mingle a little Mor tonight

[catamite]

Who: Everyone!
Broadcast: Sure!
Action: The wonderful world of Mor, nearby way-stations, and ships!
When: The first week or so of arrival

[this is it-- Atroma's surprise vacation stay for you all! it's time to explore, speculate, relax, and totally behave yourselves. right?

how are you all dealing with the ever-so-educational volcano? have you played around with the visual toggle on those collars yet? aren't they cool? aren't these peasant clothes rad? if you haven't had a decent meal since Abeo, maybe you could afford some of that authentic farm-raised meat they have here. historical!

I bet you're all excited and completely thrilled to be here! who wouldn't be? ...so, make some discoveries, make some friends, and have fun!]

Comments

[ino]

[ The mischievous look fades a little to a sympathetic smile ]

Sorry. It's a habit. A ninja habit.

[ She leans on the back of the bench, not sitting just yet. The modulator hasn't done much to her, either -- though she did find some less tattery clothes to wear ]

Anything interesting in here?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Should I... Ask what a ninja is?

[they have something like that at home, but they're sure not called 'ninjas'. he looks up and out at the statues of whatever god this temple stands for... and puts a little more effort into not looking so grumpy.]

I suppose it's interesting if you like hymns or theology. I've mostly stayed for the quiet.

[ino]

[ Another person who doesn't know what a ninja is? Huh. ]

It's a type of warrior. Usually known for their stealth. Kind of like an assassin?

[ She'll glance up at the statues, too, curiously. Normally she's not one to need quiet or anything, but the bustle of the town makes her incredibly uncomfortable. Reminds her too much of the way things were in Paradisa's town. Unassuming and ignorant, through no fault of their own. ]

Fair enough. The forest's not bad for that stuff, either.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Oh. I know what an assassin is... [that's... interesting.] Wouldn't have pegged you for the type.

[a lot of cute girls have admitted to violent and terrible back-stories to him lately... it's kind of bizarre. maybe it pulls a type, these games...]

The forest seemed nice, but I had enough of that a couple worlds back.

[ino]

I try to keep it that way. [ Then nobody sees it coming~! With Robin, though, if he's a regenerating type of immortal dude, it doesn't really matter if he sees it coming or not.

Hopefully it won't come to that! ]

Really? I always kinda feel like I'm suffocating on the ships. I have to get out and be with the plants and stuff, y'know?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[a smirk plays at the edges of his mouth... that's a good answer. he does something similar, after all. people can guess that he's a horrible person, sure, but rarely do they also guess that he's an extremely capable god-monster with powers greater than any mage they've ever seen. charming.]

Ah. I feel the same way, every once in a while. But my hometown was almost entirely underground, housed in a big network of caves and tunnels, so... My people don't have much room to be claustrophobic.

[ino]

Underground, huh ... ?

[ A small grin. ]

No wonder you're so pale.

[ Ino, you're ... also really pale ... but she won't pass up an opportunity to tease him. Especially when he looked kinda sad earlier :( ]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[AW, he likes a little good-natured teasing. she's wrong, but so was everyone else in the Underground so... that, at least, gets him to chuckle.]

It's true. I went up to the surface every once in a while, but still... Could never quite get that tan I was hoping for...

[ino]

[ a laugh ]

I know a guy at home who looks a lot like you, actually. Just as pale as you. [ Definitely not her future husband or anything either. That would just be silly. ] He read in a book somewhere that it was a "popular bonding activity" between friends to go tanning, so he had to try it out ...

Anyways, he sat out there for way too long, and was red as a tomato for weeks. Poor guy couldn't even draw, and most of his fighting skill is like -- bringing art to life? But his hand was so burned he couldn't even grab the brush properly.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[okay, that makes him laugh. he has to stifle it with his hand--doesn't want to be inappropriately loud in a holy temple.]

Poor man. I can at least thank my luck I've never gotten quite that bad...

[ino]

[ She does a quick glance to make sure nobody's, you know, staring at them ... and kind of forgets to glance back for a moment. Bluh, a reminder of the whole situation on this planet is really not welcome.

There's a brief look of concern, but she comes back to the conversation soon enough. ]

Yeah, now he always carries a bunch of sunscreen with him on missions and stuff. Makes everybody lather up before we go off to do whatever.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[another little laugh--] That's funny. Lesson learned, I guess.

[there's barely a pause before he leans closer and asks--] What about you? How are you doing?

[ino]

[ she jerks back just a tad in surprise when he changes the subject so abruptly. But she's quick to relax a little, and there's a hesitation before she decides to just .... Level with him. After the conversation they had in the hot springs, maybe he'll understand. ]

I hate this place.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[that's a sudden change... he leans back to his place, and at least has the sense to get that smile off his face.]

This town?

[ino]

Yes. Everything about is is awful and reminds me of the place I came from. Only worse, because none of these people are fake -- [ She gestures in frustration, trying to find the words -- ] magical brainwashed people or whatever.

[ Ah, there's all that pent up irritation she's been trying not to inflict on anyone. Oops. ]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Ah... [okay. that's a couple more morality points than he'd put towards it, but he at least gets where she's coming from.] I think they had people like that at the tower, filling its city. The situation here is... Deeply unsettling, I'll admit.

[ino]

[ She finally sits on the bench, with a huff ]

I just hate knowing there's nothing I can do to help.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[...he looks at her, for a moment, thinking... where do heroes get this drive, from? he wishes he had it, he thinks. that want to do good and not just do... selfishly. maybe that's his problem. all the same...]

You're a good person for wanting to, Starling. The month is young, still. You may yet get a chance.

[ino]

[ She shakes her head ]

No, if one of us were to start something -- I'd want us to be able to be here to help. It's just irresponsible to stir things up like that and leave them to deal with it alone.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[he nods, in response...]

I understand. I don't think the Marsiva would let any of us stay, especially for something like that.

[ino]

I don't think so, either.

[ She sighs, leaning back on the bench, before exactly what he called her (again) registers. She glances at him curiously ... ]

Why Starling, by the way?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[oh... he smiles again, very wide.]

Starlings are cute. Strong, direct, very social. You seem like the type.

[ino]

Hmm ...

[ She acts like she's considering it, but the smile on her face says she likes it ]

Do you think a robin suits you?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

I do. They're a very prideful bird. Some stories say they bring death, and others say that they bring the springtime.

[which he explains without any hesitation--he's confident in his answer.]

[ino]

Is that right ...

[ Conflicting stories seem to suit you, Robin! ]

Did your parents name you that? Or is it a nickname?