MASKTOURN

Moving from the refectory to the square outside was a nice enough change of pace, and Kenji stuck closer to the far side as he hung idly back. Something about the stage on the other side left a nagging feeling in his stomach. He’d already eaten, a little at least, so he settles for simply watching the gathered crowd with a half-full wine glass in one hand. He hadn’t opted to return to his room, so he’s still dressed relatively casually, but despite the mask blocking his eyes the scarring and damage on the lower half of his face would be unmistakable. He looks older, though—worn and tired, yet seemingly not uncomfortable here in this place. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni was walking away from the stage, along the outskirts of the square. Perhaps he would grab something to drink. He lifted his head to see the figure he was walking towards. He paused, a little taken aback by his appearance. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

Kenji, noticing the feeling of eyes on him, frowns as he glances around. Once he spots Aarni, his mask hides most of his surprise, but he visibly straightens up and moves to meet him halfway. He’s hesitant, seeming like he’s unsure of something, but holding it back. After a moment, though, all he says is, “…..Aarni?” @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni blinks and almost steps away from the imposing figure as he approached him, but something was disturbingly familiar about him, but at the same time not. Just like Raegan had been... Aarni stands nervously in front of Kenji, seeing the other had something to say. When he heard his own name pronounced by the other, his eyes widened behind his mask. The voice was also familiar. "Ken...Kenji?" He said hesitantly, but became more certain about his hunch afrerwards. Albanes had mentioned he was here, and if there were people from different times of life, Kenji could well be from the future. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

Kenji couldn’t remember the most recent time he’d seen Aarni, exactly, but he was decently sure he hadn’t been around the same age as when they’d first met. But even still, even with the mask, it was definitely Aarni. “Yes, it’s..” He has no idea how to even begin the questions bubbling up. “It’s me, but how are you….” He sort of halfheartedly gestures, his hand dropping to his side. “It’s been years.” @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni blinked again, though Kenji wouldn't see. He relaxed, and smiled tentatively. "Ten years? Huh, you've, uh, grown", Aarni hummed, glancing at the horns. "It's only been a year for me since the island. There are people from different times and timelines here, I've learned." @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

“Closer to twenty, for me,” Kenji sighs, running a hand through his hair, and though he notices Aarni’s glance at his horns he doesn’t mention it. Different times is a lot to process, let alone different timelines. “Though it’s been less than that since I’ve seen you. Have you seen Albanes? I’m..pretty sure we’re from the same..point in time.” (Though now that he’s saying it out loud, he sounds just a little bit unsure.) @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Oh really? That's.. nice that we've been keeping in touch.." this time fuckery sure was confusing. "Were you at Albanes and Maddy's wedding too?" He turned to point towards the stage. "She's there with the other Lifebringer. I just had a chat with her." @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

He smiles at that, scars twisting around the action. “I was. We thought she forgot to invite us at first, but it all worked out in the end. The three of you came to mine and Jax’s wedding too.” Following Aarni’s gesture to the stage, the mention of the other Lifebringer seems to set him on edge momentarily. “I..probably should leave them be, then. How did it go?” @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"You and Jax?" Aarni smiled brighter. "Aww heck, that's so good to hear you two got happily together, heh." Aarni had half a mind to ask if he himself ever got a boyfriend or anyone, but he held the question back. Maybe he didn't want to spoil that for himself. "Hmm, Albanes seems... sad, and distant. Much more er, hm... passive? Than before... She didn't want to answer all my questions, or she couldn't, but we did talk about a bunch of stuff. She's also very worried about us and doesn't want us to get in trouble with Naiyta." @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

“It took us a few years to get our lives in order after leaving the island, but we didn’t wait too long after that,” Kenji chuckles softly, though it’s tinged with a faint amount of sadness. “She seemed a bit like that too when I came here to speak with her originally. Moreso resigned, though, I guess. But if she can’t answer about certain things then that’s maybe it’s for the best. I don’t want to get into any trouble with them either.” Just the thought makes his stomach roll, visible through the grimace on his face. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"That's great, I'm happy for you", Aarni said, although, he sensed the melancholy in Kenji's voice. "That's probably a better word for it. I have gotten a lot of practice, but I'm still not great at English", Aarni admitted. "Hmm, and yeah, I don't know much about it yet, but Albanes stressed how unpredictable Naiyta is, so yeah. I get that she's worried", he sighed. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫 (edited)

“Did she not want for this to happen, then?” Kenji asks, a little bit hesitant about the hopefulness that brings. “She said… The last thing that I remember her telling me was that I would be safe here, and I couldn’t..really understand why she would lie to me. But maybe that’s why Reagan said everything would be okay.” Despite everything he’s saying, strangely enough he doesn’t appear or even sound all that worried. In fact, it sounds very clearly that he believes what Reagan had told him. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"This tournament was Naiyta's idea, and Albanes said many times she didn't want me to be here. Naiyta picked the contestants, I'm pretty sure", Aarni explained, but glanced at Kenji more keenly. "Do you mean.. you have problems with your memory?" @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

Naitya’s idea. Naitya picked the contestants. He’d never met them, yet every time they were brought up his heartbeat raced in his ears. Luckily or unluckily for him, it only half-shows with the mask. “I.. No, that’s not what I meant, I just.. I came here to talk to Albanes, and I did, and then I must have stayed the night because I woke up here. I agreed to let her help me. I remember all of that.” It kind of sounds like he’s trying to convince himself without even being aware of that fact. “Even if it’s longer than I thought it still can’t have been more than a couple days.” @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni's brows scrunched a bit. "You... came to talk to her? You weren't taken by a flaming ghost? You are still competing, right?" @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

“Yes, I did, and no, I wasn’t, and.. I’m pretty sure I am,” Kenji rattles off, addressing each question at once. “I mean.. I know it will work out, and I still trust Albanes, but..someone else who’s here had to tell me what’s going on. If Albanes thinks it can help me I guess…” He trails off with a shrug. Evidently that’s enough of a reason not to worry for him. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"How did you come here, then?" Aarni crossed his arms and tilted his head questioningly. "Help with.. what exactly?" @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

“On my own. Albanes gave me directions years ago, but things were so busy I never really managed to visit until the wedding, and then Jax and I were busy with my family, and..” Someone didn’t want him to go. Why? Jax would have understood, and it wouldn’t have mattered to Blue and his own siblings all that much. Kenji frowns uncomfortably behind the mask. “Just..help. She’d been able to help me before. I knew that. She- She helped me on the island, I think..” @Twig | Seki / Aarni (edited)

"Directions... to Laputa? Or Loucari?" Aarni frowned slightly, puzzled. "Hm.. I'm not going to ask if you don't want to tell, but you know you don't have to keep your 'parasite' secret from me", he said, lifting his left hand that he had wrapped in black strip of cloth. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

“To both, technically,” Kenji nods, twisting his hands together, “though I never really got around to Laputa more than once either.“ As Aarni continues, though, he frowns, and a weird expression crosses his face. It looks almost pained, for a moment, before it’s overwritten by sheer confusion. “My— What? Parasite? I don’t— I’m not sick, or- or anything like that….” @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni seemed similarly confused. "Uh. That's how you called her before, y'know. Your.. er." He gestured with his hand, trying to find suitable words. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫 (edited)

Kenji shakes his head, wincing slightly at the action and hand reaching up to grip the amethyst crystal hanging low around his neck almost like an anxious comfort. “Her?? Aarni, I don’t— What are you talking about?” (Something is screaming at him in the back of his mind. Then it is quieted, and it hurts no longer.) @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni frowns. Something's clearly not right with Kenji. He looks at the crystal, narrows his eyes, and thinks. Kenji had asked Albanes for help for something, and Aarni had a feeling he might know what it could've been. Should he probe more? Would it harm Kenji? He looked at Kenji's masked eyes anxiously, shifting a little. "Amara", he said slowly, hesitantly. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

“I.. I don’t—“ The pressure that has been slowly, steadily growing behind his eyes blossoms into a sharp, gnarled knot, sudden and harsh waves of pain spiraling across his entire head and spiking into his right, golden, eye. A pity it’s hidden by the mask. Kenji staggers, slightly, with a short gasp and nearly doubles over. He gropes through half-spotty vision for the wall nearest him to keep balance as his chest tightens in time with the clawing pulses. It hurts to think, and he struggles for breath enough to reply. Like his body refuses to listen to him. Where had this come from? This was nothing like the near-constant dull headache he was so used to. Beyond the agonizing pain, deep-seated wrongness weighs his very bones, and for the sheer life of him he can’t figure out why. @Twig | Seki / Aarni (edited)

Aarni jumped, lifting his hands to catch Kanji since it seemed he was about to fall. He grabs Kenji by the armpits and leads him to the wall. "Sorry, sorry! I shouldn't have said it, should I? Do you need to sit down? Should I call Albs to heal you?" he babbled anxiously. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

He would have flinched at the sudden touch if he’d been able to think around the pain. The wall helps a bit, but most of his weight sags against Aarni, and his head droops to hang down in front of him. At least he’s breathing normally now. Thought Aarni’s questions seem to go in one ear and out the other at first. The headache comes and goes in rolling waves, aching through his jaw and still partially blurring his vision. “I… What…” His voice is shaky at best, and the words take a moment to wrap around his mouth. “Wh-What was that—“ @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"I... don't know... I think I called her out and that hurt you? I'm sorry, really, should you sit down?" Aarni does his best to not let the man collapse on the floor, but his arms are faintly trembling from his weight. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

“Mmmaybe,” Kenji murmurs, though between the dizziness and spotty sight and pouding force behind his eyes, they might want to move quickly. But he still doesn’t understand at all, and that almost makes him more nauseous than the pain does. “Whho’s… I d’nno that name…” @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"It's okay, um, I don't think I should say any more about that. Don't worry about it. I'll ask Albanes about it later. Do you think we should get her now? You don't look so good."

He’s definitely worrying about it. But he’s coherent enough to take the hint, and doesn’t push it. The headache isn’t receding, every part of his body seems to ache alongside it, and his blurry vision still hasn’t begun to clear. Even though there’s an uncomfortable twist in his gut at the thought of asking Albanes for more help (at least, that’s what he thinks it’s about), it…might be necessary. Kenji nods faintly, and then squeezes his eyes shut with a grimace as the next wave digs its claws in again at the movement. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

He’s definitely worrying about it. But he’s coherent enough to take the hint, and doesn’t push it. The headache isn’t receding, every part of his body seems to ache alongside it, and his blurry vision still hasn’t begun to clear. Even though there’s an uncomfortable twist in his gut at the thought of asking Albanes for more help (at least, that’s what he thinks it’s about), it…might be necessary. Kenji nods faintly, and then squeezes his eyes shut with a grimace as the next wave digs its claws in again at the movement. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Okay, hold onto me..." Aarni took Kenji's arm over his shoulder and becan dragging him towards the stage."