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[recollecters]

So here's the thing… We have a lot of work left to do. Those of you who ventured down below got a taste of what we're looking at and hopefully that means we can make better preparations. I'm working on opening a new portal based on your energy readings and getting it to stabilize itself so you aren't stuck down there longer than you have to be. May take a few days, but I'm hoping to get a map drawn up, too. How many of you have been out to Magatus? You might wanna compare notes…the influence started spreading even further. It's better to bring everything and everyone out there back to the city where we can put up forcefields and I can monitor from here. So what am I saying? I need two teams, a rescue team and an exploration team. Take some time to decide, figure out your skills, organize and arm yourselves. Assignments will go out when you're ready, and when I'm ready. Oh yeah…and if you're interested in working for me directly? Send me your résumé. Zee Carlisle Hiring Manager Retrspec Incorporated Characters' display names are the same as whatever has been previously chosen and are permanently locked in! Please feel free to use this post as a network mingle. Every toplevel can be considered a new post, and threadjacking is permitted. No NPC response will be given, though you're free to hit up his individual inbox later. As a friendly reminder, you may also claim one of this month's freebie by submitting a thread from this mod post. This thread must be 10 comments from you and submitted before AC closes.

Comments

private;

[dereban]

[ UM Hm. Give her a second to actually just put this on private so that nobody else can see what she's going to type because: ] How can you be fired from something that we never were? I don't recall you asking to be my friend or vice versa. And I wouldn't understand why you would even want to.

private;

[jurai]

[Yes thank you for that private filter because--oof]

Ouch

At least let me down easy next time...

[Maybe he did misread a little bit from the time they met up for waffles to be introduced, and maybe he'd been just a little too eager to assimilate Raina in.

He just remembers the time of his life when he was loneliest, and it took a literal punch to the face to get him to knock that crap off. Guess this is a more metaphorical version of that.]

Is this about what happened? Because I'm not blaming you, or anything. Loneliness can eat away at you until it rears an ugly head. Sometimes by your own making, sometimes by assholes like Retrospec

If it's not...well


I'll adjust to that

[dereban]

[ Well, it certainly doesn't help that Raina tends to act casual even as she puts a proverbial wall around herself. ]

Even so, it isn't an excuse for what happened.

[jurai]

[Your family is messed up and that's saying something coming from the past-life terrorist]

And this is the solution you got?

[dereban]

[ Don't you know, Crow, their family middle name is "self loathing". ] What, are you saying you have a better one?

[jurai]

[His last name is Armbrust but you don't see him going around shooting--wait no this doesn't work]

I can't say I blame you for cutting off everything

I did it before I came to Recolle

[dereban]

And? What's the point of telling me this?

[jurai]

Put simply?



You're being a bonehead

[dereban]

A "bonehead"? Seriously? I'm doing this because unlike so many other people on this application, I am a liability, and what happened proved just that.

[jurai]

BONEHEAD BONEHEAD BONEHEAD

Please

You're hardly the first hot mess this application has, and you're definitely not the biggest

[dereban]

And that matters why, exactly?

[jurai]

Jeez, you couldn't catch a clue if it were a drunk butterfly in an open field


It means you aren't that different from us, and you're not the first person who went after my life down there. Surprise, everyone was trying to kill me


So sit down and actually read my words, got it

[dereban]

Are you sure you're not the one that hasn't got a clue?

[ There's a pause between this and what she types out next. ]

You say that I'm not different, but I just pointed out that I'm a liability compared to everyone else. So many of you guys know self defense or can use weapons or magic or whatever, whether it's because of your past life or otherwise, but I don't have any of that at my disposal at all.

And so what? Just because multiple people tried means you're just going to simply shove it under the bus and say "it's fine, it's not your fault, it's Retrospec's, you got fucking bitten by a wendigo, after all"?

Because I can't accept an easy answer like that. And it won't change what has to be done, because I can't have people just offering to protect my ass all the time and eventually hate my guts, when honestly? Everyone should.

[jurai]

Listen, I may seem like I don't know my hand from my ass, but I don't need Rean's baby sister trying to educate me on what is and isn't considered useful to society

Like I said, sit down before you start talkin' yourself into a corner

[Because Raina just has to document just how RIGHT SHE IS, he'll do the same.]

First, stop talking about yourself like you're a risk for existing

Do you think any of us had anything useful when we started out? Do you honestly think Elliot was pounding out spells from day one?

If you're worried about tiny shit like that, we'll train you. You're on month #1 acting like you've been here for years

[dereban]

Ah, because that's all I am, right? Good to know that I'm basically in my brother's shadow now. [ Because this is what she expected. This is why she didn't want to be friends with either of her brother's friends; not simply because she is aware (in her head) that she doesn't deserve friends, but due to the association. ] Training wouldn't help. On Valentine's Day, I asked if someone could teach me. I knew that results wouldn't be immediate. But I'm simply not the athletic type. I knew that. I knew things were going to be dangerous down there, too. And yet I still recklessly went, anyway, even though I knew better. It doesn't matter if you guys were in the same spot or not when you first started out, I seriously don't care. You don't have to put so much effort in caring. Just deal with Rean, instead.

[jurai]

Don't twist my words. You're the one who kicked me out the front door when I thought we were friends

[But he'll be gentler.]

To be honest, I should lecture you on going down there without any kind of training, but...well, honestly, I'd have done the same thing. And I'm proud of you for signing up for that self defense. It takes a proactive person to take steps in covering their own weaknesses

So let's just hypothetically think about something: What if it wasn't an 'effort' to care about you? What if I just wanted someone to play Love Live with me and laugh at my bad pulls?

Or someone to teach me how to kick Rean's ass in Mario Kart (Koopa's still the best character I call dibs)

Hypothetically

[dereban]

Maybe you shouldn't assume things to begin with.

As for your question, is that all? You can get all that sort of stuff from someone else. It doesn't have to be me.

[jurai]

The pots shouldn't be too hard on the kettles Ms. Queen of Assuming I'll Hate Your Guts

[Really Raina, you set yourself up so easily.]

I guess I could

But I'd like to get to know you a little better first before we can dig deeper than that. It's how friendships work, Raina, you work towards it

Just like you don't see immediate results with training

[dereban]

You got me there, but I know I'm right. Nobody would want to be friends with someone like me once they know what kind of person I am.

Getting to know me more isn't going to be worth it.

[jurai]

How about we let me decide that. I'm not asking for BFF status, or anything...you'll get someone way better than me for that


But what do you say, entry level position as mobage friends?

[dereban]

Fine.

Just give me a second to screencap my profile.

[ A few moments later, this is sent! Just pretend the love gem count is higher, though... ]

[jurai]

[SUCCESS! If you could see him now, he'd probably be wagging his metaphorical tail.]

Sweet!

[He'll just screencap his back, just so she can identify him. His name is Crow as always, and his profile idol is this girl.]

[dereban]

[ Don't think you've won just because you've gotten her profile, Crow...! ]

Oh, so that's your best girl?

[jurai]

[He won a little, teensy bit ❤️]

You betcha! Kotori's my girl~

I finally got her Valentine version, and that was even before February took its toll on my wallet!

[dereban]

[ Is this really winning, Crow... ]

I don't know if I should feel sorry for you or not, given that gunning for a specific SR when that set's so old and the boxes are bloated with SRs.