Usually she's in my partner's domain but he's been remaking it lately.
[ Technically he is remaking it trying to get the clown god to pay attention, so he cleared it out and left Dersti in the library so she doesn't go away, but Istredd figures he might add more things to it later. Lucifer alters his domain more than most people, and he tends to spend most of his time in here regardless. The ravens were made by Lucifer too, the leosylphs are his.
His eyebrows furrow. ]
Work I've put into you? We're friends, Shepard. It's not work.
[ Or at least Istredd considers them friends. It's funny how easy that word is for him now, when he used to think no one ever cared about him enough to be one. Before he came here he was very isolated and lonely, and now he has no shortage of people to care about. It's easier with each person he lets in, even if it ends up in pain and loss for most. He just doesn't see it as work, unless it's mutually so. And that's sometimes true, he can be work.
But his attention is drawn to the mech and his eyes widen and light up. He's only seen technology through other people, his own place is very medieval like the rest of his life, and he's super interested in what he doesn't understand. Istredd kneels down to get a closer look at it. ]
[It is, very clearly, not a dog. It is made of metal and plastic.]
Or, a dog mech. Technically, it's a weapon: being attacked by one of these? Not fun. But when they're not blowing up in your face, they're kind of cute.
[The mech's scanning field plays over the current sand-pile several times before the robot seems satisfied, and turns to face Istredd as he approaches. It scans him next, blue light playing in a grid over his face for a moment, before it lets out a chirrup of recognition. It might not know what sand is, but it knows a human when it sees one.]
[ Istredd just gives her a look that clearly says that's not a dog, which she knows, but still, she started it by saying that. The dog mech explains a lot more. He knows so little about futuristic technology so it's almost an alien beast to him, he's approaching it with that same kind of wondrous caution. It is something he's never seen before.
He starts a little at the chirp but understands that it is reacting to him, and it sounds like a good chirp, so that's reassuring. Not that anything can actually hurt him in here, but he's never dealt with a robot before, it's all very new. Istredd carefully reaches out to pat it on its metal head, unsure if that's the kind of thing robots care about.
While doing that, the tiny leosylphs have apparently decided to check it out. There's a baby blue one and a black one with red eyes, and they flutter near it. They're just about large enough to paw at its leg, completely helpless and petite, so not a threat. ]
Lara, Reficul, don't bother it.
[ He says as if that would mean anything to the moth-cats. The ravens are eying it a little more aggressively, but that's because they are trouble stirrers, just like the archangel who made them. ]
Thank you, I could never imagine anything like this.
[It certain stands out, steel and ceramic armor, stark white an aggressive contrast to the palette of natural wood and leatherbound books that surround them. The mech turns and turns again, trying to pin down first one Leosylph and then another under its scanning laser, trying to understand what it's seeing.]
I figure, you can stand up to any threat you meet, while you're here. But most of these guys could just about fight an alley cat. [She's looking at the Ravens, with their enormous beaks and knife-bright minds.] A mech is for guarding someplace when the people are out. And this guy's enough like a dog that he shouldn't give you trouble. Should respond to verbal commands, if you want him to do anything.
[It? Him? She's bad at not anthropomorphizing these things.]
[ The leosylphs have decided that they are playing now so they wiggle their way around its limbs and one climbs on top of its back. That apparently is very exciting so the other one struggles up. Now they look very formidable on top of their new friend and look expectantly at the two humans, as if to ask to be admired. He smiles at them and then turns his attention back to her. ]
I assume this will be slightly less intimidating than the anaconda, in the best sense.
[ It's a public space on purpose but he can see the value in having a creature that can whirl around and look out for the space. The ravens might bother him more, but apparently the cats have declared it their new land. He'll warn the ravens in his own time. It's funny that he has to, technically everything in this place is created in his mind, but the ravens are not his. Not that Lucifer seems to know how to get rid of them, after he made them as a joke. ]
Oh, I ... hm.
[ Istredd kneels next to it and very gingerly puts his and on its head, uncertain what to expect. He knows it is metal, of course, and a machine, but it is so very new to him. ]
Darganfod, I think. It means discovery in Elvish.
[ Istredd has a deep fondness for the elves on the continent and knows their language fluently. Lara the leosylph is named for a famous elf herself. ]
I love the gift, Shepard, but to reiterate, I've put no work into you. Outside of how friendships develop.
Hey, good friendships take work. I didn't just randomly luck into coming around here every other night all these months, I kept coming back on purpose. I am lucky to be able to consider you my friend.
[She holds out a hand, halfway between offering a handshake and simply gesturing. like a mech covered in leosylphs, there was good in the effort of it.]
But any relationship takes effort, and I don't take that for granted.
Ah, well. I suppose. I only had one friend before I came here, and we saw one another occasionally through the decades. It did feel like no time passed when we did meet up again, but ... day to day is still relatively new.
[ Istredd was a very lonely individual although at the time he didn't think of it that way. He picked the research life, the solitary life, it was his decision to avoid courts and politics and the rest of the Brotherhood. So he lived in his books and his tombs, and could go days without talking to anyone, and didn't think much about it.
It's why he's never been entirely comfortable with people; it takes some time to unravel his distant politeness. Except the two of them had a speed run due to the Pit. All of his relationships that were established then were bonded by trauma and there was no way for him to make things awkward or be bad at socializing in a situation like that. They went through a horrible time together. It was easy to be friends after surviving it.
So she's not actively seen how shy or awkward he can be. That's for the best, Istredd only wishes he could say that about everyone.
He takes her hand and squeezes it gently.]
I don't take any friendships for granted, my friend, especially not yours. I consider myself lucky to have an opportunity to meet a space warrior.
And I feel the same way about getting to meet an ancient wizard. Somehow we meet in the middle.
[Shepard's never seen Istredd awkwardly flub a social interaction and he's never seen her casually murder someone in cold blood; there's always more to learn about someone, even if you think you know them well.]
You know, you're gonna have to come visit Normandy, someday soon. Spending all your time in here, you're missing out.
I will. I think it will be both overwhelming and fascinating.
[ Istredd thinks his mind might literally be blown by something that is so normal to her, but this is a man who gets confused at the sight of a motorcycle. A spaceship is a few dozen steps above that. He wants to understand it all, but he is very behind. ]
I'll come visit you some time with a return gift, and then you can show it to me.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2024-04-14 01:09 am (UTC)[ Technically he is remaking it trying to get the clown god to pay attention, so he cleared it out and left Dersti in the library so she doesn't go away, but Istredd figures he might add more things to it later. Lucifer alters his domain more than most people, and he tends to spend most of his time in here regardless. The ravens were made by Lucifer too, the leosylphs are his.
His eyebrows furrow. ]
Work I've put into you? We're friends, Shepard. It's not work.
[ Or at least Istredd considers them friends. It's funny how easy that word is for him now, when he used to think no one ever cared about him enough to be one. Before he came here he was very isolated and lonely, and now he has no shortage of people to care about. It's easier with each person he lets in, even if it ends up in pain and loss for most. He just doesn't see it as work, unless it's mutually so. And that's sometimes true, he can be work.
But his attention is drawn to the mech and his eyes widen and light up. He's only seen technology through other people, his own place is very medieval like the rest of his life, and he's super interested in what he doesn't understand. Istredd kneels down to get a closer look at it. ]
Fascinating. What is it?
no subject
Date: 2024-04-14 07:25 am (UTC)[It is, very clearly, not a dog. It is made of metal and plastic.]
Or, a dog mech. Technically, it's a weapon: being attacked by one of these? Not fun. But when they're not blowing up in your face, they're kind of cute.
[The mech's scanning field plays over the current sand-pile several times before the robot seems satisfied, and turns to face Istredd as he approaches. It scans him next, blue light playing in a grid over his face for a moment, before it lets out a chirrup of recognition. It might not know what sand is, but it knows a human when it sees one.]
Sounds like it likes you.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-16 01:44 am (UTC)He starts a little at the chirp but understands that it is reacting to him, and it sounds like a good chirp, so that's reassuring. Not that anything can actually hurt him in here, but he's never dealt with a robot before, it's all very new. Istredd carefully reaches out to pat it on its metal head, unsure if that's the kind of thing robots care about.
While doing that, the tiny leosylphs have apparently decided to check it out. There's a baby blue one and a black one with red eyes, and they flutter near it. They're just about large enough to paw at its leg, completely helpless and petite, so not a threat. ]
Lara, Reficul, don't bother it.
[ He says as if that would mean anything to the moth-cats. The ravens are eying it a little more aggressively, but that's because they are trouble stirrers, just like the archangel who made them. ]
Thank you, I could never imagine anything like this.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-16 01:58 am (UTC)[It certain stands out, steel and ceramic armor, stark white an aggressive contrast to the palette of natural wood and leatherbound books that surround them. The mech turns and turns again, trying to pin down first one Leosylph and then another under its scanning laser, trying to understand what it's seeing.]
I figure, you can stand up to any threat you meet, while you're here. But most of these guys could just about fight an alley cat. [She's looking at the Ravens, with their enormous beaks and knife-bright minds.] A mech is for guarding someplace when the people are out. And this guy's enough like a dog that he shouldn't give you trouble. Should respond to verbal commands, if you want him to do anything.
[It? Him? She's bad at not anthropomorphizing these things.]
Wanna give it a name?
no subject
Date: 2024-04-16 05:07 pm (UTC)[ The leosylphs have decided that they are playing now so they wiggle their way around its limbs and one climbs on top of its back. That apparently is very exciting so the other one struggles up. Now they look very formidable on top of their new friend and look expectantly at the two humans, as if to ask to be admired. He smiles at them and then turns his attention back to her. ]
I assume this will be slightly less intimidating than the anaconda, in the best sense.
[ It's a public space on purpose but he can see the value in having a creature that can whirl around and look out for the space. The ravens might bother him more, but apparently the cats have declared it their new land. He'll warn the ravens in his own time. It's funny that he has to, technically everything in this place is created in his mind, but the ravens are not his. Not that Lucifer seems to know how to get rid of them, after he made them as a joke. ]
Oh, I ... hm.
[ Istredd kneels next to it and very gingerly puts his and on its head, uncertain what to expect. He knows it is metal, of course, and a machine, but it is so very new to him. ]
Darganfod, I think. It means discovery in Elvish.
[ Istredd has a deep fondness for the elves on the continent and knows their language fluently. Lara the leosylph is named for a famous elf herself. ]
I love the gift, Shepard, but to reiterate, I've put no work into you. Outside of how friendships develop.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-16 06:03 pm (UTC)[She holds out a hand, halfway between offering a handshake and simply gesturing. like a mech covered in leosylphs, there was good in the effort of it.]
But any relationship takes effort, and I don't take that for granted.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-17 08:47 pm (UTC)[ Istredd was a very lonely individual although at the time he didn't think of it that way. He picked the research life, the solitary life, it was his decision to avoid courts and politics and the rest of the Brotherhood. So he lived in his books and his tombs, and could go days without talking to anyone, and didn't think much about it.
It's why he's never been entirely comfortable with people; it takes some time to unravel his distant politeness. Except the two of them had a speed run due to the Pit. All of his relationships that were established then were bonded by trauma and there was no way for him to make things awkward or be bad at socializing in a situation like that. They went through a horrible time together. It was easy to be friends after surviving it.
So she's not actively seen how shy or awkward he can be. That's for the best, Istredd only wishes he could say that about everyone.
He takes her hand and squeezes it gently.]
I don't take any friendships for granted, my friend, especially not yours. I consider myself lucky to have an opportunity to meet a space warrior.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-18 04:40 am (UTC)[Shepard's never seen Istredd awkwardly flub a social interaction and he's never seen her casually murder someone in cold blood; there's always more to learn about someone, even if you think you know them well.]
You know, you're gonna have to come visit Normandy, someday soon. Spending all your time in here, you're missing out.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-19 01:02 am (UTC)[ Istredd thinks his mind might literally be blown by something that is so normal to her, but this is a man who gets confused at the sight of a motorcycle. A spaceship is a few dozen steps above that. He wants to understand it all, but he is very behind. ]
I'll come visit you some time with a return gift, and then you can show it to me.