caughtinanetwork | Sermon Two

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Sermon Two

[Signless has chosen his location carefully; when he turns on the video function, there's a wall of water behind him, and a school of brightly colored tropical fish swimming past. He's very clearly in the bubble again.]

My friends, today I want to talk to you about fear.

[His voice is low and soothing, his story-telling voice.]

I have known great fear in my time. In my world, the color of my blood was a source of fear, something that drove me into hiding for a long time. Then, when I dreamed of the world that could be, rather than the world that was, I was afraid again... afraid that I would never see what I knew we were capable of come to pass. I was afraid to speak out, afraid to make a ripple in the still, stagnant waters of our society, and tried instead to live my meager little life underneath the notice of the highbloods.

But then I saw what my silence was doing, what those in similar positions were suffering, and I knew I could not stay silent. I could not sit idly by while our world rotted away from its very core, while its corruption bled away the talents and very lives of so many trolls who had done nothing beyond being hatched the wrong color. I could not wait for another to come along and demand change, or I would wait the rest of my life. I needed to cast aside my fear, to find a reserve of strength within me, and rise to what my world needed me to be.

[His voice falls, becoming hushed and soft, almost painfully honest, and he looks down, his cloak hiding his eyes.]

I was terrified. Casting off fear is one of the most difficult things I have ever done. Fear is something I knew, its cold comfort as familiar to me as my guardian's face. It would have been... easy to live my entire life in fear, I thought.

[He looks up then, and his eyes are burning, his voice strong once more.]

I thought that fear was a cloak to hide me, but it was a chain I wore around my neck. When the fear was gone, when I made the decision to cast it aside, I have never felt so free in my entire life. It was how I imagine it must feel to wake up one morning with wings, and look out the window into an endless sky. When the fear was gone, I could breathe a deep breath for the first time in my life, and look to the future not as an ominous, foreboding thing, but as a path bathed in light and redemption.

I am not afraid any longer, Vatheon. This is my home now, and it is worth fighting for. I will not be driven out of my home again. I will not let fear control me.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A lot of things are not fair.

[Such a cliche thing to say, and it has never been a more awful truth.]

I could name a few examples, which you so wonderfully demonstrated in your responses to the denizens of this place...

Did I indeed? You sound accusatory.

[ Nuzzles slightly. Do not call her on it, Darkleer, or she will gore you. ]

Perhaps that is for some reason or another? I'm merely guessing, of course.

[Sarcasm! Sigh.]

Just... try not to jump the metaphorical gun, alright? It's better if we're not actively antagonizing one another in this place.

[ You know her, Darkleer. You know her better than anyone, know how she doesn't listen to a single person and only takes her own counsel. ]

If you say so.

[ Unless it's you. You and her and this thing you used to have that neither of you will ever, ever talk about. ]

I'm honestly not looking to antagonize anyone, except maybe Dualscar. The people here seem to be at least interesting, and I'm curious about the children. The cerulean girl...provoked me, but I won't let it happen again.

If they are antagonized by me that's their business, but I'm not looking for a fight. Not much to do in a playground this small.

[Of course he does. Still, almost naively, he has this strange little twisted hope that maybe one day she'll actually keep what he says in mind. Make both their lives a little easier.]

[Of course, in truth, he knows that's really quite a hopeless kind of thing. Like trying to talk down a storm while you're in the middle of a sea in a boat that looks like it might just sink because there's really no point. But still.]

That cerulean girl is your descendent, and she quite idolizes you. Whatever foolishness she is indulging in, I would wager that she is trying to impress you in some fashion.

And fair enough. I suppose that's really the best that can be granted at this point.

Although... Do you truly plan on leaving Summoner alone?

She's not very good at it. Though I suppose I might not have been as a wiggler, if I had an ancestor as incredible as me. [ smug little smirk! ]

[ which quickly fades when Darkleer mentions him. ]

I don't know what to do about him. Or what he intends to do about me. If you say he doesn't intend to harm me I will tentatively take your word for it until I learn more about him myself, but- it's clear I'm not good enough to him because I'm not who he expected. [ Offended sniff! ] So I doubt he wants much to do with me either. Probably just as well. Occupying the same space as my killer is...well, it's unnerving.

He intends to avoid you.

[There is, quite honestly, no point in not saying such a thing. Darkleer isn't going to let the two of them make this already complicated mess a bigger one than it is.]

As I said to him, you're both being immature fools who are rushing ahead of things... Although both of you, admittedly, have your reasons. Just let your emotions cool.

And you said you... pitied him? In the future?

[And now the awkward, careful prodding of that little thing. Please let her mean platonic pity, please let it be platonic or at worst pale..]

Well, fine. That is fine by me! The best possible outcome for both of us, obviously. I don't like him and he doesn't like me.

[ Her cheeks puff out just a little. Also she might be blushing cerulean. ]

He...well. I'm pretty sure it's mutual. But yes. I don't know what the hell Future Me is even thinking.

Well.

[He and Summoner need to have a talk about his apparent quadrant issues with highbloods, because Darkleer is almost certain something is happening here. How does the mouthy rebel do it?]

[Also, this just made their quadrant needlessly more difficult than it should be. First Dualscar, now Mindfang?]

[Darkleer keeps his expression straight and his tone bland.]

He does have quite a few good qualities, and some pitiable aspects.

[Fuck his life.]

[ Mindfang grins a little. ]

I recognize that! You are trying too hard to be neutral because you are actually giving a shit about something. Does the stuffed shirt actually like someone that isn't an Archeradicator now? And a lowblood! How scandalous. So inappropriate.

[ She's teasing, Darkleer. ]

[Teasing that it is, it still gets him worked up, bristling against the smaller form pressed up all snug against him and trying to fight the way the tips of his ears flush blue.]

I say a few good things about an individual and you're already making blase accusations about my quadrantlife!

I said you liked him, not that you had any quadrant designs on him. Though the way you're blushing, I might have to revise that theory!

[ She flicks his ear playfully. God she is a little shit. ]

[She is the biggest little shit.]

I am not blushing. No theories need to be revised. Do close your mouth for once.

I like you too, Dorkleer.

[ Cherish that admission, for it is not one she gives out easily. ]

[He does.]

I do not know what I am ever going to do with you.

[Even if he doesn't really say as much.]

You know, there's a pamphlet in the city which details you the basics of this place, since Dualscar seems to be as helpful as a rotting whale carcass.

Isn't he always as helpful as a rotting whale carcass?

[ Why does the rotting whale carcass have to be so sexy. 8888( She sighs the sigh of a troll very much put-upon, shifting slightly in Darkleer's lap. ]

Well. I found him useful enough, but then, there aren't many interested in following his orders.

[A shrug.]

Did he at least tell you the Grand Highblood is in the city?

Fuck that. [ She's instantly dismissive. ] I'd prefer to have him on his knees, thank you.

-No, he neglected to mention that.

Hmm. That's unsurprising. I am sure he has also neglected to mention that, as far as we know, death has few, if any, negative consequences. If one was dead back in their particular universe, than they remember their death but are brought to life here.

If one dies in this city, than they remain dead for... Hmm, I would say perhaps a week or so, only to suddenly reappear in the plaza, soaking wet.

I imagine the reason Dualscar was in no rush to inform you of this was because he has suffered from both of those occurrences, and almost by the hands of the exact same individual both times.

Oh. So that's why he was so wet. The fool.

[ shrugs a little, contemplating this. ]

Quite.

...Do keep this information to yourself, or at least who told you. I am attempting to stay on good standings with him despite... certain difficulties.

Don't worry, Chiron, he'll just assume I was clever enough to put it together myself. Which, technically, I did! There's no reason for him to think otherwise.

Good.

...So. Black relations with him then?

He just. Makes me feel so inadequate. No one else can do that to me! Me, of all people!

While it would certainly be a move upwards in term of your usual behavior, please don't start writing black poetry of your hatred towards him. At least while I am in the same room.

Sermon Two

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