paladinlost | 102nd moon [video]

[The video starts simply, with a wooden floor. On the floor rest a bright red chest and a flowering plant. On the chest, a crowned bridal veil and a large stone have been placed. Cecil can be heard somewhere offscreen, walking aimlessly.]

Over the last five years-

[He stops himself for a moment. He's been telling people that this day was coming for months, but removing the 'almost'...]

Over the last five years, we've had four opportunities to obtain keepsakes from home. These are the four gifts I've received.

[The footsteps stops. Cecil's legs are now visible to the left of the screen.]

They might not seem like much, but they are my only physical link to worlds that I've not seen in far too long. Thus, I was wondering... I was wondering what you'd consider an object worthy of representing your home. What sort of memento you'd consider a blessing, if you were to receive it. And why that particular object is so important to you.

[A hand reaches down, slowly passes over all four items. Stills a few moments over the veil, but soon rises up again, out of sight.]

I'll be happy to share my stories, if anyone is interested. But I'd truly like to know what everyone considers important, when every familiar comfort is out of reach.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[As usual, there's no video accompanying it, but...hey there, Cecil.]

I've never really been one for material stuff, so I don't even know what I'd get back outside of what I've already got. Last time, though...it was some handmade things that I tend to keep around, that's what I got back.

[He's quiet for a moment; not hesitant per se, just not entirely sure he should keep going with the rest, either.]

Sometimes people just wander into your life, and you know no one but you is going to remember them when they leave it. And since I am the last person who should be given that sort of power, I make things so that there's some sort of physical reminder that they were there.

That's a tough call. I was never the type to own a whole lot--treasures and weapons, but not much that was important.

[Lancer frowned, tilting his head slightly as he considered the question.]

...I'd want my spear back. That's the most important thing I've ever owned.

A physical reminder of a particular person, handmade specifically to remember their existence... It's the sort of object that surely exists in no other world, that can only belong to yourself. That's a good keepsake to receive. Whatever granted our wishes was kind to give you that, and to let you keep it.

It's a shame that the one item you'd like back is one that this world rejects. A good, old weapon tends to come with the best stories and memories, especially if it was yours for a long time. Was it a gift?

Yeah--it was a cursed lance given to me by my teacher, Scathach.

Kinda unfortunate, but there's nothin' I can do about that.

Cursed? Wouldn't a cursed weapon be unpleasant to wield? Unless it only affects your enemies...

Yeah. Like I said, we're not really into physical stuff where I'm from - I don't have much other than these that's really considered mine. But it's good for what it is, I guess.

[...]

You gonna be okay, or...?

The curse had nothing to do with me--part of what it did was to leave wounds that didn't heal. Long as I didn't go stabbing myself, that wasn't a problem.

[hahaha. ha...]

I'm fine. Truly.

[His smile is slight and offscreen, but still almost audible.]

I was merely thinking that these treasure chests are so common, I could not even tell you if this one truly belongs to me. The perils of owning mass-produced objects. That's unlikely to be a problem you had, when you first found your mementos.

I've no doubt you handily managed to avoid self-inflicted injuries.

[Complete faith on his side.]

Did it also drain the life force of your targets? Make them feel the pain of the wounds anew with every step?

Tell you the truth, I don't know. Almost every time it hit a target, it killed them outright. Which I guess makes the 'unhealing wounds' part a little pointless, huh?

It never hurts to have a secondary effect on your weapon, even if the first is usually sufficient. If those unhealed wounds won you a single battle, they were more than worth it.

Can't say you're wrong about that. But as much as I'd like to have Gae Bolg around, I guess there's just not much use for it in a place like this.

True. The local criminals have not yet committed any acts that would earn them a blade to the chest, and I doubt using it against Pokémon would be accepted. Still, it'd be a link to your home and to fond memories.

I think I'm just used to the idea of keeping those memories on my own.

[Shrugging, Lancer decided to change the subject.]

So what's with the flowers? They look pretty ordinary, there anything special about them?

[Very well. He'll accept that change of subject.]

As a matter of fact, there is. Or at least, there should be. These are Whisperweed blossoms; can you guess their properties from their name?

Whisperweed, huh...? Don't tell me they're supposed to talk.

[That gets a laugh out of Cecil.]

Not quite, but close. Do you have another guess, or do you give up?

I've got nothin'. [HE TRIED.] What do they do if not that?

They can transmit sounds between themselves. Like the Pokégears do, but without the ability to transmit images or text, and with what I'm certain is a much greater range. ...And of course, they brighten up any room or garden.

I got a couple of things from home, but they're not really important.

I guess I'd want...my ma's book of Shakespeare sonnets. I'm not into Shakespeare or anything, but it was important to her. And she used to perform'em for me, when I was little, instead of bedtime stories. I still kinda remember how some of'em go, but I've forgotten a lot.

That you've managed to remember even some of them is quite impressive. If the book was so important to her, it must be well-worn and well-loved; you'd be able to recognize it among multiple copies, then?

Well, some of'em are pretty famous, so I've heard parts of'em other places. Like, uh...the one about comparing a girl to a summer's day, only I think he's saying the summer day's prettier.

Yeah, it was old. It came from Europe. Had her name on the inside cover, too, and a little note from a famous stage actor who admired my ma.

I hope he was not trying to court the girl in question, if that was his conclusion. Your mother must be a woman of great talent, to have impressed a famous actor.

I dunno, I never got literature. I'm more of a comics kind of guy.

She was something special, man. One of a kind, my ma.

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