oo2 || Video

[freezerburned]

Alright, I think I've got this shadow thing worked out.

[Isaac mutters into the video, as he absentmindedly flexes his fingers, casting shadow puppets on the wall. After a few moments, the shadow of his hand peels from where it sits, becoming a separate entity entirely.

He flexes his fingers, and the tangible shadow of his hand flexes as well- except the dark 'fingers' begin to file down to sharp, pointed claws. Useful, even if the shadow is trembling, as if he's still having difficulty keeping it whole.]

Now I wanna see what it can do to someone else. [And Isaac grins back toward the camera, dropping his hand and letting the shadow dissipate into nothing.] Anyone wanna go at it? Powers on powers. No holding back.

I'll be at the arena in fifteen.

[[ooc: feel free to just tag in with an offline if you want!]]

Comments

[hollowchild]

Ah.

[she chews her lip thoughtfully, eyes unfocusing as her thoughts turn inward]

I'm not sure I've ever considered things that way.

[freezerburned]

Look, I get it.

[He shrugs.]

World coming to an end, it's everyone's big problem, but- yeah, I dunno. That's just not how I see it.

[hollowchild]

How do you see it?

[she's genuinely curious]

[freezerburned]

I dunno. I guess I've explained it as good as I can.

[He sighs.]

-sorry. I guess I'm in kind of a bad mood.

[hollowchild]

[she shrugs]

It happens. I know this place makes me a bit stir-crazy.

[freezerburned]

Among other things.

[There's a pause, and he sighs.]

I just hate people. You know?

[hollowchild]

It's true. I've found that keeping busy helps a bit. During the day, at least.

Yes and no. The people I've met here have been kinder than others I've known. But it's hard, actually being around other people all the time.

[freezerburned]

[Isaac laughs, sort of wryly and leans back against the wall, rubbing at the back of his neck.]

I know how that feels. People are- they're decent here, I guess. I'm not really used to it.

[hollowchild]

[she nods]

Mm, I can empathize. This is the first city I've ever been in. It's still strange, having friends. But not in a bad way. Sometimes difficult to believe, though.

[freezerburned]

You're used to being all by yourself, huh?

[He looks at her, something akin to sympathy in his eyes.]

I'm more like- surrounded by people, but still- I don't know. Not attached.

[hollowchild]

Often enough. Sometimes I would visit my brothers.

[she tilts her head]

Is that by choice?

[freezerburned]

I dunno. Not really.

[Sort of. Isaac rubs at the back of his neck, before moving to sit down next to her.]

I had a brother, once.

[hollowchild]

Ah. Once?

[she doesn't turn her body, but she does prop her chin on her hand to look at him]

[freezerburned]

He died. Joined the military and never came home.

[Isaac shrugs.]

It happened a long time ago, though, when I was- I guess ten or eleven. Everyone said he was a real jerk.

[hollowchild]

[the story isn't an unfamiliar one--children die in sophie's world, and so do knights and soldiers.]

You don't remember him?

[freezerburned]

I do, it was just...

[He tries to search for the right word, before letting it go.]

...it was a long time ago. I don't really miss him.

[He might be lying- he might not be. Isaac's expression is rather unreadable.]

[hollowchild]

[she can't quite tell whether he's lying or not, and she can't really imagine one of her own brothers dead, so she goes with something that's true regardless.]

Mm. Family is complicated.

[freezerburned]

You can say that again.

[He laughs, and it's dry and not very humorous at all.]

Tell me what they were like. Your brothers.

[hollowchild]

We're seven in all, three boys and four girls. All the boys are older than I am. Tomas is the youngest of the boys, and he's an insufferable prat. Manfred is a knight, and he's very strong. Sometimes I run with him, chasing bands of outlaws and such. He also likes making jams and jellies. He's enormous, and doesn't speak very much.

Then there's Francescu. He's a sorcerer, and lives in this peculiar house in the middle of the forest. He mostly keeps to himself, unless we visit him, and when we were younger he used to tell us bedtime stories. He's a bit of a coward, though.

[she speaks about tomas and manfred easily enough, but there's something a little bitter about her tone when she speaks of francescu, even though the words were definitely the most affectionate]

[freezerburned]

[Isaac catches the tone and his brow creases a little in confusion.]

You and Fran- uh. Fransisco weren't on good terms?

[hollowchild]

Francescu and I were on good terms. But a little before I ended up here, I asked him for his help with something, and he refused me. I had to do that thing alone.

[she's made this sound like a really petty grudge, but the thing she asked for help with was facing down the devil.]

[freezerburned]

[Isaac frowns.]

That was sort of dickish of him. Did your other brothers say no too?

[hollowchild]

I couldn't find Manfred, and I would never ask a favor of Tomas, if I even knew where he was.

[freezerburned]

Seems like a rough family.

[He frowns.]

I understand though. I don't think I'd have asked Cam for a favor, back when he was alive.

[hollowchild]

I am not familiar with any family but my own. We're...complicated, I suppose. And Tomas isn't stronger than I am. I needed someone more powerful.

Why not?