Books
Oneshot
Summary: Seem expects a relaxing afternoon when she goes to the Temple Library. Alone. But company presents itself in the form of a certain Dark Sage and some enlightening conversation. Gol/Seem, in a sorta-but-not-quite way.
A/N: As for why Gol is actually alive and wandering around, this takes place after my current WIP. Except I can't post that until I write its two predecessors, since it's part of a trilogy. The first two are actually mainly to introduce my OCs, and get the plot going. As for his appearance – I think everyone's familiar with Nashi's rendition of normal-Gol. So picture him.
Seem entered the large, airy library in the Golden Order's largest temple, and closed the door behind her with a barely perceptible sigh of relief. She was devoted to her work for the Precursors, and of course she would never dream of being rude now to Mar, Orange Lightening, or his mate Tess. There had been a time, but… well, she hadn't known, had she? Anyway, those times were behind the young monk, and right now, she just wanted to relax, read a book, and hide for the rest of the day. Alone.
Satisfied that nobody else was in the library, Seem ambled between the shelves, running her pale fingers of the spines of several books before she came – as always – to her favourite; a book on the applications of Dark Eco, written before even the time of Mar, when there was still a Sage for every Primary Eco. Despite her Light affinity, Seem had developed a strange and somewhat guilty fascination for Dark Eco since her realisation that there were those such as Mar who could control the substance. So little was known about it – even Light Eco, to an extent, had been researched by the Golden Order, along with the Primary Ecos, but because of its volatile nature, Dark Eco was left well enough alone.
Seem frowned – her expression suddenly sharp – as she came to where the book should be. Instead of the sturdy volume that, if not for Seem pursuing the secrets of its pages, would be thick with dust, there was an inexplicable gap. Seem checked the nearby shelves, in case a young apprentice had taken it out, not knowing of the contents, and then hastily thrust it back in the wrong place. After five minutes of fruitless searching, the monk bit back an oath. The book was gone. Normally it wouldn't have bothered her, but with the Dark Sage wandering freely around – Seem still didn't know if she quite trusted him – she had been wanting to surreptitiously research Dark Eco for a while. The only other reference in the entire library – Seem had valiantly spent many a late night searching for a back-up book in case something like this happened – simply spoke of how evil Dark Eco was, and it's corrupting features. Seem sighed heavily, letting her emotions show in her believed solitude.
"Looking for something?" A voice from behind caused Seem to snap her head up, startled. Turning, she fought back a grimace when she saw the Sage stood behind her.
"Yes." She confirmed. "I was looking for a certain book, but it appears someone else is making use of it."
"Really?" Gol raised an eyebrow, his expression intrigued. Seem noticed far too late the tome in his hand. Seeing her glance, Gol smirked and raised the volume to eye-level. "Then I am afraid that I am the source of your vice."
"I would have believed that a Sage such as yourself would have more knowledge than that which can be claimed from such a book." Seem commented, raising up a shield of slight sarcasm. Gol chuckled.
"You are correct: I do have all the knowledge of the author. After all, I could hardly have written this." He indicated the book. "If I did not."
Seem felt realisation wash over her like a freezing ocean, and knew it showed on her face. Right then she didn't care. How – how – could she have been respecting the works, the open mind, of this Sage? It wasn't possible. He was probably lying in order to… to… to do something.
Seem decided that the best course of action to take would be to appear disdainful. It was the manner she generally kept up around people who had not earned her respect.
"Then why would you need to read it?" She asked, well aware that she was out of her depth.
"Checking for mistakes." Gol replied airily, opening the tome and scanning the pages as he spoke. "I know more now than I did then. I'm considering re-writing the whole thing."
"Really." Seem sniffed, hesitated, and then gave in to curiosity. "What would you change?"
"Well, there was nothing known about Universal Channellers back then." Gol mused, speaking as if thinking out loud to himself, rather than conversing with another. "And I and my sister were the only ones capable of channelling Dark Eco on any real level. If only I had access to some research…"
Seem snorted quietly.
"Dark Eco is still considered a taboo." She explained. "Despite those who protest otherwise."
"Pff." The Sage adopted an expression of exasperation. "People are as small-minded as ever, then. Their 'saviour' is a… what was that term people were shouting in the street in Haven City?"
"Eco freak." Seem spat the insult out like venom.
"Yes." Gol cleared his throat. "And they still think of Dark Eco as evil? Even though it's been proved that it can be used for the greater good?" The Sage sighed. "I feel that we with the ability will always be outcasts."
"Even in a city of such?" Seem enquired with the barest trace of a smile gracing her face. Her conversation partner seemed confused.
"I'm afraid I don't understand." Gol brows furrowed slightly. "Certainly Haven has certain… oddities, but-"
"I meant Spargus." Seem cut across the Sage neatly, understanding his mistake. "I doubt that Sig would make you unwelcome."
"Ah." Gol chuckled. "Yes. I considered that, actually, but though we had a truce, I believe Jak would become… uncomfortable with my presence, were we to reside within the same city walls. Apparently, he is under the impression I wish to make an apprentice out of his sister."
Seem accepted this with a nod. She was well aware of the Wastelander's views on Liana's use of her powers.
"I do not think Mar would be expressively opposed to your residence within Spargus. Also…" The monk hesitated for a few moments. "Dark Eco has not been researched by the Golden Order. Such knowledge would be valuable."
"Not researched, you say?" The Sage looked thoughtful. "Now that I would like to rectify. But when you say the knowledge would be valuable – who do you think it would be valuable to?"
Seem thought for a moment, before realising that Gol was playing her, and the question was in fact a tease about her choice in reading material. The monk stood straighter, trying fruitlessly to appear a little taller – though granted, it did not take much to equal the Sage's height – and held her head high.
"When the Order was founded, it was agreed that every Eco would be researched fully." She corrected the Sage archly. "As Head of the Order, I am merely seeing that we uphold the values set down by our ancestors."
"A noble goal, to be sure." Gol agreed, though the slight glint in his scarlet eyes confirmed Seem's suspicion that he was making fun of her. "And so far be it from me to keep you from upholding values."
Seem summoned every bit of willpower to re-create her air of power, and, making sure to give the Sage something resembling a disdainful look, swept away from him, and out of the library.
When she eventually made it back to her apartments in the Temple that evening – having had no option but to listen to endless talks of new apprentices, courtesy of a concerned monk – she swept tiredly over to her desk in the small study connected to her rooms, in order to finally finish translating one of the many manuscripts found in an abandoned temple in the Wasteland. Instead of being faced with a desk overflowing with papers, Seem stared, startled, at a desk which now had two neat piles of paper s- one of manuscripts, and one of completed translations – and in the centre of the desk, lay the book that she had intended to read. Attached to it was a note.
You forgot something. It read, in a neat, easily readable yet almost calligraphic script. Don't stay up late reading.
Seem recognised the writing from the book, and promptly screwed the note up and threw it in the fireplace – she'd burn it later when she made a fire to combat the desert night's chill – disgusted by the almost parental firmness to the warning. As if she were a child!
Even so, when Seem read the book, she did not stay up too late. And the next morning, she received word that Gol had decided to take up residence in Spargus after all. They even spoke occasionally, though never in the library.
And, a few months later, a brand new book appeared on Seem's desk.
A/N: Well, what do you think? This is just something that popped into my head the other day and so I tried it. It was strangely easy to write a conversation between these two, and I know Seem is a little OOC, but it's because she's kinda flustered that she's been reading a book written by Gol. So… please review! Cookies if you do.