driftfleet | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: The burrito of death (aka Tek)
Broadcast: Audio, open to the fleet
Action: Bloodsport cargo hold
When: Broadcast day after the attack - Action open all month

[this one is sent in audio only, because goodness no one needs to see his current face--though, his voice isn't right either. it's too light, too delicate, and there is a little too much purr to it. especially without the aid of a video feed, it's hard to tell whether the speaker is male or female or monster at all.

and the tone is nothing but flat.]

Everyone is safe and accounted for? Nothing is entirely amiss? Wonderful.

[he isn't bitter about no one asking about his absence at all. nope. not one bit.]

So, I guess it's about time to start returning to our old routine, hmm? Everyone ready for things to go back to normal? Especially with such a good distraction from our recent little 'vacation home,' I know I sure am ready to forget about everything that just happened.

[this weapons-grade sarcasm could burn a hole through the floor.]

Especially with all of this new spending cash. ...Have you all checked your accounts today? The bonuses are already rolling in.

Isn't it wonderful.

[this sorry creature feels sickened and infuriated and doesn't have the strength to vent it any other way. so, a pissy broadcast it is!

and for anyone wandering the Red Fish any time soon, he can be found actually sitting up now. still wrapped in blankets and misery, but he's at least upright. it's a step.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ No idea what that word means. But he can infer from Tek's tone. He's gotten good at that. ]

Just a joke. Alla the shit humans eat? Don't think they'd even taste good burnt.

S'good that we can talk now, yeah? Felt like I was just... bangin' my gums at you and makin' a fool outta myself before.

It was endearing. I was touched that you bothered to go that extra mile.

[and he's got some mockingly-sweet, good-natured sarcasm behind it, but he does mean it on some level. especially with the other reactions his true form garnered, having someone try to just talk to him was nice.]

Yeah, well. Don't see lots of our kind in places like this. S'enough to make a fella get all sentimental. [ Ladon's own brand of sarcasm is more self-deprecating. But still somewhat sincere. ]

Yes, about that 'our kind' business-- are you sure that's accurate? You couldn't understand my words, and you mentioned being small...

[a musing pause]

Are you sure you're not just some kind of oversized lizard?

Last I checked, lizards don't got wings and can't breathe fire, yeah? They also eat bugs and can't string a fuckin' sentence together. [ Huff. ] M'a dumb lug, yeah, but I ain't that dumb.

[a weak, pained little laugh. he's made him chuckle, at least.]

Fair enough.

...You aren't especially young, are you?

M'as large as I'm gonna get, if that's what you're askin'. If not... guess that depends.

[ His closest dragon friend on the station had been "millions" of years old. It kind of puts things in perspective. ] Think I'm 'round 35 by now. Memory's a bit fuzzy.

Thirty-five? ...That's all?

[it's probably a rude question, but he's honestly surprised.]

Yeah.

We don't... got long lifespans where I'm from, yeah? Not anymore. If I'm lucky, I'll see 50, and that's only 'cuz I, er, left. Been livin' 'round humans for the past ten years.

...Really.

[it's a suddenly dour topic, but he's morbidly fascinated, and he only cares for polite rules of conversation when they suit him.]

What happened to cause that? ...And being around mortals helps instead of hinders?

S'a lot of history, but in short, mages got too powerful, normies kicked them outta power, chased out and hunted down all the magic creatures they could find. The others could hide. Change forms, pretend t'be human. Dragons were too damn proud. After so many of us got offed, the rest decided t'just disappear. Bein' smaller ain't so bad, meant we could hide. 'Course that was a helluva long time ago. Normies've turned it into some kinda... religion. Legends, shit like that.

[ He sighs a little. ] Yeah, well. S'either that or live in a cave in the mountains. Starve in the summer, starve and freeze in the winter.

[...he doesn't know what he was expecting. ask for an upsetting story, and that's what you're going to get.

so, he's quiet for quite some time before he finally turns it all over in his head and responds.]

...It's a shame to hear such a familiar tale. It seems that some trends really do stretch across existence.

Universe's got it in for us, yeah? Fucked no matter where we go. At least back home, they're too busy thinkin' we're some... made-up symbol of evil or somethin' to actually hunt us down. [ He grumbles to himself. ] Not so lucky here, I guess.

Oh, lucky.

Where I'm from, we were largely believed to be legend... until recently. When I left, it was all the rage to hire a band of slayers to comb the town for hiding monsters.

It was laughable until they got good at actually finding us.

S'what everyone's worried'll happen back home. That or... The normies are real keen on their "science" shit, yeah? Dunno what's worse, idea of gettin' hunted down or idea of gettin' experimented on.

[ He makes a discontented noise. ] Either way. M'used to keepin' what I am a secret. That ain't changin' here. 'Specially now. Granted you came back, but m'guessin' it weren't no walk in the park.

No. It wasn't.

[and the direness in his voice should help convey just how bad it really was.]

An already difficult process was unnecessarily complicated by a third party, so... it will be some time before I'm feeling my best.

So m'guessin' it wasn't Atroma or this place doin' it.

[ He makes a worried little noise. ] You need anythin'? Dunno how you go 'bout healin', sunlight or magic or...

[that offer is almost... sweet.

so, he makes sure not to think about it too long, verbally shrugging it off.]

Not unless you happen to have a stock of raw meat and bones, or bits of gold handy. ...Otherwise, I think it's just a matter of waiting.

[ He takes a moment to think, then sighs. ] Ain't seen a butcher shop 'round, or a jewelry store I could hit. But we ain't been here long, yeah? I'll keep an eye out.

[...okay, he's finally compelled to bring up something that has been rattling in his brain.]

Tell me... Are you always this eager to help strangers?

[ He huffs a little to himself. ] Yes an' no.

[ He digs out a cigarette then, and there's a couple clicks from his lighter as he lights up. ] Place I was at before, there were three other dragons. Sorta... took care of 'em, yeah? S'a habit. Know we ain't all the same, but. M'used to lookin' out for others, when I find 'em.

So, you all got along. [there's a rustling as he shifts around and resettles in his blankets.] ...And back home? Did you all get along there as well?

Sorta. [ Ladon drags on his cigarette a bit. ] I mean. S'debate 'bout whether we should be keepin' as far from the humans as possible or hidin' amongst 'em, but... Hard to have any conflict 'bout it when one side's off in the boonies, yeah? Butt heads with a kid I took in, but he's still learnin'. Wants t'be human. Don't like to listen to me tell him he is what he is. Other two I keep 'round are my cousin and his mate. Closest I got to best friends.

But you don't persecute each other. You don't fight and sometimes kill one another.

[it's phrased more as a statement than a question, based on what Ladon seems to be describing.]

Fights happen. Death happens. But it ain't a trend. Gonna guess that ain't the case where you're from.

[ He's heard similar tales. While most dragons he's encountered have been better off than in his world, well. Jin's simpering and cowering wasn't born simply out of Ladon's attempts at intimidation. There were... issues there. Ones he could never full understand. ]