♖ 002.

[summerschild]

Who: Bran Stark and YOU
Broadcast: Fleet-wide
Action: SS First Breath
When: Saturday afternoon

[For the first couple of months he was in the Fleet, Bran paid little regard to his actual assigned position on the First Breath. After all, being bound to his bed didn't give him much opportunity to do much maintenance. But now that he's mostly mobile, he's been almost enjoying the task. It gives him a purpose, keeps his mind off of the dark things. It's good, almost.

And he actually really likes these little robots.]

I understand how these work, and that it's "electricity", and "circuits"... but are they actually alive? They can respond to their names, and understand what I tell them to do, like wolves or crows. But they don't have minds. How is this possible?

[The augment gave him the ability to understand their physical workings, but the concept of artificial intelligence is still completely lost on him.

There's a small scuttling noise from across the bridge, and Bran turns to look at it. One of the tiny robots has bumped into a chair, and seems intent that it needs to move the heavy item.]

Shaggydog, stop that!

[Odd name for a robot.]

Comments

[summerschild]

The maesters train them, to fly to different castles. I've heard that some of them can even speak to humans.

[Not entirely true, at least not anymore.]

((ooc: i actually meant ravens, not crows akjshd just pretend i said that))

[ino]

Speak to humans? I guess that wouldn't be the first I've heard of something like that ...

[summerschild]

The children of the forest used to speak with them, and they're the ones who taught the men.

[Bran loves lore, okay.]

[ino]

[ Considering everything she's seen and done in her life, she doesn't even realize it's lore or a story ... it's just as likely to be truth ]

Have you ever talked to one before?

[summerschild]

[That's actually a really difficult question. He has in his dreams, every night.]

... No. Though, I wonder if I could.

[ino]

I don't know why not. I've heard they're very smart -- even if they couldn't talk to you, they'd probably understand.

[summerschild]

It's said that one shouldn't try to enter the mind of a bird. They might fly away, and forget who they're supposed to be.

[ino]

[ ... She suddenly looks very curious. ]

Why would they forget?

[summerschild]

Sometimes you'd rather be in someone else's mind than your own.

[He suddenly looks solemn.]

... Ino, can you keep something a secret?

[ino]

[ ... Bran, that certainly sounds like something of a personal experience. Not just a story, or a tale ...


She smiles reassuringly ]

Of course I can. But -- maybe I should come over there?

[ This doesn't seem like something that should be discussed over the network -- for her or for him ]

[summerschild]

Alright.

[He swallows nervously.]

[ino]

[ She keeps that smile on. She doesn't want him to be afraid of telling her anything, but she also doesn't want to give away anything about her own powers to anyone who might be listening in. ]

I'll see you soon, okay?

[ And she'll shut off the feed to shuttle on over as quickly as she can, before hopping out onto the First Breath to look for Bran ]

[summerschild]

[She can find him on the bridge, with his little robots whirring around. He's fiddling with one right now - Nymeria. He smiles shyly up at Ino when she comes in.]

Hello.

[ino]

Hey, you.

[ She gives him a little grin, and moves to sit down with him ]

So -- which one's that?

[summerschild]

Nymeria.

[He holds her up to give a better look. She's roughly the size of a turtle.]

She was my sister Arya's wolf.

[ino]

[ Ah, right, Arya ... She's sure she must have missed her wolf. And so must he ... ]

You must miss them, huh ... ?

[summerschild]

Always.

[He's not sure if she means the wolves or his siblings, but it true in either case. He looks up at Ino, and breathes in.]

I could enter his mind. Summer's. I was able to walk and run and hunt as him, and it made things not as bad. But they didn't bring him here. A-and even if I could be a wolf, there's no wilderness. I hate it.

[ino]

[ Ah. There we go.

She can only imagine that sort of thing would make it easier to cope with his paralysis ...

Still, she smiles almost cryptically as he finishes. ]

You and I have that in common, then.

[summerschild]

[His whole face lights up.]

Are you a warg too?

[ino]

I haven't heard the term, but -- I can leave my body behind and go into someone, or something else's.

[summerschild]

You're a skinchanger!

[He says it with complete awe.]

That's what I am. A warg is just one type, who enters the minds of wolves.

[ino]

Oh ... I didn't know there were different "types"!

[ She looks excited, too. ]

Yeah, I guess there aren't any wolves at all here, huh? Well, maybe if you're lucky you'll find yours somewhere. I know Allen found his "pet" on one of the stations we stopped at.

[summerschild]

I still don't know very much. No one does, south of the Wall. The children of the forest disappeared long ago.

[He looks hopeful at the suggestion.]

He did? How did it get there?

[ino]

Well -- if you like, I can try to help you. It might be different between the worlds and all, but ... where I come from, my family is actually renowned for this type of thing. My dad taught me, and his dad taught him ... so on and so forth.

[ Well, that part is the mystery ... ]

No idea. I'm guessing Atroma probably put him there on purpose, though.

[summerschild]

You could?

[He is so awed right now Ino you don't even know.]

Do you have any animals to practice with?