[Their different views on violence feels as strange to her as it likely does him, even though she's known him more than long enough to grow accustomed to the idea that there are significant differences between their cultures that sometimes become glaringly obvious.]
I mean. It's easier here, in some ways. It's different. I'm still me when at home I wouldn't be, I don't think. It's just... it's confusing sometimes, because my senses are really different when I'm wolfy, and kind of overwhelming. It's kind of like...
[She pauses, trying to come up with the right analogy to describe it, but it's difficult. Wolfwalking is a far different scenario than she ever thought she would find herself in.]
It's kind of like being in a crowded room, and everyone's talking all at once, so it's really hard to hear what anyone is really saying. Kind of like, information overload, I guess? Besides, you said it yourself - there's always a risk of what little control we have in this place being stolen away from us.
[She dips her head when he says she's no better off than she was before, and lets out a sigh.]
Yeah. I know. If anything, it just made things worse. I died, the house got burned down. Ozpin was killed. Faith was killed. I got shot. And there's no telling who else is going to come knocking, looking for a piece of the vengeance pie.
Apologies for the delay! I didn't get the notif from dw
[It seemed that things were always different from their own worlds to some of the situations that they found themselves in here. It was probably for the best, since they were a relatively small group (when compared to the galaxy) and seemed to suffer as much here as they would on Dathomir. Perhaps some wheren't used to the constant suffering and the risk and reward choices that had to come with it.]
So you do the best you can with the overwhelming stimulus but live in fear while in your human form.
[It sounded like she should just lock herself up somewhere every night and pace the room. There would likely be just as many other consequences to the suggestion though. So he mulled it over rather than speaking it aloud.]
Revenge is a common symptoms of wrongs. You'll have to endure or you'll have to fight back. Your choice on where you stand.
[He could already tell where she stood. When she wasn't killing him with his own weapons, she was one of the nicer humans that he had met.]
Yeah. Well. Sort of, I guess. I mean, I thought I had a solution for it, so way less fear. Now... I don't know. I mean, I lived with it for, like, six months before Maul killed me and no one got hurt. I guess I'll figure it out again.
[She had tried after Maul had threatened her, to just stay in, but it was too easy to become restless and the urge to get out had become overwhelming. She had already considered locking herself in her room, but all it would have taken would be one mistake for her to get loose.
She nods as he talks about revenge. It wasn't completely unexpected, of course, that some would come after her for the things she had done.]
Yeah. I guess you're right about that. Just... this whole thing was my fault. It shouldn't come back on my friends too.
You should have bitten my brother. He could have experienced the freedom of a wolf for a night. It was quite invigorating when I endured it.
[Of course, he thought his brother might not enjoy it as much, since he couldn't guarantee that those mechanical legs would make the transition over and that would have been a misery. He'd have to run around carrying his brother around in wolf form. He would have done that.
He can be heard shrugging his shoulders.]
Those that are closest to us provide most opportunity for pain. When they are blinded by emotion to strike back, they are weaker and easier to take down sometimes.
Ohhh, no. I'm pretty sure biting Maul would cause all kinds of problems. I didn't want him to find out about the whole wolfwalking thing in the first place, but the cat's long out of the bag on that one.
[Thanks to that cult of his. It still worries her a little bit - she is well aware that she is vulnerable away from her human body. It's only part of the reason why she doesn't stray far these days when she sleeps.
She smiles a little, though, and the admission comes out a little quiet, and a little shy.]
It was nice to have company for a night, though.
[The smile fades at the explanation of the strategy of going after loved ones.]
Yeah... I get it. It doesn't mean I have to like it.
Not as many problems as you would expect, but it's your transformation ability. You can do with it as you want.
[His brother had plenty of people that wanted to be around and find all sorts of information about people that might be useful. He had no doubt that minions were lurking around every corner sometimes, and he'd only had to put one through a wall once to get the point across that he was not Maul, and he had no interest in being 'worshipped'.
He made a noise in his throat, recalling what it was to be a wolf, to hunt with a greatest purity than even he was used to.]
No doubt you would have better closer people to run with than me.
[He made a noise of acknowledgement.]
It isn't something my village does, but many species do. You'll have to learn to guard yourself against it.
Even if it's just for a night, I don't want to be going around and biting people. I'm pretty sure if I bit your brother, he'd take it really personally, and there's been more than enough death lately.
Out of all the people I could've bitten, I think you were probably embraced it more than anyone else would have. You actually had a good time - which, okay, yeah, bit of a surprise, but also kind of... Not? Given, you know. You. The night I bit you... was a bad night, to say the least. I was so worried it was going to be permanent - like what happened to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm still glad it wasn't. I don't want to pass this onto anyone else, but if it was, maybe it wouldn't have been so bad, especially since you seemed to kind of like it?
[She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. She's been taking steps to make sure the people she cares about don't face any further retribution from those who are angry with her, including, in part, her break up with Tara.]
Hmmm, Zabrak are known for biting, so he might not mind as much as you think. Though, on principle, he might take offense.
[His brother could become cranky with those who had crossed him in the past after all, and Willow was definitely not one of his brother's favourite people. Right now, he didn't consider her one of his favourite people either, but he saw no reason to refuse to talk to her.
He was reminded of the time that he had had as a four-legged furry beast. It had been enjoyable as much as it was confusing.]
It was a freeing night to be on paws and run like that. The simplicity of the hunt. My sense of smell was so much stronger. [He wouldn't mind another adventure like that either, though right now he wouldn't admit it.]
That's all you can do. If they continually get hurt, it's up to them to protect themselves as well.
I live - well, lived. In a house full of monster hunters and magic users. They're pretty good at protecting themselves already, but I don't think anyone expected anyone to attack our house. I already plan to take steps to keep it from happening again.
[Mostly through magic. She supposes most of those who know her in Trench outside of those she's closest to believes that she's lost her use of magic again once her corruption problem had been resolved.
Vyng has been more than helpful.]
I'm glad you had a good night. That you didn't see it as a curse. I'm still glad, though, I didn't do any permanent harm.
That's your ally's first mistake. If you have a base of operation, it is always under threat of attack if the location is known. And Trench has plenty of dangerous people. Best to fortify your defenses.
[It did seem to him that she and her allies had suffered greatly for their negligence. He and Maul had plenty of defenses around their house and so many dangerous animals that it was deterrent enough.]
I only had to heal the bite, and that was nothing I haven't had to do before.
Yeah, I think we'll be looking into that when we rebuild. I'm sure we'll figure it out. I mean, Remnant was a pretty dangerous world from what I know about it, so I'm sure the others know a lot about fortifying a house.
[She'll do her part too, to make sure nothing like this ever happens again.]
Well, I'm glad it wasn't anything more serious. It still feels a little like dodging a bullet, though.
There are many dangerous places in many worlds from what I have come to understand. It's arrogant to think any particular world makes you capable of defending against everything that might come from a place that you've never seen. You have magic; you should use it.
[He knew she had been learning blood magic, and given what had killed him and how, he knew she had plenty of magic to utilize if she wanted to.]
Maybe to you. To me, it was the usual risk of daily life.
Well, probably not against everything, but if you live in a world where monsters are constantly trying to kill you, I'd guess you'd figure out pretty quick the best ways to keep that from happening.
[She already knows the Grimm are drawn in by negative emotions, and part of it keeping them at bay comes from learning to control your feelings, but Huntsmen and Huntresses are also quite capable of defending themselves. Then there's Salem, and the threat she presented to consider as well.]
I, um. Before the whole... corruption thing, I couldn't use my magic here. Just some blood magic. My own didn't work. Just caused nothing but headaches. We're still working on it.
The plants will kill you too. Dathomir wasn't much to look at, but it was my home. You learn to survive there... or you die.
[And when he had had more time and forgiven her for torturing his elder brother, he might even come over to the new place and fortify it. That would take time, but then again, it would take probably as much time for them to rebuild their burnt out house.]
Blood magic is magic. Use what you have, master it and crush your enemies with it.
Yeah... from what you've said before, it doesn't surprise me that everything there is constantly trying to kill you. I'm not sure about Remnant, but normal plants at home were usually pretty safe, aside from. You know. The poisonous ones and stuff. Anything cursed you had to be more careful of.
[She swallows a little when he encourages her to embrace the new magic and use it to crush her enemies.]
I don't really want to crush anyone, Savage. It doesn't solve anything. Especially not in a world like this where they just come back again anyway. If anything, me going around killing people made things way, way worse.
So your plants aren't all safe either. It sounds like there is plenty on your planet that is trying to kill you, but you don't acknowledge the threats all that much.
[There were plenty of planets in the galaxy where it was safer than Dathomir, but there were still dangers to be aware of.
It was also stupid in his mind to have an ability and not use it to defend or be offensive with it.]
It might intimidate them enough to leave you alone. Sometimes the intimidation is all you need to remain safe.
Well... Cursed plants aren't exactly a normal thing. It's pretty rare that people get hurt by plants, except for - you know - poison oak or poison ivy, which won't kill you, they're just annoying. Or you ate something you shouldn't have, and that's kind of not the plant's fault? It's not like they just grow out in the woods and wait for people to wander by so they can attack them.
[Intimidating her enemies hadn't gone so well this time, had it? The house ended up burned to the ground, her friends had been killed, and she had been wounded.]
I don't know. I don't think many people are intimidated by me even after everything.
Those sound similar to plants of my world. Very few are out to kill you directly, but they will kill you if one doesn't know how to handle or consume them. Trench has a few plants that will attack; they aren't that interesting to deal with.
[He expected that she didn't have the kind of reputation to be able to keep people from respecting her ability for violence. She was too nice usually. And she picked fights with the wrong kind of people who were better known for harm.]
No. You are small and nice usually, and that isn't intimidating at all.
Yeah, I've heard about some of the plants here that try to attack people. And the mushrooms too. Although, I'm not sure how much of it is a matter of sentience, or just... You know, a reaction to a Sleeper or someone nearby. There are plants at home too that eat meat, but like, insects. Not people.
[It's good to hear that he still generally considers her usually nice, at least. They might not be exactly okay just now, after everything that's happened, but at least it doesn't feel quite so much like their friendship is totally irreparable.]
I'm... not totally sure you mean that as a compliment, but thank you. I never really meant to be intimidating to anyone anyway.
Plants have no sentience where I'm from, but they have adapted to survive. Most places have similar sentiment. Survival or death.
[Which was something he was very comfortable with. He was aware that his tactics would never be her tactics nor would they have the same effect on others.]
It is simply as you are. Take it as a compliment or not.
[He made a noise of acknowledgement. This conversation had gone longer than he had expected. He was still angry with her, but that wasn't unusual for him. He always had some anger.]
Yes, I practice every day. I will go. Keep practicing your magic.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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I mean. It's easier here, in some ways. It's different. I'm still me when at home I wouldn't be, I don't think. It's just... it's confusing sometimes, because my senses are really different when I'm wolfy, and kind of overwhelming. It's kind of like...
[She pauses, trying to come up with the right analogy to describe it, but it's difficult. Wolfwalking is a far different scenario than she ever thought she would find herself in.]
It's kind of like being in a crowded room, and everyone's talking all at once, so it's really hard to hear what anyone is really saying. Kind of like, information overload, I guess? Besides, you said it yourself - there's always a risk of what little control we have in this place being stolen away from us.
[She dips her head when he says she's no better off than she was before, and lets out a sigh.]
Yeah. I know. If anything, it just made things worse. I died, the house got burned down. Ozpin was killed. Faith was killed. I got shot. And there's no telling who else is going to come knocking, looking for a piece of the vengeance pie.
Apologies for the delay! I didn't get the notif from dw
So you do the best you can with the overwhelming stimulus but live in fear while in your human form.
[It sounded like she should just lock herself up somewhere every night and pace the room. There would likely be just as many other consequences to the suggestion though. So he mulled it over rather than speaking it aloud.]
Revenge is a common symptoms of wrongs. You'll have to endure or you'll have to fight back. Your choice on where you stand.
[He could already tell where she stood. When she wasn't killing him with his own weapons, she was one of the nicer humans that he had met.]
All good! August kind of got away from me anyway
[She had tried after Maul had threatened her, to just stay in, but it was too easy to become restless and the urge to get out had become overwhelming. She had already considered locking herself in her room, but all it would have taken would be one mistake for her to get loose.
She nods as he talks about revenge. It wasn't completely unexpected, of course, that some would come after her for the things she had done.]
Yeah. I guess you're right about that. Just... this whole thing was my fault. It shouldn't come back on my friends too.
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[Of course, he thought his brother might not enjoy it as much, since he couldn't guarantee that those mechanical legs would make the transition over and that would have been a misery. He'd have to run around carrying his brother around in wolf form. He would have done that.
He can be heard shrugging his shoulders.]
Those that are closest to us provide most opportunity for pain. When they are blinded by emotion to strike back, they are weaker and easier to take down sometimes.
no subject
[Thanks to that cult of his. It still worries her a little bit - she is well aware that she is vulnerable away from her human body. It's only part of the reason why she doesn't stray far these days when she sleeps.
She smiles a little, though, and the admission comes out a little quiet, and a little shy.]
It was nice to have company for a night, though.
[The smile fades at the explanation of the strategy of going after loved ones.]
Yeah... I get it. It doesn't mean I have to like it.
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[His brother had plenty of people that wanted to be around and find all sorts of information about people that might be useful. He had no doubt that minions were lurking around every corner sometimes, and he'd only had to put one through a wall once to get the point across that he was not Maul, and he had no interest in being 'worshipped'.
He made a noise in his throat, recalling what it was to be a wolf, to hunt with a greatest purity than even he was used to.]
No doubt you would have better closer people to run with than me.
[He made a noise of acknowledgement.]
It isn't something my village does, but many species do. You'll have to learn to guard yourself against it.
no subject
Out of all the people I could've bitten, I think you were probably embraced it more than anyone else would have. You actually had a good time - which, okay, yeah, bit of a surprise, but also kind of... Not? Given, you know. You. The night I bit you... was a bad night, to say the least. I was so worried it was going to be permanent - like what happened to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm still glad it wasn't. I don't want to pass this onto anyone else, but if it was, maybe it wouldn't have been so bad, especially since you seemed to kind of like it?
[She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. She's been taking steps to make sure the people she cares about don't face any further retribution from those who are angry with her, including, in part, her break up with Tara.]
Yeah... I've been working on it.
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[His brother could become cranky with those who had crossed him in the past after all, and Willow was definitely not one of his brother's favourite people. Right now, he didn't consider her one of his favourite people either, but he saw no reason to refuse to talk to her.
He was reminded of the time that he had had as a four-legged furry beast. It had been enjoyable as much as it was confusing.]
It was a freeing night to be on paws and run like that. The simplicity of the hunt. My sense of smell was so much stronger. [He wouldn't mind another adventure like that either, though right now he wouldn't admit it.]
That's all you can do. If they continually get hurt, it's up to them to protect themselves as well.
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[Mostly through magic. She supposes most of those who know her in Trench outside of those she's closest to believes that she's lost her use of magic again once her corruption problem had been resolved.
Vyng has been more than helpful.]
I'm glad you had a good night. That you didn't see it as a curse. I'm still glad, though, I didn't do any permanent harm.
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[It did seem to him that she and her allies had suffered greatly for their negligence. He and Maul had plenty of defenses around their house and so many dangerous animals that it was deterrent enough.]
I only had to heal the bite, and that was nothing I haven't had to do before.
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[She'll do her part too, to make sure nothing like this ever happens again.]
Well, I'm glad it wasn't anything more serious. It still feels a little like dodging a bullet, though.
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[He knew she had been learning blood magic, and given what had killed him and how, he knew she had plenty of magic to utilize if she wanted to.]
Maybe to you. To me, it was the usual risk of daily life.
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[She already knows the Grimm are drawn in by negative emotions, and part of it keeping them at bay comes from learning to control your feelings, but Huntsmen and Huntresses are also quite capable of defending themselves. Then there's Salem, and the threat she presented to consider as well.]
I, um. Before the whole... corruption thing, I couldn't use my magic here. Just some blood magic. My own didn't work. Just caused nothing but headaches. We're still working on it.
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[And when he had had more time and forgiven her for torturing his elder brother, he might even come over to the new place and fortify it. That would take time, but then again, it would take probably as much time for them to rebuild their burnt out house.]
Blood magic is magic. Use what you have, master it and crush your enemies with it.
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[She swallows a little when he encourages her to embrace the new magic and use it to crush her enemies.]
I don't really want to crush anyone, Savage. It doesn't solve anything. Especially not in a world like this where they just come back again anyway. If anything, me going around killing people made things way, way worse.
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[There were plenty of planets in the galaxy where it was safer than Dathomir, but there were still dangers to be aware of.
It was also stupid in his mind to have an ability and not use it to defend or be offensive with it.]
It might intimidate them enough to leave you alone. Sometimes the intimidation is all you need to remain safe.
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[Intimidating her enemies hadn't gone so well this time, had it? The house ended up burned to the ground, her friends had been killed, and she had been wounded.]
I don't know. I don't think many people are intimidated by me even after everything.
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[He expected that she didn't have the kind of reputation to be able to keep people from respecting her ability for violence. She was too nice usually. And she picked fights with the wrong kind of people who were better known for harm.]
No. You are small and nice usually, and that isn't intimidating at all.
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[It's good to hear that he still generally considers her usually nice, at least. They might not be exactly okay just now, after everything that's happened, but at least it doesn't feel quite so much like their friendship is totally irreparable.]
I'm... not totally sure you mean that as a compliment, but thank you. I never really meant to be intimidating to anyone anyway.
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[Which was something he was very comfortable with. He was aware that his tactics would never be her tactics nor would they have the same effect on others.]
It is simply as you are. Take it as a compliment or not.
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[She gives a small nod. She has no intention of changing who she is, really. Even if she plans to be far more cautious of Corruption going forward.]
Yeah... Well, um. I guess I'll see you around? Keep practicing your reading too, huh?
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Yes, I practice every day. I will go. Keep practicing your magic.
[Blood magic.]