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(no subject)

Who: Anyone! Everyone!
Broadcast: If you want!
Action: On the FLOOT LOOP stations! Or the planet!
When: WHENEVER time is an illusion.

[you know the drill! this is a mingle for the stations floating around the bizarre forest planet, or the forest planet itself!

want to get away from the forest illusions? are you stopping for supplies? were you just really craving a bowl of Floot Loops for some reason? whether you are backdating for pre-planet shenanigans or just want to mess around, this is the post for you!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Fenris grimaces at the mere mention of the word.]

It is a plague that will bring down all it touches.

[WELP. that answers that.

the strong opinion is noted, bookmarked, and highlighted. and he's not about to do anything that might be considered arguing it.]

Yeah, it's pretty crazy. The city back home uses police mages, and a lot of people think it's a really bad idea.

[Clever lad. Fenris tenses, a little.]

The country I came from, before I found my freedom elsewhere in my world, had mages in control of everything. It is a bad idea. They rule with fear and hatred, living in the lap of luxury with their slaves tending to their every need, while the rest of the world doesn't know what to do with them.

[Nel just... invites himself into a seat while Fenris explains.]

Oh yeah?

[he's distracted when he asks, because he's thinking. comparing a few things in his head.]

...What about magical creatures? Or is it just mages?

[A pause.]

I am...unsure what you mean. We have dragons, but I would not call them magical.

[his eyes bug out a little! and he shoots a quick and fearful glance over his shoulder, like he's making sure no one can hear them.]

Are you kidding?

[he leans in, just to make extra sure their conversation is private.]

I worked for them all the time, and they're really magical!

[What. Fenris frowns, because that's...pretty damn crazy.]

There a cults. Who worship them, but it is insanity. Dragons are monsters, too dangerous and too powerful. They destroy all they come across.

Well...

[he looks pretty damn uncomfortable. as if his scaly employers are going to descend down upon him at any moment.]

We're not supposed to use the word 'monsters.'

...But they are really dangerous. That's why they're not allowed in the city without having their little stone-things guarded.

[Fenris catches that look, and it resonates with a part of him he can never really be rid of. He stares, for a moment, brows furrowed. The question is there, chewing at his mind, but he doesn't ask it. Not yet.]

I am glad there are precautions. They likely save a lot of people.

[A pause. A fidget. He doesn't want to ask, but he needs to know.]

What is it like? Working for them? What are your duties?

[his eyes flick back to the other elf in an instant, the rest of his expression subtly stilling... and then his gaze continues off to the side like it had never paused.

he shrugs, like it's nothing. well-practiced.]

Oh, different things. Whatever they want. ...It's just this arrangement we have.

[...Well, that clinched it. Fenris is silent, for a moment, trying to find the right words and knowing it was impossible.]

Arrangement.

[There's no need to dance around it, in Tevinter. It's allowed there, worse, it's accepted. They don't hide their slaves under cloak and dagger. No, they parade them, proud. ]

There are other words for that, where I come from.

[he tries to cover it, but he's already getting defensive--quietly on the retreat into a shell. he's been called plenty of words, and none of them are good ones.]

It's nothing bad.

[Fenris knew that shell, he still carries a little of it. It never goes. Never. Perhaps it's a defence mechanism. You have to make yourself believe the little lies so the big ones don't hurt. ]

I believed that, once. [And he did. He would have done anything for Danarius. He would have followed him anywhere, complied to his every wish, all the while telling himself it wasn't bad. That this was his place. That his Master loved him. That, if he could believe anything in this world, it was that his Master would always love him.

His eyebrows knit together.]

I was wrong.

[it has taken just an instant for Nel to go from open-faced friendliness to quiet retreat. he's all avoidance now-- avoiding even making eye contact, though he keeps up the polite smile well enough.

if he has caught onto the fact that Fenris shares his fate and isn't just judging it from the outside, he isn't letting himself absorb it.]

I shouldn't even be talking about it anyway.

[Fenris won't push. Not all the way. It took a lot of him to come to that conclusion. It took watching the Fog Warriors, slaughtered only because they were good enough to take him in. It took learning that unless he got away, right there and then, he would just be Danarius's little killing machine forever.

He still is a killing machine, but at least he has the choice of whom he kills, now.]

It helps. Eventually. With time. There are no dragons here, no arrangements. What do you make of that?

[The roughness has gone out of Fenris's tone. There's a much quieter one now, almost gentle. It's a side he keeps away from most, the side he needs to keep guarded, but it still exists. He doesn't demand an answer, here. He simply asks.]

[and really, it's that softer tone that scares Nel the most. it's harder to bounce that away from himself with a smile. he wasn't prepared for it; it's the worst kind of confrontation.

he looks around while Fenris goes on, searching for some distraction. but nothing comes to his rescue by the end of it. and he does need to answer, because he can't just let that sit there where it can potentially absorb into him.]

It's fine. I'm still working here, so... it's all fine.

[That...he was not expecting. He tenses, the anger is back.]

...You mean one of them is here?

[he flattens back a little. he might have gone much farther if he hadn't been stuck sitting in a chair.]

No! No dragons or magic or anything...

Then who are you working for?

He's really nice!

[almost begging for this man not to be mad in his direction anymore. it's incidentally been a long time since that has happened, and it's drumming up strong reactions in him.]

He's nothing like they were, so... it's fine.

No. It isn't fine. You just do not know it, yet.

[It makes his skin crawl, thinking that a slaver is living amongst them. A slaver taking advantage of someone not in the right mindset to fight against him. The man needs to die. And soon. ]

Who is he?

[he's been trained to dodge those sorts of questions... but it's also been a long time now since it's come up, that sort of training hasn't mattered for a while, and Fenris' anger is shaking him out of any sure place in his head.

he's answering before he thinks about it.]

His name is Robin, but he helped me, really. ...He takes care of me.

[Robin. Fenris's stomach turns. He has spoken to Robin. He has drunk with Robin and enjoyed his company. He hates that he didn't realise it sooner. That this bastard managed to get himself a slave right under his nose.

It is a mistake he will rectify. He stands, his fists clenched.]

And now I will take care of him.

Wait--

[he stands too, looking suddenly something close to terrified.]

Where are you going?

I am going to kill him.

[Not even going to be subtle about it, nope.]