audience: karma

[mygod]

Comments

[wolftonic]

[ when your apartment rooms reflect your soul and your soul is tired ]

Nothing that can't wait. We can talk.

[ but his desk is more like a workspace—there's a number of plants that he's setting up to dry, as well as a few he's already started working with. ]

You must have plenty of questions.

[intrapid]

[ karma will find an empty space to sit on, even if that ends up being the desk itself ]

I do. I want to know about that machine of yours, and that accident that killed you.

[wolftonic]

[ as long as he doesn't outright sit on an herb, he's good ]

Right, that. [ He's not actually upset about dying, but. ] I wanted to talk to you about that too. Did you let some of them believe that you killed me?

[intrapid]

[ ... ]

No.

[ why would he do that? stupid. ]

[wolftonic]

[ THAT'S RIGHT!!! WHY WOULD HE BE SO INSANELY SUSPICIOUS ON THIS, THE DAY OF OUR TUTORIAL TRIAL!!!!!! ]

A number of people seemed to think you did, for a while.

[intrapid]

[ OUR TWO BODY TUTORIAL TRIAL WITH THE MYSTERIOUS EXTRA HAND THAT STILL HAUNTS ME ]

And whose fault was that? Famine, War, Pestilence, they all knew the truth, didn't they?

[wolftonic]

[ the mystery hand....... o: ]

They can't reveal those things.

...I'm not blaming you for what conclusions people came to. But I hope you tried to assert your innocence to them eventually.

[intrapid]

[ it would have saved them so much grief, especially when it had nothing to do with the ritual and more with people trying to get karma to show them his pew pew ]

...not really. I got lectured about that by a lot of people, and apologized to by others, but what they thought of me isn't a big deal. They were proven wrong eventually, by people whose words hold more weight than mine anyways.

[wolftonic]

[ alas, they have so many reasons they could not do that... ]

But you were innocent. That is a big deal.

[intrapid]

[ It's not, though. What it is is a discussion he's getting tired of having. ]

Hey, Nehan. Why do you think I act the way I do?

[wolftonic]

[ it's important when you're the dead guy of the situation ]

I wouldn't presume to know. We've only spoken a few times. Why don't you tell me?

[intrapid]

[ he shakes his head, because that's just it. ]

We're all strangers here. What people think of me isn't important. In the end, I did not kill you, and those who thought I did were wrong. It's fine to leave it at that.

[wolftonic]

[ one of his ears flick ]

So as long as the people you do respect think well of you, that's enough.

[intrapid]

[ ... ]

Do you?

[wolftonic]

...Sure. I think you downplay yourself, if anything.

[ though he also doesn't think that karma respects him because he is a teenage boy whose subject of idolization is an incredibly strong squid alien ]

[intrapid]

[ the temptation to flick those lil ear wiggles ]

Real convincing "sure." It's whatever. I'm not downplaying myself, anyways. It's just that I can see when there's so much talent around me: the people here really are incredible. I'm nothing special.

[ just a normal middle school student, all things considered ]

[wolftonic]

[ erune ears are very tempting ]

...I do think well of you. [ if he must be clear about it, tch ] You were obviously trying to learn, even in a situation like this. You're brave and you try to help people. It counts for something.

[intrapid]

[ oh. he wasn't expecting nehan to elaborate, even if it did seem like fishing in hindsight. ]

That's such a low bar... [ can't help but feel deeply pleased hearing that, though, UGH ] People can't live without other people, and to live is to learn. So, like I said: nothing special.

[wolftonic]

[ karma is kind of insane, but he's a teenage boy so that comes with the territory. and he's been putting in more work than half the adults here, and he shouldn't have to. ]

I didn't expect that you'd be so reluctant to accept a compliment. [ silly ] Do you still want to learn?

[intrapid]

[ the adults are out there suffering retail, he'd consider it a fair exchange ]

I do. Famine was teaching me a little about medicine, before, and Iwatooshi was showing me how to use a polearm. Have you changed your mind about poison?

[wolftonic]

No.

[ good try though ]

...I don't mind teaching you what I know, mostly. But these poisons are village secrets. They'll die with me.

[intrapid]

[ aw ]

Aren't you dead, though, technically?

[ like, he'll stand by his assurance that this isn't real death, but only when it's convenient ]

[wolftonic]

Nice effort, but no.

[ little opportunist... he sounds briefly amused though. ]

What would you do with that kind of knowledge anyway? I barely use it myself.

[intrapid]

[ not even a couple pity points, huh ]

Foundational knowledge is good to have even if you never apply it. It's the same with core subjects taught in school. I might never make my own poisons, but I'll know better than to mix bleach and ammonia, for example. And if something does happen, I'll know whether to induce vomiting or encourage hydration or simply stability the person and let the poison run its course.

[wolftonic]

That much is true. It's important to understand the basic tenets for treatment and survival purposes.

[ though deadly poison and household toxins are a little different, he'll concede the point. ]

So you could promise me that you'd never use it to hurt someone?