The Nexus

[Kevin's]

"Colour printing is usually a dollar or something like that," Kevin says, as he removes the construction paper from the printer-faxer.

"Speaking of dollars, nice phone. Where do you get one like that?"

Kevin's

"This? Oh, it was a birthday present. You could probably find one like it, though, in that gadget shop. They've got everything from cassette players to PipBoys." Although they both rely on magnetic tape for transferring data, so maybe they aren't as different as they initially seem. "It's really convenient since I can't break the screen and it's a lot easier to keep in a pocket than my last one. That one was huge; this one's about fifty years' ahead of that one."

[Kevin's]

"Oh, right. Sometime soon I'm going to go over there and see how many devices I can get to display an image of Willem Dafoe," Kevin chuckles.

"So..." Kevin gestures to the printer. "You wanna do the honours? Just hit Print, select your device from the connections menu, and the machine will do the rest."

Kevin's

"I'm... not sure it's a good idea to prank the shop selling electronics, not if you can't source phones and stuff elsewhere. They might take it the wrong way, or their management might." She'll get to work printing the image, and then asks another question."Who's Willem Dafoe?"

[Kevin's]

"I don't think I'd need to buy a new phone, even if my old one wore out. Me and the wife have been working on putting all those functionalities in my power armour. So, whether they can take a joke or not, it's not too much skin off my neck in the long run."

The image begins printing. The printer is kind of slow, though.

"Oh, Willem Dafoe is an actor. He was in Spiderman as the Green Goblin, he was the American Idiot - sorry, American Psycho... yeah, he's pretty much unparalleled when it comes to playing insane people."

Kevin's

"I didn't think there was a goblin in that film, unless I'm thinking of the wrong one. Spiderman's got that scientist with the teleporter, right?" Probably not Spider-Man she's thinking of, no.

She's got no problem with waiting for the printer; her phone excepted, most of the technology at her parent's house is rather old.

[The Bookstores]

Batu has been sent here on an errand today. Simple enough: buy some books and papers the Stormguard needs. But he got to bring Div along, so it's almost like having a date while doing it. The young hobgoblin is carrying a bag of books and checking his list when he spots someone in the crowd. That someone seems to be another hobgoblin, with a similar skin tone, but larger, more muscular and sporting a pair of impressive muttonchops.

"Is that- ah, cripes. Pretend you don't see him, hon. That's my brother, but he's supposed to pretend he doesn't-"

"Hey, Batu! It's me!"

"What in the-"

[The Bookstores]

Div is just helping tote books and peering curiously at them when Batu spots his brother. The young antlered fellow glowers a little, even if he's not very good at looking mad. He looks quickly between the two hobs. "Oh no. Do you want to go talk to him? Should we... go?"

[The Bookstores]

It doesn't seem to matter what Batu's decision would be, because his brother approaches them openly.

"Batu! It's been quite a long time." It's clear that Batu's brother is considerably more outgoing. And, perhaps, not the sharpest tool in the shed. "Who's this with you?"

"That's my boyfriend, Div. Div, this is Urvi, my brother." Batu sighs. "This is awkward. I am glad to see you, but you're supposed to pretend you don't know me, remember? I'm an outcast."

"Oh. That. Um..." Urvi shuffles awkwardly as if he really did forget that. "I forgot you haven't heard yet. You're not an outcast anymore. The Avvar cleared your name."

Batu blinks in an incredibly heavy silence.

"What made her change her mind?"

"Not her. She retired. Er... oh boy. Our father is the Avvar now. And decided to revoke your sentence."

"...he what."

[The Bookstores]

"Er, hello," Div looks at Urvi skeptically, but doesn't want to interrupt right away. How could he talk like this after all this time? After being so horrible? He gets that some cultures are different, but this was just...

And then there's the final straw. Div can't help but speak up. "And you didn't think to come and tell Batu this?" He asks, quickly irate. "You thought he'd just hear about it?"

[The Bookstores]

Urvi shrinks back from Div's ire and hangs his head.

"We couldn't find you. Didn't know where you lived now. Not like we kept track of... but you're right. I shouldn't have done this like that. I was just too excited to be able to talk to you again. I'm sorry."

Batu stays silent, happy to listen to Div take his defence for now. This is all rather a lot to find out suddenly.

[Kevin's]

"Oh, sorry, I meant Spiderman: No Way Home. The most recent one. I don't think there were any teleporting scientists." Technically, there is The Spot, but he's from the comics and Kevin has only watched the movies.

The printer makes a *ding!* noise reminiscent of a microwave, for some reason. "Print's done!" Kevin says cheerily, removing the image from the machine and handing it over to his customer.

Kevin's

"I don't think I've seen it, then." The incognito magical girl is thinking of The Fly, which Earl only really knows from an old Simpsons Halloween special. Probably the original not the remake, and Earl thought it was called The Human Fly!.

She takes the image and pays for it, using whatever method is required. "Thankyou, I'll come back when I come up with a way to prank Sylvia."

[Kevin's]

Kevin takes the dollar-equivalent amount of currency and puts it in the cash register at the nearby till.

"Thank you for your purchase, and see you next time!" Kevin says, waving to the schoolgirl.

Morty wrote: ↑Nov 06, 2022 12:14 am [The Bookstores]

Urvi shrinks back from Div's ire and hangs his head.

"We couldn't find you. Didn't know where you lived now. Not like we kept track of... but you're right. I shouldn't have done this like that. I was just too excited to be able to talk to you again. I'm sorry."

Batu stays silent, happy to listen to Div take his defence for now. This is all rather a lot to find out suddenly.

[The Bookstores]

Div simmers down a bit of his own accord, withdrawing his anger. "Well, that at least makes sense," Div says, glancing down at his feet. He doesn't like making people feel bad, but he felt something had to be said. "It's good that you want to talk to Batu again." He glances at Batu with a question in his eyes. Isn't it? Div would understand if he doesn't want to see his people, but it might be healthier for them to communicate.

[The Bookstores]

"Of course!" Urvi brightens up. It doesn't look like anything gets him down for long. "If I come back and tell him where you are, they can send an official delegation and everything. Maybe an apology letter?"

"Noooo. No, no, no." Batu decides to nip this particular idea in the bud. "Just... tell me where to find them and I can come there? Once I've slept on it."

"Oh. Sure, sure. But bring Div, won't you. It's great that you finally found someone. Everyone will want ho meet him."

"Oh. Well, yes. Brace yourself, dear."

[The Bookstores]

Div shoots his boyfriend a confused look, but doesn't second guess his decision when he knows nothing about it. "Brace myself?" Div manages a smile and a rather delicate snort. Even if the comment about Batu 'finally' finding someone starts to draw his ire again. "What for?"

[The Bookstores]

"Enthusiasm. Our families are big and close-knit. And I'm bringing someone new into ours, from their perspective."

"And everyone wants to welcome Batu back, make up for all the... you know." That's another thing Urvi hasn't said before but seems important. "Plus he's the son of the Avvar now. Important. And you're the first non-hobgoblin any of us have courted."

Batu sighs.

"There you have it. If someone gets the bright idea to make me court sorcerer or something, I might just sit it out."

[The Bookstores]

"Well, that just sounds like my family all over again. Maybe they should meet," Div suggests, perhaps unaware of the chaos he's inviting. He smiles at Urvi. At least they want to make up for their lousy behavior! But it's up to Batu if the sentiment is enough. "Hey, Batu, you don't have to do anything you don't want to. We could always just... go and meet them, and leave whenever you want. Take things slow."

[The Bookstores]

"That's... probably the best idea. If I don't go, it'll bother me," Batu agrees, before looking to his brother again. "Do you know what made our father change his mind?"

"I think he just started talking to more people. Outsiders. The two tribes we confederated with, who don't come down so hard on sorcery. Made him reconsider."

"Two tribes you- actually, I'll just ask when I get there." He squeezes Div's hand. "And yes, I think your family would get along well with this lot."

[The Bookstores]

"I could always see if they want to send a delegation along, and we can use them as a distraction in the event we need to make our escape," Div suggests, mostly joking about the latter. Mostly. He still thinks it's pretty wrong that they had unanimously decided to kick Batu out and now he's just 'back in', seemingly on a whim or after discussion with more enlightened people. They'd better have a heckuva apology prepared.

[The Bookstores]

"Yes, good thinking. Knowing your family, it'd be a hoot one way or the other."

"I'm sure everyone would love to meet Div's family." Urvi appears to be entirely earnest in this statement. "I've got to run now, but see you at the camp, Batu. You too, Div."

As his brother departs, Batu sighs from the bottom of his soul.

"So. That just happened."

[The Bookstores]

Div figures that, if things are awkward, his family can at least try to make things fun instead. There's no gathering they can't liven up.

"See you," he says to Urvi. Div turns to Batu, putting a hand on his back. "Are you okay? I can't even imagine what you must be feeling, Batu." He didn't even seem as upset as Div himself, so he was at least handling it better than the Frescot boy would.

[The Bookstores]

Batu sighs, seemingly deflating. The front he put up in front of his brother is gone. His ears droop visibly.

"I don't think I'm okay. It's the last thing I've ever expected. I'd managed to come to terms with being an outcast. Now I'm back in the fold and my father's in charge."

[The Bookstores]

Div just tries to lean on Batu and support him. "I still don't understand how they can all accept just kicking you out like that, then just as quickly accept you back in. I'm sorry, Batu. It's horrible." Div arches an eyebrow. "Is your father a... good person?"

[The Bookstores]

"Well, not everyone accepted my banishment. But our laws are what they are. They couldn't do much." Batu sighs again, leaning against Div. "Besides, Urvi isn't... the sharpest arrow in the quiver. Doesn't really like thinking about things too hard. As for my father... I remember him being a stickler for the rules. Ambitious. If he really decided that our rules are unjust and put his name on the line for it, it's a bigger change of heart than I'd expect from him."

[The Bookstores]

Div gently rubs his boyfriend's back. "Well that's... good, then, right? Is there another reason you're upset?"

[The Bookstores]

"It's like you said. They kicked me out, now they want me back. But they could have done that at any time. They could have realized how stupid it was to banish me over some magic tricks. And will the tribe actually accept me or will I just get glared at behind my back?" He shakes his head. "Nothing to do with it but go there and see what happens."

[The Bookstores]

"Well... it's up to you how you want to go forward with this. You're not obligated to treat them any certain way, or to go and see them at all, if it doesn't suit you. If you want to, you could demand an apology. From all of them. I think you deserve that, at minimum," says Div. "If they want to glare behind your back, well... What did my father used to say? 'Those who speak ill of you in secret should be treated exactly as they wish to be - beneath both your notice and your contempt.'" Div laughs. "It's horrible, but it fits."

[The Bookstores]

Batu smiles wanly for the first time since his brother appeared.

"I think your father has it right. If they try to give me a hard time after what they've done, I'll just shake the dust off my boots at them. I know I can live without them now. But... maybe they'll surprise us."