“You forgot me?” You twist your mouth into a mouie, your hand pressed to your heart. “I’m hurt,” you drawl, and it’s worth that spike of pain to add that touch of a whine to your voice. “So hurt! And here you left such an awful impression on me, I thought you’d be positively struck.”
“The name’s Ico, wineheart, if you really can’t remember at all.”
She pauses when you drop that name, but it’s not quite the reaction you want! A pause isn’t a stab, not really, so you sheathe that thought, slide it to the back of your repertoire. She’s not bothered by a little dead quadrant? Well.
You’d already known she was an awful little creature! It’s just that there’s something satisfying about having it so nicely confirmed, even if it’s foiling part of your plan. But luckily, you’ve got other things in your cardbook to pull loose.
- ID: PERFORM THE FINAL BOW
So, ID has a pan-nanny! This isn’t full blown mind control or anything else: this is something that Shepherd installed for Raphae, back when they were fourteen, because ID’s malicious, aggressive, and was building up a bad tendency of verbally flaying people in embarrassingly public situations, and if your boyfriend won’t reign in his adolescense pissiness, clearly you have to reign it in for him. (Annual reminder Raphae’s awful - when you’ve even got Pheres shying away from you, that’s a pretty big sign.)
“I’m hurt,” you drawl, and it’s worth that spike of pain to add that touch of a whine to your voice references his protocol’s setting in, and was a quick demonstration of what happens when he does: he’s not allowed to lie to highbloods, but the punishment for that’s so low-scale that he can push through it. It hurts, like touching the tip of a sparkler, but ID has a sufficiently high pain tolerance that it’s worth it, to him, to be an ass. He does this semi-regularly! The pan-nanny was supposed to train his behaviour more-so than necessarily regulate it, and as a result, he just either gears his language and actions in a way that won’t set it off (”if you can’t remember it at all” - it’s not a lie to say she should know him, if he keeps slamming clarifying statements on the end), or else he shoves through it anyway.
The rest of this post is pretty glib. ID is treating his interaction with Lyrian like a game, to a certain extent! There’s nothing she can seriously do to him, and if push comes to shove, he’s certain he can kill her - so he’s mostly doing this to establish dominance, to make it to where if she sees him alone, in private, she will come after him, and he can just kill her. This is all bait, basically, and he doesn’t realise if you’re laying bait out in front of a shark, it can bite off your hand - so it’s not just bait, it’s a game.
It’s a way of having fun, wasting time at the ball, while setting up his big show of affection for Bonnie later (”I killed Lyrian!”) and establishing, to himself, that indigoes and the Empire don’t actually have any power over him anymore.
So the fact she doesn’t get outraged over him mentioning her dead quadrants is briefly annoying, but it’s mostly amusing: she’s horrible enough to torture people, sure, but she doesn’t even get upset over dead quadrants? What a monster. Better pull out the next card, and see if that rattles her more.
All of my attention is currently on the thread with Reba over at @iconicdisquiet, so if you want to read about two twenty four year olds posturing at each other like rival fraternity members in the middle of the Winter Ball, you can go read that over there.
It features drink-dumping! Pink suit jackets! Weaponised use of first names! Sixty seconds of intense glowing eye-contact! And, of course, nose booping your enemy to try and break them emotionally.
"It won't be a fight, Emerel." You finally pull your face away to look up at him. Your voice is clogged. Your face is a mess. That.. doesn't matter as much as the fact you need him to realise you're serious. "I will cull them," you say, carefully enunciating each word. "I don't like to. I don't think - people shouldn't do it. But I have, and I will, and I will make a fucking point of him and anyone else that I need to, if someone - someone -" A breath.
"If someone kills you. It's - it wouldn't be right, otherwise."
fun facts: Pheres is the only character of my cast that would genuinely start a revenge cycle, and then doggedly carry it out until the issue is settled, or everything/everyone involved is dead.
He doesn’t like it! He doesn’t really approve, but there’s things you’re just supposed to do.
[ refiningSpacetime is now messaging dualPhantasmagoria! ]
RS: | Okay | So |
RS: | I am By the Mouth | On the Road | for Another Hour or So |
RS: | But It's Best that We Clear the Air Beforehand | Isn't It | ? | =:) | That's what I Figure | At Least |
RS: | So | I am Messaging You First |
DP: Alright, Pheres, let's talk | I'm listening
RS: | | Um | So |
RS: | Ah |
RS: | | Give me a Moment | I have This on Voice to Text | So I can Drive |
RS: | And I am Afraid I Did Not Come Pre-Planned with a Script |
DP: Well this sovnds promising
RS: | What a Strikingly Respectful Beginning | =:) |
RS: | Ahem | Alright |
RS: | | Why | Exactly | are You Upset | ? |
DP: Pheres, I think I've made it very clear why I'm vpset | What did yov mean by no respect for yov is what I want to know.
RS: | That was an Invitation to Rephrase It | in a Moment Where You were Less | Mm | Emotional | ? |
RS: | But | That's Fine |
RS: | What is There to Say Further on My End | ? |
RS: | You Don't Trust My Decisions | You Certainly Don't Trust My Judgement |
DP: Yov're right that I don't, Pheres | Becavse of what you're doing right there
DP: Yov keep tvrning it back to how emotionally vnstable I am every time I stand vp to yov | It feels like yov want an accession instead of an advlt compromise
DP: Key word: Advlt
RS: | Of the Two Of Us | You are More Emotional |
RS: | It's not Some sort of Insult | It is a Statement of Fact |
RS: | Also | Oh My God |
RS: | You are Not Standing Up To Me |
RS: | I am Entirely Uncertain Why You Insist on Painting Yourself as the Perpetual Victim |
DP: I'm not painting myself as a victim | Bvt this is exactly why yov're so difficvlt to talk to
DP: Instead of going okay hey we're both in the wrong let's work ovt a solvution | Yov pick one point to harp on
DP: And yov keep harping on it | And vse it as an excvse to jvst deflect and ignore the problem at hand
DP: 'Well obviovsly we can't have a civil conversation because Lvcina is too emotional' | 'I have no idea what I did wrong I am innocent'
DP: Do yov see what I'm getting at here?
RS: | I see What You're Saying | I just Disagree |
RS: | Which I suppose is the Vast Issue Here | Haha |
RS: | What do You Consider the Problem at Hand | ? |(edited)
RS: | Because I Believe the Issue is a Lack of Respect |
RS: | And That's hardly going to be Resolved | If You Think That is the Issue that I am | Ahem |
RS: | How did You Say It | ? |
RS: | Harping On |
DP: I consider the problem at hand to be the fact | That we can't in the same room withovt sniping at each other
DP: At the very least what we need to do is set some grovnd rvles here | For what lines we can and can't cross
RS: | Setting Ground Rules won't Help |
RS: | If We Don't Address the Underlying Position |
RS: | But | Fine |
RS: | Since I am Unclear on What | Exactly | I have Done to Warrant Your Constant Uncouth Behaviour Towards Me |
RS: | Why Don't You Set Your Rules First | ? |
RS: | Or | No | We'll go Back and Forth | How's That | ? |
RS: | You get One | I Get One | =:) |
RS: | To Ensure It is |- Fair -|
DP: Deal | Sovnds good
DP: My first rvle is | Stop telling my friends they svck
DP: If not in those exact words
DP: Yovr tvrn
RS: | No | Pause | I am Afraid You will Have to Clarify That |
RS: | How do You Think I am Insulting Your Peers | ? |
DP: It's the way yov talk Pheres | Yov always come off like yov're telling us that everything we do is wrong
DP: Even if that's not what yov mean | It's how yov come off
DP: Which is why I told yov to leave the smiley faces ovt of the conversation(edited)
DP: Becavse that literally signals to me that yov think my anger is cvte or something
RS: | My Smiley | showing a Smiling Face |
RS: | signals that I think Your Anger is Cute |
RS: | Really | ? |
RS: | Heavens | And Here I Thought It Denoted Civility |
RS: | I Speak to Your Friends in the Same Manner that I Speak to Everyone Else |
RS: | If You Want Me to Change It |
RS: | Simply for Your Pleasure |
RS: | I am Afraid You're just Going to Have to be More Specific About What | Exactly | Is Upsetting You |
DP: Well that explains that one | Vsing smiles when someone is upset with yov is really bad timing(edited)
RS: | Other than the Smileys | I have Rather Caught on to That |
DP: The fact that yov're the most condescending person I've ever met | Is not helping
DP: What else am I svpposed to call it when yov make comments on how yov personally wovldn't do this or that and that yov think it's dvmb | Then tell vs to go ahead
DP: Or when yov critiqve the way everyone dresses | Nobody asked for yovr critiqve
RS: | | I don't Think I have Ever Used the Word Dumb | Once in My Life |
RS: | Forgive Me if I assumed | When People are Telling Me About Their Decisions | that The Proper Response is to | Say |
RS: | Respond | ? | Hahaha |
RS: | Heavens | I Thought It was a Conversation | Where One's Input was Expected | and Desired |
RS: | But | If I was Incorrect | That's Perfectly Fine | =:B |
RS: | I will be Certain to Keep That In |- Mind -|(edited)
DP: Jvst...stop giving you opinion when it wasn't actvally asked for | Becavse more often than not it goes from being a discvssion to yov jabbering away abovt how mvch this style svcks while we jvst groan
DP: Bvt if yov want a more positive note
DP: I...did think abovt what yov said | Abovt the boys
DP: Yov're right that we can't keep them here forever | Or protect them forever
DP: I mean half the trolls who live here were fending for themselves by six | Like yov apparently were
DP: I gvess it's jvst in ovr natvre to want to save them from the rest of the world bvt | We can't
RS: | Mm | I'm Glad You Agree |
RS: | But | Let's Stay on Topic | And Not Get Distracted | Shall We | ? |
RS: | Because | If We Start Discussing the Pupas Again | This will not Prove Conductive | =:) |
DP: Fair point
RS: | So | What You Consider Me Insulting Your Friends | is what I Consider a Normal Conversation |
RS: | Your Preference is That I Simply | Mm | do not Give My Opinion When It Isn't Asked For |
RS: | If Someone Begins Discussing Their Life |
RS: | My Proper Place in the Conversation is to | | |
RS: | Listen | ? | =:) |
DP: Yov ass
DP: Bvt no | It's more....yov can listen and respond withovt being rvde about it
DP: I'm starting to think we jvst have very different ideas of rvde
RS: | Honestly | I am Beginning to See What You Mean by Rude |
DP: Yov do?
RS: | Yes | Unfortunately | I find It Deeply Distasteful | In Every Way |
RS: | So | I Suppose That will Just Have to be A Source of Conflict |
RS: | It rather Makes Sense | Given Pademi's Behaviour | But |
RS: | I can't Say I Expected It from a Maroonblood |
RS: | Oh | Well | =:) |
RS: | My Turn to Designate a Rule |
DP: Oh my god
DP: Ugggh
DP: Fine | Name yovr rvle
RS: | You Have to Clearly State Your Intentions in Your Interactions |
RS: | Namely |
RS: | Have You been Pitch-Flirting | Or Not | ? |
DP: The answer is | Well
DP: Sometimes
DP: Sometimes I'm genuinely that mad | And other times I'm messing with you
DP: Even I'm not svre which some days
RS: | =:| |
DP: Yeah | Sorry
DP: Yov're actvally right | How can I be clear abovt it to yov if I don't even know what I'm doing
DP: Bvt I covld ask yov the same qvestion
RS: | Mm | To be Entirely Honest | I Thought You were Pitch-Courting |
RS: | And in That Light | Your Behaviour was Somewhat Tolerable |
RS: | And Your Continuous Lack of Respect | was Meant to Deliberately Aggravate | rather than Show Your Perpetual Inconsideration |
DP: Okay so | I'm not that matvre about it
DP: Yov got me
RS: | If It Was Not |
RS: | Well |
DP: Look I've never done the black covrting thing okay | I have no fvcking clve what I'm doing
DP: And listening to Pademi doesn't help
DP: Maybe I really am the one stepping over the line here.......
RS: | Yes | Well | I have Done It Once Before | And on the Topic of Unasked For Opinions |
RS: | Pademi Certainly had a Great Deal of Venom to Spew about My Ability to Handle It |
DP: Vh oh
DP: What did she say
RS: | And I am Honestly Thrown Here | On If You are Listening to Pademi Too Much | Or Too Little |
RS: | Because She was Certainly Opposed to Violence between Kismesises when It Came to My Prior One |
RS: | But She has No Words Against Your Predilection towards |- Striking Me -|(edited)
RS: | It's Almost as If | There is an Expectation | I will Simply be a Vehicle for | Oh |
RS: | People to Talk To | and Aim Their Confused Pitch Affections Towards |
RS: | and I am not Expected to React | Or Respond | Lest It be Read as Rude | that I am Talking Back |
RS: | And | Heavens Forbid | Expressing |- Opinions -| towards Higher Castes |
DP: I...will talk to her later
DP: Becavse when yov word it that way | It doesn't sovnd right at all
DP: Tell yov what Pheres
DP: I'm dropping whatever rvles I was thinking abovt setting
DP: Becavse they're sovnding more and more ridicvlovs the more I think on them
DP: We-especially me-haven't been fair to yov at all | And I'm sorry
DP: If yov don't completely platonically hate me by this point | Do yov think maybe we covld start over?
DP: Thovgh I get it if yov're completely done with me, I deserve that after the shit I've been flinging at yov and I'll stop bothering yov and won't argve it
DP: Yovr choice
DP: Either way, I really am sorry for being so childish. | I won't ever pvll the crap I pvlled with yov today again, especially in pvblic
DP: I swear
RS:
RS: | Ah | I am Juggling Conversations |
RS: | I am Not Really Giving This the Attention It Warrants | I Suppose |
RS: | So |
RS: | | ugh |
RS: | Don't |
RS: | Ugh | Look |
RS: | There is No Need to Feel Sorry For Yourself on My Account |
RS: | Or Pursue Theatrics such as | Oh | If You Never Wish to Speak to Me Again |
RS: | If I Did Not Wish to Speak To You | I Would not Have Contacted You |
RS: | I am Perfectly Fine | This is Perfectly Fine |
RS: | I will Speak to You in an Hour |
RS: | But I have Another Message to Respond To in the Meanwhile |
COW: yesh, well I guessh I never experienced cullingsh, but one can eashily asshume that a place like thish ish a cover for an underground culling arena
COW: if not shomething more perverted
COW: were gullible lowbloodsh get offered drinksh only to find themshelvesh locked, upshide down in a metal cage that keepsh them from doing anything until they're called for their turn in the ring
-- CURRENT refiningSpacetime [CRS] stares. --
-- CURRENT refiningSpacetime [CRS] lifts a hand to his mouth, then drops it - and then lifts it again, appalled. --
