Snake

[psychoticracer]

Characters: Erol (psychoticracer), Zelda (oblique_wisdom) and Link (hylian_courage)
Location: Arcade
Date: Now-ish
Rating: PG for creeper

Comments

[psychoticracer]

Erol was not an archer, but a shooter, and the top shooter in the military state he called home. He was annoyed by the high scores, however - clearly made by people with entirely too much time to rank up perfect bonuses for far longer than he had patience.

One long ear twitched as he heard someone come by. He subtly tensed for combat, but he didn't recognize the step - quiet as it was - and they said nothing. So he merely focused on what he was doing.

He didn't make them wait too long, however - he wanted to know who was watching him. One golden eye glanced over.

...

WELL. An elf lady. Blonde, proper as a serviette, blue eyes, fetching low-set shorter ears. Rather like Link's, as a matter of fact.

None of this thought process was visible, however. Erol was one of the best play-actors there was. Breaking stance, he twisted the gun in a deceptively casual movement that ended with it positioned by his thigh, as if to slide it into an absent holster.

"I seem to have an audience. Miss...?" An oblique request for her name was couched in Erol's heavy noble accent.

[oblique_wisdom]

She could have stood there forever if it was absolutely necessary. Zelda was not the sort to rush things along. The only thing she had ever considered her massive impatience was when Hyrule had fallen into the grasp of the evil man. She had gone to such lengths to fight for her land and for her kingdom. She never truly wanted to do that again. It was unnecessary and barbaric. She was anything but primitive.

The man seemed to know exactly what he was doing. She'd noticed it when she was approaching. He would have been a worthy opponent she thought back in her homeland. What caught her by surprise was the idea that he seemed similar to Hylians. If he was one, though, she wondered what he'd been crossed with. When it began to sound like some odd magical experiment, she turned her thoughts away onto better things.

Then he spoke. She hadn't been expecting it. Well, part of her hadn't. She'd mainly assumed he would have continued as though she wasn't there in the least. Her posture straightened and with hands at the skirts of her gown, she curtsied.

"I offer my apologies. I was simply watching you, Sir." Then she offered him a kind smile, "I am Zelda, the princess of Hyrule." She considered telling him why she had come, but he hadn't asked, and she wasn't entirely certain he wanted to hear of it. For all she knew, he was more interested in his own agenda than hers, and that was well within his right.

[psychoticracer]

A princess.... an honest-to-Precursors princess. Oh, and it's not even his birthday.

"Well. My manners are remiss." He replaced the gun and strode to face her, gait smooth despite his injuries, if a little restrained. Reaching out for her hand, he bowed to kiss the slender digits. The movement was harsh on his midsection, but again, he never fretted the little details.

"My name is Erol. Formerly Commander of the Krimzon Guard of Haven City. It's a pleasure."

He released her hand, but didn't pull away, leaving the gesture of withdrawal to her should she choose to linger. Such touches spoke volumes, and he was eagerly gathering details.

[oblique_wisdom]

Those aboard the Elegante befuddled Zelda. So many people acted as though she was a type of nobility or royalty that simply didn't exist anymore. Yes, Hyrule and the vessel were two entirely different worlds, but Zelda had assumed that all princesses would act the same, have the same priorities, and have the same dedication that she had. In a way, it was an unfair judgment to make on her part, which she'd only learn about once she met someone else who in her particular position.

A flush fell over her cheeks. This man was polite. He was increasingly polite, the sort of polite that she didn't even really experience back at home. But then, she didn't stride about in Hyrule as 'the princess'. And if she did? She had Impa with her.

Whatever the case, Zelda didn't pull away. She didn't retract. The motion had only surprised her, not frightened, and certainly not repulsed. Her head inclined and her smile lessened into one that was more vague. The moment he released her hand, she laced it with her other, still feeling a bit of an odd tingle. It'd felt like eons that someone had done that, after all.

"Sir Erol... I see. It is very nice to meet you," she spoke in that straight forward manner. "I must confess that I have never heard of your origin, though at first glance, I did believe you had come of my homeland as well."

Augh short tag is short

[psychoticracer]

Sir Erol? Now that was just quaint. More and more she was shaping up to be an ideal target. And that blush - if he hadn't settled into his role as Charming Devil yet, that would cinch the deal.

"Yes, it seems our people have a few physical features in common. Our ears seem longer, if yours are the standard to judge by. It's nice to see a familiar ear regardless - there used to be quite a few Havenites here. Now there's only me, and... well the less said about the other, the better."

It's okay! :3 ♥

[oblique_wisdom]

Perhaps to a degree, Zelda was naive. She called it believing that all people were inherently good, and that even those who didn't act it weren't exactly the same way on the inside.

"I see... Then there are more who look like you and look like me, in a manner of speaking." Aside from Link, of course, because she knew he had ears like hers. She tipped her head at him and gave a gentle smile, "Whether our ears were similar or not, it would not change my initial impression of others. I had simply thought it was... odd for me to find it here."

♥♥♥

[psychoticracer]

Erol could see her belief in basic goodness coming through in the way she phrased things. This was going to be like plucking an over-ripe peach, just as easy and twice as sweet.

"True enough. Appearances can be - deceptive." A statement relevant both to the game he's playing, and to quite a few topics this conversation could be steered in.

"Are there others from your world here, my lady? I know of two or three other worlds besides mine that harbor what the round-ears call elves."

[oblique_wisdom]

His words rang clearly to her. He was right. She didn't exactly mean that, but what he'd said was entirely accurate. Appearances could be deceptive. Zelda didn't want to believe that anyone would be like that, though. She wanted to believe people didn't intentionally hurt others. She'd seen enough of the evil intents back in Hyrule. She had been in the midst of recovering from it.

She began to nod and then she paused briefly, considering his inquiry. She only knew of Link on the vessel. "Well... I only know of one," Zelda replied honestly. "I suppose there could be more." A hand lifted and she tapped at one of the earrings in an ear, "Elves... I suppose that is true. My kind are referred to as Hylians where I am from. Not so different from the name your own kind may have."

And in a way, she felt terrible for even using the term 'kind'. Since when did being Hylian change anything about how she viewed things? Or perhaps they always had...

[psychoticracer]

"Well. We call ourselves Havenites, as we're from Haven City. You would use a different word were you from Kras or Spargus. There's no need to differentiate species, really; people are people - it's only after I arrived that I began introducing myself as an 'elf.' The only people with ears that short back home are those who lost them to battle."

Unless you were talking about Lurkers - explaining the forced labor trade would be dodgy at best - or Metal Heads, which barely counted as sentient unless you were talking about the leader. Erol was lying about his own outlook outrageously, but the words flowed so naturally that only one who knew him, or at least who was familiar with his brand of tactics, would suspect.

"As we're from different worlds after all, I imagine you're not familiar with the Krimzon Guard tattoos. Most people wonder, and I've no problem satisfying any curiosity you may have."

[oblique_wisdom]

Her expression softened with his explanation. He seemed to understand her distress, though she'd hoped she had not been so transparent. It was much more difficult to retain composure in public than it typically was behind that silly communicator she had been given. She supposed that given time she would need to simply go with the idea that she was an elf as well. Though she still wanted to do her very best for making sure that she set a good example for Hyrule.

"No... I... have never even heard of such. I must admit that I am completely unaware of what it is you speak, Sir Erol." She gave a kind smile in his direction, if only to encourage him to continue.

Yes OK finally feeling well enough to continue lol

[psychoticracer]

To Erol, it had been both a natural and easy conclusion to make based on her tone and previous input. But Erol had a lifetime of manipulation experience at his disposal.

As for the tattoos - did she really not have the slightest idea? They weren't exactly subtle body mods. She was either being polite, spectacularly naive, or they didn't have them (at least not by that name) where she came from.

"Well I wasn't born with this, you know," he chuckled, gesturing with his good hand to the solid dark markings across his cheekbones, eyelids and brow to merge seamlessly with his hairline. They patterned the tips of his ears as well - smaller stripes.

"Krimzon Guard are marked upon taking the lifetime oath of service to the Baron. It's permanent; never fades, and no artisan in Haven would dare attempt to remove them - even if the work wasn't, ah, prohibitively extensive." Yes that's right, there's plenty more, you just can't see it at the moment, Princess.

"It's an excruciating process, but if you're going to be prepared to die for the man, pain is nothing."

This, now THIS was something Erol DID believe. His dark golden eyes gleamed with the clarity of it. Fanatic loyalty or genuine honor - the line blurred in-between.

I heard you've been ill. :[ How are you feeling? ♥♥

[oblique_wisdom]

"I have seen a great number of odd things where I come from, many of which have been attributed to a particular race's culture or tradition. In my position as a diplomat, it would not be morally proper for me to make any sort of assumption. It would also be a bit unseemly if I were not to know what is and is not all right for me to inquire about."

When she spoke, she idly gestured with a hand, as though it was somehow helping her explain where she was coming from. It wasn't right to offend people, of course, and it was hard knowing where she stood when she didn't have absolute knowledge on every other race out there. In fact, she'd already indirectly insulted a few people on board, and she felt absolutely terrible about it.

"I always find it would be best for me to take the necessary precautions," she admitted, feeling a little bit sheepish.

Lifting a hand, she tapped her chin thoughtfully, "It a sign of your loyalty, your dedication, your faith, your commitment." She thought about the emblem of the Triforce that donned the back of her hand. Could that be considered the same? She'd never quite thought of it in that light, but she did suppose there was... at the very least, a possibility of a similarity.

"I think that is a very good representation of who you are, Sir Erol. It seems so very apparent--your ambition, that is. It is a valuable asset to have."

I'm sitting upright in bed & typing, it's a vast improvement ♥♥

[psychoticracer]

"I can't imagine anyone finding you, of all people, improper or unseemly, lady." From her conduct so far, any inquiry would be made gentler than a lamb's. Erol would indeed have been surprised to hear she'd insulted anyone, indirectly and inadvertently or not. The woman seemed raised on porcelain.

A smile of surprise and flattery crossed his face, and he nodded deeply as if in thanks.

"The truth is, Princess, it's survival. When your city is the largest safe harbor of humanity left in a world nearly annihilated by monsters that claw at your gates for the lives of its people and hunger for your energy sources, there must be strength, commitment - sometimes, harsh decisions."

Erol's expression flickered for a moment, as if there was something he regretted. There wasn't of course, but he was carefully setting a stage here. He KNEW any painting of himself he built wouldn't stand unless it was carefully built on both truth and lies. When she heard something unsavory - and she WOULD eventually - he would have the stage carefully set for the reasons, for HIS side of the story, and the only man who could contradict them had vanished into the void beyond the Elegante.

He shook his head. "Regardless. If I'm do to anything, I must be the best. No room in Haven for mediocrity or half-measures. And, I confess, I rather like being good at my job." More truths, and he flashed her a rogue's grin.

Hooray! ♥ Let's hope you keep that way.

[oblique_wisdom]

"When your city is the largest safe harbor of humanity left in a world nearly annihilated by monsters that claw at your gates for the lives of its people and hunger for your energy sources, there must be strength, commitment - sometimes, harsh decisions."

It was crystal clear and a terribly painful reminder of Zelda's personal shortcomings--most of which she tried to disguise when they managed to hit her at full force. There was absolutely no way for her to stand aside and pretend she had not been capable of that in one point in time. Perhaps ten years of age was too young for anyone to take those so-called 'harsh decisions', but as Zelda stared at Erol with furrowed blonde eyebrows, she got the distinct impression that when he was ten, he was probably just as wonderful as he was in the present time.

She felt her expression darken at the subject matter. If that ever grew out, she wondered how people would view her. Would it reflect badly upon Hyrule? Would she seem so completely cruel and irrational? Or perhaps everyone would understand why Zelda was so terribly obsessed with the idea of Hyrule. Everything had to be dedicated to the homeland. Every breath, every sigh, every touch, every time she spoke, every footstep she took, every hand she extended. It was all for Hyrule. Zelda was at the mercy of her home. She was at the compassion of her people.

And perhaps in that light, Zelda may have thought little--if any--of herself.

"I... see..." she managed to finally utter, unsure if that was even a worthy response for his ears to hear. Then she gestured to the machine he had been practicing at, "Is that what you were doing here then? Even if it is not... 'real', it does seem capable of allowing you to hone upon your skills, kind sir."

o hi gais

[hylian_courage]

Bad. This is bad. Something is wrong.

Link paced back and forth in his room restlessly, unable to ignore the horrible sense of uneasiness gripping his gut. The Triforce mark on the back of his hand burned painfully, and he rubbed it a little too firmly as he stalked about his room.

What is it? The last time he felt like this, he was riding Epona into Kakariko, only to find the village burning. Sheik had been there, telling him to leave - before the monster from the well nearly killed the both of them. That was the last time he had such an overwhelming feeling of dread like this.

Something inside him was trying to tell him that he needed to get out, look around and try to see if something was wrong - because something is wrong. Link stopped in the middle of the room, glanced to his closet, and after a pause, opened its door to retrieve his shield and his gauntlets. He lifted the weight of the shield with noticeable ease compared to the last time he'd held it months earlier, and it filled him with a small sense of ability to handle this without the Master Sword. Just go, Link.

The door locked behind him as he walked down the hallway to the elevator. Where should he go? Without thinking, he punches some random floor and leans back against the metal wall.

Zelda, he realizes. Something's not right. Did she wander into the theater or carnival...? No...

o shi-

[psychoticracer]

Well THAT hit a nerve, and a deep one, too. Sometimes random words hit unexpected paydirt. And what harsh decision had this porcelain princess made that bothered her so much? Obviously he could not ask now, but perhaps it could be ferreted out of her later.

He was willing to let her lead the conversation in more comfortable directions for her, however. Women liked it when they thought they held the reins. (Incidentally, when Erol was ten, he was learning how to knife-fight from delinquents half again his age on the sidelines of his true passion, A-grav zoomer racing. In a few years he would get his first gun from another boy, and shortly thereafter he'd make his first kill.)

"In a manner of speaking, yes," he murmured, glancing back at the machine. "I loathe resorting to toys in lieu of the real thing, but I dare not let myself slip too far out of practice. Precursors know how much longer I'll be here, and I'll only see my own firearm again before journey's end if we have another pirate attack.

"There's no kickback, no safety, it's far too light and the balance is terrible - but I can't fault the aim. It does seem designed for military amateurs, so. Better than nothing." He shrugged, though not without a philosophical laissez-faire smirk.