Room 618 at the Arms Hotel, Friday Early Evening

[firstofitskind]

His relationship with Verity might be intact, if a little fragile, but there was still some shit going on in his head that Liam needed to figure out. And there was really only one person on the island who had a chance in hell of helping with that.

So it was that he was knocking on Ghanima's door at the hotel, box of pastries from J,GoB in hand, to ask for her assistance.

[ooc: that he went to her for help is okay to mention, but details of their conversation NFB, please!]

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[firstofitskind]

"You'd have to go back a few years," Liam said, shaking his head. "The healing chamber we found should have worked, but by the time we managed to convince what was left of both species that we had a solution, it was too late. I gave myself over to it, let it consume me... for nothing. They died anyway."

And at peace with his destiny or not, being burned alive in a suddenly-active volcano had not been a good time.

[atreideslioness]

"'Consume' you?" Liam, you are not improving her opinion of your world.

"...I think...you may also wish to speak with my brother, next time he is in town. He has undergone a rather drastic transformation as well recently, and if you can withstand his initial brattiness--" said with the fondness of a twin sister, truly, "--I think the two of you would have a lot in common."

[firstofitskind]

Liam’s world was kind of a mess, it was true.

“I left behind my physical form,” he explained, “and joined a sort of universal consciousness.” It was a very fancy way of saying he’d died, yes. “Human physicists would call it the infinite order, but the Kimera called it Shahariah. I remained there until the collective will of the universe set me free.”

So... a few things in common with Leto, probably, yeah.

[atreideslioness]

"If I thought conquering your universe would have any hope of improving it, I'd do it," she sighed. "You and the Jedi."

That was a joke. Mostly. Kinda. (not)

[firstofitskind]

“The Jedi?” Liam frowned, confused. He remembered what she’d said of them the first time they’d spoken, but wasn’t entirely sure of the connection.

[atreideslioness]

"They also subscribe to an 'emotions and attachments are bad' philosophy, and have a rival sect that feels emotions are power," she sighed. "It's caused me to have some... traumatized. Students. Over the years."

[firstofitskind]

“Well, if nothing else, I know that neither side was ‘right’,” Liam pointed out. That they were both dead was kind of a big clue.

But knowing that on an intellectual level was different than actually being able to apply that lesson.

[atreideslioness]

"Knowing does not always mean understanding," she teased gently, sipping her tea. "And 'knowing' gets in the way of learning."

[firstofitskind]

Liam shrugged. “I’ve more experience with the former than the latter, really.”

[atreideslioness]

"What is it you want to understand and learn, besides how to manage the voices?" Ghanima asked curiously. "You aged into this body rapidly, but how long have you been this age? If you had no teachers, you must have some questions."

[firstofitskind]

“I’ll be seven in June,” Liam told her. “I entered into service as a Companion-Protector within my first day. I took over as leader of the human Resistance a few months after that.” He sighed, putting his teacup down to press a thumb into his palm again. “Aside from Verity,” he paused for just a second, smiling fondly, “Nobody’s ever asked me what I wanted, not really. I’ve always just... done what was necessary, what I was expected to do. Now...” he trailed off. Now he had the freedom to do what he wanted, and it was, frankly, a little overwhelming more often than not. “I can just. Be a person. But sometimes I worry that I don’t even really know how to do that.”

[atreideslioness]

"Well, it's my understanding that people have hobbies," she mused. "When I first came to Fandom, despite having knowledge of this time period, I felt quite out of place, even beyond being the only Preborn on the island, and a desert child surrounded by water."

"But, I made friends who helped me greatly. I learned how to bowl, and had my first pizza, and was introduced to video games. I do not like the games where you play alone, but I didn't mind the ones you played together, and it was fun to make Faith swear when I won." Ghanima's smile was slightly impish. "She was a very bad influence."

[firstofitskind]

“Verity’s teaching me how to dance,” Liam offered shyly. He’d never be as good as she was, of course, but it didn’t really matter, because this was something that was his, not a skill he’d been born knowing how to perform.

[atreideslioness]

Ghani clapped in delight. "See? There. You already have a place to start, and dance will help with some of the things I am going to make you do."

Be afraid, Liam. Be very afraid.

[firstofitskind]

“... Should I be concerned?” Liam asked, sounding more curious than wary.

[atreideslioness]

"Nothing you need to worry about yet," she sing-songed. "Now drink your tea and eat something. Sharing is stressful on the body, and I'm willing to bet that you haven't been eating or resting properly since everything happened. Exhaustion is bad."

[firstofitskind]

That was not terribly reassuring, Ghanima. Liam was just going to narrow his eyes at you. And eat his pastry.

He wasn't going to argue that he didn't need as much sleep as a normal human would, because yes, even his usual three or so hours had been kind of a struggle lately.