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[futures_of_ash]

Rachel's in a tree, sprawled more like a child of ten than any woman of centuries. Long legs dangling back along teh trunk, hair equally gravity pulled amongs green, green leaves...

She's watching clouds.

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[mouse_shadow]

"You may want to consider resting somewhere else, the trees here seem to have bad attitudes."

A walk outside after a morning spent drinking. Not staggering a bit, no!

[futures_of_ash]

"I'm sorry..."

Who's guilt? She may be leaking now...emotion always being hardest to hold...

"...people often see ghosts in me...

"I won't forget myself again"

[mouse_shadow]

What is this sudden weakness?

"Please, I didn't mean to blame you. I don't understand... It's I who have forgotten myself. Clearly, this has affected you more wrongly than it has me. Why would you need to apologize for showing sympathy?"

[futures_of_ash]

There is balance in everything, for every ounce of strength, there is equal weakness.

"No, there are rules I have forgotten, in my time at Bar."

Do not touch. Do not influence.

Give. Always.

"I am sorry, again. I don't think very human sometimes. I should know some things..."

[mouse_shadow]

"Rules? That you should hold back your compassion? Is that the Shield you wish to keep? That is the last thing you should deny yourself, at least. It was just a touch. Don't condemn yourself for a touch."

[futures_of_ash]

"Compassion can be offered in ways far more acceptable. People are far too easy to inflence through touch..."

It's that she can't allow.

Especially now, when it will be so much easier to give in...

"Minds are fragile things...and though I didn't slip far with you..." she shook her head softly.

The rest need not be said. Her gaze drifts back upward again, though there's tension in her now.

[mouse_shadow]

He has been sitting up to talk, and when he tries to reach to her, the effects of the ale return in force, and he loses his balace.

"Minds, what do you me-" and he falls off the branch.

[futures_of_ash]

He doesn't fall far before there's flame.

Warm and cradling.

"I won't let you fall" she sighed quietly.

If he chooses to go it is another thing.

Up or down?

[mouse_shadow]

The fall startles him, but he didn't expect serious injury. The catch, well, that's just absurd!

The gravity of a scant few seconds ago lifted, he laughs heartily. Forgetting for the moment her distress, his mood has completely turned around.

"That's... wonderful! You can... you can put me down." Between bouts of laughter. He had seen her walk on water the night of their swim, but this is brings to bear the strangeness of the place at least as much as the embodiment of Dream.

[futures_of_ash]

Her flame is just another strange facet, warm and almost ticklish as he laughs...but it doesn't tease as it might those she knows better...

She stays curled in the branches like some strange cat. eyes downing wells of emerald and flame...

Minds are fragile things...

Did the emperor ever worry that his people feared him?

Was he ever right?

"That'sme, lifting bi rocks, catching falling planes and the inebbriated. Rachel Grey, hero, glad to be of service"

She's good at smiling past everything else.

[mouse_shadow]

Oh, his people feared him. His people were slaughtered by the billions on thousands of worlds in his name. Here stands the author and executer of the widest sweeping religious jihad in the history of Shai Hulud's universe. Here stands the Messiah of Dune, laughing so hard he can hardly breath!

"Oh, Rachel," recovering, "You see? I was the one who was wrong. A touch was exactly what I needed."

[futures_of_ash]

Hunt your own people on all fours, thrill in their blood and terror. Find strength and stand above, and watch that fear you used to love focus upon you. Find worlds that fear ever facet of who you are, and betray you...

She too has been a Messiah. Hope. Leader. Heart.

So many ways to change universes...

She chuckled, arms hanging languidly down, obeying gravity for now "Or it could simply be that this is a kinder tree..." she demured.

[mouse_shadow]

"Indeed. Or a smart one. It would be ill advised to meet you in combat." The joke is just that, however it stings.

"I guess I don't have to worry about you staying out here in the wilds alone." Then another thought occurs that should have been forseen.

"Are you alone?"

[futures_of_ash]

"Yep, I beat trees good" she stated blandly. She is goingto try the willow one of these days...

Does she need to answer that one?

It seems obvious to her.

The strange and wonderful is nice in small doses...terrifying in larger ones.

Always

It's there in her eyes.

[mouse_shadow]

...and the thought passes. Even without the Spice trance, even in his less-than-himself state, he can read that message. A thing happens to his smile; the laughter clinging there is replaced by a knowing acceptance. He had as much as pushed her away, hadn't he?

Lonely is the head that wears the crown. He bows.

"Well, Rachel. I'll leave you, then. But I'll be back. Keep the waters warm for me?"

[futures_of_ash]

There is no crown for her, she has never wished for one. Lonely all the same, this Phoenix childe.

She has her brothers though.

It is enough.

It has to be.

"Have a good day Paul..." she murmured, closing her eyes with a sigh.

Find Peace