ain soph aur

Indie RP blog for Richter Abend from Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World. Selective Private

[corrines-bells]

"Could you sound like any more of a child? Sheesh, aren’t you one of the oldest people here?!" Her arms folded stubbornly as she pouted —geez, she hadn’t expected him to be so difficult. However, the offer of help, whilst not exactly a surprise, still aroused a shock in her. It was just so subdued, so not like how she had seen Richter before. Shaking herself from such reverie, the summoner would only offer a shrug of her shoulders. "Yeah sure, whatever. Just don’t get in the way, okay? I didn’t think cooking was your thing anyway —what’s with the interest all of a sudden?"

[baneofratatosk]

"Hardly," Richter said with a sigh. Although it was true he might act like he was the oldest among them, he was younger than a significant number. "For example, Sheena, I've heard Zelos reference you as a twenty-one-year old. I am but twenty. Following your logic, shouldn't you act more mature than me?" He left the rest of the sentence out--that Sheena rarely acted her age. He shrugged and turned off, shoving his glasses up his nose in irritation. "I'm tired of relying on other people to feed me. It makes me feel useless, at best. Gaining some skill in this area is something everyone should strive to do. Now, do you need anything in addition to what you have to get dinner going? I can go to town, or search for herbs, or whatever you need."

[stutterbugemil-blog]

Emil gave a nod of agreement. Getting ahead of themselves wouldn’t do them any good, they might get too caught up in planning and end up not doing anything. He’d feel awful if he wasted Richter’s time here away like that.

"W-well, we’ve been to the ruins a little together before, right? So why don’t we check out the mountains?" Emil suggested, giving a small shrug. "I actually haven’t been out in them much myself since I moved here, so this should be interesting for both of us." The blond stood up from his seat, pushing in his chair before stopping in thought. "Though, Richter…" he turned to the other again, expression showing a bit of concern, "Are you sure you want to do anything so soon? I- I mean you weren’t looking so well a bit ago, do you feel alright?"

[baneofratatosk]

Richter liked Emil's smile. Perhaps it was a bit selfish of him, but it really reminded him of Aster, back when they had studied together at the Academy. But while Aster's smile had been bookish and shy, Emil looked wide-open and friendly. So in that way, Emil was completely different from Aster. Richter pressed his lips together and sighed. He really had to stop thinking about Aster when he was near Emil.

... Ah. Right. Emil had an excellent point. "I should be fine for a short walk," Richter said, despite how little energy he had. "The unconsciousness was more from the mental shock of exiting the gate, I think, than it was exhaustion." The exhaustion did play a large part, but he didn't want to admit that. He'd spent a year in isolation. He'd be damned if he slept for any more of it than was absolutely necessary.

[stutterbugemil-blog]

Emil found himself slightly thrown off as Richter spoke again. “W-wait, really?” The blond tried his best to resist looking too excited by the idea, but a smile did find its way onto his face, “Well then maybe we could plan a day there, I- I mean the atmosphere there can be pretty relaxing sometimes a-and I think you can find something you’ll enjoy.” Maybe he was getting a little ahead of himself, already proposing a plan to go there, but visiting Altamira was always pretty exciting. 

"Great! Thank you, Richter!" his mood was rising by the minute it seemed, seeing at least that Richter wasn’t pushing him away just yet. "I can’t wait to get out of the house. I promise to stay out of your way as much as possible," Emil assured the other, giving a soft laugh. "There’s still some time left today, s-so is there anything you’d like to do now?"

[baneofratatosk]

Richter found himself shaking his head, although it was more out of fondness and less rejecting Emil's happiness. The blond always got so excited when things started going his way. It was a trait that Richter really did, in the end, admire above all else.

"How about we plan for Altamira when the day comes," Richter proposed. "That way, we don't spend too much time thinking about something that could be and ignoring the moment." Seizing the moment was something he'd told himself that he would have to do a lot more when he was released. Of course, he'd been thinking about 1000 years down the line, but he could still take his own advice now.

At Emil's suggestion, he glanced out the window again and frowned. "Well, I suppose it all depends on what's in the area. I'm afraid I'm not too familiar with Asgard. There are the ruins, correct? As well as the mountains? What do you suggest we do while we still have daylight?"

[stutterbugemil-blog]

Emil honestly couldn’t process the idea of literally sitting around doing nothing at all times, not even normal typically necessary things. He was a bit shocked that Richter was anything still resembling a sane person after that… That would drive Emil crazy.

"Oh." Well of course that wasn’t Richter’s style, someone so serious wouldn’t have fun at an amusement park, would they? Oh well, that was okay then. Emil made a thoughtful noise when the other finished speaking, "Well there’s plenty of places around here for that kind of thing. I really haven’t gotten out much myself now that I think about it… W-well outside of a couple Katz quests, anyway." Admitting that was a bit sad really…

When was the last time Emil went out just to take in the nature? He couldn’t honestly recall. Sure he’d been out to see friends a couple times but mostly he just sort of… sat around the house. He decided not to think on that for now though, he could ponder his boring, depressing life when there wasn’t a friend visiting. 

Well that was a thought… With Richter here it would give him something to do other than moping around. So, maybe… It wouldn’t hurt to just ask, would it? Richter wasn’t the type to beat around the bush anyway, so if he didn’t want Emil there he’d likely say that flat out. “U-um, Richter?” the blond glanced up from the table —just when had he started staring at his hands?— looking to Richter, “If it’s not a bother to you or anything… do you think you’d mind having me along?”

[baneofratatosk]

Emil seemed almost... sad that Richter wasn't interested in Altamira. Well, Richter couldn't exactly change his desires to match Emil's mood. He'd never seen the appeal of hurtling through the skies at top speed; rheairds already accomplished that, and they didn't require paying for admission. But Richter didn't like seeing the blond saddened by his own desires, not when Emil had been so kind as to take Richter in in the first place. So perhaps...

"I wouldn't mind going to Altamira," Richter added quietly, turning his head to gaze out of a window so he wouldn't be able to see Emil's expression change--if it changed at all. Perhaps he was just reading into it too much. 

Did Emil really want to go out with him? Richter wasn't exactly the most entertaining walking partner ever. He tended to be silent, to just let the world exist around him, but with a friend there, perhaps things would be different. "It's certainly not a bother," he murmured, looking back at Emil and favoring him with a slight smile. This had the serious potential to be fun, something Richter hadn't had in over a year.

[corrines-bells]

"Alright, alright —keep your hair on, I’m sure you’ve got your reasons." Though her teasing tone coupled with the smile she gave would suggest that she was formulating her own. "No need to butter me up —it’s all about the herbs. There’s a lot of variety in my village, so I’m not sure you’ll be able to get the exact same flavour, but we’ll make a wonderchef out of you yet, Richter."

[baneofratatosk]

"Not the herbs again," he muttered, pressing his lips together and staring at the cooking fire. He'd always had trouble with those damn things. Sure, they added flavor to the dish, but they also required significantly more thought than Richter cared to put into his food. So long as it filled him up, he didn't particularly care what it tasted like. But for a certain someone, well, he could try. "How about I help you cook the food tonight, and see what I can pick up?"

[corrines-bells]

   ”Is that so—?” Yes, the smile that came to her lips spoke of the amusement such a request brought. “The great Richter Abend needs help with something?” She teased. “Why the sudden interest in cooking?”

[baneofratatosk]

Oh, he'd really been hoping that Sheena wouldn't ask those kinds of questions. He'd considered her the most respectful option for this sort of task, the one who would allow him his own secrets the most. "N-no reason," he stuttered out a lie--lies of this matter had never been Richter's strong suit. "But, um... The stew tonight was particularly delicious, and I just wanted to know exactly what you'd done."

[stutterbugemil-blog]

Emil had half a mind to argue that someone else had to have missed him but in truth Richter was probably right. He didn’t leave on the best of terms after all… 

"I- I’ve missed you, you know," Emil commented, almost a mutter as he let his eyes follow the other to the sink. It was a little strange to see Richter doing something like cleaning, maybe if they weren’t having a serious conversation he might have laughed at the sight. 

"You don’t have to breathe?" That was hard to imagine, breathing was such a natural thing and all… "Not breathing… That sounds so weird. W-well, again, you’re free to use the reihard. A-and, you know, Altamira is pretty nice this time of year," Emil commented offhand with a shrug, "I- I don’t know if you like amusement parks b-but there’s always the beach… if you like that." Come to think of it… he didn’t really know what Richter liked to do in his spare time. Did the half-elf ever even have spare time?

[baneofratatosk]

Had Emil really just said...? No, he must've misheard. But then again, was it really too far of a stretch, for Emil to have missed him? They had spent a lot of time together, after all, and as Richter turned to look back at Emil, to question him and get the answers he wanted, he was struck by a familiar pang of wanting. Aster. Poor, dead Aster, who hadn't gotten a true burial, whose form had been stolen not once, but twice. What if it was Aster sitting before him, declaring how much the half-elf had been missed? Maybe if Richter closed his eyes, he could pretend... But no. Emil was his own person. It was entirely unfair for Richter to pretend he was someone else. But still... Richter shook his head and returned to the chair, lost in thoughts and replying automatically. 

"You don't need to eat, breathe, or sleep," he said quietly, staring off at the space above Emil's head. "My entire being was devoted to concentrating my mana and guarding the gate. It wasn't exactly the most entertaining occupation." When Emil turned the subject back to what they'd discussed before, Richter forced himself to pay more attention and to actually think before he spoke this time.

"Altamira has never been my cup of tea," Richter said honestly, pressing a hand to his lips in thought. "Nor have I really been one for swimming, in the past. I didn't exactly have the time to go, being stuck at the Academy all day." But a dip did sound nice. Perhaps another day. After all, it wasn't like Richter had a pair of swim trunks just laying around. "I think a bigger priority for me would just be to see the world. Hike in the mountains, through the forests... I want to remember what it feels like to live again."

[stutterbugemil-blog]

Emil had situated himself back in his chair, not trusting himself to stand while taking in this information. He hadn’t allowed Richter to fall over and that same rule was going to be applied to himself. Falling over was officially forbidden in this house. 

He expected as much. Emil bit lightly at his lip, stopping himself from going on and talking about how maybe they could find another way, that they could have someone else help out with the mana perhaps… But in the end it would boil back down to it being Richter’s duty and the strain it would likely cause if he didn’t return. 

They needed to focus on what they could do, rather than what they couldn’t. Wasting Richter’s time wasn’t something Emil wanted to do either. Emil felt he’d probably been silent a little too long so with this new train of thought in mind he spoke up again.

"So… What should w—" Emil cut himself off, quickly rewording his sentence, "I- I mean, what do you plan to do while you’re here? I… I have a reihard on loan to me at the moment, s-so you’re free to use that if you want. It makes traveling a lot easier."  He couldn’t just go making the assumption that Richter was planning on spending his time with Emil. If he came back here then there were obviously things he wanted to do on his own… Richter always seemed to do everything on his own when he could. If that was how Richter wanted to spend his time then Emil had no business trying to insert himself into the other’s plans. The redhead should enjoy his time and Emil wouldn’t interfere with that, even as much as he had missed the other.

[baneofratatosk]

Richter finished off the rest of the soup before even starting to think about an answer to Emil's question. Once the bowl was empty, he set the spoon down on the table and sat back in his chair, studying the ceiling in thought. What would he do with this week? "Well... There isn't anyone who would be happy to see me alive, I think. All of your friends hated me at the end--and I can't blame them. Aqua would love to see me in an actual corporeal form, but she's busy monitoring the mana for water elementals. I can only think of a friend from the Imperial Research Academy, but I don't expect she would want me to be around her for a week." He breathed in deeply and stood, carrying his dishes over to the sink. Let it not be know that he was an ungrateful guest.

"I think, most of all, I want to see the world," he answered finally. "After a year in the Ginnungagap, I'm afraid I've forgotten so many things. Did you know, inside the gate, there is no need to breathe? Taking breaths... I'd forgotten how to do it.I I'd forgotten how it feels to let my lungs fill up with air. How much else have I forgotten?" There were other things he could think of, but to speak of them in this company, well, he didn't think that was advisable. He started to was his bowl, his back turned firmly to Emil while he thought

[shybutterflyruler-deactivated20]

It had been stupid to split up, away from Marta and Tenebrae for the time being. He had just needed some time to think, honestly that’s all it was. But he had ended up in Sybak, and the rain had started coming down on him without warning, sending a cold chill throughout his body. He was glad his clothing would wash itself, but in this case, he couldn’t help but hope that it would repel being so wet. Sure, his arms and throat were warm, but as for the rest of himself….  

My socks are even soaked….  

Maybe he should try to just try to get to an inn, since it was quite clear by this point in time that his monster companions, friends, had found shelter. He had sent them off to relax in the wild for a little bit on their own after all, and what were the chances of a scientist area being able to capture a Fenerir and Fenia?

Not too likely. Of course, now Emil was having to make sure he didn’t go and flinch every time lightning just so happened to strike behind him. Or when thunder would suddenly growl and come up like a prowling wolf or bear. No, Emil was not scared of thunder storms. It was just the sounds and sudden strikes and the possibility of dying should he not be careful. He would much rather be in an inn or house somewhere, warming his hands with a mug of hot chocolate. Watching the storm, rather than freezing to death it it’s icy claws. But, at the very least, Emil was grateful that his arms were bare for once, even if his scarf was soaking wet. At least his arms were somewhat warm. It was then that Emil heard his name, wrapped up in his thoughts as he was, white blonde hair stubbornly clinging to his cheeks and forehead as bright emerald irises rose to meet his caller.

Glossy, blood red hair, dark moss green eyes and a slight glare from ever sharp glasses.

  Richter? Oh no…

He can’t find out that…that I’m Ratatosk, he can’t I have to go!

But he didn’t run, no, Emil had to watch as his body whirled around, the weight of the blade at his back suddenly so much heavier. Maybe he did grow a little bit of spine. Or just more stupidity. He always seemed to have plenty of that, or…what was it, that Tenebrae had said? Naïve? That was probably it, but no, Emil couldn’t think straight long enough to make a coherent thought.

"R-Richter?"

Or maybe Emil just had a death wish. That was more likely than being naïve after all.

[baneofratatosk]

Richter found himself staring Emil down. For someone who was usually so stoic and calm, there was a strange sea of emotions raging beneath the surface. He was angry, of course, but he was also sad. For a moment, he'd deluded himself into believing that Aster had come back from the grave, and he'd dared to be happy. Well, this onslaught of emotions certainly taught him his lesson. If being sad was his punishment... he'd take it without complaints.

He half considered turning away and simply walking, letting the distance between the two grow even further. That would send a rather negative message, to be sure, but Richter couldn't forget how Emil left him. After all the time they'd spent together, Richter training Emil to be stronger, to take care of himself, Emil seemed to not even care. It would be a lie for Richter to say he didn't care, but he was certainly past the point where he wanted him back.

But then Emil said his name, and something inside him froze. He couldn't just walk away from Emil, not when he heard his name be said in that stuttering tone. Instead, he straightened up his back and did his best to not look utterly miserable in the rain. Despite water being his strongest element--being paired with Aqua gave him certain quirks--he didn't like being caught in downpours. "I didn't expect to see you here," he said finally, looking at Emil through the corner of his eye. What would be the best way to express his displeasure and happiness at the same time? And why was he feeling happy?

[corrines-bells]

Hn, how odd for someone of Richter’s pride and stature to ask for something. Her curiosity piqued, if nothing else. “I guess —what is it? Shoot.”

[baneofratatosk]

Richter glanced off towards the rest of the group, then, upon deciding that none of them were paying attention to their conversation, turned back to Sheena. "I was hoping you could... give me some tips for how to cook better."

[baneofratatosk]

corrines-bells

"Sheena," Richter said, approaching the dark-haired woman. "I was wondering if you would be so kind as to help me with something?"

[baneofratatosk]

shybutterflyruler

It was a cold, rainy day in Sybak. Richter, his head down to avoid the downpour. It was wet, and he was freezing, and he had a damn bag of groceries tucked under one arm. If it had been anyone other than Rilena to send him out for food, he would've flat-out said no. But as it was, he was staying at the researcher's home while he gathered the necessary materials for his merging with the Ginnungagap. He wasn't really in a position to argue with her, not when she was being so generous.

So there he was, a bag of eggs and milk and the like and moving as fast as he could to get back to her warm shelter. What he didn't expect to see, what took him entirely off-guard, was a familiar blond head. For a moment, he was filled with a disturbing amount of hope. Here, in the city they'd loved together, perhaps here Aster had really come back to him. With his free hand, he brushed some wet hair out of his eyes, ready to call out to Aster when the blond's head turned, revealing... green eyes. Aster's eyes had been gray. Of course.

"Emil," Richter said softly, squinting at his opponent. Why here? Why now? It all brought in a huge barrage of emotions that he just didn't want to deal with right now. His axe and sword hung at his hips, it was true, and he could fight if it came to it, but right now he just wanted to get back home.

[stutterbugemil-blog]

"Oh, sure, that’s no problem." Emil could have kicked himself, he didn’t even think to ask if Richter wanted more. The other’s bowl was still sitting to the side on the counter and Emil grabbed it, serving up more and bringing it back to the table for the redhead.

Emil could only stare for a few moments after the response the other gave. “O-only a week?” Normally in his own time with nothing to do a week could feel like an eternity.. but it seemed like nothing when compared with the fact that it was the only time he’d see Richter before he went and vanished for another year again. It was a miracle at all that he had the chance to see Richter anyway, so he should be happy with this but… “I-is there some way for you to stay longer?” It was a selfish question, one he knew wouldn’t have a favorable answer, but it tumbled out before Emil could rethink it.

[baneofratatosk]

Richter took the bowl and busied himself with eating it, although Emil's question took him by surprise. He had expected questions about what the Ginnungagap was like, or what Lord Ratatosk's behavior was when he wasn't possessing the body of a teenager. He hadn't expected that Emil would question the length of his visit.

"Emil..." he started, a faint, fond smile on his lips. And here he'd thought that nobody would miss him. Aster was dead, and Emil had Marta, right? Although, looking around the space, it was clear Emil lived here alone. So maybe Emil was just as lonely as he was? With a slight shake of his head, he went back to his soup, taking another few spoonfuls and thinking.

"The longer I stay, the harder it will be for Lord Ratatosk to keep this world's mana in order," he stated simply. "He gave me a week to return to the Ginnungagap. I plan to waste none of this time."

[stutterbugemil-blog]

Emil watched the other perhaps a bit too intently, waiting on edge to see what he would say. Richter’s opinion meant a lot to him, after all… No, that was a silly thought, best to brush that aside.

That… was probably exactly what he should have expected. “Thank… you?” He couldn’t decide if he should be insulted or not, but it sounded close enough to a compliment that he’d take it. 

With his own soup soon enough finished and Richter obviously close to being done the blond stood up, picking up his bowl and taking it over to the sink. He was caught off guard by the expression on Richter’s face however when he turned back, feeling his cheeks color slightly.

Emil cleared his throat, “O-oh, yeah, s-sure thing.” He may have taken the other’s bowl a bit too quickly, getting back to the sink and facing away from Richter as soon as he possibly could. Why was Emil blushing like this anyway? It’s just Richter for crying out loud! But he couldn’t recall if he’d ever actually seen the other smile like that before… Stupid, stupid, stop thinking about it! “S-so, um, h-how’s it been?” the blond quickly tried to distract from his behavior by making conversation while he cleaned, “A-aren’t you still supposed to be at the Ginnungagap? What happened?”

[baneofratatosk]

Richter closed his eyes and huffed softly. Despite having a full bowl of soup, he was still hungry. "Perhaps... I could have seconds?" he requested, not wanting to be an imposition. Despite the fact that Emil had taken him into his home and fed him, he had nothing to offer in return, save his presence, which, if his previous companion had been any indication, wasn't exactly a blessing.

And then the big question hit. He should've seen this coming and come up with a proper response, but with the way it had all happened, he just hadn't had the time to settle those particular thoughts. He pushed away from the table and sighed, his hair puffing out from his eyes slightly in the process. "Lord Ratatosk saw it fit to give me a week free from the Ginnungagap," he said simply. If Emil listened close enough, he could probably hear the sarcasm in Richter's tone. "There was a miscalculation, and I chose to take a week every year over shaving twenty years off one thousand." It was an incomplete answer, to be sure, but it was the only one Richter was prepared to give at this moment.

[stutterbugemil-blog]

Emil could quickly tell that his words hadn’t had much effect, making him frown ever so slightly. Sure, he’d expected as much but it was still a bit disheartening to not be able to cheer up a friend. Richter was… complicated. The blond wished he could understand more of those complexities, know more of the little things that would cheer the other up… But that would take time, and Emil wasn’t too certain Richter would stay around longer than he needed to. 

He was at least glad to see Richter taking his advice and moving to sit down. It would have been bad if the half-elf randomly toppled over or something. Emil followed the other back into the kitchen, moving to the pot to check on the soup. He gave it a quick stir before lifting the ladle up to check the taste,  making a pleased noise accompanied by a nod as he determined it was ready. A few moments and two bowls later he made his way to the table, placing down a bowl and spoon for Richter before setting down his own bowl. 

"I just want to apologize ahead of time if anything tastes off about it, I’ve been experimenting with recipes for a while and w-well…" Emil trailed off with a shrug and an awkward laugh. Sure, the blond knew he was a good cook but he still couldn’t help but be a little worried about what someone else would think of something as experimental as this. 

[baneofratatosk]

Richter looked down at the steaming bowl in front of him and frowned slightly. What was the last thing he'd eaten? Aside from gels in that fight with... Emil. His gaze flickered up to the blond, taking a few more moments for thoughts to clear out of his head before slowly picking up his spoon. What a foreign gesture. He frowned slightly as he struggled to remember how he'd held utensils the last time he'd used them. Was this... the most comfortable? Probably. He scooped up a spoonful of soup and lifted it up, blowing on it once before sticking it in his mouth.

"Well..." he started, taking another spoonful and struggling to eat slowly. It wouldn't do to just shovel it all in. "It certainly tastes better than anything I could make." That wasn't necessarily a compliment, since Richter's cooking was arguably worse than even Raine's. But the food was actually quite good. The herbs blended together well, and it had a nice, subtle flavor. Richter took his time with the bowl, not wanting to appear overeager, before finally looking up at Emil again. He wore a soft smile, one that reflected emotion he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Thank you," he said quietly, letting the spoon settle on the table. 

[stutterbugemil-blog]

Emil winced slightly at Richter’s tone, it was that tone that made him feel like a child about to be put in timeout. Emil opened his mouth to speak, “W-well, I mean I just,” the blond stopped his babbling when it seemed Richter had figured out what happened without his explanation. A cut finger after cooking was hardly something that required a thorough explanation anyway.

Emil gave a soft smile, “It’s alright. Thank you for trying, Richter.” He couldn’t imagine what it must feel like to suddenly have your magic gone like that. Emil wondered if he should try to comfort the half-elf… then again Richter would probably reject that sort of thing. He couldn’t stop himself, however, from adding, “I-It’s too small for the amount of mana that would have taken you anyway, S-so really, don’t worry about it.” 

It only took a moment for him to find the kit after that, quickly bandaging the finger. Looked like he was out of gels… Something he would need to remember next time he went out shopping. Emil glanced up at Richter, a slight bit of worry showing in his eyes, “A-are you sure you should be standing right now? Maybe you should go take a seat at the table. I mean, i-if you need to, that is.”

[baneofratatosk]

Richter balled his hands into fists and looked away from Emil. His comforting did nothing for the half-elf's self-esteem. At this point, he was no better than a human, save his longevity. And what did that really matter, if he was to spend the next 999 years in a blank hell? He would probably be tired of himself after that. He'd stay alive for the sake of the world, but beyond that... it was entirely possible that he wouldn't allow himself to live past that point.

Wordlessly, he took Emil's advice and went into the kitchen. It was a small room, just slightly bigger than the bedroom, with barely enough space for a table with two chairs. He passed by a pot merrily bubbling on the stove and was surprised to smell... Rosemary? Thyme? Had Emil branched out, herb-wise? Or was he just doing this to please Richter? One of those options made Richter unhappy; the other left him feeling blank. Carefully, he took a seat at the table and waited for Emil to serve him the soup.

[stutterbugemil-blog]

A small laugh bubbled up in response to the growl Richter’s stomach gave. He had a slight feeling that if it wasn’t for that the other might have denied the offer. A body was a truthful thing, easily giving away signs like that. Emil stood up from the chair, “Alright, I’ll go fix something up for you. You haven’t eaten in a while, right? I’ll make you something simple.”

Emil had started walking toward the kitchen, only to pause and look back at the other, seeing him gaze out the window. Just what was he thinking? Maybe Emil could read things like hunger but when it came to reading Richter’s expressions he was at a complete loss. The blond again started to turn for the kitchen before freezing up for a moment. What if Richter suddenly vanished while he was out of the room? Maybe Emil was just hallucinating this whole time. The thought gripped him with momentary panic, though he did his best to shake it off, forcing himself to finish turning and make his way to the kitchen.

"Call for me if you need anything, a-alright?" Emil shouted back toward the room. With that out of the way he started digging through his cupboard. Simple… simple… Soup was fairly simple. Not the most amazing thing but it would have to do. 

He let the broth heat up as he went about cutting up ingredient, all the while fighting back the urge to constantly poke his head back into the other room to check on Richter. Cooking was second nature to Emil, but even with that being the case having his mind as distracted as it was was enough to throw him off. The blond let out a small hiss of pain as the blade nicked his finger. Well at least he was done cutting for the moment. He put his cut finger to his mouth for the time being, using his other hand to dump the remaining ingredients into the pot. After tossing a few herbs and spices in the pot was good to sit on its own for a bit.

A smile came to Emil’s face as he remembered Richter lecturing him for not liking herbs that one time. Since then he’d started experimenting with them… He wondered if Richter would notice… or if he remembered that conversation at all. That aside he made his way back into his room to find his first aid kit, and glad to see that Richter had in fact not vanished in the time he was out.

[baneofratatosk]

Richter let the time that Emil was gone simply slip by. He'd become a master of meditation during his time in the Ginnungagap, and he employed those skills now. He had to have been, or the emptiness would've driven him insane. Instead, he'd let the emptiness absorb him, becoming one with it. He'd heard that phenomenon was called enlightenment, but he certainly didn't feel enlightened to the secrets of the universe. Enlightened to the emotions of the Demon Lord, undoubtedly.

He was snapped out of his daze when Emil hurried back into the room. His focus first went to the blond as he bustled about, then to the smell that was starting to fill the air. It had been so long since he'd smelled anything... He took in a deep breath, letting his lungs fill with the good scent, identifying it as soup. Oh, how lovely. Anything would do, really, although given Emil's dislike of herbs... This would probably be rather bland. His attention went straight back to Emil, however, once he heard somethings rustling about. It appeared that the human was... looking for something? Upon closer notice, he was clutching one hand tighter to his chest than the other.

"What happened?" he snapped, feeling significantly more like his old self now that he had time to reorder his mind. He got off the bed, prepared for the headrush that was sure to follow, and strode right over to Emil. Blood. Of course Emil had cut himself while making soup. With a sigh, he took Emil's hand in his own, closing his eyes and focusing on his magic to cast First Aid.

... Or he tried to. When he opened his eyes again, there was still a cut, and he didn't feel like any of his mana had been depleted. "Odd," he mumbled, trying again. Nothing. It was almost as if... "Of course," he said softly. What an idiot he was. "Ratatosk is wielding my mana to continue his work. I am... manaless." That was an odd thought. Born a half-elf, his magic had been a part of him his whole life. Who was he, without his magic?