driftfleet | [Open Moons Mingle Log]

Ah...

[Yeah, that's understandable actually. Her work aside, Shirley isn't the most outgoing of people either.]

How about I tell you something first? It would only be fair.

[okay, he laughs again--but this time it's because it's funny.]

Right now? Ah... All right, but I bet mine's going to be the tougher secret to swallow.

...

[Way to make a girl feel good, Robin.]

If I wanted to, I could kill most of the people in the world I come from. I nearly did just that, and I would have if my friends hadn't kept trying to stop me. If I hadn't trusted them at the very last moment. If it weren't for that, all the Orerines would be dead by my power.

[Shirley lets out a long sigh, glancing down and pulling absentmindedly at her skirt, but it's not as troubled as Robin might expect. She's wrestled with all that already, so that her resolve holds even when her shame lingers. She looks back at Robin, dead serious.]

That's why I can say the things I do now. I don't want to let others keep falling into the same mistakes I did, and then regret what they've done.

[...to be fair, he takes this very well. he looks a little surprised, perhaps, and she's certainly giving him a run for his money in the severity of this secret, but... overall, he almost keeps a smile on his face. seems very calm. there's something going on behind that gaze of his, but it's hard to tell what it is.

he's got questions, of course, but he doesn't say any of them. that's not what they agreed to.]

All right. [he nods once, at least taking things seriously himself.] Here is mine: I'm an ancient, immortal avatar to the Gods of my world, and hold dominion over the pain and suffering of all who live there.

[The scale of the revelation doesn't shock her so much as the relation to Robin himself. Shirley's eyes widen, and without thinking she whispers to herself.]

Like Schwartz...

[But of course he wouldn't know who Schwartz was.]

We fought somebody like that once. She was the incarnation of human weakness, and encouraged people to accept nothingness as an escape from suffering.

["Do you do that?" she almost asks - but that's a little too much like judging him, which isn't the point of her asking.]

Edited 2015-03-09 07:52 (UTC)

[that finally gets him to frown a little, settling into thought. he brings his hand up to fidget with an earring. this information is somehow more bothersome to him than her previous confession.

she doesn't need to ask the question. he gets where this is going, and shakes his head.]

No. I don't do that. Suffering is a necessary part of the world, just as important as joy and comfort.

[Shirley's quiet for a moment, and then she nods.]

That's what we thought, too. "It is because joy and pain exist that people are swayed by emotion." It's...Schwartz's opposite told us that. She was a dear friend.

[Grune. Shirley closes her eyes for a second there, missing the woman acutely, and lets the pain wash away naturally. Grune wouldn't want her to be sad, so she smiles instead.]

How strange, that you would sound more like Grune. You certainly don't act like either of them.

Mm... [he watches all of this. he's surprised that this doesn't feel more... dangerous, speaking openly about it.]

It's strange to me that you even have something to compare to me. I'm used to being... ["alone".] The only thing like me, really.

There aren't any others?

[Schwartz had Grune, after all. Nerifes had...some different aspect of itself, at least, in the Fallen Lands, and the Ferines to revere it. Robin doesn't need to say it outright for her to see it might be lonely.]

There used to be. Kind of.

[they had different roles, different dominions, but they were still like him... his brothers and sisters... admitting it makes him sad, even though he tries to keep it off his face. it kind of works. he might not realize that him being lonely is an obvious conclusion to her.]

Now it's just me.

[That sounds even worse, frankly. She doesn't know what happened to make him the only one, but chances are it wasn't good.]

I'm sorry.

... Thank you.

[that seems like the right thing to say. his usual self would be more inclined towards a, "it was a long time ago," "it's all right," "things happen," but Shirley was being honest with him--and fair's fair. he'd like to be honest back.

still, this is Robin, so his mouth quirks up in a little smirk.]

I suppose it's kind of obvious, now, that this isn't my real form?

Ah...I didn't think of that, actually.

[Hey, it doesn't seem so unusual when two of the three gods you're familiar with are human-shaped.]

Really...? Ah...

[maybe he could have kept that secret... jeez. he chuckles, even if it's light.]

It's pretty scary, so you're welcome to go on not thinking about it...

I'm not a little girl, you know.

[It's only after she says it that Shirley realizes that her words came out a little harsher than intended - sheltering is the last thing she wants out of people, but of course Robin wouldn't know that. She softens immediately.]

...I'm sorry. That wasn't fair of me. You don't need to show me if you don't want to, but please don't feel like you have to protect me. That's only ever caused problems before.

[--that takes him by surprise. he looks it, for a second, before offering an apologetic smile.]

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be condescending, I just... I'm used to people far older than you being terrified at the thought.

[he won't show her anyway. he's still shy.]

I know you didn't. It's still your choice about what you want to do with it, but if the only reason to hide something is because you think I won't like it...please don't. I'll be fine, I promise.

[She smiles, and if it seems a little brittle it's mostly because she does still regret the things that led her to this conclusion. Ah, hindsight.]

...Don't worry. This choice really isn't about you.

[he tilts his head a little... thinking... there are more secrets he could tell, lots of them... but he's not so courageous as that, yet. telling about his true self is a big enough step as it is.]

I think that's the big one. It could make others pretty mad... A creature with control over pain, acting like a normal human...

I don't see why that should be a problem, as long as you want to. Then again...

[She sighs. Shirley's aware that not everyone thinks that way, and Robin's particular phrasing makes her think of Solon - substituting "creature" for "assassin," anyway. But still.]

As long as that's what you want to do, you shouldn't believe anybody who says you shouldn't.

[this is where they differ. if people are mad at him, that makes things inconvenient. he can't roam with the freedom that he wants. but...]

...You're right. But it's complicated, sometimes. And I meant it when I said I was shy.

[he offers her a smile.]

This isn't exactly what I expected I'd be talking about today, but thank you.

[That gets a smile back.]

And thank you for trusting me. I know it's hard.

[She's feeling pretty good, though, either because of their conversation or because the augment is juicing her up now. Speaking of which...]

Thank you again for helping me earlier, too. I feel better now.

Well, good. [he gives her a friendly pat on the shoulder...?] Shall I let you return to whatever you were up to?

I'm going to look for a different library. I don't think going back to this one is a good idea for now.

That'd probably be safest. [he winks at her dfjskdl. :')]

[YEAH...]

And you? Where are you going?

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