[A nod.] My name is Danse. I'm one of the newcomers from the latest group through the Door. I was told that you're reasonable in your dealings with us.
[Straight to business it is.]
In return, I'll maintain the upkeep of your temple and give you my emotions. I'd like to request your permission for me to use your temple as temporary lodgings.
[...what. The sparse conditions he can deal with: honestly, anywhere in the Commonwealth with a non-leaking roof is considered a god-send. But is that really all there is to it?
Danse blinks, and his eyes narrow in a suspicious slant.]
That's all? I haven't heard flattering comments about the deals you and your kind make. Are you sure you don't require anything else?
If you wanna start a meditation class or something, teach other people how to calm down, you could do something like that. But having someone stay here doesn't cost me anything.
[He shrugs.]
Since I'm not spending any power on you, it seems kind of unfair to ask for something in return, you know?
[Danse hesitates; he's heard that the gods get all sorts of invasive, but at the same time it's not really fair to move into someone's property without being forthcoming about certain issues.]
...you should know that I have nightmares. I don't know if your kind need to sleep, or if you'll feel disturbed to have someone like me inside your temple.
[Honestly? He came to Tranquility's temple because it's just been so long since he's had a clear mind and a calm soul. That initial wave of, well, tranquility that hit him when he walked through the doors was almost alien to him, after months of self-depreciation, paranoia and grief.]
[Not just Fear. Rage and Sorrow, and whenever they get here? Love will too. If he didn't care for the people in his dreams, then it wouldn't hurt so much.
Danse hesitates, again. His dreams are very personal, but again...he is asking for permission to stay here. That Tranquility is opening his doors to someone as emotionally compromised as he is isn't something Danse thinks off lightly, even if Tranquility himself seems rather easygoing about it.
Or maybe it was part of Tranquility's nature to be that easy-going. Danse had been prepared to barter, not easy acceptance.
After another moment's quiet, he lets out a slight sigh. If Tranquility hears everything that happens in his temple, then no doubt he might be able to draw some conclusions when Danse begins to mummer and cry out in his sleep. He could give him the barebones of the situation without dwelling too deeply into the issues that really hurt.]
I used to be a soldier. I've lost a lot of brothers and sisters over the years, and some of them to mistakes I've made while out on the field.
So, I dream about them. [Dreams of explosives, fire and twisted metal raining from the skies. The stench of charred meat. Eyes all around turned to him, glaring, accusing.
Wires, not veins. Metal, not flesh. Dreams of code, of 0s and 1s.
A white room.
The more he thinks about his nightmares, the more he feels that familiar twisting inside, feelings of upset pounding in-time with every heart beat. He takes another deep breath, trying to keep calm.] Sorry. I normally don't discuss those dreams with anyone. And while I would've preferred to stay on my own the unusual circumstances of how you and your siblings feed, as well as your individual temperaments, prompted concerns that my emotions could provide power to the gods that have hurt most of the people here.
[So in effect, he's bunking here because he doesn't want to feel Rage, Fear, or Confusion. It's not the best way to deal with his issues, and he knows that. But he will not play any part in those mentioned gods' games.]
[For a few moments, the aura of the temple grows stronger - a calming, relaxed air, soothing to disturbed emotions like Danse's. It's the closest thing to comfort that Tranquility can offer, and of course it's in his interest as well - those sorts of emotions are of no use to him.
But perhaps it helps.]
Feel free to stay. If you want to set up a place to sleep or something, that'd be fine too. I can't promise it'll help with the dreams, but it might.
[The calm isn't unwelcomed, but the flood of tranquility takes him by surprise. Startled, he takes an uncertain step back from the man in front of him. The god.
As nice Tranquility seemed, Danse isn't completely sure he could trust someone with so much power over his emotions. Or rather, the power over the programming that was running through his brain that replicates human emotions. It makes him uneasy, that his feelings could be so easily tweaked and affected by these gods. As if a few key taps could cause him to feel one way or another.
Still. No proof one way or the other. Danse eventually lets out a weary sigh.]
Thank you. I know I'm not the best person to be staying in your temple, but I'll do my best to keep my emotions under control while I'm here.
[That....is really nice. Nice enough to have Danse reconsider his initial opinion that the gods were really just feeding on them like emotional leeches. Honestly, he thought he was going into this temple to bargain hard with a flippant, uncaring deity-like being.]
...you're really not what I expected of your kind. I haven't heard the most flattering comments about any of you.
There are some who can't go home, due to one reason or another. If you help to make this place safer and stopped influencing the people's emotions through those events, you'd see less resistance and hostility.
[Just a neutral observation and some helpful advice. If Tranquility really is aiming to make things easier for them, Danse can't think of anything better than this.]
We make this place as safe as we can. As for the rest... well, we can't do too much about that. Humans need to eat food to survive, and we need emotion.
[He doesn't seem terribly sorry about that. But then, most humans aren't terribly sorry about the lives they take to feed themselves.]
[Not the answer he wanted to hear, and honestly no one would like to be referred to as food, but Danse can't say this kinda response was unexpected. He frowns, but keeps his cool.]
Are you all in urgent need of that much emotion that these extreme events have to be engineered to invoke such strong emotions out of us?
We do what we have to do. Like I said, it's not ideal for you - it's not ideal for us, either. I try not to cause too much damage, but we don't all feel the same way.
What is ideal then? [He asks. He doesn't want to be challenging or come of as rude but Danse is a blunt man, and he doesn't quite like it when people don't try their very utmost best to alleviate harm, even if it comes at certain personal costs.]
We coexisted well with the beings who were here before you. We worked together in a way that seems impossible with you. But we've gotta work with what we have, you know?
[He shrugs, as if that's enough serious talk for one day.]
Most of you aren't too bad. You're welcome to stay here as long as you'd like.
I don't know if I can trust you yet. But for what it's worth, I appreciate that you're still willing to help out in the city. Maybe you aren't too bad either.
Thank you for seeing me. I'll head back to the city and find some furniture to bring back here. I won't take up any more of your time.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Well now you know. People don't like to be snuck up on, so keep that in mind for further interactions with others.
[Danse hadn't been expecting Tranquility to look so...so human. It's disarming.]
You're Tranquility?
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[Probably a good guess, since this guy was talking to no one in Tranquility's temple.]
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[Straight to business it is.]
In return, I'll maintain the upkeep of your temple and give you my emotions. I'd like to request your permission for me to use your temple as temporary lodgings.
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[He gestures around himself at the mostly empty temple.]
It's not too comfortable in here, but you're welcome to stay.
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Danse blinks, and his eyes narrow in a suspicious slant.]
That's all? I haven't heard flattering comments about the deals you and your kind make. Are you sure you don't require anything else?
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[He shrugs.]
Since I'm not spending any power on you, it seems kind of unfair to ask for something in return, you know?
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...you should know that I have nightmares. I don't know if your kind need to sleep, or if you'll feel disturbed to have someone like me inside your temple.
[Honestly? He came to Tranquility's temple because it's just been so long since he's had a clear mind and a calm soul. That initial wave of, well, tranquility that hit him when he walked through the doors was almost alien to him, after months of self-depreciation, paranoia and grief.]
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[Though surely Fear is fond of those nightmares.]
What do you dream about?
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Danse hesitates, again. His dreams are very personal, but again...he is asking for permission to stay here. That Tranquility is opening his doors to someone as emotionally compromised as he is isn't something Danse thinks off lightly, even if Tranquility himself seems rather easygoing about it.
Or maybe it was part of Tranquility's nature to be that easy-going. Danse had been prepared to barter, not easy acceptance.
After another moment's quiet, he lets out a slight sigh. If Tranquility hears everything that happens in his temple, then no doubt he might be able to draw some conclusions when Danse begins to mummer and cry out in his sleep. He could give him the barebones of the situation without dwelling too deeply into the issues that really hurt.]
I used to be a soldier. I've lost a lot of brothers and sisters over the years, and some of them to mistakes I've made while out on the field.
So, I dream about them. [Dreams of explosives, fire and twisted metal raining from the skies. The stench of charred meat. Eyes all around turned to him, glaring, accusing.
Wires, not veins. Metal, not flesh. Dreams of code, of 0s and 1s.
A white room.
The more he thinks about his nightmares, the more he feels that familiar twisting inside, feelings of upset pounding in-time with every heart beat. He takes another deep breath, trying to keep calm.] Sorry. I normally don't discuss those dreams with anyone. And while I would've preferred to stay on my own the unusual circumstances of how you and your siblings feed, as well as your individual temperaments, prompted concerns that my emotions could provide power to the gods that have hurt most of the people here.
[So in effect, he's bunking here because he doesn't want to feel Rage, Fear, or Confusion. It's not the best way to deal with his issues, and he knows that. But he will not play any part in those mentioned gods' games.]
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[For a few moments, the aura of the temple grows stronger - a calming, relaxed air, soothing to disturbed emotions like Danse's. It's the closest thing to comfort that Tranquility can offer, and of course it's in his interest as well - those sorts of emotions are of no use to him.
But perhaps it helps.]
Feel free to stay. If you want to set up a place to sleep or something, that'd be fine too. I can't promise it'll help with the dreams, but it might.
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As nice Tranquility seemed, Danse isn't completely sure he could trust someone with so much power over his emotions. Or rather, the power over the programming that was running through his brain that replicates human emotions. It makes him uneasy, that his feelings could be so easily tweaked and affected by these gods. As if a few key taps could cause him to feel one way or another.
Still. No proof one way or the other. Danse eventually lets out a weary sigh.]
Thank you. I know I'm not the best person to be staying in your temple, but I'll do my best to keep my emotions under control while I'm here.
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[He smiles, easy and friendly.]
Just being here should calm you down. And hey, maybe it'll help you learn how to hold onto that outside the temple, too.
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...you're really not what I expected of your kind. I haven't heard the most flattering comments about any of you.
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[Tranquility shrugs.]
I don't know how to send you guys home, so I might as well make it easier to be here when I can.
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[Just a neutral observation and some helpful advice. If Tranquility really is aiming to make things easier for them, Danse can't think of anything better than this.]
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[He doesn't seem terribly sorry about that. But then, most humans aren't terribly sorry about the lives they take to feed themselves.]
It's not great for you guys, I get that.
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Are you all in urgent need of that much emotion that these extreme events have to be engineered to invoke such strong emotions out of us?
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[He shrugs, as if that's enough serious talk for one day.]
Most of you aren't too bad. You're welcome to stay here as long as you'd like.
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I don't know if I can trust you yet. But for what it's worth, I appreciate that you're still willing to help out in the city. Maybe you aren't too bad either.
Thank you for seeing me. I'll head back to the city and find some furniture to bring back here. I won't take up any more of your time.
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[And naturally, when Danse returns Tranquility will be nowhere to be found.]