Double Vision [Clyde]

[Flynn Maidrus]

Flynn chuckled as Clyde looked around, his gaze traveling past her. The tavern was quite loud with all the chattering and drunken, bawdy singing accompaniment along with the musician’s fiddle. She found all this quite charming. Materializing again, she swept past an especially drunken group, and Soul Projected a gold coin out of a man’s pocket and projected it along the floor. Flynn sat adjacent to Clyde instead of across from him, and hid the coin under her foot. The few who noticed the coin’s shine among the crowd of feet dismissed it as a drunken image. She made herself comfortable in her chair, relaxing completely. This tavern was nostalgic and it seemed nothing had changed. In the corner of the room, a man leered at a barmaid and was about to reach up her skirt and after some deliberation Flynn Soul Projected the chair to tip over. The man spewed and sputtered a stream of curses while his buddies were laughing. Really, some men were predictable as ever. How the waitresses could stand this she never understood. But she giggled, pleased, and turned her gaze to Clyde.

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde settled in his seat, and watched as the odd shimmer he had seen in the air, turned more visible, and became clearly the woman he had met earlier. Though she still looked a bit odd, especially in the flicker of the candle lights within, and the occasional flicker of the form of the woman... He wracked his mind for a bit, trying to think what she was.... But he just could not recall the fact from his mind... He was sure he knew, and it was on the tip of his head, or whatever body part it was supposed to be... He was sure as soon as someone told it to him, he would remember it all... As the ale he had ordered arrived, he sipped at it, tasting its odd bittersweet flavor. This ale as most was not that strong alcohol wise, but it was filling, a good way to balance out a meal. Clyde gave a small smile, seeing the woman giggle over such a simple thing as a man falling out of a chair. His life had been far to busy lately for him to be able to find cheer in such simple things. He could not recall the last time he had... But no, he had come here for a reason, and he needed to learn what he had come to learn... "So... You said you had a long story to tell me... So would you like to know tell me your story, and tell me what exactly you are? We are all settled, and I am ready to listen for a good while." Having said this, he looked over at her expectantly, waiting to hear what she would say.

[Flynn Maidrus]

Flynn fidgeted under Clyde's attention. Jeez, so expectant. No, she couldn't talk about Quis. That was a given. Many people swapped tales with her, many had talked to her about their life because they needed someone else to know. She had never really told anyone the context of her death, most knowing not to pry. Flynn took a few more moments to collect herself. "I'm... ah, one of the incorporeal. At the age of ten, I ran away from my parents. They... they, in their own way, were kind of despondent and smothering at the same time. Kind of absentmindedly caging us... me. Emotionally abusive when they remembered I exist, yet they thought they were better than everything. I was prideful and stubborn, I couldn't take that. So I ran away," here she took a deep breath, "to the outskirts of Ravok. I lived like that for a couple years, until a merchant came by ship onto the Docks," Flynn violently shuddered and her eyes momentarily unfocused, seeing flashbacks. Bloody hell. No need to get all jittery because of some stupid retelling of your life story, dear. She winced and pinched the bridge of her nose. Stupid. Stupid, don't blame yourself for a death that was never your fault. Those kinds of things never end well. With shuddering breath she continued, "The merchant... the merchant who came to the dock, yeah? He took me under his wing as his bodyguard at knifepoint. He was eccentric. And nice, and..." she laughed and shook her head. "I traveled with his caravan, or merchant's group, or whatever. Best years of my life, you know how long that lasts. Or not. I wanted to go, make a life of my own, seek adventure. I knew how long happiness lasts before disaster strikes. So I left. And now I don't know if he's even alive or not. I left and I died... I can't even remember how. But that's why I'm here, I think. Last regret of a ghost, I guess."

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde sat and listened to the see through woman's tale of woe, nodding on occasion to signify understanding, and giving a grimace or two at the sad parts in the story. He took in as much as he could, finding the tale interesting, and even seeing some similarities to himself... Which he was happy not to dwell on... In fact his entire response to the story was very normal, up until the very end when Flynn mentioned the word "ghost." Clyde jumped up from his seat, obviously excited, and spoke a bit louder than was probably a good idea to at the moment. "Ghost! That is the word, it was on the tip of my tongue, but I could not recall till you said it!" Realizing he had made a bit of an outburst, he looked around, seeing several people angrily eying him, including one person that had slopped his ale down his front from jumping at Clyde's exclamation from his sudden realization. But he was right to be happy, even if he showed it a bit to much. The single word of "ghost" had stirred his memories, and he recalled hearing tales of beings who had refused to die, ones that were angry souls held to this world by a need to do something, meet someone... Various things for which they could not move on like most souls did once they died in there mortal body... He had also heard tales of possessions by angry spirits, some that killed people out of there rage for death, that could snuff the life out of you in a blink of an eye as easy as one would snuff a candle flame, or that ate babies in there beds... Though perhaps some of those things were exaggerations... He also recalled another fuzzy memory, one of meeting another ghost... Of being controlled by it... Then he had created a great bolt of lightning... And the next thing he knew he had woken up in pain on the ground... Muttering to himself, he spoke quietly this time, barely audible over the words of the other patrons, and surely only just possible for Flynn to hear him so near... "I have met a ghost before... I had forgotten... When she went in me... Controlled me... And I forgot..." Clyde suddenly snapped back to attention, realizing he had zoned out in his recalling of memories, looking over at Flynn, not remembering the thing he had just whispered so quietly... "My childhood was not so great either, and my parents... They also stifled me... They would have me be just another mindless worker, learn some craft in Syliras and follow the rules... Safe and as good as dead, but safe within the walls, dead in spirit even if my body was still moving and working..." Clyde took a pause here, perhaps for dramatic effect, perhaps just to take in a breath. Sometimes it was hard to tell why he did some things, and which were completely on purpose, or even unconscious. "So I left home, went from one city to another, trying to find what I was to be... And eventually I ended up here... In Ravok.... And it seems to not be so bad, not like the controlling Syliras I grew up in... I have met many people... And I got to meet you..." He said this last bit, looking into Flynn's eyes, before a slight blush came to his cheeks and he found interest in his ale once more. He took a large sip, to have something to do, and coughed as he choked a little trying to swallow the big gulp of ale... One thing was for certain, though Clyde seemed well traveled, and he had learned many things... One of those things was not how to deal with woman, and it clearly showed in his sudden awkwardness as he said more or less that meeting Flynn was one of the good things that had come of being in Ravok.... Though it did also beg to question whether he had said it on purpose, or if it had slipped... Surely though he was not that good of an actor to be able to fake his reaction... But it was hard to tell with Clyde, and the way he was.

[Flynn Maidrus]

“Ghost! That is the word, it was on the tip of my tongue, but I could not recall till you said it!” Clyde didn’t seem the excitable type. Really, what was it about ghosts that prompted this reaction? Flynn tried to discern this from his expression until she noticed the reactions of the patrons around them and followed Clyde’s gaze. A man clumsily spilled some of his drink onto his shirt, making her quirk her lips. She flicked her eyes back to Clyde. “I have met a ghost before... I had forgotten... When she went in me... Controlled me... And I forgot...” Flynn tensed. He forgot of his Possession? How was that possible? He looked dazed, a huge flip from his earlier reaction, as if he was not quite sure of what he was saying. He didn’t seem scared of her, either. Why wasn’t he? Flynn frowned, thinking. To make him lose his memories like that... it was probably out of ill intentions. How did it Possess him out of his will? Clyde seems able-minded enough. Her frown deepened. I shouldn’t jump to any conclusions. There could be any number of reasons for this. He could have let her into his mind and she betrayed him, or he could be weary-spirited at the time. Clyde suddenly jerked, looking back up at Flynn, “My childhood was not so great either, and my parents... They also stifled me... They would have me be just another mindless worker, learn some craft in Syliras and follow the rules... Safe and as good as dead, but safe within the walls, dead in spirit even if my body was still moving and working...” She felt a flash of empathy for him, Safe is boring. No one should live and die like that. She was glad he didn’t. "So I left home, went from one city to another, trying to find what I was to be... And eventually I ended up here... In Ravok.... And it seems to not be so bad—” Ravok wasn’t so bad? What kind of hell was Syliras? “—not like the controlling Syliras I grew up in... I have met many people... And I got to meet you..." That last sentence replayed in her head. And I got to meet you... It was said almost tentatively, unsure. Flynn froze, and she was pretty sure she lost her grip on her Materialization, flickering. She could not help the flush on her cheeks and the split second of incredulity on her face. Augh, great going Flynn. There was no denying now that she had heard the implications, no playing it off like she hadn’t noticed. And he was giving her that look. Flynn carefully blanked her face, not too blank, as her flustered state tapered off, a tiny bit suspicious. Didn’t Clyde know anything about ghosts? Most were highly emotionally unstable, most were trying so hard just not to flip and lash out, they were primarily driven by regrets. Flynn tried to bore a hole into Clyde’s head with her eyes, trying to ignore the bubbling feelings of hope, trying to stamp down the tiniest bit of fondness running rampant as Clyde took too big a sip and choked on his ale. She spoke softly, “Do you really mean that?” The god Cheva is definitely up there, watching and laughing.

[Clyde Sullins]

If Clyde has known what Flynn was thinking, it would have been interesting to say the least. It did not really occur to him that it was odd to be controlled against his will, and did not know that the only reason it had been possible was that it was an extremely powerful ghost. His will had been completely swept away by the force of the possession on him. But the whole thing was rather confused in his memory, as it had all happened so fast, and then he had been forced to use magic right after, and overgave by the immense casting of reimancy... There was little to remember, even if his memories of it had been clear... It additionally would have been interesting to know what Flynn was thinking on his feelings on Syliras. In truth to most people Syliras was a good place. Quiet, monotonous, if you worked you ate, and you could make a nice quiet living. But Clyde had many bad experiences there, his main love in life of magic had been hindered, and he had not been allowed to be what he wanted to be... So it was clear why he felt so much better about Ravok, than he did on Syliras. It said a lot to his past acquaintances that meeting this ghost was such a nice thing... He had never had experience with the opposite sex, he was far to busy to do so before he settled here... He was so busy trying to act nonchalant that he did not notice how she reacted in turn... Though to be honest he did not know to much about ghosts, past the rumors and myths that everyone told children to scare them... Clyde had looked away, and had taken a swig of ale, and so did not see Flynn's stare... Though when he did look back it was to catch the end of it, of her staring at him, forcing him to look away again... When she did speak, Clyde darted his eyes back to hers, surprised at the tone, almost expecting her to be angry or to lash out at him... He was so surprised he was lost for words for a moment... When he finally was able to respond, his tongue was tangled and he had trouble being clear... “Do you really mean that?” "I... you... I was just saying... It was nice... Talking..." The rest was so garbled, little could be understood, and he quickly took an even bigger swig of ale, ending with him sputtering as he inhaled as the drink went down his throat. Making several coughs to try and clear his throat, Clyde looked back to meet her eyes, trying to speak to her, but having trouble getting the words out...

[Flynn Maidrus]

Clyde was constantly avoiding and meeting her gaze. In this situation, Flynn felt a bit like she was delirious. Really, it was nice to meet a ghost. Never, in her two years of being a ghost, was someone that nice. She supposed she missed being alive. A little suspicious, she wondered if this was a hoax, but why? Perhaps it was a conversational switch from his odd circular scars. Flynn gave out a mental sigh. Her mind was always working, trying to find angles and stories behind everything. He seemed honest enough. "I... you... I was just saying... It was nice... Talking..." It seemed to her that he did not notice her previous ruffled state, of which she was grateful. Flynn thought it was a bit comforting to see him so obviously nervous as she felt, tripping over his words and alternating between averting his gaze and making eye contact. She nearly snorted, yeah, right, he was only saying it was nice talking to her, not if he was so obviously flustered. Clyde took yet another big sip of his drink, and choking yet again. You’d think he’d learned his lesson. After several coughs, he looked like he was trying to speak again. She thought that it might take all night if this pattern continued. Perhaps he needed a nudge? Oh, he was looking back at her again. She gazed at him levelly and settled for an interested raised eyebrow. "Go on.."

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde met Flynn's gaze once more, and forced himself to hold it... It seemed he had finally regained his composure and confidence enough to speak calmly... He tried to think for a moment as he regained his composure, and to say a more measured answer, but it still seemed to just spill out... Though a lot more neatly than before... "I just meant... It is nice to meet you... It was another nice thing that being here has made possible... Most people I meet... They want something, to use my skills, to rob me and take my possessions or gold... To take advantage... An equivalent exchange for seeing me or showing me something, something I must do to trade for it, and show them in response... But with you, it does not seem that way... You do not want something from me in the same way as they do..." "You have nothing to gain by talking to me, except to get to know me better, to spend time with me... It is nice... So yes I mean it, it is nice to talk to you, and to meet you..." Having said that, Clyde darted his eyes away once more, and slowly took another sip of ale, a more measured one, which he slowly swallowed... Looking back, he searched her face, wondering how she would take what he had said... He was not really sure, but hoped she would be satisfied by it, and not want a better explanation, for he did not feel like he could give a better one if he tried... Having said all that he wanted, Clyde calmed down a bit more, taking another deep breath... "So... Know that we both know a bit about each other... Was there anything else you wanted... I think I have met one of your kind before actually know that I think on it... But I truly cannot recall it that well... Or what happened then..."

[Flynn Maidrus]

Flynn let a measured look take over her face after Clyde’s lengthy spiel. So that was why he was fond of her, eh? If he didn’t think she had any ulterior motives, he had a long way of hardening to go. She was as suspicious as they came, and having no obvious motives made people distrust her more. It was common sense in such a dangerous world. Like hell I have nothing to gain by talking to you, she thought, We’re not seeing eye-to-eye here. I’m a possibly dangerous ghost, drifting around Dira-knows-how-long. I’m talking to you because you’re interesting and information is precious. I still don’t know why I’m alive, and every passing day makes it more obvious that it’s not because of my mentor. Ghosts with such regrets aren’t as rational as I am. I’m talking to you because I have no idea what to do. Got it? So don’t trust me so easily. The inner monologue had everything she wanted to say, but couldn’t. It was nice to meet someone who wasn’t suspicious of her, wasn’t hardened by Mizahar. Granted, these types of people only lasted oh so long, but Clyde’s ability to at least trust her intentions after meeting her for less than a day had endeared her. Flynn didn't want to tell him that she had less than perfect intentions. "So... Know that we both know a bit about each other... Was there anything else you wanted... I think I have met one of your kind before actually know that I think on it... But I truly cannot recall it that well... Or what happened then..." “Yes, it’s nice meeting you as well,” here she gave a small smile, “Tell me what you remember from the encounter?” He obviously hasn’t told me all the details about his scars... but I don’t know whether to push.

[Clyde Sullins]

It seemed she was okay with his response, though it had been rather long winded. It also said a lot less for its length, since his first statement had been more instinctive and a slip of tongue, something which he had truly meant, as such things usually were. However his second telling was much less true, a technical explanation, one which said little of his real thoughts. His last statement though... He was not even sure why he said it... Why was he bringing up a ghost he barely remembered... He worked his brain, trying to think of why it was important... But she seemed interested in the encounter, wanted to know more... Clyde pushed further, trying to recall more from his fuzzy memory... He started small, working his way to the things he had forgotten more. "Well... I was not in Ravok... We had left... I had been with Aello... And we were out in the wilds with the trees and such...." Thinking a bit more... Then things got fuzzy... And weird... "We were attacked by a man... He shot arrows... And he shot me... Here...." Saying this, Clyde brought one hand down to his chest, remembering were he had been hit, and were he had thought he had been killed... Blood pouring everywhere, he was sure in a few seconds he would fall and not rise, death claiming him... "But... I could not feel the arrow... Even though I was struck in the chest, I could feel nothing... And as the man disappeared, I realize they were illusions..." At this point Clyde was confused, as his memories were starting to get weirder... A man that disappeared when hit, and an arrow that did not exist... Was he misremembering? "Then she was fighting the man, as he neared... And then things went black, as I lost control, it happened in a instant, and I could do nothing, was not in control... Was so cold..." Clyde shivered a bit, recalling the memory, of his helplessness, of his losing control, of the icy feeling flowing through him... "The next thing I knew... I was lying on the ground, far from were I had started... The ground had been rent and scorched as if by some kind of... Like a great gout of lightning had smashed down... It was chaos, with things knocked everywhere, trees torn up, and the ones standing burnt... I could recall nothing of how it happened, it was a blank from when the cold came, to when I awoke all scratched up and burnt, hurt on the ground... Covered in my own blood, even though I was not cut..." "I think I was possessed then... But I am not sure... I don't really know... It was all so fast, and I never even saw it coming..."