06-28-2023, 07:27:19 AM
(This post was last modified: 06-28-2023, 12:38:11 PM by artsyGeek.
Edit Reason: now that im out of dark reader i now realise xander's colours are unreadable--
)
Kartono noticed the spiraling flames beneath Omen's feet, but didn't had the chance to say more before the warmth accompanying it started to overtake him as well. It wasn't long before he found himself reminscing of the past; Of his life just after his escape from Mission.
He remembered that investigator's name. Xander. He lived alone, near a village somewhere he can't quite remember. Xander was cold, at first glance. Strict, a very no-nonsense sort of man, and was quite serious about his work.
He had heard rumours of an investigator, just like him, exposing the corrupt back in Mission, and how he was dangerous to face against.
And yet, here he was, facing the man himself. Not in a fight, but in the warmth of an otherwise lonely house. The investigator served him some tea while they talk.
"... so, you had just ran away from Mission?" he asked to the Tikbalang.
Kartono weakly nodded. "I just needed a place to rest for the time being. Is that alright with you?"
There was a pause in Xander's words. He was wary, mostly of the possibility of Kartono lying, that he might be an enforcer in disguise. But .. if there were an agimat on him — what he, at first, speculated the man's necklace of flowers might be — it would've acted by now.
"I wouldn't mind."
"Thank you! Truly, I appreciate your kindness. Is there anything I could do to repay you?"
"You don't need to," the investigator said, seemingly a little overwhelmed by Kartono's enthusiasm (is that the right word? just ... something about Kartono's almost-yelling, or his kindness to a stranger he has just met, caught him off guard.) "Get yourself some rest. The past few days must have been tiring."
—
There was that young girl as well, who (unofficially, and much to Xander's chagrin) apprenticed to the detective. Bea was her name. He remembered her spunky smile, as she excitedly asked Xander what they can do next, as Xander exhaustedly just tell her to go help one of her neighbours find their missing toy or something.
Bea always wanted to be viewed as more mature than her age might suggest; The effectiveness of which.. varies, but he'd often play along anyways.
He remembers walking to the village she lives at, to get some work done for the day, before hearing a familiar voice. "Paman Kartono!" she yelled, calling him the Indonesian word for 'uncle'; One of several words in that language he taught to the kid, when she had nothing to do and decided to ask him to teach her something new.
He remembers looking at the direction of the voice to see the teen, as giddy as always, waving at him, before waving back with a smile of his own and continuing on his day.
They were both like family to him. What was supposed to be just a stay for a few days before leaving elsewhere, ended up becoming his place of residence for quite the amount of time. How long did it last? Weeks? Months, even?
All he knew is that not even a year passed before those happy days had to come to a close.
When he came back to his senses after the memory jog, he had to held back tears. He hasn't thought about them in a while. And as sad as it is... he had to move on. And that goes to his current situation at hand.
He can only hope Bea is fine after what had happened that day.
>Join the others and go to the jewelry shop through the front door.
He remembered that investigator's name. Xander. He lived alone, near a village somewhere he can't quite remember. Xander was cold, at first glance. Strict, a very no-nonsense sort of man, and was quite serious about his work.
He had heard rumours of an investigator, just like him, exposing the corrupt back in Mission, and how he was dangerous to face against.
And yet, here he was, facing the man himself. Not in a fight, but in the warmth of an otherwise lonely house. The investigator served him some tea while they talk.
"... so, you had just ran away from Mission?" he asked to the Tikbalang.
Kartono weakly nodded. "I just needed a place to rest for the time being. Is that alright with you?"
There was a pause in Xander's words. He was wary, mostly of the possibility of Kartono lying, that he might be an enforcer in disguise. But .. if there were an agimat on him — what he, at first, speculated the man's necklace of flowers might be — it would've acted by now.
"I wouldn't mind."
"Thank you! Truly, I appreciate your kindness. Is there anything I could do to repay you?"
"You don't need to," the investigator said, seemingly a little overwhelmed by Kartono's enthusiasm (is that the right word? just ... something about Kartono's almost-yelling, or his kindness to a stranger he has just met, caught him off guard.) "Get yourself some rest. The past few days must have been tiring."
—
There was that young girl as well, who (unofficially, and much to Xander's chagrin) apprenticed to the detective. Bea was her name. He remembered her spunky smile, as she excitedly asked Xander what they can do next, as Xander exhaustedly just tell her to go help one of her neighbours find their missing toy or something.
Bea always wanted to be viewed as more mature than her age might suggest; The effectiveness of which.. varies, but he'd often play along anyways.
He remembers walking to the village she lives at, to get some work done for the day, before hearing a familiar voice. "Paman Kartono!" she yelled, calling him the Indonesian word for 'uncle'; One of several words in that language he taught to the kid, when she had nothing to do and decided to ask him to teach her something new.
He remembers looking at the direction of the voice to see the teen, as giddy as always, waving at him, before waving back with a smile of his own and continuing on his day.
They were both like family to him. What was supposed to be just a stay for a few days before leaving elsewhere, ended up becoming his place of residence for quite the amount of time. How long did it last? Weeks? Months, even?
All he knew is that not even a year passed before those happy days had to come to a close.
When he came back to his senses after the memory jog, he had to held back tears. He hasn't thought about them in a while. And as sad as it is... he had to move on. And that goes to his current situation at hand.
He can only hope Bea is fine after what had happened that day.
>Join the others and go to the jewelry shop through the front door.
silver dollar, black smoke in my eyes
shattered glass, fallen fast, leave me paralysed
shattered glass, fallen fast, leave me paralysed