driftfleet | video;

Who: Mattias Larnaca
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: general waystation area?? vague hand gestures
When: April 22nd

[Lo and behold: Mattias fretting on a bench. It's not an obvious sort of motion, restricted to subtle shifts and twitching fingers, but it's noticeable enough to matter. He's hunched over the comm and what little the background shows is unrevealing. The corner of a building here, the awning of a kiosk there, everything unspecific.]

It's been quite a month, hasn't it? What with the attacks... [he drifts off, never very good with small talk. One of the many gifts he lacks.] It's been good to watch all the repairs. People working together... [Wow, he sure does suck at this. He chews his lip, glancing around as if looking for help. Nope. Nothing. Maybe he'll just get to the point.]

Still, tensions must be running high. Stress and such. Always have a way of sinking in. I've my own, of course. My ship fared poorly in the attacks and that—[He glances away, head sinking slightly.]—it's been the lesser of many events. I don't mean to complain but the effects are starting to wear. My usual methods aren't working. Reading—I just can't seem to concentrate and beyond that... Well. I've little else.

[He sighs, leaning back and running a hand through his hair. It messes it up a bit, but he's careful to smooth it back down.] It feels inappropriate to ask something so selfish but I'm at a loss. And there are a great many things that all of you know... [That I don't is heavily implied. He glances away, switching the comm to one hand so he can properly wring his wrist.] So, I was wondering—how do you cope? With... all of this. It doesn't have to be personal just. Just simple things. Like... jumping off a building. [Immediately, he scrunches his eyes closed.] —Bad example. But, you know what I mean.

[Fiddling nervously, he searches for something else to say, finds nothing, and cuts the feed. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There are many ways in which one could distract themselves or otherwise relieve stress. Training in martial abilities is a common one where I am from, but there are others if you enjoy working with your hands. Cooking, weaving, metallurgy, carpentry, leatherworking, alchemy...

Oh, glass blowing! That's one I've yet to try myself.

[ ... Ahem. ]

My point primarily being, I find that learning new skills to make myself useful in a situation where I was once of no use to be very good for my own peace of mind.

You have a point. I've always limited myself to research, it never occurred to me to actually trespass into skills.

[HMMMMMMM]

I suppose cooking would be easiest to start with. I've already some experience in it. Though my last venture didn't... [oh. oh. is he gonna do it?] ... pan out so well.

[yeah, that's a smirk you see after that. so satisfied with himself right now]

[ She covers her mouth to hide the small chortle of amusement at the pun. That was... so bad, Mattias. ]

Cooking would usually be a rather relaxing endeavor, if not for the difficulty in obtaining ingredients out here. However, if you would look for a tutor, I would not mind offering some of my time.

[ My, rather full of herself, is she? ]

What? [He grins, if a bit timidly.] Are the food cubes not to your taste?

It would be nice to get off the ship.

Absolutely not. [ She says it with humor, ears twitching in time with the cadence. ] However, I have been doing my best to keep my ship stocked in basic items that could be used for any number of things.

[ Her head dips. ] You would be more than welcome on the Caprine. Our facilities are not yet the best, but anywhere that a pan may be set can be used to cook.

I wouldn't be too sure of that. A pan can be set in a variety of unpleasant places. You're simply asking for trouble.

But I thank you for the invitation. I'll no doubt take you up on the offer.

Don't speak on such matters until you've see the master at work. You've much to learn.

You're most welcome. Pray inform me when you wish to come for a lesson and I'll make preparations.

What? Have you no patience for impromptu arrivals?

[He chuckles.] I'll be sure to give you proper notification.

Nothing of the sort. Impromptu arrivals only tend to mean that you'll be left waiting or given a lesson on something you might not anticipate.

[ Like how to use stabbers like a right proper rogue while she'd set up the kitchen. Nothing could go wrong with that. ]

When you put it like that, I'm only filled with apprehension. And fear. A great helping of fear, really.

If you feel fear, then perhaps you'd need another type of lesson to go with it.

[ She chuckles. ]

No, but I jest. I wouldn't dare teach you anything you did not agree to beforehand.

Of course not. Perish the thought.

Though, humor me. You've caught my curiosity. Just what would you teach to conquer fear?

To master fear... many would suggest the art of the lance. Such a small distance between yourself and teeth or claw or steel teaches one to face an opponent without fear in order to overcome and disable them. However, for all that I myself can wield the lance, complete mastery belongs not to me but a dear friend of mine.

The alternative within my grasp would be the tactics of the rogue. They teach confidence without pride, as well as the art of subtlety of motion both with daggers and outside the call of bloodshed.

[ What, you didn't want tl;dr? Too bad. ]

So you'd face it with violence.

[How barbaric.] Have you no other options for it?

I know not where you come, but the practices of which I spoke are martial arts and ways of life both. Learning to conquer fear is a tricky subject, but confidence in one's self and the ability to overcome adversity which might otherwise paralyze you is often one of the most powerful tools.

Mayhap I misunderstood. We may be speaking of different types of fear.

[ Her world is incredibly violent, and herself one of the most influential people because of her crazy amounts of power and talent. However, she isn't going to deny that there are other things to be afraid rather than personal safety. ]

No, no. When you put it like that, it might not be so different. Though, tell me: if a man were afraid of heights, what would you have him throw his spear at?

[i guess this is his cue to start acting like a little shit]

Why, the cliff from which he was falling. He might then be able to save himself that way.

[ That's okay. O'danya can get pretty... catty herself. Eh? Ehhhh? :D ]

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