Chilly Boulder - Sunday Night

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

After making sure things were settled at Town Hall, Joan and Liir (and Makejoy, of course) snuck out and headed to Chilly Boulder for some ice cream before making their way back to the dorms.

"You know, I just realized you haven't eaten for two days. Maybe we should have gone for real food," she said.



[Joan's here for Liir, but can be open for your own ice cream needs]

Comments

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"I know it's not good there," she said. "And you told me that you weren't sure what you were going to do after graduation."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I don't know if you spoke to Rachel," he said quietly, "but what that version did to her... it's something I can do. More importantly, it's something I have done in order to get out of a terrible situation. Moreover, I did it to my own blood kin."

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

Joan nodded. "But, see, you said yourself. You only did it to get out of a terrible situation."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He raised an eyebrow.

"Does that undo the harm done to another person?"

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"It doesn't undo it, no," she said. "But if your options were to do harm to another person or have harm done to you..."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Well," he said with a huff of breath, "he was going to torture me. And flog one of my better friends at home, not that he was quite a friend yet. And it was only memories of sins he'd committed personally."

Beat.

"But it's still a terrible thing to do to someone."

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"And so were the things that he was going to do to you," she said. "So don't beat yourself up over it."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I don't. I've had everyone from a priest to a mage go over it with me and assure me that I did nothing wrong. All the pain he felt was pain he'd caused.

"I just worry about the day when I'll think it's a good idea."

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"I can't see that ever happening."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Sanity isn't exactly a running trait in my family. If anything, it tends to run away to preserve itself."

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"Sanity is over-rated. Especially in a place like this."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"As said by someone who has never met Shell Thropp," he noted tiredly, "who, of course, has taken position as the Emperor Apostle of Oz while I've been hiding."

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

Joan frowned. "That's bad, I take it."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He gave her a quick nod.

"Unless you like a scoundrel, a spy, and a rapist as your Emperor, I should think so."

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

She made a face. "Is there anything you can do?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"That's the problem."

He leaned back in his chair.

"I'm already doing. That's why I'm in hiding. I've assisted one of the rebellious factions and gotten their aid, spoken to the Animals who fled to the Vinkus during the Wizard's reign, my father recognized me before he left, and by all rights of succession" and he rubbed his temple now "I'm the heir to the leadership of the currently-seceded section of Oz that has traditionally served as the nation's breadbasket."

The smile he gave her was wry.

"So you're eating ice cream with the Prince of the Arjiki Tribe and the Eminent Thropp of Munchkinland."

He twirled his finger.

"For all that that counts for shoes in Quaddling Country."

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"Wow, that's pretty impressive," Joan said. "How come you have to stay in hiding?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He eyed her for a moment, trying to see if she was being sarcastic.

"It's an accident, much like everything else. And mostly it's because they like to kill people who challenge their authority. It's Ozian tradition at this point."

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"Too bad you can't take an army of Fandomites over there to kick their asses."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He shook his head.

"I wouldn't. An army wouldn't serve any purpose. Things need to be done carefully, though now that Shell's out in the open, it helps matters considerably."