He nods. "Now's a good time to get a proper augment." Iago has had his upgraded room for long enough to adjust to it, but now he can have more than one room and so it's just the time to upgrade to a reasonable level of technology. "Another slate, too. There are some new games." There are plenty of things that Mikodez - or Iago, now - could just request from the Admiral, but Mikodez likes a more personal touch.
"You'll have to play a game with Zehun, too. Don't worry, it's just about how you'll handle losing." Lucky for Iago, as Mikodez is the one who'll have to explain things. Well, that will give Iago a chance to practice with variable layout a bit. He takes a bite of a cookie, not bad.
"I'll need a translator at first," he admits. His language lessons have been going well enough, but he's less thana year into it and isn't yet fluent. Without the benefit of the Barge, he knows he might get lost.
But an augment...
He looks down to his arm and then over to Mikodez with a nod. Might as well.
"I am looking forward to meeting Zehun," he admits. "But you already know I can lose gracefully!"
"We always have decent translators on hand." Iago does need to master the language without having to rely on anything else, of course, because anything less would be dangerous in multiple ways, but he won't be without assistance until he gets there. He makes a mental note to add a few of the other common languages that can be found in the hexarchate to him to start practicing. It can be useful to compare them, in any case.
Mikodez grins at him, as he finishes the cookie.
"There are many variations on what it looks like to lose gracefully, and they like to see it with their own eyes." Zehun will definitely want to see in this case. "Believe me, if I didn't know you could take defeat, I wouldn't put you in a position to fail."
He rests a hand on Iago's shoulder, as he allows himself a depth of sincerity there's only so much space for. "I'm proud of you. I know how much work you've done. How to prioritize, and to look at what it truly means to win or lose." It's one of the lessons that's especially important for a Shuos. Mikodez never hide that he had expectations for him, but Iago was the one who had met them.
He looks over to him and breathes out. "Sir...I don't think I am ready to
leave here without more work. If I can't stand on my own when I leave, then
I might as well go back to Venice. I intend to keep learning, keep
studying, so I am ready for any tests when I am finished," he says with
equal sincerity.
"But more importantly, I won't forget what I have learned."
"I know that you'll come ready to face things, or know not to come at all." He smiles again. "So don't think I'll forget how much you can do when you apply yourself." Both in life and when it comes to working on his math sheets. Iago never has to worry that Mikodez will forget him. The price of a Shuos' attention is a Shuos' attention, and it's a price that those within the faction now how to properly evaluate.
"I trust you won't." It's always at least a touch threatening when Mikodez says that, but that's part of knowing that he means it. "There are always new lessons to learn, and I know you'll be able to figure out which ones are important." Some day, Iago will even figure out a few more of Mikodez's plans. But he's still young. "And that you know how to entertain yourself along the way."
"Ah, but sir, before we leave, I do have plenty of notes on the primer that you gave me for the hexarchate," he says with anknowijg sort of smile. He's worked hard enough to see the inconsistencies and he has Thoughts about that.
"And I am not - announcing anything yet," he explains. "I need to speak woth the Cat King after the flood."
Iago shakes his head. "I need to leave first," he says softly. "To go with you on the short trip."
When he talks with CK, they're going to fight. CK is going to throw a tantrum. He's going to be angry and hurt and afraid. And Iago doesn't want to leave at that point. He'd rather leave and return before CK even knows that he's gone.
That makes perfect sense to Mikodez. Better to... well, he doesn't really do 'ask for forgiveness', but better to have evidence to prove a point than waste time arguing about it beforehand.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: ~ near end of flood time
Date: 2025-12-21 09:29 pm (UTC)"You can have one," he laughs softly. "I look forward to it."
Which is an understatement. He is practically vibrating with excitement.
Re: ~ near end of flood time
Date: 2025-12-21 09:44 pm (UTC)"You'll have to play a game with Zehun, too. Don't worry, it's just about how you'll handle losing." Lucky for Iago, as Mikodez is the one who'll have to explain things. Well, that will give Iago a chance to practice with variable layout a bit. He takes a bite of a cookie, not bad.
Re: ~ near end of flood time
Date: 2025-12-21 09:48 pm (UTC)But an augment...
He looks down to his arm and then over to Mikodez with a nod. Might as well.
"I am looking forward to meeting Zehun," he admits. "But you already know I can lose gracefully!"
More a playful protest than a real one.
Re: ~ near end of flood time
Date: 2025-12-21 10:04 pm (UTC)Mikodez grins at him, as he finishes the cookie.
"There are many variations on what it looks like to lose gracefully, and they like to see it with their own eyes." Zehun will definitely want to see in this case. "Believe me, if I didn't know you could take defeat, I wouldn't put you in a position to fail."
He rests a hand on Iago's shoulder, as he allows himself a depth of sincerity there's only so much space for. "I'm proud of you. I know how much work you've done. How to prioritize, and to look at what it truly means to win or lose." It's one of the lessons that's especially important for a Shuos. Mikodez never hide that he had expectations for him, but Iago was the one who had met them.
Re: ~ near end of flood time
Date: 2025-12-21 10:08 pm (UTC)He looks over to him and breathes out. "Sir...I don't think I am ready to leave here without more work. If I can't stand on my own when I leave, then I might as well go back to Venice. I intend to keep learning, keep studying, so I am ready for any tests when I am finished," he says with equal sincerity.
"But more importantly, I won't forget what I have learned."
Re: ~ near end of flood time
Date: 2025-12-21 10:22 pm (UTC)"I trust you won't." It's always at least a touch threatening when Mikodez says that, but that's part of knowing that he means it. "There are always new lessons to learn, and I know you'll be able to figure out which ones are important." Some day, Iago will even figure out a few more of Mikodez's plans. But he's still young. "And that you know how to entertain yourself along the way."
Re: ~ near end of flood time
Date: 2025-12-21 10:26 pm (UTC)"Ah, but sir, before we leave, I do have plenty of notes on the primer that you gave me for the hexarchate," he says with anknowijg sort of smile. He's worked hard enough to see the inconsistencies and he has Thoughts about that.
"And I am not - announcing anything yet," he explains. "I need to speak woth the Cat King after the flood."
Re: ~ near end of flood time
Date: 2025-12-21 10:42 pm (UTC)"Yes, I expected that you'd want to have a discussion with him first."
Re: ~ near end of flood time
Date: 2025-12-22 02:30 am (UTC)When he talks with CK, they're going to fight. CK is going to throw a tantrum. He's going to be angry and hurt and afraid. And Iago doesn't want to leave at that point. He'd rather leave and return before CK even knows that he's gone.
Re: ~ near end of flood time
Date: 2025-12-22 02:37 am (UTC)"I'll meet you here once the flood is done."
Re: ~ near end of flood time
Date: 2025-12-22 02:44 am (UTC)"Do you want to play?" he asks, gesturing to the screen.
Re: ~ near end of flood time
Date: 2025-12-22 02:46 am (UTC)"I'd love to."
It's very rare he gives up the chance to play a game, and this is the perfect time for it.
Re: ~ near end of flood time
Date: 2025-12-22 02:50 am (UTC)He's been practicing, so he won't embarrass himself, but it also means that he knows how to cheat the courses.