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[Ariadne's gotten good enough with her Omni that the feed only wobbles a little bit when she turns it on. That's progress! No one's getting sea sick. Hopefully.

She's standing on the threshold, between her building and her garden, moonlight lighting up her silhouette. She's wearing her gold gown, clearly eager to make a good impression. Her long hair is unbound, falling nearly to her calves in rolling waves. It gives her the look of some kind of forest spirit (but she's not one, Maul, shut up).

Arrayed behind her is Serenity Garden. Which would look a bit more impressive in sunlight, but Ariadne's done her best to arrange lanterns to illuminate everything. She does, however, continually cast a concerned glance over her shoulder. You can't trust fire, you can't turn your back on it.]

Well, it's April. So I was planning to announce the opening of Serenity Garden to the public. It's just meant to be a nice place where you can sit, meditate, talk with a friend, court your lover. Just be in nature. All are welcome, but no violence against the other guests or the trees.

...hopefully the sun will be back soon so you can enjoy seeing it in the daylight.

[But it's Trench, so that may not be a sure thing. She can only hope.

Although, on the subject of hope:]

Also, the anniversary of my birth is at the end of the month. Does that mean I should expect some kind of mysterious gift? Any thoughts on what that might be? Just so I can...prepare myself.

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I don't...think I'm a prude?

[She's not entirely sure. Nowhere near enough experience in that area.]

But you know that I can't actually mate with anyone here. Remember? Our males bear the children.

I've been told that being called a mate in human settlements doesn't always translate to offspring. My brother has no working lower half, and he has a male he calls a mate.

Maybe you are just going to find some other species you like spending time with? More than friendship? I don't know.

There are way too many terms for this. Mating. Courting. Copulating...

[She shakes her head a little, although she's smiling.]

They all have different meanings.

But...to answer your question, I never though to limit my time to any particular species. And really, I'm not sure I'm ready to even think about actual mating. I'm only twenty!

Yes, there are. Every culture has a different way of speaking of their bonds.

[He had stopped trying to make sense of it. Maybe it led to more confusion, but it was what he knew.]

It does seem young. Perhaps you will find someone who you value in time then.

I would like that.

[And she smiles a little, still remembering the warmth of her very first kiss.

Until she realizes she probably looks silly and has been silent too long. So she clears her throat.]

Who knows what the future holds for any of us?

Being the only one of your species must be isolating.

[Savage had the benefit of his brother and well... yeah, Tavion now. Nightsisters were not any part of his species he wanted too much direct interaction with, but he still had to acknowledge that side of tradition.

She smiled like a human who was reliving a pleasant memory.]

Hopefully not too much death and personal destruction.

Savage!

[There's mischief in her eyes.]

"Hopefully not too much death and personal destruction." Are you becoming an optimist?

No, never me. I expect others want something like that for you. People do seem to care.

They do. Usually.

[She shakes her head.]

I know you'll probably laugh at me for saying it--everyone does--but I really do believe that people are inherently good.

[Savage hardly laughed on principle. He never had anything to laugh about, though a certain blond had shocked a few chuckles out of him. He certainly didn't laugh here.]

That's something a good person would say. Some people are well beyond good; they shed it like a lizard skin.

Lizards grow new skins. Which are usually identical to the old ones.

[Finally! A metaphor she understands! Kind of...]

Their presence grows bigger in the new ones.

[Then he paused almost like he had hung up.]

If you believe everyone has good in them and that message could spread, what do you think has to happen for Trench to see my brother in a positive light?

Well. Saying "sorry" would help.

[Anakin refuses to apologize, refuses to even admit that he's done something wrong. It's a constantly point of agitation for her.]

Of course, words need to be followed by deeds. You have to be sorry and work to make amends.

Which isn't impossible, you know. It's quite possible. We're a community that depends on one another. Proving you can help others, that they can depend on you, says a lot.

Apologies are for the weak. Nightbrothers rarely offer such amends.

[Though Maul wasn't exactly a Nightbrother. His brother was something else, some warped isolated version of a Nightbrother, wearing their skin and their tattoos but bearing few of their traditions.]

My brother can be depended upon. But he will never be good, not in the sense that most seem to think of the concept. I will never be good either, but I'm dependable.

Nightbrothers never make offer such amends. The problem is, other cultures and other species expect them. Now, I'm not saying you need to alter your approach, but you do need to understand that there are expectations being unmet, which is probably keeping some people angry.

Sometimes, actions count more than words, though.

[She shrugs.]

I mean, a great way to start might be not threatening to kill people.

Likely. I doubt that will change either. We are meant to bend but not break; I imagine that's the same as other species.

My brother could resort to action. I believe he's already pledged to assist others with their monster problems.

[That sounded fake. And stupid. Threatening built character.]

So scale back the threats to mild to moderate bodily harm?

[Oh dear...]

Maybe no threats at all. You do catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

Although I don't know why you'd want to catch them at all. They're actually quite dirty creatures.

So keep up the threats because flies are disgusting.

[That sounds like approval to him. In a very, very roundabout way. If he squinted.]

No. No more threats.

Honestly, I'm not sure we can survive as a community if we can't peacefully coexist. There are so many external threats we need to deal with. Together.

It sounds like threats against external enemies is fine. Just not against Sleepers.

Well...it's a start, I suppose.

So threatening the right opposition will always be on the table.

You know what? Yes. Yes, let's go with that.

Hmmm, it's so rare I win. I enjoy this feeling.

[She giggles.]

Don't get used to it.

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opress - 2022-04-15 04:21 (UTC) - Expand