a thing; w/ ruinsprofessor & conductingresistance

[simulsimul]

universe list
canon
breached
confessed
dadly
future
grigori
mercenary
MEover
origin
reversal
titans


scenario list
canon: Kratos needs to stop running off
confessed: wing reflex
confessed: actual wingpull
confessed: turning Renegade
confessed: son meets father
dadliness: confrontation
dadliness: awakening
dadliness: illness
dadliness: a fundamental lack of understanding on the word 'abducted'
dadliness: updating parameters
dadliness: assassination assignation
mercenary: hiding in the library
mercenary: aftermath of librarian saviour
reversal: oracle destroyed
titans: storming the tower
titans: safety in the canyon
titans: night horrors


canon
- combo of Kratos and Zelos ending
- Zelos does the stupid thing, but not so far as his death, and is still the eighth member of the party to Derris-Kharlan.

scenarios
scenario one: Yuan tracks Kratos down at Dirk's.


breached
- canon right up until after Botta’s death
- no one uses Yuan’s name around Mithos so Mithos walks right into the Triet base with them
- cue an epic OH SHIT in which Yuan gets a lil bit beat up while covering the evacuation of the rest of the base
- until Kratos appears to intervene and have the Chosen group get Yuan out of there
- Mithos gets Kratos tho and he’s a bit mad cos, yanno, traitor and all
- time to be locked up and punished and need to be rescued
- kind of puts a crimp in the creation of the Eternal Ring plans
- mostly cos Mithos turns Kratos lifeless, with some armour to regulate his mana so he remains a seraph. can't have the seal becoming less powerful, yo
- it does mean he can only obey orders tho
- the first rescue fails miserably but at least no one dies and they know they need to reforge his key-crest
- the second rescue attempt (circumstances of canon-point under percolation) goes a little better, though Yuan almost gets killed by Kratos trying to attach the key-crest
- luckily that and the first telepathy in a while gets through and Kratos manages to break out a la Colette, and heal Yuan enough for Raine to get there
- after which, angreh father-son beatdown on Mithos.

scenarios
None yet.


confessed
- almost successful assassination lands Kratos as an injured stranger in Iselia (1-2 years pre-canon)
- recuperation leads to accidental-on-purpose 'holiday' in Iselia
- doubts result in a request for Dirk to make a key-crest like Kratos' own
- oracle room undergoes some stealth sabotage
- regeneration journey is slightly delayed, prompted by Genis and Lloyd being discovered at the ranch
- Triet is awkward. so very awkward. for the Renegades -- whose side is Kratos even on these days and why was he vanished for two years?
- initial overall journey similar to canon, save that Kratos is a bit less circumspect about advising Colette on how to cope with angel transformations
- there are more overt Dun Wanna Feelings
- then Luin, wherein things happen and the group is in town during the Desian attack. the others naturally want to fight but tis a mite difficult against an army and building-destroying magitech. luckily, angel on their side. unluckily, wingpulls in order to muster the power to cover the townspeoples' retreat
- questions and confessions ensue
- Colette rejects the key crest (for the moment) so there's still hopefully maybe ambiguity about Kratos's position re the last seal
- it wouldn't fit anyway, it's modelled for the hand like Kratos's is because he was a derp and did not specify otherwise, so Lloyd needs to make a thing to make it fit
- slow protective retreat toward Asgard.

scenarios
scenario one: Kratos confesses before Salvation; Raine wants to follow up.
scenario two: Raine's examination of an angel; and also Kratos realises how far he's put his foot in it.
scenario three: Kratos goes to taunt Yuan a little, and also ask for his help.
scenario four: in which Raine makes Kratos tell the children all the things, and Yuan takes too much amusement from it.


dadliness
- Kratos retires in Iselia under the name Irving to raise Lloyd after the death of his wife
- no exsphere. ageing occurs! so does a beard and a braid
- teaches Lloyd swordplay, but on the sly, to avoid the other villagers noticing. his daytime job is weaving
- Lloyd finds the box of their exspheres and wants details. after some prodding by Dirk, Kratos explains how exspheres are made and that one is Anna's life. Lloyd is too young yet, but when Lloyd comes of age (~15) Kratos lets him make his own decision re wearing it
- Lloyd chooses not to wear the exsphere
- Genis befriends Marble and Lloyd meets her, as in canon; this happens before the journey begins, with the fallout
- difference being that Colette is still in the village so they can't be too horrible, so they just demand Lloyd be turned over for a flogging
- Kratos stands in his stead because natch. luckily, they're only mooks and don't recognise the bearded weaver as anyone important
- gives Lloyd his guilt complex early tho
- the oracle happens much the same way except Botta doesn't quite recognise the weirdly familiar bearded swordsman
- he does when he's reporting to Yuan tho
      'there was an exceptionally skilled human'
      /brief physical description/
      /did x other faintly recognizable thing/
      and both he and Yuan are aware that Kratos has been awol for a while, so there's a moment of pure silence and dawning 'no, it couldn't be'
- but then obviously one of them has to go make sure
- cue an interruption just out of Triet.

scenarios
scenario one: Yuan feels the need to investigate; this results in Kratos injured and abducted.
scenario two: Yuan realises he can't kill Kratos with his own two hands; Kratos gets mothered.
scenario three: Kratos gets sick on the heels of his recovery. Yuan mothers him some more. Botta disapproves.
scenario four: Kratos recovers and makes an escape attempt. Sort-of.
scenario five: Kratos recovers more and talks to Botta, when not needling Yuan about his lack of preparedness.
scenario six: Sheena's contract takes a slight shift into undercover instead of assassination work.


future
- Aselia is Earth ~10,000 years in the past
- all is peachy-keen except the tree is now underground and the elvens/half-elves/some humans are in hiding in the centre of the planet, hidden thanks to the summon spirits
- Colette is working with humanitarian aid in various impoverished nations
- Zelos is a diplomat in West Asia / Middle East trying to keep the peace
- Yuan is a crotchety lecturer at Cambridge who's also HUGE into environmentalism
- Lloyd and Kratos are having family time in space
- occasionally the trio on Earth meet reincarnations of people they used to know
- but rarely at the same time and almost never in a position where they meet
- but then they start meeting them
- lots of them
- all in the same span of years
- they're starting to think something's hinky
- until the space-elves attack
- and then they know something is hinky.


scenarios
None yet.


grigori
- at some point significantly before canon, Kratos actually calls it quits
- the Church's institution calls him a fallen angel of vengeance
- really he's just going around trying to help people and avoiding being taken back to Cruxis
- assigns himself to the Chosen parties whenever he can, up to Colette
- ????? idk some kind of profit somewhere

scenarios
None yet.


mercenary
- when Yuan visits Kratos at the beach when Lloyd is 3 months old, he does not manage to escape before Anna and Lloyd return
- accidental attachment to this kidlet who likes pulling his hair
- three years later, Yuan can't stand to hold back while Kratos fights Kvar, so he throws caution to the wind to help
- Anna is still killed but they rescue Lloyd and Noishe and both are branded as traitors
- Lloyd is raised as a Renegade with Dad, Uncle Yuan and the extremely reticent Uncle Botta (how dare)
- meanwhile in Tethe'alla Yuan infiltrates the castle as the library archivist
- stays out of sight, mostly, but has a good ear around the politics thanks to recruiting Princess Hilda
- also happens to stumble on Zelos hiding in the library right after his mother's death
- look he's got a 'nephew' he can't just do nothing (even if all he meant was to recommend a book)
- unwittingly accidentally 'adopts' the Tethe'allan Chosen by virtue of being the only one who doesn't treat him like the Chosen
- sometimes Kratos brings Lloyd to visit and basically they're all separate pairs of exasperated bros
- by canon Lloyd and Kratos are wandering mercenaries, helping people on the sly while gathering intel to send back to the Renegades
- Yuan and Zelos are actively building resistance to the Church using inside knowledge
- the ninja are all Renegades
- Colette is escorted by Raine and by the priests
- yes the 'chain up the Chosen and drag her to every seal if necessary' priests
- she meets Lloyd randomly in Triet but Lloyd doesn't know her as the Chosen. they're a bit out of touch on the Journey of Regen timeline
- stuff happens and they keep missing each other up until Palmacosta, which is a warzone between the Desians (and Dorr as their figurehead) and the Renegades (with Neil as their leader)
- Colette wants to help; priests say no
- out come the chains
- Raine objects, but she has no exsphere so what can she do
- btw Genis got caught in the Iselian ranch and tossed in as a traitor to be made a host
- he gets sent to the Palmacosta ranch
- right after Neil manages to take the city, after Colette and Raine leave it, Botta takes the Palmacosta ranch and rescues Genis, among others
- Genis becomes his little shadow and is much preferable to Lloyd, in Botta's opinion
- Lloyd and Kratos are still trying to catch up to Colette to rescue her when they drop by
- Genis hears what they're trying to do and insists on coming along.


scenarios
scenario one: in which Yuan accidentally adopts a Chosen instead of a book from a library.
scenario two: in which Yuan is accidentally-deliberately adopted by the Meltokio Castle Knights.


MEover
- Mass Effect crossover someplace in the realm of 15,000 years after TOS canon
- except started before then, cos elves are really from Feros, planet of the cranky telepathic plant
- got decimated by the protheans trying to assimilate them into their empire
- elves objected, got killed a lot, fled Feros and got stuck in Aselia's orbit
- kinda forgot a few things but planted a seed from the Ferosian mother plant on Aselia
- Origin hasn't forgotten tho, kinda has a grudge against grumblegrumbleprotheansgrumble
- the entirety of TOS happened, and then some
- Kratos, Yuan, Lloyd, Colette and Zelos are the only ones left, but tis okay, they have each other
- somethingsomething natural space disaster, Aselia is destroyed but they manage to move Yggdrasill onto Derris-Kharlan and do a quarian by becoming a roaming ship
- mana is a variant of eezo lbr
- Derris-Kharlan's too big to use the mass relays, but c'mon it generates its own mass effect field so they develop tech to do hops on their own
- they're in no hurry tho, i mean lbr primarily angelic, elf and half-elf population
- so they're just bumming around their local clusters doing thorough investigations on all the things
- so much eezo on their ship
- so much
- suddenly the Normandy running from a reapers comes along to hide behind them
- reapers start shooting
- everyone on Derris-Kharlan objects
- JUDGEMENT IN SPACE
- so much profit and judging of reapers.


scenarios
None yet.


origin
- Kratos tells Lloyd the dad thing in Triet
- dad and son feelings ensue
- they culminate at the Tower of Salvation in Kratos stabbing Yggdrasill in the back
- unfortunately he does not quite die but impales Kratos against a wall and goes berserk on the Chosen party to the point of Yuan stepping in to help
- that is, by threatening to stab Kratos in the back while he's vulnerable (with Kratos's permission)
- Yggdrasill calls his bluff and fails, and Yuan does the thing
- while Yggdrasill is distracted the Chosen's group nail him but good and he retreats
- luckily while heart-stabbing happened, Kratos's cruxis crystal is still intact, and between Raine's healing and Yuan's mana transfusion he survives long enough to be taken to the Triet base and a refresher
- stuff happens in some fashion or other up until opening Origin's seal
- as it turns out, the mana tranfusion has fused the lock, so to speak, and Kratos can't unlock the seal even voluntarily
- only way to get Origin out at this point is to let him fuse with Kratos, so Kratos becomes Origin
- stipulation of this: Kratos refuses to let go of his humanity
- luckily Yuan already has a literal bond with him thanks to the mana transfusion, so with him as his summoner Kratos can keep his humanity, and only use Origin's powers when Yuan summons them
- commitment like woah for a literal eternity
- but hey, they messed up but good and it's the only way they can reunite the worlds.

scenarios
none yet.


reversal
~ 2000 years in, Kratos and Yuan conspire to kill Mithos and succeed, sorta
- he's stuck inside his exsphere, possessing people
- but he manages to survive and while Kratos and Yuan claim Derris-Kharlan for their base, he takes most of the angels as 'fallen', as well as the Eternal Sword
- most of his bases are hidden behind dimensional slips created by the sword - Iselia included
- Origin refuses to trust either Kratos or Yuan with the job, anyhow, and they don't have a summoner
- instead they're forced to fight Cruxis, embroiling the worlds in an angelic war between Cruxis and the new organisation of Chayim
- the Chosen bloodlines are more important to Cruxis than Chayim, but Mithos seals the seals so only the Chosen bloodline can flip the mana switch. Kratos and Yuan need someone to do that until they can reunite them, so the Journey remains an institution, just without compulsory death at the end
- there is angelification tho, if only so Chayim gets more soldiers and so the Chosen can defend themselves against Cruxis
- Kratos sends Anna and Lloyd to Iselia, because even though enemy territory, it's the safest place there is for them
- Anna get word to Kratos that the Desians are using Iselia as a long-term cruxis crystal cultivation location, and that the sword is held there
- her spy succeeds but is intercepted, and Mithos locks down the dimensional slip to prevent exit and access by angels for ~15 years
- Lloyd grows up in a town with a heavy half-elf population and believing he's training to help the good guys
- he has his own cruxis crystal as a host, but doesn't tell his mother due to the faith-based propaganda encouraging hosts not to bring it up or risk the powers not taking
- he wants to help though, so he steals a key-crest to ensure he can fight
- Yuan and Kratos plan to assault the town and shrine but Mithos uses the sword to interrupt travel between worlds, keeping Yuan in Tethe'alla and forcing Kratos to attack Iselia alone.

scenarios
scenario one: Iselia is attacked by Chayim to claim the sword, with the sword already gone


titans
- Yggdrasill captures Kratos before Kvar finds Anna and Lloyd, but after Kratos makes an Eternal Ring
- Yuan figures hell no and raises the Renegades to try and take Derris-Kharlan, rescue Kratos and solve the split-world problem
- the attack fails. a lot.
- Renegades are wiped out, Kratos is still in Cruxis's hands, but Yuan manages to escape with the Eternal Ring
- Cruxis follows him to Triet base, which gets destroyed and the few remaining Renegades scatter
- Botta is still around tho, helping out how he can
- mostly Yuan just goes searching for Lloyd and Anna
- doesn't manage to find them before Kvar does tho, and Kratos hears from Yggdrasill that they're dead
- this is slightly inaccurate, cos Lloyd still winds up rescued by Dirk in Iselia
- where Yuan eventually finds him, not knowing that he's 'supposed' to be dead
- so Yuan settles in Iselia for a bit to watch Lloyd and the Chosen
- cuts and dyes his hair, the whole shebang
- learns how to carpentry, invents a new use of magic lightning and light can totally become a laserbeam amirite
- winds up being Genis's role model just because scholar and magic-user and half-elf who can pass but also takes no shit from people
- is one of Colette's companions on the Journey when it starts
- he's been challenging their understanding of the Church's institution this whole time lbr
- Sheena is still a thing because the ninja have taken over the Tethe'allan base, which has survived, somewhat
- a grilling ensues
- sometime just after the Asgard Ranch Yuan does have to drop the bombshell
- about how the Journey is just a front, he and his bestie are angels, btw his bestie is Lloyd's dad
- how they're out to topple the institution of religion
- forget sacrificing Colette for the Regeneration, when they get to the seal they can do that without anyone dying
- and then move straight on to rescuing Kratos in Derris-Kharlan
- then they get to the Tower and realise Yggdrasill has Kratos under a Prometheusesque punishment a la 'impaled on the Eternal Sword to suffer the Seed's pain and watch the Chosen get murdered'
- luckily this does not happen, as they manage to rescue him and escape Yggdrasill instead, barely
- retreat to Botta's hiding-place in Asgard so Kratos can recover
- and also find out that Lloyd is actually alive
- the Chosen group goes around to make as many pacts as they can while in Sylvarant
- they get up to Aska when Yggdrasill sends his angels to attack Asgard
- cue Yuan and Kratos being unstoppable battle gods together


scenarios
scenario one: in which Yuan leads the Chosen's party to the Tower of Salvation to dismantle all the traditions ever, and find Kratos waiting for them in serious need of a rescue.
scenario two: in which being in safety reveals that Kratos is not precisely unscathed, but he's doing his best.
scenario three: in which Kratos is emphatically not okay, but with Yuan's help, could be.

Comments

[simulsimul]

It takes too long!

[This is said somewhere between a child's whine and Authority. A good deal of what Cressida says comes between those tones, during the meal, as she chatters away informing Yuan about training and books she's read and stories she's heard about the war, primarily romanticised owing to battles won.

[The meal ends with fingers cleaned in the bowls and a chattering of excitement and sly glances toward the bag of contraband. Medosa keeps it close by her hip and claps her hands.]

Everyone out to the courtyard! Stories and dessert, courtesy of your brother.

[There's a smattering of verbal glee and the children stream past Kratos to tender hugs and sloppy kisses. Yuan also gets a few, from Cressida and some of the younger children who'd been sitting nearby enough to tug his sleeve for help. Then the room is empty save for detritus and the pair of them, and Kratos rises to stretch, using a handkerchief to dry off his fingers and face.]

You handled that well.

[He's smiling.]

[conductingresistance]

Many things worth doing take time.

[Yuan tries for indulgent, or something like it. He doesn't think Cressida notices if he fails, and it's... well. It isn't easy, per se, to fall into a rhythm, but it's less difficult than he thought it would be, and by the time another child is asking him for help it doesn't occur to Yuan to do anything but respond readily.]

[By the time they're gone, though, and Kratos is the only one who remains, Yuan looks a little bit dazed. It's... a lot, and by contrast the sudden quiet is swamping.]

[Yuan isn't used to having so much closeness and genuine warmth all at once. He shakes himself when Kratos rises, focusing on him.]

I'll take your word for it. Are all meals like that?

[simulsimul]

Yes. It used to be me, in Medosa's place.

[This is something of an in-passing explanation. At that age, Kratos hadn't known how much just being able to handle so many children was preparing him for commanding a battlefield. There were differences, of course; but the most salient skill, in weathering many crises at once with a cool head, was the same for both.]

If you've seen enough of the gardens, we may as well leave to see the rest of the city. Perhaps one of the baths.

[conductingresistance]

[Yuan's alert as they go, taking in the new terrain with equal measures wonder and wariness. It's foolish wishing to see it as it was, but all the same there's a passing moment where Yuan does want to. What did Kratos see in this place, in his growing-up? Before all this?]

There's nothing native to Tethe'alla you have such feelings for?

[That is: deep if perhaps slightly childish hatred. There are few better ready distractions. Yuan will have to make do.]

[...but it's no wonder, Kratos asked to be distracted if he discovered the worst, if they're heading for the place he called home. Yuan doesn't miss a step, only asks.]

Are you sure?

[Of course Kratos is sure of where they are. It isn't that. Is he sure he wants to go straight for what's likely to be the worst?]

[conductingresistance]

[Now that Yuan can imagine, Kratos in the midst of all these children and somehow, with aplomb, dealing perfectly despite the chaos.]

[He stretches, gets to his feet and glances himself over in case of anything gone astray.]

Yes; I've had several of my questions answered without needing to ask. It was -- educational, meeting your family.

[He's not sure he'd go so far as nice, but it's possible. Yuan will think on that one.]

The rest of the city. I--

[Wait, that doesn't make sense.]

Baths in the city?

[simulsimul]

[Kratos is already moving out of the room, toward the main building leading out into the street, where their shoes and cloaks are stored. He expects Yuan to be following, and yet even still glances behind his shoulder at the tone in Yuan's voice.]

Yes, Vanaheim has numerous well-maintained public baths. It's the best place to pick up on the local gossip I've missed since I was last in the city, and it will be restful after the debacle that is my family.

[The dry note in his tone is fond.]

[simulsimul]

[Painted eaves have been broken, with the repairs still yet unpainted. Stone is cracked. The aquaducts, of course, would have been the first to be repaired; but they still show the off colour of the stone, and the buildings below the water damage from the breaks.

[Flowers are no longer in abundance. There should be flowers.]

Not knowing will be worse. And waiting will only mean there's nothing with which to distract myself later.

[No; best to tear the bandage off, as it were. They pass by a house Kratos remembers used to sell pastries from their window; it's shuttered and empty, decrepit. Another, a ways down, sold bread -- and still does, judging by the smell wafting toward them which twists Kratos's stomach with its jarringness. Without meaning to, he speaks, nodding toward the first building.]

There used to be a family here who sold pastries. They were in friendly competition with the family just down the way, with the baked goods. They used to hold unplanned eating contests, dragging any soldier fresh from the field off the street to 'judge' the merits of their goods. No one ever left hungry.

[conductingresistance]

[Public baths. Public bathing. Yuan's mind gives up trying to make sense of that for a few moments as he follows Kratos to reclaim shoes and cloak.]

[Restful. ...Tethe'allans are strange.]

That's... not something Sylvarant has.

[In general. At all, actually. Soldiers bathing in the river aside, and even that Yuan tends to avoid. ...How is it possible that this is a conversation he could even be in peril of having with Kratos? Yuan shakes his head.]

What else is there to see?

[Anything else. Perhaps he can direct Kratos aside.]

[conductingresistance]

[Even if he doesn't know precisely what it should look like, Yuan can tell where there's been damage; he knows the look of it. His only acknowledgment of Kratos's first is a short nod.]

[Vanaheim is not what it was. It can't be.]

[He can't tell, either, what's driving Kratos to speak. Perhaps it's only the need for distraction? Yuan tilts his head slightly, considering the difference now. It's stark; and sadder, for knowing.]

The sort of thing that there's never any point to winning, hm?

[He keeps on his way, but his ears are sharp for any hint of a hitch in Kratos's pace, some pause or stumble that will say things are no longer bearable.]

[simulsimul]

[That is an equally strange thought. 'How do you bathe' is a ridiculous question; presumably they bathe in private. And there are other means of socialisation. Nevertheless, the thought of it turns Kratos's expression politely baffled.]

The markets, the museums, the gardens, the arts ... but we're both dusty and it's warm at this time of day.

[The baths only make sense. Kratos throws a glance sidelong. Sylvaranti don't have public baths. That might explain some of Yuan's reticence to bare himself in view of others, if Sylvarant is so repressed.]

It's ... not strictly necessary, if it would cause you discomfort.

[Still a strange thought.]

[simulsimul]

Anyone picked is the one who wins.

[That was the point of it all, to honour a soldier new back home, to gift them nice things from the city they defended. It had been Kratos, once. They pass the buildings, and the girl behind the window is flat faced with hard eyes, watching the passing Sylvaranti soldiers.

[She catches Kratos's gaze and her eyes widen; Kratos looks away, keeping his head down, and follows quietly after Yuan.]

I should have mentioned ... I will likely be recognised.

[conductingresistance]

[Yes. Yes, it would cause Yuan discomfort; and this is still the exact opposite of the conversation Yuan wants to have. A faint frown.]

Are we so badly off?

[He's normally as fastidious as possible, given circumstances. Yuan wonders, with a sense of some horror, if this is something he's going to have to get used to.]

[Kratos mentioned other things. Quickly:]

We've been looking at your gardens. The arts--?

[conductingresistance]

Of course.

[A foolish question. Yuan thinks nothing of the girl's look, save that she is Tethe'allan, until Kratos mentions something. But-- no, it makes sense.]

[There are a few ways that recognition could go. Some might be pleased to see him. Some might call him a traitor, especially if they can't read Kratos's attire and hair to know he's a slave.]

Are you likely to need defense?

[Kratos knows his people best.]

[simulsimul]

No.

[Bemused, both by Yuan's reaction and the speed with which he latches onto the alternatives. They reach the door and Kratos hands Yuan's boots over to him, toeing off his own sandals.]

Sculpture garden, or watching the potters and glazers.

[Perhaps notably absent is something every city has -- a theatre. Kratos shakes his head.]

You all bathe alone? Always?

[He can't wrap his mind around it.]

[simulsimul]

Doubtful.

[His people are more disciplined than to react unduly toward Sylvaranti. Proud, yes, too proud to bend; but too disciplined to act out of turn. They would bide their time instead. Even still, he can feel the girl's gaze on his back as they walk.

[And there are other looks also, now that they're far enough away from the guardhouse to be passing the average Tethe'allan citizen in the street -- the ones who keep the city running on behalf of their conquerors. The ones who know how to recognise an Aurion. He's cognizant of whispers, and keeps his head bowed so he doesn't risk seeing them past his bangs.

[But he talks, voice kept low, pointing out landmarks both there and not there. A playhouse. A potter who used to let children play with clay -- still does. The florist who last one the festival prize, now shuttered.]

[conductingresistance]

[Well. Yuan is transparent. Perhaps Kratos won't push it. Yuan bends to trade sandals for boots, shifting from foot to foot rather than sit or lean.]

Surely those aren't the only arts you practice here.

[Yuan's sure Kratos pointed out a theatre, or the roof of one. ...which would get them out of the warm day that Kratos is objecting to, actually.]

[Oh, no, Kratos is pushing it. Yuan straightens to give him a bemused look right back.]

You all bathe together? Always?

[simulsimul]

Of course. The third building is the bath-house.

[They need a whole one, for as many people who live in the estate; though it's admittedly a small bath-house, compared to the public ones. Kratos straightens from lacing his boots.]

It saves on water, and it's one of the times we can be in one place, other than at meal-times. In the public baths, it's how news is spread, and connections made. How do you catch up on city gossip?

[He conveniently ignores the remark about the arts.]

[conductingresistance]

The markets, for the most part.

[Yuan... will admit to some wondering, about how a building made purely for bathing saves water, over using it only when necessary, but asking would be tantamount to expressing curiosity, and he isn't risking that.]

Why would you do so while bathing?

[Nope. Still makes no sense. Yuan scrambles, while telling himself he's not scrambling. Why is Kratos ignoring the arts.]

What of the theatre? You pointed out what their shingles look like, didn't you?

[That's art. Probably. Maybe it's considered differently here.]

[simulsimul]

[It's the difference between a set number of buildings recycling a set amount of water versus hundreds of thousands of dwellings using it at any time they please, Yuan.]

When else would you do it? You're all there in the same room; conversation occurs. It's leisure time in company.

[... It occurs to Kratos that Sylvaranti bathing may be as quick and pragmatic as bathing on the march, which seems ludicrous. Why would one turn something pleasant into something rushed? He's about to ask, when Yuan asks about the theatre. Kratos's face smooths to blankness, even as he regrets his thorough explanation.]

I despise the theatre.

[His voice is more neutral than anything, as he turns toward the door.]

[choiced]

He agreed to spar with you, right? He didn't have to. He likes you.

[Zelos does not see what is so hard to understand about this.

Grace is tapping her fingers on the table, a frown on her face.] Nidavellir? I've never heard of it.

'Cause he just said it was destroyed.

How long ago?

[conductingresistance]

[Doubtful is promising. Yuan nods shortly, but does not resolve to relax, only continues to observe everything. He won't be caught off-guard here. ...Except, perhaps, by Kratos.]

[And Yuan does not miss the whispers.]

[But he looks where Kratos points him, notes how the city was built, what's here and what isn't. When it seems appropriate he asks quiet, prompting questions, just to keep Kratos talking. Nothing Yuan's learning is really of strategic or tactical value; it's about the city, and the soul that was in it, and perhaps still is somewhere.]

[He wonders if he'll know the Aurion estate when he sees it. Surely the building wont' have the same unmanageable hair. ...what happened to the Aurions who weren't soldiers, yet?]

[The only pause or interjection is when they come to crossroads or turns.]

Which way?

[And apart from that Yuan lets Kratos take the lead; as much, that is, as someone a pace behind him can. The exploration, such as it is, should be on Kratos's terms.]

[conductingresistance]

[...as much as that was an effective distraction, Yuan now has a different set of questions. He doesn't think he's ever seen Kratos blank so fast, even in their limited proper acquaintance; not even in a fight does Kratos look like this. It's even enough to briefly draw Yuan aside from the peculiar thought of bathing as leisure time in company.]

You didn't need to point it out.

[He's just saying. Watching Kratos's back, Yuan wonders for a moment or three before he follows, falling into step.]

Bathing is for cleanliness, not leisure. What do you have against theatre?

[conductingresistance]

[Yuan raises a brow over at Zelos.]

You yourself were a little encouraging.

[He's just saying. Grace gets Yuan's attention in a moment, though, since it requires attention to his cover -- such as it is -- and blending as much of the truth with the present day and as few outright lies as possible.]

Several hundred years. Few live now who remember it.

[...four thousand qualifies as several hundred.]

Why do you ask?

[simulsimul]

I was being thorough.

[It's a flat, mechanical response, and Kratos doesn't turn as he leads the way back onto the street. He does seize on explaining the baths as a good distraction, explicitly not answering the actual question.]

Why can't it be both? The public baths have different rooms for different needs. Steam, ice water, hot water. If you're going to meet someone for conversation, you may as well bathe while you're talking. Do the Sylvaranti always take to bathing as though it's a rushed pragmatic job for the march?

[How boring.]

[conductingresistance]

[It's striking Yuan that they both have things they'd rather not talk about. He just can't figure out why Kratos has a grudge against the theatre. Are they both to continue trying to distract each other and get nowhere?]

Bathe while you're talking. Why... wouldn't you meet them somewhere for a meal, or in your gardens? Somewhere you can give them attention, and not your body?

[Public baths. Maybe someday he'll understand Tethe'allan customs.]

[Briefly, Yuan debates about the wisdom of pressing the theatre issue. He's still dependent on Kratos's goodwill; but Kratos isn't the sort who would break his word for irritation.]

I can't answer for the Sylvaranti populace at large, since I don't watch them bathe, but based on our facilities and culture, I would assume so.

You didn't answer my question.