Fortress of Meropide - Group Chat

[loupmorque]

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{ A group chat made for people living in Meropide or for its regular come-and-go visitors. }

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UN: hikari-vi | Text

[whiteshroud]

Good evening, Veldora!

[He loves getting these guys long messages. They're adorable]

I can help you with the gardening! I run the green house in the Fortress, since gardening is one of my specialties.

[soulreleaser]

[ it's like your Facebook aunt is reporting to you live from the Ren Faire. ]

I would be most honored to learn under your guidance, Master Jun!

Between you and me, there are roses in one of the little boxes and I'd like to grow them as a gift for Lady Rose--but don't tell her I said that! I want it to be a surprise!

[ he says, with nary a privacy filter in sight. ]

[whiteshroud]

Aww, that sounds like the perfect gift for her! Don't worry, my lips are sealed.

[He says, knowing full well there's no privacy filter on this]

Gardening is a very relaxing hobby once you get the hang of it, so I'd love to show you it. Just bring the seeds down to the Fortress sometime. I have one of those Serenitea pots set up for growing crops, so we can get a nice plot of land for your seeds.

[soulreleaser]

[ it's okay, Rose clearly respects the Honor System and isn't peeking at Veldora's top secret stuff that has no privacy filter on it. ]

I will be over with bells on sometime today or tomorrow! I've never participated in dealing with something so--and I say this with all due respect--small. It's fascinating to think that the passage of time can be so clearly marked!

[whiteshroud]

I understand what you mean. Growing plants can really bring an appreciation on the circle of life. It's easier to see the day-to-day changes on a plant than you would a human or a dragon.

Alright! I'll set up a plot for you. @ shineon, do you want me to set up a plot of land for you too? With my earth magic, it won't be difficult.

[onahairtrigger]

Yeah, I'd appreciate that, thanks!

[whiteshroud]

(*•̀ᴗ•́*)و

[soulreleaser]

Humans are so strange! It feels like you stare at them from day to day, and they don't do much of anything, but then you blink and poof! They've doubled in size and mass and know how to use an axe all of a sudden.

Dragons don't change unless they're reborn into a new form, so it's even harder to figure out how many years have passed unless there's something small to keep mark by. I'm rather excited by the concept!

[whiteshroud]

Haha, that's true. I hear people say that all the time. The passage of time for humans is both so slow and so fast at the same time.

It's more straightforward for plants! Just check on them every day when you go to water them. Sure enough, they'll grow little by little each day.

[soulreleaser]

One minute you're all teeny tiny, and then you're big, and then you're using sticks and chasing the new recruits around! Or something like that. Monsters may age differently?

I will say, there's supposed to be some sort of special breed of peach in the calendar--and I've noticed that I can sort of... age things? I've mostly practiced on the grass in our yard!

[whiteshroud]

Possibly. Humans only live about 80-100 years.

[But what? A peach? In the back of his mind, this is raising some flags]

A special breed of peach? How so?

[soulreleaser]

Truly? I spent longer in prison than three of your lifetimes...

[ humans are so. ?? what the hell?? ]

Oh, they seemed to be some sort of fancy peach! Immunology peaches, whatever that might mean! Perhaps they make for healthier treats?

1/3

[whiteshroud]

[...]

2/3

[whiteshroud]

[... ! ]

3/3 -> PRIVATE

[whiteshroud]

[Switching THAT to private filter]

Do you mean immortal peach?

1/2 - PRIVATE

[soulreleaser]

[ oh that's interesting, we're under a fun new filter?? the dragon detects a shift in the atmosphere. just because he's dumb doesn't mean he's stupid. ]

Oh, it might've said that! Let me find the box--one moment!

2/2 - PRIVATE - [5 minutes later]

[soulreleaser]

[ he needs to undergo a hero's journey to figure out where the hell he stashed his calendar he has so many volumes of Wyverncube X past Veldora is rude ]

Found it! You're correct; it does indeed say 'immortal' peach on the fancy front design! Is that something special? I can feel that something's magical about the box, though I've not an exact idea as to what.

PRIVATE

[whiteshroud]

[There's a long pause where Jun doesn't respond because he's sure staring at his phone in shock. Here Jun was, looking forward to introduce this cheerful dragon to his personal passion that has nothing to do with gods or holy knight work --- only to get an immortal peach nuke dropped on him.

He needs a moment before he responds]

Yes, yes it is something very special.

The immortal peaches are from the garden of the Jade Emperor - a god in this world. Anyone who eats an immortal peach will become immortal themselves.

Which with this world populated by people who only live a century, you can imagine what a big deal that might be.

PRIVATE

[soulreleaser]

[ well that's. hm. Veldora doesn't quite get the heft of it because he's always been an immortal whose only peerage was other immortals, but he trusts what Jun has to say. ]

Oh, I see!

I will admit, immortality has always been something that's just part of what I am, but given how often the Sacred Texts have the search for immortality come up as a flaw... I think I'm beginning to grasp the severity of the implication.

It could, as Ser Zulius once told me, just be a 'marketing ploy' to make the seed collection seem more mystery and special given that it appears to be an ordinary calendar other than the little hum of magic I sense in some of the seeds... but if it could truly be a problem, would it be easier if I destroyed the seeds?

[ he doesn't even think of Furina in this moment. she's immortal already because she's also a divine dragon (spoiler: not how that works, Veldora) so he'll just acquire some other peaches to apologize for not being able to grow them for her. ]

PRIVATE

[whiteshroud]

[Meanwhile, Jun fully understands the weight of the situation. Mortality had a lot of shortfalls and brought a lot of pain, but in so many ways he always viewed it as a blessing. Not once has Jun ever felt the desire to be immortal. He cherished his mortality, how every day was fleeting and thus something precious. He found comfort in that one day, he'd become too old to continue as a holy knight, and the title would get passed to the next generation while he rested, knowing he completed his duty.

Mortality was a gift. And the access to immortality could wrought so much damage onto this world. A few months ago, he would've said to destroy it without a second thought. It was not worth it. Even now, he nearly types it out before a thought comes to his mind.

Haru.

Harumasa was dying. And as much as Jun wanted to think he could find a cure, so far he's come up empty handed. He had no idea how long Harumasa had... months? Years? Would he live long enough to see Jun's wedding, the one he said he wanted to attend and get pictures of? Would he live long enough to finally get out of Krusnik's shadow, and find a life of his own to finally lead?

...

The words that Wriothesley told him surface in his mind.

"Miracles weren't something you can rely on. But this world has its way of throwing curveballs at you. So I'm sure you'll be able to find something. After all, if an ordinary man like me can stumble upon immortal life just by being here, I believe you can find a cure for Harumasa."

Jun had internally scoffed at the idea of relying on miracles, but... what if this was this miracle? What if by destroying this seed, he was throwing away his brother's best chance?

....]

No, save it. Please.

I have to talk it over with some people first, but there's... someone who might need it.

[He doesn't feel good about this in the slightest. But... it's as his pact says: do what must be done]

PRIVATE

[soulreleaser]

[ it feels like it takes a long, long time for that message to come in.

Veldora, while happy-go-lucky and oblivious, is not stupid. he's always had a level of curiosity and intention to him, and now that he understands how much more interesting the mortal, menial world is, he's trying very hard to attune to its little nuances.

there's something here that he hasn't gotten the full picture for, but his proverbial ears are perked and he's listening for the footsteps in the hallway. ]

I'm willing to hear you out, my friend. Perhaps it's better to have a conversation in person?

[ on one hand, having to be face to face with someone when you're feeling an emotional high is some people's idea of a Hell Nightmare on Earth, but on the other hand... sometimes it's easier to tell the truth with your eyes. to let the tremor in your hand speak for you, to let someone else know that the weight of the world is on your shoulders through the hitch in your breath.

Rimuru had always wanted to believe he could come to an understanding with most anyone he met just by having an open, honest conversation with them--and Veldora's ready to carry on the legacy. ]

I trust you, Jun. Whatever you may be considering, I trust your intentions in my heart of hearts.

[ ... there's that story, too, about the man drowning in a flood who prayed to God for salvation, but turned away several boats because he knew God would save him in the end--only to drown anyways and find his way to Heaven. he asked the Almighty why He abandoned him in his time of need, only for God to ask 'who you thought sent the boats?'

a peach tree could be a boat with a little imagination, couldn't it? ]

[whiteshroud]

[Veldora's trust in him is humbling, especially when he feels so conflicted in the moment. That story of the boat is certainly coming to mind. This peach could easily be that boat being sent out by God. Or maybe it wasn't, and it was just a log that happened to be passing by in the flood.

In the end, did it matter so long as it made one survive the flood? ]

A conversation in person would be best probably. Can you meet me in the green house in about an hour?

[He needs time to talk to Varian and Harumasa. Varian had the most experience with these peaches, he'd be able to give insight about this. Plus he wasn't about to do this behind his partner's back, not after the peach affected so much of Varian's life in the past.

As for Haru... well it was his life ultimately. He needed to have a say in this. ]

Thank you, Veldora. I hope I don't let that trust down.