exsilium | 02

[ Baaa Baa-aa-aaaaaa Baaaaaaaaaaa! ]

I say, hello, hel-looooo! I have a question for you all--

[ The grime-smeared face of Xerxes Break appears onscreen. His white hair is discolored with dust and stuck together. There's a semicircular wound under his right cheekbone, and the shoulder of his jacket looks chewed. Despite all of this, he seems terribly pleased with himself. ]

Does anyone here have qualifications in animal husbandry?

[ More angry bleating and a yelp! Break turns. Visible in the background is another (also dirty and disheveled) man, desperately fending off a sheep. It’s not going at all according to plan; with a single headbutt he’s out of the camera’s line of sight, followed by a thud and worrisome tinkling noises. ]

Why, Gilbert. I think she likes you! ♥

[ Moving right along... ]

Anyway - yes. I'm looking specifically for people with experience or interest in shepherding, as well as shearing, spinning, knitting, cheese-making--

[ Another CRASH! and a voice yelling, “Break, look out!" ]

--and hand-to-hand combat! Kindly respond to this post, or apply in person to the botanical gar--

[ Break’s face suddenly disappears. The last image visible onscreen is… this. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Stop making jokes! All of this is your fault!

[Pointing accusingly.]

[ Wave wave wave. ]

Oooh, stop complaining. It was your idea to tag along.

I didn't realize it was going to be like this!

[He rubs at his arm, poking his finger through a hole in the fabric.]

They destroyed my only good jacket...

So you'll get a new one - made from finest feral sheep's wool.

[ He has had quite a bit of time to think, over the last week, and so he adds, quietly: ]

Thanks for that, by the way.

Edited 2013-08-18 19:58 (UTC)

I like the jacket I already have.

[Which means it'll just take a lot of mending and stitching and TLC to bring it back to reasonable, wearable-status.]

...Like you said. It was my idea to follow you.

It was, wasn't it?

[ He is sitting down, leaning against the door of the botanical gardens. Now he stretches, arching his back. ]

You know, it never occurred to me that I'd succeed, honestly. In fact, I decided to do this precisely because I thought I couldn't--

[ ... ]

But I suppose we could, couldn't we? How strange.

Edited 2013-08-19 02:07 (UTC)

[He should ask something like 'how is it strange?' or 'as usual I have no idea what you're talking about. But on some level, he does get it. Or at least he thinks he does. Break might still not respect him as an equal, he'll probably never know for sure if he does or not, but they do make a good team when they try.

Ugh, embarrassing.]

Of course we could. That's always been the agreement, there was no other choice.

"Of course we could."

[ He's holding the handle of his cane in one hand, and it is humming, silently and pleasantly, as it has been doing, this trip, every time he hasn't teased Gilbert. Which is to say, not very often at all. ]

My, my. Is that confidence I'm hearing? Took you long enough! ♥

[Ugh Break shut up you're embarrassing. He nearly launches into another 'why don't you still trust me?' speech, but he's tired, his clothes have holes, his sleeping bag is in one of these sheep's stomachs, and his hands are cold. They're both in their own one respective piece, but this trip definitely could have gone better.]

It's not confidence. [He finally mutters.] Oz will need a new wool hat before it gets much colder, so...

[ .........of course. ]

Gilbert.

Has it ever occurred to you to do anything... for your own sake? For yourself?

I'll make myself something too!

[Gloves, maybe. But clothing for everyone else will have to come first before he makes that decision.]

02 | Video

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