forum "Loud Thieves, Clumsy Princesses, Kleptomaniac Witches and Pyromaniacal Knights"

Started April 25, 2023 by @lord-of-the-carnival group

tune

Naveil's behaviour does not sit well with Killué.

At all.

So, being the kind kid that they are - that's also severely intolerant of people being assholes to other people around them - they let Naveil off with a warning.

"Stop being a jackass." they say politely but bluntly.

Naveil glanced at the forest-vomit creature, his chest heaving in exasperation. Another "ouch-ow" from Salmook.
"Quiet. You're fine." Naveil grunted.
Salmook nodded obligingly and hushed himself. That was the one of the few good things about the kid – a sort of unquestioning loyalty that Naveil appreciated. He looked back towards the forest-vomit… did it call itself Keelball?
"Jackass? That's new. The kid's fine, if that's what you're harassing me for."

Killué's eyes narrow and their tail swishes slightly, a sure sign that bad times were about to be had.

"Your definition of 'fine' seems to be a little skewed." they reply. "Crying and clear indications that you're hurting someone such as an 'ow' or an 'ouch' or even a sharp breath makes even the stupidest people stop and think, 'am I doing the right thing?'"

Salmook drew closer to Naveil. He didn't like it here. Why was he here?
This is how Naveil always was. And it kept them both safe, didn't it?
He wanted to reason with the strangers. He felt fine, just a little sore in his arm.
But Naveil had told him to be quiet, so that's what he'd do.
With his free hand, he plucked a few shellfruits from his pocket and cracked them in his teeth. It made him feel a little better.

If looks could kill, Keel-something would be laying in a pool of blood right now. Naveil shot daggers at them, somewhat perturbed by the height difference, but defensive either way.
"So you're calling me stupid, then?"
He glanced back down at Salmook. The kid was chewing on a few berries he'd had on him before he got warped here. They locked eyes for a moment, and Salmook strained a smile.
Alright, bad example. He huffed and returned his attention to the forest-vomit.

Killué, being Killué, was not perturbed by Naveil's stare - they didn't know enough to be afraid of death, and honestly, they might not care anyways.

"Currently, yes." they say.

Naveil scoffed. Well, at least they were honest.
He let go of Salmook's arm, and the kid stared up at him in complete and utter confusion. He gave his newly-freed arm a little shake, and he put the hand in his pocket. Still cracking on the shellfruit, he murmured a "thanks," but it was unclear who he meant it to.
"There. Happy? Happy enough to mind your own business?"

(lol- alright, i do get the annoyance of having to write multiple POVs)

"Actually, no, I'm not very happy." Killué replies. "Because this doesn't change the fact that you were being unkind in the first place."

Unkind? Unkind?
Did this thing know where he was from? Of course not, Naveil answered himself.
Just look at them. They were probably from someplace cushy and safe, like this forest, even.
"Where we're from," A matter-of-factness was seeping into his tone, "kindness gives you nothing besides issues."

"Where I'm from, a slight mishap can and will end up with hooks embedded into your cold, dead flesh with bits of you being auctioned off for gourmet seafood dishes. But I still do my best to be kind, despite heving nearly lost my tail." Killué says darkly, turning so Naveil can see the milky white scar that disturbed the patterns of the tail. "Because kindness can save lives. So if you'll excuse me, I'll continue to not mind my own business so long as you're being an insensitive, rude, inconsiderate jackass."

Naveil rolled his eyes. They talk a lot, don't they? It took a few moments for it to really sink in.
"So you're… hunted, then?"
That… changes things. Not by much, but at least they've some common ground. His main question was how exactly would that make anyone kinder? This thing's sense of self-preservation was all wrong. He snorted.
"I'm keeping the kid as fine as I can. He doesn't need a blizzard's worth of eyes on him."

"Yes, I'm hunted. Sirens and siren half-breeds-" (they think they're a full siren, as a matter of fact; just as a note, lol) "-are highly valued for their tails, feathers, and meat." Killué nods.

"Yes, but he also needs kindness. You're 'raising' him to be cold and inconsiderate, two traits that will get him killed deader than if he were kind. Be kind to the higher ups, and they'll protect you. Be rude to them and everyone else, and you'll wind up dead or worse." they say.

Naveil fought a smile, and an odd half-smirk came instead. Cold and inconsiderate? A bad thing? That's cute.
"The Everchill doesn't take too well to 'kindness.' I'm not raising him to make play-pals with everyone he meets, I'm raising him so he doesn't get stabbed in the back."
The smirk threatened to spread across his face. He relaxed, and his face dropped back into its usual stoicism. His voice betrayed his pride, though, and he sounded more like a kid showing his friends a particularly cool-looking rock.
"…And as for 'higher-ups'..? We've had some experience leveling things out."