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[the_martyred]

Common sense says this isn't a highblood trick as I would assume they wouldn't have left me fr33 and able to move around.
The collar says I'm not precisely fr33 though. Such a ridiculous bright orange. It's not even a blood color.

I'm looking for Deadener
Maroonblood

Comments

[benigncancer]

IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HIGHBLOODS.
UH... DI?

[the_martyred]

Suff
Deadener?
Why are you red
Where are you

[benigncancer]

OKAY, THIS HASN'T HAPPENED BEFORE.
I'M IN THE LIBRARY ON THE THIRD FLOOR, AT ONE OF THE TERMINALS.
DO YOU MIND COMING TO SEE ME? I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE RIGHT NOW.

[the_martyred]

Yes
I'll be there soon

[It actually takes her closer to 30 minutes to figure out how to get down that far and how high up she is, but a figure buried in cloaks, clutching a book in clawed hands finally starts inching through the library on the lookout for him]

[benigncancer]

[He's half-glued to the computer, watching his own Disciple, but when he senses movement, he closes the window and turns, rising to his feet with an uncertain smile]

Disciple?

[the_martyred]

[She watches him speak, looking at his hands and his face. He isn't the same as the Sufferer she knows. He's smiling like he used to]

Signless. This is strange. [She lifts the cloaks from her head, letting them fall back. Her face is lightly scarred, as are her hands, but she looks otherwise the same]

[benigncancer]

You don't know the half of it. [He hesitates, searching her expression] There's another version of you, already here.

[the_martyred]

[The only betrayal of her sudden shift of feelings is the way she clutches the book; Her face stays neutral. Too neutral. Barely an hour here and she feels more lost than she has in a full sweep.]

What do you mean--Another version of me? That's not possible.

[benigncancer]

Here, it's possible. [He rises to his feet and moves towards her, his eyebrows pinching with worry for her, and for the other Disciple in the labyrinth] It's not uncommon. The Di I know has never written in grey, for example. Will you tell me why?

[the_martyred]

...Then I'm not your Di. You're not my Signless are you? He writes in maroon for the same reason I write in grey. [She hesitates, for a moment. He's Signless, even if he isn't hers. Even if he has a Disciple who never hid her blood color in fear. He's one she can trust, always.] We're in hiding. We can't risk the highbloods finding us or it's right back to the execution grounds. And I don't think they'll make the show of it this time.

[benigncancer]

I'm sorry, I'm not your Signless. [He reaches out and touches her hand, hoping to enfold it in hers, without forcing her to let go of her book] My blood is candy red, not rust. But that doesn't mean that we can't be friends.

[the_martyred]

...You misunderstood. He's candy red as well. He nearly died but his followers saved him. They saved me. [She holds his hand tightly, her grip almost crushing. Any Signless is better than none at all]

But we had to hide. Separately, we hid. And it's easier to pass as rust. There's so many you know. My color--[She stops abruptly, as if she feels it's not worth explaining. She knows her color is the color of rebellion as much as his candy red. Distinctive enough to question her for] I'd like to be friends. [Then she smiles, a little uncertainly] He always said I was his Disciple no matter what. But you can call me Nameless. If that's easier to keep track of.

[benigncancer]

[He senses there's something wrong here, and she is holding back, but he's not sure whether to push her or not. He squeezes her hand just as tightly, then gives up and pulls her into a hug]

Whatever colour your blood is makes no difference to me. You know that, right? Is Nameless what you want me to call you?

[the_martyred]

[She uncertainly lets him hug her for a moment before she raises her arms to hug him back. It's not a tight hug but she's already trying to distance herself from him. He has a Disciple of his own, he doesn't need two.]

Nameless is what you should call me. Any other name is really not something I would use with you. It would just be confusing to call me Di as well.

[benigncancer]

Whatever you want, Kitten. [He smiles and tugs on a lock of her hair. He can tell he's distancing herself, and he doesn't want to let her.] We're friends, right?

[the_martyred]

[The affectionate nickname startles her and she quickly reaches up to wipe her eyes. She's not crying, not yet, but it's still a bit of a shock. She's not even his Disciple and he still treats her like she can be here.]

We're friends. Is she...your Disciple, is she okay?

[benigncancer]

[He bites his lip and looks away, towards the computer terminal] I don't know.

[the_martyred]

...You don't know? Really? [She looks toward the computer terminal and frowns] ...What's going on?