driftfleet_ooc | SEPTEMBER TEST DRIVE

[For Matt, it should be immediately obvious that there is something strange about this man, which may have worked as a tip off that he's from the Fleet. The man wears metal armor which clicks with every movement, but his feet don't make any sound as they hit the ground. More importantly, he never sounds like he breathes unless he's speaking, and he has no audible heartbeat. He doesn't even smell like a human should--there's no smell of sweat, only of the metal and leather of his armor with a tang of something that he's likely not familiar with at all called lyrium.

But he takes immediate notice when Matt tap-taps towards him. He does not recognize this mortal, but he is definitely a mortal. He hears no song of the Taint or lyrium or spirithood--just the gentle but distinct hum that all mortals seem to have.]

You are blind.

[He says it with the tone of someone stating a fact, and who has absolutely no idea that what they're saying could be considered rude. Sorry, Matt, but Justice has the social sense of a cricket.]

What are you searching for? I will guide you, if that is what you wish.

[There is no hesitation there either. He doesn't mind sacrificing his time to help. He'd in fact be quite happy to do so, since helping others in need is the just thing to do.]

[Buddy, that is why he made a beeline for you. This guy doesn't make the usual sounds a person makes, but that doesn't mean he can't be tracked; the clink of his armor, the feeling of air parting around him, some strangely unidentifiable...feeling in the air, like the hum of powerlines on a humid night, it's all as powerful an indication as a heartbeat, as the sound of a breath.

The strangeness does help him hold back a playfully sarcastic quip at that observation though, and Matthew just laughs a little and ducks his head.] Bedsheets, actually. Soft ones. I'm a little bit spoiled on that front. [Also, he wants to follow this guy around a little bit and get a better feel for how he moves, how he smells, how he sounds. Most of the people in those ships have heartbeats and footsteps, and Matt's not going to let anybody who doesn't take him by surprise.]

[The man with red glasses laughs, and Justice isn't sure what he said that was funny. Or perhaps he said nothing funny at all. Kristoff's memories tell him that mortals will laugh at many things, though it's usually associated with amusement.]

Bed sheets. Very well. I saw a stall up the road with many linens and bolts of cloth that may suit you. The merchant there is honest.

[He knows the merchant is honest because he touched the cloths of many colors and he felt her character radiating from each stitch, along with the character of every weaver in her employ. He had warned her that one of her weavers was skimming off her inventory and selling at marked up prices behind her back.]

I can lead you. Would you prefer to use the cane or my arm?

[Normally he'd assume that the cane is fine, but there is a thick and churning crowd. Is it hard for a blind man to stick closely to someone with people pushing and shoving all around him, unable to see who he's meant to follow? Justice does not know. He feels he should offer the choice, at least, even if he's still not entirely sure what to do with mortal touching.

As Matt listens, he may notice that Justice's voice at first sounds stern, like he's getting ready to scold someone, but it quickly becomes clear that that's just how he sounds. He emphasizes and emotes little, preferring to get to the point, but that means that what inflection does make it into his voice is significant.]

[Taking his arm might be a better idea, but-] Oh, cane is all right. I'm used to crowds. [Not that he's going to say he could follow this guy from a block away, but that powerline hum is weirding him out a little and he'd rather not touch it. He can't even get a read on this guy's voice, for crying out loud.] Please, lead the way. Appreciate the help.

Very well.

[On the surface, he may sound just as blunt and stern as he has for this entire conversation, but there is the tiniest lilt of relief tinting his words, subtle enough that only those who know him--or, perhaps, one with heightened sensitivity to voices--would be able to tell. It's subtle not due to any conscious attempt to hide his emotions, but because he just doesn't know how to express them.

He is relieved that the blind man won't take his arm. He would have gladly tolerated it had the blind man needed it, but Justice is still hesitant about touching even those few he's grown affection for. It would be strange to touch a stranger for an extended period of time.

The tint of relief is gone when he speaks again.] I am walking forward. I will stay to your right. [And with that, he starts walking again. His pace isn't as clipped as before, but it's not meandering either. He keeps an eye out to make sure he's not losing his new companion, and Matt may notice that some people seem to give Justice a wide berth. Not everyone, but enough to indicate that Justice's appearance may be off-putting for those who can see it. Justice, for his part, doesn't react.]

[Even though people usually get out of the way when they see a guy with sunglasses and a cane, there's always at least a few who aren't paying attention bumping into him or his walking stick...not this time. He'd already known just from the sounds and smells surrounding him (or the ones he lacks) that this guy wasn't some average human...but apparently he looks the part, too. Good to know.

He's accommodating though, and Matt hums his thanks at the directions even as he splits off his attention to listen to the whispers of people as they pass by for details of what this guy looks like. His voice is flat, nearly emotionless, but there's definitely some change in there. It's extremely subtle but with some time, Matt's confident he can figure it out. He just has to keep him talking.

Not hard. He's a lawyer.]

So, could I ask your name? I'm Matthew.

I have no name. [He says it like it's normal, another fact as simple as Matt being blind or the citizens of this planet being orange.] If you wish for something to call me, then you may call me Justice.

[Around them, presumably out of earshot of Justice but not out of Matt, there's the occasional whisper of a person asking another 'is that man sick' or joking 'looks like the undertaker lost something' or even one whispering 'are they both blind?'. Despite the implication that Justice may be sick and that something's wrong with his eyes, he appears to have no trouble going exactly where he wants to without a stick.

Justice, for his part, is curious. He's always curious of mortals. This mortal is different from what he's used to, because he wears dark, undoubtedly expensive spectacles despite having no vision, and he has clothes that Justice has never seen before.]

What sort of world are you from?

[Here, his tone shifts again. Once again, it's a small shift, but not as subtle as before. He's not asking in order to make polite small talk, but because he is genuinely interested in hearing the answer.]

[He's kind of trying to block out most of it, still working on finding his footing here and only in letting enough to keep from losing the guy, but he can't deny his curiosity. There's a lot of information to take in and this so-called 'Justice' isn't exactly hiding anything about himself. It's too great a temptation to pass up.]

Oh, well, that, [Matthew laughs, cane tip-tapping just a pace behind Justice as he keeps up with only the occasional misstep for appearances,] I'm learning that's a pretty complicated question, here. I imagine it's very different from yours.

[He sighs through his nose, giving the question honest thought.] It's, um. Crowded, noisy. For every person there are at least ten opinions. More ideologies and religions than I could possibly ever count, but the variety is...comforting. Affirming.

You?

[Justice is many things. Secretive isn't exactly one of them.

He listens intently to Matthew's answer, nodding slowly as he takes it in. Crowded. Noisy. He's not sure how crowded and noisy it is compared to the mortal world he's only just become accustomed to, but he likes to hear about it nonetheless. The comment about variety piques his interest the most.]

You are correct. It is a complicated question. [How does Justice sum up a world in a few sentences? Especially a world he's not particularly familiar with? The Fade is his home, but it doesn't occur to him to talk about the Fade instead of the mortal world. This is a mortal and clearly he would want to hear about the difference in the mortal world. The Fade is probably the same in any world.]

I do not believe that there are many religions, at least not many that can live openly among each other. It seems the main religious conflicts tend to be within the Chantry and between the Chantry and the Qun, though there are many people who believe differently than the Chantry within Chantry land. The Chantry has done its best to snuff out different beliefs, and those who still hold to older ways only do so if they stay out of the Chantry's sight if they do not have their own land as the dwarves do. What little I know of lands under the Qun tells me that they don't tolerate those who believe differently even that much. [He thinks. He's actually not entirely sure about any of this, but his understanding from Kristoff's memories and what little mortal history he's learned has told him so.] I am given the impression that the world is terribly wounded, and it struggles to heal even as more injuries are inflicted. Despite that, it is wonderful. Joy lingers on the land just as much as sorrow, and the breadth of experience is...

[Words fail him. His voice changes as he speaks, becoming sincere and gradually awestruck, as if he's still not entirely certain how to take in the magnificence of the world he speaks of and talking about it only brings to mind its overwhelming wonder. He is silent for a moment, staring at the distance.]

It is beautiful. This world isn't so different in that regard. [No, it doesn't have lyrium, but it has mortals bursting with life and personality and it has gorgeous, unchanging scenery and fingerprints left behind by people everywhere. It is beautiful.]

[Whoa, we got ourselves a chatty Cathy, which is great. Awesome vocal sample here, and more than that, he's got some interesting stuff to say. Not to mention the way his voice softens with reverence, curling around the vowels, gentling consonants...his voice says quite a bit.

Matthew relaxes, just a touch, and quickens his step just enough to match Justice's stride.]

I might have to retract my earlier statement; our worlds don't sound so different after all. From the problems to the beauty, even. [He lifts his cane to gesture with the handle at the crowds parting in front of them.] I said I was used to crowds because I grew up in a city a lot like this one; even busier, often busier. Watching how people's lives overlap like this, it gives you a sense of belonging I don't think I could've found anywhere else. [There are times he's never felt more isolated too, but Justice doesn't need to know that. They're talking about beauty, after all.]

[Justice is extremely chatty once someone gets him going on a topic that interests him. He is also an extremely good listener when someone else talks about one of those topics.

If he notices that Matthew is relaxing, he makes no indication of it. Instead, he listens intently to what Matthew has to say, taking in every single word and considering it. Mortal experience is basically one of his favorite things to talk about. It's almost as good as discussing what constitutes justice and urging people to be better in their lives. Almost.]

Belonging. [He says the word slowly, like he is tasting it in his mouth. He thinks he knows what that feels like. In the Fade, he is never more at peace than when he is doing something to live up to his virtue. Spirits don't have communities the way mortals do, but one can belong even without a group to belong to. Belonging to a concept is also good.

But it is different in the mortal world. He is still overjoyed when he is able to perform justice, but he desires interaction with others in a way he never has before. Perhaps it is dangerous to feel that way, but he can see the attraction in a crowded space where you will always belong.] Yes, I understand. I have only ever been to one city in person. Life hummed in every corner--it would have been easy to become part of it.

[Justice considers Matthew, but he only halfway does it with his eyes. He mostly does it with that part of him that feels mortal presence, listening to the hum of Matthew and the way it's unique in a way only mortals can be unique among their own kind.] You appear different, but you do not sound different from the people of that city. What differences there are between our worlds, they do not seem fundamental.

[It doesn't occur to Justice that another world with recognizable humans may not have elves or magic or the Fade. He just knows that this is a human, and he hums like all mortals do.]

[Matthew nods along slowly, working through that like chewing a tough piece of steak.] Well, communicable sentience seems to be one of the universal themes. Of course, that's a pretty chicken-and-the-egg question of whether it arose out of necessity as life evolved, or if the only reason it's a common theme is because life couldn't exist without it.

...'course, I never took philosophy in college. I couldn't tell you. [Shoots a smile in Justice's general direction.] You sound like you've got a lot of thoughts on it. Too much spare time, or not enough?

Philosophy is not my area of expertise. I only consider these things because I find mortals fascinating.

[Yeah, if Matthew didn't already gather that Justice might not be a regular human, this might be a tip off.]

I only recently began living among them. Prior, I met them rarely, usually in dreams. I have little time where I am not busy, but it would be hard not to have thoughts on their world now that I am spending so much time in it. Or perhaps I should say your world.

[His tone has slid back to his neutral sternness. This isn't him losing interest as much as him bracing for Matthew to react poorly to the implication that he is a spirit from the Fade. He knows that most mortals immediately assume that any spirit is a demon. He knows that he can only expect fear and unease when he reveals these things about himself--but he can't hide it. Being deceptive for the sake of his own comfort would be wrong. And he considers intentionally omitting this fact about himself when it comes up naturally in conversation to be deceptive.]

[Yeah don't worry pal, that ship's sailed and made it back to port already. Matt hasn't dealt much with...uh, non-mortals, but there's one that chills out in his city with some frequency up in that fancy new Stark tower, so he doesn't bat an eye at the admission.]

You could. I think it's fair to offer up a little division, similarities notwithstanding. [Matthew pauses, hanging onto his cane with both hands as he stops.] Actually Justice, I'd like to ask you something, if you're not opposed to my prying.

[Justice is pleasantly surprised at how well Matthew takes it. Maybe mortals aren't as frightened of spirits in Matthew's world as they are in Ferelden.

Justice stops with Matthew, watching with some undeniable curiosity.] Ask what you will. If I do not wish to answer, I will simply say so.

[It would be pretty unfair for Justice to ask mortals all the questions, after all. He doesn't mind answering some of his own.]

The delineation of worlds to which you keep referring, talking about speaking to people in dreams, only recently living among mortals... What are you, exactly?

I am a spirit of justice from the Fade.

[He says it without hesitation, like he'd expected the answer to that question to just be obvious. Though this would explain a certain amount--not everyone may know enough about spirits to identify them even when he talks about meeting people in dreams. Does he even know about the Fade? Justice chooses to explain it just in case, since he would have expected him to know about spirits too.]

The Fade is where mortals go to dream. The Veil divides the waking world and the dreaming world, and I passed through it when a demon I battled was careless with its magic.

[Absorbs that.]

...all right. [Gestures before them for Justice to continue walking, should he so wish.]

You're taking this well.

[Good on you, Matt. If everyone reacted like this, Justice would be happy. Or however happy a spirit of justice can possibly be.

Justice starts walking again, keeping his pace steady and his eye on Matthew just in case he can't hear him moving.]

What do you do in your world? You don't seem to be a merchant or a farmer. [Or a knight or a noble or... well, any profession Justice knows of. Most professions in Thedas end up having their own dress code--armor for knights, fine silks for nobles, dirt for farmers, and so on.]

[IS HE???? He's back to walking a step behind Justice, but he's not being openly hostile or anything. No, it's more like he's regained a little bit of his caution.]

I'm a lawyer. I uh, I help to protect people using the laws of our justice system.

[Considering how most people back home react to a spirit in their midst, Matthew seems incredibly chill about it.]

A... lawyer? [This mention of a justice system seems very relevant to Justice's interests, but he's not exactly sure what that means. Ferelden doesn't exactly have a well constructed legal system, much less lawyers.] How does that work?

Well, it takes around eight years and just shy of four hundred thousand dollars to become one, so. [The amount of student debt he's got waiting for him back home...is not as much as it could've been if he hadn't gotten all those scholarships.] We have a system in place that affords every single person suspected of criminal activity to a hearing, trial and verdict handed down by a jury of their peers. -minus, of course, civil cases, which may or may not have a jury depending on the circumstances.

[He bumps into somebody and apologizes, hand up before turning back to Justice.] As a lawyer, I'm usually on defense. I represent the accused. The burden is on the prosecution to prove the guilt of my client, but ideally, the goal of a trial is to uncover the truth of a crime and see to it that the appropriate parties are punished or set free.

[Justice assumes that 'dollars' is a form of currency, and four hundred thousand is a lot. It sounds like a lot. Four hundred thousand anything sounds like a lot.

He listens carefully to the description, nodding along. It all sounds... very sensible, actually.]

You have formalized a process for your society to grant justice on a large scale. [This. Is. AMAZING.] And everyone has access to this process? Regardless of who or what they are?

[Some of Justice's enthusiasm for the idea leaks into his voice, but it's still the understated shift all his emotions inspire in his words. A system intended to apply to everyone undoubtedly has flaws, but it's so much better than what Justice has seen in Thedas. In Ferelden, there is little infrastructure to deal with crime, and so local guardsmen will usually deal with it by putting people into gibbets or hanging them. Those without guardsmen to run to have to make do by finding their own justice, and not everyone has the physical strength or influence to do that.]

They are. [Matt could just as easily rag on their justice system and all its many, many flaws, but now isn't the time for a pro-vigilante rant. This place doesn't affird much obscurity; he'll have to lay low. ...if that's even possible.] Of course, the only sentient species in my world is the human race, so. It's not as if a dog could be put on trial for biting it's owner's neighbor.

Edited 2017-09-11 06:15 (UTC)

Really? Only humans? No elves, Qunari, or dwarves?

[That's weird. That's really weird. But never mind that--a formalized justice system where a group examines evidence and decides on guilt is much more relevant to Justice. It can't possibly be perfect, because no system created by imperfect creatures can be perfect, but it still sounds so much better than the near free for all Justice is used to.]

I wish to learn more of your legal system. Do you have a resource from which to do so? A book, or perhaps an object you use often while working? [Justice can read objects. He is perfectly happy pulling information from Matt's tie if it means he gets to learn more about this new way of delivering justice to the common people.]

(no subject)

echovocation - 2017-09-12 01:31 (UTC) - Expand

SEPTEMBER TEST DRIVE

Shopping

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)