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"It's what I am." His answer comes simply enough, "I inherited the birthright to cut open another person's flesh, but even with the birthright, it is still socially taboo where I come from. It is said to me derogatorily by others, but instead of shunning it, I embrace what I am."
He gives a small shrug. Artemy isn't one to brush off other people's words, nor is he one to take it too personally. It doesn't make him good or bad, it's simply what he was born to do, to cut flesh.
He gives a small shrug. Artemy isn't one to brush off other people's words, nor is he one to take it too personally. It doesn't make him good or bad, it's simply what he was born to do, to cut flesh.
After another moment of silence, she tucks the knife away. Better to not have it out. Better not to forget it here, or forget herself, or run the risk of too much temptation.
"What happens to those who cut flesh without the birthright?"
Those like her, she means.
"What happens to those who cut flesh without the birthright?"
Those like her, she means.
Edited 2025-02-15 02:46 (UTC)
He raises an eyebrow at that.
"Truthfully, I do not know. It never happened until- well, until the plague happened, and at that point, they were typically killed, since they were men who had gone mad and needed to be murdered to keep others safe."
He speaks about it impassively, coldly, he indeed was the one who had to do a lot of those spree killings.
"No one killed each other or really did any sort of crimes where I'm from." He shrugs, "It was just that kind of place. That question would have likely been better suited for someone like my father."
"Truthfully, I do not know. It never happened until- well, until the plague happened, and at that point, they were typically killed, since they were men who had gone mad and needed to be murdered to keep others safe."
He speaks about it impassively, coldly, he indeed was the one who had to do a lot of those spree killings.
"No one killed each other or really did any sort of crimes where I'm from." He shrugs, "It was just that kind of place. That question would have likely been better suited for someone like my father."
"You'll forgive me if I find that a little hard to believe. I can accept much about other worlds, but I've never once heard of a place of such peace."
Which might tell him something, it might not.
"Not without something underneath the surface to force it to be a certain way."
Which might tell him something, it might not.
"Not without something underneath the surface to force it to be a certain way."
"You'll find that the words aren't necessary, after a while. When you're used to how it feels to put yourself in that space, then you'll be able to skip straight to incantations."
She's glad to hear it.
"Now that you know it's awake, time to put it into practice. I'll show you the motions first, and then you can pair it together."
It's a simple movement, something that he's probably seen her do at work before, but she takes care to be precise right now, focused instead of the way that cuts corners.
"The incantation for this is voco. But just motion and words don't make a spell. With that intent you have, and the spell components there, we've almost got all the pieces in place. But what's missing?"
She's glad to hear it.
"Now that you know it's awake, time to put it into practice. I'll show you the motions first, and then you can pair it together."
It's a simple movement, something that he's probably seen her do at work before, but she takes care to be precise right now, focused instead of the way that cuts corners.
"The incantation for this is voco. But just motion and words don't make a spell. With that intent you have, and the spell components there, we've almost got all the pieces in place. But what's missing?"
He shrugs his shoulders at that.
"Regardless of if you believe or not, it is the truth." He says, "Though I wouldn't use the word 'peace' to describe it. Despite a lack of crime, we had our own problems. Bigotry being the main one, I would say."
Forcing the Kin into servitude and locking most of them away in a giant building to work until they die is not exactly the picture of peace in Artemy's mind.
"Regardless of if you believe or not, it is the truth." He says, "Though I wouldn't use the word 'peace' to describe it. Despite a lack of crime, we had our own problems. Bigotry being the main one, I would say."
Forcing the Kin into servitude and locking most of them away in a giant building to work until they die is not exactly the picture of peace in Artemy's mind.
"More surprising to me that there was no crime, then. Resentment, anger..."
But there's the catch she was looking for, waiting for.
"...you didn't answer my question." Even as she had sidestepped his. "What makes you so sure that if we saw each other's hearts, you'd see mine as worth saving?"
But there's the catch she was looking for, waiting for.
"...you didn't answer my question." Even as she had sidestepped his. "What makes you so sure that if we saw each other's hearts, you'd see mine as worth saving?"
"My people, the Kin, take their taboos incredibly seriously." He says, "Cutting flesh indiscriminately is as good as harming Boddho herself, the earth, our god." He explains further.
"And to answer your question, it's because I already have seen your heart." Artemy says casually, "The way you conduct yourself, help others, your guilt. Those are symptoms of someone with a good heart, full and in tact. You gave Dankovsky a chance when he pushes everyone away. I knew right then and there you were someone worth knowing."
"And to answer your question, it's because I already have seen your heart." Artemy says casually, "The way you conduct yourself, help others, your guilt. Those are symptoms of someone with a good heart, full and in tact. You gave Dankovsky a chance when he pushes everyone away. I knew right then and there you were someone worth knowing."
She cannot look at him. Cannot make eye contact, not with such sincerity given to cut her open, not with what he's saying. A good heart? Her? Many would disagree, her included. But nothing she says is going to change his mind, she knows. Nothing will shake his resolve - even if a storm howls and rages, it will not bring him down.
It would have been kinder to simply open her chest.
Absently, her hand goes to the charm around her neck, toying with it for lack of anything else to touch.
"He reminds me of someone I used to know. Someone I haven't seen in a long time."
It's a faint defense, and not a true one.
It would have been kinder to simply open her chest.
Absently, her hand goes to the charm around her neck, toying with it for lack of anything else to touch.
"He reminds me of someone I used to know. Someone I haven't seen in a long time."
It's a faint defense, and not a true one.
Would it be kinder, though? Sure, it hurts. Sometimes love hurts. Sometimes being pulled out of the muck and being told you're worth something hurts. But eventually it doesn't hurt. Time soothes all wounds. But time cannot soothe a wound that's being held onto like a feral kitten grasps onto their mother.
"Hm?" Both eyebrows raise, "Now you've got me curious about who."
"Hm?" Both eyebrows raise, "Now you've got me curious about who."
"His name is Astarion. He's proud, self centered, and not the best at getting along with others. When we met, he had a knife to my neck, and I had to push back and convince him I wasn't an enemy he wanted. But at the same time, he's brave, determined as anything, and no matter what he's said, I've never known him to leave anyone behind if they fell in a fight. He doubts himself, and he wants to make sure the world never does the same. His heart..."
There's a gentle fondness in her voice, as she speaks.
"He probably would strike anyone as an asshole. But I've never regretted inviting him to travel with me."
There's a gentle fondness in her voice, as she speaks.
"He probably would strike anyone as an asshole. But I've never regretted inviting him to travel with me."
She hasn't asked what happened, after that band had started to play. Her perceptions had narrowed to a single task - get out of here - and it was by some miracle that she'd made it to her apartment without collapsing in the street. Away from that noise. Away from those people. Away from anyone seeing how she breaks apart, yet again regretting that she made enough room for feelings in her body.
When she'd finally peeled herself off the floor in her apartment, Fever'd simply crawled into bed in the dress, unable to find the internal strength to remove it. Time passes, and as daylight creeps into the world, so she manages to rise. Change her clothes, wash her face. A dull ache sits at the bottom of her heart, and she doesn't feel much like handling it.
At least it's quiet now. She knows she has to check in on people, has to make sure they're fine, has to attend to probably a dozen things at once to make sure the world still ticks on. Somehow. She'll find the strength. Somewhere.
When she'd finally peeled herself off the floor in her apartment, Fever'd simply crawled into bed in the dress, unable to find the internal strength to remove it. Time passes, and as daylight creeps into the world, so she manages to rise. Change her clothes, wash her face. A dull ache sits at the bottom of her heart, and she doesn't feel much like handling it.
At least it's quiet now. She knows she has to check in on people, has to make sure they're fine, has to attend to probably a dozen things at once to make sure the world still ticks on. Somehow. She'll find the strength. Somewhere.
"It sounds like he was a very good friend to you."
Most people aren't perfect. Plenty of people come with a list of flaws. But it's the fondness, it's the way they treat you, the way they make you feel.
Artemy is thinking of his own asshole, one that Fever has had the pleasure of meeting.
"I would have liked to meet him. He sounds like the character."
Most people aren't perfect. Plenty of people come with a list of flaws. But it's the fondness, it's the way they treat you, the way they make you feel.
Artemy is thinking of his own asshole, one that Fever has had the pleasure of meeting.
"I would have liked to meet him. He sounds like the character."
"I wish you could meet him as well. He might get along with you just fine. But placing him near Dankovsky would be a game of chance - either they'd understand each other perfectly, or they'd be trying to tear each other's throats out."
That she'd be interested in seeing the results either way, she won't say.
"He'd absolutely hate being here. Even though I think it'd be good for him."
That she'd be interested in seeing the results either way, she won't say.
"He'd absolutely hate being here. Even though I think it'd be good for him."
He chuckles over the idea of these two people meeting. Might be fun to watch. Though him and Fever both would probably end up wrestling their proverbial cats away from each other.
"It sounds like they'd understand each other alright. Understand each other so well that they can't stand one another." He knows if Dankovsky was put in front of a mirror, without any awareness that it was a mirror, he'd probably hate the reflection.
"Perhaps we'd have the joy of seeing how it works out someday? Unless, he is still of the living." Artemy quickly adds that last part, as an addendum. He's trying not to seem entirely thoughtless. No one REALLY wants their loved ones to die, after all.
"It sounds like they'd understand each other alright. Understand each other so well that they can't stand one another." He knows if Dankovsky was put in front of a mirror, without any awareness that it was a mirror, he'd probably hate the reflection.
"Perhaps we'd have the joy of seeing how it works out someday? Unless, he is still of the living." Artemy quickly adds that last part, as an addendum. He's trying not to seem entirely thoughtless. No one REALLY wants their loved ones to die, after all.
Anzu finds himself halfway down the hall to Fever's flat, and while he can remember how he got there — he'd set out first thing in the morning, after checking up on Lev and Qingqiu.
Fever had seemed ... not quite herself, at Merrymeet. And he'd asked, and received a promise of an answer later, and then the demons turned up, followed by.
Well. In the aftermath, he had decided that they must've been Capochin's nephews, for a vague definition of "nephew" that includes people who are, theoretically, a boyfriend's younger cousins or something.
And Fever had left. At least, he'd hoped she'd merely left, instead of being eaten by something. So he's here doing a wellness check. He's done them before. It was a good third of his job back home, checking in on people who might not be able to drag themselves to the hospital or to a physician's clinic.
He knocks, and then, immediately, calls out, "Fever, darling! It's me. I just wished to make sure thou'rt not no ghost this morning."
Hells. She'd forgotten about promising Anzu some answers, and while she feels like she's in barely enough shape to count as humanoid, he's still there. And perhaps, he doesn't know. So, she finds herself in front of the door, and opens it, knowing that the concept of smiling is a little beyond her at the moment.
She looks...well, it'd be hard to hide it from Anzu's trained eye. Though she's dressed, and she has her regular makeup on, there's a weariness that presses her down, lives in all the cracks. Something that had been hiding during Merrymeet, and hasn't been hidden away yet.
"Still here. And I'm glad to see you are as well, after everything."
Right. Manners. Something like that.
"Do you want to come in?"
She looks...well, it'd be hard to hide it from Anzu's trained eye. Though she's dressed, and she has her regular makeup on, there's a weariness that presses her down, lives in all the cracks. Something that had been hiding during Merrymeet, and hasn't been hidden away yet.
"Still here. And I'm glad to see you are as well, after everything."
Right. Manners. Something like that.
"Do you want to come in?"
"He's in a strange position. He's a vampire."
She says this as if it's perfectly normal.
"So he's living, but not in the same way as you or I are. But that doesn't mean he might not land on these shores, given how dangerous things could get back where I came from."
She says this as if it's perfectly normal.
"So he's living, but not in the same way as you or I are. But that doesn't mean he might not land on these shores, given how dangerous things could get back where I came from."
Oh, boy, this kinda feels like a trick question. Radar's brow knits as he thinks it over.
"Thinking real hard about what exactly you want it to do?" he ventures.
"Thinking real hard about what exactly you want it to do?" he ventures.
"Precisely!"
He's great at this. A perfect natural.
"You need to know what you want to do with all of that! And with this spell, you know you're making another hand. Left or right, it doesn't matter - whichever one you know best."
And to complete the explanation, she does the motion again.
"Voco."
A flash of light passes over her eyes, and then there - the ghostly blue replica of her right hand, floating before them. Which she uses to wave at him, before sending it out to pick up a bucket. Just like that.
He's great at this. A perfect natural.
"You need to know what you want to do with all of that! And with this spell, you know you're making another hand. Left or right, it doesn't matter - whichever one you know best."
And to complete the explanation, she does the motion again.
"Voco."
A flash of light passes over her eyes, and then there - the ghostly blue replica of her right hand, floating before them. Which she uses to wave at him, before sending it out to pick up a bucket. Just like that.
Anzu bobs his head in greeting.
"If my presence shan't tax thee too much, I'd like to come in," he says. "I wish not to impose in trying to help."
He pauses, studying her weary face and her posture.
"But I'm quite happy merely being a familiar presence by thine," he says, at length. "No need to talk. If company would help, that is ..."
"He's alive enough, I'd wager." He says, a bit sarcastically, "From the way you speak of him he sounds like he's full of life."
It is meant as a complement. Artemy thinks he sounds great. Would love to watch him and Daniil fight about something that doesn't matter.
It is meant as a complement. Artemy thinks he sounds great. Would love to watch him and Daniil fight about something that doesn't matter.
"Please, feel free."
She steps back to let him in. Her apartment isn't a mess, only lived in - a quilt left over the couch for warmth, books on the table, a candle burning on the small altar she keeps. If one walked in while she was out, there's enough to say she's still functional. But still, still, that air of something heavy. Like she doesn't know what to do with herself, as she settles near the open window, hands left at a loss for what to touch. Chills has gone out for the morning, and so she has nothing to hold.
"I promised you answers, so. Ask away."
She steps back to let him in. Her apartment isn't a mess, only lived in - a quilt left over the couch for warmth, books on the table, a candle burning on the small altar she keeps. If one walked in while she was out, there's enough to say she's still functional. But still, still, that air of something heavy. Like she doesn't know what to do with herself, as she settles near the open window, hands left at a loss for what to touch. Chills has gone out for the morning, and so she has nothing to hold.
"I promised you answers, so. Ask away."
"Enough of it that I know he'll keep fighting, even if I'm not there."
She makes herself stop fiddling with the necklace, not wanting it to break. If the cord snaps, she can't wear it, and it'll be her fault.
"I know, I know, it's right and proper that him and the others are in that world, and it means I can believe they're alive. Just wish sometimes we could catch up one evening."
Though the tears have long since retreated from where they threatened, the melancholy remains. Of course it does. This is a melancholy conversation.
"But, well. It's better this way."
She makes herself stop fiddling with the necklace, not wanting it to break. If the cord snaps, she can't wear it, and it'll be her fault.
"I know, I know, it's right and proper that him and the others are in that world, and it means I can believe they're alive. Just wish sometimes we could catch up one evening."
Though the tears have long since retreated from where they threatened, the melancholy remains. Of course it does. This is a melancholy conversation.
"But, well. It's better this way."
Girl he'll fix it for you if you did. Still, he notices, and it is enough to make him smile.
"Maybe so, but it's only natural to miss people. You know that I do."
He doesn't even have to explain, he knows that she knows. He's talked about it enough already.
"Maybe so, but it's only natural to miss people. You know that I do."
He doesn't even have to explain, he knows that she knows. He's talked about it enough already.
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