(2023-06-08) A Weird Week

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Author:	Alli
Summary:	Ben and Sil catch up on a lot of current events. Discussion of a lot of active storylines. ~2300 words.
Rating:	M for Mature 17+

[Ben]: Surprise.
Sil laughs. "Hi, Ben!"
Ben grins.
[Sil]: You doin' alright?
[Ben]: I am, yeah.
[Ben]: How's the whole, uh, 7th Legion thing goin'?
[Sil]: Oh, you know. Sometimes better, sometimes worse. Think I might've climbed too high or somethin'. Probably quit soon, focus on Cobalt.
[Ben]: … what? For serious?
Ben peers at Sil searchingly.
[Sil]: I don't know. I guess I'll stick around until they don't need me anymore? I’m not lookin' to leave anybody high and dry. But I figured, with the portals open… They can get real 7th Legion, yeah?
[Ben]: I mean, they called you in, no reason you ain't real 7th Legion. I don't think they play pretend up there.
Sil chuckles. "Oh, no, they were real clear it was an interim thing."
[Ben]: Still had to be good enough to get there.
[Sil]: If I were really gonna be 7th Legion, there's probably a lot more hoops to jump through. And I don't think I'm really interested, in the end.
[Ben]: Nah? What's the downside of it?
[Sil]: I mean for one thing they didn't pick me or nothin'. I was just the person who happened to be there. For another… I mean, I thought you and Mizzy didn't want me to run off to the 7th Legion? An' my life is complicated enough lately, without havin' to guess what folks want from me, you know?
[Ben]: I mean, there's other scoutin' sorts all over the place up here. They did pick you. And hell yeah you better not run off with 'em. Just, it ain't sound much like you to get kind of down on a thing like it, you know?
[Ben]: Anyhow I'm proud you done it, or are doin' it, because I know you are 7th Legion material. Hell, you are better than it, you're Cobalt material.
Sil smiles at Ben. "Don't worry, I'm not down. If the fucken Sullivans couldn't get me down, a Captain in a bad mood ain't gonna. And yeah, so maybe it's best to focus on Cobalt."
[Sil]: How you been lately? Squad goin' alright?
[Ben]: Yeah, yeah. Squad's okay. Some stuff with Rae, you know. The rest of 'em are good. Sabitha's workin' out nice.
[Ben]: Some worgen shit. Some iron dwarves.
[Ben]: Oh, I run into Aze.
[Sil]: That's good to hear. Everything workin' nice. Uh, worgen shit does not sound good, though… and… yeah?
[Ben]: Yeah, she is… mixed up in the Rae shit, somehow.
[Ben]: Somethin' to do with a Death Knight bein' held prisoner.
[Sil]: Uh, what?
[Sil]: Somethin' Rae is mixed up in? I just thought… the usual things, her bein' all skittish.
[Ben]: I dunno. One of Rae's old… Scarlet squad?
[Sil]: Oh. Oh, damn. And they're mixed up with death knights?
[Ben]: Yeah, they are death knights now. And some of 'em are stalkin' her, and this one of 'em she took hostage or somethin', but then some Ebon Blades got involved or somethin'?
[Ben]: They got some idea they can cure him or some shit so they don't want him killed? Or somethin'? Rae wants him killed but couldn't do it. On account of… y'know. Old friends.
[Sil]: Oh, wow. Yeah, maybe I better focus on Cobalt, if I'm gonna miss shit like that. Maybe that was the thing Aze said she'd agreed to do for Syarra.
[Ben]: Yeah, that is how she come into it I guess.
[Ben]: Anyway. She says hi.
[Sil]: That's good. She's not dead, then. Did she seem… alright to you?
[Ben]: She seemed… is bitchy the word I want? Seemed pretty bitchy.
[Ben]: On edge, maybe.
[Ben]: I mean, Rae has that effect. She is wound up so tight, she gets other people the same way.
[Sil]: Yeah, I can see that. Wouldn't think they'd bounce off of each other all that well. Aze has… kind of been havin' a time lately, so yeah.
[Ben]: Yeah? What all is up with her?
[Ben]: Apart from the Rae thing?
[Sil]: So I only know what I got told, but… she was apparently scared of flying up to Northrend, on account of the whole, you know… demon thing.
[Ben]: I mean. It makes sense, sure.
[Sil]: So I guess something happened in Silvermoon and she just sort of went for it. Stowed away on a zeppelin. Starved for a week.
[Ben]: … damn, Aze.
[Sil]: And then… you know the whole thing with her sister? I haven't actually met her, because… you know… death knight.
[Ben]: I mean, I know there is a sister. Who is a death knight. That's about it. Her and Rae were fightin' about it some.
[Sil]: Well I guess her sister was lookin' for her at the zeppelin dock or whatever, took her home to heal up like a stray cat.,
[Ben]: How'd her sister know? She was stowed away?
[Sil]: If I'm gettin' this right, she didn't. Guess her sister'd just been waitin' at the dock each day for months, hopin' she'd turn up.
[Ben]: … huh.
[Sil]: She's out on her own now, but she's keeping away from people. Won't go to Dalaran. And I get the feelin' she feels kind of beholden to her sister and the other one. Which might've been kind of the point.
Ben grimaces.
[Ben]: I just do not trust 'em.
[Sil]: Yeah, no shit. Me neither.
[Sil]: I guess they took care of her alright? But…. *he shakes his head*
[Ben]: It is emotional blackmail.
[Sil]: I know she's talked to Mordecai at least, though. She said he was helpin'.
[Ben]: Okay. Well that's good.
[Sil]: So yeah, she doesn't seem exactly alright, at least to me.
[Ben]: Didn't to me, neither, but I mean I don't think no one in the conversation we was in was all right.
[Sil]: I got her some armor at least.
[Ben]: You reckon she needs anything else? I could help with?
[Sil]: I don't think she's in danger… not any more than any of us. Just lonely. And she's helping me with the other elf thing, at least.
[Ben]: What other elf thing?
[Sil]: Oh. *Sil laughs nervously.* Some kaldorei girl showed up at HQ askin' around about some sin'dorei folk. I'm helping her out.
[Ben]: … showed up at HQ like to hire Cobalt? A job, properly?
[Ben]: Or some shady shit?
[Sil]: Uh, sorta. More or less.
[Ben]: So shady shit.
[Sil]: Bit on the shady side, but she seemed alright once I called her on it.
[Ben]: Okay.
[Sil]: Which reminds me, you been to Bruuk's at all, since the portals've opened?
[Ben]: I ain't, no.
[Ben]: Mostly I been stayin' out here, mindin' squad stuff, but I went back for the gala an' then home to Mizz a couple've times. Ain't been by Bruuk's.
Sil nods. "I went by, our old night. None of the old hands really left… which brings me back to Rae. Anything I can help with, for her?"
[Ben]: I dunno, to be honest. You know how Rae is about askin' for shit? We are tryin' to figure out how to make her feel safe with this arms thing.
[Ben]: She is pretty sure it is some kind of trap.
[Sil]: Arms thing?
[Sil]: Oh! You mean like they were gonna… did they not heal her already?
[Sil]: That was weeks ago!
[Ben]: Yeah, you were there the night y'all caught up with Alysson and there was the — yeah, no, they did not.
[Ben]: Because I told Rae she could do it on her own time when she was comfortable.
[Ben]: And, uh. You know Rae.
[Ben]: And bein' comfortable about things.
Sil facepalms.
[Ben]: Like I said: She thinks it is a trap. So.
[Sil]: I think if you're waitin' for Rae to be comfortable you're gonna be waitin' a long time.
[Ben]: Yeah. But I mean also I could not real well make her do it, like drag her in there or somethin'. You know?
[Ben]: I told her figure out who she'd want to talk to, who she'd want to have with her to feel safe on it. And then she just ain't mention it again and I figured maybe… y'know.
[Ben]: Which I should not have.
[Ben]: I should not figure Rae is ever lookin' after herself on her own.
Ben sighs.
[Sil]: You'd think she'd be real eager to get healed an' all.
[Ben]: I think Rae's a lot better at bein' scared or pessimist about stuff than she is at bein' eager for stuff.
[Sil]: Yeah, I could see that…
[Sil]: And then all the stuff with her old squad. Which is not related. Or is it?
[Ben]: I… ain't clear yet.
[Ben]: It all comes down to Kaela Mondragon, the commander of 'em, one way or another I guess.
[Sil]: At least Aze is helpin' with that. In some undefined, bitchy way. So maybe it won't go so bad?
[Ben]: Yeah, hopin'. She did a pretty nice turn in the end… well, said she was gonna, anyhow. Which was nice. Even if she was kind of bitchy about it.
[Sil]: Yeah? That's good, then.
[Sil]: She didn't seem real confident about the death knight shit, so it's good she's comin' 'round to Rae a bit better? Maybe?
[Ben]: I mean, they are both a couple've prickly girls.
Sil nods. "Guess they were bound to prick each other a little. Oh, hey, speakin' of prickly girls, you and Mizzy been hanging out with the Fallons much?"
[Ben]: Hangin' out with? Uh, no? I mean, I hung out with him a little at the gala, but other than that….
[Ben]: I don't think Mizzy can stand her, much.
[Sil]: Really? *Sil perks up a little.* I thought they planned the gala together.
Ben laughs. "Yeah, I don't think that was really Mizzy's plan. I got an impression the Fallon girl kind of… mowed her over on that one."
[Ben]: They own the orchard, technically. The Fallons? So Mizz is… she is real concerned about stayin' in line with 'em. But.
[Sil]: Well, it was a nice party. I sorta… blended in there. I… uh… oh. Is it gonna 'cause problems for you if she doesn't like me much? The Fallon lady.
[Sil]: I wasn't thinkin' about them owning the orchards.
[Ben]: … I don't think so? But I mean why wouldn't she like you much?
[Sil]: Just an impression I get, I guess. She called me a mailbox.
Ben snorts a laugh, startled.
[Ben]: … she fucken what, now? A mailbox?
[Ben]: How she come up with that one?
[Sil]: I guess 'cause I commented her brother was good-lookin' or something.
[Ben]: … and that made you a mailbox?
[Ben]: I mean I reckon he is pretty good-lookin' and I ain't even go that way, so.
[Ben]: But they are a good-lookin' family. Seems weird for her to get sensitive about.
[Sil]: Yeah. I don't think she thinks I'm good for much. Which is fine really, lot of people think that. But I guess it was after this hot girl came in askin' about my sister, and then all the Sullivan shit came up…
[Sil]: It's been a weird week, Ben.
Ben eyes Sil up and down.
[Ben]: … you okay?
[Sil]: Yeah, I mean, probably? I'd know if I wasn't okay, right?
[Ben]: Sullivan shit come up?
Sil nods. "She's after my sister. Probably cheated her or somethin'."
[Ben]: … oh.
[Ben]: Huh.
[Ben]: She ain't still in Shattrath? Wasn't that where you seen her?
[Sil]: Yeah, that's the last time I saw her. Though I guess she can go from place to place. We did.
[Ben]: … yeah, fair.
[Ben]: Just wouldn't think she, y'know. Would. Reckoned she'd lie low.
[Sil]: You'd think, yeah.
[Sil]: Maybe she's up in like… Vengeance Landing or wherever, doing horrible Horde stuff.
Ben grimaces.
Sil chuckles a little. "Sorry my life has got so complicated lately. Maybe we ought to talk more often, so things don't change so much."
[Ben]: I would like that, yeah?
[Ben]: And, I mean. Shit gets complicated. Can't be helped.
Ben shrugs genially.
Sil laughs. "Ain't that the truth. And Northrend's not helping. I'm glad Mizzy and the orchards are alright, at least."
[Ben]: Yeah. Yeah, they are all good down there. I met my cousin, you heard?
[Sil]: Oh, yeah, Jonas?
[Sil]: Saw him at Bruuk's.
[Ben]: … damn, everyone met him before me, pretty much.
Ben laughs.
[Sil]: He looks a lot like you!
[Ben]: Does he? I ain't see it, personally, but okay.
Ben shrugs again.
Sil laughs again. "Took me off guard first time I saw him. When you're not lookin' careful, maybe."
[Ben]: Hm.
Ben doesn't look convinced.
[Ben]: Seems like an okay fellow.
[Sil]: Well, he seemed alright. Little quiet.
[Ben]: Yeah. He is a pretty quiet fellow. He and his ma might come up to the orchard sometime for dinner I guess.
[Sil]: That's cool. I hope they'll be good family to have. Weird how that seems to pop up when you're not lookin' for it.
[Ben]: Yeah. Weird as hell.
[Ben]: I reckon I got to get goin', though, now.
[Sil]: Yeah, I was gonna say, better head back to Wintergarde.
[Sil]: 'Fore somebody asks where I'm slackin' off at.
[Ben]: Okay. Catch up with you soon, then. Sooner than this time. Tell 'em you ain't slackin', you was briefin' your Cobalt leadership.
Sil grins. "Alright. That for sure sounds better. Thanks, Ben."
[Ben]: See you.
Sil gives a casual salute, turning back towards town.