∞ 100: Silent night [action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Backdated to the late evening of December 24.

He is not surprised to find it snowing when he returns to Luceti and climbs out of the tunnels. The snow had proven to be irritating while he was outside of the barrier, and he is looking forward to getting inside before heavier snow begins falling.

He walks with a slight limp and stops once in awhile on the snow-covered streets, looking at the pale lights decorating various houses as he catches his breath. In the artificial light, the dark bruise across his left cheekbone may be visible.

Despite his frequent pauses in the snow, he walks with purpose. He'd like to sleep in his own bed tonight.]

Comments

[mydearapple.livejournal.com]

You only told me to open it. How was I supposed to know I was supposed to look through it, too?

[As he says this, though, he starts looking through the book. The words are still too small to read comfortably in the dark, but he can tell when the words switch from ancient Sindar to something more... coherent. He recognizes the runes, too.]

Where'd you get this, anyway?

[chikaidestroyer]

Yuber received it a year ago. I was aware of its existence, but I was not able to get my hands on it until he was gone. [He watches Caesar go through the book, frowning wryly.]

[mydearapple.livejournal.com]

He actually wanted to keep it?

[How weird. Then again, Caesar had been impressed that Yuber could actually hold conversations over the journals.]

[chikaidestroyer]

[He scoffs.] Even he recognized an advantage when he saw it. The ability to embed runes, here? It would make him even more dangerous.

[mydearapple.livejournal.com]

I guess he was smarter than he looked. [He brings the book closer to try and read some of it.] Not by much, though. You can read this stuff, can't you?

[chikaidestroyer]

Not easily. I recognize symbols, but I still need to translate everything. Everything is unnecessarily long-winded, even considering the complexity of the subject.

[mydearapple.livejournal.com]

Can't say I'm surprised. That's how all this ancient stuff is. [Not that he's read so many ancient books himself.] How long have you been working on this?

[chikaidestroyer]

Only a few weeks. I thought it best to spend as much time as I could reading it. Even with the theory, it will take awhile to put it into practice.

[mydearapple.livejournal.com]

Do you think you'll actually be able to do it?

[He knows it's not impossible, especially with the right resources. But if he could actually manage it, Caesar might just be impressed.]

[chikaidestroyer]

Are you underestimating me? [...He says, leaning into his pillow.] As it is, there are few of us here who can even undertake this kind of training.

[mydearapple.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't dream of it. [He shakes his head.] I suppose out of all of us, you're probably the only one who could actually succeed.

[chikaidestroyer]

Probably. I cannot even begin to tell until the theory is deciphered. [He frowns.] Of course, you could always stand to improve on your rune usage.

[mydearapple.livejournal.com]

What rune usage? [He knew how it was supposed to work, but he'd certainly never tried it before.] I think I'll wait for the translation.

[chikaidestroyer]

...How kind. You don't even know how long this translation will take.

[mydearapple.livejournal.com]

Then what do you suggest? Translating would take me twice as long as it would take you. Unless I could just skip past that part.

[chikaidestroyer]

Perhaps you could read the parts that don't require translation. Or is the prospect of reading unnecessarily-long material too much trouble for you?

[mydearapple.livejournal.com]

Of course it's too much trouble. [That's not even a question!] But I guess I could look it over.

[chikaidestroyer]

...You guess. Not very dedicated at all. It could actually prove useful.

[mydearapple.livejournal.com]

Of course I'm dedicated. Besides, why else would I agree to look it over? I certainly wouldn't bother reading it for fun.

[chikaidestroyer]

Hn... Of course. I should be used to your general lack of interest by now.

[mydearapple.livejournal.com]

It's not like I would've been able to make use of it on my own. Even if I could read all of this, I don't have any runes.

[chikaidestroyer]

...Hm. True. And you seem to have no interest in taking missions, where you could earn them.

[mydearapple.livejournal.com]

There was no point in having them if no one could use them. Maybe you should have mentioned you had this sooner.

[chikaidestroyer]

And you would have instantly volunteered your services to the Organization? [He sounds skeptical.] A few weeks hardly hurt.

[mydearapple.livejournal.com]

Of course not. [Even now, he was still skeptical of it. Maybe Albert's experiences with these missions hadn't been that bad, but there was still no telling what it meant in the long run.] But if it really helps, then I just may consider it.

[...maybe.]