6[19:25] * Kivuli jumps with a startled squawk, flares out her wings and tenses her body ready to bolt. She looks up at Iradanus with wide eyes and winces at his tone. The little griffonling is still crying as she looks up at the zebra and listens to him. She sniffles and, after several seconds of silence, gives Iradanus a little nod and grips his fetlock with her talons, "Iri... y-you're probably right but... I know you probably understand... I just keep finding out these /horrible/ things about changelings and what people think about changelings and I'm not sure how I feel about /being/ one now." she shudders a little and tries to wipe at her tears semi-successfully with a wing. She seems to have regained some composure but is still clearly distraught. The little queen still turns to Butter_Cup however and says somewhat forcefully, "It's /not/ your fault Butter. You're... you're a wonderful mare who's just had bad stuff happen. I get it... sorry I know this isn't really something I should've dragged you into..." she makes a few awkward little claw circles.
03[19:26] * Kivuli is now known as Triss
06[19:36] * Iradanus inhales softly and says to Triss, "My parents told me that the reason why stereotypes exist are that there is some truth to them. What you- what we must do, is that we must rise above them. We owe it to ourselves. Over time, the way people look at you might just change. Maybe even the way people look at /your/ people. We can hope, and that is one thing we still have in this world." He turns...
06[19:36] * Iradanus ...to Butter_Cup. "Apologies for the outburst. I'm sorry that you had to go through those experiences with the changelings. It is my hope, though, that for those bad experiences, you may find a friend in turn."
06[19:43] * ~Butter_Cup 's ears droop when Triss speaks oof not knowing how to feel about her own race and she squirms on her haunches. She looks down at the floor, sighs, and ruffles her wings. "...no, Triss, you have nothing to apologize for. NEVER apologize for who you are. I... if I had done that, if I had given in, I would not have this life. I would not be /here/." She looks up at the changeling for
06[19:43] * ~Butter_Cup a moment, gaze determined but eyes a little wet and shiny, then looks at Iradanus. "You do not need to apologize either. You are... taking care of your friend. As you should. I... I want to call her such myself. I do. I trust your judgement. She seems like a good person. I like her. How can I not? She is attempting to live under ideal born of my own." She takes a deep breath, lets it out
06[19:43] * ~Butter_Cup slowly, then looks at Triss once more. "I just need a little... time.
[19:43] <~Butter_Cup> "
06[19:45] * Triss lifts her head to listen to Iradanus again and blinks a little in surprise then, after another moment of silence, starts to nod again before stopping with a little frown, "Iri... changelings aren't my people. My people are everyone living in our town." nevertheless she flutters over and hugs him before turning her head to Butter_Cup and nodding a little with a couple weak chirps of agreement. Eyes starting to dry up again. She blink blinks at Butter_Cup, "Um... I wasn't apologizing for that. Just for like uh... pulling you into this and making you feel worse." she blinks and perks up a little when the mare says she's like to be friends. She blinks at Butter then chirps again, "Yeah I... I could use some time too..."
06[19:46] * Triss continues hugging Iradanus as she speaks to Butter_Cup unless he removes her.
06[19:51] * Iradanus nods lightly to Butter_Cup and lightly inclines his head. "I can understand it will take time. That's a lesson you taught me not too long ago." Looking down at Triss, the armored stallion rests a supportive hoof on her shoulder. "What I... what I mean is your race, not your people. It is..." He turns back to Butter_Cup, "(I am trying to explain how one can represent something larger than...
06[19:51] * Iradanus ...just oneself when associated with a collective- like how my actions can affect people's opinions of our squad, of Bethoovesda, of zebrakind, and possibly of the Old Legion. Your actions reflect upon your associations and allegiances in that way, is what I mean.)"
06[19:55] * ~Butter_Cup nods lightly to Triss, ears still drooped, then looks at Iradanus. She listens to him intently, then turns back to the griffonling. "Iradanus is trying to that what he meant is that not only are people a reflection of those they associate with, those people are also a reflection on them. He is trying to say that with hard work and dedication you can change the opinion people have
06[19:55] * ~Butter_Cup toward changelings just as he is trying to do with zebras." She looks to the bulky buck for confirmation.
[19:55] <~Butter_Cup> trying to say*
06[19:57] * Iradanus 's player temporarily breaks post order (scandalous!) to nod to Butter_Cup in confirmation. "Thank you."
06[19:58] * Triss gently sways her tail with Iradanus's hoof on her... even though she's clearly having a small ammount of trouble with the weight. She blinks up at Iradanus, frowns in confusion then looks between him and Butter_Cup. She frowns in thought when Butter explains and scratches her head with a claw, "I mean that's a noble goal and stuff but... I'm not sure how /I/ feel about changelings so... I'm not even sure it's a good idea to try that yet. Maybe most changelings /are/ bad. I don't have a plucking clue."
06[20:01] * Iradanus purses his lips briefly from Triss words before he asks Butter_Cup, "I'm sorry to ask this, but do you know of any friendly changelings? Here, maybe?"
06[20:04] * ~Butter_Cup shakes her head at Triss. "I do not believe that. There are... other changelings that I know that have done nothing wrong as far as I know. The ones in the hive downstairs, for example. The tavern... it... rarely allows bad people inside, even more rarely allows them to make it their home." She looks down in shame. "But I cannot speak from experience as I have... avoided getting to
06[20:04] * ~Butter_Cup know them more than just in passing." She squirms on her haunches and looks up at Iradanus and Triss with just her eyes. "I am not perfect, despite the picture your book paints of me."
[20:04] <~Butter_Cup> that book paints of me."*
06[20:09] * Triss raises a claw, "Um well. I met /one/ but that's just one. Maybe it's different in her er... it's? time." unsure what pronouns to use. She blinks up at Butter_Cup then nods a little, "Alright..." she makes a little claws circle again, "I... I guess maybe it's a good idea. Still not sure." she composes herself a little, releases Iradanus and stands up straighter on the table with a determined look, "But our town comes first." she looks at Butter_Cup again then lets out a little sigh and nods, "Yeah... I getcha." she notices the squirming and frowns in concern, "I don't wanna make you uncomfortable Butter and you clearly need some space to thinks. how much time do you need? I don't wanna come back before you're ready." she smiles lightly at the mare in an attempt to get her to relax a little.
06[20:14] * Iradanus says to Butter_Cup. "No one is perfect, Butter. The Old Legion wasn't. But I know you are a good pony. A good person. To me, that's all that matters." He turns to Triss and blinks. "You /met/ another changeling here? I don't want to be rude, but what was that like?" At Triss' question to Butter_Cup, he looks between the two of them, still leaving a supportive hoof on the griffiness' shoulder...
06[20:14] * Iradanus ...(though not pinning her there or anything).
06[20:18] * ~Butter_Cup smiles weakly back at Triss. "I need a few days to... process all of this and talk about it with my loves, but... time is a curious thing in this place. You could come back in three days and find a month has passed for me." She flicks her tail and ruffles her wings. "Whenever you feel you are ready, return. If I am not I will say so." She nods to Iradanus and looks away. "Which is
06[20:18] * ~Butter_Cup another reason why I am uncomfortable with that book, but that is not important right now. What is important is that you both have made me realize I still have lingering prejudices that I need to... deal with. Now that I look at how I have felt and thought about changelings for the past few years, I find myself ashamed."
06[20:19] * Triss looks up at Iradanus, "It was /reaaaally/ creepy at first... then it was kind of alright. She was actually sort of nice but uh... then another showed up and was a lot creepier and then their /queen/ showed up and it was a LOT creepier and I kinda froze up and left." she blinks at Butter_Cup then frowns in concern again, "Well if you were avoiding changelings it's not like you hurt anyone with it."
06[20:20] * Triss shakes her head, "Anyway though yeah. We should give you some space." she flutters over to grab her things and starts moving towards the door after slipping away from Iradanus
06[20:22] * Iradanus says to Butter_Cup, "Maybe, but you are willing to recognize these feelings and try to come to terms with them. That is something I don't see often in people. And I respect that." He then turns to Triss and nods to her before looking back at Butter_Cup. "Thank you very much for having us, and thank you very much for helping me. Is there anything I can do for you?"
06[20:26] * ~Butter_Cup waves a wing weakly to Triss. "I am sorry our first meeting did not go so well. Take care of yourself, okay?" She sighs, then looks at Iradanus and gives him another small smile. "Thank you, my friend. I hope tonight does not make you reluctant to visit again soon. I will be fine."
06[20:27] * Triss weakly waves her wing back at Butter_Cup and gives another soft chirp, "Me too." she chirps again, "Lemme know if I can help next time I come by."