A Year Passes by...

[smallspot]

Who: Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (smallspot ) and anyone else who wants to talk to him!
Where: His room (2-17, Building One), the library (1st floor, Building Two) and a grassy area outside near Building One.
When:  First prompt is on 9-10, the last two are on 9-11.
Format: Starting in prose, but please use whatever you want to reply!
Summary: Diarmuid wakes up back in the city after being sent home for a year.  Thankfully, he doesn't have to wait too long before his friends find him again.  After spending a day readjusting to being in the city, he heads out to the library to try and teach himself how to read and write. Then, he is going to stop by his favorite grassy spot near Building One to practice...only those aren't wooden practice swords he's using now, are they?
Warnings: Cuteness, one little boy acting far too old for his age, angst?

Room 2-17, Building One (9-10):

Diarmuid might be a year older when he returns to Saeng Seong, but he still hasn't outgrown the habit of curling up in a nest of blankets when he sleeps.  That is why he doesn't notice anything is different from any other morning right away.  The sense of loss that he has become use to over the last year is still there.  His drive to become a better knight is still there.  His butterfly...

The boy sits upright with a small gasp of surprise and delight when his butterfly lands on his nose.  For the last year, he has thought his precious pet was lost.  He had begged his father to do something to bring him back, but all Aengus had been able to do was sadly say that once lost, some things can never be found again.

But here he is.  Little Dia is here.  The boy carefully gathers the butterfly into his hands and holds it close to him before looking around.  On the corner of his bed, his swan family watches him sleep.  On the table are the open candy bags from the last time his friend had visited.  He's back.  Back in Saeng Seong.  He had spent a year at home.  How much time had passed here?  Were any of his friends still around?

Was Cu Chulainn?  Lord Wing?  Suzaku?  Lord Auron?

Diarmuid should go find them, but instead of jumping to his feet to run and do that, he just sits on his bed for a while holding his butterfly close.  Since his feeling of loss had started around the time he had lost his butterfly, part of him had thought that to be the cause, but he has his butterfly back now...

...and the feeling of loss is still there.


Library, 1st floor, Building Two (9-11):

It takes a little while for Diarmuid to readjust to being in a place so different from his home, but seeing his friends again helps.  Now, a taller and more solemn looking Diarmuid can be found in the library wearing his dark green yukata that has little birds in lighter green embroidered on it.  He is so happy it still fits even though he has grown in the past year!  Unfortunately, most of the other clothes he has don't.  He will have to thank the lady at the shop where he got it when he goes back next for telling him it was okay to get it a little big so he could grow into it.

Laying in front of him there is a notebook along with a book meant to help people learn to read and write.  It's open to a page with numbers on it, and Diarmuid is very carefully writing numbers in the notebook next to him.  Of course, the writing messy and unsteady since he isn't used to holding a pencil.  He knows some ogham, which is a written language that uses mostly straight lines for letters, so many of the lines for his numbers are disconnected or slanted in strange ways.  This is especially obvious with numbers that have curves in them.  He just doesn't seem to know how they should go together even with the example right in front of him.

His frustration in clear in the frown on his face.  After messing up yet again, he sighs and drops his head down on his arms.  At this rate, it's going to take forever for him to get anywhere!


Outside Building One (9-11):

Diarmuid has changed since his time at the library and is now wearing a new set of clothes that obviously must have come with him when he came back to the city since they actually fit.  There is nothing special about the clothes, though.  In fact, they are very plain and obviously made for training in.  The shirt is a simple tunic in dark green.  The pants are simple as well and also dark green.  However, if the boy liking green is something that hasn't changed, there is very definitely something different about the picture he paints while he is practicing.  Before he was only practicing with a child's wooden sword.  Now he's certainly not practicing with a wood sword.  While still child-sized, Diarmuid's weapons are made of metal and are very real.  Not to mention, he's using them two at a time.

It's clear whatever he did during the year he was gone, his fighting skill has vastly improved.  Children his age usually aren't allowed to practice with a live blade, let alone two of them.  From the way he pauses every so often to repeat a move, it's obvious that he's being very picky about them.  If those who saw him practicing before thought him very serious about things, one wonders what they might think now.

Comments

[beforetights]

[However long the time had been in Diarmuid's world, it had only been three days in Saeng Seong. While Cu Chulainn missed his friend, he wasn't particularly worried. After all, maybe Diarmuid is just spending time with another friend.]

[This is why, when he pokes his head into Diarmuid's bedroom this morning, having been playing in the living room the previous night, he's only mildly, though pleasantly, surprised.]

Diarmuid! You're back! Where were you? What did you do? Was it fun?

[He starts clambering up the bed so he can be beside his friend.]

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid looks up in surprise when he hears his friend's voice. He's so happy to see Cu Chulainn that he can't say anything for a moment. Instead, he waits until his friend has crawled up onto his bed, lets his butterfly go, and then throws his arms around the other boy giving him the biggest hug he can.]

You're still here! You didn't leave. Even though I was gone for a whole year, you didn't leave! I'm so glad!

[The butterfly seems glad too, circling happily around both boys' heads.]

[beforetights]

[He hugs Diarmuid back, giving him a tight squeeze in the process.]

Silly, it hasn't been a year! It's only been three days!

[smallspot]

But it has been!

[Diarmuid gives his friend a confused look.]

I had a birthday and everything! I'm bigger now.

[He slips off the edge of the bed and looks up at Cu Chulainn.]

Taller! See?

[beforetights]

[Cu Chulainn stares at his friend. Diarmuid does look a little bigger. And just a little older. And just a tiny bit sadder.]

Whoa.

[He hops out of bed and circles around Diarmuid, taking note of all of his friend's changes.]

You're right! You're taller!

{He gives Diarmuid an excited hug, and, like he has done twice before, lifts Diarmuid up just a little.]

But I can still pick you up! I'm still strong!

[outside]

[driftlock]

Deadlock's been too busy being, well...himself. Meaning self-absorbed and grumpy. So he hasn't noticed Diarmuid being gone (sorry). But he does have an optic for weapons, so he does notice the swords.

He stops from his walk back, folding his arms over his chassis, watching the other at work. "Been working with Wing, huh?" Figures. He can't find Wing, and all along he's been here, training these others.

And not Deadlock.

Someone may be slightly jealous.

[smallspot]

Diarmuid doesn't answer right away. It's not that the now taller boy is being rude, it's that he is so focused on what he's doing that he doesn't hear Deadlock talking. Which, considering Deadlock is a giant robot, means Diarmuid is very focused indeed. Perhaps, frighteningly so, and it's only when he stops for a moment to rest that he finally seems to realize someone is talking to him.

"Deadlock!" He gives the robot a wide smile and then shakes his head, "Did you find Lord Wing, yet? I haven't seen him, but I was back home for a whole year! I got to see my father and do some more training with him. My friend says only three days passed here, though. Isn't that weird?"

So, easy on the jealousy there, boyo. He was training with his father, not Wing.

[driftlock]

Yeah, Deadlock's seen that super concentrated focus before. From Wing. Fraggin' people and their fraggin' swords. Guns? SO much easier.

The expression on his face, like a F-5 rated scowl, is probably answer enough. "No. Fraggin' jet's hiding from me. Not funny anymore."

Then it hits him. "You went home? And then came back?" Why the frag would you do a dumb thing like that?

[smallspot]

Diarmuid nods, his expression growing more serious. He pulls the serious look off much more successfully now than he did just a few days ago, "Yes, I was home for a whole year! I don't know why they sent me home if they were only going to bring me back. Maybe it was an accident like the one where we were all hot and cold? I should ask Lady Irene when I see her again. Maybe she can tell me.

"Do you think Lord Wing got sent home like me? Is that why you can't find him?"

Outside

[swordofzero]

Suzaku hadn't seen Diarmuid in a few days and was starting to get worried. He didn't see him every day but he usually saw him at least running around with Cu. Yet every time he had seen Cu he had been alone.

So he was relieved to see him outside practicing, but his relief was quickly changed to surprise as he saw what he was practicing with and his improvement. He watched for a while, shocked.

"Diarmuid?" He asked eventually, just to check this was the Diarmuid he knew, and not another.

[smallspot]

"Suzaku!" Though Diarmuid sounds excited to see his friend, he doesn't look up at him right away. Instead, he focuses on finishing the move he is working on which is a spin that has several sword slashes from both blades in it. It's obviously one of the newer moves he learned before coming back because he's still struggling with it a little.

Once he finishes, he looks up at Suzaku with a wide smile, "What do you think? I'm still learning it, but it's just one of the things my father taught me while I was gone!"

[swordofzero]

He watched the move with interest. still surprised at how the boys fighting skills had improved, and unsure to as how.

"Impressive, you learned that very fast."

[smallspot]

Diarmuid shakes his head, walking over to where Suzaku is standing, "I was gone a year, Suzaku! See! I'm taller now!' Mindful of the weapon in his hand, Diarmuid raises it showing how much taller he is now than he was, "My friend says only three days passed here, but it was a year for me. I am starting to fight with a spear now too!"

"Did I miss a lot when I was gone? Did anything exciting happen?" It had only been three days, but considering the nature of this place any number of things could have happened.

Outside

[mama_saber]

[Finally up and about after her bout with a rather intense cold, it came as something of a surprise to the former king to see someone practicing with actual swords outside in such a manner.

The boy looked vaguely familiar to the point that it took a few moment for her to recognize him.]

Do you require any assistance?

[smallspot]

When Diarmuid hears someone speaking to him, he pauses in his practicing. It takes him a moment to remember who she is, not so much because they haven't talked since he met her when she first arrived a few months ago, but because for him it's actually been quite a bit longer than a few months. It's been over a year. But Diarmuid quickly places her face and as he does, he breaks out into a wide smile.

"Hello Lady!" He pauses a moment realizing she had never given him a name back then, but shrugs it off, "How are you? Did you ever find Lady Irisviel? I would be very happy to have you help me. I learned a lot during the year I was gone, but I still have a lot to learn!"

And the quicker he learns the better. There are a lot of people out there who need someone to protect them and keep them safe.

[mama_saber]

"Hello to you as well." Arturia said cheerfully. "Sadly, I've been unable to find Irisviel. That is for the best though, Shirou requires someone to look after him, after all."

True, it had been hard adjusting to once more living alone and the lack of constant noise and affection that came along with it. But she would adapt, just as she had to the many other roles that had fallen upon her shoulders over the years.

"And I would love to teach you, could you tell what you've learned in the time you've been gone?"

[smallspot]

"Shirou? Is that your boy's name? It's a nice name too. Just like Lady Irisviel's is!" A happy expression crosses his face, "But you wouldn't have to worry if she comes here. Shirou won't be alone. Time really does stop when we are taken from our worlds. I don't know how they do it, but it stops. I know because I went back home for a year and no time had passed at home even though I was here for a long time. My friend says only three days passed here while I was gone too. Isn't that weird?

"I learned a lot from my father while I was gone. I can use real swords now, see?" Diarmuid proudly holds his swords out to her. "And I started to learn how to use a spear too, but I didn't get to bring that with me. If you are going to teach me, you have to tell me your name first! Please?"

After all, he needs to know what to call his teacher and she probably has just as pretty a name as everyone else she knows does!

Dia's room, morning of 9-12 as discussed. :D

[winged_knight]

Wing has been gone a while, but now, finally out of stasis, he's doing the rounds of checking on his friends. He's already, uh, checked on Deadlock, or rather that happened the other way around actually, so Diarmuid comes next.

And for more reasons that one does the boy come next, because Wing has a surprise for the boy. Two of them, really.

Wing's starting with the smallest of them. He's thankful for how helpful the natives are, especially the young woman at the cafe who helped make a breakfast recommendation suitable for a young human boy.

So now he's outside Diarmuid's room, deftly juggling a covered plate and a large jug of what the woman called milk--she was quite insistent he take it when she learned the boy's age, and demanded Wing give back the dark, strong smelling beverage--as he knocks on the door.

:-D

[smallspot]

Diarmuid is a little surprised to have his door knocked on so early in the morning. He sits up, rubbing his eyes and looking around. When the knock comes again, he jumps out of bed and calls out, "I'll be right there!"

The boy quickly makes his way to the door and opens it. When he sees who it is, joy fills his eyes, "Lord Wing! You're not lost anymore!" Before waiting for any kind of answer, Diarmuid steps forward and gives Wing a big hug. He's a little taller now so some of Wing's ankle gets to share the hug with his foot.

[winged_knight]

The hug doesn't quite surprise Wing, but it does put a big grin on his face.

"Diarmuid, you were concerned for me? I wasn't lost, just hard to find. I'm sorry for worrying you though." He'd return the hug completely but he has a covered tray occupying one hand, so instead he reaches down and gives the boy a friendly pat on the back.

"I hope I haven't come too early?" Wing prefers to be an early riser, watching the sun come up at times, but he knows not everyone else is.

[smallspot]

Diarmuid shakes his head, hugging Wing a moment longer before stepping back so Wing can come in, "No! I was awake. I am always up early." He pause to give Wing a sad look, "Please don't be hard to find again. I was really worried and Deadlock was really worried too! He probably won't admit it if you ask, but he was! He especially seemed worried you might have been sent home like I was, but that you might not come back like I did!"

His eyes seems to finally find the tray Wing is carrying and his expression becomes very curious, "What do you have, Lord Wing?"

Library

[goldenflint]

Mami hasn't fully explored the entirety of the building she lives in just yet. She had passed the library numerous of times before heading out to run errands or to patrol the city, but she hasn't set foot in it at all. Looks like today would be the day she would finally venture inside.

She headed in, taking a moment to appreciate the sight. There was something about libraries that she found quite pleasing to the eye. When looked over to rows of tables, she didn't expect that she would see one of the friends she met during her arrival to Saeng Seong, slumped over with notebook in pencil in front of him. Was he trying to write something?

"Diarmuid?" Mami called out, carefully making her way towards the little boy. "Is that you?"

Library

[smallspot]

When Diarmuid hears Mami's voice, his head comes up off the table and he smiles at her even though the smile can't hide the frustration in his eyes. If Mami thinks he looks a little different now, she isn't just imagining things. Over the year he has been home, not only has Diarmuid gotten taller, but some of the softness has gone out of his face...

Of course, that might be less to do with growing up and more to do with the feeling of loss inside of him now, but he doesn't know that.

"Hello, Mami! Yes, it's me," Diarmuid looks down at his clothes for a moment in confusion. "Do I look that different? I'm only a little taller now..."

Library

[goldenflint]

"Hmm?" Once Mami gets a closer look at Diarmuid, she does notice he's gotten a bit taller, but to her he's still the sweet little boy who had become one of her friends in Saeng Seong.

"You are a bit taller now. I just wanted to make sure I was calling out to you and someone else that looks like you."

Library

[smallspot]

Diarmuid giggles and shakes his head, "No, it's just me! I don't think there is anyone here that looks like me. My friend would be so confused if there was. I would be confused too!"

The boy giggles again and then looks down at his messily written numbers, frowning slightly, "Trying to learn to read and write is hard, Mami. Can you help me?"