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[cactusy]

is the place that doubles as an arcade seriously the only bar in town? where do you people go to get plastered and make bad decisions?

Comments

[cactusy]

not obviously, I've seen kids around here

did you grow up to make other kids fight in wars, too?

[thecodexabides]

[He forgets she can't see him. At his size it is...obvious.]

No.
No one is forced to join the Astartes. [At least his chapter. He can really only speak about the Ultramarines.]
It is an honor to be selected
If one did not choose it
they would likely die before the process is complete. [That's what they were told, anyway. That the ones who didn't survive just hadn't wanted it badly enough.]

[cactusy]

you get one "could have been worse" star

[thecodexabides]

[that's still a bit higher than he deserves]

what
does that mean?

[cactusy]

[Waiiiiiiiit a second. Wait a second. Between this and a couple other things he's said, she's starting to get deja-vu vibes.]

hey, turn on your video

>>video

[thecodexabides]

[Oh no? He shrugged and adjusted the setting.]

Do I look like a child to you?

still text

[cactusy]

oh, it's you

[In retrospect, not surprising - even if her reaction doesn't do much to clue him in.]

video forevarrrr

[thecodexabides]

Is that a problem?

text for now!

[cactusy]

no

I'm the one who was forced to flirt with you via crappy-ass mind control

[thecodexabides]

Oh.
[A long pause while his face tries to find an appropriate emotion.]

I am sorry. That was...uncomfortable.

[cactusy]

why are you sorry? it wasn't your fault any more than it was mine

[thecodexabides]

Shared discomfort is discomfort halved. [So saith the Codex. Not in so many words, about being weirdly hit on by mortals, but the point was the same.]

[cactusy]

[... Huh. That's a weird philosophy, but she guesses it sort of makes sense.]

because you can commiserate about it or something?

[thecodexabides]

Because we endure it together. Brotherhood means sharing all burdens.

[Uh, except maybe it's not called 'brotherhood' here? The principle must still apply.]

[cactusy]

well, that's sappy as hell

but I don't totally disagree, and that's a first for us, right?

[thecodexabides]

It is surprising.

Heretic. [But he says it almost like he's joking. Definitely not like he's going to purge.]

[cactusy]

[Ha. Okay, maybe this guy isn't the literal worst.]

and proud of it, buddy

[thecodexabides]

Or maybe I am having a positive influence on you already.

[Probably not, but if she's trying to corrupt him, he can, uh, counter corrupt her?]

[cactusy]

if you were, wouldn't I say "guilty and tortured over it"?

[thecodexabides]

I do not know. I have never converted a heretic before.

[A voyage of discovery?]

[cactusy]

and I've never corrupted a fanatic

more stuff in common

[thecodexabides]

We shall have to see who wins, then.

[he does love a good competition. ]