[Voice/Action]

[shrouded_reaper]

My name's Shadow. Only Shadow. Call me anything else, and... Just don't call me anything else, got it?

[Shadow can be seen all over the place: He's taking off from Terra's house, headed to town for supplies. From there, he heads toward the woods for an extended wandering/camping trip because Clyde's useless emotions are getting the better of him

Comments

[Voice/Action]

[esper_flight]

Shadow, I...nevermind.

[Terra trails off, uncertain of what to say. She actually heads to the woods as well, needing a little time away from town. It won't be a camping trip for her, but after several days of flashing everyone in Luceti and telling them of her heritage, she just wants to hide.]

[Action]

[shrouded_reaper]

[Shadow's not even going to bother replying this time around. Instead, he's trying to put as much distance between him and the town as he can. After a while, his pace finally slows and he appears to be deep in thought as he continues along.]

[Action]

[esper_flight]

[Terra continues as well, sometimes teleporting to give her an edge and propel her further away from town with greater ease. She needs to walk off some of that restlessness, but...further away from people would be best. Given what happened in her Esper form, flying doesn't hold as much appeal as usual.

At some point, she hears footsteps. Terra backs away, intending to teleport before she's seen, but then--]

...Shadow?

[Action]

[shrouded_reaper]

[Shadow glances up abruptly at Terra. He'd really thought he was alone out here. Takes a moment to compose himself so he can sound mostly devoid of unnecessary emotion.]

...Terra.

[Action]

[esper_flight]

[Terra takes a step back, feeling suddenly defensive.]

I wasn't looking for you!

I just...needed to be out of town.

[Action]

[shrouded_reaper]

[Shadow's eyes don't look too amused, but after a moment of cold silence, he lets it go. It's only Terra.]

I didn't think you were. [Silence silence silence] ...But so do I.

[Action]

[esper_flight]

[Terra nods, understanding that.]

I can't believe I...did all that.

[You know, flying around naked and telling everyone about her Esper heritage.]

[Action]

[shrouded_reaper]

[Shadow can hardly believe any of the past week either. Going around, calling himself Clyde... and... believing he'd had a real family.]

[Not that it mattered.]

[...No. Damn it. It mattered too much. He'd killed off his emotions so he didn't have to face that loss. He'd tried so hard to outrun thoughts of what might have been.]

You weren't yourself.

[Action]

[esper_flight]

Neither were you....

[She pauses, not certain if she ought to ask but undeniably curious.]

...what you said earlier, was any of it true?

[Action]

[shrouded_reaper]

[And he's not sure he wants to answer, but it's just Terra and they're alone. He folds his arms.]

What part?

[Action]

[esper_flight]

[Fidget.]

...about Relm.

[Action]

[shrouded_reaper]

What do you mean? That she's my...

[Yeah. It hasn't really been something he'd normally talk about. But what's the point of denying it, especially so far removed from home anyway?]

...That part's true.

[Action]

[esper_flight]

[Terra nods, absorbing that. She has suspected as much, but now it's confirmed. Shadow has no reason to lie about that.]

...so that's why you were adamant about not wanting her here.

[Action]

[shrouded_reaper]

[There may have been hints along their journey, though he tried to keep his distance and avoid that as much as he could. And by not showing his face, since there are some similar traits between them.]

...Yeah, that's right. She deserves better than being trapped here.

[And a better life than he could ever give her.]

[Action]

[esper_flight]

[Terra nods, unable to argue with that.]

She does. I miss her, but...she's better away from all this.

...I envy her a little, though. At least you're still alive....

[Action]

[shrouded_reaper]

I can't be the person she needs.