That's why we lived alone out in Yellowstone. So the Last Men wouldn't find me. He was the only other person I ever knew. The only other person that I ever saw. Until now.
[All the people here. Until Basil. He glances at the other, tentative and cautious still, but finding him believing the other doesn't mean him any harm. He's had the chance if he did want to hurt Gus by now. So it's probably safe enough. But he still mentions his slingshot anyway, just in case.]
You live in the forest...? T-That isn't lonely...? Then again, being surrounded by nature... it sounds really nice...
( Basil is a little tense himself, if only because he isn't a violent person by nature. He isn't sure how to defend himself if Gus truly feels in danger. )
I don't know if I feel that brave. I just follow his rules. To keep myself safe.
[Or. He's trying. That is harder when he isn't back in Yellowstone. This means he technically already broke one of the rules about not going beyond the fence. He has to hope that if he tries to stick to the rest of the rules, things might still be alright.]
[Gus shrugs, not necessarily thinking as much about it. He just did what he was told. And was figuring it out. For Gus, it is just harder to trust others, given the stories he has been told back home, about the Last Men and all.]
I guess I'm used to being told to hide if I see anyone else. About people trying to capture us hybrids.
I-It sounds dangerous where you live, but... I don't think anyone here wants to hurt you. At least... the people who I've met have all been really nice.
( A hybrid? That... might explain the antlers. To Basil, they're cute... Why would someone want to capture him? )
Do you think it's not so dangerous? I'm just so used to being told to avoid people.
[To hide. To run. So, what Basil says contradicts what Gus has grown up hearing from his father. He can't help but be cautious; even if he is hopeful, this might not be as bad as his father thought. Maybe his father was mistaken? Or maybe this new place isn't like that, at least?]
( Basil speaks honestly, shifting enough to hug his knees. )
But... I think that there will always be kind people, too. I don't know what your home is like. It sounds scary, but I don't think being here is that bad.
Earlier... I made some flower crowns for my friend, and people who I didn't even know wanted to help.
They are dangerous but not that bad. They are kind people. I guess I'm still figuring things out with people. Back home, I only knew Pubba. He was kind. I know not everyone is bad. It's just that I don't have a lot of examples, I guess.
[At this age. He's only ever known to be alone with his father. So. This is kind of a lot. To meet Basil or anyone else. So, of course, Gus is going to take time to adjust. To figure this out.]
( It sounds a little lonely, only having one person. Then again, Basil didn't have any friends for a long time. )
I... I'm glad that you had someone so important to protect you. It's important to have someone special like that in your life.
( He offers a smile then, taking off his flower crown and gently extending it out for Gus to look at. )
Here! My friends and I made them together before, and we had a lot of fun... The flowers at the lake were so cute that I wanted to try to make them here too.
Mm. It is. I mean. I have my slingshot. But I know I'm still just a kid.
[He is aware that he probably does need that support. In terms of teaching him, learning so much as he grows up, that assistance in defending himself if necessary. Gus's ears twitch as the other offers him a flower. He gently takes it in one hand, noting the colours, and the scent of it.]
It's nice. Different to the ones back home. I mean, the ones people associate with the Sick.
[Still, he is still learning to defend himself. He's mostly been taught to run, to hide. And he has his slingshot but really, that won't do much, if anything, more than annoy someone, most likely. If he tried to use that.]
There are these purple flowers back home that show up where someone is sick, I think. Or, that's what I heard. Or it causes the sick. I'm not sure.
You would? Ah, thank you. I mean. Hopefully, you won't need to. But. We can stick together. And at least, there might be books. About which plants or flowers might not be safe. I know some can make people sick or are poisonous. There might be some here that I might not have seen back home.
[Some native to this place. Since Gus is only familiar with the plants around Yellowstone. He's not necessarily traveled otherwise to really be familiar with plants in other parts of the world or the like. Let alone here. Wherever this is. Yet.]
Yeah. You can count on me! If we're both really here for the long haul, I'd like to at least be able to learn how to use magic to protect my friends.
( Basil crosses his legs then, wanting to relax further now. Now that Gus seems a little less prone to attack, he has a feeling that relaxing a bit would be alright. )
I can teach you about a little... A-At least, what flowers to really look out for.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
MEMORY EVENT: GUS
Your Pubba? ( His dad, maybe...? ) It sounds like he really just wanted for you to be safe. I-It's really nice that you have someone like that.
( And, it must be lonely to be without him, too...
Still, he sits next to him, offering a small smile -- although it looks a bit uncertain at the offer. )
A-Ah, I don't want to hurt you -- promise! But, if you want to protect yourself, I understand... This place is a little scary.
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[All the people here. Until Basil. He glances at the other, tentative and cautious still, but finding him believing the other doesn't mean him any harm. He's had the chance if he did want to hurt Gus by now. So it's probably safe enough. But he still mentions his slingshot anyway, just in case.]
It is. A little.
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( Basil is a little tense himself, if only because he isn't a violent person by nature. He isn't sure how to defend himself if Gus truly feels in danger. )
... Ah. You're... really brave.
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[Or. He's trying. That is harder when he isn't back in Yellowstone. This means he technically already broke one of the rules about not going beyond the fence. He has to hope that if he tries to stick to the rest of the rules, things might still be alright.]
I'm not sure if I can keep to that here.
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( And he's so young, on top of that. How could Basil not admire that strength? )
I think that you could. T-There's a lot of really kind people here. They all just want to help...
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[Gus shrugs, not necessarily thinking as much about it. He just did what he was told. And was figuring it out. For Gus, it is just harder to trust others, given the stories he has been told back home, about the Last Men and all.]
I guess I'm used to being told to hide if I see anyone else. About people trying to capture us hybrids.
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( A hybrid? That... might explain the antlers. To Basil, they're cute... Why would someone want to capture him? )
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[To hide. To run. So, what Basil says contradicts what Gus has grown up hearing from his father. He can't help but be cautious; even if he is hopeful, this might not be as bad as his father thought. Maybe his father was mistaken? Or maybe this new place isn't like that, at least?]
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( Basil speaks honestly, shifting enough to hug his knees. )
But... I think that there will always be kind people, too. I don't know what your home is like. It sounds scary, but I don't think being here is that bad.
Earlier... I made some flower crowns for my friend, and people who I didn't even know wanted to help.
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[At this age. He's only ever known to be alone with his father. So. This is kind of a lot. To meet Basil or anyone else. So, of course, Gus is going to take time to adjust. To figure this out.]
Flower crowns?
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I... I'm glad that you had someone so important to protect you. It's important to have someone special like that in your life.
( He offers a smile then, taking off his flower crown and gently extending it out for Gus to look at. )
Here! My friends and I made them together before, and we had a lot of fun... The flowers at the lake were so cute that I wanted to try to make them here too.
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[He is aware that he probably does need that support. In terms of teaching him, learning so much as he grows up, that assistance in defending himself if necessary. Gus's ears twitch as the other offers him a flower. He gently takes it in one hand, noting the colours, and the scent of it.]
It's nice. Different to the ones back home. I mean, the ones people associate with the Sick.
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( Basil doesn't approve of any sort of fighting, but he knows that sometimes, something like that is necessary. He just wishes that it wasn't.
Though, he tilts his head at what he says next. )
Do you mean that people where different flower crowns?
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[Still, he is still learning to defend himself. He's mostly been taught to run, to hide. And he has his slingshot but really, that won't do much, if anything, more than annoy someone, most likely. If he tried to use that.]
There are these purple flowers back home that show up where someone is sick, I think. Or, that's what I heard. Or it causes the sick. I'm not sure.
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If anything happens... I can't fight, but I promise that I'll try to find a way to protect you, too.
( He's so young... It's hard to believe that someone his age has something like that to fear. )
Ah, well... There are always going to be dangerous flowers no matter where you go, I think... But, it's good that you know exactly what kind to avoid.
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[Some native to this place. Since Gus is only familiar with the plants around Yellowstone. He's not necessarily traveled otherwise to really be familiar with plants in other parts of the world or the like. Let alone here. Wherever this is. Yet.]
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( Basil crosses his legs then, wanting to relax further now. Now that Gus seems a little less prone to attack, he has a feeling that relaxing a bit would be alright. )
I can teach you about a little... A-At least, what flowers to really look out for.