Video/Action. } username: ilikehorses

[shoplifter]

[Today's post is school-related, for the most part. But instead of being terrible news like it usually is, Laura's been coaxed by Linda the Caseworker to reveal the fruits of their labor (or really, Linda picking up a lot of assignments and making sure Laura does them when she's not at school...). Laura carefully pins a piece of paper to the fridge of Communal Floor 10 with a magnet, which the camera will point to in just a moment—

SURPRISE BITCH]

[After a moment:]

Linda said I should tell people. So I have told people. 

I did — well on my grades this quarter. 

[She didn't particularly see the big deal; it's not that hard to do the work assignments when your caseworker keeps bringing all the stuff to you... and the tests are much easier when you've got a good eye and memory. Another beat, and this she seems more uncertain and perhaps even sheepish about, in her own way:]

I also wanted to tell any of the other kids here... if you want somewhere to hang out, I have a — new place, just for kids only. Let me know if you would like to come in, and I'll give you directions, or take you there. We have 'video-games' there, and I like them a lot. Especially Pac-Man. And comic books, and candy, and soda... Things like that. It could be... fun. 

[OOC: There might be a log later this month for the kid hang-out! If you want to hit that later just let her know you're interested in hanging out there, and you'll be good to go. If you have anything you have in mind that doesn't fit the bill here, just hit me up at simpledog at plurk! Also, feel free to run into her on floor 10 of the community building. ♥]

Comments

[ragnarsson]

I always try to keep mine.

[Which is why it's so rare to get Ivar to promise anything. When he makes one, his word is ironclad. It would have taken completely breaking his will not to fulfill one.]

There was a lot of fighting at home. It was almost constant for two years. [Really, wars were taxing on anyone's emotions, even someone who loves killing and fighting as much as Ivar does.] But I accomplished almost everything I wanted to save for killing the woman who murdered my mother. [And he'd had a long list of things he'd planned to do. Say what people would about Ivar, his determination was unmatched.]

[shoplifter]

... That's a good goal to have. To fight for your mother.

Are you close?

[ragnarsson]

Very. She'll run like a coward, but her army is broken and so is her will. I'll see her dead soon enough.

[He'll spare Laura the details of precisely how he plans to do that. Needless to say, when it comes to Ivar, it won't be short, merciful, or pretty.]

[shoplifter]

Will you have to keep fighting after?

[ragnarsson]

Yes. Vikings always need to have a reason to fight. For honor, glory, and to please our gods. If we don't have an enemy, we end up fighting each other.

[Which is precisely what Ivar had been doing, but he felt he was justified in this case.]

[shoplifter]

Does it not become tiring? Looking for people to fight.

[Spoken straight-forward, an honest inquiry.]

When is there enough honor and glory?

[ragnarsson]

Never.

[He's unhesitating in his answer. If Ivar decided to stop fighting, he might as well have decided to stop breathing. He's never more alive then when he fights and kills. As for her second question, he also has a ready answer.]

When I have enough power that everyone respects me and no one will ever dare think of laughing at me ever again.

[So that would a long time coming for the Viking, if the day ever came at all.]

[shoplifter]

I see.

[She can't really understand it completely; she had been running away from being used for fighting, anyway. But she can at least relate to not wanting to be mocked or laughed at.]

Do you want to fight here, too?

[ragnarsson]

Sometimes. People here are better than those at home. But a few are stupid enough to do things like insult me.

[People like Dodger and Keith who he thought saw him as just being a cripple like everyone else did. They needed to be punished and taught a lesson.]

[shoplifter]

[She studies him with a slight frown.]

Just don't die.

[It's not allowed.]

[ragnarsson]

Oh, that'll never happen. It's not my destiny.

[The gods have kept him alive this long, and by all of them, he's too damn stubborn to die.]