video

[pinksidekicking]

Type: video
Sender ID: pinksidekicking (Nimona)
To: General
Subject: Distractions, Story Time
Warnings: Vague mention to the kidnappings

[ When Nimona appears on the shellphone, she's wearing a manta ray onesie and has an extremely big manta ray plush as her pillow. ]

I know some big terrible things are happening right now, but that's kinda the point of this. I just need a distraction, because I dunno if I'm gonna get much sleep anyway.

[ She'd rather be out there searching, breaking things... ]

Let's talk about our worlds. It can be about anything. Stories, legends, stuff that's happened to you personally, whatever. I'll start.

[ The shellphone is propped up. ]

My world is weird. We've got knights and a kingdom, but we've also got crazy levels of tech compared to this place. Flying vehicles, laser weapons, those sort of hologram screens. Don't ask me how any of it really works, I only know how to use it.

We've got royalty... though the queen was recently killed. Not sure who's gonna be in charge now. I don't pay that close of attention to what the humans do. And we've got our old stories too. Mostly about a monster and the woman who defeated it a thousand years ago and became a hero.

[ Nimona points at herself. ]

It's me, I'm the "monster". Not really a monster, though, just different from everyone else in my world.

Your turn, if you wanna talk to anyone.

Comments

[withermarked]

[Faulkner shrugs; korf is actually one of the less violent things in his world.

He listens intently as she talks, occasionally considering asking for context, but she's entertaining either way.]

Well... I can't say I necessarily followed all of that, but it sounds excitin'. Your world sounds like something out of comic-books to me.

[A pause, but he's curious.]

So this 'Ballister' is a villain... and you're his sidekick? What does that mean?

[He doesn't seem to be judging; he already said he knows the way people end up labelled by others.]

[pinksidekicking]

[ Someone should make a more violent version... ]

I know, right?! Super cool. I'd read that comic book. But honestly, most of the time it's boring in the kingdom.

[ She props her chin up in her head. ]

More like "framed villain"? Someone framed him to be the villain to get rid of him for ruining her ideal world of only nobles being knights. A sidekick is an assistant or apprentice, kinda! They help the person they attach to and are pretty loyal.

I thought he was the villain when I applied to be his sidekick, but stuck around even after learning he wasn't.

[withermarked]

[ The first part is interesting, and he's curious about several aspects, but he still latches onto the last one the most. ]

...So you wanted to work for a villain?

[ There's no judgement there, just sort of amused curiosity. He grins and tilts his head to the side a little. ]

[pinksidekicking]

[ Nimona lifts a hand and shakes it in a "so-so" manner. ]

I thought that maybe a villain might... understand me a little better. Outcasted, hunted, on their own. I mean, I won't say that our Kingdom doesn't need a "villain" to shake things up. They built so much on an old story about a monster and a hero, where only those of noble blood can become a knight, where they're taught as children to hate and kill anyone or anything that's different.

So yeah, I liked the idea of working for a villain. But I didn't turn my back on him when I found out he was framed and not actually a villain either.

[withermarked]

I can understand feeling that way... I think.

[ His original goals made him either a hero or a villain, depending on perspective. He's pretty sure he was just a villain in the end. But he doesn't say any of that.

She seems like she might understand some of it, but he's not about to chance that all the same. ]