♔ 003; [voice]

[velveteenmage]

['Partners don't keep secrets. Shouldn't we know more about each other?']

[Palmon had said as much to him early last month, but in the immediately following confusion of her turning into Yokomon. It wasn't so much that he didn't want to talk or even confide in others if he could, but given the sudden circumstances of being shoved into this world he'd been hesitant to speak up or even really get to know the strangers pushed into the same situation. But today Waver felt a little more talkative for some odd reason like an event or something, go figure and his partner was right, wasn't she? They should've been able to trust each other if nobody else.]

[So he'd offered to tell his partner a story. She'd been playing around with the D-Terminal at the time, and asked to record it--why not, really? Waver didn't have anything to hide.]

I've never really done this sort of thing before, but I guess if you want to hear it I can try.

Sure I do, Waver! It's about time you actually started talking to me, so I'll listen.

Well...once there was a king of a place called Macedonia. He was loud, overbearing, impulsive, and stubborn, but incredibly popular. In fact, he had an entire army of devoted followers that looked up to him.

Sounds like kind of a pain in the neck. How'd he get that many people to like him?

It's a little hard to describe. I guess...he was like a force of nature in that he absolutely refused to compromise or give an inch of ground to anyone else, but at the same time managed to be more human than anyone. Since he was the king he made sure to want, feel, and even dream more than any of his subjects. He wanted to conquer the world, and for the time he lived in, he practically did. But it was never really enough; he dreamed of finding the ocean at the ends of the world--Ōkeanós--and his army shared that dream.

[Palmon had fallen mostly silent, listening to the revering tone Waver had adopted. It wasn't one she had yet heard from her partner, and she wasn't even sure what to think. After a pause she ashed hesitantly:]

Did they...ever find it?

[Waver didn't answer for a moment; the silence that fell was a heavy one that gave the question it followed some considerable significance.]

Was he a friend of yours or something? You sound kind of-...

...Not quite; it was more than just friendship. Ride- [A pause, as thought he'd tripped over the word.] --Iskander is my king, and I'm his follower. I want to reach that shoreline he dreamed of...I want to be able to live to the fullest as he did. I don't know if I can, but I could never call myself his follower at all if..i-if I didn't try.

Waver? Are you...

I'm not crying, don't be stupid.

I didn't even ask that yet.

W-well I'm not, so forget about asking!

[And there he was right back to the weird, overreacting Waver his partner knew. Still, the open display of emotion and reminiscence struck the plant Digimon as something very unusual and even a little concerning.]

Comments

Video

[needsteaplz]

You miss him dearly. I understand that feeling quite well.

[Saori mindlessly plays with her own wedding band on her finger as she talks.]

I only have been here for a short time and I miss my husband already.

Video

[velveteenmage]

W-wait a second, I wasn't implying anything like...

You're doing that thing where you turn weird colors again.

Video

[needsteaplz]

[She gently smiles.]

You didn't have to say anything. Your body language and tone did that for you. It's okay to miss him. He dies sounds like an incredible man. I would've love to meet him.

Video

[velveteenmage]

[geez, people were going to start assuming Things about himself and Rider if this kept up.]

He'd probably drive this place insane.

Video

[needsteaplz]

Well, there's nothing wrong with a little excitement now and then.

[She giggles. Also Waver, give her some credit. Her mind's not in the gutter unlike a lot of people.]

Wait a second, I feel like I should know Iskander, as if I read him from somewhere.

[video]

[renegadedriving]

[Shepard is smiling, just a little, but the look in her eyes is serious.]

He sounds like a great man.

[And, okay, he sounds a little bit like Shepard, if we're being honest here.]

[video]

[velveteenmage]

[Tall, ginger, badass? Sounds accurate.]

Yeah--that's what most people say, more or less.

[video]

[renegadedriving]

I don't know what kind of battle you guys were fighting, but a leader who knows what they stand for is incredibly valuable.

[There's a heavy pause.]

You switched tenses, at the end there.

[Which is a polite way of asking 'is this a dead friend or just someone back home'.]

[video]

[velveteenmage]

I know I did--I am his follower, present tense. ...Unless I misspoke somewhere.

[Sitting next to him, Palmon shrugged as best a plant could.]

[video]

[doesnotgetit]

[Iskander, Macedonia, nearly conquering the known world... a look of surprise crosses Hakuno's face, and she can't help but speak up after Waver finishes talking.]

You knew Alexander the Great?

[video]

[velveteenmage]

...Yeah, I knew him.

[WHAT OF IT.]

[video]

[doesnotgetit]

But... you dress in such a modern way. How could you have known someone who lived thousands of years ago\?

[A bit silly for Hakuno of all people to ask that, but it doesn't immediately occur to her that might have something in common...]

[video]

[velveteenmage]

I don't suppose you'd believe me if I said 'magic', would you?

[well actually...]

[video]

[reckless_but_loyal]

[There's a pause between Hector turning the video feed on and when he actually says something, like he's trying to find the words he wants to use.]

...Finding an ocean, that's all he wanted?

[video]

[velveteenmage]

It wasn't just any ocean. It was the ocean at the end of the world. What he wanted to do was find that and conquer everything he crossed on his way there.

[video]

[reckless_but_loyal]

And then what? You said he'd conquered most of your world, but what did he do with the lands he'd won?

[video]

[velveteenmage]

I meant he conquered most of the known world at the time. What are you getting at?

[audio]

[greatwork]

Iskan.... As in the Persian name for Alexander the Great?

[audio]

[velveteenmage]

That's him. Actually, that's why hearing your name before kind of threw me off a little.

[audio]

[greatwork]

Why the fuck are you talking about Alexander the Great like you know him.

[audio]

[velveteenmage]

[AND THE PRIZE FOR 'SOMEONE FINALLY ASKED THE OBVIOUS QUESTION' GOES TO...]

Because I do. Why else would I talk like that?

video;

[risette_truestory]

Oh ... Waver ...

[ You poor thing ... ]

video;

[velveteenmage]

Wh-what?

video;

[risette_truestory]

Nothing ... I just ... well ... hope that you can meet your friend again ...

video;

[velveteenmage]

I really doubt that's going to happen.