paradisalogs | Screws Loose in the Cuckoo [ Open ]

Who: Felix, Ashura - OPEN to anyone who wants to come see them
What: Ashura is caring for Felix while he is currently insane and has brought him outside for some fresh air
When: Afternoonish
Where: The gardens
Rating: PG (PG-13 is someone has a potty-mouth?)

As a child, Ashura had aided his mother in her gardens, helping her pull weeds, plant new blooms, water them, and everything in between. When he had taken the weight of the crown, he found himself with far less time to tend the gardens as his more Earth inclined mother had. They never had quite the same color and luster after her death, as if they sensed her absence and quietly mourned. Perhaps that was why he had taken to the gardens so much here, going back to his childhood, where he had no crown, no responsibility.

Looking over though, he was not yet free of responsibility.

Felix could not be trusted alone, not with his madness. That being the case, Ashura had taken over his care, or as much as he needed. He could have left it to someone else, simple made a wish for the Castle to do it or give him off to Howl or anyone else. But despite their falling out, despite the pain the man had caused him.... he still loved him. And the thought of someone else caring for him for any great length of time galled him, made him fret. And a part of him hoped it was his care and the love he still felt that might save him... if he could be saved at all. And that thought kept him up at night, more than one night. Every night.

He shook his head and went back to tending his patch of flowers he had planted some months ago, working out weeds and dead growths, always keeping part of his attention on Felix. He didn't need the other running off or suddenly going berserk again. He might be currently not in his right mind, but his magic seemed to work well enough - a bad combo. But for now, with such a beautiful day, all seemed to be well, and he would count his blessings for that as his fingers worked at the dirt.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

While his mind was far from calm, Felix himself was doing far better than he had when all this had started. Although he could not voice it, being outside of the castle walls seems to make a small difference in his clarity. He could even look at Ashura now again and see him without the head of the phoenix, though the miasma of blue melancholy and pain hovered around him at all times, and Felix knew that most of that was his fault, though he could not quite put a finger on why.

For the moment, he was occupied by deep contemplation of a stand of delicate crocus flowers, his fingers gently reaching out to inspect their petals as he tried in vain to remember what it was called.

Utena had long avoided Paradisa's gardens. It's not as if she disliked the outdoors, or had any lack of interest towards plants and flowers; far from it, in fact. However, they reminded her of something she could not have. The sweet scent brought to mind roses of every color, the kind that grew in a greenhouse she visited often when she was at school, before the castle had dragged her away. However, try as she might, she could barely remember the greenhouse proper, other than the fact that it was a refuge of sorts. She was left with nothing more than memories of a memory, the faint knowledge that it existed, and while she had once hoped that the gardens would help her recall what she had forgotten, it was not long before she was forced to accept the futility of her plan.

But now, after all the loss of her friends and the grim atmosphere left behind by the Gentleman, Utena found herself in the gardens once more. Call it foolishness, call it nostalgia, but a part of her longed for something familiar, even if the familiarity was weak. She knew, of course, that it would never replace her greenhouse, but perhaps she could enjoy this place on its own merits.

She wanders aimlessly through the flowers, her mind numb as she focuses on her senses, the warmth of the sunlight and the coolness of the breeze, the scent of the earth and the plants around her. Then, she spots a familiar flash of bright red hair. Now alert, she jerks her head up and quickens her pace, approaching Felix. Felix... just what has that wizard been up to? Utena had yet to hear the story behind his ill-fated experiment; all she knew is that he had been scarce after their last meeting. Was he alright? Or had his mood taken a turn for the worst?

"Mister Harrowgate?"

Ashura looked up when he heard someone call for Felix, instantly on guard. Felix's moods had gotten better, but he could be unpredictable at times. At least being outside he seemed more tempered. He did not rise to stop the girl, but he kept his eyes on her, the guardian from afar. But, he thought it best to warn her, steal here for the possible lack of coherency that would come from Felix.

"He is not himself, I am afraid," Ashura called to her from his patch of flowers, fingers stained with dirt. "I brought him outside to see if the fresh air might help him. Speak with him, if you like, but... I cannot promise what he might say or do." He shook his head, a part of him tense in case Felix did something like try to hurt the girl. Such out bursts were rare in the day, at least.

Utena jerks her head towards the king, her eyes on him instead of Felix for now. They had met only once, and briefly, during preparations for the expedition that took place at the end of April. On its own the event wouldn't have been memorable (and truth be told, she had nearly forgotten about him) but his strange appearance and regal demeanor made an impression that was impossible to vanish completely. She simply needed a reminder.

However, her main concern is still Felix. Her first instinct is to ask what he means, to demand an answer, but when she opens her mouth, she thinks better of it. While she still has questions, she decides that it might be best to ask them privately, when Felix is out of sight. So instead, she meets Ashura's gaze and gives him a firm nod.

"Thank you," she says, undeterred by the warning. "I-"

Won't hold it against him?

"...I'll keep that in mind."

Her main concern might be Felix, but so was Ashura's - for a variety of reasons. Felix... had not been himself, and he was sure that Felix saw some sort of monster whenever he looked at him. He thought Felix had enough sense to know that was not truly Ashura now, but one could never be quite sure...

"He will say strange things, perhaps," he continued, rising now and taking a small towel to wipe his hands of the dirt. "And if he begins to act terrified, I please need you to back away and let him calm down."

A panicked Felix was not something he wanted to deal with - nor anyone, he suspected. And his protectiveness of his former lover was coming out in this delicate time. He did not say his words harshly, but he meant them, nodding towards the red head.

"Though, for all I know, he might see you simply as you are..."

She nodded along, attentive to every word. While he hadn't scared her off, his warnings sent a chill down her spine. Just what had happened to Felix Harrowgate?

Its his last statement, though, that caught her attention more than anything. Her posture stiffened and her eyes widened, and she said, "Wait a minute. Just-"

She spared a brief glance to Felix, and recalled her original plan to ask about his state of mind later, to save him some kind of dignity. However, that no longer seemed as important as it did a moment ago. She quickly turned her attention back to Ashura, and when she spoke again, her tone was quiet, but rushed.

"What do you mean, 'as you are'?"

He bit his lip, afraid he had said to much, but it was only fair warning and truthfully what else could he say? If Felix cried out when she approached and declared her some sort of creature, there would need to be explanation.

"I think he dreams sometimes, while waking. It translates over us, making us the things in his dreams," he said, figuring that would gentler than something like "he's gone insane and I do not know how to fix it". "But only sometimes. I just thought... he does not need a panicked reaction now, or rash movement." Like a startled animal, it was best to approach Felix with care in Ashura's opinion.

He hadn't yet been able to explain to anyone what had happened to him. The knowledge of why he was this way resided like a thorny hedge somewhere in his mind, that was hard to broach and impossible to get past without causing himself immense pain. The only certitude he could muster was that the castle was angry at him for something, so that he lived in flinching fear of it at all times. Much like when Keeper was angry, the only you could do was to keep your head down and keep quiet and maybe, if you were lucky, Keeper would forget about you.

For now he doesn't seem to notice Utena, though in truth he's choosing to focus on the flowers rather than the buzz of conversation a few feet away.

Screws Loose in the Cuckoo [ Open ]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject