video | open to both courts

[chromosomes]

[ John is in a stranger position than he's usually in when he makes broadcasts. Sprawled out on his stomach on the floor, locket in front of his face, he looks- not relaxed, but at the very least less active than he usually is. On his back rests the head and front paws of his female saber-fanged cave lion, her toes flexing every once in a while as if she's kneading his back.

There's a loud sigh. ]

God damn, but this place makes me feel old sometimes. I'm in my thirties and here we all get triple the lifespan -- I'm way too young for this. Don't know how you elves and other long-lived people do it.

[ Granted, with his enhancements, John may very well be long-lived even without the lifespan boost of the Drabwurld... but that's not the point. ]

Of course, this could be part of what happens when you join the military at seventeen and see several lifetimes of war stretch out in front of you. Not that I assume the life expectancy for most shardbearers is that high...

[ And he's being morbid. He grimaces- and then swears again. ]

Buttercup, watch your claws!

Comments

[muscovy]

Elves are not very good at being long-lived.

[They are really, really silly there. Way too much like humans in some ways.]

[chromosomes]

[ ... how do you even reply to someone who looks like a child when they say that sort of thing. ]

No? They seem to like to tell me how old they are and how young I am in comparison, at least.

private voice

[bythewaves]

[ He hesitates a long time before he answers. John is Thranduil's man, and Thranduil has little love for the Feanorionnath. Even if he had not, John is friends with Legolas, and Maglor remembers how angry he was over the Prince's torture. And yet. John was as kind as he could be. ]

Only your thirties, king's man? Even for mortals, I would have thought that still fairly young. [ A quiet, hesitant tease before he sobers ]

But war will do that, aye. Age you before your time. Tis true for all folk, Eldar or Men alike.

private voice

[chromosomes]

[ John is... well, Celegorm's dead, as far as he knows. He's pretty much okay with Maglor past that. ]

Depends on the time period. In some of them I'd be getting pretty damn close to dying.

And here we are, stuck in one that doesn't want to end.

video. private

[orcsurfing]

[ Thirties! Ah, but by the count of the elves that is nothing at all. ]

At your age, John, I have been as tall as my father's waist. [ He chuckles, light and gentle, tipping his head back. Though this, this has been his worry ever since learning of how different John is from other Men. Even beyond the fact that the lifespans are tripled here, not knowing for certain what it means to be what John is... humans were not made to be immortal. ] I think I ought to steal you to travel with me... at a more opportune time. I can show you how we do it.

video. private

[chromosomes]

You're not much taller now, Legolas. [ Had to get that one in.

Still, it is, as always, good to hear from him. John offers him a slight smile. ]

Does it involve talking to flowers? Because I've got to tell you, I'm not good at that. Or talking to most people, really.

private. video.

[vrykolakas]

You've a cat on you.

[Just, you know. Thought he'd mention. Also yes this is delivered without the Brucolac looking up from whatever paperwork he's squinting at.]

Doubt that's helping.

private. video.

[chromosomes]

She's more closely related to weasels.

[ Sass. ]

Kind of feels good until she gets excited with her claws. Like a... weird massage.

video; - Private

[parallels]

Thirties?

Why John, you're practically retired. Time to settle down. Start owning lots of cats. You've got your start on that.

[She couldn't resist having a go at him. Sorry John.]

video; - Private

[chromosomes]

Mid-to-late-thirties. I'm practically retired.

[ Yes yes, laugh at him. Brats, all of you. ]

visual;

[sangilak]

You think "thirties" is old?

[ bruh, all her teachers were in their 50s+ when she was a little kid ]

visual;

[chromosomes]

No. I just feel it.

[ pay attention korra!! ]

video;

[jaywalks]

[ hi, it's rìzhào, with an important contribution to the conversation: ]

Kitty! Hi! [ :D

mako was gonna say something himself, but judging by the way his shoulders are shaking, that facepalm is not out of exasperation. ]

video;

[chromosomes]

[ This is the most important contribution.

John laughs, delighted, while Buttercup shifts to nose at the locket in her own 'hello'. ]

Hi there, Ri. Mako.

video;

[thebreakingwave]

What you need is a good, wide porch, some prunes, and kids to yell at. Get a stout walking stick, take up model trains, and complain about the fast past of magic these days.

video;

[chromosomes]

Well, I've got the kids to yell at and I can definitely complain. Two out of six isn't bad.

[dragonring]

[Dave has to admit, what John says gives him some food for the thought. He's supposed to live longer in his world too, how will that affect his relationships with normal people?

But all that gets forgotten for a moment when something totally more important calls his attention.]

Did you really name that-- that- armored cat of darkness "Buttercup"?

[chromosomes]

It's not her fault she's kind of... black-purple.

[ Buttercup purrs, flopping her head back down on John's back. ]

Private video

[gordianknots]

[Waver's flopped on his floor, and there's a book pile next to him when he replies to John.]

I think the best way to put it is a year is a long time in politics.

A longer time in war.

Private video

[chromosomes]

[ floor buddies ]

Especially when it seems like you've literally come out of the frying pan and into the fire.

video.

[brainiest]

You definitely sound like a dad right now.

[ She's smiling, though. ]

How are you? And -

[ eyebrow. ]

Buttercup?

video.

[chromosomes]

I haven't told anyone to go clean their room yet.

[ Not Dad Enough. ]

I'm- well, like I said. Tired. Buttercup's fine, though.

video;

[pontificus]

At least if one is to keep their shard, [She comments idly. Perhaps this is the true reason she has yet to commit to any action, regardless if she has no skill in battle to begin with.

Lucrezia feels for him though.]

Much can age a man or woman. I would think war is quite high on that list.

video;

[chromosomes]

I'm not certain, but I think it's one of those things that stays with you. [ Alyosha's certainly lived a long-ass time. ]

Definitely. Especially when it involves the fate of all worlds.

video »

[aliased]

What is that? [ here, have a wide eyed ten year old focusing on the important things.]

video »

[chromosomes]

Buttercup? She's a saber-fanged cave lion.

[ John shifts a little underneath her. ]

Buttercup, say hi to Arya.

[ She yawns, which... is practically a hello, even if it also shows off her very sharp teeth. ]

video;

[bolincredible]

Mm-hmm. Okay, you know, I'm pretty sure I can see what you're getting at here! And I think you might have a real overthinking problem. [ Says the guy with the underthinking problem tbh. ]

video;

[chromosomes]

[ Well. He's not wrong. ]

How so?

[digophelia]

[ Alice's greatest weakness: animals. ]

Ah? What sort of creature is that? That's not a very cat-like name!

[chromosomes]

[ Well. John's surprised by Alice, of all people, responding, but- he'll roll with it. ]

She's a saber-fanged cave lion. Though apparently they're not really cats, they just sort of look and act like them -- they're more closely related to stoats, that sort of thing. Except most stoats aren't the size of a bear.

video;

[judicatus]

[ The cave lion isn't unfamiliar to Gabranth, but... ]

"Buttercup"?

[ Well, he's heard stranger epithets for stranger companions still, so he won't linger on the subject. ]

War has a way of aging even the halest and hardiest of men...when it doesn't cut them down in their prime, of course.

video;

[chromosomes]

Buttercup, [ he confirms. Buttercup flicks her tail. ]

Cutting them down seems to be the more common result. Especially here.

Video

[starspangled]

I feel you, but then I'm in my nineties. Maybe Army men just take a little longer to wear out than Marines.

[No, Steve's not going to give you shit about the whole "Buttercup" thing. He's got this instead.]

Video

[chromosomes]

[ s q u i n t ] Okay, there's no way you're entirely human and in your nineties.

And maybe it's just because Marines do more.

video

[wolvering]

[Pod and her wolverine are very interested in Buttercup.

Almost to the point where the man talking is an afterthought. Whoops.]

Oh, aren't you a lovely lass! Isn't she, boy?

[There's a beat of silence.]

As for our lives, I can only hope our companions get the same lengthening to theirs.

[She runs her fingers through Kiga's fur for a moment.] And when you put it that way... Avert!

video

[chromosomes]

[ That's okay, John likes Buttercup more than he likes himself, too.

Buttercup is quite pleased by the attention, rumbling happily and rubbing her face against the locket. ]

And she knows it, too.

[ He scratches her behind the ears. ]

If not- well, I guess that's what boons are for.