(2023-03-08) Points of View

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Author:	inkie
Summary:	Ben and Rae discuss last Sunday's White Squad mission and things that haunt Rae, figuratively and literally.
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: Season 9

Ben jogs down the stairs, whistling tunelessly through his teeth and rolling a shirtsleeve. He nods to Celeste Goodhutch, flashing a smile, and then catches sight of Rae.

Ben eyes Ralaea up and down.

[Ben]: Hey, Rae. Mornin'.

Ralaea seems lost in thought, staring absently at the wall. At Ben's greeting, she turns and gives him a nod. A slightly guilty look flashes across her face.

[Ralaea]: Ben.

Ben does not raise his eyebrows, but his expression briefly suggests he might have thought about raising his eyebrows.

[Ben]: You got breakfast? You want to join me for a coffee or somethin'? If you got a minute?

[Ralaea]: Oh. Sure, yeah. If you want.

[Ben]: Sure I do. Let's head up to the balcony, yeah? An' what'll you have? Breakfast, coffee, uh, tea?

[Ralaea]: Juice, if they've got any. Coffee is… *She wrinkles her nose.* Strong.

Ben smiles. "Sure, okay."

[Ben]: Hey, Jason — you send up a black coffee an' some juice to the balcony?

Bartender Jason Goodhutch glances up and nods amiably.

On the balcony…

Ben waits politely for Rae to sit.

Ralaea slides into the chair, though she does look sliiiightly suspicious, and her goggles remain on.

Ben settles into his own chair and glances past Rae toward the stables. "They got a dog over there. You like dogs?"

[Ralaea]: Yeah, dogs are okay. Bren always wanted a dog, but we weren't allowed to own one.

[Ben]: No? Yeah, I never had one neither. Prob'ly for the best.

Ben folds his arms across his chest and surveys Rae.

Ralaea shifts in her chair and tries to look at something else. Like the statue. Or the Keep.

[Ralaea]: How's Ismene?

Celeste Goodhutch arrives to set a cup of black coffee in front of Ben with a dimpled smile, and then, by process of elimination, a glass of apple juice in front of Rae. She sweeps away again.

[Ben]: Mizzy? She's good. Good. Worries some, you know? She is a worrier. We got that in common.

Ben smiles ruefully and picks up his coffee, then settles back in his chair and stretches his legs out.

[Ralaea]: Do you. *It is not a question. She picks up her juice and takes a sip.*

Ben does raise his eyebrows now, but nods agreeably. "How you been, last couple of days? I never can tell if I just ain't catchin' you around or if you are avoidin' me."

[Ralaea]: I help out at the stables, from time to time. Sometimes help the builders. Mostly, though… I've been practicing with… reading.

[Ben]: Oh, yeah? Sh*t, that's great. How's it goin'?

[Ralaea]: Found it's easier reading than writing. You get to the paper and realize you can't remember how words are spelled.

Ben puts his head back and laughs.

[Ben]: Oh, ain't I know it. And Common has got some of the weirdest — I mean, I dunno if other languages is as bad. But what the f*ck with the o-u-g-h, right?

Ralaea shakes her head. "Haven't figured that one out yet."

[Ben]: Or like how if you lead people it is spelled the same as the metal lead but they are pronounce different?

[Ralaea]: Or morning and… the other one. *She glances out past the Keep.*

[Ben]: … or that, yeah. *Ben sips his coffee and follows her gaze. He watches in that direction for a moment and then looks back at Rae.*

[Ben]: Hey, if you don't mind, I got a couple've questions for you. And you ain't got to answer none, it is not, you know. I ain't interrogatin' you. Just got questions.

[Ben]: You can always tell me to f*ck off.

Ralaea takes another sip of juice before answering. "Go ahead."

[Ben]: What're the goggles for? I mean, apart from lookin' badass.

[Ralaea]: They enhance my vision. Allow me to see more distant things, or see in more detail. I don't always wear them, because I don't want to become reliant on them, but… they're helpful.

Ralaea doesn't say that they also hide her eyes, helping to mask her expressions some.

Ben nods thoughtfully. "That's handy. I reckon it is pretty good for coverin' up what you are thinkin' sometimes, too, if you ain't got a knack for that naturally." His tone is still perfectly genial.

[Ben]: Anyhow, another question: How are you feelin' about what all went down on Sunday?

Ben drinks his coffee and watches Rae over the rim of the cup.

[Ralaea]: The Tuskarr seem like they would make decent allies.

[Ben]: They do, yeah. Nice people. That ain't what I am talkin' about, though, and you are a smart as hell girl, I reckon you know it. Just so we are clear — I ain't askin' because I want to argue with you or convince you a thing. I am askin' because I want to know. What you are thinkin' and feelin' about it. So's I can understand more. You and me, we did not come from the same sh*t, and I would like to know what other people bring with 'em from the sh*t they did come from.

Ralaea sighs and leans back in her chair. "It was a difference of opinion, that's all. You made your call, and we went with it. As long as I don't have to agree, we're good."

[Ben]: You do not have to agree. And you did go with it. But it was not a difference of opinion, I reckon it bit deeper than that. And I do not mean to make someone go against some personal morals or somethin'. I am tryin' to know my people, Rae, so's I can look after.

[Ben]: You know there is sh*t if we got asked to do it, I would not. We got asked to go back down to that gulch and I would not. I got to know if I got to turn a thing down or think real hard on it in the future.

[Ben]: There is sh*t I would not do for moral reasons, neither. So I want to hear you.

[Ralaea]: I've… got a promise outstanding. With Commander Mondragon. We did some sh*t in the Scarlet Crusade, and… Well, you've seen how some of them are. The promise was made to keep us from becoming that.

Ben nods seriously, his gaze on Rae's face.

[Ralaea]: At first we thought… if we kill the plagued people before they turned… it'd be saving the lives of our people. But then the line blurred.

Ben nods again and sits forward to set his coffee cup on the table. He wraps both hands around it and continues to watch Rae.

Ralaea sets the juice down, clasping her hands together tightly. "I promised to stay human. That's all."

[Ben]: Okay, *he says gently.* Okay.

[Ralaea]: I don't want to see anyone go over that cliff, so I'll keep telling you when I think we're close. But ultimately it's your call.

[Ben]: I respect the hell out of that. And I know also it has got to be a tough as hell call. It is what the Lightbringer done, you know? I mean, you know. And I appreciate you tellin' me. I hope you will keep on.

[Ben]: I did not see the situation as… the same, exactly. But like you say, it was my call, and I got that to think on now.

[Ralaea]: Well, I was thinking… how long ago did the vrykul go to sleep?

[Ben]: I could not say. I dunno that we know it, yet. I have heard… from other folks that they have been around in other places in the last, I dunno. Few hundreds years. But that's other places. I dunno about these ones.

[Ralaea]: I was mostly just wondering… if there was a Scourge before they went to sleep. How long've they been working together?

[Ben]: I do not reckon there was a Scourge then, no. Working together seems most likely recent. What I do know — and I can't say this accounts for nothin', it is just what I know — is that there is somethin' mean as hell buried in the earth here. Maybe… maybe what corrupted Arthas in the first place. An' that when the vrykul have showed up other places in the last few hundred years, we know about it because they come to make war on humans for bein' "heretics" an' whatnot.

[Ralaea]: Are we going to be okay here? If it was responsible for Arthas…

[Ben]: We are on high alert, is what.

[Ben]: I will not have no one I can help goin' down that road.

[Ben]: An' I am makin' reports to anyone I can reach in Argent Crusade an' Alliance Vanguard. I dunno how much all they are gatherin' themselves about it.

[Ralaea]: What I was getting at is… the Scourge are waking the vrykul up, using sacrifices, yeah? But if there was no Scourge when they went to sleep, how'd they know they were gonna wake up? They probably had another way.

Ben considers this. He nods thoughtfully and picks up his coffee again.

[Ben]: That's right, I s'pose. Unless it was always sacrifices, an' the Scourge got told that by the ones that did not go to sleep, or figured it out. But you are just as likely right. I can't say for sure.

Ben shrugs.

[Ralaea]: I guess… it depends on how long they live and how long they slept for… but it seems like it'd be a weird thing to count on. *She shrugs.* But I don't know how magic works, so.

[Ben]: Me neither. So. *Ben smiles faintly.*

[Ben]: So here is kind of the thing. We both come from different information an' different places. Experiences. Yeah?

Ralaea nods.

[Ben]: But I do not want none of us comin' from a place where we do not trust each other to be thinkin' a thing through or makin' the best call we can. I ain't sayin' that means I am always makin' the best call. You made the Lightbringer's call, yeah? I got to respect that. An' I want to hear about it from you, an' what you seen and thought about that helped you make it.

[Ben]: All I am askin' is that you give me some room the same way. Okay? An' you can always come an' argue with me about anythin' later on, or not argue an' just explain.

[Ben]: It is right in the Code of Conduct that you are allowed to disagree with me an' my orders, an' you even can take it to the Captain later if you think I made a real sh*t call.

Ralaea picks up her juice again, and finishes it off. "I won't argue with you, Ben. I know the whole leadership thing's hard enough without someone forcing their opinion on you at every turn. But I will let you know, at least, when I disagree."

[Ben]: I appreciate that, Rae. I do. I appreciate you are willin' to disagree an' that you are willin' to talk about it with me after. And I still ain't sayin' I made the good call. I made a call that seemed good to me, an' now I got it to think about. An' maybe it ain't a call I would make again, on account of you an' Ace. I don't know.

[Ben]: I just got to know I am good with all my people in the field, an' that we all trust we are doin' our best on the spot.

[Ralaea]: I want you to know, I will follow an order, even if it makes me uncomfortable. I know out there, lives are on the line and hesitation can lead to disaster. On Sunday I appreciate you respecting my decision, but I know that can't always be the case.

[Ralaea]: Do what you feel is best, know I'll be there to back you up, and if it was hard or bad, we can talk about it after.

Ben smiles warmly at her.

[Ben]: You know when I say I 'preciate you, that ain't just a line. I really do 'preciate the hell out of you, Rae.

[Ben]: An' I worry on you some, whether you believe me or not.

[Ralaea]: Well. I'm better than I've been in a while, so don't worry too much.

[Ben]: Are you? I mean, I know you been workin' your ass off since you come to Cobalt, I seen it. But it's been a lot of up and down for you lately, an' a lot goin' on.

[Ralaea]: Since… Light's Hope and before, it's been pretty rough, I'll admit. But right now… I'm… getting enough support.

Ben considers her in silence for a long moment, and then glances to his left, at the balcony's entrance. "I am askin' because you have got a shadow, you know."

[Ralaea]: A shadow?

Ben clears his throat. "A haunt. Some kind of. I can't make it out so well, I ain't… there yet, as a paladin. But I can see it out the corner of my eye, sometimes."

Ralaea frowns around her goggles. "You think… Is it Scourge?"

[Ben]: If it was Scourge… I dunno, I reckon I would feel it clearer. But if it ain't, then I ain't quite sure what it is. Just a… normal haunt? I reckon we might should talk to a couple of the Argent fellows I know. Or maybe just have Paluuva or Mizzy look?

[Ralaea]: What if… that's how the Lich King knew we were trying to stop… you know. The thing with Ymiron?

Ben scratches his jaw, his expression still just one of mild, sympathetic concern. "I dunno. I mean, the whole place was full of Scourge, an' we killed that — well, didn't kill that f*cken lich right before it. He could've found out that way."

Ralaea looks around, but can't seem to locate the 'haunt.' "How long has it been following me?"

[Ben]: Couldn't say. I noticed it maybe… I dunno. Been a little while, but I wasn't sure what it was an' it ain't seem to be doin' you harm so I been keepin' an eye, is all. I seen other people haunted like it since… Light's Hope. Pretty sure I might've been, a bit. S' why I say talk with Paluuva or Ismene.

[Ralaea]: Hmm. I might have to. It'll be harder to sleep knowing it's there.

[Ben]: Do it, yeah. An' if you are havin' trouble sleepin' on account, maybe you can bunk with Ace or Lena for a while? Ace is a paladin, an' you know Lena would keep an eye out for you.

[Ben]: But I got an eye on it too, so's you know. Okay?

[Ralaea]: Yeah. Okay. Thanks. *She glances around again.*

[Ben]: It don't seem to be doin' nothin'. Just kind of… a shadow, like I said.

[Ben]: You want me to check with Mizzy to see about it with you? Or you want to talk to her or Paluuva yourself?

[Ralaea]: It's… probably best if I'm not left alone with Ismene, I'm not the best at… We tend towards… There's a lot of miscommunication, I think.

Ben watches her a moment, and then nods slowly. "Okay. I mean, that's fine, it's up to you an' all. You two are pretty different girls. Just, I do kind of wonder, sometimes. If it is somethin' I ain't aware of, or somethin' I could fix."

[Ben]: But if you don't want to, it's fine, f'course. Your call.

[Ben]: Lieutenant Paluuva will be happy to help you, I know.

[Ralaea]: Yeah, she seems… like a good person. Very knowledgable.

[Ben]: She is. An' sweet as hell.

[Ben]: I will not keep you if you ain't got nothin' else you want to say to me.

Ralaea glances over her shoulder towards the road leading out of the encampment. "Just that… I don't mind it here, in Northrend, as much as I thought I would."

Ben nods at her. "There reasons? I mean, I can tell you I mind the hell out of the cold. But it's also pretty as hell. I like what we seen of it so far. Apart from the pieces of it tryin' to kill us. An' the Scourge."

[Ralaea]: Yeah. It's pretty, and… there are Scourge, but it's not… This area, at least… it's not the Plaguelands.

[Ralaea]: I thought for sure it'd be all ice and death.

Ben looks around and then back at Rae, his gaze dark and tinged with sympathy. "No. It is not the Plaguelands."

[Ben]: An' that sky, it's somethin' else, ain't it?

[Ralaea]: It's like a green curtain.

[Ben]: Explorers I talked to said it is some atmosphere somethin', somethin' else. I dunno. I just know it's pretty.

Ralaea smiles faintly. "Yeah." She gets up. "I'll let you get on with your day. Thanks for checking in. I was nervous about it, but it turned out alright."

[Ben]: I mean, I hope. It is my aim to make sure it does turn out all right. Okay? Whenever. So.

Ben picks up his coffee and gets to his feet.

[Ben]: An' Rae?

[Ralaea]: Hmm?

[Ben]: You ain't got to wear them goggles all the time. Okay?

Ralaea 's lips twitch. "Yessir."

Ben smiles back at her. "Go on. You have a good day. Check in with Paluuva, you get a chance."

Ralaea nods, then disappears into her room in the inn, at a pace quicker than usual.