005th Oversoul ♨ Voice / Action

[mikanphones]

[Action]

[The sunrise finds Yoh leaving his house, after him a note is left behind for Madoka, together with an already prepared breakfast for her to enjoy. Today, he won't be returning home until late. The sky is clear but the cold air bites the skin through clothes with ease and the snow layer that covers the ground becomes deeper and deeper as he makes his way to the forest. The day feels pretty similar to that winter day in which he had met Anna for the first time, though when they met it had started to snow slightly. Back then Yoh had been very lonely, back then during those few days, all he had was Matamune. Now Matamune is no longer around and Yoh has many friends around him, good friends who at times feel as if they can see through him more than he would like them to, much like the cat spirit had done. Yet he still missed Matamune. He still wasn't strong enough to bring him back.]

Though I shouldn't worry about bringing him back when I can't even probably see Amidamaru yet.

[The sad smile he had transforms into a pout as he mumbles to himself. He really hates this place, it's so... Empty. It's hard to believe that there really are people who belong to this world, what happens with them when they die? Do they keep resurrecting over an over? A world without death... That's just sickening. It makes his blood boil together with everything else that is just wrong here. Sure, there are huge forests and the nature in this place is mostly uncorrupted, but he doubts Horohoro would enjoy this much either. No matter how many plants there are around, all of them feel just dead with no spirit in them, without a soul.

Eventually, he stops in a clearing, snow reaching to past his ankles as he takes off his shoes and coat, followed by his sweater and shirt. He stands in the snow and the cold, wearing just his pants as he begins a training routine. Simple exercises aimed to stretch muscles and warm up his body even under the cold, he moves slowly, closing his eyes and letting his body act on memory as he concentrates. After a couple of hours the cold stops biting his skin, the snow doesn't feel cold and wet, trapping his feet with each step he takes, time matters not to him and the winter breeze does nothing but whisper secrets in his mind. He's one with the nature around him, as void of soul as it is, it still is alive. He becomes indifferent to the elements, his mind and soul reaching for a higher state as he keeps training.]

ATCHOOOOO!!!

[Or maybe not. Okay, forget it, he's not one with the nature except for the fact that he's turning into an ice cube. Yoh hugs his own body in a vain attempt to keep some warm on it.]

F-Forget it, t-ther-e's n-no po-point in t-training if I-I d-die due a p-pneumonia!

[He can almost hear it, Amidamaru's voice encouraging him and making a fuss over him. If Anna was around... She wouldn't let him stop. But she's not around and he's still not convinced that there's even a point for this kind of training. He still doesn't know the causes of why he can't see Amidamaru as always, he still doesn't know if it's not a problem with him but something worse that may be taking a toll on the spirit. And he's freezing. He really has no mood to keep doing this for any more when he could be at his house, hidden under dozens of blankets and sipping a hot beverage.

The middle-morning finds Yoh returning to the house, stopping around the village to get some groceries he knows they are needing as well as something for lunch upon getting new ideas for it. Forget that note about being gone for the whole day.]

[Voice]

[In the afternoon, once he has warmed up his body, Yoh decides to play with his journal a bit. He doesn't use it often for himself, but today he feels in the mood for it.]

You know, lately I've noticed several people asking about the Filial Spirits in this place. To be honest I'm not an expert [Only regarding Luceti's spirits, that is.] but I talk with them basically everyday and practice with them. So... If anyone wants some help with that, maybe I can do it.

Ah, as a free piece of advice... If you're talking with Eferin, make sure you aren't somewhere where you can start a fire unintentionally, even if you're not going to train per say. You never are too safe, believe me.

[There's a pause in the recording before a soft sigh is heard, it's barely audible and it's hard to discern if it's a sad one or a tired one. When Yoh speaks, though, his tone is all but tired or sad.]

Say, what does winter mean to you? Has anything special or important to you happened during one of those cold days? Like meeting someone important, or... Losing someone important. Or maybe you just achieved something you had wanted for a long time. Or just had a small special moment that you remember fondly. I know there's Christmas around the corner, but, come on! I'm sure there's more than that in winter for everyone, right?

Comments

[video]

[savarin]

Wouldn't mind some advice on the spirits. I've been tryin' to get in touch with 'em for a while now.

[He doesn't have an answer for the winter part, though. He'll leave that up to other people who actually have winters.]

[video]

[mikanphones]

Have you been trying with any of them in particular? And how have you been trying to do it?

[video]

[savarin]

Just Tsinku for now. I found a coupla good open places to sit down and relax in, but no matter how long I try, I can't hear anythin'. My species isn't really good at magic, but I wanna try my best anyway.

[video]

[mikanphones]

Not many species are good at magic.

[Though he doesn't really think it depends of the species, it's more a mentality thing.]

Well, for starters, you probably will never really hear anything. [He chuckles lightly.] I made the same mistake at first, I thought that one day I would be able to talk with them as I talk with you. But they can't do that, or if they can we just can't hear their words, as if they used a different channel to communicate.

Filial Spirits here project their emotions and thoughts to you, that's how they communicate with us. Being empathic and open minded helps, but it still can take a while... How good is your empathy?

action;

[happyends]

[ Why do you leave a note like that and then don't do what's on it, Yoh!! It's why Madoka rushes towards the house's entrance as she hears someone entering, a worried look on her face. ]

Y--.. Yoh-san, you're home so early..! Is something wrong?

action;

[mikanphones]

[Can't a man have a change of heart? Yoh laughs sheepishly upon seeing her.]

Ahahaha, don't worry, Madoka. Nothing is wrong, I just changed my min- ATCHOOO!!

[He's going to leave training in the open until summer comes, or Anna arrives and forces him to do so. Next time he will go to the Battle Dome, it doesn't really matter anyway, this place is empty and devoid of souls anywhere he goes.

He smiles and scratches his head, bowing apologetically.]

I'm sorry for bothering you, but look! I went for groceries so me going out wasn't too bad!

[Madoka probably wouldn't get angry if he were to return out of schedule empty handed, but it's better this way.]

[happyends]

[ Yeah, there's no way she would actually get angry, especially not over something like this.. she's just worried, that's all! And when she notices him sneezing like that, she gasps a little more and tries to push him towards the living room a little more. ]

Did you get a cold? Um, Yoh-san, please go lie down for a bit..!

[mikanphones]

[But he has to put the groceries in the kitchen! He allows her to usher him to the living room though, laughing a bit as he moves.]

It's okay, I just got a bit cold, but I don't have a fever or anything! I will be fine after resting at home for the rest of today, don't worry.

[video]

[wannabolt]

[Do pardon the grinning pegasus here. She's got plenty to say on the matter.]

Winter means getting to kickstart the season with the rest of the weather team, rolling out the snow clouds and covering Ponyville in a huge, white blanket of awesomeness.

Snowball fights, ice skating, plus cool holidays like Hearth's Warming Eve... Yeah, it's pretty sweet.

[video]

[mikanphones]

[A talking pony... Probably should surprise him more than it does as he has never seen one, but honestly it doesn't. If anything it makes him specially curious about her, in the way one is curious about a different way of life.]

So you're one of the ones responsible for snow to cover your home? That really sounds awesome, I think I would like to see how it looks with that huge snow blanket.

[From the comfort and warmth of a building, if possible, though playing in the snow would be hard to resist.]

What kind of holiday is that Hearth's Warming Eve?

[video]

[wannabolt]

It's pretty rad. Plus all the lakes and ponds freeze over, making some awesome ice rinks.

[And a sporty gal like Dash can't say no to skating. Or snowball fights, for that matter.]

As for Hearth's Warming Eve, it's kinda like Christmas, I guess. I mean, we put up decorations like trees, candy canes, and holly, and there are carols and gifts, but that's about where the similarities end. The holiday's less about a fat guy and a sleigh and more about Equestria's history.

[video]

[mikanphones]

Ah... Actually Christmas isn't that much about Santa Claus, he's a great addition to it but the celebration isn't for him. It's more of a religious holiday back at my world, though thanks to the idea of Santa Claus people celebrate it even if they don't have that religion.

[He can't blame her for thinking it's all about Santa Claus, though, anyone would think that upon seeing to what people give importance to.]

Now I wonder if the lakes here are frozen as well, it would be fun to go skating a bit. Do you know if that's possible here?

[voice]

[not_a_troll]

Well, since you are so very familiar with them I think you will be able to answer my most urgent question, yes?

[voice]

[mikanphones]

I'll do my best, what's your question?

[voice]

[not_a_troll]

Is there a possibility to combine the energy provided by these spirits?

[voice]

[mikanphones]

[Wow, that's not a question he expected to get, such a question is... It's something to expect from someone who knows what he's doing or at least is intelligent enough to put two and two together regarding spirits and energies. That's not something one sees often.]

You mean something like using both fire elemental magic and electricity at the same time? Or to really combine them and create something different?

[They are two very different things, after all.]

If it's the first one, I'm pretty sure the possibility is there, it won't be easy though and it probably depends on what you're trying to combine. And your goal for it as well in some cases.

The second one... I don't know, but even if it's possible under some circumstances I'm sure it's pretty hard and advanced. Their energy feels too disperse to be able to gather it and combine it with anything, much less do that twice and combine them together.

[Despite claiming he doesn't know, he does sound very sure about the last part having tried it in a certain way.]

[seakingbait]

You... can talk to the filial spirits?

[mikanphones]

That's right.

[Pause.]

Well, I can't really talk with them the way you and me are talking now, but I can communicate with them, yes.

[voice]

[whimsicalwinds]

Ah... Well, I met someone very important to me last Christmas, actually.

[Last Christmas being the one back at home; he hasn't even been in Luceti for a year yet. Though it's getting close to it, which is strange for him, especially since he's been away from this person for so long. Hm.]

[voice]

[mikanphones]

Is that so? That's great. Did it snow when you met?

[He's not going to ask if it was here or in the boy's world, or if that person is around. It doesn't really matter at the moment.]

[voice]

[whimsicalwinds]

Yes, it did! Though I wouldn't really say that the snow was a particularly good thing at the time, aha...

[voice]

[mikanphones]

It wasn't? You wouldn't end trapped somewhere due it or something like that, did you?

[Because that isn't a pleasant experience at all.]

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Winter means a lot to me! Some of the most important people to me... I met them one winter. [He did find out around the same time that he'd lost almost everyone he used to know, but Aang's trying to stay positive in the spirit of this season.] And there were dangerous parts, but we had great times.

[Voice]

[mikanphones]

[Yoh smiles at the voice and then outright laughs at Aang's comment. It's not a mocking laugh or anything, more like a happy and sincere one. It's just amusing to him, ok?]

Seems you and me really have some things in common, eh? Winter means a lot for me as well, for pretty much the same reasons.

[A small pause as his chuckles stop.]

Hello, Aang. How have you been?

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Hi, Yoh. [He flashes a cheeky grin back.] I'm glad we have those things in common, too. And I've been well. It's been quiet lately, which I guess is good around here. What about you? I hear any fire, so that sounds like a good start.