realmofstories | First Shield | Is this what they call an Isekai?

Characters: Ryotaro Dojima (King Arthur)
Campaign: Break
Format: Prose (But I'll match you)
Open or Closed: Open
Summary: The King has arrived, and he's trying to get the hang of the whole 'whisked away to another world to save it' thing. Come talk to him?

A: About the Town:

Clink, clank, clink--

"Ugh..."

If you followed the distinct sound of metal clicking and clacking together, you'd find yourself staring at an older man (maybe 40s?) in chain mail and parts of a suit of armor, with a cape, sword and crown to boot. He's rubbing his temple with his hand (Causing more clinking) glancing around, looking a little lost.

If he catches you looking at him, he straightens up, and turns your way-

"Pardon me--Ah."

He shook his head, looking even more annoyed, before continuing.

"Do you know where they sell normal clothing around here?"

Emphasis on 'normal'.

B: No horsing around.

If you happened by the lake, you'd see a new house had a appeared there. Well, perhaps it would be more appropriate to call it a castle. And standing infront of it would be an older man, staring down a pure white, large horse.

Fortunately, the horse seemed calm, and well trained, flicking its ears a bit but otherwise standing still. It was the man who looked a little unsure... as he offered up an apple to the horse, palm up.

"...I heard you guys like these."

The horses ears went up, and making a soft sound, the horse stepped forward, taking a bite out of the apple, it's tail relaxed along with it's nostrils.

At that, the man also relaxed, a small smile spreading on his face.

"Well, at least you're going to take it easy on me, huh?"

Maybe he'll let you pet the horsey...?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It certainly didn't seem that way, given that Roxas was a merman despite having the Essence of a mermaid. Though, if one were to ask him if he thought it weird, he'd shrug it off.

"Hmm... It's been a while. I was one of the first to arrive here. Not quite a year, so... I think about eight months?" He nods; yeah, that sounds about right. Now that Roxas thought about it, it's been a long time he's been here. Time really did fly here in the Index.

"So if you need any help with anything, I can try to answer your questions, if the Library hasn't already."

"...This has been going on that long?"

Dojima's eyes narrowed, displeasure clear on his face.

"...And that 'Storyteller' is pulling in kids your age?"

It was one thing to call on someone like him or Naomi, but Roxas was a teenager, younger than Souji, even. He shouldn't have to deal with something like this.

"The library, huh... I went there yesterday, but I'm probably going to have to go back."

His expression became more tired, sighing.

"Seems my Aspect has a rather... extensive, varied story."

"Yeah. It doesn't feel like that long, though. And we've only repaired a few stories so far." It's weird to think he's been here so long, but at the same time, it didn't feel all that long at all.

"Well, it's true, but, it's not like I was brought here by force. He asked, and I agreed. I had the power to help, and have fought monsters before, so I thought I should come." He says it plainly, because, well, it was true. And if the Storyteller was to be believed, it's not like he was truly 'gone' while he was here. Sora's heart would still be safeguarded while he was here.

"Oh yeah? What's your Aspect?"

"..."

Power to help, huh? Didn't that sound familiar...

"Kids like you should be going to school and having fun with friends, not worrying about fighting monsters or saving the world."

But, then, what did he know? It wasn't like he'd been able to solve that case... if anything, he had probably been a burden to Souji and his friends.

...Thinking about it all, it still was a blow to his pride as a detective, and as a guardian of his nephew and father to his daughter. So, he pushed it away as he answered the kids question.

"King Arthur. Ever heard of him?"

Roxas goes briefly silent at those words, his gaze flicking down just for a moment. Going to school and having fun with friends, not having to worry about saving the world... yeah, Roxas would have loved a life like that. Just a simple life of jokes and ice cream, school projects and sunsets. If it were his call to make, he wouldn't even wield a Keyblade.

But alas, those decisions were out of his grasp. Heck, he's lucky enough to even be here, rather than residing in Sora's heart. Outside of here, he doesn't even have a body to call his own.

Still, that was a conversation he didn't want to spring on a newcomer. So, as quick as that silence was, Roxas pushes it away, instead focusing on the man's essence.

"King Arthur? No, I I haven't. But there's a lot of stories I hadn't heard of before coming here. I've never even heard of my Essence before coming here."

"Really? The little Mermaid is pretty famous where I'm from."

Not that he could really see why. But then, people seemed attracted to tragedy and drama, and that story had it in spades.

"...As for King Arthur, the story goes he was a legendary King of a country called England, a long time a go. Built up a castle city called Camelot, had a group known as the 'Knights of the Round Table', so that none would feel unequal to the other when they sat together."

He glanced back at his horse, letting a sigh slip through his nose.

"Of course, it all fell apart due to infighting, ends up with him dying, but with the potential to come back when England faced it's greatest threat. There's more to it, but it's... complicated."

Dojima didn't feel like adding in the adultery. After all, this kid couldn't be more than what, 14, 15?

"That seems to be the case. Some people here have heard of these stories, and others haven't. I guess they're told in certain worlds and not in others."

That's how he's taking it, at least. Different worlds were weird that way.

Roxas listened carefully to the story, and a small frown spread on his face. "That doesn't sound like a very happy story." Though, he's starting to realize that's rather par for the course with a lot of the stories here.

"Other worlds..."

That was something Dojima was still having trouble wrapping his head around. Science Fiction and Fantasy were outside his wheelhouse, after all. He was pragmatic, logical... leaving behind all those childish thoughts ages ago.

"...Yeah, neither does yours, honestly."

Which is why he was worried about it. If the story 'played out', would Roxas...?

No. He didn't want that-- he couldn't let that happen, even if it went against the story's original intent. He wasn't going to let this boy die on his watch over something stupid like that.

"I don't know if mine was supposed to have a 'happy ending'; it was more for drama and tales of 'Chivalry' and Knights being heroes, than anything else."

"Yeah. I know."

He was sort of spoiled about his story's ending by Shizuo, and then he got to read it for himself. He knows how sad the ending of his story is, and it's a little frightening how close to home it hits to him.

"I've kind of wondered why they seem to end so sadly." Because it seems like a lot of them end up hurting in the end, or having a more bittersweet ending. At least, for the stories he's heard.

"But wouldn't a story about knights being heroes end a little... you know, heroic?"

...Well, that was a hell of a question to ask a man he just met. Especially one who only read stories like this for his daughter.

"Not, all of them end sadly," A pause that felt far more awkward to him than he'd want to admit, "A lot of them do have 'happily ever afters'.

Dojima sighed, taking a seat on a stone near the shore.

"But I guess your story was about... unrequited love. Wanting to be something you weren't for the sake of love. Mine..."

What had he read about Arthur? Thinking on it now, trying to pin point the actual 'moral' of the stories...

"...Was about what an Ideal King should be, what knights who believed in chivalry should strive for. He did die defending his kingdom from his nephew's plot to take over--" That was an uncomfortable thought, flashing back to his nephew, who was definitely not a traitor, and then to someone more fitting the description,

"And there was the promise he'd return when England needed him most. It's not happy... but I guess it's not supposed to be. It's more a guide, and a promise."

"Yeah?" Roxas does perk up at that. This looks like someone familiar with a lot of stories, so if he says a lot of them have happily ever afters, he'll trust his words.

He listens to Dojima talk about King Arthur, about how a man does so much for his kingdom, and how he had been there for his kingdom even after his death. A part of him can't help but think of Sora's selflessness, and how much King Arthur's story reminds him of it. He smiles softly.

"He sounds like a really good Essence to have. And if he's you're Essence, that must say something."

First Shield | Is this what they call an Isekai?

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