Silly little wounds will never mend

[benevolent]

WHO: Ghost and Shahrazad
WHERE: some random City street
WHEN: backdated to the evening of February 2nd; continued from her Network post
WARNINGS: None! Will update if needed
SUMMARY: Ned leaves, Shahrazad accidentally films herself being sad, and somehow this turns into a walk in the moonlight. Vampires, man.
FORMAT: Quick

[Shahrazad drops down from the rooftop she was perched on in a few easy jumps. She settles against a nearby wall and waits. Shahrazad takes special care in focusing on the sounds around her. It was some comfort to have a friend coming. She didn't want to spend too much time thinking about life after Ned's departure if at all possible.

It'd make it too difficult to greet Ghost with a smile.]

Comments

[hacktivist]

[Ghost could easily make time, multitasking as he was, and it was far better for his purposes to remain a moving target. Or at least, that was the way he rationalized it in his mind as he set down gently and wandered over to the waiting Shahrazad]

Hello...

[benevolent]

Ghost! [Shahrazad smiles cheerfully. It wasn't lacking genuine feel to it. She was always happy to see her friends regardless of how she felt.]

It's wonderful to see you. [She starts to walk in no particular direction.]

[hacktivist]

Heh... first time for everything. [he hovers along after her, keeping a fair and respectful distance as she walks] But it is good to see you as well. Away from the Network. More secure.

Would you like me to make small talk or address serious matters?

[benevolent]

[Shahrazad glances back at him.] We can discuss serious matters first.

[She can only assume this is about him! It isn't like the whole reason they're here now is about her feelings over Ned's departure.]

[hacktivist]

"You and Ned were very close?" No one had accused Ghost of being socially subtle. If anything he tended to bring things out into the open that were best left unsaid--though he didn't mean harm by it, most of the time.

"It is always very difficult when a companion leaves."

[benevolent]

Shahrazad is only caught off guard a moment. She had expected something about him foolishly. She obliges with a small nod.

"He accepted me for what I am. He never feared me." This is something very important to her. Shahrazad makes no effort to hide that fact. She is proud to be friends with someone like that. "I miss that... though I shouldn't. He missed his tovaras so this was the best thing that could happen to him."

[hacktivist]

"Why should someone fear you?" Ghost's distance of following didn't increase, or decrease. He wished he'd taken the time to do a background check on all the imPorts while the Network 1.0 had still been up and running without error, but no use crying about it now.

More carefully, "I don't believe regretting the absence of a friend is a selfish thing."

[benevolent]

She glances back at him. Shahrazad is honestly surprised anyone missed what she was. Though in retrospect she would likely come to the conclusion the people of her world were actively looking for people who only came out in night. At the age she appeared to be those hours weren't exactly unusual.

"I'm not 'human' in the traditional sense. I am Methuselah; most people would call us vampires. They also assume I mean to kill them for their blood." She smiles in the way that suggests that's silly all the while tensing up; preparing for rejection or something far worse. "I ran into a great deal of trouble at home when I ran into normal human beings but, not here. I don't think it even crossed Ned's mind. He was so kind."

[hacktivist]

"I see." There's no visible display of fear--not even a physiological one, if she can hear that. Ghost landed lightly and walked after, opening his hands as if to try to grasp at some tangible fundamental truth.

"Fear is the basis of many illogical actions, a whip used to drive the many for the interests of the few. Into the arms of war, or away from their best interests and fundamental rights. It does not surprise me that your world includes prejudices similar to mine."

He spent a second in thought, and then added, "Unfortunately, fairness is a social construct, or your own kindness would be rewarded better."

[benevolent]

Shahrazad's eyes widen slightly. Ghost hit the nail on the mark for the entire situation she came from. While it's reassuring to know someone else can understand where she is coming from it is also sad to her. "Then there are people on your world suffer similar troubles. I'm sorry to hear that." She doesn't remark on his comment in regard to her kindness.

"My world has someone I believe can save it. I hope yours does too. Ah." She shakes her head as if embarrassed. "Aside from you. You're a 'hero' there too, aren't you?"

[hacktivist]

"The heartening notion is that goodness survives despite these inequities."

He shrugs, shoulderpads slipping slightly off the bony shoulders. This is his optimism--the hope that drives half his life, while fear drives the other.

"I would not describe myself as a hero."

[benevolent]

Shahrazad considers it before answer. "You were given the title here. I believe you are one of ImPorts who honors that calling."

She pauses again briefly before continuing. "I'm a little embarrassed I was picked. The truth is I've had this job once before. I was entrusted to protect the city of Timisoara and train others to do the same. I remember when I told Ned about it he thought he had insulted me asking me to work as his waitress. Really it was a relief. It was a chance to try something new and succeed at it. He did me a favor."

[hacktivist]

"Heh. Thank you. I'm flattered." And highly gratified. But it seems rude to say so, and he's not sure he deserved her appraisal, so he stays quiet.

Just listening.

"You would prefer to live an ordinary life, without the threat of violence in either offense or defense."

[benevolent]

Shahrazad nods enthusiastically. She truly looks the part of a young woman as she goes on. This is the dream dearest to her heart. "As a 'normal' human being who can walk in the sunlight. It'd be so wonderful to live in that sparkling light. I always envied the Terrans ability to do so. I don't need strength, speed, or a long life. I just want to be like them." It is was what made her unusual among her kind. They were all so proud of being the mightiest beings on the planet. Shahrazad never had an interest in it.

"What would make it perfect was if we could all live together. I think we have that here already. Even though there are cruel people among us, we're not killing or enslaving each other because we're different."

[hacktivist]

It was sad, to him, that she couldn't go out in the daytime, and he wanted to comment on it, but he didn't want to give pity where none was wanted.

"Yes. The nature of the City's society forces groups to--mingle, and interact, and ask questions of one another. I have learned much about troll culture, about worlds curiously similar to my own and worlds wildly different, and ...although I knew of the presence of other realities before I came here, I find the variations comforting to compute."

A pause.

"Do the rest of your people feel this way? As you do? I ask because I feel I may be an outlier of my species. It would be poor logic to assume."

[benevolent]

Shahrazad's dreamy expression morphs into something more serious. It was really about time she told someone aside from Ned about her world.

"No. It's very important that you understand there are very few like me. If others of my kind were to come- it would be a disaster. They don't view normal humans, Terrans, as people. They seem them as animals, a food source, or pets at the very best. Even nobles such as myself are no better than the majority who roam the earth freely. The nobles believe themselves above extorting blood, but would kill humans without a second thought and have. Our Great Mother allows it because she views the ones who live in my country as her property. Why would she care if something she sees as no better than furniture is destroyed?"

She shakes her head woefully. "I would be the same as them if not for my uncle. He would travel to cities on the outskirts of the Empire to help them with their defenses. It was there he raised me to believe that Methuselah and Terrans were the same. Since all my friends were Terrans and he saw to it I had little contact with the other nobles I never questioned it. It was only when I was older and had to leave his side to serve the Empire that I saw the way things were. I understood why he didn't want me near them."

[hacktivist]

"Heh... good call on your uncle's part--especially for the rest of us. It's so easy for ruling factions to treat underlings--even of the same species--like tools, fodder... objects..."

He pauses, adds, in an earnest kind of voice, "You are not responsible for your society, Shahrazad."

[benevolent]

Shahrazad blinks twice. Did he really see through her that easily? She was always the type to take too much responsibility for things. It never helped the Empire society encouraged it either.

"I know that. I am only one of many children our Eternal Mother has. She is the one responsible for the best and worst aspects of the nobility. Still... I'll take responsibility for them should it come to it. Looks are deceiving with my kind. I wouldn't want to the other ImPorts to find out firsthand how true that is."

In short, she does not want them to see how easily they could slaughter whoever offended them. They were for the most part so easily offended.

[hacktivist]

The loosest shrug he'd ever given, and then a quick clarification, "I do not feel qualified to argue with you on the finer points of vampire society."

In the dark, his eyes glowed slightly brighter, compensating for the lack of external light. "Do you believe it impossible for their opinions to be changed?"

[benevolent]

Her mood lifts at that. "I do. The root of the problem is most of the nobles know nothing about them. They didn't grow up alongside Terrans like I did. If they were given the chance they could see the truth. We're really not different at all. The trouble would be making sure nothing happened before they were able to come to that conclusion. I'm confident I can manage it so long as there's not too many arriving at once."