Video.

[supercilious]

[ It's well after midnight. The camera feed is a mess of black and grey, the Forge screen the only illumination. It turns Arthur's face sickly, throws unusual shadows across it. His voice is low. ]

Tell me a story.

[ There aren't many left familiar with the way he demands this in bored, petulant tones. ]

About someone you lost.

[ An

Comments

[yetsleeping]

I have an awful lot of stories like that.

[supercilious]

I feel as though I know a lot of yours already.

[yetsleeping]

A lot. But not all.

...I could tell you about my father. I told you once that I'd killed him twice. But I don't think I ever told you anything else.

[supercilious]

Only if you want to.

Video;

[worstspotinhell]

There's a few I could tell.

But the worst was a girl I was in love with. Her name was Fred. [He pauses, as if it's painful to talk about. Arthur might notice him pick up a bottle and drink from it.]

An ancient being took her body as a host and gutted her alive, leaving nothing but the shell.

Video;

[supercilious]

[ Late night drinkers unite! ]

[ Arthur's eyes widen. ]

That's a terrible story.

Video;

[worstspotinhell]

It is.

She tried so hard to fight it, but in the end Illyria was stronger. She never stood a chance.

Video;

[supercilious]

I'm very sorry.

Are ancient beings particularly common in your world?

[charmprince]

...Any story?

[supercilious]

Yeah.

Public -> Private

[charmprince]

...Hold on.

[Switching the feed to Private. She doesn't even know why she's doing this. Maybe it's the look on his face. Or maybe she's just needing to lance these particular infections and he's got magical timing.]

I don't normally go airing my dirty laundry like this. But if you're needing sad stories, well, I've got a few. Which would you like? The one where I let my best friend sacrifice herself for me? The one where I watched the girl who loved me most get married, have children, age, and die? Or the one where I was denounced as a monster and run from?

There's other ones, but I guess it all depends on the sort of tale you're asking for.

Private

[supercilious]

I want the tales people want to- no, that's not it, the tales people need to tell.

[inpiecesofcloud]

I have a story, Arthurin.

It was a long long time ago when I was a little baby. I had a mommy and a daddy but I don't remember losing them. I was too little. We were in Kusajishi - that's a really bad part of Rukongai, almost the worst part! - so they were probably killed. Or maybe they're the ones who lost me.

[She pauses, thinking, as if considering this for the first time.]

Maybe that's why all I remember from before Ken-chan found me is blood.

[supercilious]

That's a rather sad story, Yachiru.

I don't remember my mother, either.

[inpiecesofcloud]

You don't? But you have a papa, right Arthurin?

My story's not too sad. 'Cause that was when I met Ken-chan and he gave me my name and he never let me be lonely.

[She frowns.]

He would still be here if he could. He wouldn't have gone away if he had a choice, so I know he'll be back for me. So that's why he's not lost.

[supercilious]

Yes. Back home, my father's still alive. When he passes on, I will be King.

[ He presses his lips together for a moment. ]

I'd have liked to meet your. . . Ken . . . chan. You'll have to introduce be when he returns.

[atonementsucks]

You really want to hear stories like that?

[We could be here all night.]

[supercilious]

Yeah. I do. It's that kind of night.

[atonementsucks]

Yeah. I get those too.

[And the pause before he goes is practically heavy enough to break the Forge.]There was this princess once. She was beautiful... spoiled, loud-mouthed, pain in the ass, all the things you expect from a princess. But brave, even if she didn't know it at first. One by one she began to fight against the monsters that plagued the land, kind of by accident, and one by one her court fell away from her, and when she finally had nothing left she traveled to a distant city. Full of lights, and people, and... designer shoe stores. Which she loved

/threadjack! | private to Angel (hey, look, he's really got the hang of it now)

[samianscar]

Don't think I know that one.

Thought I did at first, but it isn't.