expiationnet | VIDEO | UN: claude von riegan

Entry tags:

VIDEO | UN: claude von riegan

Another month, another crisis, huh? I hope everyone's more or less back to normal now.

[ Claude's voice is wry, though there's a troubled expression upon his face (and not least of all because of everyone who had seen him in a wya he'd rather not be seen). He's not broadcasting this from his Apothecary, for once, but sitting on the floor of someone else's home (Spock and Jim's, for those in the know), a black cat nestled purring in his lap. ]

I don't expect what I'm saying is a surprise to anyone -- we always notice those who leave us on our own, but it seems that we've had an unusual amount of disappearances these days. Jim, Spock, Levi, Root, Toph, Yu, Manjiro... and many more faces I've grown accustomed to seeing around town, even if I never got close enough to learn their names. People who had spent many months here, but in the blink of an eye, it's as though they'd never existed here at all, save for what they've left behind. I know I for one will sorely miss them. And I don't know what this says about the stability of this world either. Perhaps it's high time we raise a glass to all those who have gone, and all those we miss.

A glass that I don't mind filling myself, at that. I still have ample food stores for those who need them. [ He is not, however, sharing where those food stores are. ]

...and now that I am apparently in possession of three cats and a dog, I wouldn't say no to tips on that front either.

[ ooc: this is preemptive to a little IC memorial a bunch of us were hoping to put together for any dropped cr, no matter how recently they dropped! if you have any ideas or would like to pitch in, feel free to pm/dm/plurk me! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...It is a great many at once. [She'll miss Toph most of all, but that doesn't mean there are other names she won't miss as well... people she'll regret not getting to know better while they were here.] I do think a commemoration is in order, even with all the work we have to do to clean up... it would only be right.

It doesn't have to be a large affair. It certainly won't be a feast. But it feels long overdue, doesn't it? To recognize it as something that actually happened.

I think so. They deserve to be acknowledged... that people remember that they were here.

[She thinks of how the townspeople were once devoted to the gods they deemed only Those Who Were There... and then recalls something else]

Not that Toph will be easily forgotten, with those statues of herself up around town.

Uh, cats like fish. I know that much.

But yeah. I'll miss them to.

I'm pretty sure I've got the treat part downpat. The rest is a bit of a mystery.

You were friends with some of them?

[He has to think. Natsu's pretty chill. But then, they are also unique animals.]

Probably have a litter box and everything to, right? Toys?

But yeah. Yu, and Levi.

[ Oh boy, oh boy. Is it ever Ange's least favorite topic in the whole wide world - losing people. She's of half a mind to just ignore the message because of it, despite the fact that Claude of all people posted it. Even more so when she hears some of the names being summed up there.

In the end she does reply, though sometimes seems decidedly grumpy about Ange as she does so.

(Grumpier than the usual, anyway.) ]

Why should we raise a glass to that?

[ Ange had been friends with some of them too, hadn't she? Is that why she has that sour expression on her face? ]

In commemoration. Or in celebration, or in mourning, or whatever people feel like, I suppose.

[ There is a question in his arched brow; is there a problem with that? ]

I don't want to think about the people who left.

[ It's a little blunt. But at the same time those words are far more honest than she'd be with most people around this. Not that the full truth is in them, but she knows Claude is perceptive enough to see it, especially with the way Ange is looking as she says that.

It's not that she doesn't care.

It's the exact opposite - and that is a problem. ]

Do other people really just want to stand there and think about that stuff?

Can we do something about that...?

[Coping with loss is a part of life. People leave, people die -- sometimes people you've known for a long time just aren't there anymore. It's something everyone has to learn to accept.

So no, she doesn't mean "can they do something about the disappearances. Instead, settling into her spot sitting next to one of the farm's sheep, she continues,] I mean, about what people have left behind. Is there something we can do to make sure that the people who are gone aren't forgotten?

That's an idea. Setting up a memorial seems a bit too much like a graveyard for my liking - [ some are dead, of course, but not everyone ] - but there should be something. A place to put pictures, perhaps, or a log of all of us who are here.

This place doesn't have enough of a history to have history books. Perhaps we ought to make our own.

[She hums in agreement; yeah, a graveyard doesn't seem quite right, even if she doesn't mind the thought. Pictures might make it feel like a funeral, too, so her nose scrunches up briefly.

A book, on the other hand... she visibly brightens.]

Maybe you could ask everybody to write something about themselves! Like, one page in a book. Some people won't do it, of course, but it might be nice to have to look at later. And it would have space for people to add things they remember about people who are already gone!

So sad. It is best that there is a conservative effort for resources after the significant damage to the city that was suffered with the various explosions and souring of the land. How long can your stores hold out for?

That all depends on how many people will be using them, and how much people are willing to tighten their belts. Not to mention the fact that some foraging can be down outside of the city, as well as game to be hunted.

A few months at least, I hope. We'd prepared for this exact eventuality.

A few months may be necessary with the manner in which this place operates. You have an established distribution system? I may require to burrow from the reserves if I am to utilize my restaurants to continue to feed people. It will be no charge while we are in times of limits.

[ So Spock and Jim are gone as well... Damn. He didn't know. They're really down some good people. Miller appears to be outside. There are others milling about in the midst of clean up walking by. ]

I will take it you are back to normal now, as well, Claude.

[ But while it is worth seeking an affirmation on, he's more interested in the rest of what he had to say. ]

If you mean that literally, I'd be happy to donate a few bottles to the cause myself. I can't believe how quickly our numbers are dwindling.

I am, thank whatever gods may be listening.

I do mean that literally. I don't know how many of us Chosen who arrived here in the first year are left at this point, and for once, I'd like to make some sort of acknowledgment of who we've lost, instead of carrying on with our usual business. And then we'll carry on.

Good.

[ On both counts. ]

I think that a toast would be appropriate. It would be nice if we could gather together and share a few words about them. Would you be hosting?

Mikey and Toph kinda hurts.

[that shit hurted! she didn't know the others that well, even though Yu had worked for her. the most they'd spoken was right after her boyfriend had disappeared...

well, maybe they're together again back at home.]

But if you're talking drinks, some of the alcohol from Lupin made it. You know I'm always down for some.

Yeah. They do. I was close to many of them -- that's how I wound up with all these animals. [ He gestures down at the cat in his lap. He knew they were close, considered them some of his closest and dearest friends... but all this? ]

I'll never turn down a drink. If there's not enough for everyone, you make sure to save a drink for just you and me, all right?

[she can't help but give him a small grin.]

They look like they definitely chose you, too.

And yeah, I'll definitely keep the drink for us. I'll get three bottles stashed. One for me, one for you, and half for Cait. I'll drink the other half, probably.

[probably.]

There are certainly no shortage of losses after everything else that happened recently. I don't think I've seen so many at once since my arrival here.

I don't think I have either. I could be wrong -- it's not as though I know everyone here. But it seems... unusual. A 'glitch' in the program, I think Jim would have called it.

Yes, a glitch certainly sounds accurate. I do hope this isn't a sign of more disturbance to come.

A celebration in their memory is a wonderful idea, with consideration to our limited resources at the moment. It would be my pleasure to help if an event is being planned. We may all come and go, but as long as someone remembers us a part will always remain to stay.

[a young voice, but not full of innocence. rather, his tone is actually pretty flat. he's coping with the loss of toph in his own way, that way being doing a bunch of physical activity to stave off the grief of loss. and taking care of the dogs, of course. that helps too.]

Shouldn't we be celebrating? They made it back, after all.

[but, as stated previously, he just sounds flat. so he probably doesn't believe that himself, although he knew toph really missed her friends and is definitely happier where she came from.]

As for the dog, that's easy enough. Make sure to take it on walks often and feed it a couple times a day.

[ A part of Claude wants to point out that there's no reason to believe that they go back at all -- but why bother? They all know it. Best not to dwell on it. ]

Not everyone wants to return home. [ Or has a home to return to. ] But... for some, yes. A commemoration can easily be a celebration.

[ Not that this kid sounds like he's in any mood to actually celebrate. ]

Duly noted about the dog, though. I think I can just about manage that. I didn't expect to go from owning one animal to owning five.

Having an animal companion takes up a lot of time.

[he would know, being currently responsible for housing about twenty dogs.]

If it's too much for you, [and he sounds hesitant here, almost as though it had better not be too much for him,] I can take in the dog for you. One more mouth to feed isn't too bad. And if it's the dog I'm thinking of, they used to live with me anyway.

[...Yeah, a lot of people have disappeared-- went home over the years, huh?]

So, you're thinking of hosting a gathering of sorts? Just kind of talk and... remember those that disappeared?

Edited 2025-04-10 22:22 (UTC)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

VIDEO | UN: claude von riegan

video

video

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

video; un: ushiromiya

video; un: ushiromiya

no subject

video;

video;

no subject

Text; un: eyeofzaun

no subject

no subject

video; un: spartan

no subject

no subject

video - un: punchesu

no subject

no subject

[video | un: kurama]

no subject

no subject

voice

voice

no subject

video; un: shades