Staring Away from the Abyss

Staring Away from the Abyss
Date of Scene:	16 March 2013
Location:	Traverse Area - Bodhum - Beach
Synopsis:	Some memories are to be left sealed away. Faruja finds this out the hard way.
Cast of Characters:	Faruja Senra, Sanel

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Sanel has posed:
It's a peaceful day at the beach.

This beach, which was likely once a prominent area for bathing during the day and night has been a permanent resident of the eternally night town. The Bodhum Beach is not without its beauty. Through the scattered lights are the tropical trees, whisked around by the wind.

At the shoreline of the beach is a little boy with an oversized blue coat. His boots are removed, leaving him barefooted. As the water continues to travel along his toes, the boy gazes up towards the sky.

"o/~ Where are you, my light? Farther from my hand?
o/~ I reach out to you and... call you to my arms.
o/~ For that day that you will stay with me tonight...
o/~ And guard me from the darkness that haunts me.... o/~

Faruja Senra has posed:
~Some Hours Ago~

Faruja had led a contingent of Church warriors, all quite intent on assisting the brave souls endeavoring to save Manhattan. Unfortunately, fate was not to be kind. The Heartless swarmed out of nowhere, harrying the holy men and women of the Church as well as the civilians who fled to the safety of their spells and blades. Outnumbered severely, Templar and Priest alike stood their ground, defending against the unholy creatures. While several fell, and all were wounded, not a single innocent soul was devoured. The Heartless died, and Faruja knew they were in no shape to fight. After confirmation with his superiors, they had no choice indeed; regroup, and recover. Get the civilians to safety. Manhattan would rise or fall by the actions of a few alone, and it grated at Faruja despite his wounds.

~ Several Hours Later ~ Limping along, with a spear as a crutch, the ratling comes across the beach. He'd been ordered to take a walk, and so the Templar has. Spying a figure, and a familiar voice, he approaches slowly. A shiver runs through him...then warmth. Old nightmares, and new friendships juxtaposed in one person. Sanel is still very much a mystery to the Templar.

"...Beautiful, Ser Sanel." Comments the Templar as he makes his way closer, bandaged heavily and lacking his usual armor. From the looks of things, his ankle's been twisted severely, utterly taking him out of the fight.

Sanel has posed:
 !

Sanel turns to face the directon where the voice comes from. Tilting his head over to the bandaged templar, Sanel looks at him closely. Blink. Blink.

Sanel beams and then he runs over towards Faruja.

And of course, the nezumi will receive none other than an extremely tight hug from the young boy. The boy is eaming happily. "Sanel is happy to see Snow Mouse King!"

Faruja Senra has posed:
Faruja can almost feel it coming. Slowly, a smile eeks its way onto his muzzle. Yes, he knows that look. A tail curls up between his knees, for a moment feeling like a trapped prey animal.

"Ahh...Sanel. My dear, dear friend. Please do not..."

Too slow. The beaming figure comes rushing over, and catches him up in a tight bearhug. At first, the rat merely stiffens. Then, a horrific squeak of pain exits his muzzle, wiggling in the boy's grasp. "Augh! S...Sanel! OHFARAMMYRIBS! Gentle! GENTLE, please!"

"I...'Tis a pleasure...ow, that shouldn't be moving that way!...to see you as well!"

Sanel has posed:
After the poor burmecian was given the Hug of Death by Sanel, the boy hears his request. At first, Sanel gives a very confused look, canting his head to the side. After a few moments of processing his request, Sanel slowly loosens his grip with a chiming, "Okay!"

Sanel looks pretty pleased to see his friend.

He looks up at Faruja after settling the rodent down. "Sanel was just lookin at the sky. ... Sanel finds it quiet here." He moves towards the shore once more. Then, Sanel looks at Faruja, "...Snow Mouse King is hurt." Then, Sanel gives angry face. "Who does Sanel have to punish?"

Faruja Senra has posed:
Gasp! Faruja takes a few moments to catch his breath after being crushed in a hug. Despite the pain, he manages a smile. Sanel is very much like a puppy; happy, affectionate, and utterly impossible to remain angry at.

"Much obliged, dear Sanel. Ahh, yes, 'tis quite relaxing. While I could do without the wind, should one but add a gazebo, and 'twould be most beautiful I think."

Blinking, the rat sighs, shaking his head. A hand goes to pat Sanel's shoulder. "'Twas the Heartless. My companions and I were attacked. We managed to destroy the demons, however..." He trails off, indicating the extra bandages. "They have already received righteous Judgement."

Soon, the rat sits upon the sand slowly. "...Where did you learn that song, Sanel?"

Sanel has posed:
An innocent puppy!

The boy looks over towards Faruja, listening to him. He keeps canting his head from side to side in a more musical manner. In a way, he has his own tune in his head. However, when the hand rests on his shoulders, Sanel manages a giggle.

"Oh, okay! Sanel does not have to punish anyone!"

Regarding the song, Sanel pauses. "... Sanel does not remember! Sanel does not remember anything. Sanel was just singing moments ago, but... that is it! Sanel thinks that there is more to the song..."

Then, there is an uncomfortable pause. His expression becomes more downcast. "... Sanel does not want to remember."

Faruja Senra has posed:
Sigh. Good! No rampaging Sanel's. That is the last thing he'd need! An angry super-strong child raging at every possible place where a Heartless could hide!

If anything, he'd just point the boy towards Alexandria. "Some memories, though painful, serve as reminders of lessons. Not all knowledge comes painlessly." Begins the Templar, looking over to the boy. He waves his hand next to him, offering a seat in the sand.

"...And yet, some others may truly be best forgotten. Sanel. What was the first thing you can remember, my friend? 'Tis a strange question, I know..."

A pause. Should he really do this? Poke and prod to see if that monster he saw so many months ago is really this boy? "However, 'tis extremely important."

Sanel has posed:
Tilting his head over, Sanel looks at Faruja as he explains the purpose of the memories. Soon, he turns away from the burmecian. Instead, he decides to stare at the moon while stepping deeper towrds the ocean, letting his toes bury itself into the sand.

As the eye lifts up, Sanel furrows his eyebrows.

"...Sanel remembers waking up to a snow flake dropping on his nose. This place was where Sanel woke up at." Pause. "...Sanel somewhat remembers a whisper. 'Winter. Mission.'." He runs his hands along his shoulders, now shivering. "....Sanel does not remember beyond that."

Faruja Senra has posed:
A frown is etched on his muzzle. "...No memories of parents, a home, loved ones, or friends?" Faruja's voice is tinged with sadness. To not know all of the things any person should, to never feel the love of a parent, to forget the joy of friends, or the comfort of a safe home...the rat curses the lack of memories, before recalling the blood soaked ice.

Perhaps it was a worthy sacrifice, to create the kindly boy before him. "Church of Glabados...Ajora...Faram? Do these words bring forth any memories, Sanel?"

Sanel has posed:
Friend? Parents? Home?

Sanel blinks for a few moments, "...Sanel does not remember anything. Parents." The boy gives Faruja a smile, "Sanel just remembers waking up at this beach. Snow fell around him ad touched his nose" He giggles. In fact, he begins skipping from one part of the shore to the next.

However, he stops to face Faruja.

"..." Sanel's eyes lower as he glances over towards Faruja. He squints, as if trying to recall if any of those words come before him.

'Friends...? Ajora? Faram... Glabados.'

For a brief moment, Sanel's gaze lowers towards the ground and his head clutches his heart.

~ A smile of a beautiful woman in her late-teens. She is wearing a priestess's robe. ~

A brief moment... Faruja can see that visible eye widen as a hand rests along his forehead.

"Silence." This time, the tone isn't so cheery.

Faruja Senra has posed:
Faruja almost breathes a sigh of relief as the boy starts skipping off. Maybe this boy was simply some twin, some anomaly of the world's tearing. Not that horrific monster in his memories. A smile starts to come to his muzzle, opening to offer some dismissive gesture.

'Silence.' Faruja's eye narrows briefly. Silence indeed reigns for a moment. "...Pardon?" He replies quietly, if hesitantly. The rat doesn't /want/ to prod, but knows he must. Not enough to harm the boy. But just enough to know the truth. Or at least, that's his intention.

Sanel has posed:
In that brief moment, silence stills the air. It is then that the mouse is guarded. There is the urge, that very urge, to silence the templar permanently. Something deep down lingers.

However, as the tension lingers on, Sanel....

...drops to both knees.

Now, the boy is panicked. "Sanel does not want to remember. Sanel does not want to remember more." The hands immediately clutch his head. "Sanel is scared. Sanel is scared."

Faruja Senra has posed:
All of the tension bleeds away as Sanel drops to his knees. Concern overwhelms caution, and the rat rushes to the boy's side. An arm wraps about him, hugging him to his chest much like how own father would whenever he was upset. Gentle, the ratling whispers to Sanel.

"Shh! Shhh! 'Tis alright Sanel, please, calm thyself. No more. No more memories. There is no need to remember. Calm, dear boy. Calm my friend. 'Tis alright." Comforts the Templar.

"...Forgive me."

Sanel has posed:
Sniffle.

Sanel's gaze drops to the ground, no longer observing or looking at anything. In fact, everything is blank around him except for his own reflection. In that instant, Sanel can see a reflection of himself...

...Staring coldly at him.

Sanel shakes his head, turning his attention away until Faruja manages to calm him with an embrace. As he finally stops thrashing, Sanel looks down.

"...Sanel does not remember. Sanel is scared. Memories feel... bad. Very bad. It's dark. No light."

Faruja Senra has posed:
A handkerchief dries the boy's tears, Faruja forcing a smile to his muzzle; small and warm. Inwardly, he trembles. He knows that voice. It had all of the chill of the grave. Somewhere, deep inside Sanel, lurks the horror he'd come face to face with. He'll be damned if he so casually allows it freedom. Not at the cost of this young boy.

"...Then may they forever remain buried. Come, Sanel. 'Tis rather cold out, we shall both catch our death out here! What say you to some hot chocolate and dinner, hmm? My treat, over a warm fire. There is a most /wonderful/ recipe I know. 'Twas my Mother's." Standing, he offers a hand to help Sanel up, if he takes it.

Sanel has posed:
The truth is now known. The innocent, happy, smiling boy is indeed the terrible monster that turned an entire village into a frigid tomb. Men, women, and children slaughtered by the horror inside of him. However, those memories are locked in a dark place that the boy wishes to never explore.

It is then that the boy is helped up by the nezumi. He looks up at him with a curious glance. "But Sanel feels fine. It's not too cold." Then, he thinks, "Sanel does not like it when it becomes too hot. Sanel becomes weak."

Yet, when he is offered hot chocolate and dinner.

"Nnn! Sanel likes hot chocolte!" The little boy leans against Faruja, clinging onto his arm happily.

Faruja Senra has posed:
Cling! Faruja has a boy attached to him. Reaching out, he ruffles the boy's hair, trying to not remember frozen houses and hung corpses. All of that delightful innocence, forever marred in the rat's vision for the vile truth beneath.

It's his duty to protect the innocent. If Faruja must protect Sanel from himself? Then so be it. A small chuckle, and a shake of the head. "Then we shall skip the fire, think naught of it. Come, come, let us go! I shall tell thee of Burmecia on the way to the hotel. Just /imagine, Sanel! A city where it rains all but three days a year! Acqueducts and fountains as far as the eye can see!" Starts off the rat as he gently leads the boy away from the beach.

The shivers all the way, and not from the chill.