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Inbox for Deer Country
Sorry you missed me! I'll get back to you soon!
Sorry you missed me! I'll get back to you soon!
I'll ask the head of the house when would be a good time.
We have to stay together, don't we? Build our bonds. It's what this place is for.
We have to stay together, don't we? Build our bonds. It's what this place is for.
You enjoy hikes? I thought I was the only one. Everyone I live with has allergies.
It has been. But I understand it will be a long spring, and a long summer. A long fall after that.
It has been. But I understand it will be a long spring, and a long summer. A long fall after that.
If you're ever in need of a partner out there, keep me in mind. I'm not half-bad at woodscraft.
It is cool at night. To see the mushrooms, I mean. Not the temperature.
It is cool at night. To see the mushrooms, I mean. Not the temperature.
Then it's settled. You'll come for a meal and we'll go for a walk, then or on another day, and everyone will have to survive without us for a few hours.
Accidental Video; un: darkness cw: child abuse mental and physical
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survivalthroughhate
2022-06-02 06:01 am (UTC)(link)
[[Maul is about ten years old and training with Sidious using lightsabers. Not a practice one as the Jedi might do for a boy his age but actual ones. Despite his youth, Maul is clearly experienced with the weapon, and while Sidious is going hard against him he is holding his own. Eventually, his master calls an end to the session. 'Do you think you have learned the value of endurance and obedience?'
Maul nods, speaking very quietly, not quite meeting his adoptive father's eyes. 'Yes, my master.' Maul always strives to learn his lessons quickly, for when he doesn't it means pain, oftentimes going hungry and cold as well.
'Good. But I know of a way to make the lesson stick in your mind for good. Pain is a better teacher than I. Now listen closely.' A knife appears in Sidious' hands and flashes out towards Maul without warning. Not expecting the sudden attack, he staggers back, shocked at the fact his master stabbed him right below the ribs. One hand presses against his left side as he begins to bleed and he nearly collapses, barely staying up because he knows that his master will punish him harder if he shows any signs of weakness.
'There is some bacta patches over there,' Sidious says, gesturing towards some shelves on the edge of the room. Maul starts to make the slow, painful journey over to them when Sidious suddenly calls out. 'Stop.'
Maul does as he's told even if every fiber within him is telling him to move towards the patches which can heal his wound. He stops, obediently waiting for further directions from his master. 'Sit down. I want you to meditate until you lose yourself in the Dark Side so that your injury no longer matters. Only then can you get up and get the bacta. If you move before then, you will be punished. Do you understand?'
'Yes, master,' Maul says softly. He gives one last longing look at where the healing bandages are sitting on top of one of the shelves before he sits down in a cross-legged position and closes his eyes, trying to meditate despite the fact he's still bleeding from the injury to his side. The blood flows slowly and oozes out, staining his dark tunic and dripping onto the floor as he attempts to obey his master's command. Desperate as he is to heal himself, Maul would rather pass out from blood loss or just die before disobeying his master and risking further punishment.]
Maul nods, speaking very quietly, not quite meeting his adoptive father's eyes. 'Yes, my master.' Maul always strives to learn his lessons quickly, for when he doesn't it means pain, oftentimes going hungry and cold as well.
'Good. But I know of a way to make the lesson stick in your mind for good. Pain is a better teacher than I. Now listen closely.' A knife appears in Sidious' hands and flashes out towards Maul without warning. Not expecting the sudden attack, he staggers back, shocked at the fact his master stabbed him right below the ribs. One hand presses against his left side as he begins to bleed and he nearly collapses, barely staying up because he knows that his master will punish him harder if he shows any signs of weakness.
'There is some bacta patches over there,' Sidious says, gesturing towards some shelves on the edge of the room. Maul starts to make the slow, painful journey over to them when Sidious suddenly calls out. 'Stop.'
Maul does as he's told even if every fiber within him is telling him to move towards the patches which can heal his wound. He stops, obediently waiting for further directions from his master. 'Sit down. I want you to meditate until you lose yourself in the Dark Side so that your injury no longer matters. Only then can you get up and get the bacta. If you move before then, you will be punished. Do you understand?'
'Yes, master,' Maul says softly. He gives one last longing look at where the healing bandages are sitting on top of one of the shelves before he sits down in a cross-legged position and closes his eyes, trying to meditate despite the fact he's still bleeding from the injury to his side. The blood flows slowly and oozes out, staining his dark tunic and dripping onto the floor as he attempts to obey his master's command. Desperate as he is to heal himself, Maul would rather pass out from blood loss or just die before disobeying his master and risking further punishment.]
[His heart felt like ice in his chest as the video finally came to a close. Witnessing someone else's personal horrors were not something Oscar had planned on waking up to-- but, Trench rarely gave anyone a say in these matters. Once again, he was smacked in the face with how little he understood about Maul. His decision to leave matters regarding his behavior up to those others from the same universe once more seemed like a wise one.
...And yet, he kept having dilemmas involving Maul come to his attention.
Sighing to himself, he opened communications. If this was sent to him, surely more horrific matters were being sent to other, less suspecting people.]
Hey, Maul?
[He began, with the innocence of a teenager and the weariness of someone who understood how the world worked weighing on his shoulders. Oscar looked sleepy, with his hair disarrayed in a manner that looked like he had just awoken from sleep.]
You might want to check your settings on your device. It sent me a video you probably didn't want out there.
[Quickly he double checked their feed, just to be safe.]
Looks like this one was just to me. Still, it's good to be careful.
...And yet, he kept having dilemmas involving Maul come to his attention.
Sighing to himself, he opened communications. If this was sent to him, surely more horrific matters were being sent to other, less suspecting people.]
Hey, Maul?
[He began, with the innocence of a teenager and the weariness of someone who understood how the world worked weighing on his shoulders. Oscar looked sleepy, with his hair disarrayed in a manner that looked like he had just awoken from sleep.]
You might want to check your settings on your device. It sent me a video you probably didn't want out there.
[Quickly he double checked their feed, just to be safe.]
Looks like this one was just to me. Still, it's good to be careful.
[Maul's still fast asleep himself. He tends to sleep in late, a luxury he can afford after a lifetime of being forced to awaken whenever his master needed something from him. He blinks owlishly when Oscar contacts him and doesn't bother to stifle a yawn, showing off all his sharp teeth.
It takes him a moment to realize what Oscar is saying. Once he does, he goes to look and see what memory was shown and.....oh no. He doesn't want anyone to see what Sidious put him through as a child. Bad enough that people saw the few minutes of torture he underwent after Savage died on the network but now this? He wants to curl up in bed, put his head under the pillow, and not come back out for the next six months.
He closes his eyes and there's a great struggle on his face to control himself. When he finally answers, it's in a flat, dispassionate tone, complete disassociation from the traumatic memory so that he didn't completely lose it in front of the teenager.]
The memories of people are being sent out. Sometimes on the network and sometimes to just random devices. I thought it was just affecting me at first but now it is happening to others. Be careful, it could start happening to you.
[He still hasn't picked up on the pattern that those he talks to after the memories are sent out get their own Omnis and Omens infected as well.]
It takes him a moment to realize what Oscar is saying. Once he does, he goes to look and see what memory was shown and.....oh no. He doesn't want anyone to see what Sidious put him through as a child. Bad enough that people saw the few minutes of torture he underwent after Savage died on the network but now this? He wants to curl up in bed, put his head under the pillow, and not come back out for the next six months.
He closes his eyes and there's a great struggle on his face to control himself. When he finally answers, it's in a flat, dispassionate tone, complete disassociation from the traumatic memory so that he didn't completely lose it in front of the teenager.]
The memories of people are being sent out. Sometimes on the network and sometimes to just random devices. I thought it was just affecting me at first but now it is happening to others. Be careful, it could start happening to you.
[He still hasn't picked up on the pattern that those he talks to after the memories are sent out get their own Omnis and Omens infected as well.]
[It shows Maul in his yard. There's two Pokémon with him, a Shuppet and a Mankey. Maul is talking with both of them.]
Alright, so I'm going to show you pictures of people that usually come here again. You are not to attack them, alright?
[There's Pokéspeak from both of them as they acknowledge Maul. He seems to understand them well enough and addresses the Mankey's screeches.]
No, Cranky, you cannot attack people simply because you dislike them. I'm not allowed to do that anymore and so you can't do so either.
[There's a 'Hmph!' from the Mankey and he folds his arms, looking disapprovingly at his owner.]
Now let us begin...
Alright, so I'm going to show you pictures of people that usually come here again. You are not to attack them, alright?
[There's Pokéspeak from both of them as they acknowledge Maul. He seems to understand them well enough and addresses the Mankey's screeches.]
No, Cranky, you cannot attack people simply because you dislike them. I'm not allowed to do that anymore and so you can't do so either.
[There's a 'Hmph!' from the Mankey and he folds his arms, looking disapprovingly at his owner.]
Now let us begin...
[This was... unexpected. For the moment Oscar is content to just watch, glad for a little reprieve from at least some chaos in his life. It was the little things that mattered-- like the pile of leaves he was currently sitting in just outside of Vyng's farm, and a warrior notorious for having anger issues teaching his small friends the patience he was trying so hard to learn.
After a moment, Oscar finally spoke up.]
...I'm proud of you. You're doing a great job with this, Maul.
After a moment, Oscar finally spoke up.]
...I'm proud of you. You're doing a great job with this, Maul.
[Maul looked surprised when he realized that his Omni was on and that Oscar had just witnessed him in a soft moment with his pets. At least it was no one he would have been afraid would use such vulnerability against him. Then an embarrassed but happy smile crossed his face.]
Thank you for telling me so, Oscar. I know some people think I am merely doing the bare minimum to improve but.....it is a great effort to do what everyone else already knows. I don't possess the same instincts others do, so I try my best with what I have learned.
Thank you for telling me so, Oscar. I know some people think I am merely doing the bare minimum to improve but.....it is a great effort to do what everyone else already knows. I don't possess the same instincts others do, so I try my best with what I have learned.
[Oscar smiled. Maul didn't need to defend himself or explain himself-- Oscar had been watching this story unfold from the beginning of his time in the Dream. One thing he had learned for certain was that the little things made the biggest impact.]
You're doing what you can when you can do it. That's not nothing, and for you definitely not the minimum
... you don't seem like the guy who does anything in pieces. You give your full effort if you think something is worth doing at all.
You're doing what you can when you can do it. That's not nothing, and for you definitely not the minimum
... you don't seem like the guy who does anything in pieces. You give your full effort if you think something is worth doing at all.
No worries! cw: mention of child death, children committing murder, and physical child abuse
survivalthroughhate
2022-11-19 01:22 pm (UTC)(link)
[Ah, his young wise friend. Maul knew he'd made a good decision to put his trust in Oscar when he'd been looking for someone who could help him stay on the right path. He hummed a little in the back of his throat at Oscar's words.]
Mmm, yes, that is one of my better qualities.
[Along with Maul's insane loyalty. It was hard to win but once he gave it to someone, it was theirs to keep and took a hell of a lot for Maul to revoke it. There was also his ridiculous amount of courage and determination. Once he'd set on a course of action, Maul always saw it through no matter how difficult it was. That was when his stubbornness came in handy instead of being a detriment as it often was.]
It is.....strange. I haven't gone without killing someone for this long since I was a small child.
[Sidious had stoked enough hate and anger in Maul's hearts to have him killing people right from the start, not that the "family" of Nightbrothers who had taken him in didn't deserve what was coming to them after the way the father and two brothers had treated him.]
Mmm, yes, that is one of my better qualities.
[Along with Maul's insane loyalty. It was hard to win but once he gave it to someone, it was theirs to keep and took a hell of a lot for Maul to revoke it. There was also his ridiculous amount of courage and determination. Once he'd set on a course of action, Maul always saw it through no matter how difficult it was. That was when his stubbornness came in handy instead of being a detriment as it often was.]
It is.....strange. I haven't gone without killing someone for this long since I was a small child.
[Sidious had stoked enough hate and anger in Maul's hearts to have him killing people right from the start, not that the "family" of Nightbrothers who had taken him in didn't deserve what was coming to them after the way the father and two brothers had treated him.]
And you shouldn't have had to kill anyone at all when you were young,
[Oscar added-- then, knowing that he needed to say it:]
I'm proud of you for that. Not many people are probably going to say it, but that's a big deal for you.
[For a man who has had no choice but to kill or be killed for so long, being able to step back even a margin was itself an impressive feat. Doing that, along with schooling his little monster companions to do the same?
Somehow, Oscar suspected that the people from Maul's home wouldn't fully recognize the man he was now.]
[Oscar added-- then, knowing that he needed to say it:]
I'm proud of you for that. Not many people are probably going to say it, but that's a big deal for you.
[For a man who has had no choice but to kill or be killed for so long, being able to step back even a margin was itself an impressive feat. Doing that, along with schooling his little monster companions to do the same?
Somehow, Oscar suspected that the people from Maul's home wouldn't fully recognize the man he was now.]
[A brief shadow crossed Maul’s face when Oscar said he shouldn’t have been forced to kill from such a young age. It had only been recently he was able to admit that what he’d gone through was abuse and that he hadn’t deserved any of it. But that had been a good step along the process of healing.
Then he brightened up and gave a genuine smile when Oscar gave him praise for being able to improve as much as he had. He knew not everyone here understood his personality, that they looked at him with contempt or derision for doing what they saw as the absolute bare minimum to be a better person.
But they didn’t count. Maul had learned to write off such people, for nothing he ever did would ever be enough for them. He could have turned into a literal saint and they still would have said it wasn’t enough. The friends he had who understood his plight and could congratulate him for becoming better were all he cared about.]
Thank you for that, Oscar. It’s something I need to hear as I keep moving forward.
[It was slow, steady steps that had gotten Maul to his point, so it would have to continue to be the same moving forward as he improved himself.]
Then he brightened up and gave a genuine smile when Oscar gave him praise for being able to improve as much as he had. He knew not everyone here understood his personality, that they looked at him with contempt or derision for doing what they saw as the absolute bare minimum to be a better person.
But they didn’t count. Maul had learned to write off such people, for nothing he ever did would ever be enough for them. He could have turned into a literal saint and they still would have said it wasn’t enough. The friends he had who understood his plight and could congratulate him for becoming better were all he cared about.]
Thank you for that, Oscar. It’s something I need to hear as I keep moving forward.
[It was slow, steady steps that had gotten Maul to his point, so it would have to continue to be the same moving forward as he improved himself.]
Midoriya knows Oscar stress bakes likes pastries, so he leaves him a gift at Clockhouse. By now, due to his habit of surprising friends who are feeling down with pastries, Midoriya has gotten good at meticulously sourcing a nice bakery. Carefully wrapped in a gift basket is a variety of seasonal pastries and a note with well wishes for the new year.
[This year, Maul had decided to behave himself when it came to giving gifts, unlike in years past where he broke into people's houses rather like Santa himself did. All gifts are left on the porch or front step of the recipient's home for them to find in the morning.
This year, Maul had gotten something a little different for Oscar. It was a hidden knife necklace, something he felt fit the young boy well, given his unassuming appearance outside and the far sharper mind he carried around within. Accompanying it was a note in blocky handwriting wishing his young friend a Merry Christmas signed from Darth Maul.]
This year, Maul had gotten something a little different for Oscar. It was a hidden knife necklace, something he felt fit the young boy well, given his unassuming appearance outside and the far sharper mind he carried around within. Accompanying it was a note in blocky handwriting wishing his young friend a Merry Christmas signed from Darth Maul.]
Oscar’s gift arrives at his new doorstep in a woven grass basket, which is filled with a stack of books of fables from a variety of different worlds, each of them featuring intermittent illustrations of their subjects. Tucked around the books are a new pair of insulated pot holders and a tea cosy - and on top of the tea cosy, a tiny, bright silver pin in the shape of a metal shield sits.
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