17; video/action

[asea]

[There's a dissipating shower of purple flecks behind Walter, this time with more black and belts, when the feed comes on. More than that, half the trademark severity from his features has gone—he's clearly not in the mood to punch someone's lungs out. Which is new.]

Vatheon—[he grasps the cloth wrapped around his hair and pulls it off, suddenly seeing no point in it. His tone is softer from its usual guttural gruffness.]

. . . What's a soul?

action;

[After a moment of waiting, Walter cranes his neck to the side. He hasn't come to the abandoned village in months; the area's about the same as the images his memories convey him. And now, he's a little more keen about disregarding appearances to dig around.

He slides in and out of the broken buildings, taking a moment to wander each interior before moving onto the next. His hands are smeared with grime in minutes, and he rubs the flat of his fingertips against his thumb at a juncture. It's all so familiar in a way, yet he feels nothing more than . . . apathy.

People lived here, once. Probably.

Outside, he leans against what remains of a wall and looks up, his arms crossed.]

Comments

[asea]

[—hold on a second. Putting aside all else that she's said, he homes in on one statement.

He straightens. He's perhaps more overt now, but his exclamation of surprise is the usual low rise in volume.]

You . . . you're a god!?

[zelda_hylia]

[Usually she avoids referencing Hylia at all. The whole matter makes her extremely uncomfortable, and she wants to just be Zelda, she really does. While holding Hylia's memories, though, it doesn't seem so terrible at all. Besides, she'd already told Shirley, so what was the harm? Besides, it's good to see Walter showing a little curiosity again.]

It is a bit more complicated than that, but yes. In my first lifetime, I was a goddess who gave up her divinity for her people. I am mortal now and cannot access most of that power, but my soul has not changed. I believe it would suffice for such a task as revitalizing the coral if that were to become necessary.

[Waiting to be reborn again would be terribly inconvenient, though, so she'll let Kid try first.]

I will not allow the coral to die, so please be at ease. These precautions are for everyone's comfort as we try to heal the coral. Sometimes the healing process can be painful, and I do not want to inconvenience anyone.

[asea]

[It's not himself he's concerned about—or so his initial thoughts say, but then there's the nagging sense of self that burrows out from nowhere. It had never felt like a big issue before. Yet now—if the coral were to perish, so would he.

Wouldn't he?

A woman who was largely powerless, and yet tried to use herself . . . He thinks about it for a while.]

. . . in my world, someone tried something similar. It failed.

[zelda_hylia]

[That's an expression she hasn't seen on Walter's face before. Zelda gives him a small smile, letting her fingers come to rest again and clasping the harp to her chest.]

Again, it would be a last resort. I have no desire to await my rebirth again. Healing creatures of all kinds is a specialty of mine, so I am hoping it will not come to that. We will be trying less extreme methods to begin with.

[asea]

[He quiets again, studying the harp from their fair distance. The way she refers to herself reminds him a little of what he'd envisioned for the thinking sea. In line with that thought, then . . . ]

Have you spoken about this to the Shining One?

[zelda_hylia]

To Shirley?

[She purses her lips thoughtfully. Yes, that might actually be a good idea. Shirley was a healer as well, and she had a connection to the sea...]

Not as of yet, no. Do you believe she could offer assistance?

[asea]

[ . . . that's right. Her name is Shirley.]

That girl is a vessel with the ability to hear the sea. The coral is different, but it also has a will.

[Yet, failing that:] At the very least, her healing eres is powerful.

[zelda_hylia]

[Walter telling her this so openly is confusing - alarming, even. He's always been fiercely protective of any information from his home, and of Shirley in particular. When she'd even so much as looked Shirley's way during the masquerade his hackles had risen immediately.]

...are you feeling quite all right, Walter?

[asea]

[He doesn't see anything amiss about the question, or at the very least doesn't consider that implication behind her asking, so he shakes his head. He's kept the most of that secret for a long time, but there's no point keeping it that way.]

I'm fine. More importantly, the Lamufao . . .

[zelda_hylia]

[She's not so certain he's fine, but perhaps he's just being more direct since the situation is more severe than it has been.]

Would you speak with her for me? I will be working on this for awhile yet, but I believe it would be good for her to touch base with Death the Kid. He is a god of sorts as well, and he wishes to supplement the coral's power if it drops below half. We are likely to get the best results if we all work together on this.

[asea]

. . . Me?

[Why him? It'd be easy to leave a message. Though, to be fair, he's always closer in physical proximity.]

Fine. I'll tell her after this.

[It isn't as if he has anything else to do.]

[zelda_hylia]

Yes, I should not dawdle on this for too long. I do hope you don't mind.

[A moment later he agrees. Zelda smiles gratefully, nodding her head to him. Good. If he's acting strange Shirley will be able to set him straight without him revealing secrets to anyone he doesn't want to and she'll be able to possibly gain Shirley's aid with this, too.]

I do appreciate it.

[She closes her eyes, returning to her song.]

[asea]

[He isn't doing much to warrant that sort of appreciation.

She's already returned to her song, though, so Walter closes his mouth and observes for a little while longer. For a little while longer he stands there, the grime still smeared around his fingertips—and then he turns away, to the direction of the elevator a ways off.

It's time to talk to that girl.]