driftfleet | Why'd You Kill the Merchant?!

Why'd You Kill the Merchant?!

Who: ALL O' Y'ALL
Broadcast: If you want
Action: FRICK YEAH PARTY AT THE JUNKYARD...I mean, Waystation. Junkstation.
When: 10/07 - Event End

It looks more like a junk heap than a waystation, but luckily there aren't any math fetishists to add you to the pile (hopefully). Talk to the scavengers and heed their warnings...if you want. Or perhaps you'll approach a shady individual for purchasing or selling stuff.

"Welcome, stranger!"

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[Vash could make a joke about how it takes a lot more than that to lose an arm, seeing how there's only one arm for Anders to actually heal, the other stopping just below Vash's left shoulder. The healing to the bruise and joints, however, feels too good to make a joke.

He is still quiet for a moment as he decides what his answer is. He feels Anders will accept a: I don't want to talk about it, but he deserves some answer for the healing. He could say a bar fight.

In the end he decides to try some truth.]

So, have you heard there are some people around here who might be slavers? I might have run into them. [He says it lightly as if it was a joke. No big deal.]

[Anders doesn't respond until his healing magic has run it's course and the light fades away. What Vash is faced with in Anders' expression isn't judgement, but intrigue.]

Did you learn anything? Fenris and I have been hunting those slavers. I promised to find out what I could about them.

Not a lot unfortunately. I kind of got a bit-- [A pause as he thinks about the best way to explain being 'saved' when you didn't need to be saved, but wanted to be caught.] --interrupted.

[He sighs as he rubs at the back of his neck. Torn between being glad the fleet is full of kind people who would put themselves in danger go help someone. Yet, violence seems to always be the first choice. A man has probably paid the ultimate price of his attempt to find out more information. More will likely be hurt because of his failure.]

[There's something else, something Vash isn't telling him. He's been a liar long enough to recognize when he's being lied to, even if it's only through omission. He debates with himself about prodding the issue, but ultimately decides to leave off. He couldn't claim to always be truthful with his friend either and until they got to a point where it really mattered, there was no reason to hound after bad habits he held himself.

Anders' hand was gently placed on Vash's shoulder along with a soft smile.]

That's all right, better that you're safe in the end. I know you can heal yourself and...from what I picked up, I know you've got a lot more power brewing in you than you let on, but if you find yourself somehow with a serious injury, remember I enjoy doing my job?

[The smile hedges up a bit at the corner into a mild smirk.]

Or, if you prefer, think of it as you fulfilling your duty as Captain to let his First Mate know there's an issue.

[Vash doesn't stop smiling, but at the mention of his power it does become just a tad strained.] You could ah, [Is the right word feel or sense?] Um, sense that? I mean, does it make you nervous at all? It's alright if it does.

[He's use to people being nervous and scared once they find out he's not human. Let alone just how powerful he can be. So he really won't mind if Anders says that it honestly does. Although, he's learned with how many non-humans are in the fleet it can also be highly likely Anders won't have a problem with it. Vash would just like to know either way.

Who knows, if Anders isn't worried maybe he could talk to him and work out a way to stop himself if his augment glitches. Then again, how do you stop something that can take out the whole ship with a single thought? Sooooo maybe not that far.] I just need to make sure if it will be something my First Mate will be worrying about or not.

[Anders looked surprised but then understanding dawned. Of course Vash would be nervous about it. Anders didn't know what this power was, but likely others from Vash's world did and thought badly of it. Like Anders' magic.]

Not at all.

[He hesitated, but then gave a smile he hoped was assuring.]

It isn't fair for me to find a secret and not share one of my own.
I have a spirit in my head. Not a ghost, but a separate entity altogether. When we first joined together, a man stabbed me through the heart with a sword. I obliterated him. There were six men total and there was literally nothing left but blood and small chunks of flesh when I became myself again. I then pulled the sword from my chest and left the area.

Does that make you nervous?

[Vash is surprised more about the openness of being told the story more than the story itself.

That is until it gets to the chunks of flesh and blood. Then his face goes a tad white thinking of it.]

Only if I ever had the mind to come at you with a sword. Luckily I don't even own a sword so I think we should be okay!

[If Anders were in a truly sharing mood, he'd be able to tell Vash exactly how much his stomach churns and jolts at the prospect of admitting any of this to someone not from Thedas. No, anyone, even some of his friends didn't know the details of that story. But he'd taken a secret from Vash without meaning, it seemed only fair to offer one of his own back.

He smiles lightly at Vash's joke, however.]

I'm not nervous and neither are you, so I suppose we're at an accord, then. [He shrugged lightly.] I trust you as a friend, Vash, whatever else that entails.

...but do keep this in mind; I can find anything you're hiding from me with that little analysis spell of mine and you can bet I'll be willing to use it if I ever have reason to think you're hiding an injury from me.

[Vash chuckles and holds up his hands in mock surrender.] I got it, I got it! No more hiding injuries. [He's assuming old scars don't count, because otherwise they'd be here all week.] You have my word on that!

[Other things he hides he'll happily keep to himself.] Well, since you know I might as well tell you. If my augment ever does glitch the best thing to do is just to get as many people away as you can. I'm talking like, hundreds of kilometers away. In a circular radius. Blast me off in a shuttle if you need to.

Although, I'm hoping it will never come to that.

Edited 2016-11-16 11:27 (UTC)

I hope not too, but I'll keep it in mind. Has that...happened here before?

[He'll remember, and he'll do what he has to to protect the rest of the crew or the Fleet if it was bad enough, but he sort of hoped it had already happened. Perhaps Atroma wouldn't be keen on a repeat performance.

Not that he wished harm on Vash at all, but he knew better than to simply be ignorant and hopeful.]

[And here is where Vash wishes he hadn't brought this up.]

No, it hasn't happened here before. [Back home was a different story.]

But it's happened back home. [It's not a question, he doesn't need to ask if it was already answered. There's sympathy in his voice next.]

I won't ask you to tell me about it. I know a thing or two about keeping painful memories to yourself. But...you do know that you can talk to me, yes? I know we joke a lot- and I like that a lot!- but I still consider you my friend. Perhaps even a good one.

[But here comes that humor, a touch thrown in to ease any tension in the conversation.]

Certainly not a mediocre one by any stretch, or even villainous, depending on which definition of 'good' you'd like. 'Foolhardy,' though, that one's just going to have to stick, I'm afraid.

[Vash rubs at his hand.] Yeah. It has.

[If Anders was ever curious about what happened at home, he lost his chance by saying Vash didn't need to tell him about it. Because Vash won't talk about it willingly.] Don't worry. I know I can talk to you, but I'm okay. Really. [No he's not.] I know I can joke, and I like that too, but I won't forget that I can talk to you too. [He just probably won't!]

[And then Anders describes what level their friendship is at and it honestly gets Vash to laugh.] Really? You don't consider it villainous? I guess I need to try harder then.

[The problem with carrying secrets of your own is that you're a little too understanding of the privacy of others and Anders is quick let the issue go. Let things drift back to how they'd been, it was easier and perhaps there were a few more strings between them now, but they could just go back to pretending they didn't exist.]

Ha! No, not yet. I suggest you do that, I've met far more villinous people than you, my friend.

Alright then. As my first in a long line of villinous acts, I - as captain - ban all animals from this ship. They're no longer allowed.

[His shit eating grin should be pretty clear he's not in the smallest bit serious.]

[AFFRONT. Anders pulls back, aghast.]

You go too far, sir! This can only be answered with mutiny!

[In seconds, he's grinning just as wide. They couldn't get rid of the animals, they were a good morale booster.]

Oh, mutiny? Can't have that I suppose. Fiiiiiiine. We can keep the pets.

Good man, I knew you were a reasonable sort.

[Vash flexes his arm with a grin.] And thanks for your help I think I'll make a full recovery doc, but to be sure I should probably head to bed now.

[Anders nodded and gestured to the door.]

Yes, get some rest, I'll see you in the morning.

['Doc,' huh? Honestly, he kind of liked it.]

I'll see you then. [He'll give a lazy wave and head off to his room for some rest.]

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Why'd You Kill the Merchant?!

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