eachdraidh | video; unseelie.

Entry tags:

video; unseelie.

Well, now that that silver nonsense seems to be sorted out, I think we need to start talking about things we can actually fight back when they attack us.

[ About as direct a greeting into the topic of this message as you can get. Katsa sits somewhere outdoors, cross-legged in the grass with her locket angled to show the sky clear behind her: fitting for the mismatched colors of her eyes, unusually bright green and blue. ]

I know our High Majestic King and Queen [ the titles spoken with a hint of irony ] don't seem to care always how old someone is or how much experience you've with weapons or fighting when they decide to claim you. Whatever you think of this war, whether you'd rather run right into the Void right now or wait for it to come to you, everyone here should have the skills to unlock their own strength. It's better that you've the ability to jam a knife into a man's eyeball and never have to do it than find yourself at the end of an attacker's blade with no way to get out of it. You shouldn't have to rely on anyone else.

So I'll teach you if you've no experience of your own. I usually teach young girls—children—but I'll not turn my back if you need it. That includes how to use your shard—the thing that Seelie will try to take right out of your chest.

[ She moves to close the locket—then halts, fumbles, and picks something off the ground to hold flat in her palm to show anyone watching. ]

And what in the name of the Middluns am I supposed to do with this?

[ WHO HAS TURTLE CARE TIPS???? ]

( dated after boon delivery on the 25th! )

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Well that was a great mental image. [Not that he minds. It's one of the things he likes about Katsa, truthfully, and when he listens to her speak he can't help but grin even if she can't see him. He watched the video. It's enough to know what she's talking about.] I didn't know you knew how to use your shard though.

[Not that he needs training. Well, he does, but he'll tackle that with Loki later. Right now he's more concerned with wrapping things up in Redgate and preparing to leave the next day, but there's always time to check the network and catch up with friends.]

I was actually going to tell you I just recommended you to somebody for weapons training, but I think there's something more important we should talk about. What's with the tiny turtle?

I've known for some time now—more than a year—but I've only had real need to use it a few times. Others could use it, though. Are you hoping to learn it? I can teach you, and whoever else it is you're sending along to me.

The turtle is... a gift. Whether it's from our Lady Queen or the imps thinking they're funny I've yet to discover.

As much as I admire your teaching and wouldn't say no to that, I think I'll pass. I've got a deal with a god to learn from him anyway. But I think it's cool that you're offering.

[There's a pause, and some fumbling, and suddenly there's the video to show Hiro sitting in a room in an inn, sitting up on his bed and holding the locket closer to get a better look.]

Who says it's not both? Depending on the imps they can be total jerks sometimes. Gonna guess they didn't send instructions or anything with it?

Hm. A deal with a god.

[ It's more that Katsa's simply testing out the statement to consider it rather than question it. It all sounds very impressive, but she wonders if it should sound ominous, too. Perhaps it would mean more if she'd had much talk of gods and spirits before coming to the Drabwurld. ]

Is it depending on the imps? They're all foul enough. I don't know. They said he would grow much bigger, in time.

I didn't expect to get what I'd wanted from Queen Morla, anyway, but this still seems a bit of a stretch.

[It'd probably be more impressive if it wasn't Loki, but there's a reason he's not specifying just which god it is. But instead he nods. It's a deal that's been in progress since February. He's earned it, finally.

He grins though.] I've managed to con a couple of them into listening to me...just not all the time. And sometimes they still like to steal stuff out of my backpack and hide it around the castle. [He's lifting an eyebrow then.] But they usually know better than to go against Morla. What'd you ask her for anyway?

I asked for the Seelie knight Tarz, so that I could be the one to kill him again.

[ It had been a fit. Katsa hasn’t really cared much about boons, though she will use them if she finds them useful; annoyed by the imps, she’d simply demanded that Morla and Reul, in all their great and very impressive power, bring the Seelie knight back from the dead so that she could take care of him herself.

She’d known it was unreasonable and impossible when she’d made the demand, but she certainly hadn’t expected the turtle. Katsa continues as though she hasn’t just said something that might be worthy of a comment. ]

They used to steal my things as well, until I made it very clear that I didn’t appreciate the gesture.

...in all fairness, I have a lot of junk that sometimes it takes a few days to notice stuff's missing. [Eheheh. The life of an inventor, really. Usually it's bot parts or tools and then usually it's a game of tug-of-war with imps. What a life.

At her explanation about Tarz though he pauses, staring at the turtle again.] How do you know that maybe he's not Tarz reincarnated? Maybe Morla and Reul wanted you to tame him and raise him to be a knight for us instead.

[Another tilt of the head.] He's gonna need a new name though.

If they went to all that trouble, I'd rather he were something else.

[ There's a look of disgust on Katsa's face as she registers the possibility, and she holds the turtle further away from herself. ]

You name him.

Me? [He hums under his breath, and then there's a slightly child-like grin appearing as something occurs to him.

He doesn't have a lot of experience with turtles, but...]

...name him Leonardo. [Clearly the most superior. He's the leader, after all, but he doesn't have to tell Katsa that. He has an explanation in the wings if she really asks.] And I wouldn't judge him by his size yet. [A beat.] People judge me sometimes and you've seen what I can do, haven't you? He might be the coolest fighter yet and we don't even know it.

[Granted...he's a very tiny turtle.]

Leonardo.

[ Katsa’s skepticism is very obvious. She doesn’t believe you, Hiro.

But she does smile at something that he says. ]

You’re a good fighter for your age, Hiro, and you can get yourself out of trouble; but don't overestimate your awe-inspiring abilities just yet.

I suppose he might bite a few ankles or toes.

[He's just going to nod and hope that he looks confident enough that she'll buy it. He's a little used to Katsa's skepticism (hell, the skepticism of most of the people he associates with) but he'll just barrel through it.

At the compliment though it turns less overconfident and more sheepish. So maybe he's getting a little ahead of himself. Again. That doesn't mean the turtle can't be something great, especially with it being a gift from their monarchs.]

Leonardo's going to start small but he'll probably grow to be a decent size. Haven't you ever seen a tortoise before? They can get pretty huge. Like a good couple of feet if they feel like it. [Granted it's hard to tell with something that small if it's a turtle or a tortoise.] And even if he's a regular turtle he can be back-up defense. Turtle bites hurt.

[Please don't ask him how he knows that. Being a small child and running loose around ponds in San Fransokyo led to quite a few encounters with animals that probably shouldn't have happened.]

They did say he’d grow, but he certainly has a long way to go.

[ And sorry, Hiro, but you’ve given exactly the opening for someone as nosy as Katsa. She covers her smile. ]

And how would you be the expert on turtle bites, Hiro?

Edited 2015-06-26 20:12 (UTC)

That is not important. I stopped playing with them when I was ten. [Playing, picking up to study, it's all the same thing.]

They seriously didn't give you an idea how big he'd get? They could say he's gonna grow but he'll stop at six inches. Or he could grow and be the size of Arrow. Have you seen the size of some of the creatures around here? That's kind of a lot of leeway. [Mostly he's just curious what the monarchs and imps told her at all. The reincarnation theory's not entirely out, but why a turtle...?]

[ There's no point in hiding that smile any more. Katsa's actually almost laughing—you should be proud of pulling that out of her, Hiro. ]

If he grows the size of Arrow I'm not sure even my stables would hold him with the weight his shell would have to be. But they did imply he would grow to be closer to the size of a horse than that of a mouse. I suppose we'll find out.

[Considering he knows how hard it is to get her to relax that much sometimes, he's incredibly proud and it's why he doesn't mind sharing things like that. The idea of the turtle growing to be as large as Arrow is disturbing, but it's not at all surprising for the Drabwurld.]

We should start charting his growth now and make sure he's healthy so he reaches his full potential. [...or, rather, "Katsa just let me play with the turtle and study it."] He's yours now. What do you think?

[ Annnnd finally there's the actual laugh. ]

They survive well enough in the wild, don't they? You're welcome to do as you wish, though I didn't know you were such the expert on turtle care.

[Victory!]

I have a fish tank at home and I also have a cat. A turtle's just kinda like the two combined and slowed down by ten, it should be totally fine. [He's well aware it's a very different situation, but if it gets him closer to his goal, then whatever.] When I get back though I wanna come out and see him anyway, just to be sure.

[A beat. And then, slightly hopeful-] And maybe train some more? I'm getting a lot better. Bellamy's been teaching me some new stuff, too.

[ well it’s not like katsa knows anything about pet care other than horses (CONTRARY TO POPULAR OPINION, YES SHE KNOWS HORSE CARE) ]

Yes, we ought to train more. I’m glad you’ve been training without me and not slacking off like some.

Me? Slack off? What would even give you that idea? [There's a slightly mischievous grin following the statement though that says Hiro's been doing god knows what and has in fact been slacking off toward the end of the month.] Bellamy's been teaching me how to throw hatchets!

Anyway, I've got something I wanna show you, too. But it's gotta be in person.

[ Katsa rolls her eyes at Hiro, but she likes hearing what he’s been doing. ]

I hope they’re small hatchets. I’ve seen some as big as you are.

[ And she knows Bellamy now, too; she might have to inquire how that’s going from him as well. ]

What is it that has to be seen up close?

Hey, everybody has to start somewhere right? I'll get better. [He sounds 100% convinced of the fact that he will get better and soon be flinging around axes as big as he is. Never mind the fact he can barely throw a small one five feet. But he will get better.]

You'll see what it is soon. I don't wanna spoil the surprise but...the monarchs gave me something, too. I'm kinda busy tomorrow, but I can always come out to see you at your place in Srathmarbh in a few days if you're there? [And let's be honest it'd be nice to stay out of the castle for a little longer, even if it's just for an afternoon. Jason's let him go once. As far as Hiro's concerned, that's just as good as permission to keep returning.]

You will. You’ll get better. As long as you take your own strength at honest value, you’ve the probability of improving quicker than most.

[ but be careful. ]

A boon? [ katsa sounds almost amused. ] All right. I’m not there, but I can be there. I’ll be at Caer Scima for the first time in a while in a week or so, too, just in case our timing doesn’t quite line up. However eager you are to show me.

I hope you're right. I'm kinda counting on it.

[But he grins even wider if that's possible. Yes, a boon, and yes he is extremely excited about it.] I guess it can wait 'til you're back at the castle. I gotta test it out a little bit anyway and see what they did to it to make it better. [But wait a minute.] I thought you didn't like coming back. What're you doing?

[ this is beginning to sound concerning... ]

I don't like coming back. But it makes sense with all the offers I've made that are being accepted now. If it's just one or two people, we can use my place; but the castle has a better armory and a better training ground and places for everyone to stay. It's not going to be a leisurely stroll, after all.

[ plus it's central and everyone knows where it is. katsa will return for the people, since there are enough of them. ]

[There's a noise that says he agrees with that logic, but he can't help but ponder that for a moment.] Well you know how to find me if you need anything while you're there. I'll see what I can do.

I'll see you when you're here. Don't forget to bring Leonardo!

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