hadthehighground | Ryslig Inbox

Ah, you did? [The shade perks up somewhat, looking mildly interested, even though he already had something of an inkling of this fact. He may not know much about Star Wars, but he does know that the Force had some telekinetic-like aspects.]

[That and Jedi Mind tricks.]

It's a very useful ability to have, it's a shame the Fog God took it away from you... But you're right. For shades it really isn't just useful, but essential. The only other way I can interact with things is to become solid and that's...not always an option, unfortunately.

[Otherwise you can bet he sure wouldn't be a ghost half-clipping through the couch right now.]

It was useful, though there was more to it than just moving objects around.

[He sighed softly to himself. While Obi-Wan had been adapting fairly well, he still didn't feel whole without the Force.]

What do you mean it's not always an option? How can you become solid?

By focusing. Nearly all of a shade's powers stem from strength of concentration. [Which was good news for Shuichi, as that's one of the things he's best at.] If I picture my body in my mind, I'm able to condense my shadows to the point where I become solid again.

[He gives a vague sort of demonstration with his hands as he speaks, miming "condensing" something between the large, ghostly claws.]

That body doesn't quite...function the way a normal, living human body does, but it is at least corporeal. I look like myself again, and I don't have to rely on telekinesis in order to interact with the world around me. Buuttt...I can only do it in the dark, which is why it's not always an option.

[And why he's not doing it right now. Because then poor Obi-Wan would be sitting in pitch darkness thanks to the blackout curtains. And that would just be poor hospitality.]

Really. ... Would you mind showing me?

[It's not poor hospitality if someone asks, right? He's genuinely curious how this works for Shuichi.]

[The shade's eyes widen a little bit, one of them quirking downward as though there were a confused brow atop it.]

N-No, I wouldn't mind, but...there's not really going to be a whole lot for you to see. [A beat.] Unless nymphs are another species that have good low-light vision?

Not exactly. Actually, I've found that my eyesight is terrible in the dark. But, there's another reason, you will see.

[A little smile came to Obi-Wan's face. As much as changing into a nymph had been dramatic, he found he much preferred it to being a Waldgeist. And there were things he was starting to discover about his new form.]

[The "brow" quirks further, giving Shuichi's eyes an even more curious expression.]

Alright, then.

[And with that, the light switch abruptly clicks off, plunging the room into total darkness. So...what's the surprise?]

[Just as Shuichi turns off the light, Obi-Wan shrubs out of the sleeves of his cloak. The fabric pooling around his waist.

As the darkness settled, a soft glow then began to appear. The origin coming from the Jedi himself. A few leaves on the stubby “antlers” that had started to grow back. Swirling golden markings across his arms, chest, shoulders, and back. A smattering of tiny spots, like freckles, across other portions of his skin. As well as the brilliant green eyes that turned in the direction where Shuichi had been “sitting”. All of that was aglow!]

[The shades eyes (which glow even more brightly now that the lights are off) widen significantly.]

Oh, wow...! [A soft giggle.] You're kind of like a night light now, huh? That's really neat, Ben-san...

[And pretty? It's very pretty.]

[The shade's eyes resume their normal size and shape, and then "close" until they're just two very thin, upside-down crescents. even by the light of his bioluminescence, Obi-Wan will probably have a hard time making out exactly what's going on next to him. Though the darkness there does seem to become more dense for a few moments...darker and deeper. But after those few moments, a shape emerges, something solid that the nymph's light can actually reflect off of, thereby revealing its presence.]

[And that something is Shuichi's body, looking more or less the same way it did in both the dream and upon their first meeting. Completely greyscale, with straight, dark hair that has no shine to it. He's dressed in a plain white dress shirt and black pants. When he opens his eyes, they're no longer cartoonish-looking circles, but rather a normal, slightly slanted shape, framed by thick, long lashes...though still completely white and blank. That particular quality just won't go away, no matter what form he takes. His aura is still there too, though most of it is essentially invisible in the darkness. It's really only visible when it's partially obscuring the boy himself.]

See?

[Its true, Obi-Wan can’t make Shuichi out aside from those glowing eyes of his. His vision in the dark is very poor, unlike when he was a Waldgeist and he couldn’t stand out to be in the sun. It’s been quite the stark contrast. So it’s merciful that he can at least see some with his own glow, such as the table they were sitting at.]

Yes, I suppose I am.

[And you know what? He is okay with that. Being a light in the darkness. It felt like it suited him.

The Jedi then went quiet and watched as the young Shade concentrated and then began to take on a different form. Able to see a defined shape with that white shirt when he becomes solid. And solid he must be as he can see his own light on the boy.

His eyes seemed to light up a bit more in delight. Then carefully, he reached out to place a hand on Shuichi’s shoulder if he would let him. To test and see if he was actually able to touch him this time, unlike when they had been in the dreamscape.]

[He can, in fact, touch him! Though there's something kind of odd about the fabric of the shirt. The texture is right, it definitely feels like a normal cotton dress shirt...but the give of it is all wrong. Something about it just seems unnatural, as though the fabric were somehow a part of Shuichi's skin, rather than clothes being worn by him. The fabric also doesn't seem to have taken on any body heat, bur rather feels more or less the same as the air around them. Room temperature, as though the flesh that is both beneath and part of it isn't actually generating any heat of its own.]

[But aside from those two things, the contact is completely normal. The young shade glances down at his shoulder for a second, then looks back up and offers Obi-Wan a very small smile. A real smile, since now he actually has a face with which to make the expression properly.]

[Well how about that. It does feel strange, and not entirely normal, but you know what? It really doesn’t matter. There’s a bit of emotion in the Jedi’s eyes as he’s able to actually touch his young friend. A friend who had expressed such pain, loneliness and fear. For whom he had been able to do little in the way of comfort aside from using his own words. Until this moment that is.]

This is a bit late but...

[Should Shuichi allow it, Obi-Wan will pull him into an embrace. To properly give the boy a hug this time.]

[Shuichi will allow it, but the gesture clearly wasn't what he was expecting. As the Jedi wraps his arms around him, the shade's body goes completely still and stiff. But after a moment, he recovers. His body relaxes as much as something lacking muscles can relax and he slowly, hesitantly, brings his own arms up to wrap them around Obi-Wan in return.]

[For a moment Obi-Wan wonders if he had misstepped and that maybe the gesture wasn’t appreciated. But soon he realizes he may have just surprised him as Shuichi relaxes and tentatively returns the hug.

Their talk in the dreamscape seemed almost distant now, but he remembered it entirely. Did he? Regardless, the Jedi holds onto him for a few moments longer before pulling back far enough to look at Shuichi’s face with his hands on both of his shoulders.]

You are a good boy, Shuichi, and you deserve far better than what this place has given you. But please, don’t ever forget that you are not alone. That there are those who care for you.

[There was Kokichi over there who was sleeping of course, but there was also Obi-Wan. He did care for the boy turned Shade, and he wanted to make sure he knew that.]

[Shuichi looks up into the nymph's eyes once he's pulled away, but he's unable to maintain that eye contact for long. As Obi-Wan speaks, the shade sort of shies away a little, lowering his head as a very small, slightly bittersweet smile tugs the corners of his mouth.]

[Eye contact his hard. Even after all these months, sometimes it's still really hard for him to maintain. And this is one of those moments...though at least it's because he's really touched rather than because he feels inferior or ashamed. So that's...something, at least.]

[Touched, and also reminded forcibly of friends from back home...friends who also reminded him that he's not alone. That he doesn't have to try and shoulder everything by himself.]

[The shade nods.]

I don't know about deserving better, but...I won't forget that. [A slight giggle as he then corrects himself:] I can't forget that. Thank you, Ben-san. For both the reminder and...again, for helping me out of that dream I was stuck in.

[Yup, he remembers too!]

[The breaking of the eye contact didn’t bother Obi-Wan, particularly as he saw the smile on the Shade’s ghostly features. He might not know what’s going on in the boy’s mind, but he could tell enough that it wasn’t particularly bad. All Obi-Wan had wanted to do was give Shuichi some comfort. Back in the dreamscape he had been limited in his ability to do so, and now he could make up for it.

Shuichi seemed to realize that sentiment and a smile spread across the Jedi’s face as well. A gentle squeeze was given to the Shade’s shoulders before he pulled back completely.]

Of course, my young friend, you are always welcome.

[And he meant that with his utmost sincerity.]

Now, how about that tea before it gets cold?

A-Ah! Right...sorry. I didn't mean to distract you from that...

[The shade turns his head back in the direction of the light switch, which flicks itself back on. In that instant where darkness becomes light, Shuichi's body dissipates. Like a puff of smoke, he's suddenly nothing but shadows hovering in a seated position over the couch again.]

[Obi-Wan just has to laugh at Shuichi's apology. A clearly amused expression on his face as the lights came back on.]

Shuichi there is no need to apologize, but I didn't want your tea to go to waste either.

[Picking it up, he takes a sip and finds that its still plenty warm.]

It's good too. The teas here are a bit different where I'm from, and I haven't tried many of them yet.

Oh, um... [The shade gives a nervous little laugh, raising an overly large, shadowy claw to rub at the back of his neck.] Well you didn't need to worry about that. I can't drink or eat any more, after all.

[Which explains why he only brought one mug out with him.]

But it's the same for me...there are plenty of teas here that are similar to ones in my world, but there are just as many that seem to be completely absent here. But it was nice to try all the different varieties here, when I still could!

Ah, yes, I suppose that's true.

[He hadn't quite thought about that yet, but it did make sense. It also made Obi-Wan wonder if his way of eating and such would be altered. He hadn't been a nymph long enough to really be sure.]

Well, if an occasion ever comes that you can have tea again, I will have you try the blend I made from wild herbs.

Mm! [He nods.] I will, if that time comes. Which...I guess isn't totally impossible, given that it happened once already, thanks to the poachers...

[As much as he hopes they've been put out of business for good...maybe someone else will find a way of changing a person's monster type further along down the line. Shuichi can only hope.]

[Hm, the poachers. They had created quite a bit of harm with all of their activities. This likely wasn't going to be the last they would see of them, though he hoped they would be down for quite some time. Though he doesn't particularly want to go into details about what happened to him recently, so he instead focuses on his young friend while he sips at his tea.]

So tell me, Shuichi. Aside from the incident with the poachers, how has life been for you since we last spoke?

[He had learned a great deal about Shuichi's past thanks to the dreamscape, but didn't know much about what he did with his time here.]

[Shuichi is more than happy not to talk about the poachers. He was lucky enough to not be taken, but the latest mess has still impacted him. Taking care of Kokichi has been hard...not in the sense that it's particularly difficult for him to do, but rather it's just been hard for him to see the damage they did to his closest friend.]

It's been pretty uneventful apart from that, not that I'm complaining. I'm more than happy with uneventful. Mostly I've just been working and spending time at the library or with Oma-kun.

[The answer is not much. He does not do much with his time here, Obi-Wan. Shuichi is kind of a boring kid.]

Is that all?

[Obi-Wan is a bit surprised at the uneventful life that Shuichi seemed to be leading. The Jedi’s time here has been full of things going on that he could barely keep up with it. Though the boy deserved a more quiet life after what he had endured in his past.]

I would have thought you would have more friends. There is no lack of young monsters here, after all.

[The shade's shoulders seem to sag a little bit, but he recovers quickly and gives a feeble little chuckle.]

I've...never been a particularly outgoing person, I guess. [More like the exact opposite. He's almost debilitatingly shy, on top of being the sort of person who doesn't like to bother other people. He's trying to get better about it, but his friend circle is still pretty small.] I do have some friends that I've met here, we just...don't spend as much time together.

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