04/voice

[flightlessbird]

We have found the— [ A pause, and quieter, to the side: "What is the word?" A heavy sigh from further off, which sounds kinda like Loki. "It is vandal." ] —Vandals! Who ruined things. We found them, even though Roslyn would not help.

I have named them stump for hands, because stump means not to have a hand. [ she sounds so pleased with her own cleverness. ]

If anyone needs to find and punish someone, then you should ask Loki. He is very good at it.

[ And in the back again, from Loki: ] But not without a price.

Comments

[withouthumanity]

Giving them back?

( A pause. )

I have not taken them as some sort of prize.

[whatsupcroc]

It would have been disgusting if you did. So incredibly gross! What would someone do, keep hands in a jar? That's creepy.

[ But that's not the issue, so much as anyone seriously thinking this kind of stuff was okay. ]

I don't know what this guy did to you, but what makes you think this is the way to deal with it? Trust me, I know what it feels like to want to really sink your teeth into someone who's done you wrong and tear a chunk right out of them, but the important part is that you don't just do that. We're not in the middle of a war here -- not the way that might explain why you took some guy's hands away, just like that! Not when you're crippling someone for life.

[withouthumanity]

His hands will return to him; when he deserves them.

( Though now, something else catches his ear. )

—are we not in the midst of war?

[whatsupcroc]

When's that going to be?

Yeah. But our war isn't with that guy. Not to mention, it's only "our" war when we choose to make it that way. The rest of the time, it's a war we're dragged into without being asked politely if we minded.

[withouthumanity]

He'll have to see, won't he?

( Then, he shrugs. )

It is a situation befitting of... "making the best of it".

[whatsupcroc]

Are you saying you don't know?

Maybe the war is. But crippling someone isn't.

[withouthumanity]

I do know; he does not.

( Sounding exasperated; )

He is not permanently damaged.

[whatsupcroc]

[ Watching with narrowed eyes... and deciding she believes him when he says that, but that she distinctly doesn't like his method of vigilante justice. ]

Okay, good. I'm glad. Because that would be way over the line.

[withouthumanity]

( Loki, for a moment, actually seems relieved that at least someone believes him in his words. )

I see. What line is that?