video;

[amoray]

[the feed is underwater, and not immediately focused on eridan (though his cape does drift slightly into view here and there). few, if any, will recognize the atlantean palace or its throne room, but the architecture and the being underwater thing might tip them off.]

Considerin' it's been about a week or so now, and I hawen't seen skin nor scale a her, it's pretty safe to say that Namora a Atlantis ain't roamin' these waters no more.

[a pause.]

That bein' said, as the last sea dweller and the only indiwidual who ain't got garbage slippin' through their weins around here, it's only natural that I take ower their palace and assorted territories in their absence. Maintain 'em and such.

Aforementioned territories bein' all sewen seas and ewerythin' in between, for the record.

[he flips the camera away from a meandering lionfish (his name is xerxes the sewenth) and to himself, comfortably sprawled in namor's throne. and being smug as a motherfucker. like literally, he's been super smug about shit before but at the moment his smugness may be mutating surrounding sealife just by how goddamn potent it is.

the lay of his cape obscures the slight bulges under his clothing at his shoulder and leg, for the most part, but his left fin is visibly torn, and still an angry purple.]

As fair and generous warnin', I'm allowin' the humans continued usage a my oceans not outta goodwill, but outta necessity. Mostly since you lungbreathers would probably start whinin' your tailfins off about widespread starwation or some shit if I didn't. But if I start seein' anythin' I don't necessarily like happenin' in my waters, I won't hesitate to fuck some a your laughable tin can ships all manner a up 'til the message starts comin' through clearer-like.

I ain't currently acceptin' wirgin sacrifices or tributes a precious metals and stones, but be watchin' for that in the future.

[he gives a little wave of his ringed fingers at the comm.]

Ewenin', dirtscrapers. And long liwe the Prince.

[end feed.]

Comments

private

[enigmaestro]

[He says nothing for a moment. Then sighs. Then sighs really loud, in case you mistook the prior sigh for something that wasn't massive discontent.]

I liked when you came up from behind, in tandem with the riddle. Ominous.

private

[amoray]

A course you did.

[no he didn't actually answer the question.]

private

[enigmaestro]

Satisfied now?

private

[amoray]

I'm newer satisfied.

So what kinda grounds are you hopin' we're on now, exactly?

private

[enigmaestro]

Let's negotiate, perhaps? Start with a basis of something not necessarily antagonistic.

How is that, for a base level?

private

[amoray]

Alright.

You start.

private

[enigmaestro]

Not actively trying to kill the other?

private

[amoray]

Potentially workable.

Mostly dependin' on how much of a thorn in my fuckin' side you plan to keep bein', Ed.

private

[enigmaestro]

I could say the same, Eridan.

[Tension rising. He notes it, takes a deep breath.

And tries. To reel. It in.]

Perhaps we should consider engaging a third party.

private

[amoray]

[quickly:]

No auspistice.

private

[enigmaestro]

Why not?

[I knew it, I knew it, he thinks.]

private

[amoray]

Because we're not kismesal.

[beat. he remembers that I'm proud of you, he remembers why he wanted this so badly.]

And auspisticism ain't intended for makin' you play nice. It's just for keepin' you from turnin' black.

If we're goin' to work this out, I don't... we don't need anybody else. We did it before, we can do it again.

private

[enigmaestro]

[I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT he thinks.]

You don't think a mediating element would be appropriate?

private

[amoray]

You're grown. I'm gettin' there.

I think we can manage not guttin' each other if we just try real hard.

private

[enigmaestro]

You want to keep this quiet.

private

[amoray]

[beat.]

Don't you?

private

[enigmaestro]

Not as much as you do, evidently. May I inquire why?

private

[amoray]

We were really fuckin' contentious for a while, and suddenly we ain't. There was surprise noodle shit gettin' scrawled all ower the place for a while, and suddenly there's not. I was fine before the other night, then I disappear off the face a the fuckin' city and turn up a couple a days later all shot to fuck.

How's that gonna look?

private

[enigmaestro]

You sorely overestimate the degree that people care, when it's concerning our endeavors.

[MOST HUMBLE THING HE WILL EVER SAY]

private

[amoray]

[HE WOULD CHERISH IT IF HE WEREN'T TOO EGOTISTICAL TO DISAGREE ENTIRELY]

Maybe. But I got friends who are goin' to be just about as bloody pissed as a human or huma analogous kinda bein' got it in 'em to be when they find out you shot me.

They could do somethin' impulsiwe and ruin our negotiations.

private ugh my icons expired IMAGINE HIS PINCHING FACE

[enigmaestro]

Obviously. You. Don't. Tell. People. That I shot at you.

In self-defense.

IMAGINING HARDCORE whoops!!

[amoray]

How. Do I. Explain. The bullet holes. Ed?

aw yeah imagination power

[enigmaestro]

Piercing mishap.

[amoray]

Three times?

[enigmaestro]

This is why you should avoid Hot Topic, you can say.