video

[deepstar]

Type: Video
Sender ID: deepstar ( Khalid )
To: Public
Subject: Curing the Phantoms
Warnings: N/A

I'm not sure that anyone's come forward with this yet, but there's a way that we can help the people that have been all inky this last moon. You know those purifiers some of us have been making for the miasma?

[ Khalid moves the camera around. Okay, don't be alarmed, he kind of corralled a bunch of Phantoms into an abandoned barn. With Sylvain's help - thanks Gautier. So the camera is panning around to those lanterns with the filters inside and it seems like it is helping out with the inky Phantom-ness. ]

It's a bit of a process, but it does seem to be working, as long as the person affected isn't too far gone. Moth dust is a lot more helpful than the crushed stones and pearls, for the record.

It's not like I was going to keep this to myself, so if anyone's looking to help these people out? Well, there you go.

Comments

[octoblot]

First of all, I did not say that I want one, I'm simply asking out of curiosity what you would want in exchange for one.

Secondly, even if I did want one for myself, I'm not comfortable with the thought of being given this so freely without having provided something of equal value in return.

[sorry Khalid you get Azul being Like This today]

[deepstar]

I could just figure out a way to make sure you get it, you know.

Since you don't like receiving things for free, consider it something of an apology instead.

[octoblot]

An apology?

[At that, Azul actually grins, perhaps a little too sharply.]

If this is about what happened recently, then I have to ask: do you think that something like this would be considered enough of an apology for what you did?

[deepstar]

Considering what it could assist in reversing? Absolutely.

What happened recently wouldn't have had to happen if you had been mindful in the first place.

[octoblot]

Excuse me?

[Azul's grin is quickly replaced by a scowl.]

I had every intention of going back to my apartment to rest, which you would have known if you had simply asked me. You're the one that decided to make things far more troublesome than they had to be.

[deepstar]

If you really want to get into this publicly, I can.

Or you can just take the damn thing.

[octoblot]

[No, Azul doesn't want to talk about what happened publicly, mostly because that would involve the potential of one of them accidentally letting slip that Leona was the one responsible regarding the appearance of the Phantoms. That's what privacy filters are for if they must continue that particular part of the conversation. However--]

I don't want it. Not as a poor, pathetic excuse for an apology that I'm sorely owed here.

[deepstar]

Great! Then you can take it as is!

[ Azul's getting one. That's going to end up non negotiable. Now if Azul uses it or not? Well that's none of Claude's business. ]

[octoblot]

Or, better yet, you actually give a proper apology, and maybe then it won't end up going straight into the garbage if this thing shows up to darken my doorstep otherwise.

[deepstar]

Accept it and I will.

private

[octoblot]

[There's a pause as if he is considering it... but then, a privacy filter goes up.]

You don't even understand what it is that you should be apologizing to me for, do you?

just perma private

[deepstar]

[ He clicks his tongue against his teeth. Okay so - ]

Yes, and no. I'm not sorry for forcing you to rest in an environment so that I know you've gotten the rest.

What I do apologize for is the distress swiping your pen most definitely caused.

[ Claude hums. How does he explain? ]

You and Leona both are really bad at regulating. Protest all you want, but both of your pens wouldn't be so dark and inky if you were. I know the pens are important, I do. Do I understand, contextually, just how important they are? Not at all. If someone were to rip my bow, Failnaught, from my hands I wouldn't be trying to take it back because I need it, but because my concern would be for the person taking the bow and not knowing if it will corrupt them or not.

[octoblot]

[Azul narrows his eyes during the explanation, tapping his fingers against his desk here--he's in his office of the Mostro Lounge during this conversation, the shellphone propped up in a manner that allows him to keep his hands free to keep working on paperwork while he had been scrolling through the network for news before he had come upon Khalid's announcement. After a moment of silence, he stops tapping his fingers, appearing to come to some kind of decision on how to begin responding to this.]

My pen wouldn't have done anything in your hands, as I'm sure you found during the brief time you had taken it from me. The most it likely did was fluctuate in indicating how much blot had been generated by the use of my magic during our confrontation with Leona-san, since it is currently tied to my magical signature alone and no one else's.

[deepstar]

I didn't take it to use it. Honestly, I thought you couldn't use magic without it?

[octoblot]

I know you didn't take it to use it; I'm just saying that it wouldn't have done anything just on the off chance you were wondering if it could be used by you. And no, I don't use my magic without it here.

[... But that's not necessarily saying he can't cast magic without it, is it?

Anyway, that's not actually the part that Azul wants to talk about here as he folds his arms across his chest.]

Regardless, I don't appreciate people taking my pen without my permission. Or any of my things, really. It's the sort of behavior I expect from terrible merchildren playing keep-away, not from my peers that should be treating me with respect.

[deepstar]

[ Well... Claude doesn't actually have a talent in magic. He has an affinity with wind magic, sure, but he's not really one of those budding talents, no.

And he's noticed that Azul hasn't said one way or another. ]

As much as I do respect you, Azul, you're still a teenager. While that has nothing to do with maturity and talent, because you are a very talented individual, it still means you're more prone to risk taking and impulsivity.

[ He's rubbing the back of his neck. ]

Again, I apologize. My concerns weren't about your pen, but I shouldn't have taken it anyway. So please, just take care of yourself better. That's all I really am asking for anyway. If you don't start taking it seriously now, you'll be like me and have a really hard time breaking those habits.

1/2

[octoblot]

[Azul makes a face at that "still a teenager" comment like he just swallowed a lemon.]

Again, this is a very poor apology if you're now going to say something so patronizing: I may be younger than you, but I'm also considered in most parts of Twisted Wonderland an adult who pays his own taxes, thank you very much...

[Though, if the twins were here... yeah, Floyd especially would almost certainly have started snickering at Azul saying that, probably embarrass Azul with giving an unhelpful example of how much of an adult Azul is with something that only highlights how immature and childish he actually was at that particular moment. Jade might have said something as equally patronizing as Claude just did while pretending that he was agreeing with Azul here at the same time...]

[octoblot]

[... But thinking about what the twins would say right now causes an instant, aching feeling of regret for doing so. It's sad, pathetic in fact, how much he not only thought of Jade and Floyd as if he needed an immediate source of validation for his words, but that in his idle imagination of them just now, they didn't even give him said validation... what does that even say about the kind of person Azul is, really?

Still, it reminds him of what exactly the issue is he has with everything Claude has said and done, and he realizes that he is probably going to have to just come out and say it if he actually wants this to get through the other man's thick skull. He takes a breath and schools his expression and tone back to be as calm... or rather, as emotionless as possible.

Because giving away any sign of how angry, or upset, or anything he actually feels about what he's going to say in this moment is a sign of weakness.]

Regardless, it seems that I need to actually state this far more plainly than I thought I would have to: I wasn't worried about you using my pen. I'm not even that interested in your reasons for why you thought you were in the right to act the way you did. I don't care if it was out of so-called concern for my wellbeing or whatever excuse you're trying to make here.

The reason I wanted an apology is because instead of making me feel any better about what happened, all this whole thing in general has done so far is remind me of things I would rather have left behind back in the ocean with the mers that had done similar things too, though for far less "noble" reasons than yours.