House meeting

[no_reload]

Who: Reaper (no_reload), Fern (laminae), Luz (imaglyphwitch), Luca (schoolingfish), Varian (droptheious)
What: Disaster House has a meeting
When: Beginning of November
Where: Disaster House in Cassandra

Content Warnings: Will add as they come up.


[Reaper had taken his time with recovery, which left him trapped in his room for a few days. When it seemed that he could get around without having long episodes of shortness of breath, he appeared more downstairs. That's where he happened to be, settled into a chair with the other occupants of the house.

He knew they had questions, knew that most of them would have to do with Lance's outburst on the network. That wasn't the kid's fault; they didn't always control their Omens. And Lance had been circling the drain for years now, barely holding on. Not the kid's fault. For as long as he had known Lance, the kid had been teetering on the edge of a mental crisis.

However, this wasn't about Lance right now. This was about the household where he resided, and many of the youngsters who lived in it. As the eldest, he knew that his position here was the most tenuous.

So Reaper sat quietly, one ankle crossed over his other knee. He remained in comfortable black clothing, and while situations like these usually had him wearing his mask, he had decided against it. Instead, his scarred face was bare, though he kept his hood up to cover most of his white hair. His gloved hands were folded in his lap, thumbs clasping the mask that he would normally wear. Instead, it lightly tapped against his thigh.]

So, I suppose we should call this meeting to order, hmm?

Comments

[imaglyphwitch]

[Ok, so it helped that Luz had talked to a few people before this session. Between her run in with Shiro and her talk with Lance, Luz had gotten some more insight on the type of person they had as a roommate, although Reaper's whole thing still seemed pretty complicated. Some things had been gained through guesswork, after all, and some of it through talks].

That sounds good, yeah.

I'll be honest: I didn't know a lot about you before that stuff with Lance, and even now I'm still getting to know what your deal is. I know enough that you wouldn't hurt us, and I never got the feeling we were harboring some crazy guy. But as far as Lance goes, I still have a question: ¿Por qué te enemistaste con él?"

She knew full well the others wouldn't know what she was saying and she meant it that way: this was a question specifically for Reaper, and she wanted to know the answer.

[no_reload]

[Reaper had made his fair share of people who disliked him, and he had no issue with that. He was a difficult man to get along with at the best of times, but some of his more volatile actions had been tempered over the years of being denied his revenge against those who had taken everything from him.

As a rule, he was no one to discuss himself or his past actions much. People had to push fairly hard for such details, and usually his reputation would keep many from even mustering the courage to ask at all. He also was well aware that past action would paint who and what he was now in a rather different light. His priority had been to keep those in this household relatively safe since Maul's attack, though he had never actually spoken that. Action was louder.

Reaper did raise an eyebrow at the term 'crazy guy'. That was a good start already, what with the insinuation that opinion might have changed because Lance had killed him. He also frowned deeply when she switched from English to Spanish, and he even narrowed his red eyes. Where he came from, he'd have gotten an elbow and a stern rebuff for excluding others who might not understand his First Tongue. As much as he valued Spanish, he valued a sense of transparency more.

He knew better than to start on the wrong foot, and he'd been in enough interrogations in his lifetime. English and Spanish ones.]

Niños, she asked me why I antagonized Lance. [He clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth.] Nosotros tenemos una relación tit-for-tat. Which translates to Lance and I push and pull each other. My very presence could be viewed as antagonistic to Lance.

[imaglyphwitch]

[Luz had switched to Spanish because, for one thing, not too many people here spoke the same language, and more importantly, she hadn't known if he wanted to keep that to himself or not. People had lots of reasons for the things they did, and she still didn't know all that much about what secrets he wanted to keep and what he wanted to say. That was the hard thing about having someone in the house with a mysterious past they didn't feel like talking about].

I gathered that much from what we talked about. So you were both in the Arena, and you both decided to agitate each other. And he killed you because you both have a rocky past. I got that much from him. So I guess what makes sense to ask now is, are we going to have anyone else coming to our door to settle scores from days past?

[She had pretty much gathered from Lance that at the moment, the animosity between he and Reaper was at a standstill for now].

[no_reload]

[It wasn't quite the simple. Nothing with Lance ever was, and he was reluctant to get into the details of way back in the day. As many who had existed in Deerington for a long time, they usually became different people based on experiences.]

We were both at the arena. [That he could confirm.] No, he killed me because he got lucky because I had become tired. [That had to do with his powers relying on blood rather than a regeneration of his body's energy. That too was... well, complicated, as most things with Reaper were.]

It is possible someone from the past may come calling. I don't disclose my location of residence as a precaution against that. [Reaper did the sneaky-sneaky thing, and only those he was closest too actually wrangled that information out of him.] But I imagine that those of us with troubled pasts might all have that issue of old scores coming back.

[laminae]

[Fern is visibly tense. Thorns have already sprouted up on his body in between the mushrooms, and he looks like he's doing his best to hold it together. Thankfully he is, even though he really, really doesn't want to do this. You know what's way easier? Accepting every single major flaw of a parental figure and going along with them even when the situation might be toxic.

You know what's wrong? Accepting every single major flaw of a parental figure and going along with them even when the situation might be toxic.

He's trying to do the right thing here, trying to make sure this isn't going to just be another Martin or Gumbald or Grassy Wizard or Maul. But it's hard.]

You wanna explain why you messed Lance up so bad he had a breakdown over a public network?

[no_reload]

[Reaper watched Fern in particular, aware that the kid was the one most likely to not enjoy this kind of conversation. There was a distinct lack of swords involved, and so far the kid had been unsuccessful in actually killing him over the years. He didn't expect violence here, not when the young ones sitting around like this. He frankly wouldn't let it come to that.

Still, he had never had trouble reading Fern, so the thorns were a clear indication of agitation. It was going to be a long day, wasn't it? Yes, yes it was.]

I expect the public nature of his break-down was his Omen. I was dead at the time the post was made. [As for messing Lance up, there was no amount of talking that would bring the full weight of Lance's long and continued circle of the mental breakdown drain.] Lance has taken considerable mental assaults for years. At least for as long as I've known him. He hasn't been in a position thanks to Deerington's monthly antics to deal with all that he's been through.

[laminae]

[Fern scowls a little, looking away.]

Yeah, we all have. [No one was special and got out scar-free from Deerington.] But you still caused it, dude. You were his breaking point.

[And oh, he does not like that. He knows what that's like, he feels so stupid for not figuring this out earlier (not that he reasonably could have, but he's going to go ahead and beat himself up anyway), and now the apparent danger and unhealthiness of all of this is hitting him square in the face and he doesn't like it.]

I knew you were a bad guy, but this takes the cake.

[no_reload]

[Reaper raised his white eyebrows at the accusation, but he saw no point in denying it either. He knew when to push someone, and Lance had been easy to read at the time. High on the blood lust, spoiling for a fight and trying to pick one with him. Who was he to deny that right of the kid?]

I never pretended to be anything than what I am.

[He considered himself rather consistent that way. He adapted and changed, and he thought he had softened quite a bit over the last three years. He was still a bad guy, as Fern said.]

But I still do what I can to protect this house and its occupants. That won't change.

[droptheious]

[Varian is here mostly to act as a mediator. Luz already came to him with her worries- and he knows they're very legitimate ones. He knows the younger kids in the house need to feel safe. But Varian is also in a position to have done some horrifically terrible things in his past. He can't really completely berate Reaper for past actions either. That would be far too hypocritical for his taste.

So, here he is in the middle, leaning on a wall, arms folded, clearly unhappy. ]

I just want to know if...well, how safe you are, right now? Like... was this just a one-off or are we in a ticking timebomb situation?

[no_reload]

[Reaper liked to think that he had a good relationship with many of the occupants of the house. If he didn't why would they have invited him to stay here when his original house had been destroyed by a sandworm? He had thought that his general gruff protectiveness of the place would speak to his mental state to the level of danger he was to the occupants.

He didn't enjoy the one-on-many scenario, but he accepted the necessity of it. They certainly weren't going to get his life story out of him; that's not how he ever operated and it wasn't going to start now either.]

How safe do you feel when I'm here is the better question? Have I given reason to make you feel unsafe in my presence? [As for the one off thing...] I expect that I will be killed again at some point, but the circumstances and people involved in that I can't predict. And I doubt Lance will seek me out for another cosmic energy dance, if that's what you're worried about.

[droptheious]

I feel completely safe with you. I always have done, I always will be.

[That's said with a soft shrug. He isn't here to put his own feelings down. Reaper has a messy past, so does he. If they were playing tit-for-tat here, neither of them would come out winners. ]

It's not me this is for. [He waves a hand over at the younger kids. ] It's more for them. Is there anything I have to be worried about for them?

...Yeah, trust me, both you and Lance are getting the third degree on this one.

[schoolingfish]

[Luca sat for a minute, considering his question. All of this information had been a lot, and he hadn't known how to feel about it. But, he supposes, figuring that out and figuring out whether he should be concerned all starts with the why of it all. So he asks.]

So...why did you do it? Why'd you kill that guy?

[He hesitates, then adds...]

The killing someone thing...it's not something that's likely to happen again, is it?

[no_reload]

[Reaper can appreciate the straight-forward nature of Luca's question, but the problem was the long-winded explanation to getting to the full brunt of the why. That was revealing a few details he wouldn't to a group he wasn't in full confidence with.

He did like to lean back on plausible deniability.]

That was two years ago. He had killed my best friend.

[He had to keep his expression blank at the second question. He doubted that Luca understood how both difficult and loaded that question actually was.]

I'm a hunter. Before that I was a mercenary. Killing is a part of my job.

[schoolingfish]

Oh.

[Well, if there was ever a good reason to kill someone, that was it.]

I don't know what I'd do if someone ever killed Alberto. He's...my best friend from back home.

[And Luca can't really hold it against him. Heck, even Luca once held a human at harpoon point (very briefly) when they were hurting Alberto. Sure, his hands were shaking the entire time, and he was just as scared of the harpoon he himself was holding as he was the human in question, but still. He can't promise that he wouldn't possibly go too far if Alberto was killed. The next answer gives him more questions, though.]

A hunter? But hunters don't hunt people, right? I thought they hunted stuff like beasts. And monsters, I guess, but the kind of monster that's here and doesn't talk. Not...like...the kind of monster I am.

[Which is an important distinction.]

And...um...I don't know much about mercenaries.

( enter the duck! )

[danserai]

[ while all these dramatic meetings and discussions are happening, there is a timid knock on the door. ahiru peeks in, looking very sheepish. ]

Hello . . . ? My name is Ahiru and Luz said I could stay here? If that's okay! I can go if you want!

EYYYY

[imaglyphwitch]

[Luz looked up from their conversation, and her demeanor changed on a dime].

Ahiru! You came! No, no, come in! Did you bring your stuff? Did you find your bag all right?

[danserai]

Mmhmm!

[ she has a little cloth bag wrapped around a stick. ]

I have everything.

[droptheious]

[Oh no, oh she's so small look at her!! (Varian, YOU'RE small). ]

Hey, it's totally okay. We've...uh got some space left. I'm Varian.

[danserai]

I'm Ahiru, umm, thank you for having me!

[ she bows lightly. ]

I know this is very last notice and I didn't talk to anyone but Luz and maybe I should have written a letter, do I need to write a letter . . .

[no_reload]

[Great. Another one. Reaper fully expected that they would be outgrowing the house within the next month at the rate they were accepting new occupants. Or it would come down to a 'voting off the island' scenario.

He lifted a gloved clawed hand in greeting.]

Hey. [His voice was growly naturally, and currently that was made worse by his healing body.] Room will be found for you. What wild and amazing abilities do you have?

[danserai]

[ s-s-scary. he looks so intimidating. so this is the adult luz mentioned. he definitely looks a little ghosty. ]

I-I don't have any! I'm just a girl! Very normal girl! Unless you don't let in normal girls and I need to find a new place . . .

[schoolingfish]

[Oh! It's another kid his age! Luca's just happy to have more kids around, and he certainly wouldn't want to leave her out on her own.]

Oh, you staying here is definitely okay with me! We have plenty of space! My name's Luca, by the way.

[danserai]

[ oh, the fish! he looks human enough. that's impressive. ]

It's nice to meet you. I promise I won't take up much space.

[laminae]

[Hey, Fern remembers that orange hair! He looks totally baffled here, because the last time they talked he was pretty sure she was walking off to talk to a monster that was probably going to kill her.]

You?? You didn't die!

[danserai]

[ ahiru gives a sheepish laugh. ]

I guess I got lucky? Ehehe . . .