driftfleet | Video.

Entry tags:

Video.

Who: Sam and you!
Broadcast: fleetwide
Action: Bloodsport or Iskaulit Bar if you find a way to squeeze in an action thread!
When: Today or whatevs, but backdated stuff is cool too.

[The last week has been really, really rough. Most people probably know.

He's been all but nonexistent for that entire week, and a few days after, too. Buried in hell memories and glitched to the point of barely functioning, he had stayed aboard the Bloodsport mostly with Nami. For the better, he knows later on; Nami understood him best, when it came to that side of him. It doesn't make him anymore ashamed and embarrassed that people had to see that. It makes him a bit depressed in the short time that follows. He wakes up on the third as himself — himself now, anyway. But he decided to just sleep for a day or two and try not to think about all the baggage.

But — he'll get pushed to move eventually, and the bar does need bartenders.

He will be out at the bar as he had been before the glitch.

It was what it was, he reminds himself. It was a part of him, and it's... well, it's not over, it'll never be over, but he's come a long way. He's better than that husk he'd been in the garden. He adapted and he survived. That has to count for something.

Still, there's some things to address.]

[Video.]

Hey, guys, I'm alive. Sorry for being so MIA at the bar, but I'm back now... Let me know if I missed anything.

[He's much better. See?? No burns or scars, and he's got his hair brushed, and everything is A-OK.]

I wanted to... apologize to everyone who ran into me, last week. I, uh, I said some pretty miserable crap and I know I sounded like a crazy person. And I just wanted to thank you guys for putting up with, um... that part of me. It's been years, and I'm much better now, and I don't... want anyone to - [He pauses, wringing a rag from the bar in his hands.] - to worry or anything like that.

I'm okay now.

So If you need a drink, I'll be here.

[A deep breath.]

Well... I don't want to just leave it on that note, so.

... Aaaah, let me think.

...

What's something you've accomplished that you're really proud of?

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[He'll do her the favor of not totally babying her, when she looks worn out.

It's hard to remember she's a grown-ass woman, sometimes.

Even if that grown-ass woman is right in front of him.]

... Hasn't really been something I think about lately.

[He doesn't exactly hunt here, not often.]

... Should I try touching it?

[That is one possible way of dealing with it. If there's spots of glamour left in his soul, cold iron will kill them quickly enough. But it's a solution she doesn't offer, because (1) it would probably hurt at least on some level, and there are vows in regards to that, and (2) no changeling worth the name ever resorts to iron as a cure.

Those pieces of soul are hers. She won't advocate unmaking them. And besides-- this whole soul mingling possibility isn't just one way.]

I'm trying to work out how deeply the influence goes. I'm rather fond of the stuff, you know. [She shakes a wrist free of its sleeve to show him the burn scarring wrapped evenly around it.] It goes well against my skin. I wondered if it might look so good on you.

[A wince.

Sorry, it says.]

Right... um. I'll refrain.

But — uh. As long as nobody's getting hurt... I don't know if we should really do anything about it. I mean, is it safe to try and make it stop? To... I don't know. Hand it back over? Can I even do that?

As long as nobody's getting hurt. [Her eyebrows raise, and she glances down at her drink with a mournful smile.] You do remember what happened the first time I hit you with this, don't you?

[Rhetorical. Of course he does. At least Hallucifer is no longer here. Just flickers of him.]

[He looks away, sheepish.]

... That wasn't your fault. This wasn't either; I wanted to help you out of Deireadh any way I could. [Um.] Is it dangerous, to remove it? Could it hurt you or the others?

[He doesn't think it's her fault, and Katie... worries, but she's not keen to protest otherwise. Too many things have been laid at her door of late that she is directly responsible for. This at least... wasn't foreseen by anyone. ~~Except sadistic muns.~~]

No more dangerous than crossing a road. The more attention you pay, the more dangerous it gets.

Of course if we don't remove it, everything works the other way round...

[She's not looking at him anymore. It's not avoidance, just... she's distracted, trawling through possibilities. Souls are infinite. It's not like she's missing pieces now, no more than Sam has lost a part of himself for the what stayed clinging to her. Just memories. Among other things.

So no actual damage directly at the source, but that also complicates trying to remove what's now essentially a part of Sam. Can she tug them free without tugging other pieces along with the ride?]

...it's like trying to get your chocolate syrup back after pouring the milk in.

[The most absent-minded and unglamourous comparison ever.]

[.................... He stares for a moment.]

Well, that doesn't sound terrible at all.

[It sounds terrible, Katie.]

[...she hopes you're referring to the chocolate milk analogy, Sam, or you just called her whole existence terrible. It makes her look unsure, and she glances away again.

To be honest, it's just frustrating navigating through options that you have no real experience with in practice while at the same time imparting that knowledge in so many falsehoods. It's real tiring to be a pooka after a while.]

Well, let me ask you a question. Can souls be torn in your world?

[Well, I'm sure your existence sucks to some degree, but he's mostly just mortified at trying to get chocolate syrup out of milk. He thins his lips, considerate.]

Honestly, souls are kind of weird territory. They can't be destroyed, but I think they can be torn up. Um. Taken out for sure. [Sam's soul has dealt with both, anyways.] I don't really know if you can pull them apart like stringed cheese or anything and use them separately.

... It's an interesting thought, though.

[Her existence is just fine, thanks. :T She just tends to be sensitive about other people thinking she's awful okok.]

If they can't be destroyed, I should think-- [She breaks off. She's already been rather honest in the last five minutes and would really rather not start bleeding at the bar, kthx. Hm. Pointedly.] I'm sure, then, that if I just try pulling my soul back to me it will do terrible things to your spiritual welfare.

[It shouldn't be an issue. On his end.]

[He frowns, thoughtful.]

Will it do terrible things to my spiritual welfare if I don't mess with it?

[Just wondering.

And feel free to lie it out, Katie. He understands. He speaks Katienese.]

That depends on many things. The colour of the sky, how good you are at ignoring things that don't belong to you, other planets deciding to wash you with magic cries for help.

[She's kind of glad he hasn't thought to ask whether the soul mingling thing happened both ways. This is complicated enough to get around.]

You know, I'd say you're just doing your usual thing when you mention the color of the sky, but I wouldn't be surprised if that was actually an issue at some point...

The colour of the sky is more of an issue in day to day events than you'd think. Of course, telling you I'm just doing my thing wouldn't be very reassuring, now, would it?

Not really, no.

[He shakes his head, smiling a little. Just a little.]

... It's gonna be alright, though. I mean... We'll work on this.

We should work on this later rather than sooner, Sam. [She taps her fingers on the bar, thinking. She can't do anything grandiose out here, but...]

You've dealt with it a long time, and it's outside interference that's set you off, isn't it? [Perhaps it'll die on its own. It's not like she's really missing a piece of herself. Souls are infinite-- at least where she comes from. If he can assimilate it without any other complications--

--what's the likelihood of no further complications on the Fleet, though, seriously.]

[With a sigh, he nods.]

That's right.

I mean, as far as I can tell. I'd been handling it fine before that planet -- and before the hellfire thing just recently.

I would hope so, or you've been hiding a lot of unnecessary acid trips.

[Pointed. Look.]

... I mean... That depends on your definition of acid trip.

.... I've never tried acid?

Not the non-magical kind, I suppose. How boring of you. I've tried plenty.

[HAHAHA no. But let me tell you, college kids tripping out are some great people to hang out with when you're fae.]

Hey now, they had drug PSAs for a reason.

Listening to drug PSAs. How boring.

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