(no subject)

[secondborn]

Who: Alastair Stara and YOU
What: Sitting on the roof and being introspective! HOW EXCITING.
When: Day 189
Where: On a roof somewhere in the Sigyn district.
Rating: Oh, G probably. I'll make a note if it gets scandalous somehow.

[Alastair is not terribly accustomed to heights. He's climbed trees before, but the idea of running across rooftops as a way to travel quickly and easily completely escapes him. But he was told that this is what he must learn, so he might as well get used to it.

Alastair has made his way up to the roof of a building in the Sigyn district. He didn't climb up there, he's not that good yet. No, instead he found a building with roof access and did the sensible thing and climbed the stairs.

So now here he is, sitting on the edge of the roof and looking around the city.

This really doesn't seem like a safe thing to do.

Who came up with this idea anyway?

He sighs.]

What am I even doing?

Comments

[secondborn]

I'd agree, but after what happened with Freyr... [He shrugs.] I'm not so sure anymore.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

The suicide mission, you mean? [He shakes his head.] He proved that they can die, which is helpful in a way he probably didn't expect, but he didn't prove anything about how sincere the gods are or aren't. A martyr's pretty damn good for PR too, after all.

[secondborn]

[He nods, though he doesn't seem convinced. He's inclined to dislike the gods, definitely. After all, they took him away from his sister and the people who needed him. But he just can't bring himself to hate them all, not after what Freyr did. And he can't bring himself to paint them all with the same cynical brush as Pyro.]

I suppose it is.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[He swings his legs around and turns to face Alastair.]

They're sucking you in. Don't let it go so easily, man. They have a lot to answer for, and someone's gotta keep a clear enough head to get those answers.

[secondborn]

[He raises his eyebrows. Wow, dude, calm down.]

I'm not going to let the actions of one of them excuse the actions of all of them.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

Good. You've got some sense.

[He turns back around to face the city, and his stare takes on a dark, brooding quality.]

This place distracts you. On my first day, I thought I'd have it all worked out by now. But I'm no further ahead than I was then.

[Flick, the lighter opens and is struck. It's hard to tell if the sight of the flame soothes or further angers him.]

I won't be like most of the people here, though. I won't give up.

[secondborn]

[Alastair watches him carefully. He doesn't seem... very well balanced.]

What makes you think they've given up? Maybe their methods are just different from yours.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[That's putting it mildly, Alastair.]

They're all telling me to give up, at least. It's impossible. Everything's impossible. The gods are too strong.

[He snorts.]

Pathetic.

[secondborn]

[Alastair's brow furrows at that last word. He doesn't like it. He doesn't believe anyone in the city has really given up. Just the fact that they have made lives for themselves and continue on is a testament to their will.

But Pyro clearly doesn't see things that way.

Still, Alastair knows better than to get him angry, and getting angry himself would be counterproductive, so he takes a quiet breath.]

There are a lot of ways to fight.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

Now you sound like him. [A disdainful glance over his shoulder.] Sorry, I'm done swallowing that line. The only fight I'm interested in is one that'll work.

[secondborn]

[Him? Alastair's curious, but he won't press it.]

When you find one, let me know.

[All of the regular ways to fight haven't worked here.]

[ex_outofcontrol435]

Are you sure you mean that? I won't have anyone halfhearted on my side.

[He's unsettlingly intense, taking what might have been an offhand comment in deadly earnest.]

[secondborn]

[Alastair is taken aback at first, but then he seriously considers him.

It's probably not a good idea.

Finally, he tilts his head slightly.]

I don't know your name.

[He'll start with that.]

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[Cautious. He can respect that, even if he doesn't share it.]

Pyro. [A thin smirk.]

[secondborn]

[Alastair nods.]

Alastair.

[Now he has to figure out whether or not he should let this clearly unbalanced individual if he's willing to go along with him.

He isn't, not really, but he feels like someone should probably keep an eye on him.]

And it would depend on what exactly it entailed.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

Pretty easy, really. [He flips his lighter closed, standing up and approaching Alastair with a cool smile.] Don't be afraid of the so-called gods. Don't be afraid of the fake deaths they hand out. And don't have anyone you're not willing to push aside if they get in your way.

[secondborn]

[He raises his eyebrows.]

The first two I can handle no problem.

[His smile mirrors Pyro's.]

I can't make any promises on the last one, though.

1/2

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[He laughs, shaking his head.]

That's the one that trips everyone up, isn't it? You look outside yourself for support, thinking that other people can hold you up, and pretty soon they've tied you down.

2/2

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[The smile disappears abruptly.]

I thought you were too smart to make that mistake. Guess I was wrong.

[secondborn]

[Alastair continues to watch Pyro unflinchingly. He shrugs, almost casually.]

Maybe I'm just too smart to join someone who wouldn't have any problems tossing an ally to the side to save himself or get ahead.

[So much for joining up to keep an eye on him.]

[ex_outofcontrol435]

That's a lot of interpretation of what I said, and most of it is wrong. It's not about saving yourself or getting ahead - it's about putting what matters most first. If you're gonna crumble because one of your friends questions what you're doing, then you're useless to any cause.

[secondborn]

[Hmm. He still isn't getting a good vibe from this guy, but he has a point.]

Fair enough. I guess I just heard you wrong.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

Allies aren't allies just because they're standing beside you. There's always a chance that you're standing on the wrong side.

[Spoken like a true turncoat.]

[secondborn]

[Oh yeah. Definitely not a guy to trust.

But still. His points make a weird kind of sense.]

That I'm more inclined to agree with, if only because there's more to being allies with someone than just standing with them.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[Okay, time to cut the vague, "ally" crap and get to it.]

So how do your friends feel about the leadership here?