[Open] Mage Lyfe 101

[justice_is_blond]

WHO: OPEN, Anders
WHAT: Mage conferece on practical magic
WHEN: Kingsway 24th, all day
WHERE: Just outside Skyhold
NOTES: Plotting post and IC announcement.

The tables and chairs are set up, there's some parchment and a few quills for note-taking, and a table on the side has pitchers of water as well as a motley assortment of cups. He's done what he can, done the footwork and talking, and now has to hope it catches and spreads.

And hope Purrelden doesn't tangle herself around something with her leash again.

[ooc: hop on in, put up a header! If you have any questions, feel free to ask them on the ooc post or ping me on Plurk at Nadat!]

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[justice_is_blond]

Anders sighs. Bruce is the one that punched him. If not for Kain and the boy resting on his conscience, he'd walk away and wash his hands of this. It's not his fault Bruce is possessed, it's not his fault Bruce is a jerk asshole, and it's not his fault that Bruce doesn't have the Wardens to step in when people, especially the likes of Herian and Ciri, find out he's possessed. None of this is his fault at all... but so far he's the only abomination that has been saved and he craves a chance to change that.

"You know what I saw the other day? Several people so outraged at the thought of an abomination that they ignored the fact that the boy could still have been saved." It's said with an idle tone, even if no one is too close to eavesdrop. "He was cognizant and talking, and they pushed him into losing control, and then losing himself absolutely. And felt justified even after he died. Small boy, possessed by Rage. It's not hard to imagine how they'll react to any future abominations they come across."

He's not looking directly at Bruce. As much as he can keep this neutral and not confrontational, he will. He has to try. The guy had come. "This conference will help with fear, and hopefully cut down on the amount of future abominations as knowledge spreads. But I'd like to find ways to help more, to help the ones after it happens. We're healers. I could use help with this project."

Anders crosses his arms, unconsciously preparing for the most likely answer.

[amygdalae]

Bruce doesn't know what Anders expects of him here. Rage? They both know what an astronomically bad idea it is, and Bruce would rather do literally anything else than to unleash that onto anybody. And yes, he did feel bad for the boy, and it was painful that a child had to die and he wishes it hadn't been so, but what other options were there? When you become an abomination there were only so few options left to you. Death was a mercy by that point.

(Except when you're Anders, his mind supplies spitefully, but Bruce pushes that away.)

"I already said I can't help you," he says, as calmly and as neutrally as he can while continuing to pack up his things. "I've moved on from that already. All I just want to do now is to do my job here while the Inquisition still exists." And after that... who knows, really. The whole travelling around thing seemed to work out, so maybe he might do that again. Or maybe he could head back to Seheron and continue to do his old work there. As long as there was war and suffering going around, he'll always have something to do.

[justice_is_blond]

He hates selfish people. He hates when they hide away, content because they're not the ones truly in danger, when they could help people beyond themselves but don't bother because they're comfortable.

"You can't move on from that. Not considering what I know of you." Aside from the series of other things Anders knows of Bruce, like cowardice and selfishness and self-delusion. "Do you simply not care about how there might be future people in... similar situations as that? Who have so few people who would possibly look into ways to help them?"

Anders' voice goes low and quiet. "You act so high and mighty, but you're not. You're not any better than anyone."

[amygdalae]

Bruce doesn't care what Anders thinks of him. He's never cared what people think of him, because in the end it doesn't matter. Nothing here was permanent, not for him. The Inquisition wasn't going to be here forever. In time they too would be gone, though Bruce is certain he'll have moved on by then, if he wasn't dead. As it is he's already stayed here for much longer than he ever anticipated. It had only been supposed to be a few months to lay low after what happened, but now...

Well. He supposes it doesn't matter anyway. Nothing matters, when you're a monster and that's all you'll ever be remembered as. He's made his peace long ago, on that day... after that day.

"If you're done," he begins, and rather than anything else he might feel he's just tired and weary and right now he simple wants to be as far away from Anders as possible. He just wants some peace and quiet more than anything else. "There are other people who are going to use this spot, and I want to clear out as soon as I can without any more interruptions."

[justice_is_blond]

Anders exhales and shakes his head.

"Fine. Go hide. I don't know why I even try. One day you'll take a swing and it's gong to backfire, though, and I won't be there to help. Not if you can't be bothered to try and help others like you, if you can't be bothered to reach out and be more."

He steps away... and keeps going. Some people aren't ever going to grow. Apparently he's been wasting his time here.