vatheon | 7 ♐ I've gotten pretty good at telling myself it's fine

Don't be so depressing, we'll have fun.

[ Her bubble is full of excitement, nights spent on deck singing shanties with her crew, arms all round each other, each of them nicking the grog right out of each other's hands and laughing till dawn. Mindfang was never terribly close to anyone, no, but it felt good to be respected, adored, and as long as she could control them they weren't a threat.

She takes the bottle back, knocking back a few gulps herself and making a face. ]

That stuff's strong. So, care to show me my present?

[Darkleer's bubble isn't nearly so light-hearted. It keeps going back to that same stupid night no matter how much he tries to think of mechanics or computer codes, or anything. It's frustrating. Darkleer turns to the large mechanical creature behind him and taps on his metallic husk. It's the size of a tank and shine silver in the moonlight.]

Enjoy.

I meant show me how to use it, Chiron. C'mon.

[ She hands the bottle back to him, taking a coil of web from her sylladex to throw up on the great silvery husk and scaling up its side. She likes climbing things, okay. ]

[Another almost careless swig from the bottle and then Darkleer is pulling himself up as well. Unlike her, he doesn't need any equipment to do it with, even while he's holding a bottle of booze. Taking a seat, he reaches towards the very back of the spider's head and flips a panel open. A few buttons pressed...]

Say your name.

[ She hesitates a moment. Then- ]

Inansa Arakni.

[Something deep in the spider seems to click and whirr before settling, and Darkleer gives a satisfied nod as he shuts the panel.]

It recognizes your voice, now. [Thin lines of cerulean begin to spread over the machine and its eight eyes light up dimly with the same color.] Give it an order.

Let's take a walk down the beach.

[ She tugs the bottle from Darkleer's hand, knocking back another few swigs. ]

Inansa, I don't think it's really...

[But, obediently, the spider begins to move along the terrain, adjusting as needed for the sand. Darkleer leans back with a shake of his head.]

No, do what you like.

What, would you prefer I ask it to laser down all the trees or something?

[ She grins, lazing back as the spider meanders along. ]

So what's up? Your thoughts seem kinda dark.

[ For once, her paranoia seems to be under control; probably the Expatriate's calming influence on her. She's just thinking of good nights on the beach, relaxing and enjoying life for what it's worth. ]

You're assuming I gave it that capability.

[Please. He's not giving Mindfang anything that would cause mass destruction. The fact that there's a giant robot spider for her enjoyment should be enough. Her question, however, has him glancing at his thought bubble. It flickers, slightly, before he gives up. He doesn't feel like putting forth the effort into changing it.]

I think I'm a bit too sober to be discussing that sort of thing with you, you know. It's nothing but foolish expectations at any rate.

[ She hands the bottle back. ]

Then drink up and we'll talk. Always works for me.

Of course it does.

[Hope you didn't have any plans for the rest of the night, Mindfang, Darkleer is just going to swirl the liquid inside a bit and look morose. Waaaaangst.]

Sometimes I wonder if indulging in quadants is a foolish thing to do.

Tends to be what I think. Even if it changes when I'm older I'm still not really sure it's all that great.

[ She just...gets another bottle out of her sylladex...that way they can both drink! ]

But hey, you're the romantic here. Thought you'd be the one all over that shit even if you're kind of terrible at expressing feelings.

[ What a hypocrite, Mindfang! ]

[Such hypocrisy. He's just going to turn his head to stare at you, Mindfang.]

What? You are! You have to get drunk just to talk to me, and you've known me since we were like three!

I'm not sure if I should be taking romantic advice from you in hindsight...

The hypocrisy is nearly smothering. [More swing! Jeez he is almost done with this bottle, where does the time go.]

Hey, hey. Nothing you can say about me cancels out the fact that what I'm saying is true! Get off your high horse for once, huh?

So c'mon, what has you of all people losing faith in the quadrants? Thought that was my job.

[ Hands him a third bottle...god they're gonna be so blasted soon. ]

I'm not on a horse, if we are being technical, I am on a giant spider I constructed because apparently I always end up doing these things for you no matter what.

[So blasted. Mindfang, you are a bad influence on all decent Empire citizens and computers.]

[But even drunk, Darkleer is more or less polite and shakily places the bottle in his sylladex before he accepts the new one.]

It hurts. Being exiled. I think I would have liked dying better.

[That's totally in connection with the conversation they were just having right?]

I didn't think anyone would want something ruined...

Stop thinkin' that way.

[ Oh boy, she is feeling it too. DRUNKTOWN. ]

You are fine. You are the same now as you were b'fore the exile thing! Anyway if we're talking about. Uh. Handlebars. Yeah. You really think he'd like you if you were still, y'know, imperial pet kinda thing? He's a rebel, right?

[Let him knock back another bottle- or two- or three- and Darkleer will be right there with you, Mindfang.]

No I'm not. You wouldn't understand. [A miserable sip of his drink.] Have to sacrifice things when you get that far. Or at least I had to. It's different. I'm not a pirate, I can't just... do whatever I like. Couldn't. It was supposed to be for a greater good, you know.

[Misery loves company. More importantly, misery loves booze. So, don't mind him...]

He's more than that. He's not just a discardable, run-of-the-mill orangeblood. He's amazing. I love him. I think I made a mistake.

You know, it is so weird knowing that at some point I will also be in love with him and his matesprit. We are really fucked up, didja realize that?

[ Finishes off her bottle. ]

A. Anyway. Stuff y'do doesn't necessarily mean you're, uh, who you are is what you do or something. I'm a pirate 'cause I'm me, I'm not me 'cause I'm a pirate. Did that make any sense? You were an Archie 'cause you were you.

And you're still you now you're not one! It was an. Experience. Not a definement of your life. Because you have t'sacrifice whatever you do. But thaaat says what's important to you!

So he's important to you, right?

[ Her bubble's a bit more subdued now; a few flickering images of Darkleer pushing her out when the Summoner is there. ]

[No...]

[No, he's pretty sure that's not how it works.]

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