theafflicted | 🎉🎉🎉

I'm nothing of the sort. And I have no interest in "getting along" with any of them. As long as they complete the course and leave, that will be more than sufficient.

[HE'S NOT HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS-]

Well, you're getting along with me though.

[ He says even as he continues to pat Phantom's head. ]

[...It would be difficult to deny that in the face of ongoing headpats. Phantom chooses to preserve his dignity(?) with an evasion.]

And who don't you get along with?

Hm... Define "not getting along". I have a lot of one-sided vendetta against me, but I don't care for it much.

Precisely what I mean. I have no interest in starting a [another] vendetta.

...Does that refer to anyone here? [Was that thing with Owen getting along or not, he can't tell.]

[ Hien assumes that Phantom is talking about his little thing with Owen earlier. ]

I don't hate Owen, if you must know. I tease Marcus too.

[ If... Phantom hasn't heard all those innuendos pre-lessons from Hien. ]

I tease a lot of people and I make enemies, though I can't say that the feelings are mutual.

Where other people are concerned, Marcus is all bluster. By all means, keep him occupied.

[Yeah, he heard that. He's very much in favor of people who Aren't Him and can get away with it making Marcus's life a little more annoying, actually.]

You should take a little more care with others. However immortal you're used to being, I assume it would be as unpleasant for you as for anyone if someone here were to stab you.

[Owen kind of seems like the type, but maybe Phantom is just sulking still over the threat to his hair.]

Yeah. I hate pain.

[ That was plain as day on his profile, but. ]

But sometimes, I can't be bothered when it's just one of those days when I don't feel like doing anything.

[ Depressed? Get stabbed. Shrug it off. Hien is the facetanker of consequences. ]

And I thought Marcus was a troublesome partner.

[Phantom can't honestly say he doesn't understand. Luckily, he's a relatively skilled liar.]

Your logic eludes me. But I suppose I can grant you don't need warnings from someone my age.

I'll take advice and warnings from people of all ages. I'm not wiser nor smarter than everyone. Just because I'm old, doesn't mean that I'm better at everyone who isn't as old as I am.

[ Hm. ]

Wanna know a secret?

Quite a magnanimous point of view.

[And because it's Hien, Phantom's voice isn't even sarcastic. The loaded question gives him a moment of pause before he tilts his head in a shallow nod.]

If you're not asking for one in return, then yes.

I won't.

[ Because he thinks it's a rather useless secret. ]

If it looks like I'm good at doing something, just know that it took an excessive amount of years for me to learn it.

[ He doesn't think he was good at doing anything that actually mattered, so he used his seemingly infinite time to obtain various skills, even if it took him an outrageous amount of time to learn it.

But the point of this was to tell Phantom that he really isn't better than the average person just because he knows how to do a lot of things. His learning progression was extremely slow. ]

[Oh. That's... a surprisingly safe secret? And possibly even a kind one, although that thought is uncomfortable to Phantom. He looks a little taken aback for a moment.]

Anything worth learning takes a lifetime. If yours is longer, then it's... admirable of you to use it accordingly.

[That's as close as he can manage to saying outright that he respects Hien working hard on learning something if he's bad at it. He fidgets for a moment, and then before he can second-guess it:]

I'm clumsy. Particularly when I'm distracted with something.

[Is this even remotely a secret? Probably not to anyone with eyes, but it's still a concession.]

Yeah? That sounds pretty normal though.

[ Hien thinks that's absolutely normal... cue flashbacks of seeing people distracted and running into things. ]

Yes, well. So is taking time to learn things you have no aptitude for.

[So they've each traded useless secrets, and all is equitable in the world. Never mind that it seems to have had some significance to Phantom.]

[ Hien catches that and is curious. ]

You seem pleased for some reason. What are you thinking about?

[ACK. Caught in the act, and without an immediate lie. He can scramble for one quickly, though.]

Nothing of significance. I merely found it interesting. I can't claim familiarity with anything like an immortal from my own world.

If you want to know more about me, we can trade information.

[ His past isn't free, but he'd like to know other people too. ]

I'm not as grand as some people think I am.

I doubt I'm that easily overawed.

[(affectionate)(???!)]

...That would be acceptable. Perhaps you can begin by explaining the 'as a dog' note in your profile.

Oh.

[ That one is actually pretty easy to explain on the surface, so that's just what he'll do. ]

I can turn into a dog with magic. People love cute dogs, therefore, easier to manipulate.

[Probably exactly what he should have assumed there, huh.]

I can see where that would be effective. Is a dog the only thing you can turn into?

No.

[ But. ]

It's your turn. What does your nickname mean?

[ ripa. ]

[Phantom's expression sours for a second. It shouldn't be surprising that someone would manage to hit one of the actual sore points from his profile.]

Nothing in particular. It's simply the name Phil... that mage I mentioned chose when he created me. [...] I won't answer to it, if you're considering it.

Hm. Well, alright.

[ He doesn't seem put off by it, as he continues to pat his head. Phantom can't escape from his hand... ]

You can choose what sort of information to divulge next time. As for what else I can turn into, I can change into what I will inevitably be in the future, a monster that eats worlds.

[ That sure is heavy. Phantom better have some good info as a trade. ]

But I can turn back, as you can see now. I'm as me as I can be.

[Trying to escape and failing would have the opposite effect on his dignity, so he'll just have to live with it. Even if it's increasingly difficult to channel any villain energy like this.]

What sort of-

[There are a lot of questions that opens up, actually. But they do have a deal. Phantom pauses for a moment, but he can only think of one piece of information of equivalent weight. And why not be direct with it? He doubts Marcus would keep it a secret.]

Immediately before being brought here, I was in the process of unmaking my own world.

[Somewhere, Marcus is hopefully enjoying the complicated tide of anger wound with contempt seasoned with guilt. It's not reflected on Phantom's face, at least. He's gotten that much control over it in the last week.]

Now, will you expand on that? Why is it inevitable?

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