Open | If you forget, is it like it never happened?

[killedwithlove]

WHO: Cole and anyone who needs or wants him
WHAT: Cole's back. If he ever left. Who really knows?
WHEN: Now until end of February.
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: If you want a personal starter, drop me a PM or find me at jemisard

Those sensitive to such things might notice that Cole is back. He's hard to remember at the best of times, and after such a long period, Cole himself expects virtually no one to remember who he is or that he's allowed to be here.

But it doesn't stop him doing what he does. Moving about, helping those he can.

Comments

[not_the_question]

"Well, I understand why you'd say that, but I'll retain my own judgement."

Because that's what he likes to do.

[killedwithlove]

"Okay."

He's agreeing without understanding. He doesn't understand why he'd retain his own judgement on it.

"If that makes you happy."

[not_the_question]

"Well, little makes me happy these days. But it's better than anyone else trying to tell me what my judgement should be."

Which is about all he has to say about happiness.

[killedwithlove]

Cole gets a brief flash of something that would make him happy, a woman, brilliant blue and holding him in her, running away together...

He doesn't understand it. So he stays silent about it.

"What sort of spirits were they? Wrath? Despair? Wisdom?"

[not_the_question]

He considers his answer for some moments. "Slavery."

It was the best description. That's what the Fisherking had done to them. Ripped their souls and turned them into nothing more than a message in a bottle. A beacon. He has another thought.

"With just a hint of being murdery."

[killedwithlove]

"... that doesn't sound like a spirit. That sounds like a thing mortals do.... oh. Murdery. They were Wrath?"

Cole understands what spirits are. In Thedas. And trying to understand anything else while he can't simply read it off someone is very difficult for him.

[not_the_question]

"Wrath is a good way to put it. But it wasn't their own wrath they expressed. It was someone else's."

It wasn't easy for the Doctor to explain because it was a very odd situation to begin with.

[killedwithlove]

Wrath never expressed its own wrath, but Cole's realising that the Doctor really doesn't understand spirits. That's okay. Most people don't.

"Okay."

[not_the_question]

Well, that's not surprising since spirits, like magic, don't really exist in the Doctor's frame of reference.

"Not really the talkative sort, are you?"

[killedwithlove]

Cole shakes his head.

"For a long time, no one could see or hear me, so I just didn't say anything."

[not_the_question]

The Doctor snaps his finger and points at Cole. "That explains it!"

He taps the side of his head. "Why you feel like you do... But why? Why couldn't people see or hear your?"

Because, that's the interesting bit.

[killedwithlove]

"I don't know."

He sort of got it. That Cole had been forgotten and invisible, so Cole was too. But he didn't really understand.

"Most people still don't notice me."

[not_the_question]

The Doctor's features fall at the mention of that last bit.

"Must be very lonely..."

[killedwithlove]

"It was. But now I can help people. They don't remember me, but I still help. That's what matters. And I can be seen sometimes. That's good, too."

[not_the_question]

"Well, I can see you. Though, probably because my brain is used to these other creatures..."

Which might give Cole some staying power within the Doctor's mind. Or not. The Doctor's mind is a very strange place.

[killedwithlove]

Cole shrugs.

"Sometimes people do. Usually when they need me. But some people see me anyway. Rhys did. Solas does."

[not_the_question]

"So it's an inconsistent power. Interesting."

[killedwithlove]

Cole blinks and shrugs again. "More... some people see through it."

[not_the_question]

"Ah. But not everyone. Must be confusing for you, if you never know if people will see you or not."

[killedwithlove]

"No."

It happens, or it doesn't.

"If they see me, they usually need me."

[not_the_question]

"What kinds of needs to people usually have if they do see you?"

Because the Doctor is very curious about how this works. It's different and new and he likes new and different.

[killedwithlove]

"They need kindness. They're hurting, and I can help them. I can make things a little bit easier for them. The smell of Mama's turnip stew for a dying man, a drink of water when I'm too sick to call for help, reminding you it wasn't your fault, sometimes bad things happen. I feel their suffering with them. I help."

Even at his worst, he wanted to help.

[not_the_question]

"Compassion, then. I was told it would kill me one day. But I wouldn't die of anything else."

So, not everyone from the Fade is bad then, okay. He might be good with that. He might have misjudged Cole because people are rather anti-Fade, at least that's what he's picked up on.

[killedwithlove]

"Yes. I'm Compassion. Or I was. Now I'm still Compassion, but also Cole."

He does frown a little. "I won't kill you. I don't kill people unless I have to, to stop them from hurting others. I killed people before, because I thought I was helping, but I know better now."

[not_the_question]

"Who is Cole?"

He can accept duality. But he likes to know who the other entity is, if he's going to go this route.