vatheon | We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean.

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We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean.

Who: The Dolorosa and anyone who comes across her
When: April 21st
Where: The island, on the beach
Style: Starting prose but if you want to use brackets I'll follow that!
Status: Open

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With the breaking of the bubble exiling them to the island above, the Dolorosa was taking some time away from the things she usually occupied herself with and was sitting on the beach, enjoying the warmth of the day with her face turned up towards the sun and her eyes closed.

The dress that she usually wore had proven unsuitable for living up here, and with no access to anything else she had simply made a few brief modifications with what she had available, and now the skirt was cut shorter - up to an inch below her knees - and the sleeves cut to half way up her forearms. The neckline now showed her collar and a little of her shoulders, and as she sat on the beach she curled her toes into the sand, her shoes set neatly beside her.

A warm breeze ruffled her hair and she sighed contentedly, bringing her shoulders up for a moment and then letting them relax. Rin had been right. A house was just a house. They could always make new memories.

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[Eridan's not been too bothered by the exiling from the bubble. Sure, he's made a lot of memories there, the past sweep or so really. But, as long as the ones he cares about, and himself, are safe? He can't give a shit about the bubble.]

[Eridan's making his way down the beach when he spots Dolorosa. He stops in his tracks, watching her for a few good moments... He hadn't really spoken with her much since her return and he really doesn't have any reason as to why, ain't like she's done him any ill will or anything...]

[He nearly pivots on his heel to walk the other direction, but then again, why the hell should he avoid her? He was heading down this way regardless, and he's got no reason to hide. So, puffing up a bit, he starts to strut past her, not really saying anything, just making it hard to not notice him. Seriously, Eridan is the biggest tool to ever tool.]

[She watches him as he draws near, just out of the corner of her eye, smiling privately when he stalls and seems to consider turning around. That in itself is endearing, but what he actually decides to do is even more so.

The Dolorosa chuckles, one hand coming up to cover her smile as he struts past her.]

I see you, little one. You do not need to try so hard.

[When she speaks, there's a slight jolt through him and he pauses in his stride. He looks to her, frowning, before turning his head away.]

I ain't tryin' hard. I'm just walkin'. Is that a crime?

You are swaggering, dear, do you not think I recognise such a thing when I see it?

[She smiles disarmingly. She'd recognise someone imitating the habits of a fan-tailed birdbeast any day.]

Are you well, Eridan?

[Look, she even remembers your name.]

[He scrunches up his nose at her calling him out, folding his arms over his chest to complete the look.]

I'm doin' fine. What about you? Adaptin' to life in the bubble?

[wait...]

--Er, whatewer, you know what I mean.

[Evidently she's still amused by him as she smooths her hands over her knees and draws her skirts a little further down her legs. She digs her toes into the sand and shrugs her shoulders in a slightly carefree manner, then curls the fingers of one hand around the opposite wrist, thumbing at the ligature scars marking the skin there.]

Inside or out, it is an improvement, no matter how it is looked at. [No complains from her. She has her family, friends, everything is better for her here.]

What of you? I have gathered that this is not something that has happened before.

[He watches her, keeping his stiff posture. Almost as if he's not backing down to a challenge, despite there not being one at all.]

You're right. It hasn't. The bubble's always been able to keep itself up...

[He accidentally lets his worry bleed into his tone, but he's quick to fix it.]

But that hardly matters. Shit will get fixed, or we'll just mowe on and use the island as out new home. We had to adapt to Watheon, we can adapt to the island just as bloody easily.

Either way, this has been my home for nearly a sweep, an' I prefer it to what I had back in our uniwerse.

[It's a pretty easy pick, considering he has nothing once he leaves here.]

[Her head tilts a little at the worry in his voice, but she appears to dismiss it as he does, simply watching him with that persistently calm expression.]

As do I. [As if that much wasn't abundantly obvious, if he knows even a little of how her life was led. She pats the spot on the sand beside her.]

Sit with me for a few moments.

And dirty my clothes?

[He says that all too quickly. He quirks his brow at her, unmoving from his spot.]

Sand is easily brushed off, we are not in the middle of a quagmire.

[But she just smiles and shrugs gently once again.]

It is your decision, of course, but I am interested in knowing you better.

[He's quiet for a good few moments... Before, with quite a bit of overplayed begrudging disdain, makes his way over. He sweeps his cape outwardly behind him, before taking a seat not too far from her, but not especially close either. A comfortable distance, really.]

[He offers her a scrutinizing look.]

An' what do you want to know, exactly?

Nothing intrusive, you need not be so suspicious of my intentions.

[Oh, violetbloods. There's something she can't seem to help but find endearing despite all of their ineffective puffery. When she finally does ask a question, she's not looking at him.]

What became of Alternia, after the rebellion was ended?

[He rolls his eyes at her. He will be suspicious all he wants, thank you!]

Alternia?

[Okay, that definitely isn't intrusive.]

Well, after Signless failed, things went back to normal for a bit... Then the Summoner decided it was his turn in the spotlight.

[He visibly relaxes. Talking about history is a very soothing thing, ok?]

But that failed, 'cos come on. Her Imperious Condescension ain't someone to fuck with! After that, she was hawin' no more rebellions, she was fuckin' done with that shit. So, all adults were forcibly remowed from the planet, leawin' only us kids to inhabit it. Eweryone else was out conquerin' planets and destroyin' other species. You know, bein' the naturally hatched conquerors those of our race was meant to be an' all, while us kids did our thing. Like FLARPin' and discowerin' shit about our ancestors, killin' each other. You know, typical shit.

[Yep, she definitely got him on a roll...]

ANYWAY, that doesn't matter much now, seein' as our planet--well, uniwerse really, has been wiped of life. So, I guess that's the long wersion, the short bein' Alternia ain't nothin' but a lifeless ball in space now.

[That's possibly the most she's heard him say all at once. She murmurs a soft 'I see' as he finishes. It's nothing that contradicts what Kanaya had told her - not that she disbelieved Kanaya, but some part of her hadn't wanted it to be true. To think that the trolls here might be the last dregs of a dead race, and so many of them children.. what kind of hope does that give them?

Yet, she can't bring herself to give up, even if she knows it eventually comes to nothing. Her descendant hadn't given up, even against the odds.]

What do you think of that?

What do I think?

[That almost sounds odd, really. Mainly because who the fuck actually solicits Eridan for his thoughts? NO ONE THAT'S WHO... He stares at her for a few good moment, before turning his gaze out to the ocean.]

Well if you must know... I used to hate it.

[He shifts slightly, fiddling with the ends of his scarf.]

I had a lot of grippin' feelin's a anger and bitterness about Alternia bein' destroyed and how our culture was bein' washed down the drain with it. How, without it, my status could possibly mean fuckin' nothin', and here I was stuck with a bunch of fuckin' landdwellers who didn't know or care of the importance of the bloodlines, and how their blithe disregard would hawe surely meant their end... I mean, no one fuckin' respected me like they ought to, my blood was treated like a fuckin' joke.

[He sounds completely embittered by it, narrowing his eyes as he looks down at his scarf, brow furrowing.]

Seriously, I was so fuckin' pissed an' angry an' ready to fuckin' put 'em all in their place...

[He pauses a moment.]

But now? I dunno, I'm kinda at peace with it. I still think the bloodlines important, definitely, but maybe for different reasons? I don't know. Bein' here nearly a sweep giwes a troll a lot to think about an' consider. Especially when that troll has more here, than he would back home.

[Though, honestly, had Alternia stayed alive, Eridan would have probably been the main one to benefit from that sort of structure. Even with Feferi higher than him, she had to deal with the Condesce eventually... So, he still has his conflicted feelings, but he knows that here in Vatheon, he's happy.]

[He glances over at Dolorosa.]

What about you?

Edited 2013-05-03 16:03 (UTC)

[Of course she couldn't expect the importance of caste to be so easily wiped away, even in someone so young, and even the Dolorosa still found herself ruled by it often despite her attempts during her life to free herself from it. Abandoning her duty had not been so easy as she often made it out to be, and time had dulled the memories of the struggle it had been, but hearing that even a single sweep in this place could change someone so obviously stubborn-minded (Dualscar being another fine example) gave her some small hope for their race.

Even if there's no future for them outside of Vatheon, even if Kanaya never succeeds in rekindling their people, there's still that small flicker of hope.

She's happy to let him talk - it had been what she'd asked for in the first place after all and far be it from her to interrupt him when he's suddenly so eager to give his thoughts - but when he asks for her opinion she can't help the faint flicker of surprise that crosses her face.]

I have not been here nearly as long as you, but.. I also have far more here than I would be left with upon leaving. It is.. difficult to believe that our race came to such an end, and yet somehow.. it does not surprise me.

[She gives him a little smile. The youngsters seem well-informed about their ancestors, to a degree she's found almost startling.]

While you have been here, have you gained the respect that you wanted?

[He listens to her, and towards the end of what she says, he nods. Because, he hardly anticipated that it would end like it did, for a long time he was convinced that their race would soon aspire to be the rulers of all the known universe! And yet...]

[When she inquires about his garnered respect, he kinda shrugs.]

More than I had, I suppose. While there's still a few who are stubborn and irritatin', my relationship with the others hawe improwed a lot. I mean, I got myself a matesprit, a moirail, a kismesis, an' the respect a my ancestor. That's far more than I ewer had back when we were in that game.

[He definitely had respect among the other seadwellers, being a respected and influential member of the nautical aristocracy like he had been and all. But that doesn't mean much when those who are supposed to be your friends hold no respect for you or your accomplishments.]

[Her expression turns kind, still with that same warm smile as he speaks. From the sounds of things, he has certainly come a long way and he's not the only one to have done so.]

There will always be people like that. What matters is how you choose to deal with them.

I'we learned how I shouldn't deal with them.

[Like murdering them...]

Just, sometimes it's hard to not fall into my bad habits.

That you consider such things 'bad habits' rather than behaviour which is acceptable or expected of you is heartening to hear.

[Yes, Eridan, don't murder your friends...]

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We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean.

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