[Looking up from the flower diagrams, which he only now realizes is much the same shape as the ones in Yves' halo. Like most cishet men, he is flowerblind...]
[He sets his elbow on the table. Starts picking at the edge of one book, frowning.]
He did tell me that he'd died for someone, and that someone was here. After hearing about you and Lucas also coming from the same place, I had a fifty-fifty guess on who.
... it was for me. [ softly ] Because... I'd found someone who loved me. So he died to give me a chance to be with her again, because he cared about both of us that much.
[ frowning as he looks down at the books ] I kept this to myself because I thought Adolphe should be able to tell people but...
I do remember some pieces of a life where someone loved me, and... all the things that happened there. It's bizarre. I didn't think I'd uncover family secrets only after I'm dead.
[Yet again, his gut twists with the simplicity with which he says it. It really is a damn shame. Didn't get the privilege of human dignity until after he went and bit it.
Richie could interject, but that's not the crux of the matter here. Maybe.]
What kind of secrets might those be? I take it you had an episode or two where you weren't quite yourself.
I... did! And I remembered things that were foreign to me... There was a series of events where I had to dig up my family's grave...
But that's when I discovered that - well, Monsieur Richie, has Adolphe or Lucas mentioned the Drifter to you? A certain important figure in our history?
The Drifter is the only person in our recorded history that came from outside the country. He's the one who initially told us all that we have short lifespans, that we were abnormal. He... had a difficult relationship with the island after that, where he wanted to impart knowledge to help improve our circumstances but people became so obsessed with getting more time that they continued to take from him. They tried to capture and experiment on him, and from what I understand, he eventually went into hiding.
[ . . . ]
And then there is a family story that my Grandpa used to tell me. That Death once visited a man only known as the Pioneer and told him that he must plant the field of black lycoris noirges all around the island. Death wanted to take the flowers to make a bouquet for his bride—and if the flowers were ever abandoned, Death would reap every soul upon the island. That was the pact made between Death and the Pioneer. And... the Pioneer was my family's ancestor.
[ his gaze lingers on the pages of the books again, and his brow furrows as he shakes his head ]
My memory said...
The Drifter and the Pioneer are one and the same.
[ so yves
is not entirely french that's the lore drop that's why i tagged you even during memshare week for this ]
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no subject
I did for a little bit, yeah. A lot of people are just ending up a bit younger...
But... have you seen anything where... I don't know. People experience stuff that... just didn't happen? As far as you know?
no subject
[Looking up from the flower diagrams, which he only now realizes is much the same shape as the ones in Yves' halo. Like most cishet men, he is flowerblind...]
Why do you ask? Did something happen to you?
no subject
[ but... he nods, looking thoughtful ]
Yeah... I think... I saw partly into the timeline of events that Adolphe knew, before he died here. We remembered different things...
no subject
[What is he, a parrot? He shakes his head and tries again.]
Sorry, do you mean your accounts of what all happened didn't line up? Or did one of you know more than the other?
no subject
[ how would they know to compare every little week and month difference? ]
Adolphe died four years ago, in my memories... however the reason was different than why he told me he died here.
no subject
[He sets his elbow on the table. Starts picking at the edge of one book, frowning.]
He did tell me that he'd died for someone, and that someone was here. After hearing about you and Lucas also coming from the same place, I had a fifty-fifty guess on who.
no subject
... it was for me. [ softly ] Because... I'd found someone who loved me. So he died to give me a chance to be with her again, because he cared about both of us that much.
no subject
Richie looks between the kid's eyes, silent for a change. Then he blows out air as if sending out a jetstream of smoke. He shakes his head.]
God. I don't know what to say. That's terrible. That it had to happen, not that he wanted to try.
What was going on? And how did it turn out different for you?
no subject
[ frowning as he looks down at the books ] I kept this to myself because I thought Adolphe should be able to tell people but...
I do remember some pieces of a life where someone loved me, and... all the things that happened there. It's bizarre. I didn't think I'd uncover family secrets only after I'm dead.
no subject
Richie could interject, but that's not the crux of the matter here. Maybe.]
What kind of secrets might those be? I take it you had an episode or two where you weren't quite yourself.
no subject
But that's when I discovered that - well, Monsieur Richie, has Adolphe or Lucas mentioned the Drifter to you? A certain important figure in our history?
[ with a capital D drifter.... ]
no subject
[this is alarming? Yves these are not normal activities for good boys and girls]
I can't say they did. Illuminate me.
no subject
[ . . . ]
And then there is a family story that my Grandpa used to tell me. That Death once visited a man only known as the Pioneer and told him that he must plant the field of black lycoris noirges all around the island. Death wanted to take the flowers to make a bouquet for his bride—and if the flowers were ever abandoned, Death would reap every soul upon the island. That was the pact made between Death and the Pioneer. And... the Pioneer was my family's ancestor.
[ his gaze lingers on the pages of the books again, and his brow furrows as he shakes his head ]
My memory said...
The Drifter and the Pioneer are one and the same.
[ so yves
is not entirely french that's the lore drop that's why i tagged you even during memshare week for this ]