audience: karlach

[mygod]

Comments

[mygod]

[Her lil guys...]

I see. Is having your friends here a comfort?

[ablazement]

Yes and no. I'm glad they're here, but I wish they weren't. Does that make sense?

[mygod]

I'm not an expert on friendship.

But I suppose, sure. Wanting to be near someone, but not wanting them in the same danger as you.

[ablazement]

That's exactly it. You sure you're not an expert?

[teasing, a little.]

[mygod]

[They scoff softly.]

I have experienced one or two feelings. I don't have as many friends.

[ablazement]

[HELP SHE LAUGHS REAL BAD AT THIS it's like a cackle]

Just one or two? That's all, huh?

[mygod]

[GOD they would jump at this but seem used to the noise.]

Seems like plenty to me.

[ablazement]

Funny. You're funny!

[probably not on purpose but hey]

So, how much of a fuss are you going to put up if I ask you about yourself? Scale of one to ten.

[also do they have a Word Tattoo i'm nosy]

[mygod]

[Not on purpose, judging by the Look she receives. Even with a mask, the Look resonates.]

If you ask a question I don't care to answer, then I won't.

[Since you asked, they have several swirls of tattoos, though the most legible one at the moment flashes up as SURVIVING.]

[ablazement]

[i cannot tell you how many Looks she gets on a daily basis, it just means she's doing a good job at making friends. probably.]

Fair enough. [her own tattoo says AVERNUS, but she's not paying attention to it. and she's trying to not look at their word, because that seems rude. trying, being the operative word here. she makes a little frowny face at the one she sees because it makes her sad, but.]

How old are you?

[mygod]

[Probably.]

Twenty-one.

[They do not extend her the same courtesy, gesturing at her word.]

If we're exchanging details. What does that mean.

[ablazement]

[A BABY.]

-- Huh? [this catches her off guard, but. also, she laughs a little, because death approaches this with the same amount of decorum as famine and she's unfortunately fond of bluntness.]

What is it -- oh, Avernus. It's where I was a soldier.

[mygod]

[HELLO they are an adult....... And please don't be fond of these rudeasses.]

I'd expect you to speak to War then, but I suppose Death goes hand in hand.

Is it a regret, or a fear?

[ablazement]

I figure you're not just the words you go by, you know.

[her tail flicks back and forth. the second one takes her a bit to answer.]

... Fear. [she says, finally.]

[mygod]

It'd be fine if you did.

[They are at the refectory. They shoo away their crow because it shouldn't go into a building.]

Not keen to return to the battlefield then.

[ablazement]

[goodbye crow friend... nts ask names of crows]

... No. [her tail does agitated flickies.] Rather die, actually.

[mygod]

Oh, I understand.

[The tail tells are cute. This is my thought, not Death's, probably.]

A few have said my name is grim. But there's worse things than death out there. A life of destruction and violence is one of them, I imagine.

[ablazement]

[i love playing creatures with flicky ears and tails it's so helpful]

It's less the destruction and violence and more the senselessness of it. Sometimes you need to break some skulls to get things done, it's just... there ought to be purpose.

And I'm tired. I'm real tired.

[mygod]

Do these things often have a purpose, besides to please a handful of people? The ones carrying a leash?

[A very small lilt of bitterness. It lasts one second before muting back into a whole lot of resigned nothing.]

...Anyone would be exhausted. Anyway, eat.

[ablazement]

[that catches her a bit, and she's surprisingly thoughtful as she settles down to eat their horrible bland food.

after a minute:]

Someone got you on a leash too, Death?

[mygod]

[They spare her a glance, thinking for a second before rolling back one of their robe sleeves. Their arm is still covered in fabric, but it does make it a little earlier to read another set of words: BEING BOUGHT BY THEM. They speak very casually to match.]

I've upgraded from a leash to a cage though, recently. Oh, or maybe being a cultist means I'm free.

What do you think? Do you feel free?

[ablazement]

[she looks at it for a second.]

Bought, huh. [...] If that's a fear, don't let it happen. The second they buy, they're looking to sell.

[...]

I'm as free as I'll ever be again. That's all I can ask for.

[mygod]

Strange thing to say in a place like this, under your circumstances as a sacrifice.

[They tug their sleeve back into place.]

You've seen it happen?

[ablazement]

Yeah, well.

[enlightening, karlach]

I have. Happened to me.

[mygod]

Is that so...

[Enlightening. The mask helps keep their reaction hidden.]

Interesting. You don't have the demeanor of property.