I think the original builders might consider it cozy.
[ once she's inside, squinting against the... musty dusty dim, it's not hard to see why hooligans like the place. malkuth lifts her hand to "wipe away" the current stiffling scene, then uses her pen to fill it in again. ]
We can keep whatever graffiti intact, unless it's inappropriate... Let it be a mural of peoples' spirit at the wall, a fountain sounds like a good idea -- maybe some plants, a place to sit with complimentary refreshments, and plenty of warm lighting.
[ staring at some exposed wire by a lightswitch. ]
Properly wired lighting. I wonder if we'd have to redo the plumbing too, or if that's the one thing they didn't cut costs on... Let's see.
[ she spins on her heel, heading towards a stairwell and just peering up it. if it feels like she's everywhere at once, well, she is, ]
Cozy? This? [ he looks back to the building then back to malkuth.
he has his doubts, but he also doesn't think it's anything he necessarily has to point out, either. the structure spoke for itself. still, as she speaks, his eyes to glance over the various graffiti. some actually some nice stroke work, even if the colors could use some work, or so he thinks. ]
You're really thinking of everything. The plumbing should be solid if it mirrors the other buildings of this style, as for the rest... which part should I critique first when we get out of he... [ oh... she's already heading to the stairs. he follows behind before he grabs her wrist. gesturing with his finger for her to keep quiet for a second. ] Shh, there's only one way to find out.
[ by asking, actually, is her first thought. but the hand around her wrist keeps her from going further, and she huffs softly before tilting her head to listen.
... ... ...
there is the low carry of younger voices, barely audible. bits of rough laughter. someone tossing an object against the wall. ]
I guess the other question I have is if you think they're friendly.
[ though she doesn't seem like she's planning on going any further up, gaze moving down to study the floor. ]
They couldn't even manage something of halfway decent quality for their flooring... I'm sure there's plenty of rot above us, too.
[ the echo of voices bouncing off the walls is clear, and so he can't help but give her an almost smug kind of smile. yet, he does seem to huff a little at her second question. ]
You want me to find out? I'll go up there and ask "is the fish you dropped, this silver one, or the gold one"? [ have those moralities tests worked outside of old folklore? maybe not, but— ]
Probably cutting costs. If they were really aiming for something decent, you'd think it'd be waterproof, right?
[ an easy statement, he says with a brief nod of his head.
you know, before she backs right into him. wow, always aiming for the foot, huh? he looks down at his feet, but he also does place his hands on her shoulder to guide her around him. ] You really are dragging me around everywhere, huh? [ but, he's following.
even if he does fish his syntrofos out of his pocket to snap a few photos before leaving. ]
[ suits her skin tone... she'll remember that? she guesses??? fine with being guided though, at least until she's out of stepping on his feet range and then she's on lead again. ]
What, don't like a little light exercise? [ teasing ] We can take the street car most of the way, don't worry.
Back at home, I had an inspiration book, actually. I guess it's not so different from this sketchbook, but I would put in all the places I've been. The places I haven't checked out yet...
[ he turns to look at her. ]
Now I can rely on you to keep track of half of them, yeah. [ it's mostly a joke, because rafayel liked keeping his own records. not unlike the way where he liked to write down the exact composition of his paints and where each material came from.
but, it's a first to share his inspiration in this way. thomas couldn't always understand, after all. ]
[ oh... that's pretty smart, and she takes out her syntrofos to tap out a note to buy a proper one. maybe she can put fabric bits and stuff in there too, to help spark ideas for other things... ]
I'll do my best not to let you down. [ earnest. ] We're going to Basileios next, by the way.
[ from the poorest to the richest. those street cars sure are handy. ]
[ he watches her from the corner of his eyes, just a touch of a smile on his lips. one that's in and out before anyone knows it. especially, as he clears his throat. ]
I have a feeling you won't. I told you I had a good eye for things.
[ people, too.
but, he looks back at her. ] Have you dealt with people like that often?
Not the ultra-wealthy, but... yeah, pretty much all my life. I grew up in a well off family, in a good part of the District, but the general attitudes in Basileios mimic a lot of how those in the Nest felt.
[ she holds up her hands, palms facing the sky, and weighs them as she talks. yes, rafayel will learn that despite her pronoun use here she's not really talking about "herself" in reference to that life later, but for now... ]
On one side of each District, you have Nests. They're protected, safe, and wealthy with culture, food, and comfort. You don't have to worry about keeping your doors locked at night, you can take strolls no matter the late hour, and everyone is... happy, for the most part. [ though there's a sort of tone she has that says there's something more to that, smile a little sad. ] Content. They don't want for anything, and anything they need is provided to them. It's unthinkable to leave a Nest, unless you're moving to a different one, and those outside it want in more than anything else.
On the other side are the Backstreets. They're said to be filled with vile, violent criminals who'd do anything to survive, ill-mannered and willing to sell pieces of themselves -- not to mention their kin -- just to have food on the table the next day. I've heard you have to keep a constant eye over your shoulder, that anyone who visits only has bad intentions in mind, and that you're liable to be killed if you stay out past dark... It's a miserable place. But, [ and her tone is warmer, ] as true as it can be, they're people who suffer and act the way they do because they're being overlooked. Willfully overlooked, by those who live in Nest, by the Wings that are supposed to support all and don't, by The City itself.
[ which
probably explains why malkuth's keen on building from the bottom up, here, while understanding how important it is to have favor from the richer. jesus. she talks so much. sorry king. ]
There are bad things about living in a Nest too, but it's incomparable to the daily lives of those outside it. You don't realize that until you see it yourself -- just like here, though I wonder what difficulties the elite face outside of some minor inconveniences.
[ he supposed these types of places existed everywhere. at least anywhere where class divide, or a wealth divide existed. in some places, these differences aren't as stark, or clear-cut. to begin with, as someone who often evaded being too closely involved with people, or even the civilization as a whole, it's different to consider.
he supposed that was the beauty of lemuria and lemurian society.
in comparison— ] That seems to happen all throughout history. Those who have, won't often think about those who won't. They're separated by an unspoken boundary that neither crosses. One because they don't desire to, and the other because they can't.
[ he looks back to malkuth briefly, before giving a shrug. ]
But, change— even the smallest hint of it also works in mysterious ways.
[ but, he is curious to see how she views these people from her specific lens, maybe. ]
Ooh, you sound like a real scholar when you say stuff like that, Rafayel -- wanna come work under me back home? I'm in charge of all things historical, material wise, and I'm sure the other Assistant Librarians won't mind having an extra pair of hands.
[ she's probably joking. it isn't so bad now, but she doesn't think it'd be a place that would inspire a lot of rafayel's creativity...
the street car is here, they can sit. it shouldn't take long to get up to the richies. ]
Well, I did occasionally give lectures. [ ... and taught for a semester, but that's a side quest they're better off not exploring. instead, he shakes his head. ] In that case, shouldn't you be the one working under me? [ it's a contrary statement, but its steeped in obvious playfulness.
he knows the offer is as much of a joke as any, and to be honest, he feels like they're both probably aware of how he didn't like to be tied down. still, it's nice to settle into the car, he's enjoying the slight period of rest, even as his eyes focus at the blurring sights outside the window. ]
[ as free flowing as the ocean itself... malkuth's does the same, comforted by the familiarity of the passing world. like this, it almost feels it's just her and rafayel. and everyone else on the street car, but they're not part of this. ]
In your dreams. The only person I work under is the Head Librarian, Angela, and she'd say I'm a bad employee. I'm kinda rebellious, you know.
[ even though she looks like a straight laced honor student, the sort of girl who'd be on the disciplinary committee or student council...
her face falls a little bit, irritation at the edges of a frown. not at rafayel, but what she continues softly with. ]
... In Nests, if you fall behind on your quota, or you run out of time, or whatever else the Wings require you to stay afloat -- you fall out of favor and end up at the bottom with everyone else who couldn't stay ahead. It only takes a single misstep to end up dead or worse.
They don't really talk about it, but it's in the back of everyone's mind when they start to work, and it's that fear that makes them push others down just to stay up, follow ordinances they might not otherwise, throw away their humanity... stuff like that. And it's by design.
[ the retort gets a slight scoff out of him. he's not necessarily offended, no, but he's still going to act like he is. though, with her follow-up statement, he does offer a small: ] Well, I can see that. [ her being rebellious, that is.
but, he pockets the name angela for later. regardless, he does comprehend that it's a flawed system in which kept these metaphorical "cogs" in place; as if their definition of "order" was anything in opposition of change. ] I can also see that where you're from, it's probably not easy for people to be little troublemakers. You know, like you. [ he means that as a compliment. sort of. ]
What did you mean by "run out of time"? [ was that in reference to work? or something else. he isn't sure why that phrase in that particular sentence seems to stand out to him. ]
[ she takes it as one, giggling softly, but the follow up question leaves her quiet in thought. only momentarily as she turns back to him. ]
It's gonna sound kinda odd, but exactly that. In the Nest I grew up in, everyone had a timepiece given to them when they got to a certain age -- to do anything in a day, it needed time. It was never really an issue I had to think about, since my family had enough to live comfortably, but those in the Backstreets were always running out of it, which means they lived life at half speed.
[ but it was possible for it to happen, if time wasn't spent wisely. ]
People with time that needed to use it could speed up the world around them, skipping over the boring or tedious parts, and I heard of stories of others who'd run behind on a project and had to use it just to finish up. My parents taught me not to put off what I could do today, tomorrow.
[ a time...piece? it's clear by his expression and the subtle furrow of his brow that he's doing best to put these ideas and concepts together.
as if adding to an already full bucket of water.
the idea that people were bartering productivity with their actual time was both intriguing, and a little terrifying to think of. which may have been ironic for a lemurian and their extended lifespans to consider. ] That seems like a lot of disadvantages stacked against them. But, they also say that only those who understand the actual passage of time can also value it. [ though, in the same vein... can you value something when your life always seems to be hanging by a thread and just the idea of survival consumed you? rafayel doesn't have the answer to that. ]
[ she knows.......... it is a lot. even people within the city don't-- exactly understand, not unless they've lived it, and having to explain it is even worse. ]
Only if you let it be. There's plenty of ways to make things fun, as long as you're open minded -- and life's only so long, you know?
[ a beat, then a smaller smile. ]
Well, for most people. I guess there's some who have... different circumstances.
[ ... if just because other people's lives are often just as fleeting. they're within your grasp, only to slip away from you when you least expect. not unlike flowers that only bloom during a single season, only to wilt, or weather away. he releases small, almost subdued sigh. ]
Then all those people can do is make the most of their "different circumstances," right? [ in whatever form that actually takes. ] I'd like to think even then there's only things they can perceive and understand for what it is.
[ he looks back out the window, pointing with his finger. ] Are we there yet?
[ little miss motormouth over here, getting too into a conversation-- she blows out, irritated, and pulls the stop line to get off on the next one. a little further into basileios for a normal person's comfort, maybe, but it's fine. ]
I agree with what you're saying, I just I didn't expect to get carried away, sorry. We won't be here long.
[ she claimed the same about the old respite, but. maybe she means it this time.
once they're off she takes out her syntrofos to flip through a few posts off the aug side and waves for rafayel absently as she starts again. ]
I wanted to window shop a little and see what sort of things the people deemed important. There's a boutique that's gotten fairly popular lately, it seems, so that's probably the best place to go... no way we're getting inside though. It's bound to be packed. We only need to look from the outside, anyway.
[ it's a little funny to be her scrambling. that is, until he realizes the caveat that it also requires him to rush. as they push out from their corner, and follow behind malkuth. as soon as they get off, rafayel is also brushes his fringe back into place as he sees her waving him down again. ]
Were you just planning on leaving me there... [ a silent complaint, more to himself, as he eventually catches up to where she is. using his height, he peers over her phone, trying to nosily get a glimpse. ]
A boutique? [ a soft hum of consideration. ] Doesn't that mean we just need to squeeze through? You won't be able to see all the designs from outside, will you?
[ it's his fault if he can't keep up... she'll lift the phone up for him to see -- it seems autumn fashion is starting to come in, with teasers of winter spotting the line -- but it's clearly just whetting the appetite of anyone who might want to buy something.
also, way too rich. ]
I'll get enough of an idea. Unless you'd like to be my knight in shining armor and pave a path for me?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ once she's inside, squinting against the... musty dusty dim, it's not hard to see why hooligans like the place. malkuth lifts her hand to "wipe away" the current stiffling scene, then uses her pen to fill it in again. ]
We can keep whatever graffiti intact, unless it's inappropriate... Let it be a mural of peoples' spirit at the wall, a fountain sounds like a good idea -- maybe some plants, a place to sit with complimentary refreshments, and plenty of warm lighting.
[ staring at some exposed wire by a lightswitch. ]
Properly wired lighting. I wonder if we'd have to redo the plumbing too, or if that's the one thing they didn't cut costs on... Let's see.
[ she spins on her heel, heading towards a stairwell and just peering up it. if it feels like she's everywhere at once, well, she is, ]
Do you think there's anyone up there?
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he has his doubts, but he also doesn't think it's anything he necessarily has to point out, either. the structure spoke for itself. still, as she speaks, his eyes to glance over the various graffiti. some actually some nice stroke work, even if the colors could use some work, or so he thinks. ]
You're really thinking of everything. The plumbing should be solid if it mirrors the other buildings of this style, as for the rest... which part should I critique first when we get out of he... [ oh... she's already heading to the stairs. he follows behind before he grabs her wrist. gesturing with his finger for her to keep quiet for a second. ] Shh, there's only one way to find out.
[ they just have to listen, don't they? ]
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... ... ...
there is the low carry of younger voices, barely audible. bits of rough laughter. someone tossing an object against the wall. ]
I guess the other question I have is if you think they're friendly.
[ though she doesn't seem like she's planning on going any further up, gaze moving down to study the floor. ]
They couldn't even manage something of halfway decent quality for their flooring... I'm sure there's plenty of rot above us, too.
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You want me to find out? I'll go up there and ask "is the fish you dropped, this silver one, or the gold one"? [ have those moralities tests worked outside of old folklore? maybe not, but— ]
Probably cutting costs. If they were really aiming for something decent, you'd think it'd be waterproof, right?
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[ hmmmmm.
okay, she'll back up, sorry if she backs up into him, ]
Okay, let's go to the next! We're heading north.
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[ an easy statement, he says with a brief nod of his head.
you know, before she backs right into him. wow, always aiming for the foot, huh? he looks down at his feet, but he also does place his hands on her shoulder to guide her around him. ] You really are dragging me around everywhere, huh? [ but, he's following.
even if he does fish his syntrofos out of his pocket to snap a few photos before leaving. ]
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What, don't like a little light exercise? [ teasing ] We can take the street car most of the way, don't worry.
[ they just have a transfer to deal with... ]
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[ giving her a look.
but, at her mentioning the street car, he does seem to lighten up. ]
Good, I don't need to lose anymore pages from my sketchbook.
[ yeah, he's going back to this bit again. ]
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[ he's not fooling her with how he lights up. bit aside-- no, she'll continue it, she's a good sport sometimes. ]
Besides... you don't need to worry about that if I'm around. I'll help you fill a page for every one you lose.
[ malkuth has seemingly boundless energy and ideas... that's all. ]
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[ he turns to look at her. ]
Now I can rely on you to keep track of half of them, yeah. [ it's mostly a joke, because rafayel liked keeping his own records. not unlike the way where he liked to write down the exact composition of his paints and where each material came from.
but, it's a first to share his inspiration in this way. thomas couldn't always understand, after all. ]
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I'll do my best not to let you down. [ earnest. ] We're going to Basileios next, by the way.
[ from the poorest to the richest. those street cars sure are handy. ]
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I have a feeling you won't. I told you I had a good eye for things.
[ people, too.
but, he looks back at her. ] Have you dealt with people like that often?
[ rich people... ]
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[ she holds up her hands, palms facing the sky, and weighs them as she talks. yes, rafayel will learn that despite her pronoun use here she's not really talking about "herself" in reference to that life later, but for now... ]
On one side of each District, you have Nests. They're protected, safe, and wealthy with culture, food, and comfort. You don't have to worry about keeping your doors locked at night, you can take strolls no matter the late hour, and everyone is... happy, for the most part. [ though there's a sort of tone she has that says there's something more to that, smile a little sad. ] Content. They don't want for anything, and anything they need is provided to them. It's unthinkable to leave a Nest, unless you're moving to a different one, and those outside it want in more than anything else.
On the other side are the Backstreets. They're said to be filled with vile, violent criminals who'd do anything to survive, ill-mannered and willing to sell pieces of themselves -- not to mention their kin -- just to have food on the table the next day. I've heard you have to keep a constant eye over your shoulder, that anyone who visits only has bad intentions in mind, and that you're liable to be killed if you stay out past dark... It's a miserable place. But, [ and her tone is warmer, ] as true as it can be, they're people who suffer and act the way they do because they're being overlooked. Willfully overlooked, by those who live in Nest, by the Wings that are supposed to support all and don't, by The City itself.
[ which
probably explains why malkuth's keen on building from the bottom up, here, while understanding how important it is to have favor from the richer. jesus. she talks so much. sorry king. ]
There are bad things about living in a Nest too, but it's incomparable to the daily lives of those outside it. You don't realize that until you see it yourself -- just like here, though I wonder what difficulties the elite face outside of some minor inconveniences.
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he supposed that was the beauty of lemuria and lemurian society.
in comparison— ] That seems to happen all throughout history. Those who have, won't often think about those who won't. They're separated by an unspoken boundary that neither crosses. One because they don't desire to, and the other because they can't.
[ he looks back to malkuth briefly, before giving a shrug. ]
But, change— even the smallest hint of it also works in mysterious ways.
[ but, he is curious to see how she views these people from her specific lens, maybe. ]
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[ she's probably joking. it isn't so bad now, but she doesn't think it'd be a place that would inspire a lot of rafayel's creativity...
the street car is here, they can sit. it shouldn't take long to get up to the richies. ]
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he knows the offer is as much of a joke as any, and to be honest, he feels like they're both probably aware of how he didn't like to be tied down. still, it's nice to settle into the car, he's enjoying the slight period of rest, even as his eyes focus at the blurring sights outside the window. ]
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In your dreams. The only person I work under is the Head Librarian, Angela, and she'd say I'm a bad employee. I'm kinda rebellious, you know.
[ even though she looks like a straight laced honor student, the sort of girl who'd be on the disciplinary committee or student council...
her face falls a little bit, irritation at the edges of a frown. not at rafayel, but what she continues softly with. ]
... In Nests, if you fall behind on your quota, or you run out of time, or whatever else the Wings require you to stay afloat -- you fall out of favor and end up at the bottom with everyone else who couldn't stay ahead. It only takes a single misstep to end up dead or worse.
They don't really talk about it, but it's in the back of everyone's mind when they start to work, and it's that fear that makes them push others down just to stay up, follow ordinances they might not otherwise, throw away their humanity... stuff like that. And it's by design.
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but, he pockets the name angela for later. regardless, he does comprehend that it's a flawed system in which kept these metaphorical "cogs" in place; as if their definition of "order" was anything in opposition of change. ] I can also see that where you're from, it's probably not easy for people to be little troublemakers. You know, like you. [ he means that as a compliment. sort of. ]
What did you mean by "run out of time"? [ was that in reference to work? or something else. he isn't sure why that phrase in that particular sentence seems to stand out to him. ]
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It's gonna sound kinda odd, but exactly that. In the Nest I grew up in, everyone had a timepiece given to them when they got to a certain age -- to do anything in a day, it needed time. It was never really an issue I had to think about, since my family had enough to live comfortably, but those in the Backstreets were always running out of it, which means they lived life at half speed.
[ but it was possible for it to happen, if time wasn't spent wisely. ]
People with time that needed to use it could speed up the world around them, skipping over the boring or tedious parts, and I heard of stories of others who'd run behind on a project and had to use it just to finish up. My parents taught me not to put off what I could do today, tomorrow.
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as if adding to an already full bucket of water.
the idea that people were bartering productivity with their actual time was both intriguing, and a little terrifying to think of. which may have been ironic for a lemurian and their extended lifespans to consider. ] That seems like a lot of disadvantages stacked against them. But, they also say that only those who understand the actual passage of time can also value it. [ though, in the same vein... can you value something when your life always seems to be hanging by a thread and just the idea of survival consumed you? rafayel doesn't have the answer to that. ]
Do you think anything is truly that tedious?
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Only if you let it be. There's plenty of ways to make things fun, as long as you're open minded -- and life's only so long, you know?
[ a beat, then a smaller smile. ]
Well, for most people. I guess there's some who have... different circumstances.
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[ ... if just because other people's lives are often just as fleeting. they're within your grasp, only to slip away from you when you least expect. not unlike flowers that only bloom during a single season, only to wilt, or weather away. he releases small, almost subdued sigh. ]
Then all those people can do is make the most of their "different circumstances," right? [ in whatever form that actually takes. ] I'd like to think even then there's only things they can perceive and understand for what it is.
[ he looks back out the window, pointing with his finger. ] Are we there yet?
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[ little miss motormouth over here, getting too into a conversation-- she blows out, irritated, and pulls the stop line to get off on the next one. a little further into basileios for a normal person's comfort, maybe, but it's fine. ]
I agree with what you're saying, I just I didn't expect to get carried away, sorry. We won't be here long.
[ she claimed the same about the old respite, but. maybe she means it this time.
once they're off she takes out her syntrofos to flip through a few posts off the aug side and waves for rafayel absently as she starts again. ]
I wanted to window shop a little and see what sort of things the people deemed important. There's a boutique that's gotten fairly popular lately, it seems, so that's probably the best place to go... no way we're getting inside though. It's bound to be packed. We only need to look from the outside, anyway.
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Were you just planning on leaving me there... [ a silent complaint, more to himself, as he eventually catches up to where she is. using his height, he peers over her phone, trying to nosily get a glimpse. ]
A boutique? [ a soft hum of consideration. ] Doesn't that mean we just need to squeeze through? You won't be able to see all the designs from outside, will you?
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also, way too rich. ]
I'll get enough of an idea. Unless you'd like to be my knight in shining armor and pave a path for me?
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