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[use_everything]

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[rathercommon]

Oh, yes. Well - I volunteered long ago. But the offer still stands, regardless of anything else that might have happened. Lucifer wants to come after either of them, he's going to have to go through me.

[use_everything]

Have you won against him? [There's no doubt, a certain tactically based curiosity instead in full measure.]

[rathercommon]

Not him directly. But someone a lot like him, who thought to just use his powers against people to hurt them and for nothing more.

[ Her head settles down on her paws, but her face is wary. ]

I don't want to fight. I'm tired of fighting. But if he comes after those boys - [ Who are several years her senior, but still boys - ] I'll smash his face in.

[use_everything]

I believe I am familiar with the sentiment.

[He reaches back over to rub her ears.] With some luck, there may be no need to take up arms.

[rathercommon]

[ She leans up into his hand with a happy sigh. Though: ]

Yeah. And how often do you lot get lucky?

[use_everything]

[He turns attention to just under the chin, just enough nails for a proper scritching.]

Ah, what's the phrase Cordelia uses... "There's a first time for everything?"

[rathercommon]

Mmmmm.

[ Her whiskers twitch in approval of these scratches. And she sighs: ]

Yeah. I guess even you Barrayarans could get lucky. Though it really doesn't sound like it's happened much in your lives.

[use_everything]

A cultural curse, I assure you. Gregor is no exception, he merely covers smoothly. We've evolved to utilize spite and stubborn refusal to roll over in its stead.

[rathercommon]

[ A reluctant little giggle. This is a serious conversation, damn it, don't make her laugh. ]

You know, my people have rather done the same. I think that Londoners and Barrayarans would get along rather nicely.

[use_everything]

Quite likely. Though I'm not sure whose plans for progressive advancement it would botch more.

[He gives it a moment of consideration, humor ebbing just a little.] Do you miss it much?

[rathercommon]

London?

[ She pauses a moment in honest consideration. ANd she gives Aral, strangely enough, more of an honest answer than she's given anyone. ]

I don't miss being afraid. I don't miss watching my country crumble further and further every day. I don't miss...hiding, or miss the loneliness, or the violence...But sometimes I miss the streets I used to know.

[ A pause. ]

Do you miss Barrayar?

[use_everything]

I have... similar witholdings about the whole of it. But my District, I do. The hills and lakes of it, the people.

[rathercommon]

Yeah.

[ She gives a little sigh. ]

London...I love it. I don't like it, though, at all. I actually quite hate it, truth be told. But I love it, too.

[use_everything]

That conflict where you wish to shake every man, woman and child until sense rattles into their skulls and the very air chokes you. But there's no where else you belong or is so needed.

[rathercommon]

Yeah.

[ Her voice is soft, wistful. A moment, then: ]

Though I'll admit that you all do have a government much more just than mine.

[use_everything]

Ms. Jones, a snake could step over that bar.

[rathercommon]

[ Reluctantly, a laugh. Damn it, who knew Aral Vorkosigan was funny? ]

Yeah. Fair enough. But...It's not something I really realized for a really long time. I thought that - you know. My government was the norm. I guess in a lot of ways I still think it is.

[use_everything]

I don't believe 'the norm' is much more than what one knows, honestly. There's as many ways of doing things, from the smallest to the most important, as there are cultures.

[rathercommon]

That's true enough.

[ She thinks about that a moment. Insightful. ]

Do you think it's a bad thing? It seems like it's good if you can remove yourself from your own perspective.

[use_everything]

Have you? Gotten outside of your own biases, that is? I'll agree it is not a bad thing, but I've never quite stepped out of my own viewpoint.

[rathercommon]

I've tried to. I think I've done all right.

[ She ponders it a moment. ]

I've taken people I thought were enemies, and I've accepted them as friends. That's a start.

[use_everything]

[Aral seems to sharpen a bit at that, looking at the family friend turned feline with a specific interest.]

Ah. Cultural or personal enemies?

[rathercommon]

Both.

[ The cat rubs her face up against his hand. ]

In one case, I really do mean both - someone who was both cultural and personal. Became one of my best friends, actually.

[use_everything]

[Reminded, he resumes the attention, this time utilizing both hands to the task.]

That is impressive, actually. How did you break past it?

[rathercommon]

[ A little huff of resigned amusement. With dryness and wryness both, Kitty responds: ]

Had my every illusion shattered, one after another. Sometimes gently, and sometimes quite violently. Definitely a necessary process, but not one I'd recommend.

[ Then, a little more helpfully: ]

The most important thing I did was sitting down and talking to the people I thought were my enemies. I'd grown up being told that demons were wicked and dangerous, but I had a long talk with one in the process of him kidnapping me and discovered just how intelligent and compassionate and wise they can be. And that sort of inspired me to save the life of another enemy - which I guess really stuck with him, because it was still haunting him when we met up again three years later and sort of shattered his illusions, too. And then we ended up saving my city together, which I guess goes to show you that sometimes goodness can reap rewards, no matter what the cynics say.