Video 01

[killedwithlove]

Who: Cole and anyone
Broadcast: Fleet-wide
Action: Marvisa
When: Now until the next shuffle?

[Cole doesn't usually sleep, so waking up is very unfamiliar. He doesn't usually feel the cold or heat much, so the deep coldness in his bones is alien.

He jerks upright with a gasp, hands scrabbling at the back of his neck and then he vanishes in a puff of black-green smoke and reappears in the corner of the room, pressing himself back into it, staring around with wide eyes.]

Whispering, watchful, wakeful, wondering, where?

[He then spends a while patting things around him like the floor and wall, whispering under his breath.

In all honesty, he'll stay in that room until someone convinces him to leave and go elsewhere. It's not like he has to leave for any reason.]

Comments

[killedwithlove]

[Cole looks around and then calmly addresses wall like that's perfectly normal to him.]

How did you know Varric calls me kid?

[Yes, there is a touch of wonder to his voice]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[that's... you know, it's good enough. you do you, kid.]

Ah, I... Didn't know, nor do I know Varric very well... Would you prefer I not call you that?

[killedwithlove]

I don't mind. You can call me kid. Or Cole. I don't really like being called demon.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

...Do you get called a demon very often?

[killedwithlove]

Some people call me demon a lot. Some people never call me demon. Sera calls me 'it' when she's angry or frustrated or scared, because it makes her feel a bit better, so I don't mind as much.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

I see.

[his knowledge of demons is... very limited, but he gets that they're something like the "monsters" back on his own world. and that he could understand.]

I won't call you "demon" then, Cole.

My name is Robin, like the bird.

[killedwithlove]

Do you have a red breast? Only the male birds have red breasts, to be beautiful, like ladies in pointed shoes and men in velvet tunics.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[not skipping a beat--]

That's me. On my world, some people say they bring death. Others say they bring the springtime.

[killedwithlove]

They're birds. They bring insects to their babies and sticks and fur to make nests. They can't bring springtime. Spring just happens.

So does death.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Hm. I always thought so too.

But people can be very superstitious. [a pause, because he bets--] You understand.

[killedwithlove]

I understand what?

[Head tilt, slow blink.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Oh. [he laughs. he shouldn't, but at least it's not malicious.] Perhaps not. I'm sorry.

[killedwithlove]

You're too far away for me to read what you mean. And words... words are messy and complicated and it's how people communicate.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

I know. They're inexact and always changing...

If we were in person, I'd just show you. It'd be much easier.

[killedwithlove]

... are you a spirit as well? I'm Compassion. I was. Solas says I still am.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

I am not. At least--I don't think so.

[he could be wrong. maybe they define spirits differently, where Cole is from. even if they don't, he's never exactly had many other creatures to compare himself to...]

...What was it like, being Compassion? What's different now?

[killedwithlove]

I was Compassion. Now I'm Cole who was Compassion. I'm Compassion, not Mercy. Solas explains it better. He has better words.

I only had to use words when I came to this side. Spirits don't need words for each other.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Oh, I've talked with him. I like his words... I'll ask him.

[and he actually means to. Solas isn't bad.]

Perhaps you and I can meet when you're brought to another ship. Then you can explain however you like.

[killedwithlove]

Solas helped make a lot of things make sense about this world. I didn't understand a lot.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

There's a lot to understand. And here, ah... I'm afraid there's a great deal more learning to be done out here, among the stars.

[killedwithlove]

But Augment is helping. Like Cole did. Cole taught me lots of things without teaching me. So is Personnel Augment.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Mm, the augment isn't a person... You can simply call it your augment.

But that's good. Personnel will let you be of whatever help you'd like to your crew.

[killedwithlove]

It's not a person, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have feelings. It's not mine.

[Welcome to the world of empathy based psychometry and a spirit who finds something to talk to all items about.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Mm... [he's not entirely sure how to take that, but...] You must have a very different understanding of these things than I do, but I'll believe you.

[killedwithlove]

I learned lots from Cole, but he wasn't mine, either.

[It might be best not to push on this one. He's just a special little creature with his way of viewing the world.]