This is Christopher, leave a message. [He clears his throat and quietly to the side whispers 'how was that Peggy? Yeah...yeah some more oomph. I thought so too']
You've reached Chaos! Leave a message or this answering machine will explode!
"I didn't mean to." A pause, chewing it over before he adds, "the first time."
And maybe Nokov will be upset with him for that too. Maybe he deserves it. Maybe that irritation is because hes already annoyed and hes here to tell him how they arent friends any more.
It's pretty easy to kill humans, and Chris can come back, here, so Nokov isn't that annoyed that he's temporarily not in the best shape.
He's far more patient than he can appear. Though, admittedly, he often comes off as less 'impatient' than 'potentially somewhat depressed'. It's probably better for Chris' mood that Nokov can't read his mind, so doesn't have any reason to say that he can't tell him that they aren't friends any more because he doesn't think they're friends. As an attempt at comfort it would fall flat.
He slowly pushes himself up with a grunt and rolls out of bed onto the floor. Its practically sparkling in here since Germaryah cleaned and he stares sadly at the spot where his pizza experiment had been.
The mold colonies had been scrubbed from existence before managing to achieve sentience.
He sighs dramatically before rolling again and falling down the few feet under the bed in front of the couch. It hurts but hes far better at taking blunt force than stabbing. He doesnt get up from the floor where he landed.
Nokov had noticed the difference, but he'd decided to ignore the mess from the beginning so he ignore the lack of it too.
He drops onto the couch with a good deal more grace. Practice (and, yes, the lack of a death toll) can do a lot. He considers Chris for a few moments, before deciding he'd probably be better off on the couch. Nokov isn't that much stronger than a normal human, but Chris isn't the heaviest weight even as a dead-weight, and he does end up just sort of rolling him onto the couch. At least he hadn't dropped him on the floor.
"Who killed you?" It's mostly just a neutral inquiry. Nokov does like knowing things, and he hasn't decided yet if their contract means he should do something about it.
Chris rolls limp onto the couch and settles with his head on the other boy's leg. He lays there a moment before glancing up at him, "stupid raising man."
Which is his usual nickname for The Ghoul, one hes used many a time.
"He asked me a question, and I answered and then he started stabbing me... I should have asked for his screwdriver."
Nokov does listen to him, even if it's not always easy to see (it's partially difficult because he likes to be concealed by darkness), so he nods, recognizing who Chris is talking about.
"Do you want me to kill him?" It's an inquiry free of judgement.
The question hangs in the darkness and Christopher considers it.
If he were a good person, if he wasn't evil, what would the answer be? What makes a good person? The ability to look passed transgressions? He is a person who, in certain instances, holds a grudge. Maybe he isn't good for that reason.
He's reminded of the look on Germaryah's face, how upset he was that he'd died. He didn't like that, though he did like that he cried for him, that implies mutual feelings, if they exist any more. But would he cry for the Ghoul?
He doesn't like the Ghoul, and he can follow that line down far enough to say that he hates him. But they're both immortal on the barge, death isn't permanent. What good would that do? Would it make him feel better?
Do feelings matter when it comes to death?
"I don't know. I think in some ways yes, in some ways no." Theres so much going on in his brain as he considers all that he wants, why and what it could do for him.
"I suppose the first question I have would be how? Would anyone know it was you?"
He's killed a lot of people. He wouldn't say that he's ever killed for no reason. It's not that he cares about being a 'good' or 'bad' person (he considers that a mortal affliction), but he isn't a wasteful one. Sometimes that reason is a matter of revenge.
There are plenty of necessary deaths, and the rush of vengeance can be extremely necessary to properly continue to lead you life. He doesn't know if it's necessary for Christopher, but, he feels, it usually is it's simply that not everyone is able to see it clearly.
It's vengeance that carries virtue.
"They wouldn't know." He's killed a lot of people! He knows how to make it work! "I would wait for an appropriate port. If there are enough people there are people who can be accused of carrying out such an act."
"Hmm." He feels like he should ask The Eleven what he would do in this instant, though reaching out and calling for him feels like a lot of effort right now. He's very tired.
"The longer we wait, the less likely someone might think it has anything to do with my death... Maybe I'll think about it. How long does the offer stand? Is there a time limit on how long I should hold a grudge? Because I think I'm very good at it... I might not like him until I'm eighty years old."
"You can hold a grudge forever," Nokov says, just as matter-of-fact. "Sometimes it goes away after you kill someone, but sometimes it's still there. So, you can wait."
He can hold a grudge for much longer than seventy years or however long it will be until Chris is eighty, so he doesn't see a reason for him to give it up. Being good at holding onto grudges is a positive, in his opinion. So, the offer stands as long as it needs to.
Now that that's settled:
"I have a question about your plans." He thinks he has something of an outline about them, even if it can get a bit vague.
"I think I can hold one forever." He has continued to hold his grudge against Adam and he hasn't even barely thought about him for the last two months outside of telling people how much he doesn't like him and that he can't be trusted.
He looks up at Nokov, tilting his head, "What sort of plans? My plan for tomorrow? For the next week? for the rest of my life?" Be more specific, friend.
Well? He thinks about this for a moment, his tired brain lazily flowing along with the question, "I'm going to find out who I am. And I'm going to stay here forever, and convince the Admiral to turn this place into a paradise for monsters, so that when they die, they can come here and never have to be hunted again."
"They won't all want to come here," Nokov points out. "It's a ship, and it would get very crowded." There are a lot of practical problems, which Nokov has never brought up when he's heard parts of this before. He didn't have anything to say about it, so there had been no reason to.
Christopher frowns. He doesn't like it when people correct him, or tell him he's wrong. "If the Barge and I become better friends, maybe she'll let me help expand...we could build something beautiful together, take care of everyone and let them live into eternity." It's a very nice dream, he thinks. And even though he doesn't think the Clerics deserve any sort of anything, it doesn't involve a war that he doesn't know how to fight. Here, they're set apart, and it's better that way.
He does tilt his head though, slowly raising a hand as he stares up at the older boy from his spot in his lap, touching his nose with the tip of his finger, "What do you have?"
"You know that there are people who still won't want it." It's possible that Christopher does not, in fact, know this, but Nokov has a (perhaps unwarranted) belief that Chris' ability to make things transfers into an ability to understand how things work. Nokov isn't the most socially adept person, but he knows how to deal with people, and that means he's aware that they can want very different things, including ones that might sound objectively 'lesser'.
"I'm going to make a new world. Perhaps some of them could come there." He's in an extremely generous mood, tonight.
"Then I'll change their mind. They'll want it." He says stubbornly, as if he is the kind of person who is charismatic and socially equipped enough to change anyone's mind about anything.
Though a new world...one that Nokov would create? Finger still on the tip of his nose, he considers it and boops it again. Perhaps that would be acceptable. "One where monsters would be accepted and not killed for existing?"
The first part is clearly ridiculous, so as Nokov is in a generous spirit, he just ignores it. Even if Chris was the most charismatic and socially equipped person in the universe he wouldn't be able to do that, and Nokov is certain that Chris... isn't that.
He pokes him, but not as hard as he could.
"It wouldn't be a better place to go if they were just to be killed."
There is such a thing as a foolish question, but Nokov still rests his hand against Chris' forehead. There's a coolness to them that can help, even if Chris isn't actually sick.
Oh, that feels nice. His hand flops back down, eyes closing as he takes in a deep breath and exhales. Double death toll had really given him one hell of a headache, and it didn't help that both deaths had involved head injuries. Next time he will consider these things when requesting someone kill him for science.
"Because I'd need to change, and I don't want to. There isn't anything wrong with me."
"That's another reason there are some who would not want to stay here, no matter what. You know that there will be those who wish to grow older and have children and go through the other steps of 'life'."
It's a different type of change, perhaps, but it's still change.
Christopher considers this, considers what he'd seen in the mural in the monster underground.
"They'll all want their own mural...I suppose. That's natural. But eternity is worth so much, don't you think? All that time to learn...I think it's worth it."
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methodofmadness) wrote2026-03-01 09:14 pm
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And maybe Nokov will be upset with him for that too. Maybe he deserves it. Maybe that irritation is because hes already annoyed and hes here to tell him how they arent friends any more.
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It's pretty easy to kill humans, and Chris can come back, here, so Nokov isn't that annoyed that he's temporarily not in the best shape.
He's far more patient than he can appear. Though, admittedly, he often comes off as less 'impatient' than 'potentially somewhat depressed'. It's probably better for Chris' mood that Nokov can't read his mind, so doesn't have any reason to say that he can't tell him that they aren't friends any more because he doesn't think they're friends. As an attempt at comfort it would fall flat.
"You shouldn't stay up here."
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"You want me to go down there?"
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It's night, but the darkness Nokov can find there is still better.
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The mold colonies had been scrubbed from existence before managing to achieve sentience.
He sighs dramatically before rolling again and falling down the few feet under the bed in front of the couch. It hurts but hes far better at taking blunt force than stabbing. He doesnt get up from the floor where he landed.
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He drops onto the couch with a good deal more grace. Practice (and, yes, the lack of a death toll) can do a lot. He considers Chris for a few moments, before deciding he'd probably be better off on the couch. Nokov isn't that much stronger than a normal human, but Chris isn't the heaviest weight even as a dead-weight, and he does end up just sort of rolling him onto the couch. At least he hadn't dropped him on the floor.
"Who killed you?" It's mostly just a neutral inquiry. Nokov does like knowing things, and he hasn't decided yet if their contract means he should do something about it.
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Which is his usual nickname for The Ghoul, one hes used many a time.
"He asked me a question, and I answered and then he started stabbing me... I should have asked for his screwdriver."
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"Do you want me to kill him?" It's an inquiry free of judgement.
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If he were a good person, if he wasn't evil, what would the answer be? What makes a good person? The ability to look passed transgressions? He is a person who, in certain instances, holds a grudge. Maybe he isn't good for that reason.
He's reminded of the look on Germaryah's face, how upset he was that he'd died. He didn't like that, though he did like that he cried for him, that implies mutual feelings, if they exist any more. But would he cry for the Ghoul?
He doesn't like the Ghoul, and he can follow that line down far enough to say that he hates him. But they're both immortal on the barge, death isn't permanent. What good would that do? Would it make him feel better?
Do feelings matter when it comes to death?
"I don't know. I think in some ways yes, in some ways no." Theres so much going on in his brain as he considers all that he wants, why and what it could do for him.
"I suppose the first question I have would be how? Would anyone know it was you?"
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He's killed a lot of people. He wouldn't say that he's ever killed for no reason. It's not that he cares about being a 'good' or 'bad' person (he considers that a mortal affliction), but he isn't a wasteful one. Sometimes that reason is a matter of revenge.
There are plenty of necessary deaths, and the rush of vengeance can be extremely necessary to properly continue to lead you life. He doesn't know if it's necessary for Christopher, but, he feels, it usually is it's simply that not everyone is able to see it clearly.
It's vengeance that carries virtue.
"They wouldn't know." He's killed a lot of people! He knows how to make it work! "I would wait for an appropriate port. If there are enough people there are people who can be accused of carrying out such an act."
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"The longer we wait, the less likely someone might think it has anything to do with my death... Maybe I'll think about it. How long does the offer stand? Is there a time limit on how long I should hold a grudge? Because I think I'm very good at it... I might not like him until I'm eighty years old."
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He can hold a grudge for much longer than seventy years or however long it will be until Chris is eighty, so he doesn't see a reason for him to give it up. Being good at holding onto grudges is a positive, in his opinion. So, the offer stands as long as it needs to.
Now that that's settled:
"I have a question about your plans." He thinks he has something of an outline about them, even if it can get a bit vague.
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He looks up at Nokov, tilting his head, "What sort of plans? My plan for tomorrow? For the next week? for the rest of my life?" Be more specific, friend.
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Apart from holding a grudge forever, though that is a good plan.
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Well? He thinks about this for a moment, his tired brain lazily flowing along with the question, "I'm going to find out who I am. And I'm going to stay here forever, and convince the Admiral to turn this place into a paradise for monsters, so that when they die, they can come here and never have to be hunted again."
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"I have something better."
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He does tilt his head though, slowly raising a hand as he stares up at the older boy from his spot in his lap, touching his nose with the tip of his finger, "What do you have?"
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"I'm going to make a new world. Perhaps some of them could come there." He's in an extremely generous mood, tonight.
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Though a new world...one that Nokov would create? Finger still on the tip of his nose, he considers it and boops it again. Perhaps that would be acceptable. "One where monsters would be accepted and not killed for existing?"
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He pokes him, but not as hard as he could.
"It wouldn't be a better place to go if they were just to be killed."
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But that doesn't mean he doesn't think that maybe he can rearrange his plans, or let that be plan B.
"If I wanted to get there I'd need to graduate. I wasn't planning on doing that."
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"Why not?"
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"Because I'd need to change, and I don't want to. There isn't anything wrong with me."
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"That's another reason there are some who would not want to stay here, no matter what. You know that there will be those who wish to grow older and have children and go through the other steps of 'life'."
It's a different type of change, perhaps, but it's still change.
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"They'll all want their own mural...I suppose. That's natural. But eternity is worth so much, don't you think? All that time to learn...I think it's worth it."
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