aefenglom | video; un: croissant

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video; un: croissant

Name: Croissant
Date: 2/12
Format: Video

[The man in the video is blank faced, with pale hair and pale eyes, and just in frame are pale feathers. Croissant was taught about how the watches worked, but he's not sure what use it will be. He tilts his head, and a halo dips into frame for just a moment, and when he speaks there's no inflection to his voice.]

I've recently arrived and was informed I'm considered a monster, now, and would be transforming soon.

[Into what, they could not say, but Croissant won't bother himself with that.]

But more importantly, I would like to know if any of my compatriots are here. I'm looking for a Food Soul named Weisswurst, or...

[There's a moment of hesitation, and there's finally an expression on his face - his brow furrows, before his face goes blank and cold again.]

Or a Food Soul named Roast Lamb. If you've met either of them, please let me know.

[There are others he could ask for, but... Weisswurst is the most practical, and Roast Lamb is, well. Important.]

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( well. that's a face Steak didn't expect to see any time soon. he'd long given up fleeting hope that any other Food Souls would turn up here, and as long as it isn't someone like Bloody Mary, he's delighted to see a familiar face.

and, what Croissant will see, is that Steak looks more or less the same as he ever has. )

Croissant! ( he's even waving at the camera, look at this bean. ) Long time no see.

( but onto matters being asked — ) It's just me and Red Wine here.

( at the very least, it seems to be. he supposes it's always possible that there's another Food Soul in hiding here, unwilling to reveal their presence. )

[Iskandar shouldn't probably barge into other's people business. He knows not any of those mentioned so he cannot even help. It's just his curiosity getting the better of him.]

Your people have the most unusual names.

Edited (silly typo :() 2021-02-13 10:14 (UTC)

[Ah. He's, admittedly, a little surprised at seeing Steak, but it is still nice to see a familiar face.

And an unchanged face, at that. He wonders...]

Steak. It's good to see you again.

[And he's utterly unsurprised the two of them are here together, though he is surprised Gingerbread isn't here, either.]

How long have you been here?

[Is Steak a witch... He doesn't remember the other having any penchant for magic - any of the three of them having any penchant for magic - and he's curious, but he can sate that curiosity later.]

[A long, cold look. It's not you, Iskandar, it's him. That's just what his face does.]

It's simply the nature of being a Food Soul, to be named after what summons you.

[Said like, somehow, that should be obvious.]

[No longer can he resist.]
Would you be willing to go into more detail about the nature of a Food Soul?

I can. What do you wish to know?

( yeah, it feels a little incomplete without Gingerbread here, but on the other hand... he's not getting choked into waking up if he has a nap, so that's nice. )

A few months. ( ah, though— ) I was here for almost a year before that.

( that five minute trip back home was truly the most pointless thing to happen, what was that even about? )

I would start at the beginning. You mention Food Souls are named after what summons them. What catalyst causes this? Are the Food Souls something else before they are summoned? Or is it created by the act of summoning? Is the sacrifice needed to beget a Food Soul that which it is named for?

[Lahabrea isn't at all responding to any of this, but he's reading over Elidibus' shoulder. Food souls, really!]

[Is it? Is it nice?]

So over a year all together.

[That's math.

Croissant doesn't quite frown, but it is... Troubling. To think he could be away from his duties for so long...]

Has Red Wine been here just as long?

If you wish to start at the beginning, I will. The God of Beginnings was born out of humanity's endless desire for more - he populated the world with souls that inhabited living and inanimate beings alike, and for a time humans and souls lived in harmony for millennia. Then, humans and souls went to war - souls were eventually exiled while humans ruled the land. God despaired what had happened and darkness began to infest the land, so He forced himself into a deep slumber.

This did not stop the rise of that darkness and despair, and it twisted into beings known as Fallen Angels. Fallen Angels are dangerous, and a human is no match for one, so they needed to find a way to combat the threat lest they go extinct. During their research, the Magic Academy discovered not all souls had been exiled, and that Food Souls like myself were simply dormant. They forged a crystal that could be used to awaken Food Souls - so to answer your question, Food Souls have always existed since the God of Beginnings created souls, and have always been what they are - and we have been fighting the threat of that darkness ever since.

To summon a Food Soul, a Master Attendant simply need to offer the food in question. There is no sacrifice, unless you count the ingredients required to cook.

[There is a notable pause. As if someone were discussing matters of souls, creation and aether with a colleague. Who happens to be a lecturer. Who then needs to be tuned out a bit as dissertations on the subject are broken down.]

That sounds unique, certainly. Though forgive me. You speak as though mankind and souls are distinct. Do mankind themselves not have souls of their own?

[Thankfully, text deletes a lot of context. Like doubt. And... doubt. Also IT UNLIKELY IS NOT WORKING THAT WAY.]

And who are the Master Attendants? Are they souls such as yourself or humans? How do souls feel to be summoned by the very humans who exiled them?

[Don't worry Croissant, Iskandar has enough facial expressions for you both... and probably half of the city too. Right now that expression belongs to category utterly perplexed.]

A Food Soul? What makes one a Food Soul?

[Two years in Aefenglom and he still thinks that under all this monster this, witch that, everyone here is basically human. Just with, you know, sometimes additional flavour.]

( never has his throat felt so free. as for that question? Steak nods. )

Yes. He's been—

( hol' up. looks like Steak's looking at someone behind the watch. )

Oi, Red Wine! Get over here!

( brb gotta drag a vampire into frame. )

[Red Wine, who has been observing this conversation with no small amount of slightly nauseated dread on his face while standing well out of view, squawks in immediate indignation when Steak makes a grab for him.]

Keep your hands off me you oaf, I'm not--

[He gets yanked halfway in front of the camera before he abruptly punches Steak in the side of the head.]

Off.

[Before Croissant can think to say anything, Steak is hauling in Red Wine...

And then getting punched in the head.

Croissant blinks, slowly.]

Red Wine. You look unwell.

[What a pasty motherfucker.]

The nature of mankind and souls are what God wills them to be.

[Praise be and all that.]

A Master Attendant is a human who has summoned a Food Soul - and the relationships between a Food Soul and their Master Attendant are as varied as Food Souls. Some are fond, some hate them, though most are drawn to end the Fallen Angel threat regardless of how they feel about their Master Attendant. It is our duty as Food Souls to bring light back into the world.

To be a soul that has been dormant within food.

[It's... Basically what it says on the tin, except that doesn't make any sense at all.]

Are you unfamiliar with the concept of souls?

( he probably shouldn't get into a fist fight in front of the pope.

... eh, everyone knows what they're like, right?

one second, Croissant, Steak needs to elbow Red Wine in the ribs in retaliation. bastard. )

[Such an answer Iskandar did not expect. It leaves him even more confused... and a little troubled.]

Of course, I'm not! It's just ... how a soul can be dormant in food. Isn't food just food?

[Macedonia is a country of many flocks of sheep. You could say there's more sheep there than people. Or at it least it was, in his time. He cannot picture all the mutton he'd devoured in his life as a having a soul. That sounds borderline sacrilegious.]

I see that Steak has already contacted you. He's the only "Food Soul" of whom I'm aware in Aefenglom.

Judging from the name assigned to your message, you are... a morning person, you could say. Yes?

Souls existed in all things, both inanimate and not, as God made it so.

[...]

Food Souls are not present in all food, but we are a representation of and summoned by those foods.

I do not require sleep, so there is little difference between day and night to me.

[Well... He used to not require sleep.]

Intriguing.

[This is a very excellent word, encompassing a polite and very non-committal acknowledgment of religion and the discussion's exposition. There is also another pause, probably some more background discussion ~~that borders on the frightening notion that a FFXIV x Food Fantasy crossover event is completely viable~~, and another text is sent!]

Can you tell us more about Fallen Angels? What do you mean by this term?

[Oh, 'us' is it now? That was not a mistake on Elidibus's part. He decided to acknowledge he's got someone on his end who is also 'listening' to the conversation.]

Not one for jokes, are you. Well, that one was a shot in the dark anyway.

['If you pull me on that screen again, I'll kill you'. Red Wine hisses from somewhere to Steak's right, though his hands do appear to give another shove when that elbow comes at his ribs.]

I'm not unwell, your Grace. But thanks for your concern.

[If looks could kill, Steak would be deader than Red Wine is.]

[Of course he wants to know about Fallen Angels. Croissant doesn't frown at the watch, but...

It does hit a bit close to home.]

As I said, they are beings of darkness and despair. It is possible for souls to be warped in such a way that they become Fallen Angels, and they must either be purged or purified because of the threat they pose to the world and the humans living in it.

A Fallen Angel is corruption, and it is my duty to see them cleansed from the world.

[...Oh,]

Not usually, no. Some would say I'm too serious.

["Some" meaning everyone he's ever had a conversation with, who isn't too scared to say it to his face.]

[Just gonna watch these clowns for a moment.]

I don't think my title means much here.

[He also super doesn't buy that Red Wine is fine, but he won't press.

For now.]

You two seem unchanged. [If you ignore how pale Red Wine looks.] Are you both... Witches?

( people don't even know what a Food Soul is, never mind their gods. sad!

aHEM, let's act like adults now though. ...mostly. Steak may or may not have lightly jabbed Red Wine's leg with his foot as he straightened up, but that hardly counts. )

Now I am. ( he's not used to it, honestly. ) I was changed into one upon my return.

That makes sense.

[He's probably the first person to say this. However, to him... it actually does. He won't be so picky to ask which god. There are so many and that's not exactly the point. Iskandar grins.]

Now, I get it! You're guardian spirits! Like the dryads or the naiads!

[A little bit familiar, a little intriguing. Infuriatingly lacking in detail perhaps.]

By purification, do you perhaps mean to say there is a chance for restoration?

[But hey, Croissant is new to the city it seems. Perhaps major detail on his world's workings is not the first thing on his mind.]

Ah but I have taken too much of your time, perhaps. I have not heard of the names you have mentioned. But when you are more settled, I would enjoy speaking to you further on the nature of your world. Perhaps we might meet?

[Red Wine, at least, has a slightly less questionable name that could just be put down to having slightly cruel parents. He seems to get questioned about it less than Steak does, in any case.

He lets out a retaliatory little hiss between his teeth when he's lightly kicked at, but he manages to resist the urge to devolve the entire situation into a full-on scuffle with Croissant on the other end of the line.]

I'm not. [He replies shortly.] But I'd prefer to discuss my current state in person, if it's to be discussed at all.

[He is definitely the first person to say that. He is, however, actually... Close enough to what they are that Croissant doesn't feel the need to correct him.]

Yes, though I can't say I'm familiar with what those are. Our duty is protection, though.

[He's... Hesitant, but. He sees no reason to refuse, and this means he can skip the question about restoration.]

Yes, of course. I imagine it won't take me long.

[They're both children, it seems, but... There's something comforting about it, that brings back fond memories.

But he will shut that down immediately.]

It doesn't need to be.

[He doesn't know all the monsters here, but he could probably make an educated guess. Ultimately, though, it doesn't matter as long as Red Wine is capable of controlling himself.]

Though, Steak... When you say you changed upon your return, were you originally a monster?

[The response is simple.]

I look forward to our future talk, then.

( they're being sensible now, promise! unfortunately, it's much more difficult when your single brain cell hasn't been brought to Aefenglom with you.

and Steak nods at Croissant's question. ) A chimera of some sort.

( they do not need to go into the uncanny resemblance between him and a Uke Mochi, thank you. though, honestly, he was far more accustomed to that than this flood of magic inside him. )

[Lacking your one reliable brain cell is a struggle, it's true. Off the screen, Red Wine's attention flicks between Steak and Croissant, and he's sure to keep himself far enough away that he can't be easily grabbed for again.]

Croissant, where are you? We should have this conversation face-to-face.

[Doing it like this is just... awkward.]

I see, I see. It must be tough to be yanked from your duties by some forces unknown. I hope you will find your friends. Everything is always better in company.

[Not everyone aggress but Iskandar can't imagine being completely alone. That has almost never happened.]

Say, that friend of yours you mentioned. Would you mind telling me how he looks? It's a big city and I tend to move around a lot. If he were ever to appear here and I saw him, I could send him your way.

[It's also never a bad idea to get on the good side of guardian spirits. One never knows when he'd might be in need of assistance.]

[When will Gingerbread come save them all...]

I was pointed towards the barracks, though I have not quite yet made my way to them.

[He needed to check!! On if certain people were here!!]

...Thank you.

[A brief pause, before he nods.]

Roast Lamb is tall, with long, dark hair. He has horns and wings made of bone, as well as pointed ears. Those should remain, regardless of what changes he may be subjected to.

[Or so he would hope, at least.]

Now, allow me to rectify one horrible mistake and I shall nag you no more with strange questions.

[There. He did it again. He should have started with it. Maybe, a day will come in the future that he will get used to this strange method of communication... and won't be forever stuck forgetting to introduce himself to people first.]

I am Iskandar. If you ever find yourself in need of a company, do contact me. For whatever reason it may be, even just to talk.

( well, in that case... )

There's a bar near there. Shall we?

( and then they can drag Croissant ~~into the Knights~~ to their place. it's nicer than the barracks. )

[Sigh. A bar.]

If we must.

[Though he is at least in the same mind as Steak when it comes to not leaving Croissant languishing in the barracks.]

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