[PRP] that crunchy granola stuff (Shiloh & Eve & Julian)

[cibarium]

"We didn't know for certain we had a son until after the New Year," Eve replied plainly: since that was after the reset, the meaning was obvious. "It's Ezra. You probably know the one." Her tone was very stony and minimalist on this topic. It made the blood relation to Julian a little more apparent.

"He believes there's no changing her base nature because she isn't... 'based on a living human,' his own words." She frowned into her cup, but it wasn't because she disapproved of the tea. "So I was wondering because that would mean he's not entirely right on that count." Steam was coming off her cup in dense waves, because it was scalding, and she was drinking it readily.

"I've gotten the impression that when it comes to other Ashdown, you have less autonomy as you become less human," she continued, clueless as to how much less human Shiloh had gotten of late. "The price that comes with such power. I don't know what Sunny's name written in the sigil's keys means, but it may have something to do with her autonomy. And therefore her humanity. That's my wild guess, anyhow."

melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

His eyes lit up, "So he's here? Ezra? Like..." He shook his head, "Sorry, Noeh just asked me to look into what happened to him. Melany's different too." He admitted as he looked down at his hands, of which were absentmindedly picking at his cuticles.

Whatever. "I mean, I would still listen to what he's got to say. He prolly knows them better than a lot of us do." He chewed his lip, "But it's true that they're different this time. I dunno what extent the sigil's had on everything, but it's pretty massive." He sighed, going from cuticle picking to knuckle cracking. He kept this up until every finger cracked, until it hurt to apply pressure.

"I think there's some truth to that too," He started up again, "I mean, me being a Noble puts a lot of restrictions on someone, I know that much." Especially with the geas. "I dunno. I don't know enough to make any guesses." He enjoyed the conjecture because it was necessary to try and fit together the puzzle pieces, but most (if not all) of the time he wound up feeling stupid. It was hard to play detective when you didn't even know what you were really looking for.

"I'll have to talk with them again." He decided finally. It was just stressful because they weren't the only one; he needed to talk with her, get back to Noeh, find out what was going on with Ezra, check in with Melany again, try and deal with the looming disaster that was Pax and Pride. All of this plus helping Jeremiah rebuild the Court and dealing with the normal human things like his job and college.

He looked like he was about to explode for a moment, but then it was gone as quickly as it came.

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

"Are you alright?" Eve asked, with honest concern.

melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

He shook his head. Despite this, he said "Yeah, I'm alright..." Before frowning down at his hands. Way to be obvious Beaumont.

"It's just been stressful, y'know?" He tried to clarify, backpedal, catch himself, whatever, "Piecing together everything in this world. Sometimes I feel like I'm biting off way more than I can ********' chew."

Which wasn't a total lie.

"But, that's where everyone's at, so I try not to complain too much..." Which was essentially his way of saying he didn't want to talk about it.

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

Eve nodded understandingly. She truly could empathize what Shiloh was going through, but he didn't need to know all the reasons why -- there was already enough on his mind.

"I brought up my old packmate because offering blood was a way of giving Sunny some humanity," she said instead, pulling together the initial point of her story. "Maybe the principal who represents the key can do something similar for Sonny, I don't know. I'm also wondering if those letters being there could be from Renard's influence."

Another item for the to-do list.

melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

"You think so?" He looked at his fingers, wiggled them a little. It was an interesting theory at least. "I guess I could ask Sonny about their thoughts on that." But he also wasn't sure on the other principals and their stance on freeing them. What if Sonny snapped like they did last time? Or would a more passive approach with consent (and living) from the principals keep that subdued? The name of the game was having Sonny grow into their power anyway, but he was starting to regret that. It sounded good on paper, but as time went on he was starting to realize more and more that they were manipulating their free will.

Shiloh sure as ******** would be mad if someone controlled him, said they knew what was best for him. He supposed it was a little late for regret though, especially since he had been for it initially.

"I dunno what Renard tried to put into the sigil in the first place." He admitted with a shrug, "But I guess that's a possibility. I've talked to Liam a few times, but never him..." Renard was still... somewhat intimidating, but he trusted Liam enough... "I guess we just gotta see how s**t plays out." Unfortunately. "Maybe I'll try figuring out the other principals..." or rather, the third.

He sighed again.

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

"Other principals?" asked Eve, intrigued. "You mean besides Sonny?"

melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

Shiloh fidgeted. "Well, yeah? There's three others plus the fourth. It makes sense to check in with them..." He was silent for a moment, "Not that I know all three of them, but... it's something." He was still somewhat ashamed for not knowing the third. He'd figure it out eventually... maybe... if they weren't dead...

"Sonny's got, like," He was making shapes with his hands as he tried to articulate this, "They've got autonomy I guess, but like... a lot of their will is gone. They've gotta listen to what the principals say. They can't be uncaged unless the principal's decided on it. I think it bothers Sonny a lot." He remembered the look they first gave him at the start of the new world. Sure, it was far less venomous now, but... there was that initial doubt, that initial uncertainty. He couldn't blame them. "I'd had to be in their position, but we were just doing what we thought was right..."

He seemed outwardly bothered again.

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

"We all could have been more careful," Eve agreed. "I wasn't considering Sunny's personhood the way I should have, either." She poured herself another cup as she spoke. "Ezra is certain we're all in danger from her. But if her name was written into the sigil... that was before Renard added his blood too, actually..."

Unless she was misremembering things. She shook her head from the momentary confusion.

"Sorry, I might be making this more complicated than it needs to be. But if the entire world can be changed with reckless magic, surely a person can be made whole and given their freedom with careful magic. It sounds like it'll take something similar to open the cage properly."

Eve either hadn't seen through Shiloh's discomfort and extensive knowledge of current affairs... or she was playing the fool for his sake.

melncholies

 

[Melancholies]

He nodded, "Like I said, I didn't know the girl who drew the sigil out for everyone..." He kept playing with his hands, "But I doubt she did that on purpose. I think." He doubted that girl knew Sunny at all. He doubted more than she was arbitrarily fluent in Ogham.

"But you're probably right. I mean, sky's the limit when it come to magic, right?" He laughed, the sound a little weak. He ran a hand through his hair, ruffled his beanie off and then placed it back onto his head.

"Anyway, I don't wanna keep you from the shop." Not that it looked terribly busy (and Mr. Charisma over there probably had more than enough energy and tragic personal secrets to keep customers entertained), "But thanks for your help. Even if it was just... googling and bouncing ideas around."

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

"Of course. I should go check on the front lobby, but you can come here for help any time."

melancholies

wrap >:3