WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

[deadgirlslikeme]

A door opens, and suddenly the sound of a baby wailing echoes across the nearby chunk of the Nexus. A bleary-eyed Victor Van Dort steps through, bouncing said wailing baby in his arms. "It's okay, it's okay. . .look, we're -- um." He blinks a few times as he registers where he is. "This isn't. . .oh, dear, how did I manage to choose the wrong door?" He goes to step back through --

Then stops, shakes his head, and proceeds to the nearest safe-looking bit of furniture, still cradling his son. "No. Perhaps someone can help here. At least, Alice and the others will get some decent sleep for a change. . ." He looks up, an exhausted man at the end of his rope. "Is there anyone around who's had at least one child and might know why they sometimes just start crying in the middle of the night and won't stop no matter what you do?"

Comments

[lastest_ringbearer]

*Smeagol is happy enough to follow. As the darkness increases it becomes more obvious that his eyes shine of their own accord--not much, but enough to light his way in the endless night under the mountains.*

[deadgirlslikeme]

[Chester stirs slightly -- Victor bounces him a couple of times, trying to encourage sleep, before looking over and--] Oh! [he starts, just a little, holding his baby tight to his chest to avoid anything happening] Sorry, wasn't expecting that.

[lastest_ringbearer]

What wasss it--he--you not expecting? *Pronouns are hard.*

[deadgirlslikeme]

Um -- your eyes. I d-didn't realize they g-glowed like that. [excuse the stutter, he's not sure if it's rude or not to point such a thing out] It's fine, just -- s-startled me.

[lastest_ringbearer]

Yesss, we had to see in the dark for many yearses. Cave dark it wasss, with not a bit of light.

[deadgirlslikeme]

[that makes him wince] I see. . .I don't think I could have lived like that. I may not do well with strong sun, but -- I'm absolutely t-terrified of total darkness. My mind's too good at m-making up -- things to live in it.

[lastest_ringbearer]

Things like Smeagol, he's thinking. Oh yesss. Everyone calls Smeagol names, they do. Sayses he's a sssneak. Pah! *Do be careful, Victor. This one really isn't stable.*

[deadgirlslikeme]

[Victor winces as he shifts his hold on Chester. Welp, he's caused offense. Such is his life. Maybe he can still smooth things over?] Oh, no, n-nothing like you, I promise. Bigger and nastier -- the s-sort of thing that could swallow both of us up in one gulp. Goodness, if I've seen you, I would have been grateful for the light, no matter how small. [completely sincere there too -- so long as he can see something, he's okay, so glowing eyes would do the trick]

[lastest_ringbearer]

Really? Really and truly? That'sss new, it isss. Very much ssso. Does we trust it? Doesss we? We will have to, Smeagol supposes.

[deadgirlslikeme]

[Victor offers up an encouraging smile] I'd cross my heart, but -- [again, he hefts the baby, who makes a little noise and just flops against his dad] And, like I said, it has been nice to have someone to talk to outside the house.

[lastest_ringbearer]

*Smeagol returns the smile as best he can.* Better than talking to our selveses, yesss.

[deadgirlslikeme]

Mmmm -- when I was younger, I used to talk to my reflection a lot. It and my dog were my only steady playmates. [he holds Chester a little tighter, biting his lip] The other village boys didn't care for me much.

[lastest_ringbearer]

We were outcast too, my love. Why did they not like it? Not like you?

[deadgirlslikeme]

Well, it was mostly my parents' fault, I think. . .they were not very nice people, and everyone assumed I was like them. Plus I was the smallest child in my village for most of my childhood, and liked things like butterflies and flowers. . . [he sighs] J-just an easy target for bullies.

[lastest_ringbearer]

We wasss a sneak, they said. If only they'd known about the Preciousss, if only they'd known about Deagol. Then praps there would have been a reassson worth the name. Asss it was? No, no reason. Probably just jealousss of the Ring. *The fact that he just said they didn't know about it fails to cross his broken mind.*

[deadgirlslikeme]

[And Victor doesn't want to set him off again, especially while carrying a baby, so he'll go for the safest response] I'm sorry. It does sound terribly unfair. People can just -- be cruel, sometimes.

[lastest_ringbearer]

Nothing isss ever fair, not for poor Smeagol. Fair may not be real at all. Only a dream, a nasssty cruel lie. We learned better than to hope.

[deadgirlslikeme]

[Victor bites his lip -- well, now he definitely feels bad for poor Smeagol. If only he knew better how to comfort him. . .] Maybe we shouldn't hope for fair. Just for -- something good to happen. One day.

[lastest_ringbearer]

We would like that. Being out of Mordor isss a good ssstart . . .

But we, I think that better thingses will be a long time coming--if they comes at all. Me and our birthday presssent . . . it hurtses me. It's mine. No one can take it now. *He's getting a little better at pronouns, at least?*

[deadgirlslikeme]

Yes, it certainly sounds like it.

[Victor raises an eyebrow as Smeagol continues] Er -- well, I certainly don't want it, so. . . I'm sorry it still hurts you, though.

[lastest_ringbearer]

Didn't have to get out the long way, either. The long way's bad, I don't recommend it. *He stumbles a bit over the word 'recommend.' There are a fair number of words he's not used to anymore.*

Power is sssomething folkses want. Precious gave usss dreamses. Swore he wouldn't get it back, I did--he who made it. And oathses are traps.

[deadgirlslikeme]

[Victor won't give him any grief over the stumble -- as Smeagol no doubt heard earlier, he stutters when he's nervous. And frankly, he's just kind of impressed Smeagol can manage 'recommend' at all. Doesn't seem like the kind of word he says often] I wouldn't want to take the long way out of such a horrible place either. Though, really, I hope never to go there at all.

[he nods -- this is something he kind of understands] Power and influence. . . And I see. You swore you'd keep it from him, and now it's holding you to that.

[lastest_ringbearer]

Good Man. Don't want to play guide ever again does Smeagol.

It wants to be with him, but we were held to my oath by fate. *Now the pronouns are even confusing Smeagol a bit. He goes through the sentence in his head a few times and then shrugs.* Think that's right. Clossse enough.

[deadgirlslikeme]

[Victor smiles playfully, bouncing Chester] You know, one could argue that I just played guide to you, showing you here. How does it feel to be on the other side?

Ah -- yes, I think I understand. [he thinks] At least it won't ever get back to him now?

[lastest_ringbearer]

Better. But then we's not in Mordor, is we? Still, though, better.

No Sauron eating the world, no. Smeagol is glad, yesss.