here we go again...

[bulletbiter]

Who: Everyone
Where: Aimintas
When: Day 56
Open/Closed: OTA

[ Feel free to use this entry as a mingle for whatever your characters will be up to during the bigger Uvi attack! You can find details about it in this weekly update post.

(This post is forward dated by a few hours as I temporarily forgot how timezones work... please forgive me.) ]

Comments

[deem]

[The change in how ferociously she attacks isn't something that goes unnoticed. 9S handles close-quarters combat with less grace than 2B does, and it comes as no surprise that it means he applies more effort to cutting down his opponents. In terms of power, his model is inferior to hers. Still, he's a Scanner: dividing his attention is a matter of course, and he can't very well back her up if he isn't paying attention to her.

He's not sure what's prompted the change, but concern wells up in him. He has to grit his teeth and swallow it down, force his concentration on driving his blade through one Uvi's throat to strike another in the face. The blood's hot as it seeps into his uniform, soaks his gloves, makes the material heavier and darker.

When he withdraws his sword it's with a wrenching motion, a struggle that ends with him stumbling back. These fights might be easier, but they're certainly far more messy. He's just recovering his balance when an Uvi comes running his way, intent to attack him from behind while he's regaining his balance]

[apatheia]

9S!

[She doesn't even warn for him to get out of the way, dropping everything she's doing with her own opponents to run and shield him. Beastlord acts as a decent stand-in for a shield as she holds it up against the Uvi's attack, the weight of both it and the attack substantial but far from enough to make her own strength waver. Or really, she can't waver here.

After spending a literal lifetime only ever hurting 9S, only ever killing him, her death was honestly something she couldn't complain too much about. For once in her life, she was able to protect him, to well and truly do something for him. It didn't matter that it cost her her life to do so. She'd gladly do so again if that's what it took. The new life she's been granted isn't one she thinks lightly of, but if she can't even manage to protect 9S here when she's completely free to, then what's the point?

So she pushes the Uvi aside, wanting to create space between it and 9S. It's not that she doesn't trust in his abilities, but fighting up close and personal was always her strength anyways. It's what she was made for.]

[deem]

[The distance might be intended to allow 9S to fall back, but it isn't what he does. As soon as the Uvi is forced back by 2B, he pivots and angles his blade up to pierce the creature's throat. For all that the height difference is unfavorable, he makes up for it with the force of his weight thrown behind it, punching straight through before he wrenches the sword back out.

And it's in the span of that moment that it occurs to him that 2B hasn't seen the ruthless way with which he'd become accustomed to dispatching his foes. None of these opponents were as strong as those he'd faced off against in her absence. If anything, the greatest difficulty is that he has no ability to hack them and they're far messier.

Still, there follows a tense silence during which he lowers his weapon and glances around, pretending to be occupied with looking for more enemies. The sounds of battle, of weapons clashing, distant explosions, and crashes all drift to his ears and yet they're not here.

The Palai are learning. With the help, they've taken down two hostiles themselves]

...Sorry.

[Though he doesn't specify what for]

[apatheia]

[There's a steady murmur of noise as the Palai around them let out sighs of relief, talk and make plans for retreating somewhere safe, but 2B doesn't hear any of that. The moment seems so quiet as she takes in what she just saw. It's good, surely, that he was able to help her in defeating that Uvi. And it's not like their opponents here are as strong as the machines were. In anyone else, she wouldn't even blink at how he just fought.

But it's not anyone else. It's 9S, and despite how he taught himself to fight, she'd never seen him move like that.

It's a heavy reminder that as much as she thinks she knows him, she doesn't know what happened after she died. She doesn't even know how long it was between then and when he got here. For all she knows, there could be years and years of things she doesn't know about him now. Not for the first time, she wants to ask so badly what happened after she was gone.

Yet she can't bring herself to voice it. If it wasn't something he brought up himself, it must've meant that he didn't want to talk about it, and how could she blame him for wanting to keep some things to himself? Wasn't it enough that he was here with her now, alive and well? Besides, now was hardly the time for it. There might never be a time for it.]

It's fine. There's nothing to apologize for. [Especially not to her. He's not the one who should be saying sorry.]

[deem]

[The calm that settles in around them doesn't do anything to alleviate his own unease. Still, 9S releases his grip on his sword, allowing to to flicker back into place behind him. It seems at least in this area that they've cleared their opponents, and it doesn't take long to be sure of that. Even so, it takes him several moments longer to push down his own concerns and turn to face 2B again]

We made short work of this group, didn't we?

[As though nothing out of the ordinary just happened, he simply carries on. It's been the way of things for a long time, because he doesn't know what to do with the reality of his circumstances. The reality of what he knows. All that he's sure of is his fear of causing 2B more pain, assured that she has endured far too much for his liking as it stands.

Wouldn't it be worse to tell her the things he knows? The things he's done? She'd said in that recording she left in her flight unit that the time she'd spent with him was like light, and he fears now that he'll dim it by saying too much, or perhaps anything at all. This, it seems, is safest for all its difficulty.

Still, he presses on, because at least this way he believes he can't make it worse for her]

How do you think the others are doing?

[apatheia]

It's hard to say...

[She trails off, unsure. While they were obviously built to be stronger than humans, she knows that they aren't defenseless by any means. They'd probably be insulted if she said she thought they all needed their protection. But that's not why she's unsure.

He seems so tense with her it, it worries her. Even when he knew she was about to kill him, he didn't seem this tense. Not outwardly, at least. The fact that this is showing outwardly at all... It's fine for 9S to keep some things to himself when she's always done the same, but it's also fine for her to at least ask if he's well, isn't it? As his friend?

Everyone thinks of them as friends, anyways. She's still not sure she'll ever deserve that.]

N—9S. [And yet she still can't bring herself to call him as his friend.] Are you... You're okay, aren't you?

[deem]

[The hesitance doesn't get by without his notice, although 9S supposes it's better that he not remark on it. He isn't sure whether the source of that is because he's given her cause for concern, or if something extends beyond it, and a part of him fears what the answer would be if he were to look too closely. As much as he's missed her, he's growing aware of the distance he has imposed over time.

Despite all the times he'd tried to get her to call him Nines, it's a fact, isn't it? Jude's reactions had brought as much to his awareness in force. He'd rather protect others from realities that would hurt them. Since he couldn't be spared that himself, he thinks he knows the difference.

And yet the tone of her voice hurts for him to hear. What can he do about such a thing, short of causing her more pain than he already had? Surely, the benefit wouldn't outweigh that cost]

In this place, I can't back you up the way that I'm used to. [It's true, and it has concerned him, but it's not the real reason. It's not what he fears] Against organic enemies like this, I'm not much good as support.

[He shrugs, as some acknowledgement that it can't be helped. His tone, at least, is convincingly casual. The last thing he wants is to trouble 2B, after all that she's gone through on his account]

Guess it's tough to get used to, as a Scanner.

[apatheia]

You're still doing plenty, both as support and a Scanner. [Not all of this struggle can be solved on the battlefield after all. She's sure there's no end to the Palai who are grateful for the mechanism 9S helped make.

He sounds convincing enough, just like he always does, but that could be a hint at something in and of itself. Despite all their time together, she's never been particularly good at reading or figuring him out. Not like he's figured her out dozens upon dozens of times. Still, she just can't let go of the niggling feeling that something's not as it should be.

What else should she expect though? Of course something's not as it should be. Your "partner" isn't supposed to be someone who'll kill you the moment an order is given.

But she wants that to change. It can actually change now. She just has to try, right?]

If there's... [How does she say this? Telling things as it is comes easy for her, but being honest like this has always been difficult.] You can always tell me if there's something bothering you. If you want to.

[Of course, she understands if he'd rather not share something like that with her of all people.]

[deem]

[The offer makes him feel as though his black box is in a vice. In the same instant, it means a great deal to him that 2B would reach out in this way. But at the same time the fear of what speaking candidly will bring about surges through him, and he finds himself hesitant to respond. Would it hurt her more to carry on like this, or to be honest?

...In the end, the answer is obvious to 9S. Telling her what he knows, telling her how he feels...those would impose a cruel burden upon her. Where would he even draw the line if he changed that now?]

Thanks, 2B.

[And he means that, truly and sincerely. He's grateful that she would offer him that support, after her stalwart efforts to adhere to the command imposed on them: emotions are prohibited. Asking what's on his mind is an acknowledgement that despite the expectation, they do feel, isn't it?

He only wishes what was on his mind weren't impossible to share without causing her more pain]

But other than feeling pretty lost around here, I'm okay.

[At least his smile seems genuine enough, though tired. Surely that can be attributed to the battle they've been waging against these attackers]

[apatheia]

... Alright.

[She's still not entirely convinced, but she knows there's no point in trying to push it. Despite how talkative and eager 9S can be for friendship, he's so very good at putting on a front and keeping people at a distance when he wants to.

Or maybe it's just when it comes to her, given. Well, everything.

... It's not something she can keep thinking about right now anyways. They have more pressing matters. She'll have to be satisfied for now.]

Let's move on. There are probably more who need our help.

[deem]

[It's a welcome change of subject. Much as he regrets potentially disappointing 2B, the alternative is worse]

Right...this city's pretty big.

[As is the wave of Uvi that have come crashing down on it. There's no surprise in the numbers; they've dealt with an enemy that came in seemingly limitless supply all their lives. But unlike androids, the Palai have only one life apiece, and they're far less suited to combat.

That means people like them make a difference here. These opponents don't really have anything on them except their quantity]

I'll follow your lead then.

[After all, he is her support]