Activity

@Calidris I love Basil so much — he and Rúan could claim to be brothers and no one would argue. 😆

this interaction is going to be a complete disaster and I’m sooo looking forward to it!

Well, we’re authors — we dabble in disaster, don’t we? *tries hard not to glance at the mess that is Rúan Fernyasson Pyrestone*

Hopefully both Basil and Ruan will grow as a result of this much needed practice in socialization!

Hahah, yes, indeed. I’m crossing my fingers that this will end in Rúan’s growth in socialisation and friendship. (Okay, yes, I’m gunning for a lot, but I can hope, can’t i? 😂)

Also, I’m formally begging you for Ruan art lol

I’m trying to find some good ones. 😅 (Also, apparently if I have an image in a post, SE will eat it ._.)

So I was not initially planning on writing this, but it’s interesting.  This is not at all how Basil talks normally – it’s 100% the propaganda speaking.  He’s out of the labs, but there’s still a little part of that fanatically loyal soldier in him still, and I honestly had no idea until I wrote this!

*whispers* I love this so much.

Basil is being incredibly casual about the whole “alternate worlds/timelines” because this is considered cutting edge science in his world!  Of course Ruan probably has no idea what he’s talking about lol

Ahhh, I was wondering about that. Thank you for the clarification. 😁

It’s going to be really interesting to see the differences in the sciences of their respective worlds!

Yes! Absolutely! 😃

_____

RÚAN:

“Spire.”

What?

“I come from Spire, the shining white city of the West.”

Oh, that’s his homeland. I quickly shut my mouth to avoid blurting something half-baked and most likely insensitive. Having a mouth with a mind of its own was exasperating.

“I’m very fortunate to live there, because it’s the greatest city in the Confederation, and the Confederation is the greatest country on -” He paused, an odd look on his face.

I wondered, with a hint of amusement, if he’d tripped over his own pride. I’d done it so many times that I took a bit of comfort in knowing I wasn’t alone.

The young man continued, in a much quicker, quieter tone. “Not that it’s something to be proud of or anything like that.  I don’t even get to see it that much because I’m not allowed to go outside – unless I’m with Skia or someone, and that only happens maybe once a month if I’m lucky…” he winced as though he’d realised he said something hurtful.

I blinked at him. He didn’t hurt me, so why was he looking like he did?

“Besides, only rich people get to live in the ‘shining white’ part,” he muttered.

So he came from a country of glory … and never was a part of the glory itself.

If nothing else, that was common ground.

The young man hugged his knees, reminding me of the sick boys I’d seen on the streets of Vulgen during winter, despite how our village never produced snow.

But I didn’t understand why he looked so horrible …

He looked … scared of me.

I wasn’t an intimidating presence, according to General Gregor Fireflash. But then again, he’d also claimed I came straight from Sheol, so his word was not meant to be taken too literally.

“What about you?” he asked weakly.

Me?

I cringed, trying to blot out the memories of Vulgen’s attack.

“I … come from a den of thieves,” I mumbled, keeping my eyes down so that I don’t have to see the horrified look he’ll be sure to harbour. “I was raised in a village full of immorality and crime, the son of a single mother.”

I gritted my teeth, the sting of the spit hitting my face and the accusing voice shouting still fresh in my mind.

“Vulgen was a village under the boot of the Empire, and we were treated worse than dirt. So we treated each other worse than dirt.”

I waited for him to say something — anything — in response, but the silence hung thick and stifling.

In fact, the silence was probably worse than judgmental replies.

I risked a glance up at the young man, but looked away quickly before I could see his expression. “I’m not like my village, though,” I quickly added. “I’m not going to sink as low as that.”

Maybe he wouldn’t judge me if he thought I wanted nothing to do with it all.

But I was just as dirty as Vulgen. Everyone knew that.

No one even remotely better than Vulgen’s people would run while their mother and betrothed were dragged off to their fates.

_______

 

Right, so … my poor lil’ cinnamon roll is broken and bleeding. 😁

Oh yeah, feel free to change anything uncharacteristic, though I purposefully made it so that I wasn’t controlling Basil too much. 🙂