ataraxion | Mirror ⚫ 001

[Hello, Ataraxites. Today you are being treated to an unwitting broadcast by two intrepid explorers, who have taken it upon themselves to see if they could figure out where that massive stampede originated. The feed cuts on in the middle of a conversation, activated by the use of the keyword as one of the people brandishes a shard of mirror. The two speakers are for now off-screen as the mirror instead broadcasts an image of deep, unending jungle, but their voices are mannerisms are likely recognizable to the people that know them.]

--Network they set up is for situations just like this one.

[The retort comes quickly, from a harsh voice that sounds frustrated:] No, I don't need to rely on that! Besides, I fail to see how that could help; we're in the middle of the damn jungle with no landmarks, just leaves and trees as far as the eye can see!

[The voice of the initial broadcaster responds in a rather dry tone.] I think that might be exactly why we should be asking.

And I think we should have just stayed on the path that those beasts cut through the jungle. How did this even happen?!

If I recall correctly - and I do - I followed you. You tell me.

I have a better idea: how about you tell me something even vaguely useful? If you put half as much effort into paying attention to your surroundings as you do flapping those ugly pink lips we wouldn't be in this situation!! [It never seems to take that long for Algidus to get into a hissy fit with the heat of this planet bearing down on him, and with nothing going like it should. This was supposed to be such a simple excursion. Why the fuck did he decide to travel with a human, of all beings?]

I did tell you something useful. I told you to use the damn network.

And I told YOU I don't need the network! I--wait. Did you hear that?

I hear you.

Har har. I mean it. It sounded like a voice. Where is your device--your shard?!

[There's a pause as realization dawns, and then Roy snorts and holds it up.] You wanna say hello?

[The whole mirror network is treated to the shocked visage of a towering ice alien, who stares wide-eyed into the feed for a moment before glaring and then trying to grab for Roy's shard, attempting to shut it off.]

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[ While they're playing keep-away or whatnot, there's a fairly cheerful response: ]

Lost?

[The keep-away goes on for a bit longer before the frame ultimately goes still again and Algidus' face looms into view. He wasn't able to get the mirror out of Roy's hands, so for now he's settled for holding the man's wrist firmly in his grasp so that he can respond.]

--No! I... no! We just got... turned around. [Yeah, they're lost.] But I can find the way back!

I'm sure you can.

[ This doesn't sound skeptical. He believes in you, enormous ice alien. ]

If it helps, if you're facing away from the ship, down the path it cut, the little moon is to the left right now.

[ They really ought to decide on directions. And name that moon. ]

[There might be a bit of a scuffle before he answers. Maybe some general grumbling in one tall cold alien's direction because that's his wrist thank you very much.]

That depends on who you ask.

[ Genially: ] Both of you, let's say, and I'll decide from there.

I followed this guy out here before I figured out that he has all the directional sense of a blind senile cat.

[He may or my not have directed that last bit toward Algidus.]

To your left, he means. Not his left. His left, that's your right. D'you know which way left is?

[helpful 0:) ]

It took you all that way to work that out? Merlin.

[That... actually does help. Sure, he may not currently be able to see the ship through the thick jungle canopy, but it would be easy enough to either climb to a vantage point or make his way to a clearing. Unfortunately Algidus will be damned if he's going to admit to that after he just put up such a fuss about not needing assistance on the network--especially to someone he assumes to be a human].

I... I knew that! I was merely attempting to find my way to a spot with a proper vantage point, is all!

Quit babbling! Of course I know which way left is! Just because I am not human does not mean I am not intelligent!

No, right, yeah. Of course. Obviously. But I mean his left, right.

[ Mmhm. ]

Vantage points are very important.

I was trying to be optimistic. I'll never do that again.

Is that right.

How far d'you think you've gone? Estimation.

Do you often state the obvious, human? Never mind, I don't care. I'm just going to take that as a compliment towards my resourcefulness.

Wait--whose left?

[WAIT FUCK NO ARGH. He didn't mean to get caught up in this pathetic little mind game! Algidus gives a loud growl.] I told you once to stop prattling on pointlessly! If I weren't staring at your face through a mirror I'd quiet you myself! [He just doesn't want to admit that Sirius has actually confused him with all of this.]

[Calmly, he raises his eyebrows.]

Well, that is going to be rather difficult to do, isn't it. Mirror or no mirror. You can't even tell me whose left we're talking about. Right?

That's exactly what it was.

[ Maybe.......

And he's not going to correct that human thing. Human is a good thing to be. ]

Can you climb one of the trees?

[Algidus is no stranger to sarcasm by this point, but he isn't going to argue. He just wants to move on and get back to somewhere that's familiar.]

Of course I can! [He doesn't do it often because he is a solid, sturdy creature that usually prefers to have his feet on the ground, but he is actually capable of jumping straight up a distance about equal to his own height--which is impressive, given how tall he is--and his shifting capabilities make it more than easy for him to get purchase, even in the toughest bark.] I'd have done it by now if I didn't suddenly find myself on the receiving end up a handful of voices on the network. Some of them are just... babbling!

[Algidus actually pauses--stops seething and everything--for once so that he can think back. He really doesn't want to fuck up in front of what he's assuming is a lowly human.] He said the moon is on the left if I'm facing away from the ship. So all I have to do is find a vantage point to locate the ship, and that will determine which side the moon should be on.

["lowly" yeah right]

All right, yeah. Sounds reasonable. I'll wait for you to find that vantage point, then, shall I?

Oh, I'm sorry. [ FOR HELPING and Sirius is hilarious, no one but Remus is allowed to act like they don't think so, he'll fight you. ] If you want to put the mirror down and give it a try, we'll wait.

Mirror ⚫ 001

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