Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 15, 2021 19:52:14 GMT -5
Orpheus rolled his sleeves up, deciding that it would probably be for the best not to ruin his one good shirt on day one. He couldn’t afford a replacement, at least not yet. Hopefully, he would be able to make enough to have at least three nice shirts to wear while serving Watari. If not… well, this one would do until it wore out, and then he would have to find another nice one for cheap. He shook the thought away, not wanting to focus too much on the financials. That was why he was here, but he couldn’t do a very good job if he wasn’t actually paying attention to the job. He wasn’t entirely aware that anyone lived here other than Watari. It didn’t seem like it, judging from the space, but he found it hard to believe that in a house as big as this, there was only one person. Even if the place wasn’t actually as big as most of the Keeps that were closer to the center of Luthadel. Orpheus backed out of the room he was in, making sure to dust the doorknob on the way out. As he turned, he saw a body edging too close to him, too quickly to move out of the way or stop his own momentum. The feather duster dropped to the floor, as did Orpheus as he processed what the person he’d bumped into was wearing. It wasn’t the traditional clothing of the nobility, but it was far nicer than anything the Skaa could afford, even if they were well off. “I’m sorry,” he gasped breathlessly, forcing himself into a bow at the young man’s feet. “I didn’t see you there, sir, I shouldn’t have bumped into you. My sincerest apologies, I’ll… I’ll make it up to you.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 15, 2021 20:09:23 GMT -5
L didn’t have time to move out of the way as Orpheus emerged. He had been intending to slip into the room, but he hadn’t realized Orpheus was there, so he hadn’t made an immediate escape plan, should he happen to emerge. It had been a stupid mistake, he knew that the moment Orpheus appeared, but it was too late to do anything about it as they crashed into each other and L stumbled backwards. He caught himself, the paranoid part of him fully expecting a fight. But that wasn’t what happened. He blinked, watching Orpheus drop to the floor, bemused by the action. Had he somehow been injured? They’d barely run into each other, he didn’t seem how, but… He carefully crouched down, trying to see Orpheus a little better, his curiosity winning out over his fear. Orpheus looked…unexpectedly normal. He searched his face for a long moment, frowning a tiny bit as he tried to figure out what had just happened. “I’m…also sorry,” he managed after a moment. “For bumping into you. I…are you alright?” That seemed like the best question to ask. People didn’t normally lie down when touched. L could understand the impulse, at times, but he’d been to enough balls to know that that wasn’t how people normally responded to being run into.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 15, 2021 22:27:26 GMT -5
Orpheus couldn’t help the way his body trembled, the way his eyes squeezed shut. He expected a belt or a blade or… or something. He expected to come out of this with his only nice shirt ruined, blood on his back as he finished the rest of his chores and had to figure out how to get blood out from the rug beneath him. That wasn’t, somehow, what happened. The blow he was expecting never came. There was no pain, nothing to brace against, just the feeling of air moving a few inches in front of him and a soft voice. A voice… apologizing? Slowly, Orpheus raised himself to his elbows so he could take a look. Had he misjudged? Was this another servant? Another skaa? The other young man’s hands bore none of the signs of labor, and his face was untouched by dirt. He could, in theory, be a relatively well-off skaa, but there was something about the formal cut of his clothing and the way it was sewn far more evenly than a skaa tailor could manage that said he wasn’t any such thing. He was just as noble as Lord Wammy was. “I’m… alright,” Orpheus managed, searching L’s expression to see if he could figure out what, exactly was going on. “I just… I apologize for bumping into you. It wasn’t my intent. I should’ve been… I should have been more careful.” He dipped his head again, trying to show the proper amount of deference.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 15, 2021 22:39:50 GMT -5
L was nervous, and he didn’t trust Orpheus. He thought maybe he was just trying to attack, maybe he was luring L into a false sense of security…but he could see Orpheus shaking, the closer he got. He could see the way he averted his eyes, and a little shock went through his body as he realized suddenly that as afraid of Orpheus as he was…Orpheus was even more afraid of him. He knew, in theory, that Skaa were not treated equally. He knew, in theory, that he was lucky, very lucky to have been born noble, or at least adopted by one. But he had never had the occasion to see it first hand, before. Watari didn’t have servants, and L kept to himself, even when he had to attend balls. He was known as the rude, strange boy who never danced and only spoke when spoken to, and sometimes, not even then. His reputation didn’t bother him. He would rather he talked about than talked to. He hesitated, then carefully shifted so he was in the same position Orpheus was in, putting them on the same level. He still wasn’t completely sure why Orpheus had gotten down so quickly, but he was beginning to suspect it had something to do with the fear in his voice. “Oh…well, that’s alright. I suppose, since we were both moving, I also bumped into you. So…I will be more careful as well.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 15, 2021 22:58:10 GMT -5
If no one else had ever laughed here, then Kelsier would happily be the first, with one condition: that he wouldn’t be the last. If no one else had laughed in the place that needed it the most, then he would bring it himself. What use did the nobleman have for hope? It was the Skaa who needed it, the Skaa who would have gotten the most from it. As usual, it was needed most where it was the rarest. He refused to believe death was the only escape from this place. Yes, it was painful, but he hadn’t survived this long to die in a pit with a lot of desperate souls and hopeless eyes. He wouldn’t ever stop. He owed himself, and Mare, that much. This kid…how could he possibly let a kid lose the light in his eyes? Had they sent a child because they thought no one would have enough heart left to try and help him, or because they knew it was cruel to those who still did? He shook his head a little. This wasn’t helpful, now. He had plenty of long, sleepless nights to think about it. “Why not?” He asked, knowing full well that wasn’t the reply Nico would want from him. He needed to reign himself in a little, probably. He didn’t want to chase the kids off moments after speaking with him. He considered that, and shook his head. He should probably have known that the kid would be cynical already, but he hadn’t quite seen it coming. Well…that was okay. He would answer it anyway. “Not those people, then,” he amended, dipping his head. “That’s true. But I doubt that many people here are truly like that. I’m not. You’re not. I think that probably most people here did something brave and suffered the consequences. This isn’t hell, and we aren’t damned. This is just where they keep the ones they’re afraid of.” He managed a small smile. It was getting harder to pull those off, but he was still trying. He met the kid’s eyes. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair that they could send a kid to die, and get away with it. “I don’t believe in perfection,” he replied quietly. “Or the impossible. If they wanted to get rid of us, they should have killed us. They’re arrogance, in believing they can control and use us, will eventually be their downfall.”
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 16, 2021 0:00:59 GMT -5
Orpheus didn’t think L had ever interacted with Skaa before. Frankly, he wasn’t sure the other young man had ever interacted with the nobility before. He was being far too polite. Unless it was a trap… Orpheus tensed, trying not to let himself be lulled into a false sense of security. That was how cruelty worked, wasn’t it? They made you feel as though you were safe, that you had nothing to worry about, and then it hurt even more when you were punished and hurt? The nobility were known for cruelty, but they weren’t known for softness. This seemed… well, it seemed genuinely soft. Genuinely kind. Though he was still shaking, Orpheus’ mind couldn’t seem to make itself up about what to do with L. How to respond to him. “There’s no need, sir,” Orpheus managed, keeping his gaze planted on the floor. “It… it’s your right to be wherever you want whenever you want. It’s my responsibility to stay out of your way and avoid bumping into you.” He didn’t know if that was strictly the truth, but it was what Orpheus was going to try to do, no matter how hard it proved. He didn’t want to knock into L again. He didn’t want to test his patience. “F-for now… for now I’ll accept whatever punishment you deem fit.” He hoped that was acceptable. He hoped it might earn him a little bit of leniency. He needed to prove that he would obey and keep out of the way in the future. He needed to prove that this wasn’t going to happen again.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 16, 2021 0:26:11 GMT -5
Yes, Nico thought Kelsier was probably insane. Not in the same way many of the others in Hathsin were insane. They had lost their minds, driven to oblivion by the Pits. Kelsier, on the other hand, seemed to have fallen headfirst into the belief that things could be changed, and that the impossible was survivable. Nico didn’t believe it was. He didn’t truly believe that he was going to make it out alive. He wanted to see how long he could survive down here, wanted to prove that he could survive as long as possible, but making it out? That was a fool’s dream. Maybe, just maybe, Nico would still be here when Hathsin fell. Maybe. But that was the only way out that he could see. Unless, by some miracle, everyone here decided to band together to make one concerted escape attempt. They weren’t Allomancers and they were all surely half-starved, but if all of them worked together… the thought was almost enough to make Nico smirk. They couldn’t even work together for long enough to steal a rock from a child. There was no way they would be able to defeat the guards stationed all around Hathsin. “Has anyone ever told you to shut up?” Nico asked, brows quirking up. He didn’t mean it to be rude, necessarily, it was just that… Kelsier was off putting. He was acting like this was just another casual day, like they weren’t all going to die down here. He was coversing with Nico like there was a chance they might be friends, if they kept attending the same balls. This was Hathsin. There were no balls. There were no allies. There most certainly weren’t friends. In truth, Nico wasn’t sure he believed there were friends anywhere. Just people working their own angles, trying to get something out of the people around them. “Brave,” Nico repeated, crossing his arms. “Fine. What did you do that was so ‘brave?’” Nico didn’t really think his own offense was brave. He had just… well, he had betrayed Hades. He had tried to help the Skaa. He had proven, once again, that he was the one who should have died, not Bianca. The skaa were people, too. They were closer to people than the shells down here were. “And you don’t know what I’m like,” he added, trying to puff himself up to make himself look bigger and more intimidating than he actually was.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 16, 2021 0:27:02 GMT -5
L frowned a little, trying to work out how to handle this safely. He could have just run away…,maybe, he should have. But he hadn’t, and now he had to figure out how to deal with this, somehow. Orpheus was genuinely terrified, he decided, even if this was a con. He really expected to be hurt, maybe badly, for bumping into someone. Which left L torn between trying to escape now, while he could, or following his instincts and trying to help. And he wasn’t so sure his instincts were that good at the moment. He didn’t like being feared. It left a bad sort of taste in his mouth, like he’d tried to drink unsweetened coffee. He bent down a little further, trying to catch his eye. Maybe if they made eye contact, that would help. “That sounds…unfair to you.” He attempted gently, trying to sound sure of himself, not as confused as he currently felt. “That I should be allowed to occupy space, if you aren’t. I suppose, this is my home, but even so, you’re supposed to be here, too. We were both walking, so really, it’s equally my fault.” His eyes widened a little as he realized what Orpheus had said next. He tilted his head down, trying one more time to catch Orpheus’ gaze. “I’m nit going to punish you,” he told him. “I don’t punish people.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 16, 2021 0:47:35 GMT -5
Maybe, he was insane, after all. He’d been told he was enough times, hadn’t he? Even when he’d been a mere thief, remembered only for the things he took, he’d been bolder than the rest, seemingly fearless and convinced he was immune to the Lord Ruler’s touch out of pure willpower. He didn’t intend to die, even now. Hathsin was doing it’s damned best to break him, but it hadn’t succeeded, and he told himself it never would. One day…he would escape. He and Mare. Betrayed as he was, he wasn’t going to abandon her. He wouldn’t leave without her by his side. He absolutely refused to. Maybe he could even convince Nico to come. Maybe, if he showed him the plans, that would convince him it was doable. Of course, first Kelsier would need to have plans, and then he’d need Mare tp trust Nico enough to show them to him, but…one step at a time. “They have. Are you adding your name to the list?” He replied easily, as though being told repeatedly to shut up was something he was actually a little bit proud of. He believed in friends. He believed in loyalty and trust, and he did trust his friends, still. He wished he could trust Mare again, too. Maybe…maybe someday. When they were free again, and it could be put behind them. He hesitated, blinking as Nico continued. That…hadn’t been expected. He let a moment pass before he smiled again. “I tried to steal from the Lord Ruler,” he said casually, waving a hand dismissively. He hadn’t exactly had the chance to brag about it. Seeing as the one person he might have been able to was the reason it had failed so spectacularly. Still. He found himself hoping Nico would be at least a little bit impressed. “So, you see, people here? They’re dangerous to everyone, not just us. Some of them probably have escape plans already, they just haven’t had the chance to use them, yet.” He glanced at Nico again. “Right. You’re right. I don’t know you. Who knows, mayhe you tried to assassinate the Lord Ruler?”
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 16, 2021 2:23:21 GMT -5
Every word out of L’s mouth was more unbelievable to Orpheus than the last. He didn’t understand. He didn’t get it, he didn’t have a clue why L was willing to be kind to him, was willing to forgo punishment, was willing to allow Orpheus the chance to take up space. L spoke of unfair as though life was ever fair to the Skaa. As though he lived in a world where it wasn’t right for things to be unfair to Orpheus. The rest of the world was fine with nobility being better than Skaa. The rest of the world seemed to think that the Skaa deserved the hand they had been dealt because their ancestors hadn’t done things to help the Lord Ruler. They were of better stock than the Skaa. They deserved everything handed to them and believed the Skaa deserved nothing. L… Orpheus didn’t know where he had gotten the idea that the Skaa were ever treated with fairness, but he wasn’t going to question it. Hesitantly, Orpheus lifted his gaze to meet L’s. He had expected it to be cruel and mocking, hard as he berated him for falling for something so obvious. All he saw there, however, was kindness. Concern. “Forgive me, sir, but… most noble households believe in punishing Skaa servants for being in the way. I was in the way. I… of course I’m not asking for punishment, but if that’s what you believe I deserve then I would accept it.”
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 16, 2021 2:55:49 GMT -5
Nico bit his lip, staring at Kelsier almost as though he had grown a second head. He hadn’t, of course, it was just that Nico had never met anyone quite like Kelsier even outside of Hathsin. Here he was, speaking of the sort of thing that could get them killed if they weren’t careful, and he wasn’t even careful to lower his voice. He was insane, without a doubt. Something about him was enticing, though. Something about the fact that he refused to break, that this place had just made him more determined rather than less… Nico had expected to find a bunch of broken, violent souls. Animals, just trying to survive for another week. He had found those, certainly, but he hadn’t expected anyone like Kelsier. He had seen a few others, people who looked at him with pity instead of scorn, but none of those people would stick their neck out to protect him. None of those people would stop the others from killing him, they would just feel a pang of regret when he was dead. Ultimately, they would forget about it. Nico thought he might hate those people more than he hated the people who were broken. Those people could do something about the way they were breaking, and none of them did. “I never actually told you to shut up,” Nico pointed out, but he had gotten pretty close. He didn’t think he wanted Kelsier to stop talking. He wanted to hear what he had to say, even if it was dangerous. Even if it could get them both killed. They were both going to die down here anyway, what was the difference between dying now and dying later? Everything, the voice in the back of Nico’s head hissed. The voice that was still convinced there might be a way out of here if he was clever enough. The idea that others might have escape plans… it hadn’t occurred to Nico. If they had them, they couldn’t be written down anywhere, and a person’s head was a dangerous place to store something, especially in conditions like this. “They’re still dangerous to us, though,” Nico pointed out, crossing his arms. “Whether or not they’re dangerous to other people, we’re the only ones here. If they wanted to kill me, they could. I could fight back, but I don’t have a weapon. I could run, but there’s nowhere to hide unless I try to act like I’m a geode.” There was just a hint of scorn in Nico’s voice that he didn’t bother to cover up. “Did you manage to steal anything?” Nico asked after several long seconds of silence. He didn’t want to answer what he had done. It was stupid. It shouldn’t have landed him here, but Lord Hades was a dangerous man to mess with.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 16, 2021 18:48:45 GMT -5
L was, by most standards, quite sheltered. He wasn’t very familiar with the world, even if he did know of the unfairness in it. He hadn’t had much opportunity to actually experience it firsthand before, so he wasn’t too sure how, exactly, he was meant to handle this. Orpheus didn’t seem like much of a threat, of he was being honest. Not that he would necessarily know, but…looking at him, he looked harmless. Just terrified of L. He didn’t like to think about hurting someone else merely because you were supposedly better than they were. What had Orpheus done to deserve being hurt? L had bumped into him, too. They were equally at fault,and that wasn’t even important, because it had been an accident. He breathed out, trying hard to think of the right thing to say. “Oh…well,” he managed, searching Orpheus’ eyes, his own dark ones wide. “I don’t. Believe that you deserve to be punished, I mean. I dislike that word…punish. It sounds like justifying hurting someone, to me. I only mean…it would be rude of me to do that. And I don’t want to, I dislike pain…” He had a feeling he wasn’t really explaining himself very well, but he wasn’t sure how to fix it.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 17, 2021 1:44:26 GMT -5
Orpheus blinked, eyes narrowing just a little bit as he looked at L. He had managed to get the trembling a little bit more under control, though he didn’t quite believe that L wasn’t going to punish him. The other man (though he was scarcely more than a boy, still), could be lying. There was no guarantee that he was being genuine. Maybe this was a game he played with his Skaa. Maybe he made them think he was better than the rest of the nobility before he proved himself to be just as cruel. Orpheus pushed the thought away. He had made a habit of assuming the best of everyone around him, and it had served him well so far. He could afford to think the best of L, too. “I don’t think anyone likes pain very much when it’s applied to themselves,” Orpheus managed after a long moment, forcing himself to straighten up into a sitting position. He was wasting time. “I just think that a lot of the nobility think of it as the best way to discipline their staff. I’m… I am very grateful that you don’t. Forgive my impudence, but… you seem very kind. You and Lord Wammy aren’t at all what I expected to find here.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 17, 2021 22:38:41 GMT -5
L had no intention of punishing Orpheus. He didn’t want to, for one thing, and he didn’t see the purpose of it either. What would it do, besides making Orpheus afraid of him? It wasn’t like he’d even done anything wrong. He’d accidentally bumped into L. Or maybe L had accidentally bumped into him. It hadn’t exactly been clear…if Orpheus should be punished, then logically, shouldn’t L? He was having a hard time fully accepting this, now that it was in front of him. He wasn’t sure he didn’t accept that Skaa weren’t quite as good as the nobility, but…talking to Orpheus made it hard for him to really wrap his head around it. He just seemed…like a person. Maybe a person who was terrified of L and thought he should be punished for the smallest of things, but he seemed so real, and genuine, and L was struggling to do anything but treat him like a person. “Kind?” He repeated, strangled back into the conversation. He blinked at Orpheus, unable to mask his surprise. “I’m just…being rational. I don’t think it’s kindness. Watari is kind, though, so for him, it probably is.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 17, 2021 23:23:28 GMT -5
It was a lot harder to go unnoticed when there was no one around to hide you, Sal mused, his footsteps soft against the ash covered ground. He knew better than to be out here like this, unprotected as he was. He was armed, technically, but he wasn’t the best, and he knew if he ran into the wrong sort of people, a sword would do very little for him. Luckily, he wasn’t looking for Lurchers or Coinshots tonight. His hood was up, to protect against the ash, but it didn’t cover the dull blue of his hair, poking out in ragged wisps, setting him apart from everyone else around him. He knew of course that this was a stupid thing to do and he should probably turn back now. This was never his fight. But he kept walking, blue eyes cautious as they checked over his shoulder for anyone following.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 17, 2021 23:43:18 GMT -5
There was no world in which Orpheus would expect L to be punished for his actions here. Nobility got away with almost anything they wanted, so long as it was against the Skaa and not other nobles. Orpheus had a feeling that lesser-known noble families had a little bit less leeway against other Houses, but that usually meant they were even more cruel to their servants and the Skaa around them. If you couldn’t have power where it mattered, you took what power you did have and leveraged it as best you could. At least… that was what Orpheus had seen. The nobles that were at the bottom of the totem pole made sure that the Skaa never forgot that they were noble, and therefore better than them. Orpheus had expected it to be the same here. “Well… I suppose in this case being rational is the same as being kind,” Orpheus breathed, pushing himself to his feet so he could return to the tasks he had been given. “Either way, I… I appreciate it. Thank you, Master…?” he trailed off, realizing he didn’t know the young man’s name. He didn’t think Watari had mentioned it. He didn’t, actually, think that Watari had mentioned there was anyone else here at all. Was this young man a secret? Was Orpheus not supposed to know about him? He bit his lip, deciding it would be for the best not to mention this conversation to Lord Wammy. It would save them all a lot of headache.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 18, 2021 0:04:18 GMT -5
Zuko had lost count of how many false leads he had followed. There was always someone willing to tell lies, someone who wanted to get Zuko off their back by putting the blame on someone they didn’t like, or someone they thought could handle it better. Every path he had followed ended in a dead end, but he never stopped following them. He never gave up, never stopped hoping that this path would be the one to lead him to the Survivor. He wanted to go home. That possibility was more than enough to make him keep moving. This time, he wasn’t even certain that the person who supposedly knew the Survivor existed. Blue hair… it was a laughable idea. Still, Zuko was here. He was looking around, half shielded by the night, eyes peeled for someone with blue hair. And then, like magic, he spotted him. Zuko’s eyes widened imperceptibly before he leapt forward, the only sound the quiet scrape of his blades as he drew them.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 18, 2021 0:06:52 GMT -5
L was aware that nobility weren’t often kind to each other, and he knew that it wasn’t that different for the Skaa. He doubted Skaa were kind, either…he doubted anyone was really very kind. He hadn’t met another who was, besides Watari, after all. They all just wanted power. Sometimes the way to get that was to fake kindness. Thst was all it was. It wasn’t like that, here. Watari and L lived together, of course, but they didn’t use each other. They didn’t backstab each other, ever. He was living proof that not all nobleman were cruel. He hesitated, then gave a small nod, quietly getting to how feet as well. He didn’t want to be in a vulnerable position, no matter how nice Orpheus seemed to be. “I…suppose so, technically,” he admitted, looking down as though he’d been caught doing something wrong. “But they’re still different. Oh…” he hesitated, eyes widening a little at the question. He should have expected that, probably. “L,” he said finally, letting himself be honest, he didn’t want to put himself into a bad position here… “There’s no need to thank me, really,” he added quietly, looking up again. “It’s not ad though I did something, I…” he wasn’t at all sure he knew how to finish that sentence, actually.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 18, 2021 0:28:35 GMT -5
“Master L,” Orpheus murmured, clearly relieved to have a name to go along with the face. It was a strange name, but he supposed it was no stranger than ‘Orpheus.’ He hoped it didn’t mean anything as depressing as his own name, no matter how much he had taken ownership of it. It would haunt him forever – abandoned. Orphaned. He wore it like a title, like… like a proclamation that he hadn’t been wanted then, and he probably wasn’t wanted now. Except by Mr. Hermes. If L was living proof that not all noblemen were cruel, then Orpheus was living proof that not all Skaa were either. Mr. Hermes hadn’t needed to take him in, but he had. And Orpheus had survived childhood, something which shouldn’t have been as rare as it was for Skaa. “If another were in your shoes, I may not still be breathing,” Orpheus said after a long moment, hating how true it was, hating how it sent a shudder of fear down his spine. He didn’t want to die. “Thank you for showing mercy in spite of the inconvenience and potential harm I caused you.” Orpheus didn’t think he liked groveling very much, but he was willing to do it if it kept him alive. If it meant that he and Mr. Hermes had enough to eat at night.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 18, 2021 0:38:59 GMT -5
Sal knew he was exposed. He knew that. But he also knew he needed to be visible. So here he was, in the street and walking down it like he was free to do as he wanted. But everyone knew that freedom wasn’t real. He was just doing his best, like anyone. Only…he wasn’t just anyone. He was a little more directly involved than he had anticipated a long time ago. But here he was…and he wasn’t going to mess up. The sound alerted him. He didn’t even look behind him, didn’t take even a moment to process it. He knew that sound, and he knew where it was going from. He broke into a run, head falling back as he did, his whole body leanig forward to gov ruin better momentum.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 18, 2021 10:16:26 GMT -5
Sal hadn’t expected to be found so quickly, but he couldn’t actually complain. He was trying this, but he didn’t have a clue whether it would work, or if it would end with him being dead and Zuko getting information he couldn’t have. It was a danger, he knew. He wasn’t trying to be grim, but…he was aware that Zuko was desperate, and determined. He didn’t want to be caught. So he ran, springing down the street, his feet pounding a rhythm into the ground. He didn’t need to pretend to be trying, as he turned a corner and ducked behind a building. But he didn’t intend to let Zuko see the small smile on his face, either, He didn’t stop moving, he didn’t slow down. But he wasn’t pulling out all the stops yet, either. He wanted to see how good Zuko was, and he didn’t want to lose him.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 18, 2021 10:28:57 GMT -5
L shifted, a little uncomfortable at the name. Master L…it didn’t make him feel proud. It made him feel awkward, and a little uncomfortable. He wasn’t really a master of anything, least of all another person. He was barely even an adult, though his actual age escaped him. It wasn’t important. He knew he wasn’t considered very old, and that was all he needed to know. He wondered how old Orpheus was. He looked young…young enough that L had to wonder whether they might be around the same age. What a different like they’d both led, then. L, who had most things he could want, who rarely had to do things he didn’t want, who never went hungry unless it was because he forgot to eat. He had for luxury of being strange if he wanted to be. He couldn’t imagine it would have served him very well if they’re positions had been reversed. His eyes widened a little as Orpheus continued. The pure, bitter injustice of it stung, though he wasn’t sure which part it was that tasted the worst. He peered at Orpheus for a long moment, then shook his head a little and look down. “Just L is sufficient,” he murmured, though he hadn’t known he was going to say that until the words had left his lips. “I’m not really a master of anything. It’s inaccurate. Anyway…I don’t…think it’s about mercy, exactly. It doesn’t seem like you showing me mercy when you choose not to punch me, after all. Mercy would be, if someone hurt me and I didn’t hurt them back. But I’ve never even met you before, so you can’t have done anything to me.”
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 19, 2021 0:40:22 GMT -5
There was something odd about the boy Zuko was chasing. It was as though he could tell he wasn’t really giving it all – if he was, Zuko would have either caught up to the boy already, or the boy would have escaped. As it was, he was only a certain distance away from him, and that distance didn’t seem to change no matter how much he chased. He wasn’t going all out either – it was entirely possible that this would come to a fight, and the last thing Zuko wanted was to be too exhausted to fight back. So he followed at a comfortable pace, trying to just barely outpace the other boy. If he could cut him off, get in front of him… he frowned, then turned sharply to his left, trying to cut Sal off. Hopefully, Sal wouldn’t notice right away that Zuko wasn’t following him directly. Hopefully, he would be disoriented enough that Zuko could come around in front of him and catch him when he wasn’t ready for it. This wasn’t a game to Zuko. This was life and death. He didn’t want to kill anyone, but he wanted to do this right. And doing it right meant doing whatever it took to get to the Survivor.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 19, 2021 0:46:08 GMT -5
Orpheus didn’t really know the rules surrounding etiquette – he hadn’t been raised around them, but he knew that Lord Wammy was technically his master, so anyone else affiliated with the House was his master as well. And even if they weren’t, it was a respectful title. A reminder that they were above him, and that he was paying them the respect and deference they deserved. Orpheus still wasn’t really certain why they deserved it. After all, all they had done was be born to families whose ancestors had helped the Lord Ruler a very long time ago. Orpheus wasn’t entirely certain that helping the Lord Ruler had been a good thing, even if he had become a god. He wasn’t kind, and he didn’t treat anyone with respect. They were all supposed to treat him with respect, though. Orpheus shook his head of the thought, not wanting to let himself get distracted. “Apologies, Master L,” Orpheus murmured, bowing for a long moment before he straightened up again. “According to my contract, you are my master. Besides, it’s the only way I can pay you respect. Especially after bumping into you. Which, technically, could have easily caused you harm. It was disrespectful. It could have wounded your pride, at the very least, if not your physical body.” Orpheus didn’t know why he was arguing in favor of being punished more harshly, it was just that… he didn’t understand. He didn’t understand how L could be so different from all of the other nobility and yet deny that he had any kindness or mercy. If it wasn’t kindness, then what was it? It couldn’t be a trap of some sort. If it were, then Orpheus would have sprung it when he allowed himself to be perfectly frank.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 19, 2021 1:42:46 GMT -5
This was about leading Zuko away. This was about trying to make sure he didn’t get caught, while at the same time not quite escaping. They could go on like this a long time, he imagined, with Zuko trying to wear him down and Sal trying to lead him on a wild goose chase away from the Survivor. He didn’t know how long Zuko would be willing to chase him, but…he had to hope it would be enough to help. He had to hope it would be enough to make a difference. He wasn’t actually a member of the crew. He didn’t know Kelsier, personally. But he knew of him, and he knew where he was. He was just trying to help, in what ways he could. He also was well aware that the information he carried was the kind many people, Zuko probably included, would kill for. Which motivated him to keep a good distance between them. He risked a glance over his shoulder, his blue eye catching on Zuko’s turn. So he was going to try and cut him off, was he? Sal turned slightly, trying to maneuver himself back in front of Zuko, so he couldn’t come around and attack from the front.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 20, 2021 10:32:24 GMT -5
L didn’t see why he should be roped into being anyone’s master. What had he done to earn that title? He’d barely accomplished anything, he mostly just kept to himself and tried not to let either him or Watari get hurt. Orpheus was a stranger. Orpheus was…L didn’t know why the Skaa were treated worse, but Orpheus was undeniably Skaa and L wasn’t. There was a divide. L just didn’t know how to react to it. Secretly, he did question the Lord Ruler. Secretly, he did wonder if his presence was a good thing. But he wasn’t loud about it. He wasn’t stupid. He was aware that other people would be very angry if they heard him say the wrong things. So he read books in defiance and kept his head down. He blinked, surprised as Orpheus continued. It was technically true. L was part of this House, and so he was probably technically Orpheus’ master…but he didn’t like it. He didn’t like the title. He didn’t like the idea that he was above Orpheus, another person, without a good reason. “Technically, the same applies to you,” he pointed out. “You also could have been hurt. And your pride could easily have been wounded, as well. I don’t see the difference, is all…it doesn’t make sense to me. Besides that…well. How old are you?” He was trying to work out whether he should actually just let let himself he called Master L or not. He disliked it. But he was still trying to decide.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 20, 2021 10:40:57 GMT -5
Zuko cursed under his breath as he got to the place where he hoped to be able to catch Sal by surprise, only to find Sal conspicuously absent. No, not absent… ahead of him. He frowned – so he had been seen. If he wanted to try that again, he was going to need to be more careful about how. Had the blue-haired boy seen where he had gone? Was that how he had managed to anticipate where to go to get away from him? Zuko shook the thought off, deciding it would be best to follow instead of getting distracted thinking about how Sal had managed to evade him. He took off again, eyes narrowed as he tried to keep up with the other boy. Was he still playing games with him? It was clear he was faster, if he was managing to stay just ahead of Zuko. It was clear that if he wanted to catch the boy and get him to give up the Survivor’s location, he was going to have to outsmart him. Zuko grit his teeth, eyes narrowing as he pushed himself forward, taking care to take note of where he was so Sal couldn’t get him hopelessly lost.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 20, 2021 19:55:29 GMT -5
Orpheus wasn’t really sure how to interact with L. He wasn’t Skaa, so he couldn’t rightfully be treated as an equal, but he wasn’t the cruel kind of noble that needed to be feared. He was… well, L was a sort of in between, and Orpheus wasn’t sure how to navigate that territory. He had been prepared to deal with nobles who would treat him poorly and overwork him and make his life hell. He had been prepared for that. It wouldn’t have been ideal, but at least he would know exactly where he stood. “Nobody expects the Skaa to have any pride,” Orpheus replied after a long moment, eyes wide as he watched L. L seemed to think that, on a very basic level, they were equals. That somehow, being Skaa didn’t make Orpheus lesser. Didn’t change how he experienced the world. The other nobles seemed to think the Skaa weren’t even human. That they didn’t feel shame or hurt, and if they did, it was akin to an ant feeling it. “Nobody thinks twice if we’re hurt. I guess… well, we’re supposed to be able to put up with it and keep being useful. So it doesn’t really matter if I were hurt, because my job is to keep serving you and Lord Wammy. It’s… your comfort and pride that matters, if you ask anyone else. I guess I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I were to prioritize my own well-being over yours.” Orpheus blinked then, caught off guard by L’s question. “Nineteen,” Orpheus replied quietly, lifting his gaze to search L’s. “Is… it important?”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 21, 2021 0:22:45 GMT -5
Sal knew that it was probably very clear that he could escape, if he wanted to. The way he kept pace, without getting too far ahead…it was conspicuous, to say the least. But he didn’t think he needed to hide it. Zuko couldn’t afford to let him go, even if the game he was playing was obvious. Zuko needed that information. Or at least he wanted it, very badly. So he didn’t really have a choice, did he? He kept running. He could do this all day…he had been running like this since he’d been very small, trying for stay alive. Of course he could do it now. Zuko wasn’t even very intimidating, or so he thought. He could escape. But he didn’t want the chase to be over so soon. He dodged to the left, down another street. He was testing Zuko, playing cat and mouse to see how fast he was, how strong. If he failed this…Sal would come back. And he’d just have to try a little harder next time. He seemed determined. He had made it this far, hadn’t he?
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