002; and this dream is your story

[dreamvour]

Who: Baku & you
Broadcast: fleetwide
Action: Caprine if you're so incline
When: now (October 26)

[for the unaware - which is a lot of people - Baku has an office! And she's made it spooky for this particular broadcast; which is to say, she's turned off the lights and lit a few candles to fit the mood. You might even see some glowing eyes in the background every so often - but no worries, that's just her leopard prowling around.

But shhh, it's totally spooky, shut up]

Around this time of year all of the really scary stories start getting passed around at school, so I thought I'd keep up the tradition, even though I'm not there right now and it's a little early.

One of the more popular ones at my school is Aka Manto - the red cloak. He's a ghost that haunts the old bathroom on ground floor. It's said that if you end up using it late at night, that you shouldn't use the fourth stall, or else he'll come to you. And that he's so charming you won't be able to resist answering his question.

[she props her chin on her hands] So he'll come to you and he'll ask, "Do you prefer the red cloak or the blue cloak?" If you answer red, he'll make it so you have a "red cloak", by cutting you. If you answer "blue", he'll drain your blood. [a hum] There's a way out of it, of course, because there always has to be, so I wonder if anyone knows or can guess the answer.

So that's my question to everyone.

[a considering pause, and then:]

Or - ah, or even better, you could share your urban legends from your world, if you'd like. Those are always fun, and it is the season for it.

Comments

[dreamvour]

[a snort]

It's a long, somewhat annoying story. One I doubt you would like very much.

[dothelokimotion]

I suppose I can ask later.

But I'd like to hear these rules all the same.

[dreamvour]

[she goes quiet as she thinks of a good way to explain it; she isn't used to explaining it to other beings who don't need the extra explanations that humans do]

The rules are - general and specific both. It depends on what you are.

But - mm, think of one your stories - your most popular one, that everyone knows. The one that explains who you are and what you do, what your powers are like - things like that.

[she gestures]

Those are your rules.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki hisses. ]

I'm not and have never been bound by rules. It contradicts everything that I am.

[dreamvour]

[she tilts her head, lips pressing together]

I know. But the Loki of my world? He's bound by those rules. I'm sure he's found ways around them, of course, because I doubt he enjoys being bound by them, either, but - [she shrugs, frowning] You asked. I answered.

[dothelokimotion]

[ he's not sure he likes the sound of that. bound by rules that the gods came up with. what nonsense. ]

Fair enough. But it still defies sense.

[dreamvour]

[a little dryly] The Gods aren't known for their decision-making, if I may be blunt.

[her usual neutral, flat tone has a little bite to it] They do what they think is good for all, but they don't consider the all part as thoroughly as they say they do.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki blinks. then he smiles, bemused. ]

No. Why would they?

[dreamvour]

[she opens her mouth as if to answer, pauses, then presses her lips together, her frown deepening]

They should.

[dothelokimotion]

[ his bemusement grows. ]

Gods do not care about anything else but themselves. They're selfish, cruel and incapable of understanding.

[dreamvour]

[she places her chin on her hand, eyebrows raised]

Not all. Some try. [a pointed look] You try.

The ones I work for are mostly like that, save for some. It's complicated. I try not to speak ill of them.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki looks skeptical at that. he rarely tries. ]

I doubt they are here to hear you.

[dreamvour]

[a very uncharacteristic snort]

I don't care if they hear me or not.

[dothelokimotion]

Then say what's on your mind.

[dreamvour]

I'm not disagreeing with you, am I? I think that says plenty.

[she shrugs a shoulder] Like I said, it's complicated. Anything I would want to say, I've probably said it right to their faces anyway. I don't hold my tongue when the piss me off.

[dothelokimotion]

Not afraid they might take it out on you?

[ which is what a god would normally do. ]

[dreamvour]

No. [she tilts her head] I've long since grown out of my fear of the gods.

[dothelokimotion]

[ he chuckles. ]

I cannot say that is wise or unwise.

[dreamvour]

Oh, it's both. One day I'll run my mouth to the wrong god and it'll probably end badly for me.

[she sounds entirely unconcerned]

But they make my job difficult and I make sure that they know every time they do. It's only fair.

[dothelokimotion]

I don't think gods concern themselves overly much with fairness.

[dreamvour]

Mmm. Even so, I still try. Sometimes I get through. Most times, I have to find a way through the rules instead.

[dothelokimotion]

Mm, I do like that. I am a big fan of cheating.

[dreamvour]

[with a very serious, straight face]

It isn't cheating. It's finding loop holes.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki cocks an eyebrow. ]

That's the same thing.

[dreamvour]

[she pouts at him]

It's a little different. I'm not breaking the rules, technically.