005 | Video

[clickclickbang]

Name: Prompto Argentum
Date: 2/8
Format: video

[In the background of this video, there's the (relatively) hushed sounds of a certain Sun King's voice, trying to get someone to stop and rest, as she should. He's being met with growls of "I'm busy!" along with some pots and pans clanging and chopping as she’s clearly trying to make Something. It might be a stew? There's still the remains of a varied breakfast and food packages that were just set on the table. Pointing this out does not appear to be much of a deterrent.

While all that’s going on, Prompto just sort of. Gives the camera a Look.]

So, I was going to let everyone know that hey, I'm back, Insomniac Delivery is back up and running, please do not try to eat my chocobo, photos will be back soonish, et cetera et cetera, but Caren dropped some interesting information at breakfast this morning and that takes priority. So.

[Pause for effect. An effect that is likely somewhat spoiled as more extreme measures of putting things on higher shelves is met with highly vocal protests decrying it as an unfair move.]

Apparently Dorchacht used to be a monster city.

[Yet another pause for further effect. And also a drink of coffee because boy, does Prompto need the (sugary, creamy, mostly everything but coffee) caffeine this morning.]

So, according to Caren's...contact? Before Drummond or whoever came around, witches lived in a separate part of the city because they were considered the dangerous ones. They said they treated the witches fairly and I'm pretty sure it'd be hard to treat people worse than how Dorch was when we got there, but, uh, maybe take that part with a grain of salt?

[And of course, in the midst of Prompto trying to explain, he’s interrupted by the menace in the background.]

This also could have been centuries ago so- no, I don't want tea. I don't feel like being drugged today, thank you!

That's not what-- [He lets it go. It's not that important right now. He plucks a ladle away from Caren.] It sounds as though they avoided the consequences of full moons without Bonds, but still engaging with one another.

[Prompto is just gonna ignore all that going on in the background. This is important. And also Ozy can handle Caren better than he can, let’s be real.]

They also told Caren about where Monsters and Witches came from, according to Dorchacht's lore, and what the Cwyld is...sort of. At least why it's a thing.

It's different from what they tell us here. According to their story, the Sisters freed the monsters from the True Fae and...Ozymandias! Don't put my knives there!

[And there she goes, back into the background. Specifically, onto the counter to save her knives. Her efforts are near-immediately spoiled as Ozymandias loops an arm around her middle and tosses her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.]

You're only going to confuse everyone worrying about something like that right now. If you’re not going to rest, at least focus. [He brings Caren back into view, setting her down, but keeping a firm arm wrapped around her. It would probably be a very nice hug under other circumstances.] What Caren was trying to say is that the True Fae then angered the Sisters by teaching humans magic. Thus, they created the Cwyld as punishment for their insolence.

Prompto, I trust you can manage from here. I'm going to remove the temptation to continue trying to cook.

[He barely waits for an answer before opting this time to at least princess carry Caren.

Prompto, meanwhile, stares in utter bafflement as they go off because that sure is a Witch princess carrying a freaking Chimera. Just for a moment, though, before he turns back to the watch.]

Yeah, what Ozy said. Anyway, uh. That was a lot, but there were other things Caren’s contact mentioned, but this is already pretty nuts so...any questions?

[[Prompto, Ozymandias, Caren. All three are available for questions!]]

Comments

[clickclickbang]

You mean the emotional connection?

[mensrea]

I'm brand new. I have no idea. Yeah? Maybe?

[clickclickbang]

That's the only side-effect I can think of. It's not really that bad? Granted, my bond right now is with my best friend, but...it's not like they're always in your head or anything.

[mensrea]

[ Not always in your head. Stiles is even more perturbed. ]

Sounds like you lucked out. But there’s, uh…some kind of impact, when the Bond breaks, right? Was your friend okay when you were sent back home?

[clickclickbang]

Yeah, and we were both fine when our other Bond went home the month before. It sucks, but it doesn't hurt. Like, physically. Emotionally...

[mensrea]

Maybe it's different for everyone. I've heard that it does hurt physically.

[ There a lot of variables to consider. ]

Anyway, thanks for answering my questions, dude.

[clickclickbang]

Not a problem! It was awful being one of the early arrivals, so being able to help people is great.

[mensrea]

Yeah, I...don't even want to imagine it.

I'm Stiles by the way.

[clickclickbang]

Prompto. Just in case that got lost in that...disaster of a video.

[mensrea]

[ That name BEGS to be teased, but Stiles resists. After all, he uses a nickname just because his own real name is so horrendous. ]

Cool. I'll catch you around, Prompto. Thanks again.

[fulgency]

The only negative effects I've experienced were when my Bonded was returned to our world. The severance of a Bond like that is difficult. It leaves one feeling... [He pauses, trying to find the right words. But all he can really come up with is something that is both a bit of a cliche and really not to the depth of the experience.] Less whole than one was before. It is difficult to describe.

But I have since Bonded again, and though I occasionally miss the company of my first Bonded, the feeling from the Bond's severing has faded completely since Bonding again and with time.

[mensrea]

[ Ah, this must be the other man from the video. ]

Can I ask how long you were Bonded the first time, and how long you’ve been Bonded again?

[ Stiles doesn’t trust the Coven. He doesn’t trust the Bond. Honestly, he’s looking for an excuse to believe not enough time has passed for the true nature to show of such an intimate relationship. ]

[fulgency]

I Bonded with someone from my world that I shared a history with, but we were only Bonded for approximately a month before he was returned to our world.

As for my current Bond, it has been nearly three months. It was within the first month of our Bond that I noticed the symptoms from the previous fading.

[mensrea]

[ Three months is longer than he hoped to hear. Somewhat sulky from his conspiracy theories coming up dry, he sighs. ]

Are there any patterns to people being sent back home? Like, Prompto said he went to sleep here and that's when it happened. Do you know how it happened to your friend?

[ "Friend" is assumed. If they came from the same world and shared a Bond, they were probably friends, right? Hopefully. ]

[fulgency]

I do not, no. At the time of his disappearance, I was under the influence of a mist and not entirely in my right mind. Parts of my memory during that time remain incomplete.

Saber's departure from this world is one such thing as I've no idea how long he was gone before the mist ceased.

[Ozymandias has found himself vacillating between grateful for that -- having missed the acute moment when the Bond was broken -- and frustrated for it. Despite what it likely would have felt like, part of Ozymandias wishes he knew instead of potentially spending several days lost in a feral mindset and unaware.]

But I can discern no pattern from those who are returned to their respective worlds. Just as I cannot for why we are brought here in the first place.

[As much as he does not care to admit it, there are some things beyond his immediate comprehension.]

[mensrea]

Okay dude, please don’t mind the lowkey interrogation, but…uh, mist?

[ He is so parched for any and all information. Ozymandias seems to be a well brimming with it. ]

Like, magic mist from the Coven? Or something else entirely?

[ It’s disappointing to hear there’s no real pattern to the disappearances and arrivals of Mirrorbound, but if he lingers too long on that, he’ll really start to panic. ]

[fulgency]

I do not mind the questions and find willful ignorance a greater offense. [But to Stiles' question.] The Coven was not the culprit. There were individuals experimenting with alchemy with some illegal means.

It resulted in Monsters and Witches alike acquiring monstrous traits and becoming feral.

[mensrea]

[ Jeez, this guy speaks so formally. Maybe he’s from an older time period like some of the other people Stiles has encountered, or maybe he’s just awkward. ]

Oh, shit. Does that kind of thing happen often here? I mean, I heard about what happened last month, with the, uhhh, Rathmores or whatever.

[fulgency]

[Oh boy, Stiles. If only you knew.]

I would not equate the two. The former indiscriminately affected Mirrorbound and natives alike. What the Rathmores and their conspirators did was a targeted assault meant to intimidate those they did not manage to capture.

[Unlike talking about the mists, there is an edge to Ozymandias' voice in speaking of the Rathmores. While the mist was not exactly a wonderful experience and it was certainly not something that could be brushed aside as minor, it pales in comparison to the events from just a few weeks ago. Justice was served as far as he's concerned with the annihilation of their entire retched clan and he believes those who were found less guilty have been more or less stripped of any semblance of power that might do anyone harm, but what happened is still far too recent in his memory and his mind. Especially with so many that he's come to care for were grievously injured as a consequence.]

There has been some unhappiness with the presence of the Mirrorbound and the refugees, if that is what you truly mean to ask, but it has never really been a significant issue until recently.

Most attempts at causing trouble have been minor inconveniences by comparison. [He hums thoughtfully.] I suppose if we had known it would escalate to such an extent...

[But there is no point in pursuing such a thought. What is done is unfortunately done. There was no way for any of them to predict that such things would have transpired. All any of them can do is remember what happened and learn from it, to grow strong enough that something like that may never happen again. He exhales sharply through his nose.]

In any case, while I do not trust that everything is resolved with the deaths of the Rathmores, I do not believe we shall see any subsequent attempts for some time.

[The verdict was ultimately a double-edged sword. While it resolved the matter of the Rathmores themselves and brought a close to the particular incident, it's very likely that it's only driven those who hold similar beliefs further underground. It makes the task of excising such corruption all that much more difficult. But he keeps such thoughts private and to himself. He would prefer not to stoke the paranoia and anxiety that so many of those taken now feel.]

[mensrea]

[ Stiles feels somewhat guilty for touching on what is obviously a sore spot for the veteran Mirrorbound – having attended the trial, he’s seen firsthand the physical condition of some victims. Horrifying doesn’t even describe it. Though no one has ever accused him of being tactful, he makes a note to himself to try being careful on the subject of Rathmores. ]

I guess I mostly meant…trouble in general, really. The way the Coven presented it – [ to his admittedly biased ears ] – the stuff we should be worried about is outside the Walls. And unless Monsters go feral or Witches go boom, things are fine on the inside.

[ Again: This is coming from unreliable narrator Stiles. ]

Anyway, I’m kinda glad to hear someone be realistic about the situation, [ he continues, referring to Ozymandias’ doubts about the matter being settled. ] So many people here seem way too cool with letting the status quo continue, or pretending that everything is okay.

[ Which is a coping mechanism he admittedly recognizes. ]

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias has no way of knowing truly if that is how the Coven presented the situation to the recent newcomers, but it was certainly how things were presented when he arrived. He would have hoped that they would have taken more ownership and revealed more truth to the newcomers, but... Ozymandias keeps his disappointment and irritation over the matter to himself.]

They are doing what is necessary to survive. Not everyone is meant to think of such things.

[The average citizen, of course, must concern themselves with matters of daily living. They lack the space and sometimes the education to think beyond what is before them and more immediate in its proximity, and leave those matters to those who can conceptualize them.]

While I would rather that everyone hold the truth as much as possible, that is not always realistic for them to lead their lives.

[mensrea]

[ Still nursing a childish, bitter grudge over being stuck in Aefenglom and reluctant to acknowledge the sense of Ozymandias’ words, it takes a minute for Stiles to respond. Ultimately, he knows that this man is right – a truth that is easier to digest when he realizes that his own father could have made the same sentiment, albeit in a less formal manner of speech. It isn’t fair to blame the Mirrorbound for their current situation. Stiles, after all, is prince of dubious coping mechanisms himself. Who is he to judge how the others have handled things? ]

Are you a politician or something? No, wait. I’m not compelled to throw rotten fruit at the communicator. Maybe a…spiritual leader, then? I’d say “priest” but…uh, never mind.

[ Welcome to non sequitur hell, Ozymandias. ]

[fulgency]

[Not all of what Stiles says makes particular sense to Ozymandias, but he still laughs warmly all the same. It would be a difficult thing for Ozymandias to be offended for being mistaken as a priest or spiritual leader as a son of Ra. He is more pleased than anything that his divinity is recognized in any capacity and it is not as though he would ever be one to hold disdain towards priests.]

You speak not with a priest, but the incarnation of Ra and living embodiment of the sun. I am the third king of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt, the King of Kings, the Great Ancestor, and the God-King of the Sun, Pharaoh Ramesses II.

[...That was probably not the response Stiles was expecting and/or looking for, but it's the one he gets!]

You may call me Ozymandias.

[But do not call him Ozy. At least not to his face.]

[mensrea]

[ A long, pregnant pause. Then: slow clapping. ]

Wow, that was a really convincing delivery. Almost had me for a second there, dude. Hey, can you sing? Here, I’ll do Moses’ part, you do Ramesses’. “You who I called brother,” [ he begins, horribly offkey, ] “why must you call down another blow? Let my people goooooo!” Okay, your turn.

[ Don’t disappoint, Ozymandias! This is your time to shine. ]

[fulgency]

[It is much like a candle being blown out. It does not seem Ozymandias' overall good mood (Caren's refusal to rest notwithstanding) is likely to be under any sort of duress even as it flickers slightly over doubts of his identity. It is not such an uncommon thing for him to encounter at this point, so it is perhaps only mildly annoying at best. But he hears his brother's name and this boy begins to sing terribly and he says those words that wrought so much ill to Egypt, to Ramesses personally...]

[Little ever manages to bother Ozymandias. He makes exceptions and pardons others over mild offenses constantly. But this is not something he can merely look the other way over. It digs too deep underneath his skin, tears, and claws at old wounds and regrets. The grief over his son, over the loss of his brother... Ozymandias made his peace with it a long time ago, but accepting it is not the same thing as being entirely unaffected by it.]

[One might expect that this would spark something in Ozymandias' heart, but his anger, his rage at this mockery does not blaze. It is icy and cold, the only sounds after Stiles is through being the quiet creak of the watch as Ozymandias' grip tightens.]

[He has wished so desperately so many times to have his power restored to him since his arrival but never before has he felt such a need for them before now. There is simply no room in Ozymandias' heart or mind for forgiveness for the way this boy speaks. He cannot and will not excuse this with ignorance because that simply is not the case. If he knows enough to know those words, then he should know better.]

[Even if he doubts with whom he speaks, he should know better.]

[Before when speaking of the Rathmores, there was an edge to Ozymandias' voice. Now there is only the iciness of his rage.]

When it comes to disbelief over my identity, I have learned to tolerate this. It is not beyond my understanding that to some, the notion of meeting an ancient king is unfathomable. But what I shall never tolerate from anyone is mockery.

I shall be merciful this once, but if you choose to speak of me in that way again, I shall have your tongue. Speak of my brother in that manner, and I shall have your life.

[There is nothing in Ozymandias' tone to suggest that he is being anything less than serious right now.]

Do I make myself clear?