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[devwocean]

Who: Dualscar and whoever's waiting for him
When: Today!
Where: The plaza
Style: Starting in prose, but I'll follow you.
Status: Open!

The scene is familiar, as this isn't the first time it's happened to Dualscar. He gasps like a landed fish, his hair matted down from water, as he sits up, disoriented. But there are a few things different.

Item one, he's missing his left leg below the knee, though the wound is healed.

Item two, he's not wearing his damn cape.

Item three, he's a lot calmer than he was the last time, though he looks around alertly at the people camped around the plaza, his fins quivering with tension. Everyone hated him before - nearly everyone - and he really doesn't know what kind of reception he's going to get.

Comments

[ex_fintastic398]

Feferi always wanted to see someone revive; in that sense, she's been a bit excited, however inappropriate it might be. It's not every day that you get to see something like that! So it figures that she's distracted with something in her sylladex at the time, and is only alerted to the return of the older troll though sound and movement in her peripheral vision. As she turns, her face lights up and she stumbles from her cross-legged seat several yards away to sprint over. Slowing down only to lower herself to her knees next to him, if he was stilll wondering what kind of reaction he was going to get, it should be obvious by now-- hugs. Or at least attempts at hugs. All she wants to do right about now is throw her arms around his shoulders, and even if she can't reach all the way around, she'll be damned if she doesn't try.

[devwocean]

He sees the Heiress sprint towards him, but despite the fact that she seems to have forgiven him somewhat, he's completely unprepared for the hug.

He goes rigid, eyes wide with shock and confusion. Until this whole mess happened, he knows she had nothing but contempt for him, and hatred, and her first impulse had been to threaten a culling. After that, she seemed to soften towards him, but this...this is new.

He lifts his hands and encircles her, lowering his face slightly to her dark, wild hair. Wow, this is probably... a little too good. "Thank you," he murmurs.

[ex_fintastic398]

She's a little shaky and shivery, but not in a bad way-- almost literally vibrating with so many feelings, as she presses her forehead to his shoulder for a brief moment. She's had time to do some thinking, in those moments of making sure Eridan was calm, cuddling up with him and just having some quiet time to themselves. Time to think on some of the things she's done and said and the fact that having a moirail has actually been a necessity at least once has put things into perspective for her. Losing sight of her goals untintentionally never felt good, but realizing it was such a relief, even if it came with a pang of guilt.

And that meant there were a few people she needed to talk to, Dualscar included.

"You don't have to thank me!" When she pulls back, she leaves her hands resting on his shoulders, and even though her smile doesn't fade entirely, she manages to look apologetic all the same. "Actually I think I should say sorry. I've said a lot of mean things to you that you didn't deserve... a lot/i> of mean things. And that's not the kind of troll I want to be!"

[devwocean]

This sort of intimacy and her earnest apology are almost shocking to him. She's so unlike the Condesce, he literally can't even comprehend that they share a blood and symbol. It reminds him of his conviction that the Condesce will chew her up and spit her out.

But it sort of makes him love her a little, too.

"There's no need to apologize to me," he says firmly, stroking a hand through her hair. His other hand rests lightly at her waist. "I knoww I havven't showwn myself wwell to you since gettin' here."

[ex_fintastic398]

"I guess we both kind of messed up, huh?" Kind of embarrassing, if she thinks about it too much, and a little bit of Tyrian tints her cheeks. She wiggles a little, unsure of having her hair stroked, though she doesn't make any real attempt to get away. Content to let it be, there are more important things to be addressed. "How about we try this again? Okay? Totally clean slate!"

[devwocean]

"A clean slate," he echoes, and nods, letting his hands fall away from her again. "That wwould be most wwelcome, Heiress. And I'll do my best not to offend you, again."

He pauses. "I nevver meant for you to be Her."

[ex_fintastic398]

"I know," Feferi confesses as she sits back on her heels, folding her hands in her lap. "It's just that my whole life, everyone's always expected me to turn into her, and even if you ignore what she's done, it's still an awful feeling! I want to be my own troll, and my own Empress someday."

But wasn't that beyond the point? This isn't about her right now, and she shouldn't try to turn it into that. She shakes her head, curls bouncing and barely contained by her tiara. "We'll do better this time. I promise! Are you going to be okay, though...?"

And now it's time to tackle the elephant in the room, as her eyes dart down to where his leg has been severed, untactfull and unsubtly indicating what she means, before she looks back up again.

[devwocean]

"A course you do," he says, shaking his head. "I only wwant you to survvivve long enough against her to do that. That's all I evver meant."

But he's content to change the subject before she gets offended again, so he follows her gaze down to the stump where his leg used to be, grimacing. "I'll be fine. I'll ask the Expatriate to fashion up somethin', if he's so inclined, wwhich I think he wwill be."

[ex_fintastic398]

"Well if he says no," and by some miracle, she manages to keep a straight face as she says this, "then you tell me and I will go beat him up! Pow! Bam!"

As she pantomimes the idea of her actually making an attempt at punching Darkleer, she can't help but laugh, fully aware that the attempt would be more likely to break her own hand. But it's the thought that counts, isn't it?

[withoutasign]

"Dualscar!"

One reception he's going to get is a nubby-horned shorty slamming into him and flinging both arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Someone is clearly not the least bit bothered by what happened, and is just filled with glee at seeing his moirail again.

[devwocean]

Dualscar just has time to hiss warningly, but then he's got a lapful of happy, clinging Signless. He is slow to respond, though not stiff like with Feferi, putting his arms around and holding him close.

"You...you aren't angry wwith me?" He'd definitely convinced himself that their moirallegiance was over. Who could stay with a moirail who fucked up so badly, and failed to keep him safe? Whatever people had thought of him, he had tried to take his responsibility seriously, but he hadn't understood that things could go so wrong so quickly.

[withoutasign]

Hiss all you want, buddy, you're still getting a hug. And finpaps. Clearly, finpaps are in order here, and Signless doesn't care who sees it.

"No, I'm not mad, it was an accident. I know you didn't do it on purpose." Pap pap pap. "Oh god, Dualscar, your leg, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I wasn't here to stop all that from happening..."

[devwocean]

The hugs and finpaps are reassuring, and he slowly relaxes under the ministrations. "Don't apologize. It wwas the fuckin' Summoner, not you. Evveryone wwent shithivve and I tried to just hide until it bleww ovver, but he wwas determined."

There's little anger in his voice, despite his harsh words. He's still working out how he feels about what happened between the Summoner and himself, but he definitely doesn't want Signless to feel guilty.

He lowers his voice, so only Signless can hear. "And anywway, I wwas the one wwho didn't knoww wwhat to do to make sure you wwere safe."

[withoutasign]

"It was an accident, Dualscar. It wasn't anyone's fault." Signless is remarkably okay with dying; he got to see the neverending light, and now he's back, so as far as he's concerned, all's well that ends well. His expression blanches a little when he looks down at the stump of Dualscar's leg, though.

"We'll have to ask Darkleer to make you a new leg."

[devwocean]

"Yeah, I wwas gonna ask him, only I didn't havve a chance, yet," Dualscar says distractedly. His fingers toy with the ends of Signless' hair and he glances away, lost in thought.

"Can wwe go somewwhere first, though? To talk?"

[withoutasign]

"Of course." Signless gets to his feet, doing his best to tug Dualscar to his feet with him. Once the larger troll is upright, Signless will slide under his arm, supporting him in light of his missing leg.

"My hive or yours?"

Please choose yours, Dualscar. Some of Signless' roommates might not be happy to see you.

[devwocean]

He's not dumb. Though his own hive might have a bit of broken glass and blood in it, he's not going near his other hive or Signless' until things blow over.

"Mine." He practically has to rest his arm on top of Signless' head to use him as a crutch, but he manages, hopping stubbornly along with determined concentration.

[unconchonable]

Eridan's seen people come back from death before, his own matesprit being one, so when Dualscar returns, it isn't a matter of awe that he's actually back, but the fact that low and behold, there's Dualscar in the flesh again. Eridan shifts where he stands, looking almost unsure and uncomfortable before he sucks it up and makes his way over, trying to look more confident and less like he feels like the failure he is. He knows he should apologize, realizes that he should have, could have done better, but he didn't.

Dualscar probably doesn't even want to see him right now, but it's only right he faces responsibility for his actions, right?

"Welcome back... Dualscar." He can't even look him in the eye. His focus off to the side and not at the older seadweller at all.

[devwocean]

Dualscar doesn't believe that Eridan has anything to apologize for. He grabs for a nearby chair, pushing himself up and using it as a brace, in light of his missing leg.

Then he gestures Eridan closer. "Wwhat are you doin' acting like I'm your flushcrush and you're about to bring out the pail for the first time, boy? Come ovver here an' look at me like a proper troll."

[unconchonable]

That wording definitely catches Eridan off guard, causing him to look at him incredulously. Did he honestly just say that? What a way to put it, Dualscar. Either way, Eridan does come closer, sucking in some air as he tries to sum up the gall to admit he's sorry, even if Dualscar doesn't seem to angry with him.

"Look, I'm..." It never gets easier admitting where you fucked up. Even after all this time, all this work that's been put into him to make him a better person, it's still so very hard to admit his faults.

"I'm sorry I couldn't fight him off."

[devwocean]

Dualscar blinked. It really didn't occur to him that Eridan might be gearing up to apologize to him. He glances at him, bemused and somewhat touched, then reaches out and pats him on the shoulder, leaving the hand there and giving him a squeeze.

"You couldn't a done it, an neither could I. It's nothin' for you to apologize for. There's a reason wwhy the Condesce has alwways needed Gl'bgolyb to keep the lowwbloods in line."

[unconchonable]

"I coulda... Had I been properly equipped. If I had my wand I coulda blasted him and his self righteous egotism sky-fuckin'-high." There's an edge to his voice, a certain kind of ire that's not fully towards the summoner, a kind that is somewhat self aimed. Though, the hand at his shoulder and the fact that Dualscar isn't holding him at fault for it helps, a bit. Though, his own personal feelings of failure are hardly being quelled.

Though, that raises a question. An answer Eridan's sure of is in his favor, but he wants an answer all the same. Maybe it's in bad taste to ask so soon, but he almost feels like he can't properly forgive himself unless he hears it.

"The Summoner said what he was tryin' to do in senselessly murderin' you was, in his own twisted and fucked up way, a means to help you see your mistake--despite how this whole fuckin' thing was an accident. So tell me, did he actually do any supposed good, or is he blowin' hot air like the bloody hot-shot piece a fuckin' dirt he is?"

[devwocean]

Dualscar removes his hand from Eridan's shoulder, watching the boy's self-castigation with interest and a bit of chagrin. He well knows what this feels like. He's gone through it himself, before, and he's not sure what to do other than to let him work it out of his system, or point him at his moirail.

At Eridan's question, he hesitates and glances away, trying to disguise it, as if he's just looking at something interesting across the plaza. Summoner said a lot of things, but the thing that sticks in his mind most was that he called him 'brother'. It's preposterous, but he can't believe that it was a mistake, or meaningless. The Summoner wasn't going after vengeance. He was trying to teach him about lowbloods.

The question is, did it work? And even if it did - was it good for Dualscar to learn?

"I don't knoww," he says.

[unconchonable]

"You don't know."

It isn't a question, so much a statement said in disbelief. What could he have honestly learned from it? He was killed over something that wasn't his fault, killed because the Summoner thought Dualscar didn't know guilt--and while Eridan's not ignorant to what Dualscar thinks in regards to lowbloods, what happened then wasn't a matter concerning lowbloods... Or was it. Eridan stares at Dualscar, at a loss for words, almost as if staring at the older purple-blooded troll would answer all of his questions. It doesn't.

[devwocean]

Dualscar nods, and gives a shrug, rolling his broad shoulder. He doesn't really expect Eridan to understand it, either. "I can't say I'll thank him for it, either wway, though," he adds in a grunt. "He didn't havve to fuckin' cull me as some kind a education about wwhat it's like bein' a lowwblood, only I'm just glad it wwasn't permanent."