the_campus | [Event] It couldn't last forever.

Entry tags:

[Event] It couldn't last forever.

[The lights going out had certainly surprised Henry, but he had been prepared for such a thing. He didn't fully understand the "electricity" that this place seemed to have, and thus, lacking that understanding, he had decided to prepare in case it disappeared.

Just like it had now.

Candles in that old-style holder and lit, Henry at least had some visibility despite the pressing darkness. Making sure to store away the others (at least after making sure Eleanor and Jack had ones themselves) he's started off into the Campus, looking for anyone lost in this darkness to help them find their way back to their dorms, or wherever else it was they wanted to go.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I see... That makes sense. Even in Japan, I've never seen stars like this, but the stars aren't usually all that clear in Domino City anyway.

[Unless you're on top of the Duel Ship or standing on Kaiba's massive ego.]

In England, the stars can always be seen on clear nights. It's a favorite of mine to be able to sleep with the drapes back. It's hard to see the stars clearly from a bed, but even the gentle moonlight against the floor... it's quite a relaxing thing.

[Henry lets his arm fall back around Ryou, closing his eyes. Thinking of home is making him miss it now, a little, but he would never say he could regret coming here. Not with his returned friend and his new son against him like this.]

Sometimes... it's better in the rain. Hearing it softly and gently drum outside... it's almost like a lullaby of its own.

It sounds beautiful... It's said that in a lot of big cities in the modern area, you can't see the stars at all without help. Because the lights are so bright, and there's so much activity, that the stars are mostly obscured.

[His voice is slightly dreamy. This really is a comfortable situation.]

I can never imagine such a thing. A city like that must be blinding, to be so bright as to block out the stars. Even with our castle fully lit at night for business, one just needs to lean out a window and look up to see it. Even our lights can't challenge those heavens.

[He can see it even now... though the years are far back. The quiet bustle of the castle, his mother's voice calling out orders, his grandfather entertaining a much younger himself and Christopher with petty little games because they can't sleep with all the din and bustle...]

Heh... so much seems strange in this time, almost backwards to me...

It's what they'd call the 'price of modern comforts'. People live together in such close quarters that there's thousands of lights in such a small area. And the lights are brighter than candles, or flames, because people have reached the point of being too used to the technology to be comfortable with natural light. Most technology gives off bright lights too, so it just adds to it.

You could say that people are fighting against nature, despite the lack of a need to do it. People are so used to it, they never stop to think how odd it is.

How strange. I can't say I'm really yearning to go to the future, then.

[Especially with Japan's schools. He's still reeling over that one, sheesh.]

Though admittedly... I am impressed and a bit fond of all the medicine that you seem to have. It's as if you have an answer to almost any wound or sickness.

That's true... A lot of diseases were eliminated with innoculations, and others have been driven back quite a bit. Medicine progresses slow compared to other developments, but it's worth it.

[Hm... thinking about it...]

I think the library has some medical textbooks. When I first came here we spent a lot of time in the library, looking for clues, and I definitely saw some then.

Hm... I might have to take those with me whenever it's time to return home, along with as much of the medicine from that office as I can manage. Considering I'd imagine it appears the same as the food or clothing, it certainly won't hurt to take all we can carry.

[It might change the flow of history... but if it can get that better medicine circulating in his time, he'll take that risk.]

I think you're right... the medicine replenishes. There always seems to be more of it when I go back. I wonder if this might cause a temporal paradox, though... who knows?

...Temporal what?

[Ryou, ancient Englishman here. Use less modern ideas, please.]

Ah- Sorry! [Words, how does he do them.] A 'temporal paradox' means basically... Well, I'll give an example.

If you take something to the past, and use it to create that something in the first place, then it creates what movies and books refer to as a 'time loop'. Since it was created in the past, it's no longer created in the future, but if it wasn't created in the future, it can't have been created in the past. That's a temporal paradox!

I see. So it's a strange sort of... "fold" in time, that's not quite supposed to work?

Yeah, that's a good way to put it. Fiction makes a lot of fuss about it but since it's never been tried before, it's impossible to know if it really would backfire or not.

Quite honestly... I'd rather risk that then not try to take something back. We already changed time by bringing back Eleanor and Harriet; I can't imagine something like altering our level of medicine would do much more damage than that. And even if so, it's better to try. I couldn't forgive myself if one of my family died of wounds or illness that could have been cured if I just brought something back.

Ah... that's right...! I forgot that Ravensdale-san and Vaughn-san weren't from your time.

They're from this time, or close to it, yes. It's thanks to them that Rosenkreuz and I were able to adjust, and I could pass that on to Jack.

[The hand around the purple-haired man tightens a bit affectionately at that.]

So in the end... it should be just fine.

I won't worry, then! You guys have more experience with anything related to time travel than anyone I know of, after all.

[It probably feels, to Henry, like Jack pressed a little closer in response. Clearly it's just in his imagination.]

[Maybe it is. But if so, he's more than happy to let it run wild right now.

...Heh. He's feeling almost sleepy now, with food in his stomach, a deep warmth chasing off the cold that had made him grumpy earlier, his new son near him, and one of his protectors still so firmly at his side.]

...Ryou. Tell me... what are some of the things you'd ask for, if you could have anything?

...?

[He rests his head on Henry's shoulder, pondering it for a long moment.]

I have everything I need for myself. [Friends... family... his wishes have already been granted now.]

Freedom. And for the people I love to be happy. That's all... There's nothing else I could ask for.

[After a moment of silence, Henry's shoulder shakes a little. He's laughing, slowly and quietly at first, but it gets a bit louder after a minute. It isn't a mocking laugh, or even a sarcastic one... it's a genuinely impressed, almost amused bit of laughter.]

Ryou, you really are material for a prince. Simple desires... and yet, some of the best a man could have, I think.

...ah?

[He blinks curiously at the laughter, but since it doesn't sound like the bad type, he doesn't mind. It just seems like natural wishes to him. Is it really that strange?]

Un... Thank you. [He rubs the back of his head, a little awkwardly.]

Why?

They're so completely selfless... and for any aspiring king, someone who can teach him that kindness and compassion whole-heartedly is exactly what they need at times.

[He reaches down to pet Ryou's hair again, turning his head a little to rest on Jack's affectionately.]

Compassion... ruthlessness... understanding... and vision... all important things, for a king.

Are either of you going to explain what's going on, or should I assume you both had plenty to drink while I was away?

[Jack's voice is both amused and a little jealous. He's feeling a bit ignored here, after all.]

[Henry chuckles, shifting his arm around Jack again to lay on him a bit more lazily.]

I told Ryou how I felt. How... strangely, he had already become very dear to me and it felt like he was my son. I asked him if he wanted to return with us, or -- if not that -- if he would want to be considered my son while we were here. He has all the time he needs to think on the former... but on the latter, he agreed.

[His voice is warm and content, especially once he turns his face to snuggle a little in Jack's hair.]

It's not much more complicated than that. But don't worry, Jack... I'd never replace you.

[He blinks a little in surprise, not minding as Henry's face nuzzles into his hair. His hair is extremely comfortable, after all. The words are more surprising. He'd seen how parental Henry was with the kid, but adopting him this fast? Henry really did work fast. He has to wonder what everyone would think if they found out. The thought makes him smirk a little secretively.]

I should hope not. I don't mind sharing you, but I'm possessive.

[He didn't even know how wrong that sounded.]

2/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject