mental link - :011

[inflori]

[ Angel has been gone for barely a day now. The loss is felt in her brood most of all, and it's a surprise that volatile little Petre doesn't just lash out in another street fight. Instead he locks himself up in his room, all things left scattered, mind flooded with both silence and a scream at once. He's missing her, just like he's missing everyone else in his brood except Aoba, and it all just tells him he's meant to be alone. He hates it, he hates it so much. He decides that he hates everyone else, too, because they still have each other, because he thinks they don't care, because he's sure they'll turn against him one day.

Finally, what starts as a hum becomes a stream of repetitions, growing louder, stronger. Desperately reaching out, aimless and chaotic. ]

( When is she going to wake up? I don't want to be alone. Bring her back. I want her to come back. )

[ It won't stop for a very long while. ]

Comments

[inflori]

( Of course she didn't. )

[ For once, Petre doesn't actively think that Angel left, just that she was taken from him. Whichever situation would make him feel more revolted is unclear, but Lexa's words continue to help his mind grow steadier. ]

( Does she help you too? )

[adamance]

[The question is odd, in part because Lexa doesn't really function in a way where people "help her" in the traditional sense. It gives her pause, in part because it presumes a certain passivity on her part.]

( We help each other. She trains me in technology, and I teach her to fight. ) [Which, as Petre's learned, she is really bad at technology. Lexa probably should have asked her how to work the toaster.]

[inflori]

( ... So you're a good fighter. )

[ He sounds... tentatively distracted from the beginning of this conversation. Maybe if he finds an excuse to bond with Angel's friends, it will be a way of continuing to have her around indirectly. Or something. ]

[adamance]

( I've trained as a warrior my entire life. )

[Taking interest in Angel's broodmates isn't beyond her given the protection she extends to Angel herself. To some extent, it makes sense: losing them has brought Angel enough pain that trying to keep an eye on the rest is another way of offering her fortification.

Besides, Lexa has a feeling that Angel does herself the most harm by feeling internal agony over her failures.]

( Are you able to fight? )

[inflori]

( Of course I can fight. )

[ The answer comes easily to him, memories of the atrocities he's committed against his enemies drifting by in a haze. There is blood, teeth, claws. Rarely is there any technique to the way he defeats his enemies. ]

( I've killed loads of people. )

[ Not... something to boast about, Petre... But it is a distraction. ]

[adamance]

[Her brows furrow at these memories. The lack of technique is apparent. The beast-like aspect of it is also apparent. Lexa realizes she feels uncomfortable, but for a moment who allowed her people to perish in what she decided was a battle, can she really be squeamish?

No.]

( As have I. I imagine a great number of us here have. )

[Yes, that is her way of undercutting his bragging to make him feel less accomplished.]

[inflori]

[ Perhaps it doesn't have the intended effect. Instead of childish offense, Petre's interest lights up, a pushy nudge in her direction like he's trying to search around without her permission. ]

( Really? How did you kill them? )

[adamance]

( Which ones? )

[The sense is clear: there are too many to count, and too many to try to signify a specific type of death. The people of her coalition are used to death being an answer for their actions, as well as a punishment.]

[inflori]

[ ... he almost likes you. ]

( The toughest ones. )

[adamance]

[Humor him or not? Among her people, her kills are a sign of strength. It's only since meeting Skaikru that she's shied away from it.

Then again, she also likes being mysterious.

Still, she can use this to her advantage.]

( In order to become the Commander of my people, I had to fight all the other novitiates to the death. We were all highly trained, and we are meant to be the strongest of our people. I won. By spear and by sword. ) [There's a beat, a pause before she goes on.] ( In a fight to the death in front of all of my people, I beat the future king of one of the nations in our coalition. However, I saw that he would be a better ruler and spared his life, choosing to send a spear flying across the way to kill his mother. You can imagine he was indebted to me, especially since she forced him to fight in her stead. )

[There is more to it. The thought of revenge, of blood being let because it was what was due to both her and Clarke's people, but she gives none of that to Petre.]

[inflori]

[ He does listen in silence, for once, considering how restless his mind is all the time. Were he in front of her and she might have seen the look of a child listening to a story, utmost attention, maybe even a little wonder. The images of what she tells him are vague flashes, sometimes gaining a more definition when she lets them, sometimes fading completely. He sees a spear flying and holds his breath for a beat.

The smile is audible. ]

( I would've just killed him. And her. )

[adamance]

( Sometimes there is more value to be found in someone owing their life to you. Even more, their power and kingdom. )

[Discretion, essentially, has its upsides.

Besides, Roan was just as much of a victim of his mother. And Lexa. Not that she shares as much.]

[inflori]

( I don't care about their power and kingdoms. )

[ He cares about destroying, all in the name of someone else. He is very much a pawn in that sense - the Devil's soldier, so she can have everything. He just paves the way with his destructiveness. ]

[adamance]

( You and many others. My people also have a thirst for blood. It's how they know to survive. But there's a reason why I'm the one left to make these decisions. )

[So, their power and kingdoms have a place, just like the coalition does. They would continue to exist.]

[inflori]

( Well, not anymore. )

[ She's here, now. ]

[adamance]

( The last time one of us killed, there was a retaliatory response soon after.

I've been advising against such action. )

[A control freak for life, one might say.]

[inflori]

( Right, and what was that. )

[adamance]

( One of the Hosts died, and then the Prince felt he could lecture us about it. )

[Hint: it's the latter part that annoyed her more. The self-righteous blame of a man who did little to prepare his warriors was something she never needed to hear.]

[inflori]

( He can talk all her wants, I don't care. )

[adamance]

( He can, but would you want Angel killed because you decided to act rashly? Because that is how she lost one of her broodmates before. )

[inflori]

( What? )

[adamance]

[Manipulating Petre into behaving with a threat on Angel's life is probably not something she should do, but she chooses to do it anyway.

Oh, well.]

( He died before you arrived. On the planet we went to before. Because someone chose to kill a native, his people lashed out for someone who looked familiar. They killed one of our own. )

[inflori]

[ It's effective to some extent. The apprehension and anger from Petre's end is palpable, how his chest tightens at the thought that they could try to hurt Angel at all... ]

( I won't let anything happen to her. I'm gonna protect her. If anyone tries, I'll just kill them. Then I'll kill everyone they ever loved. )

[ zero chill. ]

[adamance]

( Potentially causing more problems and more danger for her. Be cautious at first, and you will be protecting her as best as you can. )

[No chill is fine, so long as it's well-directed.

In her chill-less opinion.]

[inflori]

[ gorsssssh always bossing me around. ]

( Fine. I'll be cautious at first. Happy? )

[adamance]

( I believe it will be Angel who is happy with that decision. )

[Never one to finish up her follow through.

Plus, bossing around is like in her genetics or something.]

[inflori]

[ ugh. Way to be a mom. ]

( Whatever. )