ic inbox (tlv)

[weedeating]

[ This man is never going to check his goddamn inbox. But feel free to use this post for threading, messaging him, bothering Dimitri some other way, etc. ]

Comments

[badbutsad]

Funnily enough, I haven't met any humans here with pointed ears yet. The only other ones with ears like mine were vampires. Also, [And there's a faintly annoyed air to his own grievance;] there's only one other person on this ship who knows about magic as I understand it, and she hates me. So I get what it's like to feel alone in your understanding of the world.

[weedeating]

How does magic in your world work? In mine, it is simply a skill that one can learn with enough training. Certain people have a higher aptitude at it and certain people are better at certain types of magic, but in theory? Anyone could learn it.

[badbutsad]

I'll tell you about it on our way to the library. [Because he's getting you out of this Titan-damned gym young man.] Then you can tell me about Crests while we find something to watch.

[weedeating]

[ you're not his dad, he's older than you are!!!! But Dimitri gives Hunter a little nod. It would probably be good to have at least one other person here who knows about Crests so when he references it, people won't look at him like he's insane. ]

I suppose that is acceptable.

[badbutsad]

[Hey look, he's doing it! Being a responsible warden and removing Dimitri from hurting himself!

There's a bit of a bounce in his step as he leads the way, and Flapjack hops off his shoulder to circle around both young men.]

Magic in my world comes in a couple of different forms, but the one that's most prominent is inherent - nearly every witch has the ability to use magic, and access to training that lets them cast spells, and the spells are grouped into- about ten different styles called covens, more or less.

[weedeating]

That seems like far too many schools.

[ just saying! ]

It is not my strongest suit, but I know magic can roughly be divided into three schools in my world.

[ Without thinking, Dimitri goes to swat at Flapjack, idly like how one would swat away a bug. ]

[badbutsad]

[And Flapjack dodges, obviously, but he also flaps right up into Dimitri's face to voice his complaints- which he does by tugging on Dimitri's hair with his beak. With surprising force, in fact, if he's not prepared it'll yank him off-balance.]

[weedeating]

Tell your bird to get out of my face, [ Dimitri grumbles, again trying to swat at Flapjack. ]

[badbutsad]

[Hunter glances back, and lifts a hand to cover his mouth and hide his grin quickly.]

He's trying to get you to lighten up. [He gives Flapjack a look, and the bird releases, to come settle on Hunter's own head like a triumphant little crown.] He still does that to me sometimes, when I'm having a rough day.

[weedeating]

I'll lighten up more if I don't have an annoying bird yanking at my hair.

[ he will SMACK YOU DOWN, tiny bird. ]

[badbutsad]

He was trying to help. [And that's more of a defensive mutter than a real comeback. He'd rather keep talking about magic anyway.]

But- yeah, there's ten major covens in my world. I belong to the highest ranked, the Emperor's coven. [He pulls his sleeve back, revealing the coven brand on his wrist.] Normally the brands prevent us from using other covens' magic, but as part of the Emperor's coven I have access to all the other kinds.

[weedeating]

[ Dimitri leans over to look at the coven brand. However, the admission that brands prevent people from using other covens' magic causes him to frown a little in annoyance. ]

That sounds counterproductive. Where I am from, there are no restrictions on who can use what magic. The only things that limit you are your innate talents and how much time you study. After all, even the healers and clerics need to defend themselves.

[badbutsad]

I mean- it's not really a good brand.

[He runs his opposite thumb over it, before he tugs his sleeve down again.]

We only have them because the Emperor of my world was trying to kill everyone. The sigyls are markers for a draining spell, one that was designed to drain the magic from every witch and demon with one in my home realm.

[weedeating]

[ Dimitri can't help but narrow his eyes at that. With no hesitation, he points out, ]

That's barbaric.

[badbutsad]

I'm aware. The Emperor... he wasn't a good man. But everyone believes he is. He's... [His ears press back a bit in an unsubtle twitch.] He's good at manipulating people. He's been doing it for hundreds of years.

[weedeating]

[ Unfortunately, Dimitri never gets to learn that his authority figure is also secretly sketch, way older than expected, and made a designer baby and/or Grimwalker for their own ends. Instead, he simply frowns, wrinkling his nose before, ]

I hope that your deal is to kill him.

[badbutsad]

[Hunter actually pauses, and stares at Dimitri for a moment.]

I don't want to kill him. He's my uncle.

[weedeating]

[ And Dimitri raises an eyebrow before pointing out, ]

Familial ties mean nothing. When I leave here, I am going to return home to kill my stepsister. What matters is that if someone is controlling, if they are overpowering and abusing the weak, it is the job of the strong to put a stop to that.

[badbutsad]

[...well he knows why Dimitri's an inmate now.]

You can't use strength to defeat power. That just gets you someone with more power and less control. You can't destabilise an empire and expect it to run functionally under new leadership while everyone's still mourning the last ruler.

[weedeating]

[ Dimitri lets out a cold, bitter laugh before, ]

You assume people would mourn that monster? You said those brands were to remove magic! If anything, whoever kills your uncle would be seen as a hero.

[badbutsad]

No one knew the sigils were bad. For decades they were the way the world worked. People were told from the day they were born that they were the will of the Titan. That the islands we lived on, only the Emperor could hear their voice and tell us what we were doing was sacrilege to it.

[He takes a deep breath, and Flapjack nuzzles his face softly.] No one thought the Emperor was evil. Except maybe two people, and since he made them wanted criminals, no one believed them. It's not as simple as you make it sound.

[weedeating]

But now they do know, [ said like it's the most obvious thing ever. ] Or at least you do.

So now it is simple. Kill him. Kill him to protect those he would try to hurt.

[badbutsad]

I am someone he hurt. And I don't want him dead. I want him stopped.

[He stands up a bit taller, shoulders squaring with his shift to a cooler, professional attitude, befitting a coven leader.]

People change. We can't give them the chance if all you want to do is kill them.

[weedeating]

[ Dimitri laughs at that. It's a cold, bitter, sarcastic sort of laugh as he growls, ]

Pathetic. Do you truly believe someone like that capable of change?! Your idealism will lead to even more dead!

[ More dead whispering in Hunter's ears, keeping him awake, haunting his every though. The boy is too innocent, too green for that kind of suffering. ]

[badbutsad]

I did.

[His voice is even, forcibly, and Flapjack gives him a worried look.]

I was his right-hand witch. But then I was shown what he was really doing. The horrible things he was using me to do. How- everything he told me was a lie, even-- [He hesitates, fingers wringing the air for a moment.] --even that we were family. He raised me to be his weapon. And when I realised it was wrong, I made an effort to change.