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 Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 9:51 pm
Their voices had stopped, but Malodore was managing to think so hard that it was just as bad as real sound, and she groaned at the sudden wave of emotion. Her eyes closed, and tightened, and a whimper escaped her before she reached out to try and pull Malodore in.
Stop, please stop. She whispered. She really didn't want to explain the situation, but if she didn't, Malodore would probably knock her unconscious with how strongly it's thoughts were drowning her.
Listen. Very carefully, because it's important you hear everything. When we were in Barth's room, you were upset that I had interrupted Christof's happiness. You asked yourself if I was really that self-centered. Okay? Were you right? Yes. Did it hurt? Yes. Am I over it? She lied. Yes. So let's just put it all behind us and stop thinking so hard.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 9:57 pm
"I... I asked myself...?" Malodore stared at her, head tilted sharply to one side. It would have been comical if the plague doctor hadn't been so confused. "I don't remember... oh, Riley..." It sat on the edge of the bed and gathered her into its arms as best it could without causing her pain, being very careful with its movements. "Mia cara, I think foolish things I don't mean when I'm frustrated. Everyone does, I think. I don't even remember thinking that at all - that's how little it mattered to me. I thought you were angry because you felt unwelcome... which I never intended either..."
It nearly tried to show her its emotions again, feeling it was failing with just words alone, but it stopped itself from doing so just in time. "What happened?" it asked, hollowly, turning its head to look at Jericho as well.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 10:09 pm
Coming into the room, Jericho furrowed his brow again as Riley filled them both in on what had happened. The response caused him to shoot a sneer at the plague doctor. If it had asked that, then there was no excuse for it to pretend like it hadn't said anything.
He didn't really think Riley was over it either... With the way she was acting the previous night, he doubt she would get over it so quickly.
But, at least Malodore was being apologetic with it. That didn't take the displeased look off of his face, however.
"That's something Riley has to tell you," he said in response while leaning against the wall.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 10:21 pm
Jericho. Riley sent him a warning glance, before curling one arm around Malodore. She turned back to look up at the plague doctor, her own damaged emotions soothed by it's honest apology.
I got stubborn. She answered vaguely to Malodore's question, hovering as close to the truth as possible without touching on it. I didn't want to feel.. well, I didn't want to feel. We're not used to this kind of thing, you know. There is quite a bit of power in your words, even those you don't mean. I'm not used to it.
She hedged, before sighing. I just wanted to try to forget everything, so it wouldn't hurt as much. Jericho wasn't a fan of the idea, so I challenged him to a fight. I hadn't taken into account his dragon form, however - so unfair. She made a face at the dragon boil, and chuckled. If I wasn't so out of practice, I would have brought him down without a scratch.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 10:29 pm
Malodore stared at her. "Forget... everything? Why... why would you..." Its gut twisted, and it hugged her tightly, desperately. "Don't ever... mia cara..."
It held her for a moment more, shaking slightly, before easing up and glancing back at Jericho. "Grazie mille," it said, very quietly. "For... not being a fan... Jericho.."
It felt ill. To think she could try to do something like that... so easily... that everything they'd worked so hard for could be gone in a moment's weakness...
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 10:34 pm
And that was why Jericho pushed the answer onto Riley. She knew how much information she was comfortable with giving out and that was what she had done. He soon chuckled briefly while making his way to the bed to sit down on it as well.
"Hey hey, don't give me so little credit," He grinned, "Besides, it was a fight I couldn't lose, I had to use every advantage I could get."
"But really... don't do that again please," he said before nodding to Mal. It was something thrown at both of them.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 10:40 pm
And there it went again, all of the angst over forgetting emotion. This was what she got for becoming so close with creatures that weren't mindflayers. They didn't understand, they never would. Who was in the right? Her, for sticking to the beliefs of her people, or them, for stopping her?
It was so easy to just.. not worry about that question, when she felt the comforting presence of Malodore in her arms, and the warmth of Jericho against her. Just as it was easy to forget her woes with a squirming puppy begging for her love, so too did she simply relax against them and try not to think too hard.
I wasn't really going to forget anything, just.. it's complicated. And it doesn't matter. Jericho won the fight, and I honor my promises. I'm just unsure of how to proceed when I don't understand how to live sometimes. It's very frustrating. Honestly, I would think you would understand this most of all, Malodore. From what I understood, emotional anguish is new to you, as well.
She lifted her hand up and slipped her fingers through it's claws. Where do you find the strength?
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 10:46 pm
"I shall try," Malodore said with a sigh, nodding at Jericho before refocusing on Riley as she spoke.
"New to me? No... no." Malodore gave her a wry look, opening its beak just slightly. Not quite enough to be a smile, but not deadpan either. "You can't run away from everything you know and not feel anything..."
It was trying to hold the emotions back but flickers of them leaked through just the same. Fear - fear of what was out there, fear of running. Fear of being caught. Frustration. Anger, oh - so much anger, at having this choice forced upon it. Loss.
"We find the strength because we have to have it. We have no other option but to continue living," it said, looking up to meet Jericho's gaze for a moment. "It hurts... but it makes us stronger."
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 10:58 pm
Jericho's gaze flicked back and forth between the two before settling on Riley after Mal had spoken.
"Remember what I said? What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Emotions can weaken.. yes, but there is so much potential of how it can fuel you. How it can drive you," he said before glancing away, "If I didn't feel so strongly about it, I probably would have lost that fight yesterday."
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:00 pm
It wasn't that they weren't making sense, they were. Only..
Riley looked a bit riled up. She squirmed uncomfortably. Are you saying mindflayers are inferior species for refusing to feel emotion? That we are weaker than you are for it?
This was dangerous, and treacherous territory they were treading on together.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:05 pm
"No?" Malodore tilted its head to one side. "I... don't have an opinion on mindflayer strength. But I know how I live, and I know how I want to continue living... ti amo, mia cara, e non voglio che tu sia paura di questo."
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:11 pm
"I'm not saying that at all," Jericho said lowly, "Mal couldn't have put it any better... I think. I really don't everything it just said."
He shot the Plague Doctor a glance at that. The dragon knew little to no Italian at all.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:15 pm
Riley did not look fully appeased, but neither could she really think straight when Malodore said things like that, so it didn't matter at the moment. She nuzzled her head against it, and chuckled at Jericho.
It said that mindflayers are the best, and dragons are terrible fighters who do naughty things with unicorns. Didn't you, Malodore?
Privately, she nudged Malodore gently, an affectionate touch that lingered as it surrounded her whispered words. Lo ti amerò per sempre.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:20 pm
Malodore blinked. "I... oh. Oh, that damned book." It shook its head and opened its beak in a genuine, if small, smile. "Jericho, it seems people write most scandalous things about your race. I assume red dragons do not, in fact, visit the pumpkin patch with unicorns? I expect the publisher will be burned down any day now."
It paused, then spoke again. "And... I am sorry for snapping at you. I did not understand the situation, but that is no excuse for acting rudely."
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:24 pm
".... WHAT?" He said louder than he meant. Immediately after saying that, he shot Riley an apologetic look. That didn't stop him from looking towards Mal critically. As he did so, he remembered the still had a brain on a platter in his hands... so he quickly offered that over to the hungry mindflayer.
"Dragons do not consort with unicorns," Jericho affirmed with a huff, "If anyone that'd be more of Calder's thing I think."
That said, he calmed down a bit and shrugged, "Eh. Don't worry about it."
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