bravenewworld | Been coming on changing times...

Who: Waver Velvet (

untalented) and Yuuna Sugasawa (

rainsrespite)
What: Unwinding and Reconnecting after the Battle in Glacier
When: Backdated to the days after everyone's return to Union
Where: Somewhere around Union
Warnings: D for Debriefing, Discourse, and Dice

Action

[It was a season of firsts for Waver this year, starting with his flight from Sanctuary and reaching a peak in Glacier with Union's violent encounter with a God-- and it was a lot for the young man to think on, especially as the nights grew longer and the weather grew colder. Though he was barely now into his twentieth year alive (an anniversary he had forgotten amidst the chaos of being fired upon by a horde of angry Dragons), he felt as inexperienced as a child who was still in grade school.

A lot of words weighed on his thin shoulders, and he needed to share them. That was chief among the reasons why he had arranged a meeting with Yuuna that afternoon, in a place of her choosing. They needed to talk....and he needed to catch up on more than just current events.]

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"But, how much longer can we rely on luck to get by?"

Though Waver was inexperienced and easily unnerved by the dangers of the world, he understood enough to know that they would need more than just luck eventuallly.

"Even with all of the things that Union has done in recent years, I'm still getting the feeling that we're under prepared for what could happen in the future."

"Well."

It was a statement, and Yuuna punctuated it by slapping her dice down on the table and giving Waver a little grin. Yes, they'd need more than luck. But...

"You know how you win any contest, Waver?"

The dice earned an inquiring glance for a moment before he passed that same gaze up to Yuuna.

"Besides stacking the deck and rigging the dice? Not really-- I'm not a gambler, and I've always preferred knowing my odds before I played."

"Stacking the deck is one way. But there's also practice. You can learn how to tip the dice in your favor. No dice is completely random if you can control the force of your hand."

She rolls, and straight sixes again, just as the food is set down in front of them.

"That means training, working hard, learning. Once you learn how to see and feel things, then you at least have some control over your own luck. And of the dice."

Straight sixes again. This was getting into uncanny territory, and Waver was staring at the dice with a look of intent concentration and thought when the noodles were set before him.

"...It's strange, how that keeps coming up," he said finally, tearing his gaze away from the dice to focus on the dish before him. The noodles and vegetables smelled as delicious as they looked, but he was having trouble finding a fork...

"The numbers, I mean. But your words remind me of something I heard once, about luck being the byproduct of design. Is that what you're getting at?"

There are no forks here, only ~~Zuul~~ chopsticks, but there are the kind that have the rubber hooks for beginners at least.

Yuuna shifts her hand to reveal the dice again and shrugs at the comment. That was what she was getting at, really.

"Basically? Yes. Luck is there, it's present, but it's something you can influence with skill, practice, and yes...a little cheating. Never, ever play a fair game when the odds are stacked against you. The enemy sure isn't gonna play our game. So...we make them. And we do that with training, and tricks."

Just like they already had done.

Waver will be needing those chopsticks-- eating with these tools isn't something he has had much experience in yet, although his willingness to learn is plain in how he studies the movements of Yuuna's hands whie she speaks.

"What sort of tricks do you have in mind?" He asked, attempting to mimick the motions and pick up the noodles in his own bowl. "This is all beyond anything in the library, and that includes the restricted sections."

Noticing his trepidation, she eats a bit slower, just letting him watch without calling attention to it. It's simple, but she's also done it most of her life.

"Exploration, Waver. I'm sure there's something out there that can help us. It might be in a ruin, or in some place we haven't discovered yet, but there's all sorts of secrets out there waiting to be found. We just have to find them."

It sounded simple, but she was waiting to see what he'd say before she went on.

He appreciates the slowed pace-- his movements grow more confident with every bite of noodles, although they still slip from his grip more often than not.

"...Such as more pokemon, like Khione," Waver ventured, recalling the elegant ice-type they had found on the trek to Glacier. "Or perhaps tools....or even more information, right?"

"That's right." Yuuna laughed lightly and slurped up a pile of noodle, chewing thoughtfully as she did. "Pokemon are one thing. Tools and information? Invaluable."

Waver nodded in understanding, knowing full well what was coming next:

"It's going to be more explorations and expeditions in our future then, isn't it? Like you and your sixes."

As much as he was still uncomfortable with such extensive travel, there was no other practical way to gain what it was that they would need.

"Yes, we are."

She leaned closer, her smile growing a little tired.

"You don't have to, though, if you don't want to."

Waver slurped his noodles, his expression one of complete seriousness as he considered Yuuna's words.

"...There's only so much we'll be able to learn if we stay inside Union's walls, isn't there? If we want that information, it's only natural to go to the places where it may be hidden at."

"Yes, but I'm not going to force you to get it. Merrill and I can share what we find, if you want."

She wasn't. She liked having you along, but she's not going to drag you by the ears.

"No, I think I'd like to go."

Yuuna's care and effort was appreciated, but he knew the basic facts that were at stake here. If the world was spinning in a different direction, then there was nothing to be gained by staying in his libraries.

"...Besides, I want to find something that's not in Sanctuary's libraries. Then they'll have to show some respect."

"Hah, fair enough. Then I'll let you know when I get ready to head back out. I'm leaning towards that battleground out past Sanctuary. I'm sure you've heard of it, being from the area and all."

It probably had an evil reputation...

The description did indeed sound familiar.

"I've heard rumors of an ancient battleground," he murmured, recalling what he had seen and read about in the various texts in the libraries. "But, if the actual event happened before the Cataclysm, much of that information has been lost.

We don't have a strong history of exploring new regions in Sanctuary-- there's no protection group or exploration group like there is in Union. I can't say I've heard of many people personally visiting the site, either."

Been coming on changing times...

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