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]

That definitely seemed like the impression I got.

[It was beginning to be clear to Luz that despite them all being here against their will, there were still histories and grievances that people were not going to be able to abandon. Deerington had its own grip on the ones that lives there the longest, and that would not go away just because they'd been reborn as squids].

I will exercise caution, but I don't believe in fearing fellow Sleepers. We were all brought here to try and coexist with each other. If we can't even do that, what type of life are we supposed to have here?

[It was a frustrating thing that even as she said this, she could still grasp the point that Reaper was making: not all people in this world were trying to be friendly, not all intentions were good. After all, Bill Cipher had been a captive of Deerington, and that had not stopped him from dooming some of his fellow Sleepers. Bad intentions were going to manifest themselves no matter how Luz wanted things to be].


I mean, if you want to get all cryptic about it.

[danserai]

Oh, I don't have any parents.

And I'm not sure how I feel about black . . .

[schoolingfish]

It's still kind of terrifying to think someone can end up so far gone they have to be killed...even if they do come back.

[Luca hopes no one in this house ever goes that far.]

Yeah, back home I don't think actual monsters like they have here were a thing.

[schoolingfish]

I mean, I guess it's a good thing because this place can be kind of scary sometimes, but it's kind of nice having other kids to hang out with.

[Maybe he's just being selfish wanting more kids around? Because he knows this place isn't really the best kind of place for kids all the time.]

[danserai]

I agree. I'm used to having them around too.

[ her school-mates, the other students . . . she was always surrounded by them. ]

[schoolingfish]

Yeah, I mean, I guess there weren't a lot of other kids my age where I grew up, but when I came to the human town there were tons of other kids and it was a lot of fun.

[danserai]

[ it was the same for her . . . except . . . ]

But this isn't what you look like . . . right?

[schoolingfish]

[He'd heard Luz telling her who all of them were, so he already know she knows.]

No. I'm naturally a bit...fishier. I change back whenever I get wet.

[danserai]

[ oh wow exactly like her, except she turns into a girl when she touches water. ]

A-And it's like your own special ability?

[schoolingfish]

Well, back home all sea monsters can do it but...here I guess it is just my own special ability, yeah.

[danserai]

[ so lucky . . . ]

Do you . . . call yourselves sea monsters? That doesn't sound nice to you.

[schoolingfish]

That's what we're always called. Although humans have a long history of not really liking us all that much.

[danserai]

Even so . . . you don't want to pick a better name?

I think you should get to choose.

[no_reload]

Believe me, it happens. [His expression was carefully neutral.] But they come back and are likely better off than how they left.

[He didn't think Luca should have to witness anything like that, but if Trench was anything like Deerington, he was skeptical that all of them could prevent it long-term. Who knew. Luca could be fortunate.]

Perhaps not in appearance. I expect everywhere has monsters of a different kind. As long as you're safe, that's what matters.

[no_reload]

So there is no particular need for such a topic of discussion.

[As far as he was concerned, there was little reason to believe Shiro would dare to come here looking for trouble. It wasn't the other man's style so far, and Reaper wasn't about to test that boundary thus far. Uneasy 'truce' was far easier to maintain.]

I would urge caution all the same. Not all Sleepers have the hold-hands-and-sing-songs mentality. They may be here for a new life, but their version can and will be vastly different from your own and your friends.

[There were plenty of selfish people, and they were going to do whatever their agenda wanted them to in order to build a comfortable life. If that involved stepping on others, so be it. He personally wasn't interested in power; he'd had enough of that for forty years.]

Cryptic is a viable tactic.

[no_reload]

[Reaper raised a white eyebrow.] You don't have parents? As in you sprung up out of the dirt whole?

[She was a long way off from being dramatic, but it was fine.] Do you like lace? Frilly clothing?

[imaglyphwitch]

Uh huh.

I've seen the, uh, darker side of Sleepers too. You can't be friends with Darth Maul and not be exposed to that. Just knowing the wrong kind of people probably makes you look a certain way to some people.

[She could only imagine what she would have looked like to people back home, OR the Boiling Isles. But she'd make sure she'd steer clear of the hurtful ones, the ones that only valued pain and destruction with their new life].

Point proven.

[danserai]

N-No, I just don't remember them? I'm just an orphan.

[ god, being a duck is hard. ]

A-And I do though I don't wear it often. We use it for our tutus.

[droptheious]

Okay.

[It's breathed quietly. Having a reason helps. It's not a great one, but Varian has indulged in revenge for the loss of a loved one. If someone lashed out for him killing someone they cared about...well, he wouldn't really be able to blame them. ]

Revenge just...it just makes more revenge, you know that right? But...I get why. And I can understand why it's complicated. [And because he knows that Reaper plays his cards only too close to his chest:] Thank you for telling me.

[droptheious]

Maybe not...just rely on Fern.

[He doesn't want that weight on Fern. But this is complicated and he doesn't know the right answer. He frowns, staring a hole in the floor. Maul had earned his right back into the home, and it had taken hard work on all parties. He doesn't want to just...dismiss Reaper. That doesn't feel fair. ]

Is there someone we can call in a hurry? Someone who will deal with you? ...I have a feeling you're gonna say Maul but I don't know if he can handle that. Hurting you. Stopping you if...if he has to.

[laminae]

[Fern is infinitely grateful he has Varian to support him. He doesn't have a good answer either, which means if his boyfriend wasn't here he'd probably be making a very, very bad decision.]

Maybe we should just... take some time and have some space to figure this out.

[That's what he could use, at least. He doesn't trust himself to have that kind of responsibility, even though he's willing to take it. At the same time, he wants to make sure Luca and Luz stay safe - there is no way he's going to allow another Maul incident to happen. He won't let them go through that if he can help it.]

[schoolingfish]

[It's difficult to grasp and understand this world and how it works, because death is usually a bad thing, but Luca saw Reaper dead on video, and he knows he came back as a squid before returning as himself. Given what he's seen he figures Reaper could very well be right. As for monsters...well, his world might not have monsters in the sense that this place did, but Luca supposes it might have monsters of a sort.]

Yeah...I guess if you mean figurative monsters, every world has those.

[schoolingfish]

[It never even occurred to him that he'd get to choose what he was called. He just took it for granted that if he was called a sea monster, then that's what he must be.]

Well, if I get to choose...maybe sea folk would be nicer?

[danserai]

Mm, I think so.

But it's also about being nice to yourself too. Especially if you don't want to be called a monster.

[no_reload]

[He shrugged his shoulders slightly. He was so used to being able to rely on those that he considered allies to at least put up a fight or provide a mercy kill. Some people he knew would enjoy taking a stab at him, and under normal circumstances, he'd probably welcome it as well.

Still, Fern was young. It was easy to forget that with how gung-ho the teen was about weapons and fighting.]

Maul can handle it. [That was said firmly.] Otherwise, Lance actually might do it. Vira-Lorr potentially, but she might choose not to. [And he had a high chance of killing her too. They knew each other well.]

Very well. Take all the time you need.