rusty muse is rusty; upd8 spoilers

[bl1ndfolds33r]

C4N W3 DO TH1S L4T3R
TRY1NG TO R3G41N CONTROL OF MY L1F3 H3R3
GOT 4 B1TCH TO ST4B B3FOR3 1 BL33D OUT

Comments

[kingunmaker]

Oh don't be modest, my lady. You are clever- you, the good master Strider and ladies Lalonde and Maryam are some of the brightest young minds I've seen in a long time.

Alas, to underestimate the wills of the obstinate seemingly remains the Achilles Heel of the truly clever.
[And the douche-bag begins to, believe it or not, pace. Round and round he goes, hands behind his back... for now.]
Why would someone bother persevering in an argument when they don't have facts on their side, the clever say. Why would someone cling to pain instead of leaving it behind them?
[Aaand a pregnant pause in the middle of the rant, coupled with an oh so smug glance- the kind that doesn't last long enough to be a creepy stare, but DEFINITELY long enough that you know it's supposed to be meaningful and shit.]

Why, oh why... would someone insist on drawing hundreds of sharp angles that come together to form a circle, instead of simply drawing a circle?
[And stop, his arms finally getting to stretch themselves with all the flair they can muster as he slowly draws out a circle with his pointer fingers. Not exactly full on scene-stealing Vriska level of theatrics, but the tone certainly is a familiar one.]

[bl1ndfolds33r]

[An eyebrow goes up. There are many things she could say, like "why are you talking about circles" or "surely if I was clever I'd know what those dramatic pauses are meant to imply", but, well... experience. Engaging someone on their terms when they act like Vriska this gets you nowhere. Derails are better.]

SO DO YOU TH1NK YOUR3 OBST1N4T3, OR CL3V3R?

[kingunmaker]

Clever enough to see the many ways there are to reach my goals. Obstinate enough to pursue them all.

[And then he giggles at his own wit. As this sort does.]

It is important to balance the two, but if I had to pick either one it would have to be "obstinate". Put someone clever in an unfamiliar situation, and watch them crumble as their lack of knowledge turns into lack of confidence. If the clever are no longer clever, they won't know what to do with themselves. But an obstinate person? You can outmatch them, outwit them, outrun, outgun and outmaneuver them but no matter what- they simply will not care~!

[bl1ndfolds33r]

HOLD1NG 4 B1T OF 4 DOUBL3 ST4ND4RD TH3R3
1F TH3 CL3V3R STOP B31NG CL3V3R VS 1F TH3 OBST1N4T3 K33P B31NG OBST1N4T3
1TS L1K3 S4Y1NG SUBT3RFUG3 1S B3TT3R TH4N ST34LTH B3C4US3 4 CONV1NC1NG L13 WORKS B3TT3R TH4N 4 NO1SY BURGL4R
1 4GR33 1F YOU H4V3 TO P1CK ON3 C4T3GORY FOR YOURS3LF, YOUV3 P1CK3D TH3 R1GHT ON3
WH1CH OF YOUR GO4LS H4V3 YOU R34CH3D 4NYW4Y?
1T MUST B3 4N 1MPR3SS1V3 L1ST BY NOW

[kingunmaker]

Not enough of them.

[He debates leaving that particular thread dangling. The TRUE nature of his goals are not for anyone, even a very clever girl like her to hear, buuuut... this might be a good opening...]

But I did once come out as the winner of a game involving time travel.

[bl1ndfolds33r]

HOW N1C3 FOR YOU!
G4M3S 4R3 LOV3LY D1V3RS1ONS

[Her current grin is far too saccharine for Terezi's face. It... it's just not right.]

[kingunmaker]

[Now what sort of reaction do we have here? Ingratiating? or a warning...]

Oh, but that isn't all they are! Why, I believe they can be very educational as well- you would be surprised at how much one can learn by studying the same events play out again and again, with slightly altered variables here and there.

[bl1ndfolds33r]

[She'd been aiming for condescending indulgence.]

3DUT41NM3NT 1S 4LW4YS 1N STYL3
GOT TO K33P TH3 WR1GGL3RS TH1NK1NG

[Studying the results of what if you'd made a little alteration here, what if you'd prevented this here, what if what if what if... wasn't that exactly what she'd tried doing with her powers in the early nights on the meteor? Before she realized it was an exercise in futility and her powers--or at least her own ability to make use of them--were shit? So excuse her if she sounds a little bitter right now, if her grin grows a little strained.

She's getting pretty sick of surrender though.]

BUT WOULDNT 4 TRULY OBST1N4T3 P3RSON R3FUS3 TO CH4NG3 THOS3 V4R14BL3S
4FT3R 4LL W3 3ST4BL1SH3D TH4T SUCH P3OPL3 DONT C4R3 1F TH3YR3 WRONG, 4ND TH4T TH31R V1RTU3 1S 1N STUBBORN P3RS1ST4NC3 3V3N WH3N F4CTS 4R3 4G41NST TH3M

[kingunmaker]

My, miss Pyrope... I suppose that I should, in my magnamity, speak with a bit more clarity.

That depends entirely on what your endgoal is.