\\ Get my pretty name out of your mouth \\
Maea's plan to keep herself accountable felt petty and bitter, but the presence of tears softened Thal's tone a fraction, even as she stood her ground in face of the same argument they'd had time and time again. "We dismiss them because you're an Ancient now, Maea. Whether you like it or not, that's the reality, and no amount of fighting your bloodlust or justifying Dygra is going to change that. You're not the same person as you were, so you can't expect the same morals to fit, and you certainly can't expect them to fit every other Ancient." Like trying to wear someone else's clothes, her previous values might not suit her like they used to. Maybe they needed to be tailored for her new body - to accommodate the horns and tail - or maybe they needed to be discarded entirely to make room for the new.
Whatever tiny sympathy she'd just felt vanished like vapor in the heat of her anger. Her eyes narrowed at the insult to Asta, curious if Maea was proud of the fear she'd struck in the man - the shame he now wore beneath his scars. "You honestly think he would tell you the truth when you had such a volatile reaction to his confession? I don't agree with lying to you, but can you blame him?" When Maea's first thought was pitchforks and world outrage? She laughed a little, shaking her head. It was one of the reason's she'd never flat out told her 'I'm a pirate,' even though they both knew the truth. Because Thal knew that her 'morals' and 'ideals' would always trump whatever bond they had, would always urge her to disapprove of her and her profession, possibly to the point of turning her in or reporting her. To spare her the moral quandary, she didn't talk about it.
The idea of betrayal was almost as enjoyable as the future she painted, the one where Ancients might as well be lepers, threatening to eat or infect the world. She threw up a hand, a humorless laugh leaving her as she stepped away. "Well, dang Maea. I never knew you had such a peachy view of the future. Since you seem to know exactly how everything is going to work out, why don't you run the Grounds?" Turning back to Maea, she smiled, sharp and condescending. "Because what would you have Danta do as the leader? Kill his lover to prove a point? Would you want Asta exiled from the Grounds? Publicly shamed? Perhaps he should be flogged every time he needs to eat. Would that help you sleep at night? You really think that would stop people if they decided Ancients were the enemy?" Maea may think Thal naive of people or their motivations, but Thal knew enough to make a place for herself amongst the worst of them, and she knew - without a doubt - that it didn't matter. People would find ways to justify their actions one way or another, cannibalism or not.
Whatever tiny sympathy she'd just felt vanished like vapor in the heat of her anger. Her eyes narrowed at the insult to Asta, curious if Maea was proud of the fear she'd struck in the man - the shame he now wore beneath his scars. "You honestly think he would tell you the truth when you had such a volatile reaction to his confession? I don't agree with lying to you, but can you blame him?" When Maea's first thought was pitchforks and world outrage? She laughed a little, shaking her head. It was one of the reason's she'd never flat out told her 'I'm a pirate,' even though they both knew the truth. Because Thal knew that her 'morals' and 'ideals' would always trump whatever bond they had, would always urge her to disapprove of her and her profession, possibly to the point of turning her in or reporting her. To spare her the moral quandary, she didn't talk about it.
The idea of betrayal was almost as enjoyable as the future she painted, the one where Ancients might as well be lepers, threatening to eat or infect the world. She threw up a hand, a humorless laugh leaving her as she stepped away. "Well, dang Maea. I never knew you had such a peachy view of the future. Since you seem to know exactly how everything is going to work out, why don't you run the Grounds?" Turning back to Maea, she smiled, sharp and condescending. "Because what would you have Danta do as the leader? Kill his lover to prove a point? Would you want Asta exiled from the Grounds? Publicly shamed? Perhaps he should be flogged every time he needs to eat. Would that help you sleep at night? You really think that would stop people if they decided Ancients were the enemy?" Maea may think Thal naive of people or their motivations, but Thal knew enough to make a place for herself amongst the worst of them, and she knew - without a doubt - that it didn't matter. People would find ways to justify their actions one way or another, cannibalism or not.
Thalassa
