-- aspirantExegesist [AE] began pestering loanedAllegiance [LA] at 23:25 --
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] dream!Cymoth has floated off to bed, but Lamia still feels wide awake, brooding over the problem of what to DO about Cymoth, and what the best course of action relative to her, relative to the others, relative to the game would be. She feels, strongly, the need to talk it out, but Kyarib isn't in his tower, isn't to be seen floating about easily, and at any rate has the wrong kind of stake in the matter, she feels. But there is one other... --
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] She floats up to Aascam's tower, and stares in at him thoughtfully for a moment. Then, furrowing her brows, she makes up her mind, and floats in. --
AE: {-}
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] is thrashing around in his dream bed, a cold sweat is running off of his brow, and incoherent mumbles can be heard coming from him, though it's difficult to make out exactly what he is saying. The room's furnishings are spartan, save for a thick, soft carpet underfoot, though it is starting to show the signs of sweeps of use. --
LA: -
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] She recognizes that carpet; logs the detail away for later, as she does with everything else in the room, from floor to ceiling -- including the very interesting writing scrawled over and over. Then she floats towards him, around his bed, and looks down at his thrashing. Then she grabs his long horn, holding his head in place, and rears back with her other to SMACK him across the face. --
AE: {- }
-- loanedAllegiance's [LA'S] eyes snap open as he gives a suprised shout. His eyes scan the ceiling of the room, and noticing Lamia's hand still gripping his longer horn he traces it back to it's source. --
LA: What'$ going on? Who ar€ ¥ou? Wh€r€ am I?"
LA: -
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] Lamia smiles, a mixture of wryness, amusement, and sympathy. She withdraws her hand, and takes a step back. --
AE: {Good morning, Aascam. Guess?}
AE: {-}
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] rubs the weariness from his eyes and glares at Lamia, pushing himself up into a sitting position on the bed. --
LA: "I am not in th€ mood. At a££. Who ar€ ¥ou?"
LA: -
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] she chuckles, looking at him consideringly, wondering how much she could get away with. --
AE: {Welllll, well, well, Scammy -- your moods are soooo the boss of you, aren't they?}
AE: {Not even a tiny guess? A leeeeeeetle guess? For a favourite team mate?}
AE: {You usually LOVE question games!}
AE: {-}
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] glares at Lamia, mouth pressed into a thin line. --
LA: "...Ar€thu$a. P£€a$ant m€€ting ¥ou h€r€ I $uppo$€."
LA: -
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] The GRIN on Lamia's face is sudden, delighted, and sharply be-fanged. --
AE: {Saaaaaaame to you, Scammy. Any idea where you are? What were you dreaming? You were thrashing pretty hard!}
AE: {-}
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] hunches over, putting his face in his hands. He stays silent for a moment, then raises his head to look at Lamia. --
LA: "...Nothing. Ju$t th€ norma£ bad dr€am$. Wh€r€ ar€ w€?"
LA: -
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] Lamia tilts her head a bit, regarding him in a way no doubt akin to the ways in which talonbeasts regard their prey. --
AE: {The moon orbiting the ?lanet Derse -- the dark ?lanet. There's a moon that orbits a bright ?lanet, too -- ?rospit. When we're in the Medium, awake, our dream selves are asleep -- until we "wake" here. You're the last one u?, slee?y head.}
AE: {-}
LA: "That'$ ni¢€, but what do€$ it m€an? And iƒ ¥ou ar€n't going to giv€ m€ a $traight an$w€r ¥ou might a$ w€££ $how m€ around."
LA: -
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] began pestering loanedAllegiance [LA] at 01:07 --
AE: {I'd be more than happy to show you around. But --}
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] Lamia's face goes serious for a moment, as she looks out the window, towards Cymoth's tower. --
AE: {-- ...there's something you need to know about Cymoth.}
AE: {-}
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] stands up suddenly. --
LA: "What?"
LA: -
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] she looks a little troubled, in fact, and looks down. --
AE: {There are four of us on each planet's moon. You, me, Kyarib, and Cymoth are here; Taula, Ezreki, Lamia, and Skylar are there. But Cymmy's ... Different, here. Have you seen her recently? In the Medium, I mean.}
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] watching him closely. --
AE: {-}
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] swallows and looks away from Lamia. --
LA: "¥€$ I hav€. In ƒa¢t, I am ¢urr€nt£¥ in h€r £and, $£€€ping in h€r hiv€. $h€... £€t'$ ju$t $a¥ $h€ do€$n't £ook h€r b€$t at th€ mom€nt.
LA: -
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] Lamia looks thoughtful. Says, a little carefully. --
AE: {I imagine she could probably use a boost from her Moirail, then.}
AE: {-}
LA: I know, I know. But thi$ i$ mor€ diƒƒi¢u£t than I thought it wou£d b€. I m€an hav€ ¥ou $€€n h€r? I a£mo$t thr€w up m¥ dig€$tion $a¢ ju$t £ooking at h€r. Not to m€ntion...
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] pauses for a moment, unsure if he should continue. --
LA: Hav€ ¥ou $€€n it? Th€... Vid€o?
LA: -
AE: {Video?}
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] Pure innocence. --
AE: {What video might that be, Scammy?}
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] perhaps toooo innocent. --
AE: {-}
LA: Ar€thu$a, I am r€a££¥, *r€a££¥* not in th€ mood ƒor thi$ right now. Iƒ ¥ou know about it ju$t $a¥ it. Iƒ ¥ou don't, w€££ it'$ not important.
LA: At a££.
LA: -
AE: {It's only im?ortant if I've already seen it? Hmmmmmmmm.}
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] she looks thoughtful. --
AE: {I suppose -- then -- it is im?ortant. }
AE: {- }
LA: ƒin€, what€v€r. It'$ important. Ju$t an$w€r th€ goddamn qu€$tion a£r€ad¥!
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] she rolllllllllllls her eyes. --
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] glares at her. --
LA: -
AE: {You are really not the shar?est tool in the shed today, Scammy. I said, it's only im?ortant if I've seen it; then, I said it's im?ortant. SO! Yes. Yes I have seen it. You got ?layed like a six-Caegar wind instrument.}
AE: {Go on. What were you going to say? "Not to mention"... what?}
AE: {-}
LA: It'$ ju$t... W€££ I gu€$$ ¥ou'v€ a£r€ad¥ noti¢€d that I'm not €xa¢t£¥ at a high point in m¥ £iƒ€ right now. I'v€ b€€n a¢ting £ik€ a ¢omp£€t€ ƒoo£, and thi$ who£€ aƒƒair ha$ ju$t op€n€d m¥ £ook$tub$ to it a££.
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] slumps. --
LA: I'm not ƒit to b€ a Bu$in€$$a$$in. I'm not ƒit to b€ a P€n¢i£ Puni$h€r! I m€an r€a££¥, what wa$ wrong with m€?
LA: I ju$t...
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] sighs. --
LA: Thi$ i$ $tupid, ¥ou w€r€ $a¥ing $om€thing about ¢¥moth?
LA: -
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] she raises an eyebrow while he speaks, and then ... Looks perhaps a little sympathetic. Then, looking down, she sighs very quietly too. --
AE: {As I was saying -- the Cymoth here is different from the Cymoth in the Medium.}
AE: {She ... isn't a ghoul. She's whole, exce?t for -- well, except for her eye. And she has no memory of dying, reviving, entering the game, at all. And I think... I think that if she were to wake up, in the Medium, as you and I have? That the Cymoth who's here will ... Start to change to match her, inside and out.}
AE: {I don't have any concrete evidence of this. I just... Think it's what will happen. And I think she'll really, really need her Moirail to see her through. Or someone to, anyway.}
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] she looks at him, seriously -- assessingly, critically. --
AE: {You know... If I had a Moirail -- not that I need one, of course, but s?eaking hy?othetically -- I'd think that the sight of her in ?ain and ... Decay would make me more ?rotective and caring and BALANCING, not ... Grossed out.}
AE: {-}
LA: Do ¥ou think that I don't tr¥ to b€? Do ¥ou not think that I put a££ th€ €ƒƒort I ¢an into *not* a¢ting £ik€ a ¢omp£€t€ a$$ho£€ to h€r? I am not a brav€ tro££, Ar€thu$a. I ¢an $tand th€ $ight oƒ b£ood, I'v€ $€€n ¢orp$€$ b€ƒor€, but I g€t aƒraid ƒar too €a$i£¥. ¥ou know, on€ night, out oƒ pit¥, I invit€d ¢¥moth ov€r to m¥ hiv€ to wat¢h a horror movi€? I $ti££ wak€ up in ¢o£d $w€at$ ƒrom th€ €xp€ri€
LA: n¢€, and $h€'$ on£¥ gott€n wor$€.
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] grabs Lamia by the shoulders. --
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] Lamia blinks, stiffens, a little, but allows herself to be grabbed. --
LA: $om€thing i$ v€r¥ wrong with h€r, Ar€thu$a. $h€ ta£k$ about voi¢€$ in h€r h€ad, mo¢king h€r and ¢omp€££ing h€r to do thing$. $h€ ha$ mad€ w€apon$ ƒrom h€r own bod¥ part$ that €xud€ what £ook$ £ik€ pur€ darkn€$$. Thi$ i$ £ik€ a$king a quadrant-£€$$ t€n $w€€p o£d not to b€ aƒraid ƒiv€ minut€$ b€ƒor€ th€ dron€$ $how up at hi$ door.
LA: ¥ou hav€n't $€€n h€r in p€r$on Ar€thu$a, ¥ou know nothing.
LA: -
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] Lamia reaches her hands up to his face and very suddenly, very swiftly pulls it against her own in a kiss. --
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] it's a hard, angry, confused sort of kiss, and sharp fangs meet lips, and there's blood. And then, it's over, and she's looking seriously into Aascam's eyes, focused, penetrating, and stepping back, slowly. --
AE: {I know more than you think, Aascam.}
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] a pause, while she wipes the blood from her lip. --
AE: {And you... Know less than you think.}
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] casually spoken, as she knows that the colour of the blood on the fingers she's pulled away from her mouth is nothing like indigo. --
AE: {For instance, had you grabbed Arethusa that way, you'd almost certainly be a smear contributing to the colour of your carpet.}
AE: {-}
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] Aascam can do nothing but stare, slack-jawed, dumbfounded, incredulous, and all sorts of other similar words at what had just occurred. --
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] He wipes the blood from his own lips, and examines the colour of his blood mixed with hers. --
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] He closes his mouth into a tight line, licking at it occasionally. He lowers his head for a moment, then raises it so he can look Lamia directly in the eyes. --
-- loanedAllegiance [LA]He walks over slowly, stopping before her.
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] And he swings a punch at her ear. --
LA: What th€ ƒu¢k wa$ that?!
LA: -
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] he punches air, since she ducks, swiftly, with serpent-quick reflexes, and then flies out of reach. She is more used to the way movement works, here, after all. --
AE: {What do you think it was?}
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] distant, thoughtful. Not even really taunting, at all. A little ... quiet, perhaps. --
AE: {-}
LA: I don't know what I think that wa$ b€¢ua$€ what th€ a¢tua£ h€££, £amia? ¥ou ¢om€ in h€r€, pr€t€nd to b€ Ar€thu$a, and th€n mak€ out with m€? I... What wa$ that?
LA: -
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] Lamia looks away for a moment, to the side, frowning a little, but otherwise pretty inscrutable. --
AE: {When she speaks, it's with a deliberateness.}
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] When she speaks, it's with a deliberateness. --
AE: {Let me help you out, as I seem to be doing so often lately. What THAT was, Aascam, was you failing, as usual, to pay attention. You, expecting to be given whatever you ask for just because you're asking for it.}
AE: {You, thinking that to bare your throat to a predator will provoke it to pity instead of to a hearty meal.}
AE: {You, making it quite plain that you've told Arethusa about your Moirailship with Cymoth, when Arethusa is the last person in the incipisphere Cymoth would want that information shared with.}
AE: {You betray your Moirail's confidence and expect pity and trust and help from trolls who plot and scheme and trick you time and again! What is WRONG with you, Aascam?}
AE: {-}
LA: What i$ wrong with m€? I'££ t€££ ¥ou what'$ wrong with m€! What'$ wrong with m€ i$ that I'm ¢omp£€t€£¥ PATH€TI¢! How path€ti¢ ¥ou ma¥ a$k? £€t m€ ¢ount th€ wa¥$! I mi$took m¥ £u$u$' training ƒor m€aning£€$$ ¢ru€£t¥, $p€nt m¥ £iƒ€ in $om€ $hit hiv€, r€$ign€d to a ƒat€ €a$i£¥ ov€r¢om€ iƒ I had d€¢id€d to app£¥ €v€n a modi¢um oƒ int€££ig€n¢€, doing nothing but nightdr€aming th€ hour$ awa¥! I £€t m¥ €go ƒor¢€ m¥ h€ad up m¥ own a$$, and b€¢am€ $o inƒ£at€d and $hort-$ight€d that I thought I ¢ou£d a¢tua££¥ g€t awa¥ with m¥ r€di¢u£ou$ $¢am$! I thought I had an imm€n$€£¥ ¢harming p€r$ona£it¥, that I wou£d hav€ tro££$ ¢raw£ing at m¥ ƒ€€t, €v€r¥ quadrant ƒi££€d and th€n $om€! And wh€n I ƒina££¥ r€a£i$€d that I might po$$ib£¥ b€ wrong about a££ thi$? I took advi¢€ ƒrom tro££$ that thought I wa$ th€ dumb€$t $a¢k oƒ $hit th€¥'d €v€r $€€n? And ¥ou know what? Th€¥ w€r€ RIGHT! That'$ what i$ $o ƒu¢king wrong with m€ £amia! I'm a ¢harm£€$$, d€£u$iona£, $tupid, ƒai£ur€ oƒ a bu$i- No, ƒai£ur€ oƒ a tro££!
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] As he speaks, tears start slowly welling up in the corners of his eyes. By the time he finishes, his heavy breathing is punctuated by short sobs. --
LA: -
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] Lamia listens. Just listens. She doesn't react, doesn't move, until he starts crying. Then she bites her lip. She floats closer, and gently, slowly, moves to put a hand on his shoulder. --
AE: {You're not ... Charmless, Aascam. You're not a failure of a troll. Believe me. Remember Pepeir?}
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] a bit of a smile. --
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] then, a pause, and a slightly troubled look. --
AE: {For what it's worth, I didn't come here with the intention of tricking you. I just wanted to talk to you about Cymoth, to figure out what to do to help her. But when I came you were just so infuriating and -- }
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] she sighs, tucks a lock of hair behind a horn. --
AE: {I'm sorry. I shouldn't have -- well, whatever else, I definitely shouldn't have kissed you. I apologise.}
AE: {-}
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] grimaces. --
LA: Ju$t... Ju$t ki££ m€ now p£€a$€. Ar€ ¥ou r€a££¥, *r€a££¥* pit¥ing m€ not mom€nt$ aƒt€r ¥ou rant€d about how d€$pi¢ab£€ I am?
LA: G€t out £amia.
LA: I ¢an't $tand to £ook at ¥ou right now.
LA: -
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] Lamia looks at him for a long moment. Then she looks away. Withdraws hand, puts distance between them. --
AE: {Okay.}
-- aspirantExegesist [AE] Quiet. And then she flies out the window without another word. --
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] ceased pestering aspirantExegesist [AE] at 16:49 --
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