Text; priorities

[brodakota]

So, I don't suppose that clothing is a thing that's readily available here?

All I have is my armour, and I guess if the option is available, swapping that for a pair of jeans during downtime would be great.

Comments

[infailtration]

Yeah... I haven't actually needed my left covered, yet, I just feel better with trackers set. But it sounds like we might want our armor in other worlds. We'll save the power and play it by ear, I guess?

[brodakota]

Seems like the best way to go about it, yeah.

[But that leads to slightly more...disconcerting conversations.]

...I'm guessing Delta didn't make the trip, huh? If your left's not covered.

[infailtration]

[ York is quiet for a moment, just breathing. Disconcerting is one word for it, yeah. ]

...if he had you would've seen him by now, man, I never-- I hadn't pulled him in years. He was all I had left. But since he didn't make the trip, I don't know where the hell he could be.

[brodakota]

[North nods. He gets it, and puts a comforting arm around York for a moment.]

...Same with Theta. You know he would have said hi the moment you appeared.

Unfortunately, I got an idea where he might be.

[infailtration]

[ York leans into the comfort offered gratefully, one hand coming up to pat North's knee in return. They're in the same boat. ]

Yeah, he sure would have. Popped out and asked if it was really me and then if he could talk to D. Where do you -- what do you mean unfortunately?

[brodakota]

[North misses him a lot. But then his expression darkens and he takes a breath.]

Right before I showed up here, I got in a fight with Maine.

It went about as well as you'd expect.

[infailtration]

...I don't think he's Maine anymore. They're calling him "The Meta" in communication. Took me awhile to figure that out, what really happened there. What he did to the others.

[ That certainly does explain where North thinks Theta is, but also... York doesn't know how to take this, his grip on his friend tightening a little reflexively. Because everyone who he knows ran into the thing that used to be Maine is dead now. But North's right here, solid and warm and telling this story. ]

I'm sorry. I was really hoping I'd find you before he did, but also that we never had to deal with him at all.

[brodakota]

Right. The Meta.

[He'd known, in a vague way of course. But he hadn't seen Maine in a long time and it was easy to forget in the face of an old friend. Maybe he was too trusting in that regard.

Of course, he'd always figured that in a real fight he probably never stood a chance against Maine.]

It's okay. Not exactly your fault. I probably should have been more careful.

I just hope South made it out alright.

[infailtration]

Just because it wasn't my fault doesn't mean any of this is okay. Or that you did anything wrong. Just know it wasn't Maine. I might not have had the best relationship with the guy but he wouldn't have... never.

[ Thinking about this hurts, brings up the grief and bitterness all over again, he's keeping his voice even as always but is clearly extremely upset. ]

I hope so too, man.

[brodakota]

[North nods in agreement. Maine, as they knew him, was a stand up guy if a bit of a brute.]

Right. It's, still kind of hard to divide the two though.

[And he doesn't like thinking about Maine like that, but at the same time, it's hard to ignore.]

Kinda makes you wish there was a way to call home.

[infailtration]

Yeah... that'd be nice.

[ But as much as he desperately needs to know what happened to Delta, York doesn't know if he wants to send North back into whatever was about to happen to him. He knows what the Meta did to the other Freelancers it found. And now he's deeply worried for his friend. ]

Is that the goal here, do you think? Sending us home? People have said that the folks Astoria brings in come and go.

[brodakota]

I heard that to.

[He sighs. He's not sure if he wants to go back either. He's got a pretty good idea of how it ends.]

But maybe it's a goal? After she's done sending us to all these different worlds, or however it's supposed to go.

[infailtration]

I don't really understand how we're supposed to help other worlds, honestly. I can barely control my ability at all, so it just feels like being drafted into someone else's war. Not like I had anything going for me back home, but without Delta...

[ York shrugs. He would've been a lot less unhappy about the whole deal if he hadn't lost his buddy, is all. ]

At least we're together again?

[brodakota]

That we are. And somehow I don't think I can get rid of you that easily.

[Said with maximum affection of course. North doesn't want York going anywhere.]

What can you do, by the way? What's your power?

[infailtration]

I'd wish you luck but I don't actually want you to try, so. No, you can't.

[ He settles back a little, leaning into North again until that question. ]

Uh. It's been kind of embarrassing...

[brodakota]

[There's worse fates, North supposes.]

And that's stopped you before?

[infailtration]

Nope, I've been practicing anyway, just when nobody's around to see. But every now and then instead of getting stuck in a wall, I wind up falling straight through a chair -- basically I can pass through things. Like some kind of quantum phase shift.

I'm getting better at it.

[brodakota]

Sounds pretty useful, once you get the hang of it.

[Though he'll just quietly wait for the moment where he can see one of these phasing accidents. Because he's a good friend like that.]

I can reinforce stuff, make it harder. Kind of like a shielding thing.

[infailtration]

That's almost the opposite of mine. I wonder if I could pass through something you've reinforced. Or take people with me... that might be a fun experiment.

[brodakota]

We'll have to test that out, though I'm a little worried if you get stuck. How do fix that?

[infailtration]

I just give myself a minute and try again. I think I have a time limit, actually, but without D I'm not sure how long it actually is. It might be an endurance thing, though? Like the better I get at it the longer I'll be able to... maybe. This isn't a science at all, let alone an exact one.

[brodakota]

Nope, it's magic.

But you could just try counting or something like that? It would give you an idea.

I don't really know how long the reinforcement lasts. Usually it's been long enough, but I can't use it on water or anything like that.

[infailtration]

Like just keep running back and forth through the wall, counting? I mean... I probably should, but maybe once I'm a little better at it so I know if bonking into the wall or getting stuck in it is me or a time limit.

[brodakota]

It would be a start, anyway. I'll be around just in case you get stuck though.

That could end badly in a lot of ways.

[Humiliation notwithstanding]

[infailtration]

It hasn't hurt me to get stuck so far.

[ But he trusts North, so. ]

Alright. I'll test it if you help me keep track.