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]

Something like that. Acacius's family has arrived at the immigration depot. -- I volunteered you to escort them to their new home.

[It's not precisely just escort. From Kratos's research on the subject, it does require an officer to confirm an immigration expedited on military grounds. Acacius being ex-military counts. It's an important step which may well have been pushed back or messed up by someone less sympathetic.

[Still. There's no doubt that Kratos did volunteer him without permission.]

[conductingresistance]

[What. Yuan stares at Kratos for a few moments, convinced he can't have heard that.]

Why?

[That's a precedent he's pretty sure he doesn't like, and he doesn't particularly have any interest in the proceedings themselves. He did what he said he would; the matter was discharged, and would be handled. ...Although, now that he's teasing at the problem, he can see how someone unsympathetic or apathetic might have delayed the proceedings even more. Even opinions on the pragmatists aren't entirely positive.]

[Damn it. Yuan stands briskly, going for his cloak. It's done now, and he'll handle it, because the family doesn't deserve to bear the consequences of his irritation with Kratos.]

You shouldn't have done that. In fact, if anyone asks, you didn't. How soon am I needed?

[simulsimul]

[It's not the first time they've argued, but it is the first time one of them was definitely in the wrong. Kratos lowers his chin a little so his bangs hide his eyes, bowing and holding it.]

The administrative team believe I spoke to them on your behalf.

[It's not a lie ... exactly. Kratos just omitted some of the truth, in much the same way he has when encouraging them to ask Yuan for help. Still, Kratos feels a pang of uncertainty, even given he'd been expecting this kind of response; so he doesn't move until Yuan's passing him for the door. Only then does he straighten and fall into his usual step behind Yuan.]

Within the hour. Otherwise they'll be processed to a holding area while their casefile is reviewed and distributed to another officer.

[That could slow things down considerably.]

[conductingresistance]

[Yuan gives this a few more mental curses, as it deserves, and his pace quickens, strides lengthening. ...it may not be kind to Kratos, but evidently speed is of the essence now.]

[...no. The time is enough; Kratos calculated well enough. Yuan clenches his jaw and pauses at the next corner, proceeding more measuredly from there.]

We'll talk about this later.

[When the responsibility is discharged, and Yuan isn't going to immediately yell with sheer frustrated anger. He's going to maintain a stiff-shouldered, stony silence most of the way to the depot.]

[simulsimul]

[--That is not quite a reaction Kratos anticipated. He speeds up as best he can, but Yuan still leaves him easily behind. Kratos is out of breath and his side pangs painfully by the time Yuan slows, but Kratos manages to make up the distance, resisting the urge to press his hand against his mending ribs.

[There's no denying the clippedness of that tone, however. It's beyond Yuan's usual low-grade irritation. Kratos keeps his head lowered.]

Yes, Master Ka-Fai.

[They're in public. It's his usual form of address when they're in public. But in this case, there might be an apology in the murmured words, and Kratos says nothing else as they travel to the depot. It is not, fortunately, far from the military facility; a great deal of immigration is handled on a secure level. It's far more overtly busy than the headquarters, but people make space when they see Yuan's rank (with some sideways glances at the sight of his hair).

[Not all of the immigrants are Tethe'allan. Many of them are from other kingdoms within Sylvarant. But there are enough Tethe'allans that Kratos can feel some gazes flickering over him, his Aurion hair, and away. He does not look at any of them in return.

[Inside, the counters are separated. One side is overwhelmingly for processing; but the other leads into the mountain, behind the counters, for those who have already been -- or in the middle of being -- processed.]

[conductingresistance]

[There's definitely something of apology in the words. It would be more effective if not for the title he's working on developing a proper hatred. But all the same Yuan paces himself, and they're at the immigration depot within, truthfully, a more than reasonable amount of time.]

[Yuan pauses briefly to survey the area, and to ignore the attention he draws simply by virtue of being who he is. He doesn't have cause to come here often, though he knows the numbers in a general sense. It's a different thing to see them.]

[When he's sure of the locale, he heads back, bypassing the lines and looking either for someone who can direct him, or for Acacius, who Yuan is at least half assuming will have wanted to be here to see his family brought through safely. He lights on a receptionist first.]

I'm here about the Marsyas family. I assume they're here already?

[simulsimul]

[The receptionist is busy scribbling and barely looks up as he points.]

Fifth on the left. Paperwork's in with them.

[Kratos doesn't know whether to feel offended or sympathetic. Not that he's ever worked in immigration, but Tethe'allan prides itself on its ability to efficiently naturalise citizens. This seems slap-hazard in comparison.

[Prided itself, he reminds himself, and follows Yuan down the hall. As soon as they find the room, it becomes clear that Acacius has not yet even been informed of his family's arrival -- as Kratos expected. Sylvaranti immigration seemed to consist of 'ensure they aren't Tethe'allan terrorists or Mizuhan spies, and toss them wherever they'll fit'. Kratos got the impression that immigrants were already assumed to be able to contact any family already in the area, being as they were individual kingdoms with frequent crossover. Tethe'allans, of course, had so such recourse.

[So then: they reach the room, and inside is a two young women and three children, looking tired and a bit frightened and extremely uncertain.]

[conductingresistance]

[--Right. Yuan sighs tiredly. He's going to have to take them; that's why he's here in the first place. It's actually safer, in the long run, if immigrants like this aren't met by their family member, but rather an officer in good standing with Sylvarant.]

[It would have been nice if he could simply fill out the paperwork and have done. He'd be a poor man to direct his anger with Kratos toward these people.]

I'm Commander Yuan Ka-Fai; I... know your family. Acacius. I'll make sure you get safely to him.

[The words are reassurance, though his tone is regrettably clipped.]

Do you have your paperwork?

[He's wondering if Kratos will be better or worse help and comfort. Certainly Kratos is better with the personal touches, and probably with children, but Tethe'allans have very mixed reactions to Kratos these days.]

[simulsimul]

[It does not bode well when the only response Yuan receives is one flatly frustrated stare and one blankly tired one. The older of the two women, the one cradling a sleeping toddler, grumbles; the grumble is quickly answered by a lower and far more conciliatory tone from the other woman.]

These people have never heard of interpreters.

But he said Acacius's name. I think.

[... Oh. Kratos shifts his weight a little, the way he does when subtly signalling to Yuan that he has something to say.]

They don't speak common. Abalastron isn't anywhere near the old national borders, and their goods are bought and retailed by other merchants. With your permission ...?

[He's made a miscalculation. He's not about to make another one by accident by not granting Yuan full control over this situation.]

[conductingresistance]

[However much Yuan has picked up of Tethe'allan language, it isn't enough. He hears Acacius, and that's about it.]

[Of course he'll need Kratos's help. This day gets better. At least their attitude is more likely to be blamed on exhaustion and frustration. Yuan draws a breath, pinches the bridge of his nose just for a moment, and finally glances to Kratos.]

Yes; go ahead and translate.

[There's no question, at least, about whether or not he trusts Kratos to do so accurately. He does. The anger doesn't affect that.]

[simulsimul]

[The sound of Kratos's voice has drawn some curious attention. Kratos bows and steps out from behind Yuan enough that he can properly speak to the family; both the women's eyes widen and the eldest girl, kicking her legs on a chair, starts to speak before she's promptly shushed. Kratos ignores the obvious recognition.]

This is Commander Yuan Ka-Fai. He knows Acacius and is here to escort you to your new home. Do you have your paperwork?

[The sound of a familiar language does wonders to dissolve the frustrated weariness in the room, to the point of relieved smiles on both women's faces.]

Yes, they gave it to us when we came in. But we can't read it to know what we're signing away.

[The woman with the toddler brandishes the sheaf of paper. Kratos turns his head slightly to Yuan to speak to him.]

No one's explained to them what's in the papers. May I read it to them?

[conductingresistance]

[Yuan gestures, a wordless sort of carry-on. He's really beginning to wonder exactly what he's here for, apart from chaperoning so no one gets arrested who shouldn't be.]

[Chaperoning, signing paperwork, and possibly terrifying small children. He has so many questions about what Kratos was thinking.]

Do what you need to get them apprised and the paperwork handled.

Apart from forging my signature.

[Because that honestly seems like a genuine risk.]

[simulsimul]

[Kratos's wince is internal only, thankfully; but the fact it's even there at all tells him how assured he was getting in their understanding of each other. Any time they're misaligned feels like a deeper gash than it should. Kratos has heard there's a point where such misalignment stops leaving scars at all, but if so, they haven't hit it yet.

[The family is eyeing Yuan only a touch warily when Kratos moves forward to take the paperwork and read it out loud, and explain it. The women are attentive. The toddler is asleep. The middle child is, it seems, too intimidated to move out from behind her mother. The eldest girl appears to be fascinated by Yuan's hair, but is at least old enough not to get out of her seat to investigate.

[She does, however, have a very important question to ask just as soon as Kratos has finished explaining, while the women are signing the various pages required.]

Will I get to wear a pretty braid like that?

[Kratos follows the girl's gaze, and explicitly does not smile -- though there is some faint amusement in his bearing. Faint.]

Most likely. It's customary for the people of Nidavellir to braid meaning into their hair.

[Then, to Yuan:]

She says your hair is pretty.

[conductingresistance]

[Yuan watches the dynamics of the family, at least, seeing who looks to whom and the relative temperaments of the children. He's not entirely sure why the eldest is interested in him.]

[Until Kratos explains. This disarms Yuan briefly, since it's not at all what he expects. There's a faint ghost of amusement briefly in his expression.]

The color or the braid?

[Braids are something the girl might look forward to. Color is something else entirely.]

[This may be one of the more inane conversations Yuan has ever had.]

[simulsimul]

The braid.

[It's a faintly reluctant admission. Kratos had been hoping Yuan might not peg to that; perhaps that's a fool's hope. Still, it seems to do something to calm Yuan's ire, not that Kratos expects it to have been resolved by the time they're no longer in public.

[Overall, the papers are signed in likely far less time than had it been anyone from the actual immigration department trying to do so. The younger of the two women seems to be the one who drives proceedings, but the elder is the one who has final word. Soon enough it's the younger who brings the paper and pen to Kratos.]

I think he has to sign as well.

[Kratos takes them with a nod to bring them to Yuan.]

They're ready for your signature now.

[conductingresistance]

[Yuan isn't actually offended or disappointed by that; the girl's still more curious than bemused by Yuan being noticeably different.]

[Besides, disappointment would imply there were hopes in the first place.]

She'll be wearing her own before long, I'm sure.

[That's reassuring and encouraging to a child, isn't it?]

[Yuan takes the papers from Kratos, looking through each one carefully. With Kratos's help they've probably managed, but this is going to happen without a hitch, and therefore he's going to ensure that nothing at all is wrong with the paperwork. Just in case.]

[But no, Kratos's attention to detail and multilingual capabilities have done everything correctly on a first pass through. Yuan sets the papers down to sign where he needs to, a neatly looping signature more legible than some other officers'.]

That should be everything. I'll see it filed; they can come with me if they like, or wait here.

[simulsimul]

[When Kratos tenders the question to the family, the children hop up at once, and the mother's relieved expression should say it all as far as Yuan can understand, though she does respond verbally also.]

They'll come with.

[It's a familiar bustle as they gather their meagre luggage, clustering together in subconscious protection -- but less so than they might have, without someone who can actually communicate with them. Kratos falls into customary step just behind Yuan; the Marsyas family follows close after, and, as usual, it's Kratos who sets the pace.]

[conductingresistance]

[Yuan doesn't have to be a genius with people to read those reactions, no. He nods, waiting for everyone to have their things assembled, and finally, with the paperwork in hand, Yuan leads the way out.]

[He's not sure he'd want to count on the distracted receptionist not simply forgetting the filing. To that end, he stops in front of the desk, drawing himself up till he looms, and sets the sheaf of paperwork where it will be just a little bit over the receptionist's current work.]

This is the Marsyas family paperwork. I'd appreciate it if you could ensure it's filed correctly as soon as possible.

[Perhaps pointedly, Yuan shows no sign of simply leaving as soon as he's set the papers down.]

[simulsimul]

[The receptionist instinctively moves to shift the papers before realising that it's not going to work so easily.]

Just a minute.

[With a hasty scribble he finishes whatever note he needs to finish, then snatches up the paperwork and turns to spring out of his chair and feed it into a machine across the office. He barely even looks at Yuan; his haste and distraction is, it seems, honest and earnest, and not a matter of malicious intent. He doesn't even pause to wait while the machine processes the paperwork, but returns to make his notes, and subsequently needs prompting to be reminded that he is, in fact, in the middle of another task.

[Regardless, within minutes he slaps a copied version of the paperwork on the counter, along with a card with some hastily scribbled dates on it.]

Follow-up appointments in a month, then six months. Full citizenship pending probation complete. Have a nice day.

[This is said very fast, on automatic, while Kratos murmurs a translation in the background.]

[conductingresistance]

[In response to the ready help, Yuan subsides slightly, and he's looming somewhat less by the time the receptionist is actually done. He takes the card, inclines his head.]

I'll make sure of it. Thank you.

[For politeness's sake, mostly. Yuan turns away, notes that Kratos has been translating and nothing will need to be repeated. He'll give the card to Acacius, to whom it will actually mean something.]

This way.

[He leads them out of the building, the only pause a brief aside to Kratos:]

Are they aware of the wind?

[It can take people off-balance who aren't prepared for it, after all, and he doesn't know how long the family will have spent out-of-doors. Nidavellir's construction is... unique. There's also the matter of transportation to consider; a tired family with small children won't have the endurance for the sort of walking Yuan is used to. Nor perhaps even Kratos. Too many for most rickshaws, too.]

[...Yuan really didn't sign up for this. Still, he's hardly going to abandon them to it now.]

[simulsimul]

Let me ask.

[Kratos has been wondering some of the same things, if belatedly. He has seen larger carriages around, but they seem more expensive, or possibly privately owned. Perhaps they'll have to do with two rickshaws.

[Something for Yuan to decide. Kratos drops back a little to speak to the younger woman -- who is, he discovers, Acacius's sister-in-law.]

Nidavellir has some strong winds. You should buckle or stow anything which might be lost, and brace yourself. It can be unexpected to newcomers.

[She nods, and as a result the rest of the way to the door is a whispered flurry of making sure possessions are properly secure in baggage or pockets. Even still, Kratos hangs back; and he can tell the moment the wind hits them, not only because he feels it himself. He's grown accustomed to it, somewhat -- he doesn't enjoy it, but he can ignore it. The Marsyases exclaim and hunch in, and Kratos puts out his hand to catch one of the children stumbling. They huddle together a little more.]

[conductingresistance]

[So they weren't prepared. Yuan's glad he said something before someone fell over.]

[On the street the wind snaps Yuan's cloak, and he stands mostly unaffected, lifting a hand only to prevent a stray bit of fringe from flying into his eyes. He gives them a moment to accustom themselves, and then starts directing them toward the rickshaws.]

We'll have to separate, I think, and take two rickshaws. It will be best if we split up. Kratos, can you inform them so they can decide how to split?

[They'll just have to cope with the language barrier. It won't be for all that long, and perhaps the very basics of linguistic learning will be useful anyway.]

[simulsimul]

[Kratos translates this to the Marsyases, and at once the eldest daughter points to Yuan.]

I want to go with Commander Ka-Fai!

[... Well now. Kratos certainly isn't going to object to Yuan having someone who wants his company. Aside from an uncertain glance in Kratos's direction, from the aunt, that makes things rather straight-forward; the aunt and the girl go with Yuan, and the mother and the two smallest children with Kratos.

[Face politely impassive, Kratos turns to relay this to Yuan.]

[conductingresistance]

[Not precisely the reaction Yuan had been expecting; even not in common, he can tell an eager demeanor from a fearful one. The girl wants to go with him.]

[Strange, but Yuan isn't going to argue it. He sees to the disposition of the rickshaws when they get there, hiring two half-elven drivers and giving the instructions to each. Not that Kratos cannot, but it's best given unknown attitudes regarding those who choose to remain Tethe'allan if Yuan makes himself seen and obvious.]

[And then Yuan finds himself alone in a rickshaw with Acacius's sister-in-law, and a young girl who's utterly fascinated by his hair. There are worse things in life. The trip is an odd sort of awkward silence, in which the aunt clearly has no idea exactly what to do with him and settles for watching the scenery, and the girl... watches Yuan.]

[He tries something like a smile, and lets his braid fall over his shoulder. The girl says something Yuan almost catches, and he resolves to pick up more of the language in future.]

[Mercifully, they make it to their destination before this can get too awkward, and Yuan's first out, reaching back to help the other two down. Surely their arrival will have attracted Acacius's attention.]

[simulsimul]

[For Kratos's part, the ride is occupied by the middle child. The toddler wakes fussing with the sway of the rickshaw, so Kratos occupies his sister by pointing out landmarks in the city, and telling her about festivals. By the time they arrive, she has even gone so far as to release her grip on her mother's trousers; but when they pull to a stop, she goes right back there.

[At least now she isn't trying to hide.

[Contrast to Yuan, Kratos gets off last, swinging the girl down off the rickshaw while she giggles. He's the slowest of them all, after all, and someone has to let down the luggage.

[Acacius's home is inset into a plateau, humble but well-kept; and the clatter of wheels must have drawn attention, because the door opens on Acacius looking worried not long after. Kratos can imagine what his former lieutenant must have been imagining, hearing that clatter.

[That expression transforms nearly at once; he drops what's in his hands and runs down the steps. The eldest daughter lets out a shriek of joy and pelts toward him in turn. The rest of his family aren't too far behind, and the result is a weeping multi-person embrace on the street in front of the house, while Acacius tries to hug all of them at once.

[Quietly Kratos lowers the last bag to the ground, and then himself out of the second rickshaw so it can depart, meaning not to disturb them -- but not quite able to look, either. He'd arranged this at least in part so Yuan can see what he's wrought; he didn't anticipate the aching nostalgia it would create in him.]