wedding Walkelody: Another Wedding

[I think I am here.]

“Thank you, we will,” Lusk said and began walking to the food bar, glancing a look back at Freedom.

“It’s been a while since our last lesson,” he said. In the beginning, he had disliked calling their meetings ‘lessons’. It made him sound like he had some sort of responsibility to teach the young Atium Ferring, that he, Lusk Uwik, was being reduced to some sort of personal tutor for a teenage girl. But, he had come to terms with it eventually. The lessons weren’t all that different from the tests Lusk did with his underlings, after all.

“Been catching up on your ‘homework’?”

[Silva]

On 10/12/2019 at 8:22 PM, I think I am here. said:

“Been catching up on your ‘homework’?”

Freedom hurried to catch up with him. Even when she was storing, he was taller than her and could walk faster.

"Considering that what you assigned was 'exercise more', then I've been doing that and then some," she said, thinking of her late nights recently. "And what about you, Mr. Uwik? What have you been up to?"

It was after she spoke that she remembered that the proper title would have been 'Councilman'. She didn't correct it, though. If he minded he'd tell her.

[I think I am here.]

On 18/10/2019 at 4:30 AM, Silva said:

“Considering that what you assigned was 'exercise more', then I've been doing that and then some," she said, thinking of her late nights recently. "And what about you, Mr. Uwik? What have you been up to?"

“The usual,” he said, looking towards the snacks that were laid out.

“Drinking. Working on one monster or the other. Trying to keep the Ghostbloods alive.” His hand hovered over the cupcake section before he quickly grabbed the one cupcake with black icing among the colourful rest. Couldn’t have anyone think he was growing soft, after all.

“I have to say though, I’m curious to what ‘and then some’ entails.” He shrugged and took a bite of the cupcake. So sweet.

“Maybe you’re ready for a sparring lesson,” he said and grinned. “Should be easy beating up an old man such as myself. A cakewalk, really.”

[Silva]

4 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

“Maybe you’re ready for a sparring lesson,” he said and grinned. “Should be easy beating up an old man such as myself. A cakewalk, really.”

"You sell yourself short and have too high expectations of me," Freedom said to Lusk.

She picked up a strawberry from a platter then inspected it for any spikes before biting into it. "My independant studying hasn't even been related to combat." After tossing the green leafy top away, Freedom sighed. "It's mental, mostly. Turns out that I'd been taking advantage of extrapolation a while before you put a name to it, without even realizing. Some nightmares have finally resurfaced from the closet I stuffed them in, through natural progression of time. 

"I've been trying to 'rewrite' in a sense the mindset of the 'memory' of the age I am currently. It's been interesting to say the least. Physically, the results are the same," she pointed to the Ghostblood mark on her forehead, visible as ever. "But mentally is more complicated. Who I would have extrapolated to be in terms of thought-process at fifteen when I was twelve and a half is very different from how I really ended up. My Identity is a little confused at the moment. It'll be interesting to see what happens when I tap to fifteen in a few years."

[I think I am here.]

On 21/10/2019 at 0:05 AM, Silva said:

It'll be interesting to see what happens when I tap to fifteen in a few years."

“It will be,” Lusk said thoughtfully, taking another bite of the cupcake. It was way too sweet. Tapping atium, his posture changed as his hair bled to black and what few wrinkles he was beginning to get shrunk back. His build subtly became leaner and less muscular, and his beard receded. At 25 years old, the cupcake definitely tasted better.

“Y’know, I never gave much thought to the brain parts of it,” he said, shrugging and picking up another cupcake, and a glass of wine while he was at it. All he knew was his mental state was influenced by what age he was, but it wasn’t like he’d ever tried to control it.

“But you could definitely do stuff with it. Like training to detect lies, then growing in age and your mind thinks you’re an expert?” He shrugged and laughed. It was cool. He had some sort of apprentice, like from those fantasy books the nerds read. Taking a sip of his wine he raised an eyebrow at Freedom.

“But you gotta learn to fight. Beat up a dude or two. Maybe some nerds. Get a little blood on your collar, you know? No one’s gonna take you seriously unless you can prove your strength to them. Case in point,” he extended his arms, gestured to the air around them. “An organization of crazy scientists run the universe. And whenever someone doubts their power?”

He shrugged and clicked his tongue. “Just throw in a Phoenix here and there. Pacifists don’t exist. Not for long.” They either perished or lived to realise the Alleyverse wouldn’t grant them a second chance.

[Silva]

On 10/22/2019 at 7:03 AM, I think I am here. said:

He shrugged and clicked his tongue. “Just throw in a Phoenix here and there. Pacifists don’t exist. Not for long.” They either perished or lived to realise the Alleyverse wouldn’t grant them a second chance.

"Maybe it's also because they're told it's impossible," she said. "If logic says you can't survive, you won't."

Freedom shrugged. "You're right, though. Pacifism doesn't stop problems. It only makes it harder to deal with them." If they hadn't been so opposed to violence, they might have been able to stand up to Hellbent. Then again, he had been so powerful it probably would have ended with them all dead. "Though, I don't think it's the pacifists the crazy scientists have problems with. It's the ones who just don't want to get skewered." 

"But I'm not beating up nerds. That's just wrong and it wouldn't help my already poor case." She picked up another strawberry and absentmindedly began checking it for spikes. "They've got to use their brains to run the world intelligently someday and they won't be doing that if everyone picks on them. Or if they lose too many brain cells."

She looked up from it. "You convinced me that learning to fight was important the first time we met, though, so even if the universe has yet to throw many dangerous situations at me since, nothing's changed. We're still mostly on the same page. 

Freedom glanced at his glass of wine. "Except when it comes to drinking."

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Sorry about the delay.

 

Edited November 3, 2019 by Silva
Thanks, Ene. :)

[AonEne]

2 hours ago, Silva said:

Then again, he had been so powerful it probably would have ended with them all bed. 

Quote

HE WOULD HAVE TURNED US INTO BEDS 

 

[I think I am here.]

On 30/10/2019 at 7:48 AM, Silva said:

Freedom glanced at his glass of wine. "Except when it comes to drinking."

“Ah, I’ll have to change your mind on that too,” Lusk said, downing the rest of it and embracing the cloudy feelings he got.

“Adults drink. How will you convince anyone you’re the age you claim if you won’t even have a few shots?” He laughed and shook his head. It didn’t matter, her choices were just that, her choices, and he didn’t care if she continued in her sad, alcohol-free life.

“And I disagree with what you said,” he said, setting his half-eaten cupcake down in a moment of clarity. He knew this topic well. All too well. “Even when they’re picked on, nerds will still run the world smartly. They’ll just learn to run it toughly, too. By not picking on them you’re inevitability setting them up for failure when they realise logic isn’t everything in this world.” A faulted reasoning, but the wine smoothed some of the edges over in Lusk’s mind and the cupcake did the rest of the trick.

Edited October 31, 2019 by I think I am here.

[Silva]

On 10/31/2019 at 8:36 AM, I think I am here. said:

“And I disagree with what you said,” he said, setting his half-eaten cupcake down in a moment of clarity. He knew this topic well. All too well. “Even when they’re picked on, nerds will still run the world smartly. They’ll just learn to run it toughly, too. By not picking on them you’re inevitability setting them up for failure when they realise logic isn’t everything in this world.” A faulted reasoning, but the wine smoothed some of the edges over in Lusk’s mind and the cupcake did the rest of the trick.

Freedom ate the spike-checked strawberry. "Some adults don't drink."

"Anyways, my sister would disagree with your disagreeance." She didn't specify which one immediately, nor was she aware if he even knew she had more than one. "Getting picked on has only caused her to not accomplish all she could've otherwise." 

"Maybe you were a different type of nerd, though," she said, discarding the strawberry's leafy top. "Compile is one-of-a-kind." She smiled. "And she's not even an Atium Ferring."

She paused. "But we're not going to get anywhere on this train of thought."

[I think I am here.]

28 minutes ago, Silva said:

She paused. "But we're not going to get anywhere on this train of thought."

“I,” Lusk blinked. “I was not a nerd. Never.”

He cracked his knuckles, nodding.

“You’re right. Let’s, uh, move to something more relevant. You ever used your ages for advice?”

[Silva]

6 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

“You’re right. Let’s, uh, move to something more relevant. You ever used your ages for advice?”

He was either lying or simply trying very hard not to acknowledge the truth. When he'd explained extrapolation to her six months ago, he'd tapped to teenagehood. It wasn't absolute proof, but proof enough for Freedom. Besides, he was a Councilman part of the Ghostblood Triarchy. That was as close to running the world an ordinary person could get on this world. Hence, former nerd. 

She didn't press there any more, instead choosing to answer the question. "Yep." Tapping down to around seven, she watched the table grow slightly taller. "'Little me' has no fears, but still acts like a copycat." Freedom stopped tapping, reverting to her natural age. Her forehead throbbed and body ached. She winced despite her attempts to ignore it. "'Normal me' is a paranoid mess yet logical at the same time." She quickly stored away a few years to where she'd been before, pain fading away. "'Older me's are constantly changing, though, typically, the older, the more safety conscious. Which is nice and annoying at the same time. There's not much variety.

"So, really, it's less advice, and more different perspectives. It's a one person committee on every topic," Freedom said. "You do the same or something similar?"

[I think I am here.]

On 04/11/2019 at 4:31 AM, Silva said:

Freedom said. "You do the same or something similar?"

Lusk nodded, reverted to his normal age.

“I have different ages for things like combat strategy, politics, textbook smarts, and a handful of other haphazard skills. It helps, looking at something from different perspectives. Probably what sets us apart from the other shapeshifter Investitures. We change psychologically as well. No Aimian or Kandra can do that. Only us.”

He shrugged.

“Like you said, it’s nice and annoying at the same time. But you know one age I don’t have, in all my years of life?”

His face turned to a scowl.

“An age for dealing with children. Even that’s a task too hard for me.”

[Silva]

On 11/19/2019 at 9:16 AM, I think I am here. said:

“An age for dealing with children. Even that’s a task too hard for me.”

Freedom laughed. "You're wrong on that count. You've gotten better and better at it each time we've talked." She shifted back a few years.

"Please don't say I'm a special case, because that's not true. I'm as insufferable as the rest of them, if not more so. At this rate, you might even be up to babysitting little Ghostblood children in a few years," she said jokingly. "Whether any other guild would trust you with their children is another story.

"And while you'll have a complete set of ages, I'll still be here lacking any age with a mindset more aggressive than a fieldmouse. No apprentices surpassing their teachers here, so don't fret about that," Freedom said. Her tone remained light and in jest.

[I think I am here.]

On 21/11/2019 at 9:04 AM, Silva said:

“And while you'll have a complete set of ages, I'll still be here lacking any age with a mindset more aggressive than a fieldmouse. No apprentices surpassing their teachers here, so don't fret about that," Freedom said. Her tone remained light and in jest.

“Just wait until I’m dead,” Lusk said with an old grin, looking to the side.

“Then it’ll be you with the responsibility to teach whatever rag-tag kid with atium Feruchemy you find. Hopefully it doesn’t take as long as it took me.”

He paused, looked back at her. “And yes, you are an exception. Every other child I’ve seen in ten years has just been scared of me. Rightfully so, I should say. Serves them right for being insufferable little rustheads.”

[Silva]

On 11/24/2019 at 8:44 AM, Ookla the Maybe-Existent said:

He paused, looked back at her. “And yes, you are an exception. Every other child I’ve seen in ten years has just been scared of me. Rightfully so, I should say. Serves them right for being insufferable little rustheads.”

Maybe because most don't have more obviously dangerous people in their lives. Freedom mulled, but didn't argue. It did ring a little true. She herself used to be a lot more uncomfortable around Lusk and that was with a higher likelihood of not being killed because of her Investiture. Someone without that little assurance wouldn't try to see passed the position. The risks were too steep.

"What would you have done if you hadn't found another Atium Ferring?" she asked. It was a question that she wanted an answer to for practical reasons. Feruchemy and Allomancy were weakening at every generation. She used to live on Scadrial and had never met another Atium Ferring. The odds of more out there would keep decreasing as the years went on. It was possible she wouldn't ever find one in her lifetime, extended or not. "Would there have been a book written about why they should take advantage of their Investiture to drink underage, and hope it would end up in the right hands?"

Edited November 29, 2019 by Ookla the Aleatory

[I think I am here.]

On 30/11/2019 at 3:39 AM, Silva said:

“Would there have been a book written about why they should take advantage of their Investiture to drink underage, and hope it would end up in the right hands?"

“Agreed, a book would certainly exclude most of the... nuances of Atium Feruchemy,” Lusk said and smirked. He mulled over her question in his mind, and turned to her. What would he do if he never found another Ferring like him? For the last 30 years he hadn’t known if another one even existed anyway.

“But it’s the only other option. Maybe if I’m feeling up to it I’ll record some videos, then lock them in a cave for eternity and set up some ridiculously complicated puzzle only someone with Atium Feruchemy can solve... or not. I get lazy sometimes.” He shrugged.

“But a book would have probably been the direction to go. Just explaining some things about extrapolation, combat techniques. Can’t say it would have the special ‘Lusk flair’, though. Eh, I guess I don’t have to worry about that now.”

He looked to her. “That’s your problem now. But I’m sure you’ll find another one some time in your life. There are others out there, it’s just that most people don’t have access to Atium, and Scadrial only knows the metal from mythology. But technology is improving all the time, so who knows, maybe it’ll be easier for you than it was for me.”

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Sorry for the late response  

 

Edited January 24, 2020 by Ookla the Maybe-Existent

[+Ark1002]

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Just a tad bit late

 

[Silva]

On 1/23/2020 at 11:06 PM, Ookla the Maybe-Existent said:

He looked to her. “That’s your problem now. But I’m sure you’ll find another one some time in your life. There are others out there, it’s just that most people don’t have access to Atium, and Scadrial only knows the metal from mythology. But technology is improving all the time, so who knows, maybe it’ll be easier for you than it was for me.”

"Maybe, maybe not," Freedom said. She fell silent for a moment. It was strange to think about a future that far in advance, when someone might look to her for advice and not the other way around. Thankfully, she knew, it would be the very distant future. If she even managed to live that long. Given the way buildings had been exploding over the past two years, she was due for another near death experience any day now.

She tried to push aside the thought with logic. Near death experiences were not predictable or they wouldn't be near death experiences most of the time. So, too, no reason to worry about them because it wouldn't do anything. Either they'd happen, or they wouldn't. Worrying just meant suffering twice.

"You never have managed to share those combat techniques of yours that you speak so highly of," Freedom noted with a raised eyebrow. "There always seems to be a tangential topic that arises."

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Better late than never. 

 

[I think I am here.]

On 28/01/2020 at 9:35 AM, Silva said:

Better late than never. 

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Yup... better late than never?

“You’ll get them when you’re ready,” Lusk said, then grimaced. He really did sound like one of those cryptic mentor figures, didn’t he? Like those old, grumpy teachers from his youth. His youth. Though he turned to a kid often, it been a long while since he’d ever thought, reflected on that age. It’s your age. You’re getting soft.

“If you’re ready to learn them, I’m ready to share,” he said, revised his previous statement, let his face harden and his frown deepen. Perfect. “Though, it always seems whenever the topic arises, you prefer your other ways of using atium. And that’s fine. When I was your age, I...”

He paused. Stopped himself.

“As I said, that’s fine. You’ll get over your little fear of blood soon. And you’ll be able to learn the real stuff. Stuff that can take down a steel compounder, if you use it right.” He winked at her. “Speaking of, we really need to find tapes of that duel.”

[+Ark1002]

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oh my god this is still going xD

 

[Silva]

On 3/27/2020 at 8:15 AM, I think I am here. said:

“As I said, that’s fine. You’ll get over your little fear of blood soon. And you’ll be able to learn the real stuff. Stuff that can take down a steel compounder, if you use it right.” He winked at her. “Speaking of, we really need to find tapes of that duel.”

He was going on a tangent. Devolving into discussions of his childhood. Talking about the duel. Again.

This wasn't going to go anywhere or accomplish anything. 

Surreptitiously, Freedom took a grape from the table beside her. She kept her eyes on him, the picture of perfect attentiveness. Nodding at the right moments. Smiling slightly when she ought to. 

Then she chucked the grape at Lusk's head.

No better way to learn combat than to see how her mentor adapted to the unexpected.

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We're going for the Alleyverse Record of longest IRL time RP conversation, Ark. 

 

[+Ark1002]

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It's been more than half a year 

 

[AonEne]

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I think you already have that record 

 

[I think I am here.]

On 08/04/2020 at 5:53 AM, Silva said:

Then she chucked the grape at Lusk's head.

No better way to learn combat than to see how her mentor adapted to the unexpected.

Lusk didn’t swat the grape out of the air, or catch it, or even slice it in half with his knife. As he saw something fly at him from the corner of his eye, he tilted his neck and barely shifted his head out of the object’s path, watching it drop a short distance away from him. A grape. He directed a glare at Freedom.

“My reflexes aren’t that bad,” he grumbled. He turned to the grape and crushed it underneath his shoe. “Even as an old man. Actually, you know what?” His grimace tilted slightly upwards in what could constitute as a smile for Lusk, and he looked towards Freedom.

“We’ll do it Threnody-style. The next time you want to test me, make it deadly. That way, if I’m too weak to fight against it, I die, which makes sense, because I’m not worthy of mentoring someone else. That was how I trained.” His grimace returned back to normal.

“Do you know how to use a knife? Or any weapon, really? We might need you learn that, too. Hand-to-hand can only get you so far.”

[Silva]

12 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

“Do you know how to use a knife? Or any weapon, really? We might need you learn that, too. Hand-to-hand can only get you so far.”

He had to be kidding. Survival of the fittest was such an outdated method. And there was no way she'd ever try any attack intended to kill. That would be ridiculous. She wouldn't even know where to start. A grape had been intimidating enough. Besides...

"I'd rather not have the Ghostbloods trying to avenge their councilman's life or thinking I attempted an assassination that failed, no matter how much you'd probably think that that would be a great training opportunity." Then again, could throwing a grape at him be considered an attack? Was she already on a blacklist?

Probably not, she decided, lessening the amount of age she was storing, in an attempt to decrease the amount of irrational worries that kept surfacing.

"Someone once told me to value my life and use it while I've got it--oh wait, that was you! Slightly hypocritical, given the way you seem to be regarding your own at the moment," she shrugged, returning her attention back to his question. "Yes, I do have some knowledge of weaponry, but mostly in defense." Mostly with knives, like he'd asked about initially, actually, as well as a little bit in most areas. 

Not that she carried a knife around with her. That would just be asking for trouble.

Nearby, some guests looked like they'd be leaving soon. Most of the festivities that she and Lusk had ignored were winding down.