acatalepsy_rpg | video, after the caverns

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video, after the caverns

So, correct me if I'm wrong about this.

[Hank doesn't bother with an intro, just starts right on in. The angle he's holding his wrist shows both his face and the stick he's dragging along the wall behind him, which has been in a fire at some point in the recent past and leaves a long black trail of ash over the wall as he walks.]

But when all you heroes trooped into the haunted caves under the mysterious freaky lake the communication plan was along the lines of, 'gee, if someone gets their feet ate off by some freaky bullshit I sure do hope they yell real loud so I can get there before they bleed out' right? I mean, I trust you guys know to make a post letting us all know if you need backup, but what if this- [Here the screen shakes as Hank wiggles his wrist, indicating the watch] -gets busted, or stolen, or whatever?

I don't know, I was just thinking, next time a bunch of us, or just anyone, goes into something that might get bad there should be some kind of post stuck to the top of our feed that we could all check, just something like this-

[He stops walking, still talking as he starts to scratch a little list in ash onto the wall beside him.]

Hey, I wonder how little Suzy's doing. Oh, she checked in an hour ago, she's probably fine.

[He writes Suzy on the wall, and a checkmark next to her name.]

How about JimBob the Murder Bot? Oh, he hasn't checked in for about seven hours, I should take someone to go look for him.

[Next to JimBob the Murder Bot he doodles a little skull. Sorry Jimbo, it's hard out there for a figurative probably-dead robot. Better luck next time.]

Or maybe you guys would rather do some kinda daily role call like in school or, hell, maybe it's just more fun to lone wolf your way through all this world saving shit, what do I know. Decide amongst yourselves. I might be around, I might not. Just thought I'd throw this out there. I'm gonna go eat.

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None taken. Speaking of that if you have anything you want clarified or to ask about, I’ll answer what I can. And I probably should warn you now what I change into. People tend to have a bit of a shock when it happens without warning.

I like to avoid that if I can. But that’s up to you.

Uh.

[Hank grimaces. He - yeah, Shiro guessed it - really doesn't want to know. So Hank sounds very tired when he agrees to it. But he does agree.]

Yeah, yeah. Better get my bullshit over with now, right? And not, say, when guys are shooting at us and you actually need to use the magic shit. Go on. Hit me.

I turn into a large robotic flying lion. About the size of a pick-up truck. The only way I can to you is in your head.

Sorry in advance if I have to. Oh and these devices seem to translate if I just growl at them. [He says it matter of fact and ends up sounding apologetic by the end.]

[Hank just. He sighs. He leans forward over the table. Not for the first time today, he runs his hand over his face. Then he decides to leave it there for a little while, muttering through his fingers.]

That was so much weirder than I thought it'd be. How are my standards not low enough. And the telepathic thing, god, that just... that just feels like the universe rubbing it in. Doesn't that feel like overkill to you? Like, how do you even handle doing that? Isn't it...

Fuck.

[He shakes his head. Well that is better than he expected. One swear word versus...what was the record now? Four?]

I’ve dealt with a lot stranger than that. ..,that and the beast I become I used to pilot. All it comes with I already was prepared for. Help me gain a little perspective, and I can soften the weirdness for you a bit. What are you used to dealing with?

[If Hank knew it was a competition he would have racked up a lot more points. Cursing once is nothing. He can do better.

Maybe he'd be doing better if he was focusing on that. A little competition would perk him up. As it is, he just slumps.]

Nothing. Not one thing I've heard from anyone here is anything I'm used to dealing with. What are you planning on softening it with? 'Well, when you get down to it it's just like disappearing into a cloud of magic sparkles and coming out a real lion' no, that's some stupid shit too-

Sorry. [He slides his hand down over his mouth, taking a breath.] Sorry. Um... I'm from, uh, twenty thirty-eight, if that means anything to you. I'm just a- I'm not involved in any of this weird shit, the weirdest thing that happened to me before I got here was Connor and he's not a normal android anyway, he's a prototype. I'm just-

[He breathes in slow one more time.]

So you uh, it was a mech before, that thing, the lion thing? Back home? Your home? Sheryl had those back in her uh, her home too, that's not so weird. A mech's just like, a big version of that exo stuff the military was experimenting with before they switched over. You were uh, you're a pilot?

[That feels like a solid thing to hold onto, right? A pilot? That's a real job that really exists. The topic of this guy's job, that feels sort of normal. Hank can make it feel normal.]

I woulda pegged you for, uh... I wouldn't of been surprised if you were a manager or something, or I guess maybe some command position. Pilot isn't too far off from that, right?

[He listens. Better to let him get it all out. He notes the details. Androids. Prototypes.

Sheryl. He'll remember that name. When asked about being a pilot he finally speaks again. Hank seems a little calmer.]

You have that right, I lead a specialized team. I started out as a combat fighter pilot for the Galaxy Garrison. It's the Earth's defense forces and exploration teams. I've been away from Earth for two years.

I haven't ever encountered androids until I got here. ...Robotic sentries run by a central program through a fleet ship, yes. A race called the Galra's empire faction use them to man their fleet ships and commit only a few personnel aside from their commanders.

It took some adjusting to. And yes, the Black Lion is a mech. The real thing is a lot larger. You or I am about as tall as one of its front claws.

[Hank is in fact a little calmer. Hands have been removed from face. That's a kind of progress. His voice doesn't quite sound steady - it's not just this one guy, it's everything, and sometimes Hank remembers how much that is - but it's trying to get there.]

I can't tell if you're still trying to soften shit or not. On the one hand, the sentries thing is fine. On the other - aliens, and the fighter jet you turn into used to be as big as the Chrysler building. [He tries a smile.] Does telling people your old mech could of fought Godzilla feel like a comforting thing to you, is that why you're tryin to make me feel tiny? Cause...

[He holds out a hand and wobbles it back and forth. Not exactly working, bud. Except that's mostly a joke, it is sort of working - or at least it's not overwhelming Hank more, which in this particular minute is all he can ask.]

Edited (typo) 2018-10-18 02:38 (UTC)

[He grins back and holds up his metal hand. His expression is a bit sheepish. Making Hank feel tiny wasn't his plan at all.]

It's more like to make you feel a little more comfortable if I have to shapeshift. Makes it seem far smaller in comparison, doesn't it?

[The size of a truck. Big deal.]

...can you tell me more about your Earth? I'd like to hear about it.

What part? Politics? They suck. International relations sucks. The environment sucks. Let's see, uh... the economy sucks. Job market's right in the can. The burgers are pretty good. I miss fast food so much, you just don't even know.

[He thinks about it for a second, digging for interesting details, and doesn't come up with much.]

Uh- I don't know, what do you want to hear? Everything I could tell you's probably a million times more boring than what you used to see every day. You said you came from a uh, an Earth too, what's that one like? You really want to know about mine, maybe we can compare.

[He crosses his arms over his chest and looks up at the ceiling for a moment. It's been two years since he saw Earth. Shiro drops his gaze back to the screen as the details come back to him.]

Earth is mostly peaceful. We did away with borders when they became unnecessary. A lot of older aircraft and machines were replaced...a standard bike these days is the hover bike. They’re larger than the old motorcycle but easier to control.

We built a pair of them in Struxta. What else...the Garrison has bases across the globe.
Most food isn’t too terrible. I missed it until I found myself here and could eat what I wanted again. Most of space covered to a goo that gives you all your body needs in nutrients and minerals. Taste is left to be desired.

[He grimaces and continues, ticking things off on his fingers.]

We’ve had manned space flights as far as the moon Kerberos. Yet compared to the rest of the universe we’re ten thousand years behind them.

Edited (Actually awake and not barely conscious. ) 2018-10-19 09:31 (UTC)

That sounds...

[Hank frowns, looking baffled, like he's looking at something beautiful and confusing and far away. Then he smiles, faintly.]

That kinda sounds like you're saying getting rid of real food got you guys world peace. Is that what did it, or is the goo just what you eat in space for your lunch-meetings with the aliens? Cause, I've got to tell you, I'm still trying to decide whether that's worth it.

[He holds up his hands out flat, palm up, and lifts one and then the other like he's weighing something.]

On one hand my world's got, uh- eternal war, endless suffering, human nature, etc. On the other hand... fries...

Edited (i don't have time to nitpick but i'm doing it anyway ) 2018-10-19 11:19 (UTC)

It's the aliens that do the food goo. You can still find fries, burgers, and whatever else you want on Earth. Depending on the populace of a city and its restaurants.

But we still have politics, human nature, and other things. We just channel it differently. [He points upwards. They search beyond their planet. Not entirely successfully yet but.]

Some of it, anyway.

What, so you just go blow up all the alien's shit, instead of ours? I don't know, that still sounds like some kind of miracle, even if all you did's just move all your wars to space. But, I don't know, you turn into a fuckin psychic robot lion for fun so what the fuck do I know about impossible shit.

[He pauses and starts to protest that he shapeshifts when necessary and closes his mouth without uttering a sound. He glances off to the side.]

...Okay, I can't deny that. I like shapeshifting. It's weird but I get to fly. [And sometimes roaring is just...cathartic.]

And yes, we're blowing up the empire instead. Earth itself isn't in the fight. Just the five of us on our team are. It's a long story.

Sounds like a party.

[Hank sets his chin on his fist, frowning, eyebrows raised.]

I'm gonna be honest with you, uh, 'one team against an alien empire' sci-fi movie shit's uh, it's kind of... [It's kind of a lot. Still.] It's not really something I can just chat about, you know? I do have other stuff I want to ask but as far as that long story goes uh, you really don't have to worry about it. Sorry.

we're the only 'human' team against it. Anyway, ask what you want to ask. [He spreads his hands apart to indicate he's open to the question hour.]

I'll answer what I can and warn you if it's about to be a weird answer.

[Hank makes a quiet, amused noise and leans back.]

I appreciate it. So. You said, uh... [He thinks back, trying to remember the guy's phrasing.] You said the watches can't be broken, but they can get dicked around with. What have you seen? What kind of stuff should we be watching out for?

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video, after the caverns

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*can talk to you. Thanks phone.

It's all good I figured that's what you meant :P

haha yeah

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