derogation | (no subject)

(no subject)

[Zachry had, as he tended to do ever since Sloosha's, found himself once more sitting perched atop one of the oceanfront cliffs a handful of miles out from the valley. It were no real fault of his own, nor entirely to blame on the goats- just a kind of instinctual kenning, and he found himself working high and removed from the rest of his tribe.

The spot had met his approval some time ago anyway; he could see Kona warbands if they came close by, could hear them. He could see if Prescients came scavvin for bits of Old Un junk what littered the island.

And that's where he was looking now. His eyes cast out over the waters surrounding Ha-why, zoning in and out, letting his mind wander.]

(AS I SET THIS BEFORE HIS STORY EVEN STARTS PROPER, IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SLOOSHA'S AND THE ACTUAL START OF THINGS GOIN' DOWN. It seems the easiest place to begin practicing.)

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Whole tribe. Gotta lot o' territory out on the westerly side o' the i'land. They have a likin' to come 'round this side t'do they huntin'n'slavin'.

[Zachry begins to roll the button on his necklace between his fingers.]
Don't you be bargainin' youself, Zachry. You're mine, mem'ry that.
...Figure a devil like you might enjoy givin' 'em some trouble. An' ain't nobody gonna miss a few Kona gone missin'. Or gone dyin'.

[More curious, he watches Zachry toy with the button.] Do you want them all dead?

[Disbelief. Curious. A little bit of shame gnawing at the back of his head at considering this but oh, the Kona have been a blight on him and his people.]

You can do that?

Can't be too much trouble. They're only human, after all.

[Zachry nods.]

There's a lot o' 'em, tho. Hole westly side o' the i'land just 'bout covered in Kona. Not sayin' that I be doubtin' you, more like. Sayin' t'ain't an easy task, yeah?

Welllllll...

[Christopher flops onto the grass.]

What's the fun in doing something easy?

S'plenty o' fun doin' sumthin' easy. But if you're int'rested in hard work [Zachry gestures one hand over to the west.] s'all yours. Ev'rythin' on the other side o' Mauna Sol, yay, that's where you can find Kona by the hun'reds. Mebbe mil'yuns. Ain't so suresome 'bout the number.

Will you be my friend if I kill them?

I -

[He hesitates. He doesn't want to be friends with a devil, not remotely, but Zachry is, ultimately, a man with a strong sense of his own self-preservation by whatever means necessary. So there's the conflict. Say yes and clearly keep his own hide in one piece while losing moral ground? Say no and keep the moral ground while possibly paying for it in other ways? Tough choice.]

I'll think 'bout it. If you true kill off the Kona, an' they stop raidin'n'killin' over on this side o' i'land, yay, I will give it some thought.

All right. [Christopher gets to his feet.] We'll meet again.

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