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[ Nana can recognize what this is. She can recognize that she's being condescended to a little bit. Though what the purpose of it is, she doesn't know.
Still, she's gained what she came here for. She'll have to double-check that information, of course, but it's a good starting point. ]
That's all I wanted to know. Unless, you've got any questions for me? Ooh, or any requests for dinner shift!
Still, she's gained what she came here for. She'll have to double-check that information, of course, but it's a good starting point. ]
That's all I wanted to know. Unless, you've got any questions for me? Ooh, or any requests for dinner shift!
Dinner shift is doing a wonderful job, no complaints from me.
I'd love to ask why they did it, but since it wasn't you, I suppose it doesn't matter.
I'd love to ask why they did it, but since it wasn't you, I suppose it doesn't matter.
[ Yeah. Yeah he totally suspects that she did it.
But Nana's going to keep the charade up a bit as she points out, ]
I mean, it's kinda obvious? If there's a living animal shoved in a jar too small for it, stuck in the basement, of course someone would try and free it. It probably just took a while because it was a frog. If there was a kitten in that jar, it would have been freed the first day.
But Nana's going to keep the charade up a bit as she points out, ]
I mean, it's kinda obvious? If there's a living animal shoved in a jar too small for it, stuck in the basement, of course someone would try and free it. It probably just took a while because it was a frog. If there was a kitten in that jar, it would have been freed the first day.
[He appreciates the answer, thin charade or not, and his smile falls away for something more sincere, more somber.]
Maybe. But people can get used to a lot. And everyone there was stuck in a jar too small for them.
If it's any comfort...the Orlop did feel a lot like the Engine Room. Not the specifics, but...I don't know. They way it was put together, all aesthetic and oddments. And everything in the Engine Room is, it's all the barge, wearing different hats. She's alive, but she's not trapped, she's flying. And she's glad we're here.
I know it's not like that for every ship. Ships from my world were all slaves inside, and that was worth fighting, even though I didn't know the consequences. I wouldn't mind buying our frog thief a drink, even though it all went sideways.
[If they weren't a BABY. Not that Jedao necessarily wouldn't give Nana a glass of honey wine anyway just to see what happened.]
But I have reason to hope that frog was enough a part of the Narrenschiff to feel like it was flying too, right from its spot.
Maybe. But people can get used to a lot. And everyone there was stuck in a jar too small for them.
If it's any comfort...the Orlop did feel a lot like the Engine Room. Not the specifics, but...I don't know. They way it was put together, all aesthetic and oddments. And everything in the Engine Room is, it's all the barge, wearing different hats. She's alive, but she's not trapped, she's flying. And she's glad we're here.
I know it's not like that for every ship. Ships from my world were all slaves inside, and that was worth fighting, even though I didn't know the consequences. I wouldn't mind buying our frog thief a drink, even though it all went sideways.
[If they weren't a BABY. Not that Jedao necessarily wouldn't give Nana a glass of honey wine anyway just to see what happened.]
But I have reason to hope that frog was enough a part of the Narrenschiff to feel like it was flying too, right from its spot.
You couldn't buy her a drink anyway, [ Nana points out, like it's the most obvious thing in the world. ] Not until port, where there are actual stores.
[ Unfortunately for everybody, Nana's smack dab in the middle of her 'let's try everything, nothing matters' phase. Teenager can smoke! ]
And anyway, it's not like anybody knew the consequences until they happened, right? Nobody said 'hey, don't touch that frog, she controls the air.' So really, freeing the frog is a perfectly sensible option.
[ Unfortunately for everybody, Nana's smack dab in the middle of her 'let's try everything, nothing matters' phase. Teenager can smoke! ]
And anyway, it's not like anybody knew the consequences until they happened, right? Nobody said 'hey, don't touch that frog, she controls the air.' So really, freeing the frog is a perfectly sensible option.
I've got a few bottles laid by.
Normally, people would ask if it was important before taking something. But if she thought it was suffering, it wouldn't matter anyway, would it?
[The feeling of the Vidona sacrifice shuddering under his hands as he fought to pull away the knife wants to rise in him; he pushes it back down, ruthlessly, keeps his voice steady and clear. He knows, though. The moment when it doesn't matter why. It's in him, that he knows that.]
Normally, people would ask if it was important before taking something. But if she thought it was suffering, it wouldn't matter anyway, would it?
[The feeling of the Vidona sacrifice shuddering under his hands as he fought to pull away the knife wants to rise in him; he pushes it back down, ruthlessly, keeps his voice steady and clear. He knows, though. The moment when it doesn't matter why. It's in him, that he knows that.]
Exactly.
[ It's said with absolute certainty. Nana knows she was trying to do the right thing by freeing the frog. She doesn't regret doing it in the first place. What happened later...well, that might be different. But that first act, freeing Niji the frog, she doesn't regret that in the slightest. ]
People can get used to horrible things if they happen for long enough. If people who have been on the Barge for a few years get used to floods and all that trauma, who's to say that the people on the Narrenschiff aren't used to the frog suffering?
[ It's said with absolute certainty. Nana knows she was trying to do the right thing by freeing the frog. She doesn't regret doing it in the first place. What happened later...well, that might be different. But that first act, freeing Niji the frog, she doesn't regret that in the slightest. ]
People can get used to horrible things if they happen for long enough. If people who have been on the Barge for a few years get used to floods and all that trauma, who's to say that the people on the Narrenschiff aren't used to the frog suffering?
Oh, certainly. And it's very dangerous and very easy to assume something that isn't like you isn't suffering.
But the opposite of that isn't assuming the other way. The opposite would be asking. Is it suffering? If it were a normal frog, it would be. We know it's not a normal frog. How could we tell?
Anyway. If you find out who it was, would you tell her, I have some good reasons to think it wasn't. That aren't about it not being a kitten.
But the opposite of that isn't assuming the other way. The opposite would be asking. Is it suffering? If it were a normal frog, it would be. We know it's not a normal frog. How could we tell?
Anyway. If you find out who it was, would you tell her, I have some good reasons to think it wasn't. That aren't about it not being a kitten.
I can do that.
[ There's a moment's pause before, ]
Hey, I know you said that there weren't any frogs in the Engine Room here like there were on that other ship, but can I visit and check anyway? It's silly to believe someone just because they say something's true, especially in a place like this. The more evidence I can get, the better.
[ There's a moment's pause before, ]
Hey, I know you said that there weren't any frogs in the Engine Room here like there were on that other ship, but can I visit and check anyway? It's silly to believe someone just because they say something's true, especially in a place like this. The more evidence I can get, the better.
[She took his question seriously, so he takes her request seriously. He does think she's driven by the right reasons, even if he suspects she's perfectly capable of doing something deeply ill-advised about it.]
You can't come inside it. If someone messes with it, it does hurt her, and people have tried, so we put extra protections on the room, and I'm not lifting them for your peace of mind.
But I think you care for the right reasons. So I'll let you look in from the door, or I'll show you a video tour from my communicator. Which would you rather?
You can't come inside it. If someone messes with it, it does hurt her, and people have tried, so we put extra protections on the room, and I'm not lifting them for your peace of mind.
But I think you care for the right reasons. So I'll let you look in from the door, or I'll show you a video tour from my communicator. Which would you rather?
Edwin throws his arms around Jedao as soon as he's in reach, a half-dozen tentacles joining the embrace. His voice is a little muffled.
"Hello dad." He needs to say that word again. "Dad. Dad."
What a strange and miraculous single syllable.
"Do you know what day it is?"
"Hello dad." He needs to say that word again. "Dad. Dad."
What a strange and miraculous single syllable.
"Do you know what day it is?"
"Tell me," he says, and it soothes something splintered deep in his chest to scoop Edwin up and cuddle him on the way to the couch.
I'll look from the door then. [ Both options suck, but at least that option has less chance of Jedao trying to mess with her. ]
When do you want me to come over?
When do you want me to come over?
Let's do it right now, then.
[So he won't have time to prepare anything; since it's about trust.]
[So he won't have time to prepare anything; since it's about trust.]
Jedao fucks him savagely through it; when he comes himself, ragged and ferocious, he imagines it feels like dying. He imagines he's been clinging onto the shreds of himself with his fingernails and they've finally torn out, the blazing agony-intensity of pleasure indescribable by any saner comparison.
He loses control of the push at the same time he loses control of the rest, and then it's only Jedao's own weight again holding Hakkai down, both of them completely boneless, shuddering and gasping in a soft heavy heap.
He loses control of the push at the same time he loses control of the rest, and then it's only Jedao's own weight again holding Hakkai down, both of them completely boneless, shuddering and gasping in a soft heavy heap.
He is Very Shaped by the time they get to the couch, snuggled into Jedao's arms, still cradling the wrapped package in a pair of tentacles.
"It's the day we met."
"It's the day we met."
"No! And you've grown up so much," Jedao murmurs, settling into the couch with Edwin in his lap.
Then I'll be outside the engine room in five minutes or so.
[ Nana's wearing her high school uniform as she makes her way to the engine room. It wasn't a deliberate choice, per se—it was the first batch of clean clothes she grabbed because wow does she not want to wear any of her nasty grimy clothes she wore on the other boat. But she can make it work.
When she reaches the engine room, if Jedao's not outside, she'll give a quick little knock on the door. ]
[ Nana's wearing her high school uniform as she makes her way to the engine room. It wasn't a deliberate choice, per se—it was the first batch of clean clothes she grabbed because wow does she not want to wear any of her nasty grimy clothes she wore on the other boat. But she can make it work.
When she reaches the engine room, if Jedao's not outside, she'll give a quick little knock on the door. ]
He aims for seven minutes, which lets her see him coming, lets her know he hasn't had a chance to hide things before she arrived.
"It's Nana, is that right?" he asks, as he opens the door. The room isn't as opaquely dense or as massive as the Orlop, but it's certainly cluttered with tons of mismatched looking machinery: 80s-style arcades next to banks of blinking lights and switches, crystal arrays, brass cogs, all of them contrasting oddly with the herringbone flagstones of the floor. There's an air hockey table made of bronze and marble. The steam boiler is glowing and puffing softly, and something mechanical shaped like a cat - all made of beautifully ornate, silvery steampunk-like gears - sits on top of it. She sits up and turns to look at Nana immediately.
"It's alright, Gliss," Jedao tells her, giving her a couple of fingernail taps under the metal of her chin, halfway between scritching a living cat and tapping a champagne glass with a fork. "She's just looking."
The cat - Gliss - makes a sound like if wind chimes could chirr, then hops down and walks freely toward the doorway to inspect her.
"It's Nana, is that right?" he asks, as he opens the door. The room isn't as opaquely dense or as massive as the Orlop, but it's certainly cluttered with tons of mismatched looking machinery: 80s-style arcades next to banks of blinking lights and switches, crystal arrays, brass cogs, all of them contrasting oddly with the herringbone flagstones of the floor. There's an air hockey table made of bronze and marble. The steam boiler is glowing and puffing softly, and something mechanical shaped like a cat - all made of beautifully ornate, silvery steampunk-like gears - sits on top of it. She sits up and turns to look at Nana immediately.
"It's alright, Gliss," Jedao tells her, giving her a couple of fingernail taps under the metal of her chin, halfway between scritching a living cat and tapping a champagne glass with a fork. "She's just looking."
The cat - Gliss - makes a sound like if wind chimes could chirr, then hops down and walks freely toward the doorway to inspect her.
Nana looks down at the cat and gives her a little nod. "Does the cat live in the Engine Room full time?"
She then turns her attention back to the room. It looks like there aren't any frogs in there. It looks like there's not much anything alive to begin with. But Nana can't really tell, especially just from the doorway. So, making sure not to actually step inside, Nana stays in the doorway, leaning in, trying to get a better look at the Engine Room as a whole.
Of course, there's a big obvious problem with trying to stand perfectly still but lean in as far as possible: you'll lose your balance. And Nana is straight up about to lose her balance and stumble forward into the Engine Room.
She then turns her attention back to the room. It looks like there aren't any frogs in there. It looks like there's not much anything alive to begin with. But Nana can't really tell, especially just from the doorway. So, making sure not to actually step inside, Nana stays in the doorway, leaning in, trying to get a better look at the Engine Room as a whole.
Of course, there's a big obvious problem with trying to stand perfectly still but lean in as far as possible: you'll lose your balance. And Nana is straight up about to lose her balance and stumble forward into the Engine Room.
"I don't feel grown up," he mutters, settling into something between a fox and a cat. He rests his head against Jedao's shoulder.
"You're still my baby."
Jedao pets his little head.
"After we did the laundry together, I knew you were my child that day," he admits, in a soft hush.
"I knew it was too much and I didn't have any idea how to ask you. But I knew loved you. That curse happened and everyone went insane. I told Hakkai we had a baby one week later."
Jedao pets his little head.
"After we did the laundry together, I knew you were my child that day," he admits, in a soft hush.
"I knew it was too much and I didn't have any idea how to ask you. But I knew loved you. That curse happened and everyone went insane. I told Hakkai we had a baby one week later."
Edited 2024-11-04 16:55 (UTC)
He looks up at Jedao in surprise, then down at his gift wrapped package, and drops it into Jedao's lap before he hides his face against his dad's shoulder.
"I didn't have a chance to finish, but- I wanted to... give you a present. For today."
Inside is one sock, lumpy, in pink wool. It's slightly dizzying to look at, even though he stuck to one color and did his utmost best to keep his power away from the weave. Art is art, even when it's a sock.
"I didn't have a chance to finish, but- I wanted to... give you a present. For today."
Inside is one sock, lumpy, in pink wool. It's slightly dizzying to look at, even though he stuck to one color and did his utmost best to keep his power away from the weave. Art is art, even when it's a sock.
Jedao opens it, and he just - he feels warm, all the way through, just like he does every time he does laundry and thinks of Edwin, just like he didn't, then, because Edwin was feeling it for him. He feels like some of the awful knotted-tight stuck feeling inside him every since the crash tugs gently apart.
"It's perfect, Sunshine," Jedao tells hims softly. There's no wavering or flinching as he looks at it - those other wild dimensions are where his kind once made their home. Even if he knows he'll have to be careful not to leave it in the hamper.
"It's perfect, Sunshine," Jedao tells hims softly. There's no wavering or flinching as he looks at it - those other wild dimensions are where his kind once made their home. Even if he knows he'll have to be careful not to leave it in the hamper.
She falls forward - and lands with a woosh on the plain floorboards of an empty cabin. And she'll find that she hits an invisible wall, a cylinder about six feet in diameter in the middle of the empty room, where she's completely stuck.
Jedao locks the engine room back up and walks down the hall to get her out, opening the door to the empty cabin in less than a minute.
Jedao locks the engine room back up and walks down the hall to get her out, opening the door to the empty cabin in less than a minute.
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