oathshackledbird | Ruby City Mailbox/Inbox

[Wait...and how is this totally fitting for Diarmuid again? He is not young or innocent...]

That is a good plan, but who is young and innocent enough in this place that a unicorn would get that close to them? Unicorns are intelligent as far as I know. It might grow angry if it is caught by the innocent person only to be handed over to a person who is not so innocent.

[Would even a young unicorn be interested in befriending those who aren't innocent? Diarmuid is unsure of this.]

[ Well, Damian's logic: they both have long legs, are fast, and are aesthetically pleasing. Also: magic. Also, also: sharp, pointy weapons. ]

Perhaps we can track it, maybe? Visit it in the wild over the course of a few weeks, and see if it becomes used to our presence. If it grows attached enough to first an individual, then a small group, it might be willing to return to Ruby City to stay.

[ That still leaves the problem of someone young and innocent, however. ]

Perhaps Kuzuryuu might be willing to be a test dummy. Mordred, too.

Edited 2014-06-14 22:30 (UTC)

[Ah...drat. Well, he can't really argue that, can he?]

Perhaps, if we don't scare it away right off the bat. Honestly, it's hard to tell if these unicorns are exactly the same as the ones from the tales we know even.

[Hopefully, they won't turn into evil monsters that try to eat them.]

Who is Kuzuryuu? And do you really think Mordred would count as innocent and pure?

[Really, Damian?]

[ Nope. The logic is sound. ]

It's worth a try.

[ Not that he's excited to give it a go, or anything. Of course not. Although he would probably be thrilled if the unicorns tried to eat them. ]

Kuzuryuu is an acquaintance of mine. And Mordred's a child, too. That isn't even a question.

[ So ignorant, the unicorns would probably flock to her. Which, for once, will work in their favor. ]

[Ignorance is not the same as innocence, Damian.]

Ah, I should have guessed that. If you think Kuzuryuu can help, then by all means. You know, though, if we go by that logic, you are just as much of a child as Mordred is.

[Yep, he went there.]

[ Wow. Wow, Diarmuid. ]

Excuse me?

[ Playing with fire. Even the text looks borderline furious. ]

[Diarmuid doesn't seem bothered. In fact, it almost seems like he might have planned this...]

And now you are probably feeling exactly the same way she would if she heard you call her a child. Try to remember that.

[ Damian's temper has, surprisingly, been kept admirably in check in Ruby City. But there's a reason he and Bruce can't even speak to each other without it degenerating into yelling - Damian doesn't take well to lessons. ]

As if I care!

[Oops...that is not quite the reaction Diarmuid was hoping for. Time to back off.]

My apologies. I didn't mean to upset you. I was just trying to show you why using Mordred for this isn't really a good idea. If your friend is as you say, then going with Kuzuryuu is likely the best choice.

I don't like being patronized.

[ He's far from pacified, but he takes the distraction. ]

...I'll ask him, later. If nothing else there is always the network.

I didn't mean for it to be patronizing. I was just trying to get you to see things from a different point of view. However, I can see that my approach was wrong. It won't happen again.

[He's serious about this. Diarmuid isn't happy he upset Damian this much.]

Point. Let me know what he...wait, how is a 'he' a maiden?

It's fine. Really.

[ Now he's just embarrassed. He's not used to receiving apologies. ]

...he's not. But he's young, and from what I've seen, at least innocent--

[ -ish. ]

--when it comes to adult behavior. Worth a shot. We can always test with Lumina, too, but she plays hard ball.

[ Bargaining would be involved. ]

[Diarmuid would be sad to know that Damian hasn't heard more apologies. Everyone makes mistakes and those who are hurt because of those mistakes should be apologized to. It doesn't matter if they are a kid or an adult.]

It does sound like it is worth a shot. Another person--now that I am thinking about it--we might want to talk to is a girl named Alice. Do you know her? How are things going with Lumina, by the way? Did she like your gift?

[ Neither Bruce nor Talia are prone to apologies. Ever. On the other hand, Damian is surprisingly quick to give them (to people he respects, at least), despite his proud nature. ]

...I've seen her. On the network. Around.

[ Is that shyness? ]

And things with Lumina are going well, I think. I believe she enjoyed the gift and outing - we had. Fun. It was pleasant.

[Indeed...that seems like an odd response, though Diarmuid can't tell from the text exactly why.]

Yes, she posts from time to time there. Not long ago I had tea with her and we traded stories, it was quite an enjoyable afternoon. She is very innocent, but strong as well. Perhaps she will help us if your friend does not work out. I am very happy to hear that Lumina liked the gift and that you two had fun. Our quest was successful then.

Perhaps.

[ So brusque. Usually he's a little wordier than that; the kid tends to shorter sentences, but not that short. ]

Yes, it was a success. My surprise surpassed expectations, of course. Thank you for helping me, Diarmuid. The feathers were perfect.

[Well...that is a concerning response. Is Damian still mad at him?]

Is something wrong, Damian?

[On the other hand, hearing her gift was so well received is very good news.]

I am glad I could help and that the gift was so successful. Let me know if you need help like that again. I very much enjoyed our little trip.

I'll definitely let you know. It was fun, getting out of the city for a while. Except for Pendragon catching us. That wasn't so fun.

[ How does she know everything? ]

And no, not really anything wrong. I just. I mean. She's really nice, isn't she?

Yes. That was...not so fun. I suppose next time we should just ask her to come with us...

[And hope she doesn't but a stop to the whole thing.]

Alice is very nice, that is true, but so am I. At least, people tell me that a lot. Is there something wrong with being nice? Or...do you mean a different kind of nice?

Nah. I like it when it's just us.

[ It's obvious who's the favorite. ]

Not like that. I don't. Really know. How to talk to normal kids my age.

[ Super-powered peers? Fine. Fellow crime-fighters? No problem. But an honest-to-god civilian child? (Especially a girl?)

He freezes up. Out of his league. ]

[Ah, that makes sense. Damian hasn't had time to interact with people much normally, let alone people his age. Still, if he is going to be here a while, the boy should learn and it's not like Alice wouldn't like to help.]

Do you think it would help any if it was the three of us getting together?

[That way Diarmuid could always help smooth over rough patches.]

I am sure Alice wouldn't mind sharing some of her stories and treating us to the cake and tea that is sold in the store down below.

Maybe.

[ He's too proud to admit he'd like the buffer. But it might be helpful. ]

She lives in the cafe, right? I like their Turkish coffee.

[ That's as close to an agreement as Diarmuid is going to get. If the opportunity arises, and he is invited to cake and ~~tea~~ coffee at the cafe, he will show and try to be a regular ten-year-old for the meeting. ]

[Diarmuid is happy to take that knowing how hard it must be for Damian to agree to even that. He will have to have a chat with Alice.]

You mean the tea shop, Le Café Anglais? Yes, she lives above it. Turkish coffee? I have never had it. What is it like?

[Time to move onto a safer and more comfortable topic for Damian.]

Edited (Oops! Clarification time!) 2014-06-19 03:01 (UTC)

It's really just coffee prepared in a specific way. The beans are boiled in a pot first, with sugar, and then served with the grounds by a cezve--

[ He doesn't have a translation for that. A cezve is a cezve. A special pot for the coffee? ]

--usually. It's a lot smoother and less bitter than other coffees. Stronger, though. Meant to be eaten with desserts or breakfast cookies.

So it would be good to have with cake?

[This pleases Diarmuid since he remembers how very good the cake he had when he visited Alice before was.]

I wonder if it would be good with honey.

[Diarmuid, not everything has to have honey in it...]

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