001 \ video \ open spam for tree hugging

[onlysurvivor]

[The video feed is pointed toward a series of plants in the garden. There is a very excited blond man very gently touching the leaves of one of the plants. It's like he's afraid he might break it. If one looks closely they might be able to see thin white scratch like scars covering his hands and forearms.

He smiles brightly toward the video feed.]

I knew plants were supposed to be green!

But! I didn't expect flowers to smell this good. They were said to have pleasant scents but... [he stops to smell the flowers, literally. He closes his eyes and looks truly blissful for a second.] This is amazing.

[He excited turns back to the camera.] Most of you come from worlds with green plants, right? I need you to tell me something... [Somehow his grin got broader.] Was the sun yellow? The sky, was it blue and clear of smoke and ash?

Comments

[godsays]

[ He nods. ] We sparred...

We were enemies.

[ That's the simplest way to put it. No Mistborn are truly enemies - or at least they shouldn't be, in Zane's opinion. ]

[onlysurvivor]

[Well, good job, Zane you made Kelsier frown. He flares Pewter, instincts touch on his steel enough that a near by metal watering can topples over.]

Why are you telling me this?

[godsays]

[ He doesn't move. Does nothing hostile. ]

I don't think Mistborn should be enemies. When we are, it's always because we belong to someone else... that we're someone's knife.

[onlysurvivor]

[ He extinguishes his Pewter and Steel, relaxing. He still doesn't look very happy.]

Whose knife were you?

[godsays]

Straff Venture.

[ My father, he doesn't say. ]

[onlysurvivor]

[Nope. He does not like that answer one bit. It's not something he takes out on Zane.]

I should have killed him when I had the chance.

[He collects himself a little. There is something else here.] You don't act like a noble. He was using mixed blood Mistborns? How did he get to you before the Inquisitors did?

[godsays]

You should have.

[ His agreement is honest and cold. It would have changed everything if Kelsier had. For the better. ]

Mistings. I was the only Mistborn.

He hid us.

[onlysurvivor]

[And it starts to click. Just why Zane looks so familiar. He curses under his breath.]

You were illegitimate. [Another curse and he paces away, restless, like a caged animal.] He was breeding his own army. [The idea on its own makes him feel sick. He paces near a wooden potting table and slams his fist down in a flare of Pewter. Splinters fly.]

...I'm sorry.

[godsays]

[ He burns pewter and extinguishes tin, himself, before Kelsier's fist impacts. He hardly flinches. ]

Illegitimate but of entirely noble blood. [ His tone is faintly ironic; see this quality about himself that he just loves? ] Others were half-skaa.

[onlysurvivor]

[ He's got this creeping sick feeling that just won't go away. ]

Then why did he hide you? What happened to your mother?

[godsays]

She lived. She wasn't able to marry.

[ A quiet way of saying that she was ashamed, that nine months of sequestering and a child taken away as soon as he was born wasn't enough to quell the rumors.

He perches on the edge of a bench, putting himself lower. At a disadvantage. See? ]

My father takes his women young.

[onlysurvivor]

[ His expression hardens. It makes him think of screams. That watering can he knocked over starts to shake. There is anger there, anger because there isn't a damn thing he can do about it now. He did everything he could. That's why he's here...]

[ The watering can stops shaking. He sighs, heavily. All the powers of a Mistborn, the power to incite a revolution and he still feels powerless.]

[godsays]

[ Zane's eyes rest on the watering can. He considers reaching out to Soothe Kelsier, wonders if it would be taken with appreciation or turned away with copper.

He reaches out a hand, and Pushes, infinitesimally, at the watering can. It's a very fine push, the likes of which few Mistborn can manage. Zane knows this. He knows he's something special.

The delicate push tips the watering can back right-side-up. It rocks, slightly, and steadies.

He looks to Kelsier, for his reaction. ]

[onlysurvivor]

[That little movement catches his attention. He stares at the watering can then shifts his gaze to Zane. His look his questioning.]

That was you?

[godsays]

[ A slow nod. Presumably Kelsier could feel him burning steel, at the time. ]

[onlysurvivor]

[Oh, he felt it but he has never seen that kind of control before. A little smirk crawls across his face. He burns Steel and gives the watering can a little nudge. Inviting Zane to keep it steady.]

[godsays]

[ Zane counters, a Push that he instinctively returns with matched force. It's like pressing against someone else's hand; you might not be able to say in numbers exactly what that force is, but you know how hard to push to counter them.

The muscles of his face are tight in concentration. ]

What are you doing?

[onlysurvivor]

[He releases his hold on the watering can, grinning.]

I wanted to see how strong you are.

[godsays]

Not as strong as normal.

I'm not a warden.

[ And oh how he resents that they've reduced his powers. ]

But steel's where I'm best.

[onlysurvivor]

Ah. How long have you been here?

[godsays]

Three weeks.

[onlysurvivor]

[Kelsier considers something then looks at Zane.]

Who's your Warden?

[godsays]

Charles... Xavier.

He was only just assigned.

Why?

[onlysurvivor]

Is he good? Do you want me to talk to him?

[godsays]

He hasn't had a chance to be good or bad.

[ Which is half a lie. Charles has helped, already, just in a way Zane finds difficult to quantify. ]

He's a telepath. He can speak into people's minds.

[ And he watches Kelsier carefully for any hint of familiarity with this. ]