animus_network | [002 ★ text ★ crazy backdated to before the moving event]

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[ou] willow rosenberg

[002 ★ text ★ crazy backdated to before the moving event]

Someone told me that all of the trolls are having trouble sleeping here. I think I can help.

I've made sleep satchets before, these little things that you put under your pillow and guarantee pleasant dreams for a couple months before they run out. The problem is that I only came with so many spell ingredients in my trunk, so unless I can find a way to replace some of this stuff, I can't make these forever.

Not that asking this question will necessarily result in anything resembling the truth, but: does anyone need one more than anyone else?

Asking all this out of the goodness of my heart and preferential treatment, I promise.

[filtered from wwaterboy]

And now to the other part of this post. Also to trolls, sorry. If someone could explain how this matesprit thing actually compares with the human concept of romance, that would be seriously of the good, because I don't know what I'm doing here and I think I need more than the ten second summary if I am going to be doing this.

Which, let me repeat, since I don't know what I'm doing, no judging or yelling at me! I will yell back. That is so not what I need right now. I'm trying to do the right thing and honor my feelings and not stay all hung up on people that have died, which is difficult! But I've never done this "oh, and he also hatesexes someone regularly, but that's not cheating" concept before, and I want to get it right.

It seems bitchy to ask him to explain this stuff to me himself, so... advice. Please? And if you could honor the incredibly obvious filter, that would be great. Don't make me go hacker on you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She gives a wry smile at that]

His name's Equius. He's not here, as far as I know...wait, your friend was a robot?

[This is interesting to her, mostly because it means no more talking about Equius]

Well, it's possible we just don't have as many words for these things. I'm sure it'll become clearer the more we interact.

There was a robot that was designed to look and act like her, [she clarifies, going easily with the subject change and filing away the name Equius.] The acting wasn't exactly successful. This vampire that was obsessed with her had it made in order to... um. Let's just say your flushed thing applies.

I guess it's silly to get too worked up over the details. It's either going to happen, or it won't... right?

Oh...oh, I think I understand. I guess at least in her case it was just a robot that looked like her rather than being her? Though...sorry, vampire? I don't think I know that term...is it a type of demon?

[She nods at that last part]

One thing I've learned over the sweeps. The timeline will play out as it wishes. We can worry about it or we can accept it and prepare for the inevitable consequences.

It was more than a little creepy when they were right next to each other. I'm honestly not sure which way is worse. Oh-- vampire, yeah, it's like when someone dies but doesn't stay dead, and now they're a blood-sucking, amoral, bad-dressing monster.

[She echoes her words,] The timeline will play out as it wishes... That's a good way to put it. Unfortunately none of us have ever really been good at just accepting out destinies.

Yes, I expect that must have been strange...though honestly now, I just think I've had so many forms that it's mostly not such a big deal.

[Her expression lights up in understanding as she explains vampires]

Oh, you mean rainbow drinkers! Kanaya's always really loved reading about those. Though, I expect she wouldn't so much if she knew about the badly-dressed part.

[She gives a soft, knowing smile] I think it's in the nature of all living things who are aware enough to understand these things to try and escape what they don't like. But often, the mere act of trying to avoid fate is the trigger for that future to happen.

As long as you're okay with it, [she says in conclusion, if a bit doubtfully.]

Kanaya has? I guess I'll talk to her about it. --Some of them aren't too badly dressed, but sadly the stereotype exists for a reason.

[As for fate and destiny... well.] See, I get that part, but in my experience what you end up with from resisting fate is still better than what you'd get if you didn't. Prophecies are always, and then she dies fighting the Master, but if you don't take that lying down, it turns out she comes back to life after. Just because prophecies have to come true doesn't mean we can't affect the parts that aren't in it.

[She gives a slight, playful smile] I'm okay with a lot of things.

Oh, yes. I'm sure she'd be fascinated to hear about your version of rainbow drinkers.

[She listens intently to Willow's comment, the undercurrent of personal experience clear but not something she wants to pry in]

That's certainly true enough. I dare say there are things we've all done that weren't what we were "supposed" to. But time can be a tricky thing to manage and paradox space is pretty unforgiving about offshoot timelines.

[pause]

Or maybe that's just our universe.

Rainbow drinkers is a funny way to put it—- oh, cause they drink all the blood colors, I get it.

I've never had to worry about paradox space before, so I wouldn't know. [Willow can't help but raise her eyebrows a little at the thought.] Sounds complicated. We've had to deal with a lot of wacky hijinks, but it's never been time travel.

[She nods]

Kanaya's the one to ask about them, really. I only know what I've been able to glean from her.

That's probably for the best. It can get pretty confusing at the best of times. A simpler universe might actually be quite nice.

We'll have to chat, then. I've talked to her before-- she seems sweet. And good at exposition.

Simpler maybe from a time travel perspective, but I don't know if I'd really call it simpler... We get a lot of other dimensional stuff, aside from the destiny thing.

Yes, she certainly knows how to use her words.

Oh really? How do those work, then?

You know how there's more than one of some people here, and the other ones that you don't know are from... like, universes where events went differently? A couple times at home someone like that came through to our Earth. Like-- just as, uh, an example, a version of me that was turned into a vampire.

[She rushes on from that to the next point, still embarrassed about the vampire Willow debacle.] And sometimes it's other planes of existence, places that can't ordinarily be accessed by humans. Spirits, gods, vengeance demons, worlds without shrimp... I could go on and on.

Oh right! Like how there's an Eridan who's at the bottom of the hemospectrum, and a Kanaya with a different blood colour? I guess that would explain why they never showed up on the timeline from my perspective.

[Alas, Aradia is forever curious]

You were a rainbow drinker?

Right, just like that! [Her enthusiasm deflates, and Willow does look embarrassed, but she explains.]

Another version of me was, and she sort of... ended up over here. By which I mean there, in Sunnydale. I had to impersonate her to rescue some friends of mine and everything. It was crazy.

Oh so the other you, the rainbow drinker you, somehow crossed into your timeline? That must have been strange. Was she much like you, rainbow drinker aside?

[She's never met one before, having "left" before Kanaya's transformation, though she can be dissuaded. She just doesn't stop to think that it might not be appropriate]

Ohhhhh no, nothing like me. Not a hair on her head. She dressed like a-- a very unashamed dominatrix, and was also unsurprisingly fond of the torture.

Vampires in my world lose their souls when they get turned. They're a little like their human selves, but not much.

Oh, huh. I suppose that does make sense. I know I wasn't much like myself after I died the first time.

So...was there anything else you wanted to know?

Yes, [she blurts out suddenly, vulnerability casting across her. She gets almost a pleading look as she goes on.] Do you think I'm being selfish and, and stupid for considering this? What if it all goes horribly wrong, what if I really don't like boys and I just-- jerk him around the whole time--

I don't want to hurt him, Aradia. [This is much more of an expression of Willow's insecurities than a declaration about Eridan. She has to get this out somewhere, has to express it to someone, and she has no better choice than her roommate. Even if she won't be able to grasp the context and backstory to why she's so worried about this.]

[Aradia frowns a little, concerned by the sudden outburst.]

I don't think you could, not through any fault of your own, and I certainly don't think you'd jerk anyone around. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out but that doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't try. As long as you're honest about how you feel, I think you'll be just fine.

... Yeah. [She exhales.] You're right. There's no reason to think this will turn out like-- like anything else has, before.

[And with that cryptic statement, Willow refocuses on her, clearing her thoughts.] Thank you for talking to me. I'm lucky to have you to count on in stuff like this. [Even if it'd be easier if Buffy were here. Much easier.]

[Aradia smiles]

Any time. I'm sorry I couldn't be more specific...romance really was always more Karkat's thing than mine.

[Her eyebrows go up.] You were plenty help. But you know, that's what Kanaya said, too.

Is he some kind of Casanova?

[She can't help but giggle at that]

Well no, not exactly. But he watches a lot of romance movies and he can give pretty good advice if you ignore the fact that he's always yelling.

I guess that would be a giggle-worthy insinuation if he's the yelling type. Hard to woo people when you have to clarify that you're not wielding the almighty judge hammer.

[Willow grins.] I talked to him a little bit earlier.

Oh you did? [Now she just grins] So you know, at least, not to take his yelling personally.

[002 ★ text ★ crazy backdated to before the moving event]

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