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@fuckthis (text)

hey
so me and wash and gene were gonna go on an adventure in the woods
see what we can find, you know?
but we're looking for a couple of people to bring with us
maybe two or three
gene's a medic, wash is a marine, and i'm a wizard with experience dealing with monsters and nasty magic
anyone that thinks they could round that out would be great
but no serial killers or anyone that would like
murder us in our sleep
and sorry, but no kids yet
i know some of you are gonna argue that, but we have no idea what we're dealing with and we don't want that on our consciences
anyway, let us know
thanks

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⟪ There is something deeply sad about the fact that New York is right up there with Alabama for her. Accent appreciation! ⟫

Oh, certainly. He is either trying to play a game with you, or he is about ready to try and knife you in the back.

⟪ But then, Rafe has been a very diligent student of the arts of Shadowbinding so far. ⟫ Interesting how he has made no attempt to talk anyone into a trip to the location of his death. Whatever he is, he doesn't seem to truly wish it on others so keenly.

[ If by sad you mean it's in great taste!!! ]

This kid wouldn't know how to find the board with two hands and a map.

[ Which means yeah, he's going to be expecting the knife. Not that he doesn't always expect one, to be honest. ]

Uh. You may want to refresh the thread there. May make you rethink that last point.

⟪ She peers over his shoulder to get a look at Vanitas' more recent reply –– ⟫

Huh. What do you know. ⟪ Alright, now she's laughing again, god dammit, what is this place doing to her serene airs? ⟫ You know, this experience has taught me my world deals a lot more different with certain things.

[ There's no keeping a straight face at teenage wastelands, apparently. ]

Oh, yeah? Enlighten me.

This is a death threat. A castle has a dungeon for such a thing.

⟪ It's also good for making people talk, or keeping them out of trouble in just about the worst way. ⟫

...Huh. [ Little more extreme than detention but go off, I guess. ] Then again given this one, can't say I'm a hundred percent averse.

They would be swifter about it in the Temples. ⟪ Oh yes, that means execution, straight up, right away. ⟫ Replacements are cheap at that age.

⟪ Casual mentions of slave trade. She's at her best today! ⟫

You are joining the exploration?

Ah. Well.

[ WHAT ELSE CAN YOU SAY TO SHIT LIKE THAT. MOVING ON. ]

Possibly. Assuming it's not been totally derailed by this nonsense. [ He stretches, arms over his head until his shoulders pop. ] The one posting it, she's another magic sort. Seems capable enough.

I spoke with her before, she did seem bright.

⟪ Little bit challenged by this situation, but then, apparently no one but Mel is willing to just feed the children to the forest? Which is odd? ⟫

Let us see if you can learn to conjure a knife into someone before you head out there. ⟪ She actually mostly looks like she is about to take a nap but, you know. This won't be immediate anyway. ⟫ Not that this is something I would recommend you try on a spirit.

⟪ Ugh, now she has to make choices. There's a few items she's kept quite close to her chest. ⟫

She's got some skills.

[ One of these days, Rafe is going to have to have a Conversation with you about these things and the sheer scaled of fucked-up involved compared to literally any other sane standard of humanity. ]

Afraid I'll give your pedagogical skills a bad name? [ He twists his wrist, fingers flexing as the shadows gather in his palm before they solidify into a stiletto knife. ] Mel. I'm wounded.

[ So he's a little bit smug. He thinks he's allowed to be, what with the magic knife he just made in his hand. ]

⟪ The thing is, she isn't charmed. To be charmed implies a fading thing, a spell cast, and all glamours fade. What she is, as she watches him weave shadows as though he has trained for months and months, is proud, a little. Proud and glad to have met him, a thought mixed with a hint of guilt at the prize of the meeting.

Somewhere, a world Melisandre can't imagine, there must be people wrought with grief over his loss. She rather thinks she would ache, and she's known him for only a few weeks.

Out loud she says, leaning forward to examine his work: ⟫ A fortnight passed and you have come this far. ⟪ She touches the knife, and it holds easily, not giving in under her skin. ⟫ It's truly admirable, it is.

Try and make another, in your free hand –– same shape, at first.

[ Rafe takes the apparent scrutiny as he's always taken it: unfazed but aware, and all the more determined to do things correctly to stymie any criticism before it can be leveled. Not that it's always worked because there's always something to be improved upon, a flaw in need of correction, a specification he hasn't reached. It's what he waits for now, watching Melisandre draw close and press her fingers against the blade. The inevitable but.

(It's a more reasonable expectation than anyone giving a shit he's dead now, either here or at home.) ]

Haven't had much else to do around here but practice,

[ he points out, brushing the praise aside without a moment's hesitation. A deft toss has the knife between his fingers and he studies it carefully before attempting the second. It's more concentration than the first to make it just so but soon he has the pair of them, ready for inspection. ]

Up to your standards?

⦑ At one point, she may tell him her true worry – how easy it is for her to misjudge the powers of others, and how dangerous it is to overdo it. That the King, for a while, became a shadow of his own self because she engaged too much of his power. Or that students of the art die like flies in water, because it's easy to take one step too far. ⦒

Then it is your determination I must praise, your attention to detail.

⦑ The knives come out near identical, and there's a glint in her eyes, appraisal and excitement. ⦒

Perfect.

⦑ She touches his cheek, lifting his gaze from the shadow blades. ⦒

What of you? You are not overtasking yourself? The early signs are sleeplessness, phantom pains, all such. ⦑ Actually, let her add one more: ⦒ They are not a sign of weakness. Your body is still mortal. still human. You must treasure your needs, long as you have them.

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