boundbynaught | IC Inbox for empatheias

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IC Inbox for empatheias

Temporary:
March 7th thru March 14th: Gone for Canon Update
March 15th thru April 7th: Reroutes to contact Riku instead of Arden
April 14th: Gone again
Arden here, Manager of Sweetie Pies.
If this is about Sweetie Pies, please make sure to mention it in your message and I'll make sure to answer during business hours.
Everyone else, I'll get back to you when I can.

*Has a slightly rougher cut crystal
[Source]

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Oh, it was to defeat my stepmother.

[Arden struggling with what to say in that lingering anxious silence is enough for Sora to let out a bit of a laugh in hopes that it sounds reassuring.]

I promise I'll come back all in one piece and with her amulet. Vanitas doesn't have anything on me and Ven, both.

[He can't promise what will happen or that he won't get hurt at all because he doesn't know. But he's determined to come back with the amulet and hopefully unscathed enough that only a few cures are all he'll need. The best case scenario is that he won't need any cures at all so he's gunning for that option. Vanitas is unpredictable, though.]

Stick by her, okay? We'll be quick as we can.

[The silent thank you is there in a flicker of soft appreciation. He won't let Arden down.]

Wait is she HERE?

[ THAT IS ALSO IMPORTANT NEWS IF SO! ]

[ For someone just starting to accept his nature as a replica, he is really frustrated that he can't be in two places at once today. "Stick by her" is all well and good, but he wants to be by Sora's side too - not just defeat Vanitas, but whatever Sora confronts. He has to pay Sora back, over and over, for all the crap he dragged the other boy through in both Castle Oblivion and after.

And he doesn't know Ven that well. Trusts him like he trusts a puppy, really - that he's hardly a danger to Sora, but can he actually stand up to Vanitas for one thing, Vanitas specifically, and was he at least as good a fighter as Arden was? Arden couldn't answer that on personal experience, so his 'trust' in Ven was a significant gap compared to how much he trusted Sora.

So Arden looks down mentally, and nods in assent. ]

I will. See you soon, Sora.

[ Arden nods. ]

It's not in her nature to actually lie, I don't think, more that she'd play it off how badly hurt she is if it troubled someone else to help her.

[ He shrugs. ]

Never mind that she'd do the same - drop everything to help someone if she knew she could.

[ Which was a part of her personality he had a significant experience with. ]

Oh no no no! I promise! I'm not sure I would be so calm if she were. [One of the few people that worry Snow White is her stepmother.] No no, this was an illusion created by a fog in the middle of the city! [This Empatheias and that is a completely normal sentence.]

Some people are better at selflessness than caring about themselves.

(Luna would qualify, as would Ignis, probably. Of course, his other friends can be trusted with his life. Noctis is just lucky. )

But I guess that makes it our job to look after them. Worth the trade.

Oh... okay.

[ An illusion though... ]

And you wanted to fight your illusionary stepmother? Was someone making that illusion...?

[ Did he have blue hair hanging long over one eye because IF SO HE IS SO UNPREPARED. ]

[ Arden huffs, thinking then of Sora too. ]

Yeah... I guess you're right about that much.

[ It makes him contemplative in response, too. Makes being a little selfish almost seem like an asset. ]

I wonder if Snow would be insulted to hear that.

[ Sora certainly would be, he thinks, if he's not in a mood to laugh it off. ]

No no, I didn't want to fight her at all, and I didn't... and still don't! [Dear lord, Arden, consider who you're talking to.] But I couldn't let her keep attacking us with fire and lightning, Arden. Especially since Ventus kept taking the brunt of everything.

If there was I certainly didn't see them.

She'd probably deny needing it. That's part of who they are.

... But I guess I don't really know her that well. She just reminds me of some people I know, and I'm thinking of them.

(His dark eyes slide in Arden's directions. )

It's definitely not an insult. They're friends, close ones.

[ Hence a huge chunk of his confusion, but there's relief there - a small bit - that she at least didn't see anyone making the illusion. ]

I guess I can believe that much.

[ His tone lighter and joking now. ]

You wanting to help someone out that badly.

Well, I couldn't very well stand by and let him be hurt like that, not when he was there to help me.

[ Arden nods. ]

I've known her for about a year and a half and I think you've got the right idea about her already.

[ He smirks and continues walking until they reach Snow, when he's able to heal her. ]

Of course.

[ Not surprising in the least. ]

Do you like it, then? Can you summon it out of thin air like I can?

I do like it! Though I don't think I could ever bring myself to use it to fight someone, perhaps to do magic though. And yes, I can! I was a bit surprised on how easy that was to do.

Pretty handy, huh? Makes it easy to put away and bring back out again.

[ He considers what she said though. ]

First a keyblade and now non-dunamis magic? You're just full of surprises today, Snow!

Oh, I barely do dunamis magic as it is, you know that.

[But she smiles and blushes a tiny bit.]

Well, I have to keep you guessing about me, otherwise, you might get bored and go work for a more interesting bakery.

[ He looks very confused at that last bit. ]

Snow... You don't really believe that, do you? I'd never go looking to work for another bakery.

[ She could very well be kidding. He understands that, he honestly does, but he wants to reassure her anyway, so he's very earnest in his response. ]

Oh Arden, you sweetest heart... I'm very glad to hear that. Because I would very much like to leave the bakery to you if I happen to leave before you.

Don't say that!

[ He balks instantly, not wanting to imagine something like that, even if he might feel amazed she thinks she can trust him that much. He just... he's already lost his meditation teachers, losing Snow who is both teacher and friend and a significant part of his life... it hurts just thinking about it. ]

[She gives a sad smile.]

I know... I know such a thing is very upsetting for you, Arden... but I want it known just in case. Should I leave first, I want the bakery to go to you.

[ A little while after their talk in the kitchen - give it a couple days maybe - Arden will find a white box of average but somewhat small size left on his bed with a dark blue bow placed right in the center of it. When he opens it, he'll find a typical white chef hat... except for the name Arden stitched across the brim of it in a deep indigo thread. Tucked inside the box is a plain white card that says Because every chef needs a hat. - R. scribbled in black ink. ]

[ He transmits a whole lot of nervous energy to Snow over the amulet, while he tries to take a breath or two to steady himself. ]

If... you really feel that way, then... I guess it should be written down somewhere so it's not just me.

Oh, I already do! I have it locked up in the office safe with all the other important documents like the deed to the land and our accounting books.

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IC Inbox for empatheias

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( left in arden's room sometime after kitchen encounter )

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