InsaneJournal

Varric had adapted readily to the Enterprise. Oh, he hated it, but he was adapted. It might be that it could feel claustrophobic at times. Even with the wide corridors and tall ceilings, it was still a giant tin can.Places like the lounge and observation deck made up for it, but there was another concern. Space.

Space was vast and dark and deep and while he was a surface dwarf who enjoyed the sky, the first time he’d looked out a window he understood how other dwarves might fear falling up.

And when Hawke left, it felt like he’d lost a tether. Sure, he had new readers for his works, now that the ship had transcribed his collection into the computer library, but it was just him from his world. And that was lonely. Though he did like talking to the computer and it writing his words down was maker sent.

He waited in the lounge, claiming the best seat with the best view through the forward windows.

Isabela was still in a bit of shock at the change of surroundings. The technology was really fucking weird but she’d at least paid attention when she was told of where she was and everything. She wasn’t so fond of the doctors, but she’d agreed to the exam.

But she was immensely relieved that Varric was here. That was definitely something. Though she wasn’t quite certain where she stood with him after the whole Qunari mess that was her fault. And she’d initially run away from it. The Arishok had been defeated and the Qunari had only recently left when Isabela had been in the process of leaving Kirkwall to keep busy from seeing Hawke or any of the others when she’d found herself here.

She made it to the lounge, taking some moments to look around. The architecture was so strange. It was a ship, but it definitely didn’t look like any ship she knew! She spotted Varric and strode over to him.

“Saving a spot for little old me?” She asked, putting on a smile. Though it was a smile masking the discontent she felt at being here, and with everything that had happened back in Kirkwall.

“A nice spot, just for you,” He replied, gesturing dramatically. The view was certainly breathtaking, and also terrifying if one had fears of the vast abyss. But Isabela was a sight for sore eyes, even if she had a few less lines than he remembered. He probably had a couple more than she remembered, but he liked to think that he was aging well.

“I’m flattered, Varric,” she responded before she looked out the window. “Maker’s balls, that’s...quite the abyss. I think I understand why dwarves feared falling up into the sky.” Isabela got a little vertigo as she looked out the window, so she quickly moved to sit down in a chair before she fell over. She looked over at Varric, trying to find her sea legs, as it were. “You look good. Is Hawke responsible for a couple of those lines on your face?”

“You know, the first time I saw it, I had the same thought.” He lifted his mug and took a long swig. “You really should try the blue stuff. Romulan ale they call it. Has a hell of a kick.”

At the mention of Hawke, he grinned. “More than a few. But not just here. Remind me to tell you about the Inquisitor and the demons raining from the sky sometime.”

“This is some serious shit. What do you even do here?” Isabela meant it in the general way, wondering how he entertained himself. “Romulan ale? Alright, I’ll take your word for it.” And that is what she was going to order.

“Demons raining from the sky? What the shit? Like literally demons raining from the sky?” She gave him a skeptical look, wondering if he was having her on.

“They do this thing called science, which I’ve determined involves looking into little windows and saying words that don’t mean anything,” Varric joked. He was sure there was more to it, similar to how there was more to Bianca than met the eye. Sort of like the mechanical sciences, anyway.

“Bad shit happened in Kirkwall, mages and templars went to war. There was a conclave for peace, someone sabotaged it, blew a hole in the Fade.”

At that, Varric upended the rest of his mug into his mouth.

“So basically what a charlatan Rivaini seer does.” Yes that was a shot at her mother. Isabela was still bitter all these years on. She probably always would be bitter.

“Wait, what? Mages and templars went to war? Someone blew a bloody hole in the Fade?” Isabela stared at him, and when she received her drink, she down half of it, grimacing a little at the burn as it went down. “Shit, Varric. How does one fix a fucking hole in the Fade?”

Varric ordered them some more drinks. The whole bottle this time. “That one’ll require a few hours.”

He had the time, but he rather would catch up with Isabela. Even if she’d seen him more recently than he had seen her. “I got something even stranger for you. I’m the Viscount of Kirkwall.”

Isabela just stared at Varric when he gave the revelation. And then she burst out into laughter. “Now you’re just pulling my leg.” Because seriously. Isabela had seen a lot and experienced a lot. But Varric being Viscount? That seemed to be quite the stretch for her.

The laughter was expected, and he just grinned at her as he fished around in his pocket. Then he held up the Viscount’s ring, complete with seal. “See, I funded most of the city’s repairs after the mage-templar war, and this is how they repaid me. The bastards.”

“Fuck, really? You throw around money to rebuild and suddenly they make you Viscount? You do know that job doesn’t exactly have a good life expectancy, yes?” Considering what happened to the previous Viscount, getting killed by the Qunari and all.

“I’ve got enough goodwill that I can retire eventually.” He leaned in, lowering his voice. “But you want to know a secret? I’m good at it. Really good at it. It’s awful. I needed someone to come kidnap me. Lucky me, right?”

“I’m not that surprised you’re good at it. You manage money really well. Though who came to kidnap you? And who could kidnap you? Unless you’re speaking metaphorically.” She said, crossing one leg over the other as she made herself a little more comfortable.

“This ship. Or that nebula thing.” He gestured out to space and the colorful nebula that looked like a rainbow squall. “It’s what brought us here. They don’t even understand it so I figure it’s some kind of magic.”

He leaned back in his chair, sighing heavily. He still dressed extravagantly, though his clothes were from the replicator. And naturally half his shirt was unbuttoned. “This isn’t the kind of place people like us belong, Rivaini. But then we’re used to being in over our heads.”

“Oh. Right. I may have temporarily stopped listening during that part of the explanation.” Isabela was one who tended to lose interest in listening to things if they became too technical or were just about something she didn’t care about.

“Varric, this is even more ‘over our heads’ than is typical for us. My place is on my non-existent ship in the middle of the ocean. Not on a ship flying through space.” She glanced out the window again. “So what are we supposed to do with ourselves here? I’m assuming that my sticky fingers would be frowned upon on this ship.” Which wouldn’t necessarily stop her from trying to steal something shiny and seemingly valuable, but still.

“Stealing things is generally frowned upon, yes.” Varric chuckled. He could remember the collection of things Isabela had acquired in her room at the Hanged Man. “I started writing new stories. That seems to keep people entertained, and being stuck so far from any place with land and a sky, keeping entertained is pretty important. There are over a thousand people on board, and that doesn’t count people like us. I’m sure you can keep yourself entertained. I hear the Captain is quite the ladies man.”

“I’ll try and behave myself, but that’s not a promise.” After all, they both knew she couldn’t behave herself for very long. “What sort of stories are you writing? Tales about your fellow travelers? Or spinning more tales of our experiences in Thedas?” Though the answer was probably all of the above. It was Varric after all. “Over one thousand people on board? I think I can find a few to keep myself entertained. I’ll have to look into this captain. I heard the guy who serves drinks is pretty eye catching as well.” The guy who was apparently the devil, though that didn’t mean anything to her.

"You promising to behave is like Hawke trying to behave." In other words, promising the exact opposite. Honestly, Varric had been 50% of Hawke's impulse control and 50% an enabler, and it was probably a similar relationship with Isabela.

"My latest is the sordid tale of the Doctor and the Devil." Varric's grin widened. "And that would be the tavernkeep. He's very handsome." He'd taken to calling Lucifer Magister.

“Hawke at least has good intentions.” Isabela responded with a shrug. Isabela was hardly ever one to have good intentions, and when she did she tried to keep it all under wraps. It would otherwise ruin her reputation.

“The Doctor and the Devil? That sounds like a sordid romance.” She had to smirk a bit, obviously intrigued by that title. “I may have to go chat him up. No doubt he’s a vast improvement over the tavern keep at the Hanged Man.”

“Sordid and filthy. Almost as filthy as the one you gave me tips on. Oh, I guess you don’t remember that yet.” That was going to get confusing really fast. But Varric would have to roll with it. “Tell me how it goes, I always need fresh inspiration.”

“I like filthy.” Isabela said with a grin. “Though hold on, I gave you tips on a filthy story you were writing?” That was definitely something she hadn’t been through yet. “If things go well and I do sleep with him, how many details do you want?” Because of course she could give him very specific details, or just general ones.

“Like, You love it.” Varric pointed one chubby finger at her, a broad grin on his face. “Yes. A lesbian elf friend had a birthday. So I wrote her Fist and Flotilla.” The title was probably enough of a hint as to some of the content.

“And I want every detail. Spare me nothing.”

“Alright, yes, I love it. I can’t help it.” She responded with a grin as she leaned back in her seat. “Fist and flotilla, huh? I can guess at the contents of that, and I like it.” Isabela would prefer to actually enact such thoughts, but that was just her.

“Then I’ll give you every juicy little detail, fear not.”

Varric raised his glass in toast. Of course, he knew what he was getting into, but he could live with that. The things one suffered through for art. “Have you found your new quarters yet? Explored the ship?”

He worried about her. Enclosed spaces might not exactly be something she enjoyed.

“I haven’t found them, no. I’m in D-33, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten on that.” Isabela took a sip of her drink. “As for exploring the ship, not so much. I’ve only seen the ship from the clinic to here.” And from what she could tell, while the ship was large, she wouldn’t like the whole being inside a confined space.

Isabela was claustrophobic, something she didn’t advertise. She didn’t like being in the Deep Roads, so not liking this wouldn’t be a surprise to Varric.

“We’ll have to go on a little adventure. Just to warn you though, some things might set off alarms if you pilfer them.” It was a fair warning for Isabela to be careful with that part of her nature. He wondered if the holodeck could replicate a heist, but what was the point if you couldn’t keep something?

“I’m always up for an adventure. Though that is good to know.” Alarms. She supposed they were similar to traps. So she’d just have to tread carefully and thoroughly scour the area if she found something she wanted to steal. It was just that simple. Well, perhaps a little more complicated than that given the technology here, but still.

Varric turned around in his seat, the better to see the other people in the lounge and maybe point them out to her. He pointed at a woman with spots running down the side of her face and disappearing into her uniform. They were barely visible in the stockings she wore with her uniform skirt. "That's Lt. Dax. She's the one responsible for that holodeck thing."

He pointed out a tall, buff woman chatting with another officer. "Diana, and Lt. Uhura."

He continued to point out people for Isabela, mostly focusing on the travellers.

Isabela turned and looked at the people as Varric pointed them out. “You weren’t kidding. There’s quite a few attractive people here. I may have my work cut out for me.” She said, looking over the crowd. Diana had quite the physique. And she was tall. If she’d had horns, Isabela might’ve thought she was a light-skinned Qunari.

“What’s the holodeck?” She asked before she got too distracted by pretty people.

He saw her eyeing Diana up and down. He couldn’t blame her. When Diana smiled it was a bit like being blinded by the sun, and her laugh almost made Varric wish she was a Dwarf. “Magic room that makes any fantasy come true for a few hours. But I think they don’t let you do the filthy ones.”

Isabela was making a mental list of people she was going to make passes at. Diana was added to that list. Yes, she didn’t think she’d have any difficulty getting to sleep with some of them. “Really? Well, I have to say the filthy ones are always best experienced with real people.”

"I'm going to have to agree with that one. But someone took me on something called 'white-water rafting', which was an experience." Varric moved his hands like he was trying to paint a picture of it. "You get stuck in this little rubber raft with a couple other people, and you go down the river all nice and slow, and then suddenly you hit the rapids and you're screaming for your life while paddling like a maniac."

Isabela looked at him confusedly, watching his hands paint the picture. “I assume that you’re supposed to come out of that alive? That sounds like a description of some of the shit Hawke got us into. ‘Oh don’t worry guys, it’ll be FINE.’ And then ‘Oops sorry about that mine full of dragons’ or ‘Sorry about that Warden prison full of darkspawn, a crazy old Grey Warden, other crazy Grey Wardens oh, and a talking darkspawn.’”

Varric laughed. “I had the same reaction. But it was exciting, and fun. A bit like being on a ship at sea during a storm, only you’re a foot away from crashing into jagged rocks at all times.”

“Considering I’ve been through the storm on a ship that ultimately crashed on jagged rocks, that’s not a fun experience.” Okay sure that was only half the truth. The Qunari dreadnaught was on her ass at the time as well. But the storm definitely didn’t help matters there.

"Afraid, Rivaini?" Varric's eyes were twinkling as he teased her. "To make a long point short, it feels real. The water, the sound, the sky, everything. I've seen the fade, seen magic, and it's ... it's nothing like it."

"Varric!" Diana excused herself from her friend, walking over to the pair. She smiled brightly, inclining her head towards them. "Are you going to introduce me to your lovely friend?"

“I can safely say that is not a ride I’m willing to take anytime soon.” Isabela said with a nod. She was not in any hurry to experience that again. Upon hearing someone address Varric, Isabela looked up to see Diana coming over. She flashed a charming smile. “I’m Isabela, a new arrival here.”

"Maybe we can make a ship," Varric mused. He nodded at Diana, "I would, but she's already introduced herself."

"Isabela, what a beautiful name." She held out her hand. "I am Diana. Welcome aboard!"

"Careful, Rivaini," Varric warned. "She's the one that took me white water rafting."

"I've never seen a man look so green before," Diana joked. "Next time, I will show you what skydiving is." Really, the only person on board who was a worse enabler was probably Jadzia.

Isabela shook Diana’s hand, then eyed her for a moment before looking at Varric, then back at Diana. “White water rafting does not sound like something up my alley.” Which was saying something because there tended to be a lot that was up Isabela’s alley. “Though skydiving. What is that?”

Diana's eyes got a mischeivous twinkle. While not everyone could fly (okay most people couldn't) there were ways to pretend. "Jumping off a very tall object, and using a sheet to slow your fall. It's great fun."

"Sounds like a laugh riot. I'd rather keep my feet on the ground. You're almost as exhausting as Dax."

"I've just been very bored lately. You'll be there for my play at least?"

"That I can do." Varric got to his feet. "Why don't I leave you two to get to know one another. I've got to polish Bianca."

“A sheet, huh? Sounds like a rush,” Isabela commented. That may or may not be something that Isabela could be into. She’d just have to try it first was all. She smirked a bit at Varric. “Send Bianca my love and tell her I’ll visit her soon, yes?” Because there was no way she wasn’t going to take an opportunity to say hello to her favorite crossbow.

Isabela then stood up, turning her full attention to Diana. “Oh, you’re a big girl, all muscley. I like it.” She had a flirtatious smile on her face.

"She never used to be confused until she met you," Varric replied. He tossed off a little salute before making his exit. Poor Bianca, she really did need his comfort.

"His obsession with that crossbow is rather alarming." Diana watched him, go, then turned back to Isabela with a bright smile. She reached out to smooth her hands down the sides of Isabela's head. "I work out, but I get a lot of it from my mother."

“I have that effect on women,” she returned to Varric, with a proud grin. It was probably safe to say that ‘sexuality: Isabela’ was a legit thing. “She’s a special crossbow.” Which was an understatement, but enough about Bianca for the moment. At Diana’s touch, Isabela was slightly thrown, but she liked it.

“Your mother must also be quite the looker. You’re quite easy on the eyes.” She responded, looking up at Diana.

"You spend your time confusing women, then?" Diana didn't seem particularly confused nor thrown off by Isabela's forwardness. It was honestly refreshing. After a century of learning to pussy-foot around various issues, being on the Enterprise was like a breath of fresh air.

"She is beautiful, even though I haven't seen her in a very long time."

“More like I awaken something in them that they never knew was there before.” Isabela stated proudly. Though she did like confusing women at times as well.

“So you get your looks from her. You are very beautiful. You could probably take on Aveline. Or Lady Man-Hands as I like to call her.” She chuckled.

Diana raised her eyebrows, cocking her head. "If she is a woman, then her hands are those of a woman's. But I think I could take her." Her voice was teasing, and it would be easy to misconstrue what she was saying. And maybe that was on purpose. "You have no idea what I can do."

“I’d pay a sovereign to see you take her,” Isabela countered with some suggestion in her tone. Oh yes, she definitely would pay to watch Diana take Aveline on in combat, or between the sheets. Both would be equally entertaining. “No, I don’t, but I’m certain with those biceps of yours, there isn’t much you can’t do.”

"Ah, but I'm not one to show off." Except when she was. Though granted, she'd shown off for Lucifer to warn him about just how strong she was before he had her punch him. She was tempted to pick Isabela up. Just a little bit.

"Are you always so forward with someone you just met?" She definitely didn't sound put out.

“Is that so? Huh, you look like you could show off if you wanted to.” Isabela pointed out, eyeing Diana up. At the question, she grinned. “Always. Many react poorly, but I do it to find the ones who like it.”

“It’s refreshing. Where I am from, we try to be honest and open with one another. If someone is interested in someone, we say so. Though sometimes it could be a little awkward.” She smiled a mysterious smile and smoothed Isabela’s hair again, before patting both of her cheeks at once. “Perhaps I will show off for you.”

“Now, see, that’s the proper way to engage someone. If you’re interested, say so, even if it’s just a no-strings-attached thing. What’s the point in having sexuality if one never engages in it, I say!” Isabela smirked. “I do enjoy seeing people show off. I also enjoy showing off for people as well. I also see that you a very touchy-feely kind of person. I like that.”

“It’s a cultural thing,” Diana replied, laughing. She stepped back to give Isabela space, though she suspected Isabela probably didn’t mind. “I grew up on an island of Amazons. No men, just women.” Her eyes twinkled. “Paradise.”

Isabela definitely didn’t mind the closeness. “An entire island filled with women? Oh you’re such a tease! But I would by far love such a place.” Isabela was bisexual, but she tended to have a preference for women. Still, she was an equal player, more than happy to give anyone a try so long as she liked them enough to do so.

“I think you might have given some of us a run for our money.” Going back had never really been an option, and she missed it so. She hadn't taken advantage of the holodeck to recreate it and wasnt sure she actually would.

“Do you have plans tonight? Would you like to get a drink?” Of course, she knew what Isabela actually wanted, but she had to play hard to get. It was part of the game.

“I do enjoy giving people a run for their money,” Isabela said with a note of pride. Because of course she was proud of that aspect of herself. And of course, she knew Diana was playing hard to get, and that was fine. But Isabela also never said no to a drink.

“Nope, no plans. Only just arrived, so what better way to adjust to things than by having a drink and spending time with such a lovely woman.” It was also something familiar to her, drinking and hitting on attractive people.

“We can chat,” Diana said, and gave Isabela a little wink. “And who knows where that might lead?”