etraya | un: jaycetalis

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un: jaycetalis | video

[If anyone hasn’t seen Jayce within the past few months, he looks quite a bit different. His hair is longer, he has a beard, and doesn’t seem quite as full of energy as he might have in the past. He’s also not dressing as uptight as he used to— a lack of vest and tie, exchanged for just a simple button up shirt. The background is once again S.T.A.R. labs, although he’s not trying to hide it this time.]

Hey, Etrayans. For those new to this whole thing, welcome. I’m Jayce Talis. For those who came from Pollux, also welcome. I can say with full confidence Aurora’s better at this than Castor is.

[Aurora probably won’t appreciate that comment, but whatever. He stands by it. But that aside…]

I’m putting out a call for fellow scientists to come together and work collaboratively on research involving what we know about Etraya, and more importantly, what we don’t know. This could also include strategizing developments to improve our lives here, and solving problems with our understanding in our respective fields.  

Something that we have here that we lack in our own worlds is the variety of perspectives. In my world, some of our greatest achievements are beyond what’s possible in other worlds, but we don’t have plastics or microwaves. Think of this as an opportunity for all of us to better ourselves, in this… transient existence we’re all stuck in.

Meetings would be here, in S.T.A.R. labs, every Thursday morning. No requirements if you want to participate other than an open mind, and a good attitude. No shooting down suggestions without hearing things out, and if you happen to have some sort of grudge against any of the participants here, you leave it at the door when you come in, or you’re not coming in.

[OOC: Feel free to threadjack around if you'd like!]

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[the arm goes limp with a slight flinch, both ears back.] In the...in the brain, huh. [yeaugh.]

You're a kinda smart guy sometimes, Long-Term. Smartypants.

Only sometimes.

[Another quiet sigh, as he adjusts his jaw, trying to untense it.]

When I see a problem someone else has, I want to fix it. It could be a gas heater, a loose wheel, or missing fingers- I'll find out how to solve it. If someone could be doing better, living happier, then I want to make that happen.

The problem is when someone doesn't want that help.

[He isn't meeting her eye.]

It's hard for me to let go.

[Hah, I'm a whole problem to fix, Knife thinks, dipping the cup into the pot to get a bit of tea.

she sits back down, swirling the contents a bit before settling it in her lap. something warm to hold onto.]

Some people don't deserve it.

[it just kinda falls outta her mouth, prompting a wince of her eyes. quickly:] And anyway, getting too comfortable here is...it's not the best idea, yeah?

[He looks up from the ground now, keeping as much eye contact as she'll meet him with. He's not accepting the subject change yet.]

Everyone deserves a chance at happiness, and only people obsessed with their own suffering refuse to take that chance.

[A little harsh, but he's seen enough of this to know where it's going.]

When are you going to be tired of it?

[her ears go back, eyes still downcast on her drink.]

I'm always tired, but it doesn't change things.

Then you're not tired enough.

You have to want to change things, and I need to... not force that change on you.

[Like forcibly build a sink in someone's camp.]

Heheh. [she snickers glumly, shaking her head. it's funny, but he wouldn't get it unless she explained, and explaining wouldn't be good.] Yeahhh...guess so. But forcing me to...fit in these things? Here? That'd just make you too...too Echoey. I already gotta force myself to fit in just this much, yanno!

I know. It's probably hard for you to be so different from the rest of us.

[He means being a fox-creature as opposed to a human.]

All of the structures here are built for human sizes. No lower doorknobs or secondary doors, no railings or shorter steps.

[Not that Piltover was great at that either.]

I don't want you to be unhappy. Not when I can help. But I'm not good at just providing sympathy and no solutions.

[it's ok; she can pretend that he means different in the sense of something made to impersonate people, but not really have its own life, trying to figure out how to have one and feel secure in it. the consolation is for the wrong thing, but Knife is so starved of such things that it may as well get molded and shaped into something they need...just like they can! wowie. it's changelings all the way down.

though...even accepting that much makes their heart hurt. nice things are nice, but they hurt, too. the absence of them hurts in a way, so there's no running from pain, is there?

she leans and slurps at the tea - not an easy feat with a muzzle, but leaning at least keeps most of the dribble off her clothes. it's still really hot, but it's not gonna get wasted just because of that. good pain.]

You don't owe me either, y'know. [she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand and looks over.] S'not like I could pay it back. I'm not as smart or handy.

[Jayce closes his eyes and sighs, mostly to prevent himself from visibly rolling his eyes.]

I don't need it paid back. I don't want this to be some back and forth on favors. I. Like. Helping.

[That's not purely it, of course. But the deeper reason isn't something he'll admit to when he's already confessed about the control issue.]

Mn. [slurrrrrp.

beat.]

Y'know. If I were a worser person, all that helping would be getting a workout past a couple satchets of tea, Long-Term.

... What do you mean?

[shrug!] I mean, sinks aside, I coulda been battin' my eyes and askin' for all kindsa junk! Because I'm so teeny and helpless and big man with big brain can make all the things for me.

[He pauses. Levels a stare at Antigone.]

Well. What kind of things would you ask for?

Mh? [she double-takes when she notes his attention.

she pauses, an ear twitching, feeling a beat of...something. wariness? like she'd set herself up in a bad way.

quickly, her gaze darts away as she pushes nonchalance into her posture and tone.]

Just stupid, dumb stuff. Just to see how much you'd do before you got sick of it. [she doesn't realize that's the playbook she lives by, because most of her demands and asks aren't physical. it's all that pushing and pulling she does with the people who bother giving her the time of day, expecting there's some invisible line that'll get crossed and burn whatever bridge was built.]

If it's "stupid dumb stuff" that I think makes sense, I'd do it. So go ahead. Ask for something.

[Raising the ante here on purpose.]

[her ears go back.] N-no! [This is a set-up!] You already brought stuff, my, my tab's got stuff on it. I was just saying if I was meaner--

Your tab?

[What.]

Yeah! Like--! [wait.] You don't got tabs where you're from?

At a bar. For drinks.

[she wiggles her cup.] This is a drink. But no, no, nonononah, I mean--same logic applies! [cup wiggles in tandem with her counting off:] You get me outta a pinch, I get you outta a pinch, that's square. Heck, you got a bonus outta that one, but--ehhh, nah, nevermind, ignore that-- here, I got me some flowery hot water, and you got, what? A headache?

That's not how friendships work. Sure, it's nice if it's more equal than not, but we don't keep owing one another back and forth, forever. Unless...

[Pause for dramatic effect. Might be pulling a bit of a mansplain, manipulate move here-]

We're not actually friends?

[she shrinks at the ask guiltily, sputtering.]

I--I, I, I'm not, uh-- [Worth the time? Y'know?] I mean--! [still flinching, she grimaces over her shoulder.]

Ain't you sick of me by now? Like--like, like! Even if I wanted to be a friend, isn't that annoyin'? For you? You don't even like how I live! Ain't I the only one gettin' anything good outta this?

I don't have to like everything about someone to be their friend. And I'm not sick of you, or I'd leave. I'm not being trapped with you against my will, Antigone. I'm here because I want to be and I like being around you.

...

[despite the effort to look blank (which yields just big eyes staring at nothing), Antigone's features go on a bit of a journey. ears perk, then flatten, then droop with a shoulder sag. it's like she's trying to figure out how to saddle some ill-shaped weight on herself, but no matter the shape Knife takes, it'd feel hard to grasp.

lots of things come to mind.

Yes you fucking ARE trapped with me, dumbass, we're in a giant prison! but that's not what he means.

You got TWO Viktors and a billion other friends or whatever, why the FUCK would you-- he just said what he said.

Okay, but what about if this Echo fuck is deciding to nuke either YOUR world or mine, what then? Knife doesn't even believe that's what's happening, so that's just a goddamn excuse to hide.

Yeah, but, but what if Soliton finds out and thinks I don't want to see him again because I got friends here? they can't speak to that to anyone, not ever, so that's just gonna have to stick in their heart like a serrated knife.

in a last-ditch effort to parse a lie, she shoots those big, glossy eyes up at Jayce with unblinking scrutiny, waiting for the 'just kidding' to drop. the pause is dramatic enough!]

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