arclightning | deer country inbox

Does it?

[Carefully petting Zuko. Do you want up? He'll pick you up if you want. This is so cool ahhhhh. He looks up at Mako from where he's crouching, expression slightly pinched as he thinks about the concept that Canada is weird. Like. Maybe?]

Nothing ever happened, really.. what did Ryan tell you?

[ Oh she wants. Mako has a lot of warm feelings about Min-Gi already, mostly borne out of being pretty close to Ryan, and Zuko just trills and pushes her little feet into his palms, excited to twine herself around his arm and then scramble onto his shoulders. ]

Well, he told me about the wormhole. Which... isn't a word I knew before he explained it, but it does seem pretty weird.

[It's hard to have a serious conversation when a noodle dragon is climbing up you like magic! He laughs at her and holds his arm out a little to make it easier, splitting his attention.]

Well. yeah, that was really weird but Canada isn't usually like that. I think the train was just a weird fluke that happened to us.

Yeah, he... mentioned the train.

[ With Zuko safely ensconced on Min's shoulder, Mako crosses the last few feet of icy pavement between them and holds out a hand to help Min out of his crouch, if he wants it. ]

Is that where the giant bugs were, or is that a Canada thing too?

[He doesn't need it but he takes it anyway, recognizing it for the gesture it is, and uses Mako to counter balance as he pulls himself back up. There is a dragon on his shoulder and he is hanging out with Mako. This is so cool. So cool!]

Oh- no. No, that was definitely a Train Thing. We didn't even do anything wrong, our friend Kez left a tea stain on their town charter so they arrested and almost executed us.

[Over sharing? Sure. But honestly he's still processing everything that happened.]

For a tea stain? Kind of an overreaction.

[ Like Min-Gi is the one who made that choice, Mako, come on. He releases Min's hand, shaking his head as Zuko settles around Min's neck like a scarf. ]

Don't have to worry about that here. There's no police force or... jail. Or execution. No laws. Which is why you can just pick whatever house is free.

Huh...

[That should be great news.. right?

...right?

No.. no he doesn't really like that, to be honest. He likes due process. He likes parameters. Even if he doesn't agree with all of them, there should at least be something!]

And. Nobody breaks in or robs you or anything? If there are no laws or police then what's keeping the place from exploding into anarchy? What if someone stronger than you decides they want your house. You can't stop them, they can just take it? What happens if you get mugged?

[ Mako let out a huffing kind of breath. ]

I know! It makes no sense. Just asking for the kind of trouble we had in Dragon Flats. Only thing that explains the lack of crime here is that people are too preoccupied with the monsters, but it's only a matter of time.

Not to be a Debbie Downer but I'd think people being preoccupied with monsters would be the perfect time to commit a crime.

[Huh. That rhymed. He's a Poet~ and he didn't even know it~

Shut up, Min-Gi, now isn't the time for dumb jokes. Mental note to write it down, though. Could be a lyric.]

Ryan said the locals like, idolize us. Maybe they just wouldn't risk it? Of course that assumes all Sleepers (Sleepers?) are good people and as amazing as that would be I just don't buy it.

Don't even take it for free.

[ Cool line, Mako. Honestly he's kind of proud of himself for it. ]

Sleepers definitely can't all be trusted, and we shouldn't be idolized. I don't know why the crime rate here isn't higher. Guess it could be the money thing. There's less... need, I guess. Sure, you might get eaten by a monster, but nobody here is going to starve to death. Doesn't stop the people who just want power for power's sake, but it puts a dent in the crimes of desperation and stupidity, you know?

[ Something Mako knows quite a bit about. ]

[It's a very cool line. He is going to write that one down, too.]

Mm, yeah.. that's a good point. I guess there's just a lot less crime when people don't feel like they don't have any other options. Kind of ideal, really. Unless you want pebble leeks. Then I guess you gotta pay either way.

[A smirk. Yeah, he remembers. And he still wants a copy of that index.]

Wherever we find, I just want it to be close and safe. Preferably monster free.

[Also lol like he can't fight so his options are run and hide. Safe space required. Maybe with like. A moat. And a gargoyle.]

[ Ha! Mako snorts, looks away into the crush of houses leaning up against each other like they're huddling for warmth. This is the more dense part of Crenshaw, all townhouses and then Mouse House, incongruous and round, squatting there like a beacon. ]

We're in the right place for safe and monster-free. This and Cellar Door are the most heavily-guarded places. Not a lot of monsters, not a lot of corruption. You want something big, or small?

Small is okay. I don't need anything fancy so long as it's in okay condition. I heard about Ryan's old place. Sounded pretty whack.

[Might be putting it lightly from what he's heard. Ryan, man, what were you thinking. Why do you always tailspin when you're on your own.

Min-Gi takes a moment as they walk, looking over the houses as they go. How is he supposed to know which ones are empty? Gut feeling? Ring and ditch every door? Try the handles? Why aren't there any realtors?]

Thanks, by the way. For taking him under your wing.

I don't know if we did that.

[ We, casual as anything, accompanied with a little snort of laughter. ]

Wu and Ryan met on the boardwalk and started talking and... it's like they have the same brain, sometimes. Pretty weird to be around. You get used to it.

[ It is kind of hard to tell, now that Mako's really looking. Ruby did a lot of the scouting work for the initial safehouses, and Mako mostly vetted them to make sure they were safe and well-located. How do you tell if a house is empty?

Oh. Lack of lantern outside, for one. They're coming up on a building without one now, a skinny little townhouse with boarded-up windows, which reminds Mako. ]

Whatever we find is probably going to need fixing up. That was Ryan's problem. He just moved in and didn't bother to make it livable. Took us weeks to get the Raccoon Room to a good baseline.

[Mako might not think they did anything but without them the chances that Ryan would be living like a cave troll somewhere right now are very high.

Ryan has a support network. It’s not something he really had back home outside of Min and their families and even then Ryan’s parents were pretty busy. Plus, you know, Ryan being, well, Ryan. It was difficult for his parents to support besides letting him go. Min-Gi’s own parents had been aware and made a lot of time for him in their space but the boundaries were always very clear.

That isn’t the network Ryan has here. He has friends who know exactly who he is and encourage it. Who support him emotionally. Who give a shit. That’s powerful.]

I don’t mind a little work. I’m sure I can figure it out.

[Probably. It’s just a hammer and nails, right? How hard can it be?]

But uh. Any pointers would be good if you have them.

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