NICO

[foreverphantom]

Comments

[resumed]

[ a thin smile. ]

Maybe a little. [ this is all tiger's business, but...sometimes you understand on a deeper level. ] I think they're really not sure how to talk to you guys half the time.

[foreverphantom]

Oh yeah, I heard all about Tiger's...visit to Nimona when you guys were in jail. [ jesus christ they really did that in front of god and everyone, sucks in air through teeth ]

[resumed]

[ there's. a wince. ]

Y...eah. That was...[ honest to god that sure did happen while they were all right there, and he's still conflicted about it. also, it's a natural flow of conversation so answers the other part you had anyway. ] Some of them are easier to talk to than others. Depending what you ask and what you're looking for. Rabbit and Snake are good conversationalists for things going on here. Fox and Mouse are fun when you want to take your mind off of things. Ox and Goat are nice enough and are shockingly normal in a lot of ways. And...obviously I get along with Phoenix best so that's a completely different category.

Either way, I think they're all just as lost as we are. It's not great since we are all looking for guidance on what we're supposed to do, but they could probably stand some extra support themselves, too. Who knows?

[foreverphantom]

[ blinks ] Whoa, you've really talked a lot to all of them, haven't you?

[resumed]

[ tiredly. ] Having an extrovert for a boyfriend is a curse. [ but he shakes his head. ] ...Phoenix is still the one I go to for most things. But it feels wrong not to try at least once or twice knowing their situation's not much better than ours, you know?

[foreverphantom]

...yeah, I guess. I just don't really know what to say to them.

[resumed]

Yeah, I said the same thing. [ ...like. literally, actually, that was in fact the conversation they had when nico was telling will to go do all the talking. ] It makes it harder when they know who we are but we have no idea who they are, you know? I've only managed because Ox and Mouse both approached me first, Ox told me to go talk to Tiger because they thought they could use more people trying to talk to them, Rabbit and Phoenix are friends, and then Rabbit told me to talk to Snake about some of the notes we found. Goat's friends with Fox, and...I'm at Fox's dorm a lot and it was getting weird not to talk to them much.

Even then half the time I have no idea what I'm doing.

[foreverphantom]

Whoa.

...I'm starting to think we might need to revoke your introvert card.

[resumed]

Absolutely not. [ maybe. ] It's always easier when I have something to focus on. That's all.

[foreverphantom]

It's the "having something to focus on" when talking to people that's the hard part in the first place.

[resumed]

[ this is true, given his default response is walking away from conversations he's bored with. except now he has to ask: ]

Do you mean the leaders, or in general?

[foreverphantom]

...in general, but I think it goes double for the leaders.

[resumed]

[ he tilts his head a little. ]

Is it better or worse if I say I think some of the leaders are equally socially awkward?

[foreverphantom]

You mean aside from White Tiger?

[resumed]

Dude, I still can never really figure out how to talk to Ox or Goat. They're both nice, but...it's a little hard to relate sometimes. But Fox, Rabbit and Mouse are all pretty good at doing enough talking to fill the gaps themselves.

[foreverphantom]

Yeah, I get that sense about Fox and Mouse. Rabbit's a lot like them too, so that tracks.

What's so tricky about Ox and Goat?

[resumed]

Yeah. Rabbit actually surprised me. But they're all pretty interesting. Let them pick a topic, ask a few questions, and they'll tell you all about it. Or they'll tell you to go ask one of the others and you have a reason to talk to them.

[ which is really how nico's been doing this. everyone keeps mentioning other people. ]

...maybe it's just a me problem. Ox is fine, I'm just...not really sure how to talk to them? Like it feels like I should be saying certain things to them but I can't figure out what. And Goat just seems like they need a really long nap.

[foreverphantom]

Huh. I wonder if I could just go up to them and say that. [ "pick a topic, now go!" ]

I only talked to Goat the once but...yeah, that sounds like it fits. I did talk with Ox about his arcade a bit, but I don't know if you're into video games at all.

[resumed]

You could. I think those three would have the best time picking something to ramble about. [ amusing thought actually.

but...hm. ]

I watch a lot of game channels online and I've played a few, but not anything too recent. There've been a few things I think I can relate to with Ox, but...I'm not sure it's still I want to really explain either. But I think they're different kind of like we are.

[foreverphantom]

Like...kinda dead kinda not, different?

[resumed]

Like...kinda life-altering powers kinda not, different. From what I can guess, anyway.

[foreverphantom]

...huh. What'd they say to make you think that?

[resumed]

They asked me what I thought their power here meant, and I gave them an answer based on something I'm familiar with at home. They said it was a good guess but didn't confirm or deny it either way, which tells me it's in the same realm. Prophecy is...pretty loose in other worlds, I think.

[foreverphantom]

Aren't prophecies are always in riddles? Sounds like they're really keeping with the theme with all that vagueness.

[resumed]

Yes and no? Some of them are easier to understand than others, and the other thing about prophecies is that there are sometimes multiple ways to interpret them. But you're right, they're keeping up with the theme of vagueness. I told them that Will's a half-blood so maybe he got more answers about it than I did.

[ shrug! could he have told ox he was also a demigod? maybe. did he? no he did not. ]