[ Ah, yes, the most ferocious little beastie. His imagination runs loose for a second, and the picture it produces is warm enough to earn more of a huff, all earnest amusement.
Yuri's follow-up has a similar enough effect. ]
Asking too much from me, Yuri.
[ He's a meowcenary, too, you see. His zoomies must not be denied! ]
[ In turn, though Yuri tries not to broadcast it, there comes a small measure of relief. The humor is reassuring. ]
I'll hold you to it.
[ And with that, Yuri closes off Communion to focus on locating Shez. It doesn't take him terribly long with the information he'd been provided and when he spots that familiar, vibrant purple hair, he lifts a hand and waves.
Quiet as this stretch of beach currently is, he doubts Shez would fail to notice him regardless. ]
[ Once Yuri makes it to the assigned spot on the beach, he'll find Shez sitting cross-legged in the sand, hands splayed behind him to support his back. Ahead, people brave tempestuous waters and ride the waves on boards for sport -- surfing, as they'd told him -- and though the ocean rages on as ever, the breeze blowing through his hair is warm and gentle, calming in its own right. It's enough to have him curious.
But when Yuri's presence is felt, those thoughts are swiftly dispersed, and he shifts his weight around to return his friend's wave with one of his own. ]
Took you long enough.
[ It's just teasing banter, playful as ever-- or, well, close enough. His energy isn't really all there just yet, but he's working on it. ]
Maybe next time I'll have you chasing me around, if you can keep up.
That's easy, provided you're not using your party trick.
[ If Shez was popping up just anywhere, it wouldn't be much of a chase. On foot, though? Yuri has always covered ground swiftly... Not that he particularly fancies chasing Shez down. He'd have to complain about that.
Hypotheticals aside, he makes his way over to sink into a seated position beside him. Yuri isn't much for sand, seeing as it has a way of getting absolutely everywhere, but he'll deal with it for the time being. The venue is far less important than his company is, and he's been concerned about Shez ever since they'd crossed paths in the labyrinth.
It is, after all, rare in his experience to see the man in such a state. ]
In the meantime, seeing as we're both here, you want another answer to that question of yours?
[ It's a place to begin, rather than cutting directly to asking what's on his mind. ]
Oh, yeah? I'll beat you to the punch without any party tricks, any day.
[ There's that first igniting spark of competition again, just an ember of his usual heat, but a clear sign of improvement nonetheless. With any luck, the banter is just enough to lessen Yuri's concerns, if only minimally.
So he waits for his friend to properly join him on the warm, warm sand, hoisting himself up to more of a upright sitting position as he does. There are questions incoming, no doubt, and he feels ready to dish out answers when they do, but if Yuri is kind enough to start them off easy, well, who is he to complain? ]
[ He'll have to challenge Shez to a race sometime. Yuri may train largely alone, but it doesn't stop him from exercising his speed any. It's one of several strengths he can continue to work on by himself. New tactics, he's come to think, are another matter...but one he reserves for later.
For now, he looks out to the sea and releases a soft breath. ]
...You know I've had a rough life, yeah? What gives me strength is the same thing that always has, and it's my people. Wanting to better their lives, to see them safe and happy. That started with my mother.
[ Even now, he wants for her safety and happiness. He always will. ]
I've got you and Byleth here, and I'll see us home, whatever that requires of me.
[ It's nothing revelatory when it comes to Yuri, but it's more forthright than he usually allows himself to be. Shez is as much about others as he is, in his own way. Seeing him around camp had told Yuri as much, back home. ]
So long as you've got motivation, you can keep moving forward.
[ There's a light huff of amusement at Yuri calling him out, and then another, softer, when his reply comes in earnest.
It's not as if the answer itself surprises him -- first impressions may elude him, but Shez does have a surprisingly accurate insight on people once he's gotten to know them -- but perhaps that may be a fair bit more open honesty than the usual. Surely this place has a way with changing people... ]
I know. That's what I have been fighting for, too.
[ But Shez has changed, as well, perhaps not so much in true nature or ideals, but something within has decidedly shifted. What, exactly, or how he'll keep growing moving forward, he can't say just yet, but-- ]
But that's the very thing that Oracle took from us, wasn't it? Our motivation.
[ Whether by killing, by wiping their memories, by pitting them against each other, each cruel mechanism chipping away at their willpower, demanding sacrifice upon sacrifice often taken without consent. No exactly a major revelation, either; Yuri should be at least as painfully aware of it as Shez is. ]
When I ran into you in the maze, you couldn't remember your own mother-- [ He turns to face his friend, and the look he gives him is one of real concern, never accusatory despite his words. ] --and that's the person who matters the most to you, right? If an Oracle has that kind of power, then it could easily have made you forget everyone else, and then... would there have been anything left to fight for?
[ It's a valid concern, and one that isn't so easy to answer. The sheer breadth of uncertainty bearing down on them is so overpowering that it can be paralytic to contemplate. Yuri has been forced to consider it more than once, though he knows it isn't productive when they lack the power to act upon it.
That influence on their minds was what made him reluctant to harmonize in the first place. If those powers — Zenith and Meridian — could read their true hearts at the onset, what else might they do? What power would they exert over them if they harmonized further? Surely, it had to be more than gaining a few spells, or Cyrus wouldn't deny basic information to those who didn't open themselves further to Meridian.
To be altered, to be changed in some fundamental way they couldn't know or decide for themselves, is daunting. ]
I can't deny it's possible... But I suspect if they could rob us of all recollection and deemed it the best way to use us, they'd do it from the very beginning.
[ Because why not brainwash the lot of them, if it was within their means and served their purposes? What are they to the people of this world, if not a means to an end. ]
But it's like you said— then we'd have no true motivation. Even if they spun up some story for us about who we are and why we're fighting, it wouldn't be the same.
[ The truth was always more potent than even the most beautiful lie. It wouldn't melt away under scrutiny and was far easier to maintain, and it was why the best lies were built upon truth. That would be a tall order to fill when the lot of them come from other worlds entirely, and doubly so for those like Liem who have no one from home here. ]
I may be wrong, but...they want us to win. Even forgetting my mother [ which frankly unnerves him to his core, but he's sure Shez knows that without him saying so because he was there— ] didn't mean I had no one left to fight for. That was a sadistic little test, but if it's pieces of us like that...we can still remind each other. Like you did for me.
[ They've got one another. No matter what the Harbinger Oracle might prioritize, that is an undeniable source of strength. ]
...Though if you go and forget me, I reserve the right to make up whatever I want and see how long you take to get skeptical.
[ He gently nudges Shez's side with his elbow to punctuate his jest. The truth is that they're powerless in many ways, but Yuri does believe it would be impractical to make them forget themselves at this juncture. Even if somehow they did, he wants to believe they'd find themselves again. ]
[ A quick breath of laughter pushes past before the nudge even connects, the joke momentarily distracting him from the brunt of his troubled thoughts. ]
Yeah? Just don't try to paint us as long-lost twins or something-- our hair colors don't quite match.
[ Would his blood relatives have hair as brightly colored as his? Did he even have any left, unknown and spread across a vast, vast world that may or may not be there anymore? Those are questions for which he can't make enough room in his brain space right now, brimming with pressing concerns as it is.
It's enough to have his visage sobering up in a moment, his eyes shifting back to the ocean up ahead. ]
... I hope I never have to find out what kind of outlandish stories you'd come up with.
[ His choice of words doesn't pack any real punch, not meant as a jab. It's just something of an euphemism, easier on the ears and the heart.
(He hopes he never has to forget-- not Yuri, not any of his other friends trapped in this place, and certainly none that have been left behind.) ]
But, with how unpredictable this place can be... I think it can't hurt to have a back-up plan. That's what I've decided to pursue.
[ Ahead, the sea rages on, hectic, ruthless, but Shez refuses to be swept in the current, to be caught in the undertow of history. He will not be forgotten, and neither will the people he holds dearest. ]
Oh no, no, not siblings... [ Yuri bats the thought away like smoke. ] I'd sooner claim to be your husband than your twin, but it'd be difficult. A cousin, on the other hand — much more manageable.
[ There are things he'd need to know and understand about Shez, the more intimate a (fake) relationship was, in order to be remotely convincing... Not that he'd actually go through with such a ruse. He doesn't mind tossing out the idea in jest, however. ]
I'd prefer to think we'll never have to find out the rest.
[ Mismatched memories between them and those who come from a five-year war provides enough complications as it stands. Where Byleth had to contend with some other version of him being a beloved teacher, spending months alone in remembering something else, Claude and Dimitri had never known Shez at all.
He can only imagine how that must feel. ]
...But that sounds more like the guy I know.
[ Despondency, or what seemed like it to Yuri, didn't suit Shez. He doesn't think it suits either of his friends from home, for that matter. They don't deserve it, what's more. ]
[ Okay, that husband comment earns a downright snort from Shez, his brief cackling swiftly fading into the lowest of wheezes. Of all people who made this particular kind of joke around him, Yuri sure was at the top of the list...
Still, he can't say it's not effective in lifting his spirits back up-- and Yuri is right, this is more like Shez. Of course he's allowed the time to process complex feelings, to give serious thought to what his next steps may be, and he knows he's changing in subtle ways every day with every new experience, but the curve shouldn't be so steep as to raise concerns. Not so drastic that he fails to recognize himself. ]
I'm gonna keep fighting. For myself, and for every friend who may lose hope along the way.
[ In offering such a bluntly straightforward answer, he proves again to be himself, though his resolution still bears saying. It didn't feel as clear, back in the maze.
He takes a breath, his brows furrowed with the narrowing of his eyes. This next part is still the hardest to wrap his head around, but it makes sense in a roundabout way. ]
And in order to do that, I need to fight for more than just my friends, or even the world we want to save. I need to remember the one thing the Oracles will probably never want us to forget, to begin with. The one thing they make us fight over with every trial.
[ And that is, the Oracles, themselves. He figures Yuri realizes as much from his words so far. ]
When you think about it, mercenaries work for whoever offers the biggest buck. I'd say there's no higher pay than the fate of our whole world, huh?
[ It's good to hear Shez laugh. Yuri's painted lips quirk into a small smile just for the sound. Harrowing as the Oracle had been, he's grateful it hadn't somehow managed to rob his friend of his spirit. Where so many were deeply affected by the ordeal, Yuri can admit that he has harbored concerns for those around him.
They're strong, in his heart he understands that, yet it was difficult not to worry in the wake of all that. ]
That's true — doubt we'll ever be offered so handsome a reward as our own home.
[ Though between the two of them it's Shez who is the career mercenary, they both know how to keep their eyes on the prize. They don't know the whole of what's going on here or why, but if home is on the line, of course they must fight tooth and nail. For their own sakes and all of those who can't fight for themselves, they have to succeed. ]
It's still surreal to me, and I've been here...quite a while, now. Not so long as the others, I grant.
[ But it feels long, being away from almost everything they know. It'd feel longer still, had he been alone. Privately, he can admit this to himself. ]
Going to aim to get stronger still then, or do you have another angle?
[ The reminder of Yuri's many months in this place earns another smile from him, understanding more so than content. Of course he couldn't find joy in the thought of a friend being subjected to the whims of this world for so long, and the rest of them hailing from one Fodlan or another have been here even longer, and that... makes them all so strong.
Right. Shez fights for them in the same measure as he fights alongside them, as he learns from them. His once inseparable partner may be gone, but even in his darkest hour, he's never been alone. ]
Wouldn't be me if I didn't obsess over getting stronger for one reason or another, huh?
[ It is a testament to his good spirits, that he can make this kind of jab at himself. There's comfort in that, too, in feeling more like the person he's always been. ]
But, there is more than one way to pursue strength, so I guess I do have more than one angle. On the more practical side, I've decided to use my magic more often. [ His dark magic, specifically. ] Honestly I'd rather use a sword or two any day, and I don't really like the thought of being associated with Thales and the rest of those guys, but... whatever my connection to them may be, it's not like I can deny it, either. Sticking to blades only really just means fighting at half power, and I can't afford to hold anything back.
[ And as much as it personally weighs on him, embracing his darkness is the easier part of his resolution. So he allows himself a pause, takes a slow breath before proceeding. ]
As for those Oracles... I wanna give this place a chance. I know you have plenty of reason for doubt, and it's not like I'm about to blindly trust them either, but if they are speaking the truth, then relying on Meridian is our best and only shot of getting back home. Whatever happens, I never wanna stop believing that we will.
[ An unspoken thought draws half a laugh out of him, and he turns to face Yuri fully before sharing his reason for amusement. ]
Besides, Cyrus isn't so bad. Sharing privileged info about an upcoming trial with the enemy all the while dodging attempts at claiming his head... Doesn't that kinda sound like the [ stupid ] honorable thing Dimitri would do?
Using all of your strengths is better than limiting yourself... Those people aren't you, whatever the details are. It's your intentions that'll go into the spells you use.
[ Using what he has available to him isn't something Yuri would object to, barring something that actively harmed Shez. There might be some back home who'd be uncomfortable with the magic wielded by those dark mages, but what matters more is the one using it. If it comes naturally to Shez, it's a strength he'll put to good use, and it doesn't matter who else happens to use it.
Or maybe that's just Yuri's brand of pragmatism, but he can't imagine any of the others here holding it against him. Everyone has different aptitudes where magic is concerned. Shez can no more help which comes most easily to him than Yuri can.
Where their goal is concerned, they're in agreement on that. Keeping their sights on it is essential, whatever is thrown at them and whatever they have to do to get through it. He hopes that resolve serves them well, as it will need to. ]
I've never been able to believe that our home and everyone we fought alongside has simply vanished. It's hard to imagine what it'd take to accept such a thing...but I wouldn't want to find out. And I guess that's why my attempt at subterfuge didn't pan out, early on.
[ If Zenith and Meridian can read the essence of what they truly believe, it's no small wonder he couldn't harmonize with Zenith. Yuri has believed strongly in home all along. Doubting what they're told is the whole truth has only fueled that conviction. The most anyone has ever been shown are dreams and visions, which can be conjured up.
The choice isn't really a choice at all, when it boils down to getting back home or forsaking it. Zenith cares nothing for what came before. ]
So you're pretty well stuck with me, in any case. We'll find our way home. That's something we've got to hold onto.
Edited (tweaked a bit, same content...) 2024-01-09 00:25 (UTC)
[ What Yuri says last earns the more immediate reaction, a light-hearted scoff that means no spite. Quite the contrary. ]
Eh, I've been stuck with worse guys. For a crime lord, your reputation has been pretty lacking 'round these parts, you know.
[ Which is really just another way to call him soft to his face, though Shez can be merciful and keep it to a roundabout tease. And that's a good thing-- both the merit of his joke and the fact that he can even banter at all, given the kind of mood he'd been in. ]
But, I'm glad for it. It's true I can't really see you leaving your people behind, and when I thought about it, I couldn't picture myself giving up on them, either. I don't care if they tell us our whole world is gone, or that even the Oracles can't bring it back. I'm gonna show'em what the mercenary spirit is all about, and fight to the very end!
[ And though his bravado is as genuine as the rest of him, his resolve does come with a sobering realization, his features softening to match it in kind. ]
That means I'll probably end up butting heads with people in Zenith, maybe even outside of trials. Maybe it was naive to think we'd get through this without making some real enemies, and honestly I'll still hope for a way we can all at least live to see how this is all going to end-- [ stupid Faerghan idealism, rubbing off on him. ] --but if worse comes to worst, that's just the way things are. If I can't save everyone, then I'll choose the people I'm closest to.
[ Those with whom he shares a house, a home world albeit different, a common goal at the end of the universe. It's them who will be at the forefront of his thoughts as he pushes forward. ]
So don't you dare putting us on opposite sides, okay? [ Why, he'll even borrow a Yuri-style "threat" to show how serious he is about this, though his smile isn't exactly added for effect. ] Making enemies is one thing, but I'm hoping to at least never have to fight another friend again.
I've kept a low profile for good reason, I'll have you know.
[ It's something Yuri needn't have told him, but he says it all the same. Up to this point, he'd avoided standing out too much or tipping his hand more than necessary. They don't know what awaits them in the future, but catching an opponent by surprise is far easier the less he reveals of himself. Shez isn't wrong in surmising that battles may become unavoidable in the near future.
He too would rather they all survive this, none of them having had a choice in being brought here and conscripted, but they may not have the luxury of choice. There will surely be those who are willing to kill them in service of creating some impossible utopia even if it means building it on the ruins of all that came before. If met with such an opponent, they'll have to do everything they can to survive.
For the time being, they have been fortunate in that department. Most Zenites are not ruthless or relentless yet. Yuri counts himself additionally lucky that his only battle agaist another person and not a shadow had been in complete darkness. Much of what he can and would do against such a foe remains unknown to all but Shez and Byleth.
He suspects, though he can't be certain, that the other version of himself in that other Fódlan isn't quite the same sort of combatant. ]
But I hope you realize I'll be holding you to the same. If you or Byleth go slinking off to Shadyland, I'm going to keep trying to save you... Even if it's from yourself.
[ From his conversations with both of them, Yuri highly doubts this would ever come to pass. His tone suggests as much— but it's his answer to Shez's words just the same. Whatever lies ahead of them, they may find themselves shaken in their resolve. They may well need each other to stay on course and not lose sight of home: not just the place, but the people waiting for them. ]
I may not be a seasoned mercenary like either of you, but I've got my ways...
[ Another breath of amusement barrels in, and his roll of eyes is only for show. ]
Back with the thinly veiled threats, huh? Guess I'd better watch my back.
[ Not that Yuri has ever actually followed through on any of them, not even over a certain Private Correspondence Incident in the past. Was he really that soft with everyone, or is this some kind of special privilege? Whatever the case, Shez doesn't intend to push his luck-- even if he may stumble into criminal transgressions by accident, every now and then. ]
I can at least promise that, for as long as I'm myself, I'm not gonna go slinking off to Shadyland-- [ And he's going to make A Face at that. Where does Yuri even get that weird vocabulary from... ] --and I don't think Byleth would, either, even if he's pretty disheartened right now. The thing is... we're not always ourselves.
[ Whereas narrowing it down to the two of them would be a more accurate reflection of his thoughts, he hopes his choice of words casts a wide enough net as to not raise pointed questions, a general we that could easily apply to all Shard-bearers in Kenos. There is a lot he heavily suspects about Byleth, and much he has to wonder about the true nature of their relationship-- about why they always seem to find themselves on opposite sides, often regardless of their own wishes. But suspicions are all they are, and so it's not up to him to divulge any further.
So he opts instead to share what he can in good conscience: the things he knows and suspects about himself. ]
Going through a single trial has been enough to make me figure out this place has an effect on people. And even setting that aside, there's the fact that much about my power remains a mystery even to me. Slipping through shadows, summoning my sword, even wielding dark magic... I don't know the kind of toll any of that can take on me in the long run. Honestly, as long as it helped me survive another day, I didn't really care. But...
[ As he hugs his knees to himself and rests his chin atop his arms, the ocean beckons at him again, waves overpowering one solitary surfer venturing past shore and skill. The board is first to break surface, and there's a long moment of silence and held breaths; finally, a head bobs above water, struggles to stay afloat, but one arm manages to grab on to the relative safety of their ride.
(Would Shez be as fortunate to escape oblivion, or would he one day vanish under the vast expanse of history? Who knows. For now, he can at least smile in relief for that surfer's sake.) ]
I've always feared that the sword could overtake me one day. I guess I was lucky not to be cut down when it did.
[ Yuri can't be entirely too sure whether Shez is being metaphorical here, though he suspects it. That sword was just one more oddity about him, a power he simply had and couldn't (or didn't) explain. It hadn't been for Yuri to question, not when he had his own plethora of less flashy secrets he kept to his little self. Besides, what had there been to glean if he was curious?
And he had been curious. Still is, for that matter. Yet it's something he still doesn't think it his place to touch. Not without invitation, at any rate. So he mentally sets it aside, settling more comfortably where he sits, following Shez's line of sight out to sea. ]
You mean that time you went bonkers and we had to chase you all around that goddess-forsaken battlefield to get you to stop whacking at Byleth?
[ He says it all too blithely, belying just what an ordeal that was, even as one of the people trying desperately to intervene. It had to be so many times worse for Shez and for Byleth.
Poor Byleth. Yuri knew precious little of him then, but his appraisal of the man had shifted dramatically when he'd refused to do more than the bare minimum to defend himself. He didn't retaliate when Shez attacked him — or whatever it was that had compelled Shez. The other mercenary clearly wasn't himself, and that was enough to stay Byleth's hand. Enough to send them all scurrying to make it stop.
At the risk of death, Yuri wonders whether he could've shown the same level of restraint. He fancies he'd try to knock out his attacker instead... But he'd sooner never find out. The shadows were bad enough, but at least in that case he was certain the only part that was real was the shard. ]
None of us considered that an option, so don't go getting any funny ideas about luck. Like you said, you weren't yourself... Everyone wanted to stop you from doing something you'd regret. Something I don't fancy you'd have chosen of your own accord.
[ That's what compelled them. Stopping one comrade, one friend, from hurting another when something was clearly wrong. Without even knowing what that was, they rushed to intervene. Whatever had driven Shez then — whatever had seized him — didn't make it easy. Neither did those dark mages who seemed to capitalize on the confusion.
There were too many shouts flying for him to have picked up just why they did what they did on that occasion. It doesn't much matter anymore. ]
If you're worried about that happening again... I'll knock you unconscious. Or drug you. Whichever's more convenient at the time. [ An idle flap of a hand, the air of a shrug. Yuri means it sincerely: he would do his utmost to stop Shez if something seemed to rob him of his autonomy again. ] I'm not letting this place do that to you again.
[ Again, because it already had, in some new and twisted way. As firmly Yuri says it, he knows this. He doubts he'll ever forget that he couldn't prevent Byleth from being felled by those shadows and he couldn't spare Shez from having to put down the thing that wore his guise.
Yuri doesn't know what it will take to protect them from such horrors in the future, but he means to find it. Somehow. Not that he'll declare such a fool thing to them — he knows how absurd it sounds. But being powerless to look out for them will never sit right with him. ]
Faerghans hold to their commitments, you know.
[ He knows he can only do so much. He knows. But it won't stop him from trying for his friends' sakes. ]
[ Shez recognizes and appreciates the effort poured into sugarcoating that entire ordeal, but whatever light snicker he can muster lacks any real amusement, the memory still weighing on him for a multitude of reasons. Arval's betrayal, the threat on the lives of his friends and rulers of Fodlan, Epimenides's revelation that only gave him even more questions than answers... It was a lot to process.
Most days, he wouldn't let himself dwell on those thoughts, and would just push them to the back of his mind; right now, the best he can do is to crack a half-hearted joke in return. ]
I'll just hope you're not as committed to drugging me. Between that and making up fancy stories, I'm starting to worry.
[ Between the two of them, Shez knows he's the one being greater reason for concern. It's not like him to be this pensive, so caught up in a head that's often blissfully empty, but recent events have forced him to consider what little he knows about his origins, his powers... and how much of a liability he could eventually turn out to be again, all the more so in this place where nothing is ever guaranteed-- a place where even the dead will rise again, haunt them, leave them without a second glance. ]
I don't mean to dismiss your Faerghan honor or anything, but maybe you shouldn't make any promises until you hear the whole story.
[ That is the fair thing to do, to let Yuri make an educated decision; his pragmatic side knows this, just as well as Shez knows there's no blaming anyone for leaving him in the dust after learning the truth. Still, it's a vulnerable position to be in, so he takes a fortifying breath before he can proceed. ]
That is, if you wanna hear it. [ He turns to his friend again, just to be sure. ] It's not the kinda thing anyone could easily believe, but I guess the good thing about Kenos is that nothing sounds all that far-fetched anymore, huh?
[ Yuri would rather never have to knock out a friend or ally, but he's known all along that they could be robbed of their agency. Their hands could be forced, as had been described to him by others, by powers they don't understand. So he had considered contingencies, as was only natural. Certain plants native to this place could give someone a nice, long nap, if they needed to buy time for a real solution.
He may have explained this, were it not for what Shez goes on to say. The degree to which Yuri has endeavored to ready himself for worst-case scensrios can wait, when the conversation has taken this turn. As casually as Shez has presented his offer, there's a certain weight to the proposition. An unease, he'd venture to say.
His attention inevitably drifts from the sea back to Shez, regarding him in thoughtful silence before he responds. ]
I'll hear it if you're game to talk about it.
[ People have their secrets, he knows. When and how they decide to share them is something Yuri leaves to their determination — at least when it's his friends. Anyone else is fair game, so far as he's concerned. In this case, well. Shez is a friend. He'd be a filthy liar (more than usual) if he said he hadn't been curious all this time, but he felt he'd known better than to ask.
Now that it sounds like it ties back into Shez's concerns, though... ]
[ To call it unease is probably an understatement, but accurate nonetheless.
It's not like Shez isn't used to distrust, of course, far from it. His entire mercenary life has been about building up his reputation and convincing people to rely on him, and he's had to jump over twice as many hurdles upon joining Dimitri's army, with nobles and ranked officials alike questioning the merits of his position. There had also been several members of the Church frowning upon him, with Seteth in particular being so wary of him to the point of requesting he'd keep his distance both from the Archbishop and Flayn alike. Honestly, Shez couldn't even blame him, or resent him for it-- if anything, he appreciated the honesty.
And that's why, at Yuri's response, he nods. It might be harder to deal with mistrust from a friend, and all the more so if he's cast aside entirely, but... he would rather know for sure, where he stands with people. ]
Wouldn't have offered to talk about it if I didn't feel like it. The problem is... figuring out where to start.
[ Well. Not like Shez is the type for much preamble, either. Sometimes it's just easier to cut straight to the chase. ]
You know how you guys would sometimes catch me staring at nothing as though I was in a trance? Or talking to myself? The truth is, I was talking to someone. Someone only I could hear in my head, and that's who I got my powers from.
[ ... yeah, that's probably only giving Yuri more questions than answers, but it's a starting point? ]
[ Difficult subject that it is for Shez, Yuri makes for a patient audience. He's grown accustomed to halting progress in explaining certain things from others during his tenure here, and perhaps that primes him for this to an extent.
The subject matter itself, on the other hand... ]
So you've got a little buddy in there, is what you're saying?
[ Is he understanding that correctly? Shez is talking about having a roommate in his body who comes with handy little perks and chats him up? It is absolutely among the stranger things he's heard, but Shez is right that Kenos has upped his threshold for oddities. Some of what transpires here would be impossible back home.
[ Shez doesn't doubt that Yuri is taking this conversation seriously, of course, and he realizes the subject at hand is rather odd as it is, but there's still something so peculiar about the nonchalance that just takes him back for a half second. ]
... y'know, that has to be one of the weirdest ways to talk about a topic that's weird enough on its own.
[ But there's no real judgement in his tone, just the need to punctuate his surprise. In all truth, it's not like Shez himself has any idea how he would react to this kind of reveal, had he not witnessed it in the flesh. ]
But yeah, I did. Their name was Arval, and they'd been around since way before I met any of you guys. Maybe even longer.
[ And there's a solid reason for his suspicions, but he'll get there in time. For now, he folds his arms over his knees and props his chin up on them, his gaze back to the ocean, as though it could aid him in fishing out memories. ]
I guess that's technically not right. I first became aware of Arval when I ran into Byleth and the rest of Jeralt's Mercenaries. They wiped my entire company, and I was staring death in the face when I heard this voice in my head, mumbling something or another about 'the cycle of this world' and before I even knew it...
[ He makes a point of showing instead of telling, with a swift and unannounced change into his Awakened form. It makes for a more immersive experience? ]
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Guess he'll be in good paws for a bit.
[ It doesn't do much to ease his concerns, of course, but it's as best as they can do for now. ]
I'll be waiting for you.
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[ Yuri takes note of it but calls no attention to it. They can rely on Fluffy's insistence on cuddle-time. That kitten is not to be denied.
They'll have time enough to talk, at least. ]
Stay put, alright?
[ Said in half-jest, as he knows if Shez says he'll wait, it's what he'll do. ]
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Yuri's follow-up has a similar enough effect. ]
Asking too much from me, Yuri.
[ He's a meowcenary, too, you see. His zoomies must not be denied! ]
But I guess I'll make an effort for you.
[ Not like he was planning on going anywhere. ]
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I'll hold you to it.
[ And with that, Yuri closes off Communion to focus on locating Shez. It doesn't take him terribly long with the information he'd been provided and when he spots that familiar, vibrant purple hair, he lifts a hand and waves.
Quiet as this stretch of beach currently is, he doubts Shez would fail to notice him regardless. ]
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But when Yuri's presence is felt, those thoughts are swiftly dispersed, and he shifts his weight around to return his friend's wave with one of his own. ]
Took you long enough.
[ It's just teasing banter, playful as ever-- or, well, close enough. His energy isn't really all there just yet, but he's working on it. ]
Maybe next time I'll have you chasing me around, if you can keep up.
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[ If Shez was popping up just anywhere, it wouldn't be much of a chase. On foot, though? Yuri has always covered ground swiftly... Not that he particularly fancies chasing Shez down. He'd have to complain about that.
Hypotheticals aside, he makes his way over to sink into a seated position beside him. Yuri isn't much for sand, seeing as it has a way of getting absolutely everywhere, but he'll deal with it for the time being. The venue is far less important than his company is, and he's been concerned about Shez ever since they'd crossed paths in the labyrinth.
It is, after all, rare in his experience to see the man in such a state. ]
In the meantime, seeing as we're both here, you want another answer to that question of yours?
[ It's a place to begin, rather than cutting directly to asking what's on his mind. ]
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[ There's that first igniting spark of competition again, just an ember of his usual heat, but a clear sign of improvement nonetheless. With any luck, the banter is just enough to lessen Yuri's concerns, if only minimally.
So he waits for his friend to properly join him on the warm, warm sand, hoisting himself up to more of a upright sitting position as he does. There are questions incoming, no doubt, and he feels ready to dish out answers when they do, but if Yuri is kind enough to start them off easy, well, who is he to complain? ]
You wanna compare notes, huh? Sure, go ahead.
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[ He'll have to challenge Shez to a race sometime. Yuri may train largely alone, but it doesn't stop him from exercising his speed any. It's one of several strengths he can continue to work on by himself. New tactics, he's come to think, are another matter...but one he reserves for later.
For now, he looks out to the sea and releases a soft breath. ]
...You know I've had a rough life, yeah? What gives me strength is the same thing that always has, and it's my people. Wanting to better their lives, to see them safe and happy. That started with my mother.
[ Even now, he wants for her safety and happiness. He always will. ]
I've got you and Byleth here, and I'll see us home, whatever that requires of me.
[ It's nothing revelatory when it comes to Yuri, but it's more forthright than he usually allows himself to be. Shez is as much about others as he is, in his own way. Seeing him around camp had told Yuri as much, back home. ]
So long as you've got motivation, you can keep moving forward.
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It's not as if the answer itself surprises him -- first impressions may elude him, but Shez does have a surprisingly accurate insight on people once he's gotten to know them -- but perhaps that may be a fair bit more open honesty than the usual. Surely this place has a way with changing people... ]
I know. That's what I have been fighting for, too.
[ But Shez has changed, as well, perhaps not so much in true nature or ideals, but something within has decidedly shifted. What, exactly, or how he'll keep growing moving forward, he can't say just yet, but-- ]
But that's the very thing that Oracle took from us, wasn't it? Our motivation.
[ Whether by killing, by wiping their memories, by pitting them against each other, each cruel mechanism chipping away at their willpower, demanding sacrifice upon sacrifice often taken without consent. No exactly a major revelation, either; Yuri should be at least as painfully aware of it as Shez is. ]
When I ran into you in the maze, you couldn't remember your own mother-- [ He turns to face his friend, and the look he gives him is one of real concern, never accusatory despite his words. ] --and that's the person who matters the most to you, right? If an Oracle has that kind of power, then it could easily have made you forget everyone else, and then... would there have been anything left to fight for?
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That influence on their minds was what made him reluctant to harmonize in the first place. If those powers — Zenith and Meridian — could read their true hearts at the onset, what else might they do? What power would they exert over them if they harmonized further? Surely, it had to be more than gaining a few spells, or Cyrus wouldn't deny basic information to those who didn't open themselves further to Meridian.
To be altered, to be changed in some fundamental way they couldn't know or decide for themselves, is daunting. ]
I can't deny it's possible... But I suspect if they could rob us of all recollection and deemed it the best way to use us, they'd do it from the very beginning.
[ Because why not brainwash the lot of them, if it was within their means and served their purposes? What are they to the people of this world, if not a means to an end. ]
But it's like you said— then we'd have no true motivation. Even if they spun up some story for us about who we are and why we're fighting, it wouldn't be the same.
[ The truth was always more potent than even the most beautiful lie. It wouldn't melt away under scrutiny and was far easier to maintain, and it was why the best lies were built upon truth. That would be a tall order to fill when the lot of them come from other worlds entirely, and doubly so for those like Liem who have no one from home here. ]
I may be wrong, but...they want us to win. Even forgetting my mother [ which frankly unnerves him to his core, but he's sure Shez knows that without him saying so because he was there— ] didn't mean I had no one left to fight for. That was a sadistic little test, but if it's pieces of us like that...we can still remind each other. Like you did for me.
[ They've got one another. No matter what the Harbinger Oracle might prioritize, that is an undeniable source of strength. ]
...Though if you go and forget me, I reserve the right to make up whatever I want and see how long you take to get skeptical.
[ He gently nudges Shez's side with his elbow to punctuate his jest. The truth is that they're powerless in many ways, but Yuri does believe it would be impractical to make them forget themselves at this juncture. Even if somehow they did, he wants to believe they'd find themselves again. ]
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Yeah? Just don't try to paint us as long-lost twins or something-- our hair colors don't quite match.
[ Would his blood relatives have hair as brightly colored as his? Did he even have any left, unknown and spread across a vast, vast world that may or may not be there anymore? Those are questions for which he can't make enough room in his brain space right now, brimming with pressing concerns as it is.
It's enough to have his visage sobering up in a moment, his eyes shifting back to the ocean up ahead. ]
... I hope I never have to find out what kind of outlandish stories you'd come up with.
[ His choice of words doesn't pack any real punch, not meant as a jab. It's just something of an euphemism, easier on the ears and the heart.
(He hopes he never has to forget-- not Yuri, not any of his other friends trapped in this place, and certainly none that have been left behind.) ]
But, with how unpredictable this place can be... I think it can't hurt to have a back-up plan. That's what I've decided to pursue.
[ Ahead, the sea rages on, hectic, ruthless, but Shez refuses to be swept in the current, to be caught in the undertow of history. He will not be forgotten, and neither will the people he holds dearest. ]
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[ There are things he'd need to know and understand about Shez, the more intimate a (fake) relationship was, in order to be remotely convincing... Not that he'd actually go through with such a ruse. He doesn't mind tossing out the idea in jest, however. ]
I'd prefer to think we'll never have to find out the rest.
[ Mismatched memories between them and those who come from a five-year war provides enough complications as it stands. Where Byleth had to contend with some other version of him being a beloved teacher, spending months alone in remembering something else, Claude and Dimitri had never known Shez at all.
He can only imagine how that must feel. ]
...But that sounds more like the guy I know.
[ Despondency, or what seemed like it to Yuri, didn't suit Shez. He doesn't think it suits either of his friends from home, for that matter. They don't deserve it, what's more. ]
So what are you thinking you'll do?
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Still, he can't say it's not effective in lifting his spirits back up-- and Yuri is right, this is more like Shez. Of course he's allowed the time to process complex feelings, to give serious thought to what his next steps may be, and he knows he's changing in subtle ways every day with every new experience, but the curve shouldn't be so steep as to raise concerns. Not so drastic that he fails to recognize himself. ]
I'm gonna keep fighting. For myself, and for every friend who may lose hope along the way.
[ In offering such a bluntly straightforward answer, he proves again to be himself, though his resolution still bears saying. It didn't feel as clear, back in the maze.
He takes a breath, his brows furrowed with the narrowing of his eyes. This next part is still the hardest to wrap his head around, but it makes sense in a roundabout way. ]
And in order to do that, I need to fight for more than just my friends, or even the world we want to save. I need to remember the one thing the Oracles will probably never want us to forget, to begin with. The one thing they make us fight over with every trial.
[ And that is, the Oracles, themselves. He figures Yuri realizes as much from his words so far. ]
When you think about it, mercenaries work for whoever offers the biggest buck. I'd say there's no higher pay than the fate of our whole world, huh?
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They're strong, in his heart he understands that, yet it was difficult not to worry in the wake of all that. ]
That's true — doubt we'll ever be offered so handsome a reward as our own home.
[ Though between the two of them it's Shez who is the career mercenary, they both know how to keep their eyes on the prize. They don't know the whole of what's going on here or why, but if home is on the line, of course they must fight tooth and nail. For their own sakes and all of those who can't fight for themselves, they have to succeed. ]
It's still surreal to me, and I've been here...quite a while, now. Not so long as the others, I grant.
[ But it feels long, being away from almost everything they know. It'd feel longer still, had he been alone. Privately, he can admit this to himself. ]
Going to aim to get stronger still then, or do you have another angle?
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Right. Shez fights for them in the same measure as he fights alongside them, as he learns from them. His once inseparable partner may be gone, but even in his darkest hour, he's never been alone. ]
Wouldn't be me if I didn't obsess over getting stronger for one reason or another, huh?
[ It is a testament to his good spirits, that he can make this kind of jab at himself. There's comfort in that, too, in feeling more like the person he's always been. ]
But, there is more than one way to pursue strength, so I guess I do have more than one angle. On the more practical side, I've decided to use my magic more often. [ His dark magic, specifically. ] Honestly I'd rather use a sword or two any day, and I don't really like the thought of being associated with Thales and the rest of those guys, but... whatever my connection to them may be, it's not like I can deny it, either. Sticking to blades only really just means fighting at half power, and I can't afford to hold anything back.
[ And as much as it personally weighs on him, embracing his darkness is the easier part of his resolution. So he allows himself a pause, takes a slow breath before proceeding. ]
As for those Oracles... I wanna give this place a chance. I know you have plenty of reason for doubt, and it's not like I'm about to blindly trust them either, but if they are speaking the truth, then relying on Meridian is our best and only shot of getting back home. Whatever happens, I never wanna stop believing that we will.
[ An unspoken thought draws half a laugh out of him, and he turns to face Yuri fully before sharing his reason for amusement. ]
Besides, Cyrus isn't so bad. Sharing privileged info about an upcoming trial with the enemy all the while dodging attempts at claiming his head... Doesn't that kinda sound like the [ stupid ] honorable thing Dimitri would do?
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[ Using what he has available to him isn't something Yuri would object to, barring something that actively harmed Shez. There might be some back home who'd be uncomfortable with the magic wielded by those dark mages, but what matters more is the one using it. If it comes naturally to Shez, it's a strength he'll put to good use, and it doesn't matter who else happens to use it.
Or maybe that's just Yuri's brand of pragmatism, but he can't imagine any of the others here holding it against him. Everyone has different aptitudes where magic is concerned. Shez can no more help which comes most easily to him than Yuri can.
Where their goal is concerned, they're in agreement on that. Keeping their sights on it is essential, whatever is thrown at them and whatever they have to do to get through it. He hopes that resolve serves them well, as it will need to. ]
I've never been able to believe that our home and everyone we fought alongside has simply vanished. It's hard to imagine what it'd take to accept such a thing...but I wouldn't want to find out. And I guess that's why my attempt at subterfuge didn't pan out, early on.
[ If Zenith and Meridian can read the essence of what they truly believe, it's no small wonder he couldn't harmonize with Zenith. Yuri has believed strongly in home all along. Doubting what they're told is the whole truth has only fueled that conviction. The most anyone has ever been shown are dreams and visions, which can be conjured up.
The choice isn't really a choice at all, when it boils down to getting back home or forsaking it. Zenith cares nothing for what came before. ]
So you're pretty well stuck with me, in any case. We'll find our way home. That's something we've got to hold onto.
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Eh, I've been stuck with worse guys. For a crime lord, your reputation has been pretty lacking 'round these parts, you know.
[ Which is really just another way to call him soft to his face, though Shez can be merciful and keep it to a roundabout tease. And that's a good thing-- both the merit of his joke and the fact that he can even banter at all, given the kind of mood he'd been in. ]
But, I'm glad for it. It's true I can't really see you leaving your people behind, and when I thought about it, I couldn't picture myself giving up on them, either. I don't care if they tell us our whole world is gone, or that even the Oracles can't bring it back. I'm gonna show'em what the mercenary spirit is all about, and fight to the very end!
[ And though his bravado is as genuine as the rest of him, his resolve does come with a sobering realization, his features softening to match it in kind. ]
That means I'll probably end up butting heads with people in Zenith, maybe even outside of trials. Maybe it was naive to think we'd get through this without making some real enemies, and honestly I'll still hope for a way we can all at least live to see how this is all going to end-- [ stupid Faerghan idealism, rubbing off on him. ] --but if worse comes to worst, that's just the way things are. If I can't save everyone, then I'll choose the people I'm closest to.
[ Those with whom he shares a house, a home world albeit different, a common goal at the end of the universe. It's them who will be at the forefront of his thoughts as he pushes forward. ]
So don't you dare putting us on opposite sides, okay? [ Why, he'll even borrow a Yuri-style "threat" to show how serious he is about this, though his smile isn't exactly added for effect. ] Making enemies is one thing, but I'm hoping to at least never have to fight another friend again.
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I've kept a low profile for good reason, I'll have you know.
[ It's something Yuri needn't have told him, but he says it all the same. Up to this point, he'd avoided standing out too much or tipping his hand more than necessary. They don't know what awaits them in the future, but catching an opponent by surprise is far easier the less he reveals of himself. Shez isn't wrong in surmising that battles may become unavoidable in the near future.
He too would rather they all survive this, none of them having had a choice in being brought here and conscripted, but they may not have the luxury of choice. There will surely be those who are willing to kill them in service of creating some impossible utopia even if it means building it on the ruins of all that came before. If met with such an opponent, they'll have to do everything they can to survive.
For the time being, they have been fortunate in that department. Most Zenites are not ruthless or relentless yet. Yuri counts himself additionally lucky that his only battle agaist another person and not a shadow had been in complete darkness. Much of what he can and would do against such a foe remains unknown to all but Shez and Byleth.
He suspects, though he can't be certain, that the other version of himself in that other Fódlan isn't quite the same sort of combatant. ]
But I hope you realize I'll be holding you to the same. If you or Byleth go slinking off to Shadyland, I'm going to keep trying to save you... Even if it's from yourself.
[ From his conversations with both of them, Yuri highly doubts this would ever come to pass. His tone suggests as much— but it's his answer to Shez's words just the same. Whatever lies ahead of them, they may find themselves shaken in their resolve. They may well need each other to stay on course and not lose sight of home: not just the place, but the people waiting for them. ]
I may not be a seasoned mercenary like either of you, but I've got my ways...
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Back with the thinly veiled threats, huh? Guess I'd better watch my back.
[ Not that Yuri has ever actually followed through on any of them, not even over a certain Private Correspondence Incident in the past. Was he really that soft with everyone, or is this some kind of special privilege? Whatever the case, Shez doesn't intend to push his luck-- even if he may stumble into criminal transgressions by accident, every now and then. ]
I can at least promise that, for as long as I'm myself, I'm not gonna go slinking off to Shadyland-- [ And he's going to make A Face at that. Where does Yuri even get that weird vocabulary from... ] --and I don't think Byleth would, either, even if he's pretty disheartened right now. The thing is... we're not always ourselves.
[ Whereas narrowing it down to the two of them would be a more accurate reflection of his thoughts, he hopes his choice of words casts a wide enough net as to not raise pointed questions, a general we that could easily apply to all Shard-bearers in Kenos. There is a lot he heavily suspects about Byleth, and much he has to wonder about the true nature of their relationship-- about why they always seem to find themselves on opposite sides, often regardless of their own wishes. But suspicions are all they are, and so it's not up to him to divulge any further.
So he opts instead to share what he can in good conscience: the things he knows and suspects about himself. ]
Going through a single trial has been enough to make me figure out this place has an effect on people. And even setting that aside, there's the fact that much about my power remains a mystery even to me. Slipping through shadows, summoning my sword, even wielding dark magic... I don't know the kind of toll any of that can take on me in the long run. Honestly, as long as it helped me survive another day, I didn't really care. But...
[ As he hugs his knees to himself and rests his chin atop his arms, the ocean beckons at him again, waves overpowering one solitary surfer venturing past shore and skill. The board is first to break surface, and there's a long moment of silence and held breaths; finally, a head bobs above water, struggles to stay afloat, but one arm manages to grab on to the relative safety of their ride.
(Would Shez be as fortunate to escape oblivion, or would he one day vanish under the vast expanse of history? Who knows. For now, he can at least smile in relief for that surfer's sake.) ]
I've always feared that the sword could overtake me one day. I guess I was lucky not to be cut down when it did.
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And he had been curious. Still is, for that matter. Yet it's something he still doesn't think it his place to touch. Not without invitation, at any rate. So he mentally sets it aside, settling more comfortably where he sits, following Shez's line of sight out to sea. ]
You mean that time you went bonkers and we had to chase you all around that goddess-forsaken battlefield to get you to stop whacking at Byleth?
[ He says it all too blithely, belying just what an ordeal that was, even as one of the people trying desperately to intervene. It had to be so many times worse for Shez and for Byleth.
Poor Byleth. Yuri knew precious little of him then, but his appraisal of the man had shifted dramatically when he'd refused to do more than the bare minimum to defend himself. He didn't retaliate when Shez attacked him — or whatever it was that had compelled Shez. The other mercenary clearly wasn't himself, and that was enough to stay Byleth's hand. Enough to send them all scurrying to make it stop.
At the risk of death, Yuri wonders whether he could've shown the same level of restraint. He fancies he'd try to knock out his attacker instead... But he'd sooner never find out. The shadows were bad enough, but at least in that case he was certain the only part that was real was the shard. ]
None of us considered that an option, so don't go getting any funny ideas about luck. Like you said, you weren't yourself... Everyone wanted to stop you from doing something you'd regret. Something I don't fancy you'd have chosen of your own accord.
[ That's what compelled them. Stopping one comrade, one friend, from hurting another when something was clearly wrong. Without even knowing what that was, they rushed to intervene. Whatever had driven Shez then — whatever had seized him — didn't make it easy. Neither did those dark mages who seemed to capitalize on the confusion.
There were too many shouts flying for him to have picked up just why they did what they did on that occasion. It doesn't much matter anymore. ]
If you're worried about that happening again... I'll knock you unconscious. Or drug you. Whichever's more convenient at the time. [ An idle flap of a hand, the air of a shrug. Yuri means it sincerely: he would do his utmost to stop Shez if something seemed to rob him of his autonomy again. ] I'm not letting this place do that to you again.
[ Again, because it already had, in some new and twisted way. As firmly Yuri says it, he knows this. He doubts he'll ever forget that he couldn't prevent Byleth from being felled by those shadows and he couldn't spare Shez from having to put down the thing that wore his guise.
Yuri doesn't know what it will take to protect them from such horrors in the future, but he means to find it. Somehow. Not that he'll declare such a fool thing to them — he knows how absurd it sounds. But being powerless to look out for them will never sit right with him. ]
Faerghans hold to their commitments, you know.
[ He knows he can only do so much. He knows. But it won't stop him from trying for his friends' sakes. ]
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Most days, he wouldn't let himself dwell on those thoughts, and would just push them to the back of his mind; right now, the best he can do is to crack a half-hearted joke in return. ]
I'll just hope you're not as committed to drugging me. Between that and making up fancy stories, I'm starting to worry.
[ Between the two of them, Shez knows he's the one being greater reason for concern. It's not like him to be this pensive, so caught up in a head that's often blissfully empty, but recent events have forced him to consider what little he knows about his origins, his powers... and how much of a liability he could eventually turn out to be again, all the more so in this place where nothing is ever guaranteed-- a place where even the dead will rise again, haunt them, leave them without a second glance. ]
I don't mean to dismiss your Faerghan honor or anything, but maybe you shouldn't make any promises until you hear the whole story.
[ That is the fair thing to do, to let Yuri make an educated decision; his pragmatic side knows this, just as well as Shez knows there's no blaming anyone for leaving him in the dust after learning the truth. Still, it's a vulnerable position to be in, so he takes a fortifying breath before he can proceed. ]
That is, if you wanna hear it. [ He turns to his friend again, just to be sure. ] It's not the kinda thing anyone could easily believe, but I guess the good thing about Kenos is that nothing sounds all that far-fetched anymore, huh?
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He may have explained this, were it not for what Shez goes on to say. The degree to which Yuri has endeavored to ready himself for worst-case scensrios can wait, when the conversation has taken this turn. As casually as Shez has presented his offer, there's a certain weight to the proposition. An unease, he'd venture to say.
His attention inevitably drifts from the sea back to Shez, regarding him in thoughtful silence before he responds. ]
I'll hear it if you're game to talk about it.
[ People have their secrets, he knows. When and how they decide to share them is something Yuri leaves to their determination — at least when it's his friends. Anyone else is fair game, so far as he's concerned. In this case, well. Shez is a friend. He'd be a filthy liar (more than usual) if he said he hadn't been curious all this time, but he felt he'd known better than to ask.
Now that it sounds like it ties back into Shez's concerns, though... ]
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It's not like Shez isn't used to distrust, of course, far from it. His entire mercenary life has been about building up his reputation and convincing people to rely on him, and he's had to jump over twice as many hurdles upon joining Dimitri's army, with nobles and ranked officials alike questioning the merits of his position. There had also been several members of the Church frowning upon him, with Seteth in particular being so wary of him to the point of requesting he'd keep his distance both from the Archbishop and Flayn alike. Honestly, Shez couldn't even blame him, or resent him for it-- if anything, he appreciated the honesty.
And that's why, at Yuri's response, he nods. It might be harder to deal with mistrust from a friend, and all the more so if he's cast aside entirely, but... he would rather know for sure, where he stands with people. ]
Wouldn't have offered to talk about it if I didn't feel like it. The problem is... figuring out where to start.
[ Well. Not like Shez is the type for much preamble, either. Sometimes it's just easier to cut straight to the chase. ]
You know how you guys would sometimes catch me staring at nothing as though I was in a trance? Or talking to myself? The truth is, I was talking to someone. Someone only I could hear in my head, and that's who I got my powers from.
[ ... yeah, that's probably only giving Yuri more questions than answers, but it's a starting point? ]
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The subject matter itself, on the other hand... ]
So you've got a little buddy in there, is what you're saying?
[ Is he understanding that correctly? Shez is talking about having a roommate in his body who comes with handy little perks and chats him up? It is absolutely among the stranger things he's heard, but Shez is right that Kenos has upped his threshold for oddities. Some of what transpires here would be impossible back home.
Or, at least, to the best of his knowledge. ]
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... y'know, that has to be one of the weirdest ways to talk about a topic that's weird enough on its own.
[ But there's no real judgement in his tone, just the need to punctuate his surprise. In all truth, it's not like Shez himself has any idea how he would react to this kind of reveal, had he not witnessed it in the flesh. ]
But yeah, I did. Their name was Arval, and they'd been around since way before I met any of you guys. Maybe even longer.
[ And there's a solid reason for his suspicions, but he'll get there in time. For now, he folds his arms over his knees and props his chin up on them, his gaze back to the ocean, as though it could aid him in fishing out memories. ]
I guess that's technically not right. I first became aware of Arval when I ran into Byleth and the rest of Jeralt's Mercenaries. They wiped my entire company, and I was staring death in the face when I heard this voice in my head, mumbling something or another about 'the cycle of this world' and before I even knew it...
[ He makes a point of showing instead of telling, with a swift and unannounced change into his Awakened form. It makes for a more immersive experience? ]
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