genessia | video / action

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video / action

[video]

Pardon my strange question... When do feelings of friendship become something... else? And what is the best remedy for stopping such feelings? Not to imply it is unpleasant, or I've no desire to love the person in question. Merely that this is going to be an inconvenience for them.

And are those with budding romantic feelings for another still permitted to invite the person of their affection on dates? Is that taboo? It feels so very wrong.

... Maybe I'll use the pocketwatch and forget all of this. This is criminal of me.

[action : various cities]

[Eliot has gone off on a self-help love quest, because all of this really bugs him. He's not sure how valid his emotions are, given that his personality is a temporary front for his "library self." He's been stopping in book stores and convenience stores, even stopping in grocery stores, to pick up those trashy teenage gossip magazines. Particularly anything that promises to explain the social etiquette of modern romance.

He's also been picking up trashy magazines of a less appropriate variety. You'll know he picked up and flipped to a scandalous article when you hear him scream in public and hastily close the magazine, glowing red from embarrassment.]

o-oh... oh my goodness...! Modern publishing is shameless...!

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Not az much as you think.

[She sighed softly and just observed him as he tried to busy himself with his ledger.]

Because I still haf to try. I don't agree vith vat you're doing to yourself. I zuppose it's... part of caring about you as strange az zhat sounds.

[She shifted uneasily in her seat.]

...I'm hardly mozher material. At least, zhat's vat I keep telling myself.

Well, you're in luck. I already had a mother. [He needs to keep distracted, so uses his psychic powers to move a book from a shelf. Unlike his other self, this version of Eliot has more skill with his abilities. He's had them before.]

She tied me down and brutally murdered me. But we've already talked about that mother. I'm in no hurry for a replacement.

[Eliot picks the book out of the air.] You don't agree, but I've never asked for your approval. "I" don't care about anything you or Augustine want for me. It's the other me who still thinks a family could be fun, or that relationships are ever worth it. I've become bored of those. So if you're here to take down my walls with familial bonding, don't waste your breath or my time.

[She's quiet hearing that as she watched him work. The stark differences between this Eliot and the other were more than obvious to her and it also pained her to hear he didn't want a mother.]

I haf no intention of physically harming you or your ozher half. I'm...not sure vat kind of mozher I am anymore, but, I vouldn't actually hurt you.

[Not anymore. Not after her trip through the dreamdocks.]

I don't view families az a vaste of time. Zhey are protection und support.. if you haf zhe right kind of family. Augustine und I zimply vant to look out for you, even if you don't vish it. Zhat's... vat parents are supposed to do. Zhey are supposed to care for and look out for zheir children.

[She sighed softly.]

...Look, I'm zorry for my... brutality und sledgehammer bluntness on my opinions. Vhere you haf zhe option of forgetting memories, I don't und I'm still dealing vith three vorlds und nearly a decade vorth of zhem I didn't haf vhen ve first met. Personally, I enjoy zhe little family unit ve haf, even if it iz a little dysfunctional.

Besides, I'm just as stubborn az you are. Telling me zhat attempting family bonding von't stop me from trying.

Well, we're in the same boat. I have another three centuries of memories now, than I did twenty minutes ago. It's a lot to process... But your mind does have the option of forgetting. As you age, your memories will grow hazy and distant. You can separate the person you were from who you are. I know you can. Everyone always talks about how you've changed.

[Eliot closes his eyes as the book drops into his lap, leaning back so that he's staring at the floor instead of the ceiling.]

But I can't. This memory of mine is permanent. I can remember every family I've "found," and all of the love I've experienced. In every moment, I remember the fresh pain of loss, of betrayal, of pain, right next to the love and trust, and happiness.

[He opens his eyes, but he's not looking at Rip. Maybe his eyes are, but his mind is struggling to find the 'now' and focus on it. It's also very difficult not to cry when all of those memories plague him, so he picks up that book and moves it into his face. He needs a distraction, before he snaps.]

I'm tired.

[Sadly, she knew he was right. She would eventually forget as she got older. Already her own memory of her times before she was in the military were hazy enough and part of her hated that. But.. Rip's only lived roughly a century compared to Eliot's three. How would she be once she reached his age?

Would she even get the opportunity to live that long? That was the other thing that plagued her at times.]

...I've found it useful to learn from memories like zhose. Zhe painful ones und zhe good ones.

[She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose under her glasses. Already she could feel a headache coming on.]

I cannot begin to understand half of vat you experience vhenever you remember. Or vhy it iz easier for you to be separated like zhis. To me it does not make any sense.

I vill admit in two vorlds, I vas completely different from vat I am now, but, zhe experiences zhere are vat haf shaped me into.. zhis. Both zhe insanity of loosing everyzhing.. und zhe shattering of my entire vorld from making a stupid mistake.

[Rip closed her eyes as the pounding in her head started from remembering those times.]

...You're not zhe only one zhat's tired, Eliot. I miss my daughter, my lovers.. my pets from zhose times. But, I know I can never haf zhem back. In zhe end, I am alvays zhe one left alone.

But, I am attempting to change zhat. So.. vhy don't you attempt to change? I don't understand vhy you don't.

[She's trying. Eliot recognizes that enough to try looking at her again, even when he really doesn't like it. His head aches and he's absolutely miserable: It's difficult to figure out who he is when he's remembering so many moments like they were yesterday.

When she's finished, Eliot sits up again. But this time, he's preparing to read his book.]

Because I have learned. Plenty. [He flips through, looking for a particular page. Hardly looking at Rip anymore.] The other me is stupid, but he can be happy. He doesn't miss his lovers, or wonder which of the twenty-some we've had is his 'true love.' Actually, he seems pretty hung up on the idea that Winry is anything special.

She's just Ophelia, but not dead.

[Eliot reaches for his wine at the thought of Ophelia.] But it's nice to be in love for a while. It's fun to think you've found something special and lasting. You can build upon your fading memories, but I can't. I'm always going to remember that I'm married to seven women, and I've had children, and I've watched them die. But if I remembered every cycle every time, I wouldn't have had seven happy lifetimes. I would have been unhappy and grieving, and hateful.

[He looks up and whistles. Amelie, his Crobat, unfolds a wing and drops his pocket watch onto the table between them.]

Being stupid is fine. He'll learn over time. He'll live a happy family life with the two of you, and probably stumble, but he'll be happy. And the time you spend with him will mean something. I'll get to remember it fondly when he gets reset.

[She's quiet as he spoke, taking in what he's said. Twenty some lovers, married seven times...Rip's a little shocked and sad upon hearing that. But, Rip was at least starting to understand as much as she could.]

I see... I zhink I'm starting to understand.

[She sighed softly and closed her eyes for a moment.]

For him to be happy, ignorance really iz bliss. Especially, if it allows him to haf zhe good times for you to cherish.

[She fell quiet for a moment.]

Zhe vay you two are separated really is zhe only vay you... him, can function. Isn't it.

Glad to hear it.

[He isn’t really. This isn’t something that’s fun to understand, and he’s sure that the revelation will change the way she looks at him. No one else in Genessia knows much about Eliot’s other lives.]

Then if we’re done here, I think I’ll leave. Thanks for having “tea” with me. [He turns to face her again, only to psychically make his pocket watch levitate into the air again. He’s getting ready to twist the dial with his powers too, but first turns back to his wine.]

Let’s not make this a repeated event. I don’t really have much purpose in Genessia anyway. Might as well hit his head and make his amnesia permanent, for all the good that I do here.

[Well, he wasn’t wrong. Rip would look at him a little differently after this conversation and perhaps not be so pushy anymore. Now that she was starting to understand, Rip had a better idea of how to handle him. At least she hoped she did.]

I vould say you don’t haf a purpose. You just hafnt found it yet. But, I vill try not to make zhis a repeat unless I need a better understanding of somzhing.

[She’s trying and at least Rip knows how to keep secrets.]

Und it seems like I haf a lot of apologizing und making zhings up to zhe both of you. So,I apologize for my... stubbornness. I shouldn't haf been zo pushy und insistent zhat I vas right.

Edited 2018-10-17 20:22 (UTC)

You don't owe me anything. How were you supposed to know, when he can't tell you everything? [Shrug.] Stubbornness runs in your new family.

[One more sip of wine, before he sets the glass down and leans back again. Though there isn't much alcohol in it, it does its job on his pathetic vampire blood. Eliot has been more chill and mellow, and less traumatized.

But he knows that his being tipsy won't translate as peacefully to his other personality.]

I haven't told Augustine about all of that. As far as he's concerned, I'm just a brat. Probably better than way.

Apparently, zhe stubbornness iz a family trait considering.

[She's watching him sip the wine and knows that once he changes back, their innocent bratty Eliot won't take it too well. It might be a little hilarious in any other circumstance, just not tonight.]

Zhen I suppose you vouldn't vish for me to tell Augustine any of zhis. I'm not even sure he vould understand.

[She sighed softly.]

My three lives, your seven. You may not zhink I owe you anyzhing but, I still feel az if I need to apologize for my behavior.

Besides, despite vat you zhink, zhe talks ve haf are..interesting und pleasant.

Nope. Really wouldn't want him to know. I don't know how he would feel about it.

[Eliot is back to leaning improperly over the sofa arm, so he's looking at Rip from a lazy, upside-down angle. ~~He may be purposefully setting his dumb self up for taking a literal fall.~~]

And it's seven marriages. I had perfectly valid romances and lifetimes without any rings. Speaking of, [Eliot points to his earrings,] I still have some.

Point is: No apologies necessary. You didn't have a way of knowing. Save that humble attitude for when you need it.

Edited 2018-10-17 22:22 (UTC)

[Even she's noticing the set up he's positioning himself into and just shakes her head. While he's setting up his other self for a literal fall, she had a feeling she was going to take the blame as she reached to take the glass of wine. There's no point in leaving it in a place where he might accidentally spill it.]

Fair enough.

[She smiles a little at the clarification and takes notes of the earrings.]

Fine, your seven marriages against my four mates that meant zomething and countless ozher lovers. Zhough, I still hafn't been married in zhe traditional sense. It's just not my kind of zhing however, if Augustine is persistent, I might eventually change that.

Just don't tell Auggie.

[Since they were sharing.]

Az it is, in zhe pirate sense, I've 'married' Namur, zomething else I'd razher Auggie not know. It's an open relationship still, just... Az long as Namur iz alive, I desire to be by his side for however long he haz.

Auggie...I hope to haf for zhe rest of eternity, or however long his life span iz providing I don't end up dead before he does. Zhey are both people I don't think I could live vithout.

[As he listens, Eliot moves the pocket watch into his hands: He's just been letting it float above them for now. With the watch safely held, Eliot only opens and closes the lid. Again: Using physical distractions to interrupt his memories as much as possible.]

Hmmm... That so? Then you do understand, just a bit. Living without those people is as much fun as you're imagining.

[His green gaze follows the wine as she moves it away. He can't very well drink it while upside-down, but it was tempting. The memories just bring heartache, and he hates when they make him miserable. It's easier to get lost in the happy memories when he isn't thinking logically.]

I don't know how you do it. Carrying love for all of these people sucks. I married them like they were "the only one," but it turns out they weren't. Makes me wonder how 'true' that love was at all.

[Eliot pauses. Maybe he's being a bit too giving with his secrets. So he closes the pocket watch one last time and sighs. The sound of him turning the pocket watch dial fills a brief silence.]

Enough of me. I'm out. I don't want to be 'awake' anymore.

[She nods slightly. Rip definitely understood the loss of heartache considering what it's driven her to do in the past. There are reasons why Rip went insane in one of the worlds she was in, that being one of many factors. ]

I can do it because I am used to living in zhe moment und understand zhat in vorlds like zhis, every moment could be our last. It hurts vhen zhey are taken from me.. to know my sanity depends on zhem und to haf zhem torn avay never..

[She sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose under her glasses.]

Zhere is no such zhing as 'true love' zhere is really only desire und love for zhe ones you find yourself compatible vith. Zhat's all. As I said, four mates. Two of zhem vithin zhis vorld und zhe last two.. taken from me by anozher vorld.

[She opens her eyes again, watching him. Rip understands more now why he needs the watch now that she has context.]

Very vell, however, eventually I'd like to talk to you again over anozher glass of vine.

[The sound of the dial fills the air and she just waits, watching him with wine glass in hand. She supposes, now she has to patch things up with the innocent Eliot if she's going to try and be his mother.]

[One moment, he’s relaxing to the sound of the melody... Enjoying a brief peace, where he can’t be miserable...

Then he falls over the arm chair and squawks in the most unrefined of ways.]

Eh? Um... Ugh...

[Eliot looks up at Rip, no longer scowling... Definitely not happy either.

He doesn’t seem to comprehend how he ended up on the floor either.]

Don’t tease meee. I don’t feel good. [Whine!] Everything is spinning... What did I do...?

[She keeps quietly watching as the melody plays and then smiles slightly as he falls over the arm of the chair and just waits for him to figure out she's there.

Thankfully that doesn't take long.]

I'm not going to tease you, Eliot. Apparently your ozher self has a razher unique sense of humor.

[She swirls the wine in the glass in her hands before gently setting it back on the table.]

Ve had tea.

[By 'tea' she meant wine.]

[He squints at the wine, slowly putting two and two together. It’s hard to do when his head is already starting to hurt.

Without a shred of elegance, Eliot rolls over and pushes himself up. He’s pretty quick to begin fussing over his hair, vain even when he’s tipsy.]

That was mean... Doesn’t he know how fast this body gets... ugh... [Looking up at Rip again, he looks a touch worried.] Don’t tell Augustine...

I'm sure he does.

[And she understood why wine considering the conversation they just had.]

Don't vorry, I von't.

[There's a lot of things she's not telling Augustine, this is just added to the mix.]

Und I owe you an apology for being zo pushy. I zuppose, I'm still trying to figure out zhis entire.. mothering zhing.

Mmm?

[Clumsily, Eliot tries to pull himself up and onto the sofa again. He doesn’t know about the previous conversation, but is aware that he left the other him to deal with Rip.

It seems that was the right choice, too. Somehow, she seems to understand now.]

‘Iz fine. You were just trying to help... ugh.

I feel too gross to get angry. Did he explain it?

[Surprisingly, yes. It was the right choice.]

Yes, he did. Zo, I'll drop zhe vatch issue. But, I still expect you to at least try und take better care of yourzelf.

[She leaned back in her chai.]

Vhich right now, seems to include sleeping off being tipsy. You really can't hold your alcohol, can you. Even vhen zhe vine barely has any in it.

[Okay, she miiight be teasing a little.]

I'll try to be patient vith you, if you do zhe same vith me. It's been.. a vhile since I last...adopted a child.

Do I have to sleep? I'll have his dreams... [Eliot is curling up in his chair. This is the first time he remembers being any form of tipsy, so he isn't actually sure what to do about it.]

Patient... kay. If you're sure... kay. [He's being quite agreeable in this state. Eliot even nods slowly. Despite his protests against sleep, Eliot is beginning to doze off.]

Kay, Mom... I'll try.

[She can see that and she figured he would fall asleep anyway, even if he was going to protest. Even though Rip can't.. really get drunk anymore, she does remember the hangovers and the nights she went back to the barracks tipsy from drinking with the others.

Really, sleep was the only decent cure.]

Yes, I'm sure.

[And.. She might feel a little warm and fuzzy being called 'mom'. She didn't drink any of the wine, did she? No? Well.. There's no going back now, is there. ]

Sweet dreams, Eliot.

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