who is the lamb and who is the knife?

[vliste_staba]

Nexus regulars may have seen Deet here and there over the late Fall and the Winter. She's small and a little shy, but very distinctive, especially to human eyes. A girl with green-tinted skin, hair the color of undyed linen, wings like a dragonfly's, and less than two and a half feet tall. Most people assume she's a faery, and she doesn't mind that.

She's never seen without the sprouting wooden staff she carries, and the floor-length black feather cloak on her shoulders, both gifts from the Fallen Angels. They make her feel secure, particularly the cloak. Right now, she's crouched beside a pond, peering at a group of tadpoles milling in the water. Some have legs budding, and she's fascinated to watch this metamorphosis, slow but fast enough to be visible.

Around her, some of the cattails are tinted dark violet, a wash of purple energy that seems to surge and then recede again as the reeds quiver in the wind.

"When someone starts to change," she says, "they never know what they'll really look like when they've finished, do they?"

Sitting back on her heels, she tilts her head to watch the Darkening flux and retreat across the cattails. "And when someone has power, it's hard to decide what to do with it. If you thought there was even a small chance you could save your world from something terrible, what would you sacrifice for it? Would you become another person to do it?"

Comments

[azgedaking]

Roan hasn't been in the Nexus long and years of banishment has made him less a people person than he once was. His own Earth was sparsely populated by the Nexus standards and by what he has heard from others. He figures an apocalypse, which he now knew happened, was reason enough.

He sees the tiny woman, much different than those in the plaza. Somehow that makes her more approachable. Despite nearing 6 feet and being a warrior, his lack of trust makes humans less approachable. His clothing is all pieced together resewn a hundred times, long black fur hanging from the shoulders of his armor. A pair of swords and a bow slung across his back. He has scarification on both sides of his face to represent the mountains and ice of his people's home.

"People are always changing. A static person is dangerous." He speaks softly for his size, slow contemplative but strong. He's come to see what she is looking at. A man of the wilds on his own planet wildlife facinates him.

"The true test of a person with power..." he mentions as he sqiats down to have a closer look at the tadpoles. Most amphibians didn't survive the nuclear war so tadpoles aren't a common sight. "... is to wield the power without becoming someone unworthy of wielding it or losing the person willing to sacrifice along the way."

[vliste_staba]

Well, he's enormous, but she's seen enormous men be wary before. Something about the careful way he approaches her reminds her of Rian more than anything else. The warrior-guard turned exile, accused of a murder he didn't commit and was more traumatized by than anyone else. She hopes he's doing all right, back in Thra.

In any case, she greets the man with a kind smile and a gentle nod, pointing out one of the tadpoles close to the edge of the pond. It's almost lost its tail.

"I don't know how to measure worth," she says. "Especially not in myself. I started a quest and I haven't really finished it. I could stay here forever and be safe and happy, or I could go back again and fight. I think I would win. I'm not sure what I would do after that."

[azgedaking]

Her smile gets a very faint one in return. She wouldn't be too far off in her assessment. He was an exiled prince who took the fall for his mother for something he didn't do.

"I don't think we should measure our own worth." He dips his fingers in the water, watching the tadpoles scatter. "A worthy man, or woman, can be seen in the actions of the people around them, especially when they have power."

He nods grimly. "I face a similar question, but I would leave thinking about the far future until after the battle is won. It's a distraction to worry that far in advance."

[chiaro_oscuro]

"That's a good question. My name's Ben. I don't think we've met before." Deet's approached by a dark-haired stranger, who looks over Deet and the visible purple energy surrounding her.

That's not dark energy from Ben's universe - the Dark Side's influence isn't something you can usually see - but he knows darkness when he sees it. There's something off about the violet energy on the cattails, something poisonous, but this small creature's clearly containing it. He wonders briefly, if she's found a way to control the darkness without being consumed by it, but whatever darkness is in her is very different from anything he knows.

"But to answer your question...yes. Yes, I would change to protect my world. Have, actually. And you did, too, in a different way - I don't think that dark energy surrounding you is natural. But you've found a way to hold it in check." He gives a small smile, approving of her aesthetic. Like Deet's cloak, his clothes are black, a similar color to his hair. "I have to compliment you on that cloak you're wearing. A friend of the angels?"

[vliste_staba]

"Hello, Ben. I'm Deet." She looks up at him without fear, smiling a little.

He may sense all sorts of strange energies around her, as well as the cattails. The staff she carries and the cloak are saturated with the presence of the Angels, and the staff in particular helps her keep control of the Darkening. What she's doing with the cattails is deliberate, an exercise, careful not to affect the root of the plant.

"But it is, though," she tells him. "It is natural energy. It's not inherent to me, but it's...something that belongs in the world. The trouble is that too much of it is destructive. I can hold it, and I can use it, and I can purify it, but if I let it overwhelm me, I don't know what I might become."

She nods. "Thnisko is my friend. Well, they all are, but he's special."

[chiaro_oscuro]

"Pardon me for asking, but I've never met a person like you before. What is your homeworld like?" Ben settles beside her, looking at the tadpoles as they swim. "Your people aren't from my galaxy."

He can sense the angelic energy surrounding her, which is how he was able to recognize the feathers as angel feathers. It's very strong. Ben's been around Beelzebub enough to know it for what it is.

"The darkness I'm trying to overcome is the kind that's inside us. We all have it. It's what we do with it that's important." Ben listens to her description of the Darkening. "Ah. I see. That's the way of a lot of things - too much of anything, in the wrong place, is dangerous. Balance is necessary in the environment and in people."

He's not surprised that the other angels have been befriending people. It seems like the kind of thing they would do. They're very social and good at making friends for beings with such intimidating power levels.

"Thnisko? I haven't met him, yet. I'm a friend of Lord Beelzebub. I know a few of the others, Belial and Lucifer, but he's probably the one I'm closest to."

[skeksisheretic]

"Oh! Hello, Deet." skekGra tilts his head. "Still bearing the Darkening, I see. But as for your question, urGoh and I are willing to become one again to save Thra - though we fear we won't live to get that far. But either way, we will do what we must to save the planet."

The Heretic's carrying something with him, carefully holding it. He holds it out to Deet, smiling. Like always, his smile shows teeth, but it's warm and bright despite his fearsome appearance. He's clearly excited to show her something. The object is round and smooth.

"Since you told me that the angels were able to help you restrain the Darkening, urGoh and I brought you a gift from Thra. This is a Nurloc egg, which will grow into a friend for your fizzgig. urGoh and I visited not so long ago. We're talking to the Arathim and the few Gruenaks who are left - they will be sending some of their people here to live, to flee from the Emperor." It wasn't easy to get them to trust a Skeksis, but urGoh's presence helped.

[vliste_staba]

She gives him a quizzical look at 'still bearing the Darkening'. "Well, where else would I put it?"

There's no Crystal of Truth here.

She's quickly derailed from that train of thought when he holds out the egg to her, though. She knows a nurloc egg at a glance, and her face lights up. The violet light retreats from the cattails around her, vanishing at once. The plants seem none the worse for wear for the most part, though one seems to have gone to seed early.

She reaches out with both hands to accept the gift and cradles it to her chest gently. "Have you ever seen a hatchling Nurloc?" She asks with a grin. "Their first instar is so precious. All eyes and tail."

To be fair, the grown ups are mostly eyes and tail, too.

[skeksisheretic]

skekGra had hoped that the angels could find a way to remove the Darkening entirely, but that probably wasn't going to happen. It's good that they've found a way to hold it in check enough that she can walk among the rest of the Nexus' population.

"Not yet! But I think I will soon. We're hoping to bring a few more over so we can bring them into the caves here, where they can live away from the Darkening. That egg was orphaned, so we think it would be best in your care. We're looking forward to seeing what it's like when it hatches. Take good care of it."

The Heretic and the Wanderer have taken to visiting areas ravaged by the Darkening and now the Garthim, salvaging what they can from the wreckage. It's not happy work, but there's hope for this particular nurloc.

"They're very big when they grow up, aren't they?"

[not_the_question]

The Doctor has asked plenty of difficult questions of his own. It was time someone asked him a hard question.

“This is my Twelfth body and I can safely say, change is a dodgy process and you never know what you’re going to get.”

The second question is much more difficult. “One of me destroyed my world to save the universe. Another me figured out how to safe my planet too. So, yes I became another person to save it.”

He doesn’t sound happy about it. “Sometimes it’s best to let the universe decide.”

He looks her up and down. He can’t quite plce her species. “Are you a Gelfling?”

[vliste_staba]

"Twelve...bodies?" She gives him a long, quizzical look, not doubting exactly, but trying to imagine how that might work. Not all at once, obviously. "That sounds confusing. Just the one is confusing enough."

She gives a little shake of her head. "In this case letting the universe decide would be letting the Emperor decide, and that's exactly what can't happen. It's not his world."

"You know, I haven't met many people here who've heard of gelfling." She nods. "I am. My name is Deet. I'm from the Grottan clan. What's your name?"

[not_the_question]

"Good to meet you, Deet. I'm the Doctor. Time Lord from Gallifrey."

He considers what order to address the other issues. "I've met Gelflings before. Well, one. Kira. We were on a space ship. I..."

He looks around, a little confused. "When you travel the whole of Time and Space, things get a bit confusing. We met on a space ship. But it's a little hazy."

Could be an effect of the Nexus too. "But, I've met enough from your planet to know that this Emperor is not your entire universe and if you continue to think like that, you will lose."

The entire planet will. Oh, he's not thinking they should go do a revolution, but there is a plan and a time and it should be allowed to play out.

"As to the bodies, it can be confusing. Even for the person going through the change. Sometimes especially for that person."

[sweetcandygirl]

Harley stops with a soft gasp at the sight of the small, faery-like girl. And grins brightly at just admiring the woman for a few minutes. She has a knack for knowing about enchanted gifts, so the feather cloak and wooden staff are noted. And she doesn't know what to make of that purple energy.

She approaches, and arches up onto her tiptoes for a second, before kneeling down to answer at a better speaking range.

"You got that right. I have been through so many changes. Each one has made me different in some way."

"Sacrifice is such a strange word. When there is danger in my world, I don't think about what might happen to me... I face it head on. I fight with my whole energy and passion. And I try to protect those weaker than me."

"But I don't consider it a sacrifice to put myself on the line. I have the abilities to stand as defense... so why not be there?"

[vliste_staba]

Deet looks like she's not at all sure why she's being grinned at, taking a moment to glance behind her and above as if she thinks Harley might be looking past her at something else. When it's established that she's not, she gives a tentative wave. She recognizes Harley just from seeing her around, though they haven't spoken.

"If I have to die, I'll do it," she answers with a little shrug, looking back into the water. "Though I think I'd be missed pretty badly." Not just by her family and friends at home, but what would Thnisko think?

"But what really worries me is the fear that if I use the power I have to defeat my enemies, I'll become just like them. Or even worse."

[sweetcandygirl]

"I think... that having that fear means that you will be careful and you will find the right path."

"And I mean... I used to be one of the enemies... and now I am one of the people who fight to protect the innocent."

"You find your support team that will be there for you. That will pull you through the darkness. And never give up on you. And you can do it."

[chiron_survivor]

Fairies are not really a thing in the mythology of Adia's world, although she's read enough about them in the Nexus library to get that impression when she sees the little, pointy-eared woman crouched by the water. She smiles unconsciously at the sight, but tries not to be overbearing when she approaches. She's smudged in dirt and wearing galoshes, her hair tied up in a loose braid, the strap of her messenger bag cutting across her chest.

"There's a lot I would give up to save my world. Or the people on my world, I guess would be more accurate." Closer now, she can sense the Darkening, and tries not to shiver. That's an uncomfortably dark power for so small and delicate-looking a being. "But I wouldn't become someone else... I don't think I could. Who I am is what gives me the ability to help others. Losing myself would make all my effort worthless."

[vliste_staba]

Of all the humans that could approach Deet, Adia is probably one of the most friendly-looking. She smiles at her, noting the dirt on her and wondering if she's been gardening. She gives a little wave of greeting, but says nothing until the woman speaks, listening and thinking about the words.

"I'm not afraid of dying," she says with a nod of agreement. "That's not the problem. I don't want to die yet, but if that was the only cost, I'd pay it. I'm afraid using the power I have, in the amount I would need to to win, to save my world, might make me...very dangerous."

"Can you feel it? The Darkening? I won't hurt you, I promise. It's just something I have to carry right now."

[chiron_survivor]

Adia has, in fact, been gardening, and normally would dust herself off before visiting the Nexus, but she was struck with an idea instead, and has come to the pond with her field microscope kit tucked into her messenger bag. But that can wait. She sits back on heels, not wanting to tower over the other woman.

"I can feel it," she confirms, her tone quiet and nearly apologetic. She has no idea if that's because of her moon rune, or if the Darkening would be obvious to anyone. Regardless, she doesn't back away or look afraid. "Is that the power you're referring to?"

It doesn't feel natural, or at least not natural to the small woman wearing a cloak of feathers. Her answer is a lot easier to relate to. "Twice now, I've had an object of immeasurable power put into my hands. I could have used either one as a weapon, but I chose not to. If that had been the only way I could have used it, I would have given it away." She frowns sympathetically. "I'm guessing that's not an option for you."

[tr1ckortreat]

Such a curious creature, yet one that asks quite a valid question. Shape shifting and changing into another form had been a skill perfected by Loki over the centuries. Perhaps, he could offer her some advice?

"That is a very curious question and one that has been asked amongst the centuries."

Loki's bright green eyes flickered with interest, as he gazed over her alien form. The staff she held caught his attention and wondered if she were a magic user. Never had he met such a wide range of beings within one place it seemed. Even Midgard, which was mostly filled with dull mortals, could not compete with this Nexus for variety. It was a welcome change to the dull and boring places Loki had visited and at the mention of using power to save a world, his breath hitched a little in his throat slightly.

"I have become many a different person over the centuries and have sought to use my power not just for my own gain but to influence others. A world can be saved if you have the right amount of power and are able to reign it in to your advantage."

Of course, Loki had used his powers mostly for his own gain, being the god of mischief. But if he had to save Asgard? He would use his power only if he suited him so, since he really had no true ties to his homeland. He was of the Jotunn and not as Asgardian.

[vliste_staba]

She looks up (and up, and up) at the being approaching her. Her eyes are dark, but there's a subtle purple glimmer in them that matches the dark energy trickling in and out of the reeds around her. For all that though, she looks friendly enough, ears perking when he speaks.

"There's an emperor in my world," she explains with a thoughtful nod. "Who is doing terrible things to my people, to other creatures, and to the planet itself. There's no doubt he has to be stopped, but if I'm the one that has to do it..."

"I don't know. I'm afraid I might end up taking his place. Is it worth it, to become something you hate?"

[tr1ckortreat]

He could not but help feel the corners of his mouth twitch into an amused smirk slightly when she looked up at him, since he was vastly taller than she. Her eyes though; they were something else and Loki found himself gazing into them as if seeking answers.

"If you must banish this emperor and take his place then you should do it. What comes of your people and your world is entirely in your hands. People should not think any different of you because you are not the Emperor. You are an individual and can carve out your fate as you see fit."

It was a question that had often played in the back of Loki's mind when he was ruler of Asgard for a brief time. Was he made out to be king? Of course not. Yet, the people treated him as one because it was expected. Whomever sat on the throne, whether it be king or emperor, should be treated as such.

"If you do take his place there is no reason why you shouldn't choose a different course of action since you are not him."

[pirateangelbaby]

Talk about a question that strikes close to home.

The strange ebb and flow of foreign magic is enough to get his attention, watching the little creature on the bank of the pond, and her question sends its own chill through the pit of his belly. He knows all too well what she means, even if he doesn’t know the circumstances. If he was to meet himself from only ten years past, would he even recognize himself anymore?

He fidgets his hands against one another, debating pretending like he hadn’t heard and just continuing on. But if there’s something he can say, some advice that he can give, that might help someone else face their own Ragnarok or Fimbulwinter, then how could he turn his back? “I have. Not really on purpose, but yes.”

[vliste_staba]

He's visibly nervous--or hurting?--this man who is several times her size, and Deet's heart goes out to him immediately. She stands up and shakes out her wings, walking slowly over to meet him. "I'm afraid to ask if you regret it. You look...like it's a hard thing for you to talk about."

She's quiet for a second, then adds: "If I knew for certain what I would change into, I wouldn't be so worried."

and now I'm wondering whether Deet would feel that Lena's made of shadow.Maybe, maybe not, who knows

[andshesaid_i_amnotapuppet]

Change, huh? Have an anthropomorphic teen duckgirl, who was passing by, and suddenly stops to listen, trying to care less than she actually does, about the question.

As for power, Lena only knows what things one definitely shouldn't do with it. Negative example and all. Her 'aunt'.

"Is it really possible to change?" she asks.

What. She can always say she was just joking! And finally getting to talk again with a not human. So, somebody who shouldn't be freaked out by a normal duck.

Humans seemed alright so far, all of them that she's met in Nexus, as they don't exist in her world, but, so far, prone to being strangely a bit surprised by meeting a duck. Which makes no sense, in Lena's opinion.

[vliste_staba]

"It's not just possible," Deet says, giving Lena a little smile. "It's inevitable. The trick is changing into something you want to be."

She's not familiar with ducks or duck-people, but everyone in the Nexus is a little strange to her eyes. It's actually nice that Lena is a little closer to her height. She's not going to question her appearance, for certain. There is a sense, though; something familiar about the energy around her. Shadow and Darkening aren't the same, but they might be akin.