A man, a plan, Asgard [OPEN]

[pushesgently]

Who: Altaïr and you
What: As the Assassins deal with their collective recent emotional traumas,
When: Day 398
Where: All over the city—you choose!

[It's been a rough few weeks for the Assassins. Desmond and Connor's deaths, Caterina's disappearance from Asgard, the pressures of simply holding the brotherhood together. Add to this the troubles every Traveler in Asgard faces and they've had better days. But Altaïr has had worse. Some might complain of boredom, but under the circumstances, he's glad to have an utterly normal day, if a busy one.

As he makes his way around the city, he's dressed in quite normal modern clothing rather than his traditional robes, but there are still a number of knives tucked away where they can't be seen.

making deliveries; The courier service offered by A Needle in a Haystack isn't his favorite task, but he strives to lead by example. Also, no one else wanted to do it today. If you've ordered an item or other deliverable product from the shop, he'll be there with a reasonably pleasant expression, though not necessarily a smile. Pay up.

free running; Between deliveries, he can be found up on the roofs, making his way to and from the shop and occasionally taking a leap of faith down. He's in a hurry, so he'll be more difficult to spot than usual, but look up at you might see him.

shopping; During his lunch break (which probably comes around 3:00 or so), he goes on an errand to pick things up. Flowers for Maria (because Caterina's departure has reminded him not to take some things for granted), some new books for himself (because he's secretly a huge nerd) and anything else on his list that the shop doesn't already carry.

a needle in a haystack; Early in the evening, he returns to the shop, where he mans the main counter, sharpening his knife (knives) between customers.]

Comments

[pushesgently]

[Right. They're both for a reason, and it isn't cooing over his baby son, even though Altaïr could do that all day.]

Did you read the book?

[daddyissues]

I read the book. But it's a book -- I want to hear what you are from you.

[pushesgently]

That's good, because there are a few inaccuracies.

[To be expected of a historian writing centuries later. Or maybe it's another example of subtle differences between worlds. Either way.]

But before I answer any questions, I must ask you: what are you willing to give in return for answers?

[daddyissues]

[ Connor shrugs, the first thought that pops into his head being "you're not going to cut off my finger, are you?" which he keeps to himself. ]

What is it you want? Loyalty?

[pushesgently]

Discretion, perhaps.

[Though note that he doesn't actually say no.]

There's a reason we don't advertise ourselves. [The Thiazi thing was an...aberration.]

[daddyissues]

You've already got my discretion.

[ He hasn't said a word to anyone about your hood club, dude. ]

[pushesgently]

[Maybe he just needed to hear you say it out loud. He nods.]

We've been called killers. That's not entirely wrong; I've ended the lives of many men, and I was raised to do what I do.

[daddyissues]

[ Connor doesn't look surprised; he holds Altair's gaze with no judgment or distaste there -- he's probably got a higher body count overall, and it includes an innocent. When Altair doesn't continue on his own, he offers: ]

We have that in common. I've been called worse.

[pushesgently]

[There's no surprise from him, either.]

Like 'The Destroyer'?

[daddyissues]

You did your reading, too.

[ Combined with their mirrorverse encounter, he figures Altair has realized he's not quite human. ]

[pushesgently]

I did.

[Some people have super strength, some people have day-glo color vision. But neither of them are inhuman as far as he's concerned.]

How accurate was it?

[daddyissues]

The writing is a little dramatic and leaves out the backstory, but it's accurate. That was my childhood.

[pushesgently]

[Ouch. He raises an eyebrow.]

I can see why your father has cause to regret.

[daddyissues]

It wasn't his fault. I was kidnapped by someone with a grudge. My whole life was a black and white training exercise to turn me against him: human good, demon bad, kill kill kill.

[ He doesn't tell this story often... only twice in Asgard, actually, but he wants to see Altair's reaction. And it's not fair to ask to know the other man's secrets, which affect other people, when his past isn't even actually a secret. ]

[pushesgently]

[He takes a moment to collect himself before saying anything. Despite connor's apparent—and, he has no doubt, feigned, at least to some degree—levity, there's more tragedy there than two sentences should be able to contain.]

And did this training succeed?

[daddyissues]

It depends on how you look at it.

[ Quid pro quo, stabdaddy. Your turn again. ]

[pushesgently]

Yes, I suppose it does.

[Fair's fair.]

The creed we live by provides a more nuanced view of the world, however.

[daddyissues]

[ Connor's mouth quirks up. ]

Creed... More required reading?

[pushesgently]

You won't find it in any book. [Unless it's the Codex he will one day write, possibly.] Some would find it too short to write about. Laa shay'a waqui'n moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine—nothing is true; everything is permitted.

[A brief creed. Brief, but immensely expansive.]

[daddyissues]

[ Have an eyebrow. ]

I think I need a second translation. That's really broad.

[pushesgently]

It's meant to be. In time, it's hoped that members of our order will come to their own understanding of the creed.

[But they're a bit short on time, so.]

Other men may blindly follow the truths of life presented to them, but we remember that nothing is true. And while others allow themselves to be limited by law and custom, we know that everything is permitted. We act, Connor, and accept what consequences follow—though you've seen that we do so from the shadows where we can.

[daddyissues]

[ Connor nods at the elaboration; it resonates in him in a way he wouldn't have expected. That's more or less how he lives anyway. ]

I've seen. How many of you are there in Asgard?

[pushesgently]

[He smiles.]

That's more information than I should give to an outsider.

[daddyissues]

[ Uh huh. Connor glances around the closed shop, at the work on Altair's desk and back up at him. The question is in his eyes: is he really still an outsider? ]

[pushesgently]

[Well, he's not an Assassin.

Yet.]

I've told you what we stand for. Now I'd like to know; what do you stand for, Connor?