Fourth Floor Common Room: Saturday evening

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal was happy. Really, truly happy. He was back in Fandom, to stay, this time, and everything in his world was going well.

There was really nothing to be unhappy about! So, in minor celebration, he was participating in an uniquely Fandom activity: Pizza and television.

There were a number of pizzas, because he'd determined those were the rules if you brought pizza to a common room: you always brought enough to share, and Karal was sitting on the couch, slowly flipping through the channels as he tried to work out what everything was.

Altra was sprawled across the back of the couch, contributing snarky commentary. Luckily, only Karal could hear it, though anyone watching might wonder about his apparently random moments of laughter.

[ooc: it's a common room, so of course it's open, and there are moddable pizzas for all!]

Comments

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Altra, as it turned out, was so inclined and he lowered his head. :You could pat me since you're just sitting there,: he added for good measure.

"Altra! Inara may not want to pat you, did you ever think of that?"

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"No, that's fine," she laughed, reaching out to scratch between his ears, then began petting him in long strokes. "I was hoping he wouldn't mind, but it seemed intrusive to just assume."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Her reward was a deep purr and a very smug look directed at Karal.

Karal smiled and shook his head. "I'm not sure Altra would ever object to being patted," he said, settling back against the couch. "Have you been well, Inara?"

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"Maybe not, but it's still polite to ask," she said, still petting Altra and figuring he'd move or ask her to stop when he'd had enough. "I have. I may have fallen apart on poor Gavin once or twice, but otherwise, I've been very well, thank you."

Although she remembered speaking to Luke, that wasn't the kind of information that she would pass on, even to one of his friends.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Fallen apart?" He looked at her in concern, and Altra purred louder. "Did something happen?"

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"I met the man who is my future husband over Parents' Weekend," she said grimly, "not only is he an ass of epic proportions, but apparently I suffer a grievous head injury, because there's no other reason why I'd marry him! Also, he's not Gavin. Which, I know it's silly, but...there it is."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

He smiled sympathetically, reaching out to pat her hand. "I'm not sure you can know that it is your future," he said after a long moment of thought. "This place, it seems to have alternate versions of futures. Jaina is the person to talk to about multiple versions of the same world. Though it may give you a headache," he warned, only half-teasing. "I'm not sure you can know with any certainty what the future will hold, no matter how much an ass of epic proportions might insist otherwise."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"I know, but he seemed so positive," she said grumpily. "It's not like I haven't had some of that of my own, with Principal Washburn and River, and apparently River's brother Simon, who also knows me, apparently. None of them are Companions, either, which just adds to my confusion."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

:You're going to give yourself a headache,: Altra told her sternly. :The future is not fixed.:

"Have you thought of asking Principal Washburn about the ass? And Altra is right, even those with the gift of Foresight only see possible futures." He stopped to consider her for a moment, then smiled. "Unless you want to grump, in which case I can stop talking and grump with you."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"I know, but I can't help wondering," she said, rubbing her cheek against Altra's back, enjoying the feeling of his fur against her skin. "I haven't, and no, I didn't plan to grump today. I find it very useless, as far as activities go. It's just when I think of him."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Altra purred and patted her face with his paw. "Grumping can be useful, at times," Karal said. "I could provide you with a distracting, so you don't have to think about him?"

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"Please?" She looked up at Karal hopefully.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I could tell you what happened in Valdemar?" he offered. "I promise, it's a story with a happy ending."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"I like happy endings," she said, nodding her agreement, "and I'd love to hear."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"There is a lot to tell." He folded his hands, laying it all out in his head before staring, then grinned. "Though it can be summed up by telling you that the Imperial soldiers who were in Hardorn are now part of the Alliance! Their leader has severed any allegiance to the Empire and is now standing for Hardorn!"

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"Because of you? Oh, Karal, that's wonderful! But how?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

He blushed and shook his head. "because of everyone who helped, Gavin, Jaina, Molly, Aravis, yourself," he added, glancing up at her. "It would not have happened without that, so it was because of everyone."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

Inara looked at him a little strangely. "I didn't do anything, Karal."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"You listened to me, gave me advice, cheered me out of my funk," he said quietly. "You helped keep me in one piece when I was accused of being a traitor." He touched the back of her hand fleetingly. "You helped."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

She inclined her head, accepting the compliment as it was meant, no matter how much she might wish to argue the point. "If you say so. But whatever took place at your home, that was your doing. You should be proud."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I'm simply thankful that it has resolved itself so well." He pulled one knee up, resting his chin on it. "So much happened. It began when I lost my job," he said, smiling at the phrasing. "Solaris was determined that contact would not be made with the Imperials, and the rest of the Council followed along. So…" Karal shook his head. "So I thought if the Alliance wouldn't go to the Imperials, perhaps they should come to the Alliance."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"What did you do to bring that about?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"We," he rubbed his temple, "we devised a magical way to spy on the Imperials in Hardorn, to see if there was someone among them who might listen to reason. Disturbingly enough, it proved to be their leader, Tremane. Much happened, and I decided I needed to talk with him before anything more could happen." No need to mention why he'd needed to so badly. "It ended with me giving him a way to send a message to the Alliance." He beamed. "Which he did!"

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"Congratulations!" She turned her hand to give his a friendly squeeze. "What did the message say? Did anyone take it seriously? How persuasive did you have to be?"

She ducked her head, letting her hair fall forward. "I'm sorry, I've just never met anyone who changed the world after I met them, that's all."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

He stared at her, mouth hanging open as he slowly went red, then started to laugh in disbelief. "I only did my duty, Inara," he protested, shaking his head. "That is all. If you ask Gavin, he can show you a copy of the message, but there was no persuasion from me. Solaris was...not happy. I'm lucky I survived her anger long enough to see a good result. I still don't know what happened, but several days after I was recalled to Valdemar, there was a new Ambassador in court!"