forward-dated to 2/5

[hauntedsavior]

[this is the first time anyone's seen Anna around on the network since the beginning of the month, and the first time she's been back in the city since Saturday. she went on an adventure.]

Maybe stay away from Bosuma for a while.

Anyone know where to get eyepatches? Asking for a friend.

Comments

[hauntedsavior]

Well, at least we've both got computers at heart.

[Anna cannot help but grin back. it's more of that dark humor, but it's what she's got to work with right now.]

I just did what I had to do. Same as you, yeah? We're all just fighting to keep the people and places we care about safe. Guess you... missed that little revelation I had, too, huh. [and the grin gets a lot weaker.] It's nice feeling like I have a purpose, I guess. Takes some of the weight off when shit like this happens.

[mincingminuet]

Yeah. Purpose is important. But don't let that be your only thing. Find time for enjoying yourself, even if you have to seek out new hobbies.

[Is this a subtle way of saying drink less?]

[hauntedsavior]

What, like not getting fucked up anymore? [she gives Pen a knowing look, or at least as much of one as she can give.]

I don't have blood. No alcohol, no THC. I can still do them, but they don't do anything for me anymore. I was going to the gym more, but... [sigh. she really doesn't want to say what's on the tip of her tongue about going out in public.]

[mincingminuet]

I get you. Maybe...try something new, for real. And I don't mean dreaming of electric sheep.

[Heh...]

Maybe it's dorky, but I got a spot in one of my tabletop games.

[hauntedsavior]

Tabletop? Like, roleplaying?

[Anna's eyebrow raises. it's not entirely her bag, but she might as well give it a shot if it's being offered. right?]

I've never done tabletop before. Kind of feels like my life turned into an RPG. What's, um. Who's the game with? Other app people?

[mincingminuet]

Yep.

Former app people at the moment. My cousin, Orihime. And other old friends.

[And because it should come out at some point:]

Sometimes Freya.

[hauntedsavior]

Freya? Really?

[okay, imagining Freya trying to be... Hrothgar the Abominable or whatever, that's comedy.]

I mean, just because there's an opening doesn't mean I should be the one to fill it. [phrasing.] It's a lot of numbers and dice rolling and storytelling, right? I'm really bad at improv.

[mincingminuet]

You should. Because it's easy. Even if your character just grunts and smashes things with a giant hammer.

[Just do it.]

I'm imagining you playing a gnome with a giant hammer, now.

[hauntedsavior]

[ha. okay, that gets a grin, and one that stays on her face and in her tone while she talks.]

What made you go to giant hammer? Do I really come off like a barbarian to you? And isn't every weapon giant to a gnome?

[mincingminuet]

No, I just figured you'd like that more than a sword.

And everyone likes gnomes with giant weapons. Duh.

[hauntedsavior]

Swords are, like, the one thing I'm good at, though. I don't get it. Wouldn't I want to roleplay something I actually know how to use?

[she considers what she's saying for a second.] I guess hammers aren't too complicated.

[mincingminuet]

As someone who's learned to use a...lot...of weapons, yeah. Hammers aren't too complicated.

[Uh. Yeah. She's got that on her character sheet.]

[hauntedsavior]

Oh yeah? What kind of arsenal are you working with? I don't really think I'll be diversifying anytime soon, but maybe I won't have to.

[after all, she's only ever gotten memories back of A2 using one-handed swords. surely there can't be any other weapon types in that world.]

[mincingminuet]

Uh. My parents taught me how to shoot, but this is...a bit of a long list. I remember how to use knives, spears, airship cannons, hammers, Dalmascan martial arts, and a shillelagh. Retrospec's also given me a magic knife, a magic spear, and a magic rifle. So, all that?

[Yeah. Just. Yeah.]

[hauntedsavior]

[her eyebrow raises again, and she leans back against the wall.]

God, Pen. The list of shit you don't know how to fight with is shorter. Well, cool. Now I don't have to worry about you defending yourself when Zee starts sending all of us on these missions down there.

[mincingminuet]

Were you worried?

[Real talk...she'd be surprised if she was.]

[hauntedsavior]

It's a figure of speech. [there's a confident look on her face.] You're one of the people I'd expect to see leading the charge.

[mincingminuet]

Hah. Maybe if I had an army.

[...that wasn't little creatures...]

I dunno, Anna. We'll see. Hopefully there won't need to be many more expeditions.

[hauntedsavior]

[...yeah, well. the confidence wavers, and she looks away again.]

Zee isn't done down there. We still have more things to discover and track down and map out. And as soon as I'm doing okay enough to go on another mission, I'm doing it.

[mincingminuet]

Remember what I said.

[You Are Not Alone.]

[hauntedsavior]

I know.

[she might not be as bad off as some others, but she's still losing people—but she has to remember who she has, too. she's not alone yet. and she can't act like it.]

If he starts organizing missions down there and I'm not ready to go in, I'll be mission control. [a weak laugh.] I'll be everyone's Operator.

[mincingminuet]

No shame in that. Dunno what an Operator is though.

Sounds like it has a Capital O.

[Thus big deal]

[hauntedsavior]

Yeah, kind of is. Every android in the world A2 came from had an Operator, as far as I can tell. Someone who looked after them on the field from somewhere else, just to give them information on the mission and keep an eye on their vitals.

[is she about to get sentimental? maybe.] Minato was the one who made me remember what they were. I called him my Operator until he fell off the app.

[mincingminuet]

Minato...Arisato?

[Something stiffens slightly in Pen's speech. They had never made up after...well, after he tried to sell her out to a demon.]

[hauntedsavior]

Yeah. The guy you said didn't care about anyone but himself. [and she's impressed at herself, honestly.] Guess things never really got better with you and him?