alchemenace | week 3, friday w/ fane

[ Fane sighs quite heavily at the word "fire" especially. It's the kind of sigh that Varian is probably familiar enough with now, since it's the sort that usually proceeds an extended rant, but. He holds back in the face of what Varian says. ]

...Hm? And what would that be?

[ part of varian really. really wants to know what the rant was going to be, but it will have to wait. ]

I ... received this, this week.

[ and from his numerous starbucks pockets, he takes out a letter ]

[ I guarantee it was some Dumb Bullshit ]

[ But anyways, Fane makes a thoughtful sound, then takes the letter. He falls into a thoughtful silence as he reads it over, and as always, what he's thinking while he takes it in is impossible to discern. But when he speaks, his tone is much more grave rather than blithely sarcastic and biting. ]

That is quite the claim. Do you know who it came from?

[ All things considered, he imagines not, which is no discredit to Varian. So he continues without much of a beat ]

...What do you think of its claims?

I believe it's from the Historians.

[ it's said pretty immediately, since he's had long enough to think about it. as for the other part... he pauses for a bit. ]

Everything said in it fits what we know of this war so far, including what Dragon herself told me. It's difficult not to think it true.

[ That's easy enough for him to accept, since he would have guessed it ws from the Historians as well, considering what was said about them last trial. The rest, well. That he's not as well informed on, but he trusts Varian. That's probably fairly clear with how easily he seems to accept it. ]

Hmph. That puts us—all of us—in a rather precarious position.

[ He hands the letter back to Varian ]

Now, I say this with the caveat that if you're opposed, I will absolutely drop it, but. [ He sighs as he stands back and crosses his arms ] If you believe it, then what do you think about the idea of moving it along to that end?

[ Varian pockets it once more, which gives him the chance to think about his answer. And the thing is, probably everyone else here would expect him to be opposed to it immediately. ... But he's done so much worse for what others would consider far, far more selfish reasons. (Varian doesn't consider them selfish, but he knows what it looks like.)

Which is why his jaw is set when he answers: ]

I'm not opposed to it. It's what I've been thinking, ever since I received this. [ there's a wry smirk after ] ... Which is probably what the Historians hoped for, but. If I go by what I've learned here, this is the best possible option we've got right now.

[ It's a small surprise that Varian agrees to the prospect readily, but... Not too surprising. Varian is cut from a similar cloth to himself, after all, and in that, it means that the end result of something is far more important than what steps come along the way. So he continues after only a small, pause.

After all, despite that— Varian's youth is something Fane is acutely aware of, though perhaps not quite as readily as someone that actually understood humans better. Considering their similarities, and more importantly, Varian's willingness to learn and explore, it wasn't hard to think of him as something of an apprentice. Is this really what he'd want to expose a protege to?

...But it's better than simply waiting for death, probably. Progress is the goal. It's always the goal. ]

Then I'll assist in any way possible. I don't have faith that I'll find my answers here, and so this must be ended as quickly as possible.

[ It's easy and resolute, but Fane is quite well divorced from the morality of killing. It's such a normal part of Rivellon that he doesn't really have to give it much consideration. ]

It's probably ideal for partners to work together in that sense regardless. If that's what it takes, well, we may as well keep the effected parties to a minimum.

[ He doesn't expect that response. At this point, he probably should. It's not like Fane has given him any reason to expect otherwise, especially now that he's seen his memories, but. But, but, but. Rapunzel being here is a constant reminder that back in Corona he's on his own, and it's hard for him to get past that.

As it stands, just hearing that Fane is willing to help, even in something so horrible, is--

it's nice. a little. which is why he's the one hesitating, now. ]

... Are you sure? If we work together, and we get caught... If it's between both of us, everyone here thinks I'm. Well. A kid. [ he rolls his eyes at it, but. yeah. he knows how they'd react. ]

[ That does give him a little more pause, but not because he hadn't considered it. He knew that taking this seriously would definitely increase his chances of dying. And yet, as he sees it, it's not as if there were no chance of it at all. ]

...Yes. I'm quite sure.

[ Even though he pauses, there's no hesitation in his voice. ]

I'm likely to die regardless. We all are. That's simply the odds of this... game, isn't it? [ a sigh ] So I would rather at least work towards something. I'll not perish waiting idly for my answers to come to me.

[ Though to that imbalance between them... ] If it is between us, then my request is simple. Just succeed. If this letter is true, then I have necromancy to count on. I suppose I will be properly undead then.

[ this is now all very funny considering how badly they fucked up saturday's trial, but anyway

since fane has no hesitation, varian won't anymore, and he's all business when he speaks: ]

For succeeding-- at least in the, in the not getting caught sense of things-- I might have an advantage. My so-called gift is creating false evidence. [ he figures fane will figure it out now that he's said it, so he gestures with one hand ] I tested it out, last week. The shoe? I tried to make it as obviously fake as possible, but just in case, I also made sure it couldn't lead back to either of us. [ since Fane can't bleed. varian rolls his eyes a bit ] Which was a good thing, since everyone got... really stuck on it regardless of my intentions.

[ he doesn't feel bad because they did catch Sandalphon in the end, and also he told everyone he didn't think the shoe was legit!!! but they took six hours to listen!!! ]

[ IT SURE IS HUH :) ]

Oh. Well, that makes slightly more sense as to why that was even there.

[ Though he shakes his head, since now knowing for sure that they spent hours thinking about the shoe for nothing, he feels more sure that half the people here are really, really stupid... ]

Good god, considering how long was spent on that stupid shoe, you may have the best ability I've heard yet.

[ literally fight me ]

It's pretty useful... if you want to murder. [ which. is what they are planning. so. ] Or, well, have to. Which isn't bad, all things considered.

[ 2 blotters a week are chosen! for example! i'm sure FANE DOESN'T KNOW THIS ]

I imagine that's the idea. Of the skills we've learned of, a fair number of them seem to be catered towards facilitating death.

[ He shrugs ]

...It makes me all the more disappointed that mine is so... boring. I could switch, yet it's so thoroughly identifying that it's not even worth the effort at this point.

... What is yours, anyway? It didn't come up.

[ well, more like varian didn't ask, but. ]

The Magic Mirror. I could switch roles with whichever one I choose.

[ He sighs as his tone pitches towards irritable quite quickly ]

However, I was hardly going to pick randomly, and so having to ask people quite directly what their role is to know if it would even be worth it rather ruins the point!

[ oh. ]

And here I thought you were talking about the mirror you and Stephanie found. [ well. ] You can't trade with the dead either?

Well, I haven't tried. Once I trade, it's not as if I can trade back.

[ He shrugs ]

None of them have particularly interested me enough to be stuck with it. And besides, then the fact that a dead person's ability is suddenly back in play would likely be an absolutely terrible distraction to the simpletons here.

Edited (NO SPOILERS i say sweating) 2018-07-04 20:10 (UTC)

Oh. If you could change when you wanted, maybe then that'd be useful, but if it's only once, then there's not much point to it, you're right. [ ... and-- ] And that. Everyone here is ... really easily distracted.

[ He nods ]

Precisely. If it were a title I kept, then I would have swapped to every role by now to simply know what it does. However, no such luck.

[ a sigh ]

It's a waste, largely. I envy anyone that has something, well, interesting.

Oh, that'd be nice. I can't manage to figure out what gift one bear is supposed to have.

[ uno bear... he smiles awkwardly ]

Well, I guess my title will have to be interesting enough for both of us?

Considering our hosts' sense of humor? Either something comically useless or something absurdly useful. I can hardly imgagine anything in between suiting them.

[ He huffs with annoyance because BOY HE SURE DOES HATE THEM but he nods ]

...But yes, so it would seem. Or at least until I hear of a title worth swapping.

week 3, friday w/ fane

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