caughtinanetwork | 22nd Combo

Entry tags:

22nd Combo - [Video]

[The video feed comes on, showing a bleary, teenage face caught in the middle of a yawn. Face already half-buried in a pillow, the most immediately distinguishing feature to be seen is a serious case of bedhead, brown hair sticking wildly every which way. It's almost a whole minute before Lloyd seems to become aware enough to realize the SFC is on. Even then he just stares at it sleepily.

Until something on the screen registers. Eyes widening, he jerks a hand up to reach for the SFC.]

Wait, when did it become Monday?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Lloyd's temper only boils even more, his hands clenching into angry fists.]

Just because that's how it was done in your world doesn't mean that it's not wrong! I don't care what color your blood is, or whether or not you can walk. You're just as important as anyone else!

[He snaps, temper spilling over into their other conversation.]

"Probably" isn't "definitely!" If there was a chance, they still should have tried!

I didn't say that, it was a thing I liked to be happening! It just was, but it's gone now. Mostly.

-=he's very clearly getting upset and grumpy=-

You... weren't there!

[The news that it's mostly gone mollifies Lloyd somewhat, his temper settling back down to just ruffled.]

Good. I'm glad it's gone.

[Though that "mostly" still bothers him.]

If it ever comes up again, just don't believe anyone who tries to tell you you're not worth as much as them, no matter what kind of reason they give.

Does it matter if I wasn't there? It doesn't change what they did.

You are glad, that my planet is gone?

-=granted it was a really shitty and horrible place when you're a lowblood, and he doesn't miss it all that much personally, but there were nice people there too=-

You keep acting, like saving my life and, uh... making me so I can walk was bad, when in fact it is actually, the kindest and best thing to have ever happened.

Wait- What?! [Lloyd jerks his head up.] I didn't say that! Your planet's gone?

[He shakes his head.]

I wasn't saying saving your life was bad, either. But they cut off your legs. They had to hurt you to give you those fake legs. How can you be okay with that?!

Yes.

-=he's just leaving it at that for now, more annoyed about the other things=-

Because they saved my life! If it was anyone else, they would have... just left me to die.

[That's enough to make Lloyd go quiet for a moment, as he struggles with the idea that anyone could do that, just leave someone to die because they were crippled. He knows it could happen. He's seen things just as bad in his world. But it's still something he doesn't want to accept as something other people could do.

In that light, though...]

I... That's horrible. That people would do that to you. If your friends saved you from that...

[He looks down.]

...sorry. It sounds like they're good people. I just wish you hadn't had to lose your legs like that.

It's not like, I miss having useless legs, so it's an okay thing to have happen.

-=he's a bit more stressed about losing other.. parts. but he's dealing=-

Heh. [Lloyd offers a weak smile.] I guess that's one way to look on the bright side.

I'm Lloyd, by the way. Who're you?

[Yeah, it took him this long to remember that he hasn't introduced himself.]

Oh! I, uh... I am Tavros.

-=it's okay, he got distracted too=-

Tavros, huh? So, um, nice to meet you?

[Even if their meeting had sort of devolved into a pretty heated subject... At least they weren't arguing now?]

I guess, you don't really know much about trolls.

-=there are very few things that tav gets uppity about, lloyd found one of them=-

I've met a few of you guys, like Equius and Kanaya and... Ne-something. She kind of reminded me of a cat.

[It's been a while since he talked to her, though, and only the once, so he's drawing a blank on her name.]

Oh, yeah, and her and Equius's friend, Flotsam. He's the one who was afraid to stand up.

So, yeah, I guess I haven't met very many of you yet.

Nepeta!

-=big ass grin=-

She is my matesprit and the best there is. But, uh... I have no idea, who you mean by Flotsam?

Your... matesprit? Is that like a word for friend?

[He's guessing that's the case, given the grin on Tavros's face.]

Oh, uh, right. I guess that was Equius's nickname for him. [He frowns, but digging through his memory doesn't help.] He was kind of a jerk. And he had some purple hair. Does that help?

It means that, she is my beautiful girlfriend and we are in love.

-=it's a stupid, dopey, lovey grin=-

Oh! You must mean, Eridan. He has always been, very much a jerk.

Oh! [Now Lloyd is grinning, too.] Congratulations! Kanaya's a really nice girl!

[Though of course that grin fades a bit when they get back to the subject of Eridan. And who could blame him? Eridan's much less pleasant to talk to someone about.

Yeah, now I remember. Eridan. He got kind of mad even though it was his friend's name for him. Is he like that with all his friends?

Nepeta!

-=he's never been close to Eridan, but trolls are trolls and humans tend to flip out more when it comes to normal troll behavior. especially royalty=-

I, uh... do not know if, Eridan and Equius are actually friends, at least not in a human way.

[Alksjdalk.]

Sorry, yeah, I meant Nepeta!

[Aw man, what a time for a tongue slip like that!]

Are you sure? Equius really seemed like he cared when Eridan wouldn't get up.

-=he doesn't seem to mind=-

They are both... rather prickly so, uh.. I always thought they did not like each other that much.

[Oh good.]

Maybe that's just what they want us to think, or that's just how they show their friendship. Some people are like that. I definitely have some friends who can be jerks to me sometimes. We'll argue and horse around and give each other a hard time, but we're still friends.

Well, uh... In our language the words for friend, and enemy, are the same thing so.. it can be hard to tell.

What? But- But that-

[Hang on, trying to wrap his mind around that.

...

...

NOT WORKING.]

But that doesn't make any sense! How can you have one word that means opposite things? How does anyone know what you mean?

Uhhh...

-=why can't humans just understand the words he says, it would be so much easier=-

Friends and enemies, don't always treat each other that differently I guess.

Maybe sometimes, and maybe sometimes your enemies can become your friends, or I guess maybe your friends can turn into enemies, but while they're your friends, they're not enemies, and enemies aren't your friends! What about the enemies who try to kill you? The ones who hate you, and you hate them? How can you have the same word for someone you can't be friends with? Or for friends you'd never fight with?

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]