3.1

[lamb_of_gold]

[Although the CAT is on and streaming, Mu doesn't seem to be paying much attention to it. It can be seen that he's moving through the town at quite a clip, and he doesn't seem to be very happy. Unlike the last time people saw him, Mu is actually in full cloth now, though his helmet is tucked under one arm.

If anything, he just looks bewildered, and maybe a little bit angry.]

This...this can't be, I was just...

[He's silent for a beat, coming to a stop and composing himself, and finally looking at the CAT.]

Why are we back here? I've heard plenty of chatter, so I'm sure someone has an answer.

Comments

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu shakes his head, and a smile comes to his face, small though it is.] We made the Sun shine in hell. It cost us our lives, but we did it.

[desertdaggers]

[He doesn't really have the context, but from the smile and his own experience, he's pretty sure he can extrapolate correctly.] To help out others fighting down there?

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu nods.] Yes. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, we put our hopes on the shoulders of our successors, and gave them the best possible chance to save our goddess. I suppose my only regret is not seeing if they were successful or not. My heart tells me they were, but I would have liked to have seen it.

[desertdaggers]

Your goddess? [He looks curious for a moment, then nods.] Yeah… I can understand that. [He looks down at his hands for a moment, then back up to Mu, reaching out for his shoulder with one hand.] I… didn't tell you much about my home, did I?

[lamb_of_gold]

Yes. The goddess Athena.

[Mu does not move away from the hand, but nor does he invite it. He looks at Hawk instead.]

You didn't. Will you?

[desertdaggers]

Athena… It's a good name.

Mm. [He drops his hands into his lap, brushing his thumbs together.] It sounds a little familiar… we were trying to save our goddess, too. We… weren't quite as successful. But- even without the Archdemon, it might have happened anyway.

[lamb_of_gold]

The goddess of wisdom and war, and Earth's protector.

Oh? [Mu can't imagine what that must feel like. Was their goddess as present as Athena?] What happened?

[desertdaggers]

She must be incredible.

[…sort of. Hawk leans back a little, looking up.] Mana was fading- ah, mana is the force that supports everything in my world, it's… it comes from the Mana Tree, the goddess's physical form. She turned herself into the Tree years ago, after she formed the world… With the fading of mana, the Tree was fading too- I don't know which came first, now. [he shakes his head and looks forward again, frowning.] …in any case. There were people who wanted to take advantage of that- one bested the others, and took the tool of the Goddess for himself. Only… she had enough to resist him, a little, and he cut the Tree down.

[lamb_of_gold]

Yes that's...that's a way of putting it.

[He listens to Hawks story quietly, but a moment after it finishes, he finds himself compelled to ask.] And without her? What will become of your world now?

[desertdaggers]

Oh? [He tilts his head a little.] Maybe you could tell me a little more about her, at some point.

…we'll survive. The Archdemon isn't a threat anymore… and it'll take time, but the Goddess and the faerie said that she- the faerie, that is- would grow into a new Mana Tree. Which I presume means the world will be around when she finishes growing up. We'll figure it out.

[lamb_of_gold]

Yes. You'll forgive me if it's not right away.

Hm. Sometimes survival is the best one can hope for in the short term. I suppose the best thing to do is to take it slowly for now, hm?

[desertdaggers]

Of course.

Yeah. For now, what we need to do is figure out is whether we can continue living in the desert.

randomly, mfw I realize HOW LONG HAWK'S HAIR IS.

[lamb_of_gold]

Were you there before? Or was it only so by the grace of your Goddess? I can't imagine a desert being particularly hospitable.

Like a tail! I tend to wonder if he ties it up himself every morning.

[desertdaggers]

We've been there for as long as I remember- so at least fifteen years, probably more. Mana was sustaining the oases, so it's hard to say whether they'll still be around in a year's time…

Thats what you have a party full of hot babes for!

[lamb_of_gold]

I see the conundrum. Perhaps, upon your return, it would be best to begin scouting places to move to, in case they do dry up.

There is practically no one who knows hair better.

[desertdaggers]

Yeah. It wouldn't be bad to get away from the Fortress, in any case, and I'm sure some of the others have been getting antsy, too.

[lamb_of_gold]

Then perhaps a reconnaissance mission would do them some good.

[desertdaggers]

Oh, definitely!