Author's Note said:
I bit off way more than I could chew when I gave 5 options for investigation, I didn't think about how long each one was individually, which ended up making the entire post huge. Lol. I'm sorry!
[X] The Counselor: Looking at Chloe with a gentle smile, Nala said, "If it is not too much trouble, I don't think I can stand much longer. Arranging someone to get food while I go lay down would be helpful."
[X] "Can you bring me some food in the barracks?"
The noise intensified, but Nala's ears locked onto a lilting sound in the background. It was an instrument she had never heard before, emanating a deeper, resonant tone. The sound was muggy, dark, and warm, far less silvery than the double-string lutes she had heard back home.
There's new music here, she realized as the celebration continued around her,
finally, new music.
Chloe said, "No problem! Do you think you'll be able to get there on your own?" It was clear Chloe was still thinking about Nala's fainting spell from earlier.
The Counselor: It's bothering her a great deal, but she doesn't know Nala well enough to push the issue
The Counselor: Nala reassured Chloe, "The moment has passed, thank you. I'll be fine."
In response, Chloe nodded and said, "If you're sure! It's easy enough to get around." She then pushed past some of the cadets, continuing, "Everything is color-coded. All the sleeping barracks are together, on the green line."
Chloe gestured in a vague direction, and Nala began drinking in the details of the campus. On the ceilings, walls, and floors, thick colored lines all terminated in a spiral in the central courtyard. The lines themselves were labeled, with arrows indicating whether Nala was getting closer or farther from her destination. The green one had white lettering painted inside that said "Barracks."
"If you jot your name down, you should be able to find your room number. I'll find you!" Chloe said, then walking away, barked at someone, "Hey Jordan! Help me raid the pantry, yeah?"
Nala watched as a lanky, looming figure startled, seemingly unnerved by Chloe's presence. When he made eye contact with Chloe, his head hung downwards and his shoulders slumped before he gave a small nod. Their conversation was lost in the din as they walked away.
The Counselor: I... am unsure what to make of that. Chloe may be an authority figure of some kind? Or does she hold some great respect in this community?
As Nala walked silently through the halls, she took a moment to ponder her inner voices. She realized she couldn't hear The Ally or The Cruel anymore, both seeming to have vanished into whatever shadows of her soul they inhabited.
The absence of their presence, though they had not been with her for a long time, left her feeling incomplete.
The Counselor: "They are using their reserves to keep you walking. I was not lying when I said we must rest soon.
Silently, Nala slinked past groups of people, eager to avoid the revelry and conversation. As she moved, her anticipation mounted as she drew closer to the source of the unfamiliar instrument. The green lines led her through a small garden, and beyond that was a large cathedral with glass roofs.
There was much more breathing room in the Barracks. Once inside, Nala noticed a podium, and on either side were walls that had been painted a key-lime green. Dotting along those walls were equidistant doorways, each labeled with a number and name, in runic blue ink. An adult sat in the open, leaning against a wall, playing an oddly shaped lute.
Some distant celebration engulfed the entire Barracks with singing, dancing, and revelry without restraint. Nala felt a small comfort that debauchery and libations seemed to be a multi-versal constant.
When Chloe had instructed her earlier to just
write her name down, Nala had expected it to be self-evident what to do. The podium, though, held no answers for her. A glittering stone cylinder rested on a small ledge, the only feature on the slanted mahogany surface.
She spent only moments studying it, as she was far more interested in the musician, not just in the sound of the music but also in how they coaxed it into creation. They did not just pluck the strings but slid their hands along the neck to make it sing. They raked their nails on the hollow wood and slapped the side to create a constant rhythm.
Their appearance was striking. They had frizzy flowing locks that lightened to a white ombre, two small pointed horns, and fingers painted black with white rune engravings. Nala noticed they were not wearing a uniform; instead, they were dressed in a royal blue open button-down shirt with long split-sleeves draping over their arms. They had black leather breeches tucked into thick leather boots with silver buckles. As she thought on it, she realized she hadn't seen many people in uniform as she had gotten closer to the barracks.
The Counselor: They've noticed you.
Did they notice me noticing them?
The Counselor: They did.
Did they notice I noticed that they noti—
The Counselor: Everyone is aware of everyone in the room.
Right, The song ended, and Nala approached, trying her best not to be intimidating. "Greetings, I'm Nala."
"River." They gave Nala a quick glance, and she noticed that their eyes were like piercing ice against their ruby red skin. She only caught this for a brief second, before they started twisting the tuners at the headstock.
"I find myself at a loss, unsure of how to obtain a room." She didn't want to ask, but knew she had to; or else she would end up sleeping on the floor waiting for Chloe. It was vexing that this simple magic eluded her.
River scoffed, "Then go back and ask your Captain or your platoon's tutor." They stood up to leave.
Her temper flared, "Wait, I don't—"
They cut her off immediately, "Orientation was at the docks."
She growled in response to the dismissal.
She wouldn't be spoken to this way! How dare they! The exhaustion was finally catching up to her, and it consumed her last kernel of patience.
Fuck it, she thought as she—
The Counselor: She was about to raise her voice to shout at them, but quickly realized that being gentle in this moment could shift the power dynamic. Instead of becoming angry, she lowered her voice, "Everyone on my ship is dead. A woman named Chloe sent me here."
NO I DAMN WELL DO NOT! she shouted in her mind as she was ejected from its cockpit.
Running a hand through their hair, River hissed under their breath, "
Shit." Then they made full eye contact with her; their mouth was set in a grim line. River walked over to the podium and gestured quickly for her to look. "I just got back from my first privateer mission." There was no apology in their voice, just a simple statement of facts. "Needed time alone."
While picking up the stone cylinder, they quickly glanced at Nala's uniform and scribbled out "Nala: Mage - Privateer." The markings' glowing dust floated and rearranged themselves into a room number. "You're in room two-two-four. Write down a name if you need to find someone."
They put the stone back on the podium, and left without a word.
I think I can guess what privateers are, she thought as they walked off. Then she continued on her path.
As Nala followed the room numbers, the party only got louder. She was grateful for finding a T-Junction allowing her to turn away from it. Eventually, the scribbly name-plaque of her room greeted her, and she rushed towards solace and rest.
She quickly surveyed the room, noting the essentials: a writing desk, a closet, a chair, and crucially, a bed. In a corner, she placed her holsters, sheaths, and uniform attachments. Then, she scrawled down on a piece of paper "If you have food and water, please wake me," and placed it outside her door. Finally, she leaped onto her bed.
She was asleep before her head hit the pillows, and then she felt a warm calming peace in her mind.
Nala woke up on a dinner plate that was covered in foamy clouds of pink bubbles. In each bubble was an iridescent version of herself. As many bubbles whooshed past, she caught fleeting glimpses inside of them.
One was smiling, holding out a thumb, surrounded by friends.
Another had its body covered in arrows, burns covering their face, and was dragging themselves forward with grim determination.
The newest one was Nala with her hair up in a tight bun, wearing glasses and staring into a mirror, as she took notes.
The bubbles swirled beneath her, and she felt comforted by some soft seat.
She caught more glimpses. In one bubble, there were two pieces of her. A young child, and a kind witch cupping her cheek. In the corner was a monster, and the witch was offering it tea.
She saw herself, stern, holding a rapier, teaching herself classes of leadership, warfare, and magic. There was a monster in the class but no one seemed to see it.
Some of the bubbles spun around the plate molding a part of it into a table, with a small pile of books. More bubbles whizzed by as she caught glimpses into them.
A different replica of herself was surrounded by auguries covered in mystic smokes, her eyes pure white. They stared at the monster, and knew its truths.
Another was lifting a sword, her eyes wide and teeth glimmering white. She looked as if she had just defeated a monster of her own.
So many of the bubbles were empty, and as Nala watched them, the bubbles began to condense and merge, forming more shapes around her. Some gave a jolt when they touched, others warmed her skin, and some sent chills down her spine, until the movement ceased.
The dream became lucid. All of the remaining bubbles coalesced, molding a wine glass that filled itself quickly with mead. She sat on a chaise lounge in an empty void. There was a small stack of novels and books on a table next to it. She had returned to her castle. Nala was sitting in front of herself.
This version of Nala, yet not quite Nala, was a Beast: six feet long, with dozens of eyes blinking in stochastic patterns. Its body, adorned with countless randomly placed legs of different sizes and orientations, was covered in sapphire blue skin. A dangerous tail hovered above, dripping black venom, while random patches of chitin adorned its glistening exposed muscles. Its face, unable to contain its razor-sharp teeth, revealed a barbed tongue.
She didn't belong there, in that space, in Nala's space. She must have needed help.
[X] Talk to it
Nala and
The Beast spoke in harmonic unison: "Hello, do you need help?"
The Beast snarled, stepping backwards and cowering. Its tail lashed out at Nala and she felt an intense burning in her neck.
As venom coursed through her veins, her skin and muscles melted like wax. They dripped through her ribcage in thick, grey sheets. Groaning through the surging pain, she lamented,
I've never had a pleasant dream; why would today be any different?
She wanted to
talk to it, she wanted to
connect, but this wasn't talking. Reaching out her hand, she put it on the creature's head. The stinger injected into her over and over. Venom started to collect in boils that burst painfully when over-full. Then she felt something new, an inner light that had never existed before. With her final moments, she reached out and
healed The Beast. The chitinous blobs grew, scabbing over more of the exposed muscle. It yelped as if it had been hit.
It quickly retreated, but by then it was too late. She was already far past any point of stabilization. As the last remnants of Nala started to dissolve into an oily muck, she wondered if it had stopped because she healed it, or because being healed was too painful for it to remain.
Gained Voice: The Caretaker
Nala woke up in her bed in a cold sweat. When she reached for her spirit box to comfort herself, she panicked.
It was not there, her eyes were dancing around the unfamiliar room. The walls were pale yellow, and the floor seemed to be some sort of tile with intricate designs. Looking up, she noticed that the ceiling was some sort of curved pyramid, each side meeting in a singular point at the center in large arches. All the details were flooding in and they were hard to grasp. Once again, she had to adjust to the overwhelming amount of over-saturated colors.
The Caretaker: "Shhh... Nina, it was only a bad dream. Ah, sorry I mean, it's Lena now yes?"
The voice of The Caretaker was soft and comforting, enveloping Nala in her gentle embrace, soothing the inner fires of panic.
Nala took a deep breath and relaxed,
It's Nala, actually, and tried to remember when she had gotten so soft. A single day back in the trenches and she was acting like a pathetic mess.
The Caretaker: Oh? That's wonderful, I think new names are a powerful magic. You have always been one to embrace change.
For reasons Nala couldn't quite understand, she gave herself a slight hug, and felt better. An odd tinkling made her look up, and she realized she had left her door open.
Hearing the clatter of dishware and cutlery, Nala glanced outside her door to see a floating assortment of food: bowls with spoons, decanters of colorful liquids, wooden cups, a large pitcher of water, and a Dutch oven emanating inviting aromas. Her mouth started to salivate as she locked eyes onto it.
She recognized half the scents, and the other half she wanted to get to know better.
"Knock knock!" Chloe's voice was bright and playful, and as Nala saw her enter the room, Chloe had one hand holding open her tome. With her other hand, she slid her fingers over text passages, orchestrating the placement of food on Nala's writing desk.
"Oh thank god," Nala said and nearly fell out of bed. Rushing to her chair, she quickly poured herself some water and drank it, then filled another bowl with water to wash her hands.
The Ally: As Nala took her first bite of the stew, it was fiery, acidic, and warm. The heat spread across her mouth, but the sweet flavors tempered it. She could taste pineapple, tomatoes, onion, and a few seasonings she didn't recognize. With a breathless gasp, she said, "This is
so good, what is this?"
"It's curry pork," Chloe laughed as she stood in the doorway.
The Ally: "No I mean," Nala said looking at the bowl, "What's in it? It's amazing! I want to be able to find more food like this. We could never get anything this spicy where I'm from."
Chloe raised an eyebrow at Nala, and Nala wondered if she had made a mistake in her excitement, "You cook?"
Nala nodded emphatically in response.
"Uh... Curry's its own blend I think? It's like fifteen different spices. The like, hot spice comes from the Bonnet peppers though. Those are my favorite as well but, they're way too hot for a lot of people. They must have thought the food was for me," she looked back at the party frowning, "I didn't actually have plans tonight. I could answer questions for you if you want."
The Ally: Oh she does NOT want to go to that party, we got this.
The Counselor: "She's done much, and everyone seems to be participating in celebrations. I would hate to keep her."
The Ally: Denied, sorry-not-sorry, but I'm annoyed she cut me off earlier at the front gate!
The Counselor: She can't do that!
The Ally: Nala said, "Honestly, that'd be
so nice. I've been trying to be polite but foof. It. Has. Been. A. Day!~"
[X] Social Life
"I do
not think I made a friend today," she said with a faux grimace, "I watched a person play their lute, and they were
very cranky."
"Lute?" Chloe said, "I didn't know there was anyone here who played a lute."
"Said their name was River?" Nala waved her hand at Chloe beckoning, "Come
in by the way, I can't drink all this by myself! Or did you bring two mugs so I could double fist liquor?" She tipped over the decanter and filled up both wooden mugs with wine.
Chloe made a clicking noise with her teeth but walked in and sat on the bed, "One, a mug was for water! Two, that's a guitar, River is nice but a bit eh..."
"Eh... is right," Nala said with a wink, "Everyone is having a wild time though it sounds like! Is this place always this fun?"
"Yeah, but not as loud," Chloe laughed and took the cup from her, "I mean there's so many artists, musicians, actors, writers, there's always something going on somewhere."
After taking a quick sip, she continued, "So between plays, concerts, and art shows you're almost never bored. There was also a big banquet thing. Some privateers were showing off new spices they raided."
Nala made a mental note,
I wonder who does the work, if everyone's out having parties. Kind of sounds like home in some ways.
[X] New Moon
She nodded, "It sounds amazing, it must be hard to keep it all running around the new moon disrupting everything."
Chloe took a sip from her cup, "It's a lot worse where I grew up. Here it was only a week or two of prep, but back home it took months. I hope it goes that well next year... You know?"
Nala had no idea, but she nodded, "Monsters still freak me out though, they're creepy as hell!"
"Yeah, I remember when I got jumped by like 3 of them when I was picking flowers for runic inks and stuff? And I could just feel them weaseling in. I managed to fight them off, but now I don't ever leave the city without a partner." Chloe was leaning forward now, she seemed lost in the conversation. When she talked, she moved her hands, always gesturing at something or somewhere that Nala had never seen.
Nala laughed, "Going out right before a New Moon? That's brave."
Chloe shook her head, "Oh no, this wasn't during the New Moon, just a random group that popped up in the forest."
Ok, so the monsters are always around?
"Right, right of course," Nala wondered if she could push a little further though... "Do you remember your first time seeing them? Mine was awful."
With a shiver Chloe replied, "Oh god, I think everyone's first time is always the worst, it was like... twenty years ago, so I was maybe... Four? Five? Anyways, I was out with my mom, and we were going from Sabryna to Queenston, which is the island a little bit down the way." She tapped on her cup gently with her finger nails, "I hadn't really developed my way to keep them out yet, so I hear my mom's voice, and I think I'm having a conversation with her. Then whoof! I wake up and she's got one pinned to the ground with a spear. My mom was a badass."
The monsters had been around since before she was born. Oh, shit she's going to ask me about that.
Nala lifted her mug, "To badass moms."
"To badass moms," she concurred, as she clicked her cup against Nala's.
Thank god they're dead, she thought internally.
"I had a pretty complicated relationship with my mom but, I don't think I'd ever deny she was cool though. She died when I was about... Oof... 11?" Nala took a rather dramatic swig of her mug this time, and poured it again.
Chloe's face dropped a little bit, and she held her mug in both hands. "Oh no... What happened?"
"Hunting accident," Nala replied morosely, "slipped and fell on a knife when we were cleaning carcasses. Terrible way to go to be honest."
She briefly considered going deeper into family history, but ultimately decided against it. [] Family
Nala took a deep breath and then made eye contact, "Oh... Sorry I uh... I'm just thinking about today. Forget about it."
[X] Academy
The Ally: Hmm... How to ask this? Oooh I know!
"Does anything change since I'm the only one who showed up on my boat?"
With a shrug, she followed Nala's lead and changed the subject, "I don't know, it must though. I was in the wave before you," There was a pause as she chewed on her thumbnail for a moment, "Everything I learned was with most of the people on my ship."
Nala looked at her, "Wait you're not some kind of like... Leader?"
Chloe looked at Nala, and shook her head, "No? You mean like an instructor?"
"Yeah, I had assumed because you greeted me at the gates, walked me through the entire city, made sure that I had a room, and literally brought me dinner." Might Nala have been making a face, Chloe started to blush.
She thought about using this as a chance to tease about relationships to see what falls out, but realized that might go poorly if she's not extremely careful [] Romantic Partners [] Tease [] Carrying you
"Oh
god, you really are just that nice aren't you?"
"I... If... Look, if... no one thought there was a chance anyone would make it. The last two times there were no survivors. Still, I just... If there
was a survivor,
which there was! Then I wouldn't want them to be left abandoned and alone in the city." She threw back the rest of her wine and handed Nala the mug, "Oh, Shut-up and be grateful!"
Nala wondered if she should keep teasing Chloe, especially about how she nearly carried her through the city, but that seemed less than useful right now. [] Carrying You, [] Tease
As the conversation moved forward Nala couldn't help but think to herself,
when was the last time I just had a conversation with someone? And then,
have conversations with people always been this exhausting?
The Ally: They are if you're doing it right.
The Ally: She re-filled Chloe's wine, and then her own, and she laughed while she tried to placate her, "I'm grateful! I'm grateful. Should we tell someone I'm here?"
Chloe snatched her wine cup, but she was also grinning, "I told one of the instructors, and they went to get the Admiral, so you should be getting a visit tonight."
Nala gave a quick nod of acknowledgement, "So how did you like your time here? I mean since the beginning."
She returned to the bed to sit again, "Honestly, I don't know. Like, it definitely wasn't what I expected. When I first heard of a nation of pirates... I thought it was going to be a lot less structured. There's been so much
training, and I'm constantly meeting new people or being thrown into new situations. It's not just combat either, math, arithmetic, leadership training."
"So it's been hard?" Nala tried to sound concerned, but deep down she felt excited. Here was a chance to have a formal learning instead of the hodge-podge education she got from The Witch, and then Maldrake.
"It's not hard, there's just like a..." Her guest looked at Nala, "People literally come from everywhere, so like, one time I mentioned off hand about flowers that grew back home? And then an instructor asked if I wanted to do like a talk about it. Before I knew it I was standing in front of 60 people answering questions about my old garden. It's not just training, they're trying to grab and combine as many ideas as possible. Here you're never just learning, or just teaching, it's always a mix of both."
[X] Magic
Pointing at her shoulder, Nala asked, "How long have you been doing magic for?"
She noticed her guest brought her hand to her tome as she spoke, rubbing it like an old friend, "I started... Fifteen years ago, my Mom taught me. I've been helping people a lot, because so many come here just to learn magic." Nala saw a pleasant warmth spread across her face, "I haven't really focused on anything but, there's always a workshop available for something. What about you?"
The Ally: Shit. Bad play.
"You know, I can't imagine a time I didn't have it, but lately it's just felt impossible to get in connection with it," Nala said.
"Oh that's awful," her guest said, "How did you learn, what kind of stuff did you do?"
"Uh... My... Family..." Nala's voice trailed off, and her mind began to blank as she tried to think of what she could say.
The Caretaker: "I remember going with my mother to collect willow bark," Nala spoke in a calm low tone, reveling in a very far off memory, "We'd talk for hours and then give it to people for their bones, which would ache terribly."
"One time, when I was a small girl," Nala said, "we went on a walk through, well," she tapped her chin, "Well I guess it was a meadow of sorts. We were looking for things to sell, and I had tripped over a rather large log. I had closed my eyes when I fell, as children do, and when I opened them I remember being scared by an odd rock. Oh, I let out a terrible shriek. My mother well she would have none of this and she said to me 'There is nothing to fear among a meadow, Child, if the earth wanted you, it would simply have to wait. Until then, it obeys.' And with a wave of her hand the rock stood up and walked away." Nala nodded, "Were your lessons like that? I always had to learn by doing."
Her guest shook her head, "There was a lot less," Nala could see she was choosing her words carefully, there was some point of contention here she was trying to avoid, but they'd both been drinking for awhile now. "Are you religious?"
"No I don't think so," Nala said, but then she remembered the void, "Maybe a little actually, but not any specific faith."
That apparently was enough for her, "There was a lot less hokum with my learning. Just facts, these are the runes, these are your conditionals, these are your logic gates, etc. etc. You know?"
Nala nodded slowly. She still didn't know.
"Did your mom have runes on her fingers, like mine?" the other girl asked, holding up her hand. Nala thought back to River, whose hand also had little engravings on them.
"Hmmmm." Nala looked at them and considered asking what they might do. "I've now seen two people with those kind of nail designs. I think they're very pretty."
"Yeah, me too. This is an equation where if I put my fingers together it finishes it and lets me cast a bubble, where the radius is the width of my thumbs apart. It's a little shield." The girl intertwined her fingers so that the runes on her nails made a straight line, making a bright pink bubble appear around herself, intersecting with the bed.
As she spread her thumbs back and forth the bubble deformed around the pressure. "It's a pretty clever little piece of math, because it just measures a triangle with my index finger leading to my thumbs, which makes it really efficient for energy. Very little predictive work."
"That's amazing," Nala admitted. She'd seen similar spells, but once again found herself in awe, there was a precision here beyond anything she'd seen before.
The girl named Chloe handed Nala her mug, "I think I better start drinking water now."
Nala nodded, and took the cup, filled it up with water, and handed it back.
[X] Gossip
The Ally: Thank you for saving us.
The Caretaker: You're welcome dear.
Nala noticed that the decanter of wine was empty, "Which of these bottles is good?"
Chloe pointed at a deep amber liquid, "The brandy is aged, compliments of Jordan and his science weirds."
"Bless you science weirds, long may you reign," Nala popped the top, and it smelled like apricots and cherries. She poured herself a cup and took a big gulp, immediately breaking out into fiery coughs. Maybe she'd had enough that night.
"I should warn you," Nala said starting on her... umpteenth cup of liquor, "I am an
incorrigible gossip."
As Chloe responded, she was leaning forward and cupping a hand to her mouth to hide her lips from an unseen observer, "I don't know if I want to taint your perceptions of anyone here..."
"Oh well, then I wouldn't want to pry," Nala's tone was delightfully playful. She'd always been such a great conversationalist and social butterfly. Honestly, she might have been one of the most fun individuals to be around. Most fun?
Chloe nodded, "Ok, so you met River, right?" her tone was low, and conspiratorial.
"Yeah?" Nala replied with a chuckle.
"Right well..." Chloe's voice dropped to a whisper and Nala leaned in a little closer.
Then she felt a small bonk on her head as Chloe tapped it with the palm of her hand, "I don't gossip."
"Not even a little?" Nala fluttered her eyelashes, trying to make her eyes as round and watery as possible.
Chloe burst out into giggles, "No! It's terrible! You don't even know anyone here!"
With a snort, Nala retorted, "It was worth a shot."
There was a knock on the door, and Nala walked briskly over to it, feeling completely at ease. She was pleasantly warm, basking in attention, drink, and conversation. She'd even managed to fit in a little nap. Despite the rough start to the day, she felt like the night had turned around quite nicely.
As she opened the door, she saw that River was waiting in the doorway.
They surveyed her for a moment, speaking before she could respond. "Admiral wants to see you in the morning."
"Why?" she asked.
"Becau—" River stopped mid-sentence, squinting at her. "You sound different." They continued studying her face intently.
"Because I sound different?"
"You're moving differently, talking differently." Yet again, River wasn't asking questions, they were stating facts.
"I've only said five words, how would you know?!" Nala's eyes glinted with mischief until she turned to see they were completely serious. The lighthearted moment was replaced with an uncomfortable chill, and she attempted to adjust her tone, aiming for a cool, detached analytical demeanor. However, her execution was far from flawless, coming off more wooden than clinical. "I've been drinking heavily and had a nap since I last saw you, River. Perhaps we should get to know each other better. People have facets."
River raised an eyebrow, "Fine."
"Hi River," Chloe chimed in, "You've met Nala?"
The new voice was flat and even, the focus remaining on Nala, "No. You're taking her there in the morning, Chloe."
Chloe seemed surprised. "I am? What's going on?" she asked, rising from the bed.
"There's a meeting. I've got more work to do." They didn't move, remaining in the doorway, dissecting Nala with their gaze.
Chloe climbed off the bed, "We should all get rest then. The Admiral tends to schedule his meetings quite early. I suppose I'll see you tomorrow since I need to get some sleep."
Nala gave a small, amiable wave and verbalized her goodnight greeting. However, a cough interrupted her, triggering a flurry of internal dialogue:
The Counselor: Do not tell them you're from another world.
The Ally: I've got a vibe.
The Counselor: You are drunk.
The Ally: No, well yes, but I know people, I think this is right.
The Counselor: Why would blurting out "I'm from another world," be the right move?
The Ally: She might not even believe us!
The Counselor: How is that better?
The Ally: We haven't lied to her yet? It's the one chance to say something before we're going to HAVE to lie. If she doesn't believe us that's not on us. If we tell them now, and then they tell us that's not true, and somehow later it comes out it is true, then that's on them. It's a down payment of trust that'll turn out to be a huge investment.
The Counselor: Friendships are not a business. Please observe River, and tell me that is a face of someone who loves a good joke. We do not know where the monsters we saw tonight come from, what their beliefs around these monsters are, what the religions of this world are. What if we're confused for a deity, or worse, confused for an evil deity, they could think we're possessed. What if staring at the monsters too long makes you mad in this world, and they think we've been addled.
The Ally: I think their cool, I think they'll be cool. To be honest, I think they already know something's up.
The Counselor: I think you are wrong, I do not think they are going to be cool. I don't think we should make decisions on "vibes."
The Ally: Not everyone can articulate what they're seeing perfectly. Sometimes you see something and you just know that's the thing.
The Counselor: Well I can. So let me tell you what I see. What I see is a very concerned woman who has spent the entire day doting on us out of guilt because we had been left for dead. I see a person who just came back from a military operation, who just wants some peace and quiet.
The Ally: Or... River volunteered to round up people because they wanted to be alone, and we appreciated the guitar playing, they noticed we were different because they noticed us. Chloe wanted to ditch a party and had fun talking with us. Not everyone does things out of guilt and obligation!
The Counselor: Not everyone wants to be our friend!
The Caretaker: Please behave.
[] The Ally: Sorry, can we talk for one more second before you go?
[] The Counselor: Ah, I had a tickle in my throat, sorry. Good night.
[] Fuck it, just pass out.
Nala later realized that she couldn't sense The Cruel at all. His normally persistent and pragmatic voice was barely a whisper in the back of her mind. She couldn't help but wonder if his perspectives would be beneficial in certain situations. Along with his grit and determination, he also carried an unkind streak that often forced her towards certain decisions.
While Nala could hold onto an infinite number of voices in her mind, she knew she could only bring three with her at a time.
[] The Cruel - Strong-willed
[] The Ally - Socialite
[] The Counselor - Clinical
[] The Caretaker - Maternal
REFLECTION:
As she reflected on the events of the night, she considered the choices she had made.
While she likely could have met more people and possibly an instructor in the cafeteria, she felt she would have been without voices when conversation arose, stumbling through the remainder of the night. That's if she could remain standing, and managed to avoid falling asleep the moment she found somewhere quiet and comfortable.
Her barracks, on the other hand, were both loud and private. This allowed for more open and intimate interaction. Another stroke of luck was being so exhausted from The Cruel's tirade on the boat that she fell asleep immediately, the party's noise not bothering her at all.
Thinking of the Library, being able to study might have provided many answers and Chloe most likely would have helped her select books on topics of interest.
Although it was impossible to know the result of her dream, The Caretaker still managed to save her from a rather awkward conversation resulting from The Ally's blunder.
