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[groundzeroes]

🧙 WHO: Rei Amayado & Anyone
⚔️️ WHAT: A research stint at the library, or Fear Cave Crystal Conquering
🕒 WHEN: Mid January
🗺️ WHERE: Camelot Public Library & Brave of Soul cave
⚠️ WARNINGS: none ATM. Possible later: language, vague hospital-oriented trauma mentioned (as part of the greatest fear trial)

Internet Trolls

[Camelot's public library is pretty fancy, in keeping with the royal capital's image. Full of traditional effects like ceiling-tall book stacks and modern amenities like a little cafe, it houses resources for any kind of patron.

While not usually one to step foot in a library, Rei is currently situated at a table tucked away between some of the stacks on the main floor. Using the extant troll quest as explanation, he has commandeered two laptops from the circulation desk (and from some very grateful librarians-- that lewd-spamming troll has been making their lives pretty difficult), and is busy typing on one while the other stands by with an auto-refreshing feed of some kind.

He's also got several books pulled from the shelves and stacked in a few piles beside him. AOL: A Founding History and FaySQL Queries for Mere Mortals are probably programming-related in some capacity, but some others are more broad: Dark Magic and its Nomenclature: A Dissertation on Language, On The Origin of Magical Species, Revised Hexes: A Primer... and it looks like there's a manga volume buried in there, too. He looks like a college student during finals week (although perhaps more well-rested).

Should you pass by looking for a seat, Rei will look up with a smile (and a wink if he knows you) and scoot his stuff aside to make room.]

Oh, 'scuse me.

Brave of Soul

i. outside
[Rei has made his way to Albion's White Cliffs, intent on entering the eerie cave said to hold the mirror-required crystals. Rei looks ready enough, though his familiar, a large hou-ou with trailing tailfeathers, is perched on a branch nearby with an expression that can only be described as disdainful.

That cave is dark, partly magicless, and most of all dirty. She is NOT going in there, moral support be damned.

Tossing the flashlight in his hand idly, Rei sighs up at the bird.]

All right, princess. You stay there. But if the crystals are nice enough, I'm keeping them instead of handing 'em over.


ii. inside
[The cave IS, in fact, very dark, and the ground damp and cold with seeping seawater; it's a perfect location for a test of nerves. Rei counts himself lucky that he picked up a normal flashlight instead of a magic-powered one; it very well may have shut off once he hit the magic-damping section. Rei is TOO OLD to spend any amount of time wandering around blind in a cave.

Should he encounter someone on his way in, Rei will greet them-- though his smile may be a bit hard to see without the flashlight on it.]

If two people go in at once, do you think the illusion will show some god-awful fear combo?

Comments

[glossophobia]

Don't be flattered by that, idiot. [ Rosho hisses. Of course, if you're a scam artist, hearing you're doing that well at screwing people over would be a compliment. He should make a note to not say anything like that ever again then. He's not here to make Rei feel good about doing bad things!

His irritation fades out as his eyes widen, taken off-guard for a moment. ]

Me? I got some things for myself and for work... ah, I only told Sasara. I'm like a teacher's assistant at the school. I'm not that good at my magic yet, but since I have some teaching qualifications, that's the best they could arrange for me.

[ Rosho adjusts himself so he's seated a little more comfortably, looking at the pile of books all over the table. ]

It's not like there's anything else I can do.

[groundzeroes]

[Rei levels Rosho with an even, appraising stare. He hears the self deprecation in that comment, boyo.]

Imposter syndrome's still got its iron grip on you, huh.

[glossophobia]

[ He flinches almost immediately, trying to shrink away into the chair, hands curled up in his lap. Damn it, he doesn't need to talk about this right now. Go back to bringing up that pervert email spammer person! It's hard enough for Rosho to deal with the knowledge that no matter what he says or does, Sasara still wants them to be a duo again, and he'll keep asking forever.

Rosho wants to say yes, but he can't. ]

I can't help it. Even with all the confidence Sasara has in me, and how much better I want to be in that sort of thing, I... I get nervous enough, thinking about the division rap battle. To make a living off of being on stage again... it's just realistic thinking, isn't it? I haven't done it in years. Sasara's a professional now. I'm... just a teacher, with stage fright, who can't make anyone laugh unless I'm with someone with actual talent.

[groundzeroes]

Now, hold on. You're jumping to conclusions here. [Rei chuckles, though it's more sympathetic than anything else. He keeps typing while they talk, the sound of the keyboard underscoring his words.]

"Just a teacher"-- I'm talking about that. What's got you deprecating your entire profession like that? If I said something like that about teachers, you'd deck me halfway across Camelot. [Or try to, anyway.]

Sensei's misplaced his self-worth. You're calling that realistic thinking, but I think there's a difference between being realistic and convincing yourself of your own impotence to protect yourself from being hurt again. Ah?

[Rei looks up from the screen, catching Rosho's gaze again.] I understand why you can't take Sasara-kun's confidence at face value. But surely you can pull your head out of your own ass a little?

[glossophobia]

[ His hands twitch reflexively, and Rosho's gaze darts down to his lap, as he remembers that first teaching interview he ever had. He couldn't keep any pride in the life he once had, what he used to be, part of a broken comedy duo he destroyed. A burden. A fraud. And even when he'd learned to move on, made something else of himself, he'd still continue being just that: a burden. A partner that could do nothing. A friend who couldn't reach out.

No matter how hard he tried... he couldn't forget though. What that dream was like. And everytime Sasara showed him, it was always the same.

He thinks of a stage covered in light, and a crowd of silent, empty faces. Alone.

That's not his dream anymore.

'Together, we'll reach the top. Together.' ]

Why? [ Rosho whispers as he looks up. ] Why should I have a second chance?

[groundzeroes]

[Anxiety has its grip deep on Rosho's heart. Rei can see that much, looking at him now; he looks so vulnerable, so small. For as happy as it makes him to see his boyfriend succeed, Sasara going on to have a storied career without him must be a heavy anchor on Rosho's self-esteem, confirming his worst doubts.

Rei stops typing.]

Why does anyone have a second chance? Is there something uniquely terrible about you that makes you unsalvageable, Rosho-kun? [The look Rei gives him very clearly says No There Isn't, So Don't Even Try. He hopes this question coming from a noted Unsalvageably Shady Guy makes its point.]

Listen, Sensei. Life's hard as shit. It's finicky and unfair and you have to take what you can get out of it regardless of whether you deserve it or not.

You've got an opportunity to test the waters again-- so if it's what you want? You should take it.

[...]

Also, for fuck's sake. [The look Rei gives Rosho now is incredulous.] You're only twenty-six, stop acting like your life trajectory is over. Am I supposed to be dust in the wind by now, or something? My greatest accomplishments hadn't happened yet when I was your age.

[glossophobia]

[ Rosho flinches, back stiff, flat against the back of the chair. The way Rei looks at him is intimidating, but he's transfixed in that gaze directed solely at him.

We were put on this Earth to live, and learn, and to struggle. But to try, again, and again, and again. Where would they all be, if all they could ever tell the walls in their lives was no, and turn the other way?

Rei has a point, and that single fact sticks with him. That he, a man that takes advantage of others and strives off of the struggles of the common individual, wants to see him succeed for himself. And he remember what it was like to start teaching. He remembers every conversation he's had with a student who was struggling, who felt like they couldn't overcome their faults and weaknesses, who felt like they couldn't amount to anything. He remembers the conversation in the dinner, with Sasara. Look at things from a different perspective. Take a chance. When someone believes in you, it's so much easier. When you have someone at your side, you feel like you can do anything. You think you deserve nothing... that's not true. When you fall, you get back up, and you keep going.

His shoulders relax, as he scoffs under his breath. ]

Don't think I'm going to hang onto your words like they're something precious, just because of some flattery...

[ They do matter though. Even someone like Rei... he has worth too.

Sasara knows how to associate with some curious individuals. Rosho bows his head slightly. ]

Thank you. You didn't need to say any of that. I... they're things, that I can't seem to tell myself. But I want to believe in it anyway.

[ He lifts his head, pushes the glasses further up his nose then looks over to the table covered in books. This is the sort of environment he's gotten used to, but he still thinks about it.

That stage.

He still misses it. ]

I want to be there, with the person I care about. And help him make others happy.

[groundzeroes]

There you go. [Rei, smiles, satisfied.] Dust yourself off. You're all right.

[He sounds like a dad who just watched his kid trip and fall while playing, but the situation is pretty wildly incongruous.

Then his computer dings.]

Oh. I got him.

[rEI]

[glossophobia]

[ He feels his ears go warm for a moment. Rosho understands he's quite a couple years younger than Rei, but he doesn't need to talk to him like he's a child! Not that... that's anything he ever heard his parents tell him when he was young. He didn't spend much time playing outside, and when he did, matters like falling down and getting hurt didn't garner much sympathy. You're clumsy, do better, you have to grow up and take care of yourself, good kids don't cry about anything. There's no time to be outside playing when there's studying to do, books to read, responsibilities to take care of so he can become a smart boy.

What kind of parent would Rei be, he wonders.

The sound of the computer catches Rosho off-guard. Him? Who's him? Oh, the guy he was trailing, with the weird messages.

—wait. ]

Give someone your full attention when they're sharing serious matters! [ Rosho throws a firm swat at Rei's shoulder, though he at least remembers to keep his voice down still. ] I almost started thinking you were actually a good person.

[ He doesn't have that thought now, certainly not, just... Rei's got more facets to his person than he assumed. ]

What're ya planning to do with this pervert then, now that you've found him, huh?

[groundzeroes]

[Rei chuckles as he leans away from Rosho's admonishing whack, caught in the act.]

Well, I probably have enough information to turn him in to the quest board now... [The latest photo he posted shows the floor, whose unique tiling gives away his location at a popular cafe just off the main street. The rest of the information should be enough to shut him down based on his order history there.]

But that's no fun. How about I blackmail him?

[glossophobia]

I already told ya, why ask me? If he's been causing so many troubles that they needed to seek outside assistance in catching this guy, it'd be better not to dawdle and just go get him now that you've got all the information to track him down.

[ He has no clue just what kinds of messages he's been sending other people, but just by the looks of what Rei had, it must have been really unpleasant stuff. Was any of it harmful though? Was he threatening people? Or just messing around? Only Rei knows, obviously, if he's been trailing him so intently. ]

But according to you, that's no fun. [ Rosho clicks his tongue as he sighs, arms crossing over his chest. ]

You sound like you wanna catch him, but you also wanna punish him somehow. So... why not just go ahead and do it? You put the work into it, ya see?

[ ...ah, there's that nagging feeling, the one he can't seem to ignore nowadays. ]

But ya know, if you're thinking of going that far, he's gonna be pretty pissed off once you two meet in person. You should probably have someone with you so things don't get dangerous.

[groundzeroes]

[Rei shoots Rosho a look of genuine surprise, eyebrows lifted with amused interest. Not just at Rosho letting him off-leash to sabotage-- he's worried, too???? Bwahahahaha. How sweet.]

Wow, Sensei. Are you volunteering?

[glossophobia]

It's a suggestion.

[ But he's aware there's no point in denying who he had in mind as a volunteer. He wouldn't have brought it up the way he did to just let Rei figure it out on his own.

He doesn't like him much, but they're part of a team, not to mention he doesn't want any sort of trouble he gets into following him behind to the other two, especially Sasara. It's just convenience. It's very reasonably thought out! ]

If ya want, I'll go. Afterall, you're aware of what kind of punch I can throw, yeah? In case words don't work.

[groundzeroes]

No, no. I'm only kidding. [Rei closes his second laptop with finality; he won't be needing it now.] I doubt there's much this guy can offer that would be worth the hassle, anyway. To the questboard it goes.

Still. [The mischief in his smile hasn't entirely faded.] I'll keep you in mind for next time, how about. Especially if you end up harnessing that magic you say you teach now. Playing bouncer for a civilian[lmao] like me? Put that on your list of talents. Heh!

[glossophobia]

You were the one askin' me if you should drag things out for your own amusement, why make a decision opposite of mine now? You're such a pain in the ass.

[ Now he's got Rei thinking he's available for, what, bodyguarding? He shouldn't have even stopped to talk to him! Rosho groans. ]

I can't say it's not like I don't need more skills under my belt, but don't use me just to beat up people for ya. I'm not a guard dog or anything like that!