retrospec | forward-dated to 2/5

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forward-dated to 2/5

[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.

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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.

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.]

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.]

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.]

[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.

Were you worried?

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

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.

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.

[...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.

Remember what I said.

[You Are Not Alone.]

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.

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

Sounds like it has a Capital O.

[Thus big deal]

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.

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.]

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?

They did not. He aimed a bow at me, and tried to sell me out to Mateus, when the thing was on the loose.

[Pen sits up a little straighter...]

Maybe other people had different experiences...but I can't just forget when someone points a weapon at me. He wanted what the demon promised him, and he was willing to attempt to hurt me to get it.

Sorry. If you guys were close, that's cool, I'm not trying to change your mind. We used to be, before all that, which is why it shocked me.

[Anna's quiet. the harsh reality of the situation is that she didn't know Minato for very long, and wasn't conscious when he fell off the app. she let him in closer than most for the time, but with how she is now, that level of trust she had with him is... more or less her baseline.]

No, it's fine. I don't even really... [sigh.] I was in a coma when he lost the app. So maybe he got worse.

It's hard to say. [She shrugs.]

That was a year ago, he doesn't remember it, and I've been able to talk to him online now that he's dropped off the app. We played games together online, before he got on it. It sucks, but he's back at his baseline. I just don't think I'll ever want to see him in person again.

Regardless I'm bringing us down. You need anything else? Other than the patch? Something I can do to make life easier?

[that's. yeah. that's probably the best that she can hope for. it's unfair that Minato won't ever know why Pen doesn't want to talk to him, but Anna's thoughts drift to the next apartment down the hall and the way she can't even look at Astin anymore. it's not... it's unfair. all of it.]

I don't know. I think I'm good? I just need to work on... recovering. Getting ready to head back outside again and let people see my face. Whenever that ends up being.

[might as well keep being vulnerable.]

Alright.

I should go, but I'll...be in touch. About the game. And other stuff.

Yeah.

[she lets a pause hang in the air. there's a lot she could be thanking Pen for, but she doesn't have the words to get into it. maybe something more reserved can help.]

Thanks for being here.

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forward-dated to 2/5

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