Fourteen ★ Video

[wasthemaster]

[The feed will click on, but it's mostly showing a brick wall of an alleyway at the moment. It's moving pretty erratically like Draco's trying to fix something and he's working with his hands. Granted, it's not like he actually knows how to make things work and he has no idea how to use muggle tools, so it's mostly just a lot of banging around until he finally caves to address the city at large.]

Now that that's over...[That is to say, if you want to talk to him about what happened with Thiazi and the corrupted, don't. He's not up for it at the moment save for a few close people.] I might actually need help with something. Only if you understand methods of mechanics.

[Give him a moment to flip the camera to reveal a motorcycle that a friend left to him. Said-motorcycle looks as though someone took a baseball bat to it. It's dented, one of the mirrors is missing and the front wheel is removed from the bike all together, propped up to the side somewhere.] How the hell do I put this back together?

Additionally...[And then he stops. Nah, he's not going to bother mentioning anything about the shop, or about people from home, or anything that's happened in the last few weeks. He's going to stay off of the radar as much as possible in terms of those topics.] Well, never mind. That's it. [And with another bang as he fruitlessly tries to hammer out the dents, the bracelet clicks off. Draco seems to have a talent for ignoring anything he wants to.]

Comments

[wasthemaster]

I assume that's only because the gods don't actually want to provide us with anything that could be useful. Consider yourself lucky in that sense.

[alternia_strength]

Less luck. I saw the opening in exactly what it is you suggest and took it. It offered a chance to do what I do best and fill a niche they created. Though, I suppose there is some fortune in that.

[wasthemaster]

You repair things like this back in your world as well?

[alternia_strength]

Infinitely more complicated and detailed. I am a robotics engineer. This stuff is simplistic in comparison.

[wasthemaster]

Give me an example of what's more complicated then.

[alternia_strength]

[He flipped through a couple images he'd taken with the bracelet and set Draco one of The Aradiabot that he had recently gotten as a gift from the gods. It didn't actually work, not in the slightest, but it showed one of his best creations off.]

The mechanism was mobile, autonomous and in some cases could be self-operating, though the original chassie was designed to house a living troll spirit. I consider myself something of an expert. If you were familiar with Vriska Serket, her mechanical arm and Tavros' legs were also my creation.

[wasthemaster]

...you built Tavros' legs. [He'd met Vriska a few times, but he was far more familiar with Tavros.] I'm surprised. [...wait, hold on.] You made a sentient robot? Is that really what you're telling me?

[alternia_strength]

Yes, that is exactly what I am saying. The original Aradiabot was used as a model for the creation of the series. The artificial intelligences weren't exactly the most exquisite or versatile, and tended to be overwhelmed by violent tendencies, eventually self destructing, but they were efficient.

The original, however, was controlled by Aradia's spirit after she excorporated from an attack.

[wasthemaster]

But what if her spirit wanted to be free from the machine? I can't imagine the ghosts I know being too pleased with confinement.

[alternia_strength]

She was fine initially, though she was a touch put out about one minor detail that caused her to tear the heart out of the chassy's chest. However, that would explain why the robot later self-destructed. She may have tired of the arrangement.

As she came back to life later, after my death, that would explain a bit.

[wasthemaster]

I will never, ever quite understand the mechanics of the troll world. [Jade's tried to explain. It never worked out.] I'm still not sure I would trust sentient robots, spirit-hosting or not. How do you know she wouldn't have eventually torn out your heart?

[alternia_strength]

You are human. It's simpler not to try too hard. Ours are different worlds. Honestly, she tried to choke me half to death right before she kissed me.

It was confusing, considering I don't think she has or had black feelings for me. I think I had simply annoyed her.

[wasthemaster]

Black feelings is the hate romance, correct? How can you not even be sure?

[alternia_strength]

We spoke, here. She had been alive long after that point. She appeared confused about her motives then.

[wasthemaster]

Do you suppose they weren't entirely her own then?

[alternia_strength]

I have surmised that this might be involved. However, it is impossible to verify and if that was, the matter is to my knowledge rectified sufficiently without my handling of the issue.

[Translation: Yeah, probably my fault, my bad. I've already had a talk with her about it, but we still have no clue. Probably doesn't matter anymore anyway.]

[wasthemaster]

I see. [A brief pause.] You might be one of the more level-headed trolls I've met thus far. I'm almost impressed.

[alternia_strength]

... Nepeta helps. I also have ways of coping with my bouts of rage that are not problematized, as I can simply replace furniture.

[wasthemaster]

Wait, the cat troll? How does she help?

[alternia_strength]

She is my moirail. She helps to papp the worst of my rage. It keeps my baser instincts at a controlled level.

[wasthemaster]

Why can't you do that yourself? [Moirail. Sollux had used the word in reference to Draco and Jade, but it hadn't made sense.]

[alternia_strength]

It's in the nature of our species to be biologically blessed with potent rage, particularly the nobility of our ranks. A Moirailship is a part of the relationships that we use to help direct and manage our society.

[wasthemaster]

That...sounds really stupid and hardly what I'd call a blessing. What happens if you don't have a moirail?

[alternia_strength]

If one's lusus raised them correctly, simply anger management issues that they cope with maturely. If not.

...

You are familiar with the troll named Gamzee, yes?

[wasthemaster]

Erm. Not particularly, no. Why?