeed find him at the barracks, swinging a rapier at a stationary dummy. However, his form is terrible. He's gripping the weapon wrong, he's swinging harder than he should for such a light weapon, and he's swinging at the wrong angles. Plus, he stumbles from the momentum of each swing. And the dummy he's trying to attack hasn't even been touched yet. But it's all right. With enough practice, he'll eventually get the hang of it. Or will he?]

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[What's this place? Ikki doesn't remember having passed around here before, but he's reaching a point of despair in his search for his little brother and the witch that took him. So he's exploring the barracks now. And ignoring pretty much everything else.

A kid running around without much care about where he stands while a man is practicing sword moves for the first time ever. It doesn't sound like a good combination.]

[Saleh may be terrible with a sword, but he's not so careless as to keep up his blind attacks when he realizes that there's a little kid nearby. He drops the sword, taking a moment to catch his breath before turning his attention to the kid.]

You should not be here alone.

[Ikki looks at the man slightly bewildered. He doesn't trust adults, the last time he did they brought him and his brother to an orphanage and planned to separate them. But now Shun isn't with him, because that witch took him, and he's pretty confident he can outwit any adult at anytime.

Or so does his pride and stubbornness tell him.]

I'm looking for my little brother. A witch took him from me and I'm going to get him back.

[And that's final, this kid is really decided and sure of it.]

A witch? Here in Luceti?

[Pride or no pride, this isn't a task a kid should try alone.]

Do you need help?

[There are indeed witches in Luceti, but not the one Ikki is after. Because not even his brother is here, bit a de-aged Ikki can't know those things. At least Saleh will get a clue when Ikki blinks at him in confusion.]

What's a Luceti?

Luceti is the name of this world. Are you a new arrival?

[Uh... He could consider the idea of this guy being mental if it wasn't because, well, he had woke up in an apartment he didn't recognize and it was snowing and in general the place didn't seem familiar. But he had assumed that the witch had carried him there after making him faint and stealing his brother.]

I woke up in a house that wasn't mine here. I don't know where the owner is.

[Neither bothered to wait to see if they were coming back, he had a little brother to find. He frowns, looking at Saleh with confusion, with several questions in his mind but unable to voice any.]

Hmm. At least you were fortunate enough to wake up in a house. Many new arrivals wake up in the forest, or in my case, in the mountains.

[On a rainy day to boot.]

Were you in your own world when your brother was taken?

[You assume that he understands that he was taken from his world, Saleh, which he doesn't, thus the blank stare at the last question. He had thought he had been at most been kidnapped too by the witch who took his brother.]

I... I was in Japan. And the witch attacked me to get my brother but I didn't let go, she used magic and I fell asleep and then woke up here.

[Actually, as far as things go, it's possible his brother wasn't taken at all given that he was taken before it happened. He assumed he had been taken because, well, he wasn't there.]

I see...

[Actually, Saleh's just trying to get as many details as possible so that he could understand the situation better. He wants to help, as always, but he doesn't know if that's even possible, and he certainly doesn't have the heart to tell that to the kid.]

What is your name?

Ikki.

[No surname, mama never gave him one and papa never appeared. It's okay, he doesn't care.]

Uhm... Where do I have to go to go to Japan from here?

[He has been looking for the girl and his brother, but it's starting to get difficult, and if he's not in Japan then maybe that's why he can't find them. So he has to return.]

Ikki? I am Saleh.

Japan? I'm afraid I do not know that place. However, once we arrive in Luceti, we cannot return home of our own will.

[And that's the unfortunate truth that must be told...]

[They can't... Return?]

But! What about my brother? I have to find him! If... If he's not here, he's there, right? He's a baby I can't leave him alone!

[Just the reaction he was fearing, not that he could blame him at all.]

From my understanding, time stands still in our world while we are here. And while time is still, nothing can happen to your brother.

[He certainly hopes so, as he has his own crisis to return to, and his own missing child to find.]

[Ikki doesn't seem convinced. After all the last he knows is losing consciousness while holding his brother and that girl trying to take him away before he woke up here.]

So... So my brother is safe? The witch hasn't taken him from me yet? Even if I'm here?

Hmm...I cannot say for certain. Only you know whether your brother was taken.

[This is truly difficult to explain to a young child... Perhaps it would help to tell him of his own predicament.]

I had been searching for someone in my world as well before I woke up here. However, I had met a man from my world, who came from the future. He told me that he had found the person I had been looking for, and that the crisis in my world has ended. Yet it had not ended for me.

You can meet someone from the future here?

[A pause.]

And from the past? ... What... What if that person is dead?

People can be brought from the past as well, from a time point before their deaths. So yes, it is possible to meet someone who is dead in your time point.

[Ikki hums and muses the information. He doesn't know if Shun was taken, though he remembers holding him with all his might even as he lost consciousness. He had felt him in his arms until he woke up here. But if he can't go back then... He will have to believe he's all right. Maybe someday he will get to meet his brother from the future and know what happened. Maybe he can get to see his mama too one day, he would like to say bye at least.]

Am... Are we trapped here forever?

I would not say "forever," but we are for the time being. People are sent home as spontaneously as they are brought here. No one knows who will arrive or depart next.

[That seems to cheer him up.]

So I can still return with my brother some day?

Yes. Someday. Until then, keep your chin up.

[One would just need to have faith.]

[Ikki nods.]

Yeah! I would be a weak cry-baby if I cried for this when there's a way out! I've to be strong.

[Such an eager spirit, just like Ewan.]

Indeed. Nothing will come by giving in to despair. I'm glad you understand, Ikki.

What's despair?

[You lost him for a second there, sorry.]

Despair is misery or depression. Sadness or hopelessness. It is a negative emotion that prevents people from achieving their goals.

Ah!

[There were still some complicated words there but he got the idea.]

Then no, it's no good to let that win even an inch of attention!

[Ikki looks around now.]

Why are you here, Saleh?

I'm here to practice my swordsmanship.

[Which is bad. Really bad.]

You are a swordsman? Are you strong?

Actually, I'm quite new to the sword, but I have always wanted to learn.

Hmmm... Can I watch?

[It's not as if he has anything better to do now that he knows his brother isn't here and he won't be able to go back on his own.]

Hmm, very well. Stand clear.

[Because swords are very dangerous, especially in the hands of a magic user.]

[Saleh takes the rapier in hand once again and swings it awkwardly. But no matter how hard he tries, he just can't seem to hit that blasted dummy.]

[Ikki stays far enough to not be in danger, so long as Saleh doesn't decide to change swordsmanship for throwing darts with swords. Unfortunately the kid has even less idea that Saleh regarding fighting so he doesn't find anything odd in the adult failing some times. He said he was new with it after all. He will surely start hitting the dummy in a few more practice swings, right?]

[Saleh pauses, holding the blade out towards the dummy for a moment before pulling it back. He takes another wide swing, completely missing the dummy again, but the momentum throws him forward, stumbling right into the dummy, knocking it over.]

[The sage stands to catch his breath.]

That was rather exhausting. I think that's enough for today...

[Ikki will approach again once he hears that.]

When did you start practicing?

Merely a few hours ago.

[Like a total n00b.]

[Ikki frowns a bit, considering this piece of information and what he has seen before he smiles.]

If that's the case I'm sure you'll be really strong when you have trained more. You already seem good!

Except that the dummy kept dodging. But if you had gotten it, it wouldn't have stood a chance.

[Nodding sagely. Let's ignore that this kid has no idea about swordsmanship, but from his point of view it did look good. Better than what he would do.]

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027 [Voice/Action]

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