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Entry tags:
October 2022 Test Drive Meme
OCTOBER 2022 TDM
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Folkmore's monthly Test Drive Meme! Please feel free to test drive any and all characters regardless of your intent to apply or whether you have an invite or not.
All TDMs are game canon. You can choose to have your TDM thread be your introduction thread upon acceptance or start fresh. Each TDM will provide a scenario for how characters arrive in-game that particular month.
Playing TDMs will allow characters to immediately obtain canon items from homes especially weapons or other things they may have had on their person when they were pulled from their worlds! There will always be a prompt that provides some sort of "reward" to characters who complete certain tasks.
Current players are allowed to have in-game characters react to TDMs via the Network or make a log with the prompts. Current players are always encouraged to tag new people on the TDM!
TDM threads can be used for spoon spending at any time by characters accepted into the game.
Content Warnings: Possible insanity via freezing. Temporary nullification of abilities.
COLD AS YOU
KEEP YOUR BRITTLE HEART WARM
COLD AS YOU
You were falling...
The world snaps into place all at once; you are laying on the ground, surrounded on all sides by towering bushes that stretch up towards a beautiful sunset sky. The bushes were clearly flowered at one point, but now the flowers have died and all that remains are browning leaves that are beginning to fall. On the chill air you can sometimes hear the sound of music, too faint to completely determine.
As you stand, you are filled with an intense desire to find someone. You might have an idea of who, but chances are you do not - you just know that somewhere ahead of you is someone that you need to reach. Whether they are friend or lover or enemy remains to be seen.
You wander the maze. If you're the impatient type and you have the ability, you might try to fly out but you will simply be vaulted right back down if you do. Something clearly expects you to play by rules which were never actually explained. As you move through the twisting passages of nature, you will notice that there is a frost creeping along the branches on either side of you. This frost brings a deep chill with it, and it encourages you to move faster, to find that nameless person now now now! If you take a very long time to wander the maze you may very well be on the verge of freezing and half mad with the desire to find someone. If you try to force your way through the bushes, the frost will crawl over your limbs and inspire both the freezing and near madness at once.
When you find your Person, the cold evaporates. The air suddenly feels merely crisp, and the leaves on the bushes seem more vibrant. The two of you now can focus on finding the way out - so much easier now - but any sense of urgency will have passed and you may just walk for hours, talking and sharing things about yourselves.
It is possible to solve the maze alone, but it is much easier (and more pleasant!) with someone else.
KEEP YOUR BRITTLE HEART WARM
When you exit the hedge maze you will find a stunning display of lights: hundreds of candles and lanterns decorate the ground and hang from trees, illuminating a clear path over a gently sloping hill. When you crest the hill you can look down and see a beautiful hot spring sprawled out below. It too is lit up by hundreds of lights, all of them glowing under the late autumn sky as it darkens towards night. There are changing rooms where you can stash your clothes (yes, there are bathing suits for the very shy) and bathing stations to ensure that you are clean before entering.
The water of the springs soothes madness and heals physical injuries or any frostbite that may have been sustained in the maze. It also relaxes you, making you perhaps more likely to open up to anybody else present.
The hot spring is staffed by many mice. They don't speak, but they squeak to one another in such a way that it sounds like they are singing - high lilting chants that seem to promise that everything will be okay. They are happy enough to band together to bring you towels or hot tea. The spring is open 24/7, always with lights to fight the cold and darkness of winter.
Content Warnings: Monster sighting, optional violence.
GLITCH
BAD OMEN
GLITCH
Folkmore has trains and of course the cat bus, but it also has roads, mostly utilized by horses and bicycles. Maybe you're looking for the convivence store, or maybe you just like walking. However it happens, you find yourself on a lonely road at dusk. It is unusually quiet, almost as if the world is holding its breath.
Suddenly you hear the sound of wings. A man-sized creature soars above you, something with huge red glowing eyes. It drops something at your feet: a walkie-talkie. The creature lands some distance away, staring at you, and a thought arises unbidden in your mind:
Help them.
The walkie crackles and you can hear someone speaking, asking if anyone is there. It is another Star Child, brought into this trial as well. They are in danger somewhere nearby; maybe stuck on the edge of a cliff, or trapped on a rope bridge - whatever it is, they need someone else to help them get to safety. If they have any powers, they have been temporarily nullified, but if the rescuer has powers they remain intact. That's where you come in! Using the walkie you must communicate with one another so that the rescuer can reach the person in trouble in time!
But what if you don't make it in time? Or decide that you're not the hero type? Well. The rescue-ee will suffer a terrible fate... for a few seconds. Then the entire world fuzzes and resets, but this time the roles have been reversed. Both parties will remember what has already happened, so if you just ran off into the woods with no intent of helping the first time you miiiight get your just desserts! This process will repeat over and over, people switching sides every time, until someone is finally rescued or the sun rises. Whichever comes first!
If you do succeed at a rescue, you will hear the rustle of huge wings once more. This time you don't see the mysterious creature, but you will find a mystery trunk. Inside you will each find some of your canon clothes and a canon item. Looks like teamwork is rewarded! Nearby, there will also be some unenchanted weapons sticking out of the ground: basic swords, guns, shields, etc.
BAD OMEN
You don't necessarily have to have completed the rescue trial to get some goodies, though! Those aforementioned weapons are scattered all over Folkmore. But if you just go to grab any of them you'd better be prepared to fight; after all, nothing comes for free!
As soon as you have pulled a weapon out of the ground, a tall, man in a black suit and hat will appear from seemingly nowhere and attack you. He has no weapons but he is extremely strong. He's also just really creepy - his face looks like it might be fake, somehow. The only way he can be killed is with a wound to the heart - any other supposedly mortal injury will result in another man in black appearing. It is possible for someone with no combat training to beat these creatures, but they really might appreciate a little help from someone with more experience!
The good news is that they won't mess up your clothes any, as none of these creatures bleed. Because that is totally normal.
Good luck!
no subject
[she's fairly certain that if Varric was told that Bianca sounded like a robot, he'd first 1) be very confused and 2) insist upon showing off Bianca's prowess. followed by 3) SJ facepalming in the background. and she'd have no idea what D&D stood for, although she'd been in plenty of dungeons. and killed a dragon]
--what, really? I guess you could call Corypheus dramatic. Drama queen, more like, he's kind of like 'I am your god now, grr, rarrr, look upon me and despair mere mortal! But mere mortals killed him twice, let's hope he doesn't pop up a third time like some particularly angry weed.
[she grins back. and best never mention that to Hawke, once she figured out what all of that involved, she'd send him a barrage of questions]
Necromancer meets, what? Is that a Tevinter thing?
[please tell her it's not a Tevinter thing, if she ever has to deal with any Tevinter things ever again (other than the occasional murder spree with Fenris), it would be too soon]
I know, right! She was hustling me along so fast, I didn't even get to keep my pack with me! And not to sound completely arrogant, but I already thought I had reached it.
no subject
[ There might be some magical ones somewhere or another, too. Some from legends. The ones who finished off the runes on Wednesday's spear, for example. But Tech Boy has to just roll his eyes at the description of Corypheus. Sounds like a stereotypical villain. When will they learn that monologues and declaring dominance is just cliche and pointless?
And judging by his raise of a brow, it's clear Tech doesn't know what Tevinter is either. So clearly, Jedi has nothing to do with it. He opts not to elaborate, though. It'd probably confuse her in the end. ]
You know the saying. We're all works in progress.
[ Finally, he stands and then ducks as the sound of wings or something rises up behind them. But when he turns to look, there's nothing there but a large chest. Huh. ]
Yo. Is this what it's like to have loot drop after completing a mission? Or....you think the big, magical box is definitely a trap?
no subject
[Corypheus is very eye-roll worthy. he monologued so long, SJ could feel herself growing older as he did it. and the news that apparently he had somehow died by her hand and then...brought himself back to life? even more annoying. with probably even more monologues, she was honestly afraid to ask the Inquisitor for fear the answer was yes, he just plain would. not. shut up!]
I'm thirty-one. Sure, I'm a little out of practice 'cause I was busy helping Seb take his throne and then got sent a long fucking walk to Weisshaupt, but rack up some bandits, I'll kill 'em all in five minutes. Less!
[and she lifts an eyebrow at the sudden appearance of a chest]
...well, that's convenient. Usually, I have to take stuff off of corpses and it's all bloody and messy but the coin still spends. [a pause] What's a loot drop?
no subject
Look good for thirty-one.
[ He says because that's really the only thing he feels he can comment on without asking a million questions. He would have pegged her for early 20s at most. One part personality being as chatty and vibrant as it is and one part her appearance. But he doesn't focus on it for too long, approaching the chest with only a wrinkle of his nose at the thought of her raiding corpses. ]
Regularly collecting that blood money, huh? Well, hopefully you don't gotta do that shit here. And loot drop is just something that happens in videogames. Which isn't something you'll understand either...so maybe we shouldn't deep dive into the differences between your world and mine. Which that's the year I'm from. 2020. The big question I got, though...
[ He taps his thumbs against the latch of the chest. ]
Should we open this thing? Or you think like.....bandits are gonna pop out of it?
no subject
Thanks. I take after my dad.
[who was an elf. and there were those who said that elves didn't age the same way ordinary humans did. though, to look at her one wouldn't see even the slightest hint of elven blood, right down to her very rounded and not at all pointy ears]
Well, they weren't gonna do anything with it anymore? And you never knew when you might find a cool staff or a sword or shield for one of my friends. But you're right, we shouldn't do that unless we've had something really strong to drink first. And, yeah...?
[his question makes her belly laugh. one of those kinds of laughs where one really doesn't care what they look like when they're doing it]
Let's hope not! Open in three...two...one!
[and a very large Mabari leaps out with a happy bark] Fluffy! Maker's breath, I thought you were back home! But you're here, this is great!
no subject
When the creature jumps out at them, Tech Boy takes a few staggering steps backward. He might have saved her from the pit, but saving her from an attacking creature is a whole different story. Except she doesn't seem like she's being attacked. In fact, she sounds absolutely delighted. And her words confirm it. This animal is from her world, probably a pet.
Tech Boy steps cautiously toward the chest again to peer inside and see if there's anything else. There is. In a protective case, he finds his vape pen as well as a few clothes for both him -- and he assumes for her, too. This box is oddly tailored to the both of them. ]
Hey. There's some other shit in here. Nice to know we don't gotta live in only the shirts on our backs, huh?
[ Maybe they're covered in a little bit of fur right now, but nothing a lint roller can't take care of. Tech takes out a geometrically patterned shirt and idly dusts it off. ]
Hope....Fluffy... [ His nose wrinkles at the name because such a huge creature definitely doesn't seem like a Fluffy. ] ...is potty trained and didn't take a piss all over the clothes.
no subject
and she's overjoyed to have Fluffy there with her. he's been at her side during some of the worst moments of her life, always a calm and steadying presence, affectionate when needed, death on four legs when that was needed, too]
Really? [she pokes around in the box, pulling out a blouse, jacket, and skirt All right! One of my favorite outfits. This is great!
[and the geometrically patterned shirt is kinda cool]
Oh, no need to worry about that. Fluffy's a good boy, he knows when and where he's able to take a shit. [to Fluffy] Don't you, boy! You're too smart to do something like that, yes you are! [Fluffy barks and wags his stubby tail enthusiastically]
no subject
So. I'm guessing that's the way of this place, right? Do good things and get rewards.
[ She's new. Like him. Clearly she wouldn't know. So he adds: ]
Just a working theory. The hot springs after the maze seemed to be a decent reward. And now this...
[ He taps the chest with his foot to indicate what he means. But the chest is harder and more durable than he anticipated and he immediately winces. ]
Ow.
[ A glare at the chest as though it's the thing at fault and not his own stupidity. But regardless, clutching his prizes in folded arms, his eyes return to Sarajane. ]
Where you headed now? You set up a place here yet?
no subject
and quite frankly? she's exhausted]
That's usually how it works, yeah. Though, I kinda wonder what is and what isn't considered 'good' here. I mean, there was a long time when doing good meant killing bandits for fun and profit. And a friend of mine...his sense of what was good and bad went completely wrong. [and she didn't see it until it was far too late to stop him]
Yeah, we better get to keep those. Of course as soon as everyone finds out about it, it's gonna be crowded by everyone, so let's keep that a secret for now, hmm?
[she looks momentarily alarmed at the 'ow']
You okay over there?
[and she's holding a froth of primarily black along with red and white clothes clutched in her arms. tulle and gauze and fishnet everywhere]
Not yet, no. I was considering a treehouse just 'cause it's ridiculous to think about actually living in a treehouse. You?
no subject
Do those things even matter?
He doesn't know. And maybe he never will. Which is something that bothers him because as the internet, he's supposed to know everything. Ask him any facts or hard data and he can answer with truth. Ask him this philosophical bullshit and he's left floundering for an answer. Which is what he does now and by the time he even thinks of saying something, it's too late and she's answering his question about where she's living. ]
The treehouses have their draw. Just can't help but think if you get some kinda storm in this place, you're gonna be royally fucked. Down will come Hawke-y, treehouse and all, yanno? But I'm probably gonna do the apartments. Just the most in line with my aesthetic.
[ He rubs at the bridge of his nose with a sniff. ]
It's kinda weird having the choice. The place I was in before this just assigned us places to live and we had to deal with it -- or do shitty things to get what we wanted.
[ There's a pause. Some hesitation before he asks: ]
What happened with your friend? The one who's sense of good and bad went....wrong?
no subject
accepting that there was nothing she could have done, that's the hard part. that Anders lied to her repeatedly to get what he wanted, made her and others unwitting accomplices to what he'd done.
and she's never been good at the whole philosophical thing. she misses Varric already, he was an ace at talking to people and helping them figure out what they were going to do.
but she'd argue that everyone can be good. it's just that certain paths were longer than others]
I'd say 'that's what healing magic is for,' but I can't actually do healing magic. No, the kinds of magics I'm good at are the kinds people like the Templars use to scare people about mages. Which sucks.
...seriously? What kinds of shitty things? Refuse to help an old lady cross the street shitty or go on a killing spree shitty? But, hey, they say that this place is not awful? Which will be an improvement.
[she sighs and looks down]
Where I'm from, all mages are kept in the Circles of Magi with Templars to guard us. In theory. In the truth, there are a lot of apostate mages who never set foot inside of a Circle, myself among them, and the Templars are creepy jailers who don't think twice about using their power over others to be dicks.
My friend was brought to one of those Circles. Escaped seven times, he hated it there and who can blame him? But...he accepted a spirit of Justice into his body. As time passed and his frustration at the way mages were treated grew, he became more and more radical until he, uh. Blew up a church. And a good portion of Hightown. Hundreds died. Because Justice wasn't Justice anymore, it was Vengeance.
no subject
[ With everything taken from the chest for now, Tech Boy reaches back to brace himself and hop up -- using the sturdy wood as a seat. It's not cozy, but it works. ]
Would you believe me if I said both? Both would be held in equal regard according to Lucifer. It was all about counting your sins -- didn't matter what kinds of bad things you did so long as you did bad things. That's hell for ya. Basically every shitty thing you read on the tin, full of cliches and rats. A weirdly large number of rats.
[ But as she begins her story -- something that's clearly painful for her, Tech Boy pats the spot next to him for her to hop up. It's probably not much comfort, but....who knows, maybe? Maybe she would feel better just sitting next to someone she barely knows. ]
So...you said he took on a spirit of Justice. Are we talking in metaphors or....was he actually possessed by something?
no subject
[Fluffy gives him a friendly bark and wags his stubby tail]
...seriously? Damn. And I thought The Maker was a dick. But this Lucifer guy, he has a say about everyone? Because that's a crazy amount of power. How does anyone know if he doesn't get things right? Or he's in a shitty mood and everyone goes to the place with the rats? Which would really suck, rats bite and they're like. Diseases with legs.
[it is. she honestly thought that Anders was her friend. she trusted him. she'd thought that if he was getting to the edge, he'd feel like he could open up to her. being judge-y wasn't really her thing. but she wonders if maybe she might have put a wall up between him when she got serious about pursuing Sebastian.
so she hops on next to him]
A literal possession. Most of the time, we were dealing with Anders. Or at least we thought we were. I guess we were wrong?
cw: talk of crucifixion
His attention drifts to her at the mention of it being a literal possession which makes the whole thing trickier. ]
I don't really know how possession works, honestly. Sure, it's happened a few times where I was and one time my girlfriend was possessed and strung me up on a cross to die, but like. She wasn't in control. So I don't know if it works the same for Anders -- if something else comes in and takes over entirely or if there's a balance in his mind. Maybe a merge between the two entities. But either way, it seems like a complicated sitch. Condolences. Maybe he'll show up here, though, and you can get shit sorted out. This place is like a shot at redemption, isn't it?
[ He looks around with a shrug. That's at least how it seemed packaged. Potential and redemption go hand in hand. But he cracks a faint smile. ]
Well, Lucifer had to answer to his dad apparently. The...
[ He waves his hand in a whoop-de-doo kinda way. ]
God of all Creation. Luci wanted to make daddy proud and all that, but he never could seem to get it right so on top of Lucifer's shit, we had to deal with God throwing temper tantrums. That guy really gives us gods a bad name.
Re: cw: talk of crucifixion
that has happened more than once. poor Merrill barely made it out with her dignity intact and Fenris didn't seem to have any idea of what to do. but Seb bowed to Fluffy in a show of respect and acknowledgement and who else had responded to her Mabari in that way before and damnit she's thinking of Seb and missing him again and she needs to quit it]
...a cross. Why a cross? I mean, I can get why physically, it works with a human form, but that just seems like overkill. Literally. And I would love the chance to hear from Anders again. No shit. I want to know why he did what he did and why he felt he couldn't trust me. Probably because I would have told him that the Chantry was off limits.
The Templar barracks on the other hand...sure. A legit target.
[and she means that. nearly every outsider she'd come across, up to and including King Alistair, had named Knight Commander Meredith as the biggest problem Kirkwall had. if Anders had wanted to bomb the Templar headquarters, she would have been completely okay with that and willing to stand up for him.
but the Chantry? filled with brothers and sisters of the faith, orphans, and Elthina (as much as she hated Elthina's treatment of Sebastian)? no way]
What is it with one's parents being able to fuck anyone up better than anyone else? My mom still blamed me for my little sister's death, even until--well. Until.
[that brings out a short, bitter chuckle from Hawke]
You gods, huh? That's awfully inclusive. Or very exclusive, depending on one's perspective. So which is it, inclusive or exclusive?
no subject
But to the remark about parents, he shrugs. From his jaded perspective, fucking up their kids seems to be what parents do best. Even if he's never actually had parents. World had kinda been a father figure, and that relationship was a total mess. So this is something he can empathize with her with.
Imagine that -- Tech Boy empathizing. A few years back, he never would have been able to. ]
It's not true. Whatever she said. I don't have to know what actually happened to know you wouldn't do something like that. And it's fucked that she'd dump that blame on you when you probably already feel guilty enough.
[ Her attempt to switch to a lighter topic with the question about gods gets ignored because it's okay with him if they spend a little more time unpacking her childhood trauma. ]
Yanno, people always make up gods so they have something to pray to when shit gets too heavy for them to bear. I might not be that kinda god, but if you wanna talk about it -- I'll listen. And if you don't, that's cool too. Ball's in your court.
(CW: death, kinda PTSDish?)
and she loved her mother. and how she died really fucked Hawke up for a long time. but she wasn't a perfect daughter to a perfect parent 'cause perfection is obviously unachievable and ridiculous to aim towards. even though she did it anyway.
he's actually really good at it! would recommend!]
I guess...It's just. Bethy was so good. Genuinely and truly good. And kind and considerate and so sweet. It's fucked up that she died the way she did. And I know it's like, good people die all the time, got kind of a front-row seat to that on more times than I can count, but it's worse when not only do you blame you for what happened, everyone else does too.
[they're gonna be there forever~~~]
Y'know, you're probably the third person who's said that to me and actually meant it. Feels good, actually.
no subject
Guilt has this way of clouding the truth. It makes people lash out at each other to try and find something to blame -- whether its themselves or others. Because in a lot of ways, if there's this concrete thing to cast blame on...it feels better, doesn't it? It feels like it wasn't just a shitty thing that happened and it could have somehow been prevented.
[ Tech Boy shakes his head, bringing his hand up and hesitating a moment before he rests it on her shoulder. He's not so good at compassionate touches, but he does his best. ]
But the truth is, shitty things happen all the time. Like you said, good people die. Bad people, too. And all of those in between. I'm not telling you to stop blaming yourself for it because I know that's a battle you gotta fight internally, but I think you can be kinder to yourself. If Bethy is as good as you say she is, she'd understand and I don't think she'd blame you either. What you can do is bring her with you -- her kindness and her story. Tell it to the people of this world because in that way, you can give her a new life and make sure she never dies.
[ It's fucking sappy. He knows it. But he'll blame the influences he'd hung around toward the end of his stay in Penance. ]
no subject
and she listens with wide eyes, unshed tears glistening in her eyes.
she leans into the touch. she's always been terribly affectionate with her friends. maybe that had been the first clue with Anders, that he was no longer willing to let her hug him?]
Bethy would...never want her death to cause a rift between me and the rest of the family. She'd---she'd tell me to pick myself back up and keep trying to save others. I know she would. And, as many people need to hear about Bethy, I'll tell them about her. How she was strong and good and kind. How her magic didn't make her a monster because what makes a monster isn't rooted in who one is, it's in what one does. That's...why I have such a hard time with Anders. He said that mages deserve freedom and I agree, but at what cost?
[and it is fucking sappy but it's also exactly what she needed to hear]
no subject
So for Bethy's sake, you better keep to that. Pick yourself up and start saving people. I'm sure there's plenty here who could use saving, yeah?
[ Where there's people, there's people in need. And this place seems to have quite a few of them around. After a moment, he pulls his hand back to set it on his lap. ]
I think one of the frustrating and brilliant things about people is how they can face the exact same situation with different perspectives. The price of freedom can be steep. And maybe Anders was willing to pay it so you didn't have to? Not arguing on his behalf, but more just giving you another perspective to think about. If you look at all the history books, most places are paved with the blood of soldiers and innocents...all so those inheriting the land could live a better life.
no subject
a small smile] I'll do my best. I wouldn't want to disappoint her. Not even in the afterlife or the Fade or whatever happens to us when we really die. Being at the Maker's side for eternity sounds boring.
[she may have to resume her nighttime hunting trips. she can't imagine this place is as lousy with crime as Kirkwall was, she couldn't go from one neighborhood to another without being ambushed by arseholes]
...maybe. If that's it, I--I owe him an apology. Even if it is, I still feel like I do. I hated being lied to, I hated that Anders killed the closest thing to family Seb had, but...here's the thing. I didn't like the Grand Cleric, either. She kept. Jerking Seb around by his vows. 'Oh, be a Chantry brother again, no I'm not willing to renew your vows 'cause I think I don't trust you anymore, yes I want you to protect me with your life, no I don't approve of your choice in companions.' [and she points at herself] And on and on, he must have felt like he was in quicksand and the one who could help him out dithered about whether or not he was worth it. Disgusting. But still, what Anders did was, what's the phrase? Disproportionate retribution?
no subject
[ He fishes in his pocket for the vape pen he'd retrieved. There's no mod, though, so he can't have a smoke. Instead, it's just something he plays with in his hands because Tech Boy finds it impossible to ever sit still. ]
But the good thing about being in the middle is you can see both perspectives clearer. You got this grand cleric and Anders who fought for a cause. Maybe in the worst way possible, but still. Think of yourself like a scale and the two of them are on either hand.
[ He raises his hands, palms up to mimic a balanced scale. ]
And here, you can weigh the balance of their sins. Maybe you'll be able to find justice. Maybe you'll just find more questions. Maybe some days the weight of Anders will feel heavier...
[ One hand sinks while the other rises. ]
Maybe another day, that cleric will be the one to sink the scale.
[ The hands reverse. ]
But I think if you can reach equilibrium, that will help you find your own way to feel about things.
[ The hands equal out again. ]
no subject
[and she item is different than anything she's ever seen as she's curious as fuck about it, but trying to not let herself be distracted]
Okaaaaaay....
[she trusts him enough to go with the analogy.
and listens, watching intently]
Maybe that's my potential? I gotta be honest, I kinda thought I already had met it. But if there's anything I can do to make sure that--'no one else has to die' is both naïve and unachievable. But I want to answer for why I did what I did. My reasoning behind it all 'cause people back home keep trying to speak for me and I fucking hate it.
gosh sorry. I got busy and then sick. But I'm back now!
[ Tech Boy shrugs. He can't quite deduce what the fox is after and won't be able to until he's been able to collect sufficient data. Being in this place for a couple of months at the least. Even if his intention is to find a way out of this place, Tech is realistic enough to know that's probably not going to happen for a while yet. Plenty of time to gather data. ]
But I'll find out soon enough.
[ And he hops off of the chest, holding out his hand to help her down just the way he'd helped her out of the pit in the first place. ]
We both will. Can I walk you back to your place?
[ Tech Boy has no doubt Hawke will be just fine on her own. She has the dog and she has her fighting skills, but.
But weirdly, it's nice just having someone to talk to, so he'd like to spend time with her for just a little while longer. ]
I'm glad to see you're back and hope that you're feeling better!!
[the only one who understood about her and Seb was Fenris. Merrill approved as best as she could, but there was the inevitable clash between the Chantry's beliefs and Dalish beliefs, despite Seb's attempts to learn more about them and actually talk to her about their respective faiths. and Isabela said she wished Hawke had met Seb back in his wild party-boy days so they could've had a threesome]
You will. You seem, I dunno. Really smart? In a variety of ways, most people only get one.
[she takes his hand and hops down with a smile and a whistle for Fluffy to join them]
Yeah, absolutely.
[and she believes he'll thrive in this environment. she meant it when she said he was smart in a variety of ways, that would be a huge help. and she flat-out enjoys his company. congratulations, he's got a protective big sister who can and will deploy a variety of terrifying magic at anyone who tries fucking with him.
and it is nice having someone to talk to. an objective opinion. for too long, she'd been surrounded by entirely too subjective opinions. it's nice. so, yeah, she wants to spend more time with him, too]