exsiliumlogs | [closed]

Entry tags:

[closed]

Date & Time: 01/24 onwards
Location: civic gardens usually, or just generally out 'n about
Characters: Bariyan e Kodhi (

blacklord), Martin Darkov (

theguideless), Ranka Lee (

symbioses), Koltira Brightdawn (

brightdawn), Ico (

hornedomen) POSSIBLY MORE TO BE ADDED IN THE FUTURE
Summary: Catch-all log for timeswap Bariyan 'n flower shenanigans
Warnings: timeswap Bariyan is weird

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Bariyan blinks, with his back against the debris and his feet braced against the floor as he pushed it away, and hurriedly straightens up to look down at Ico. Are those horns part of his headband, or what?

Ah, well, Bariyan's already seen stranger things in his time here. So he merely smiles, brightly. ]

Only if you have the time. [ Wait, this boy had called him by his name. Oh, dear. Bariyan scratches the back of his head. ]

I'm sorry. You must be someone he-- someone I knew, but I'm afraid I don't remember anything.

[So Bariyan had changed as well, and from a time before they met it seemed. This did not trouble him. Even if it did, seeing Bariyan smile made him feel happy.]

I understand.

[He wondered briefly if he could still make amends but he was more invested in helping him.]

Are you trying to get in?

That I am. If you give me another... say, hour or so, I might be able to move this rock halfway over.

[ Bariyan wipes his brow and laughs, shaking his head at the chunk of marble in question. He's exaggerating, of course; but it will take a little bit of effort to shift it far enough to unblock the door.

Bariyan cocks his head at Ico. ]

Do you want to help? And tell me your name, while you're at it?

[Ico laughed.] I'll help you. My name is Ico.

[He placed his hand over the debris and gave it a light push. Unsurprisingly, it did not budge and he surmised that it would take more effort than it was worth to move it.]

Do you need to go through the door? There're other ways to get inside.

[ He watches with some amusement as Ico pushes against the rock, and starts moving in to help when Ico speaks again. ]

Yes, just the door-- are there, now? [ Bariyan looks around. ] I didn't think of that. I suppose I should have.

This way.

[Ico waved over his shoulder as he ran off to the side of the building. The path he liked to use was hidden in weeds.]

Here's one. [He pulled out a few plants and uncovered a small gap in the building. It was easy for Ico to slip through but perhaps Bariyan was too big.]

Can you fit? I could dig it out a little.

[ Bariyan followed curiously, crouching down and peering through the gap. In the spirit of making a good effort, he tried to fit his shoulder through, but it was obvious that the rest of him wasn't going to make it.

He drew back, laughing. ]

I think you'll have to, unfortunately.

Wait here.

[He gestured at Bariyan to move aside before he started digging. There were some debris here but it was smaller and light enough for Ico to push aside with his feet. He had dirt covered to his elbows and knees before he went inside and cleared the rubble from there. When he was finished, he stuck his head out and caught his horn on the wall. If it hurt, Ico did not show it beyond rubbing his head.]

Can you go through now?

[He stepped aside and he looked around to see if anyone else was here.]

[ Bariyan makes a few sounds as Ico works, hesitating and uncertain -- should he help? But there's not enough room to help, really. And soon Ico's got it dug out, anyway, so Bariyan falls back with a resigned sigh. ]

Let me see.

[ Bariyan gets down on his knees and tries to step through again. It's a tight fit, and he bangs his head against the side of the wall as he pulls in, but he manages to make it through all right.

Once inside, he straightens up and brushes himself off. Then he grins and taps Ico on the shoulder, holding it out afterwards. ]

Thank you, Ico.

[He held Bariyan's hand. It was warm, full of life, and intensely familiar. When he tried to think about it, it felt like a bright light chased away his memories. He did not shake his hand. Instead, he held onto him to guide him further into the building.]

Why did you come here? Are you looking for something?

[ Well, Bariyan had been expecting Ico to let go -- but it appears not. He stumbles along at first, surprised, before managing to find his pace and keep up with rather more dignity. ]

I came looking for the plants, since I can't seem to find many elsewhere in the city. I've been in before, but this place is so big-- I'm still exploring.

[He changed his path suddenly. He still grasped Bariyan's hand, pulling him over the remains of broken statues.]

There're flowers this way. I think people come here to water them. Did you know?

[Ico led him to a flowerbed. He did not know what sort of flowers they were, but it looked pretty. He finally let go of Bariyan's hand so he could check the soil. Unfortunately, he did not bring any water.]

[ Bariyan scrambled over the statues, rather clumsily, but did his best to keep up. ]

I didn't know that. I haven't seen very many others around here....

[ Once they reach the flowers, Bariyan crouches down to look at them, pressing his fingers into the soil to check the moisture. A little dry. But he hasn't brought water with him, either. ]

I'll come back and water these later, I think. [ He gently takes a stem between thumb and forefinger, examining the flower a little more closely. He smiles to himself. ] Shame that this seems to be the only part of the city that things grow in.

[Ico watched Bariyan curiously. He plucked a flower so he could smell it.]

Do you like flowers?

[He did not know much about flowers, or Bariyan. It made him glad to have a chance to know him. Whatever caused time to change, Ico hoped it would not be fixed. People seemed happier this way.]

I do. I used to grow them, a while ago. Not so much in recent times, because-- [ Bariyan pauses, grinning, but the expression doesn't reach his eyes. ] Mostly because of the climate. Hard, to grow flowers in the desert.

[Ico did not notice the difference.] But here you can grow all the flowers you want.

[He spun the flower in his hand. After a lengthy pause, he offered it to Bariyan.]

You don't remember this, but when you were here before, I tried to hurt you. Please forgive me. I don't know what I was thinking.

Oh, no... did you? Thank you. [ Bariyan takes the flower and, unthinkingly, tucks it away into his hair, behind his right ear.

He looks at Ico, critically. Hard to imagine that such a small child could actually try to hurt someone. But he supposes it's not impossible.

He smiles again, gently, and shakes his head. ]

I'm sure I must have done something to deserve it.

I don't remember.

[He knew it had something to do with Martin. But Bariyan saved him. Right?

It was no use trying to recover his memories. Ico smiled as he looked at the flower in Bariyan's hair.]

Can I come with you when you water the flowers? I'll help you. That way we can bring more water.

Of course you can. Is there a good place to get water, from around here? I've just been bringing it in from, er, one of the fountains nearby. [ Not that the fountain is actually working. But the basin still collects rainwater well enough, and there's plenty of that. ]

I don't know. I've been bringing them water from my bottle. It's supposed to make the water clean. Flowers like clean water, right?

[However, he knew it was ineffective if they were going to water more than one bed. Ico wiped his hands on his tunic, although his hands were still covered in dirt.

He stood as tall as he could to look around. There were parts of the gardens that he had not explored. Perhaps there was cleaner water there.]

I think they'll do fine with most any water.... unless the water here is poisoned, or anything of that sort.

[ Bariyan scratches his head and frowns up at the dome, thinking of all the rain. ]

It's not, is it? [ Because. He's been using that to water the plants. ]

I think some of them are, like the sea and lakes. There's nothing living in there.

[He followed Bariyan's gaze and looked up.] I think the rain is okay.

The entire sea? [ Bariyan looks out a broken window, as if expecting to see the ocean from here. ] How sad. How did that happen...?

Probably all the pollution. [He sounded nonchalant about the matter.]

It'll be okay. We'll make it better.

How will you do that? Do you have a plan?

[ Bariyan wasn't quite ready to leave the building in search of water yet, so he decided to move on. He stepped past the flowers, careful not to tread on any of them, and continued forwards. ]

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