Futuristic Dormant Hearts

[Lucem]

When Alex was a kid, he always asked his father about the lab he worked in. Visiting was impossible, so he settled on the vague descriptions that fueled his curiosity. Now that he was actually standing in the place that often filled his thoughts, he couldn't feel any of that childish wonder or excitement. Despite the various equipment that lined the walls, and the pristine environment that didn't match the rest of the ruined building, it felt empty to him.

When the speaker crackled with life and played the sound of his father's voice, there was a rush of emotion that eased the sinking feeling in his stomach. That sensation only left him more conflicted, especially when he took in what the man had to say. Even if he couldn't help it, he quickly regretted his reaction to discovering that his parent was alive. That regret led to a sense of guilt, bringing forth confusion and even more emotions that were difficult for him to sort out as the voice kept talking to Modestine. Now wasn't the time to get distracted by things like that, so he simply did what he was used to. He forced all those emotions into a little bottle, putting a cap on top so that they wouldn't get in the way.

Honestly, he didn't know what Modestine expected him to do. She had a better chance of getting through to his father than him. It had been years since he saw her, so she probably wasn't aware of how things had changed. In the past, she may have known them as a close family that loved each other, but that relationship didn't exist anymore. They were still father and son, but any connection beyond that had been severed. They were only tied by blood. If Modestine couldn't get him to listen, then there was nothing that he could do. However, she was asking him to try. He couldn't reject her.

Walking closer to the speaker, Alex stood still, unsure of what to say. He tried to think of something, but words refused to come out. Thankfully, he wouldn't have to think for long. Once again, the speaker came to life, playing only static for a few moments before the familiar voice played once again. "Are you really there, Alex?"

There it was. While he heard it before when Modestine was trying to convince him, this was the first time in several months that his father had spoken to him. The man's voice was hoarse and almost sounded labored as he spoke, but the tone was still familiar to him. He always sounded empty when he spoke, wearing a cold expression that made it seem like spitting out a few words was a bother. Like his father, he took a few moments to respond, letting out an equally unpleasant tone. "Yeah." He wasn't always like this, but all the times he tried to get something out of his father amounted to nothing. Eventually, he just got tired of it, finally realizing that nothing would ever change. His father's coldness rubbed off on him and now this was all he could do. This was just how they communicated.

"Are you alright?" There seemed to be something beneath the usual chill in his voice when he asked the question, but it must have just been the man succumbing to whatever had made him so exhausted. He was used to that question and there never seemed to be any true concern behind it. It was just something his father said to fill the long silences during the rare times he came home. It was one of the few things he ever said, asking before quickly leaving once again until the next silent dinner. During those times, he'd always give the same answer, knowing that regardless of the truth, it wouldn't matter. "Yeah."

Even in this lab, their conversation was following the usual pattern. An uncomfortable silence had returned with nothing left to fill it. It was at this point that his father would usually be walking out the front door until their next meeting, but there was nowhere for him to go now. For the first time, Alex was standing in the place where his father would retreat to time and time again. For the first time, their conversation couldn't end like it usually did.

"Ms. Kent came all this way to make sure you were okay." He didn't know what he was doing. He didn't know how to speak to his father, but Modestine had asked him to do this. This was probably the longest he had spoken to him in years and he could only keep things going like this, saying things without any idea of how to properly convince him. "Stop messing around. We need to leave befo--"

"--That's impossible." It didn't take long for his father to cut him off. He didn't expect to be interrupted so soon, but Alex wasn't surprised. He just couldn't talk to him. "You two need to leave now."

Alex didn't say anything. He didn't move either. However, as he stood still, his mind was racing. His father didn't say much, but as he picked apart those words and took them in, there was something unsettling about them. As he kept repeating them in his head, he kept coming back to one thought. It felt like his body was preventing him from saying anything about it. If he mentioned it, then it would become real. However, the question still slipped through his lips as his ears awaited an answer he already knew. "Why does it sound like you're going to die?"

There was no emotion behind that question. He simply kept his gaze to the pure white floor, letting silence overtake the room once again. This time, it was uncomfortably long. "In the house, there's a letter." The question was ignored, but the lack of an answer was all that he needed. "If you have questions, read it."

That was the end of it. "Modestine, I'll say it once again." He just couldn't get through to his father. Continuing the discussion was pointless, so he ended it himself. "This conversation is over." Even if he was only talking to a speaker, Alex could still see his image. Like always, he could see his father walking out that door. Once again, his father was leaving him behind.

"Now take Alex and--"

"-Shut up!" He really had no idea what he was doing. "Don't just leave it at that!" He didn't even recognize his own voice. "That's how things are gonna end?" He just kept saying words without realizing. "Don't screw with me!" How long had it been since he last yelled? He honestly couldn't remember. "You're making me feel like an idiot for worrying about you!" Despite how much their relationship had changed for the worse, he still couldn't help but feel relieved upon hearing his father's voice. "I don't know what happened," He was still happy that his father was alive. It made him question many things. He'd never wish harm on anyone, but that joy made him question his own feelings. His guilt, hatred, grief, pain, and happiness. He avoided them all by bottling them up. That's what he always did, never acknowledging anything and letting them fade away. He wasn't sure if it was because of everything that had happened today, letting his exhaustion and frustration get the best of him. Although, he could still tell that a small portion was slipping out. While it wasn't large, the bottle now had a crack. "But don't just tell me to read some letter! If you have something to say, then say it in person! Until you do, I'm not going anywhere!"

He really didn't know how to talk to his father.

_Line 213

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

"You can't be serious..." Whether Vic's will really was just that ironclad, or if this was just her way of coping, Jeremy was unsure. But, either way, this was going to give him the biggest migraine he'd ever experienced. Following the nurse, it was nice to see that he wasn't the only one who was worried about all of this, but the fact that Vic and Morgan weren't the only ones trying to play this off like it was a joke only annoyed him more. He knew that they were all teenagers, but there was a limit to how much you could play up your devil-may-care, third-grade personas in situations like these.

But it wasn't like he was unused to this. They'd been classmates for fifteen years, after all, so he was familiar enough with the personality quirks of his peers. Even the ones he didn't see eye to eye with. Which, unfortunately, was more than a few of them, but that only made him value the friends he did have even more.

So after they'd all clumped up, it didn't take him long to notice that Alex was missing. He hadn't seen him personally before the incident, but he knew him well enough to be certain that there'd be no way he'd skip the event. Not with that Husk-love of his.

"Um. Excuse me, it's not about the Husks, but..." He'd shelve his issues with Vic and Morgan for the moment, this was more important than his respective hangups for the two. And Ida seemed to be able to reign the latter in, at least. "I, er, we have a classmate named Alex. I think he was in the valley with us and uh... Do you have any idea where he is?"

simj26
_Line 213

 

[_Line 213]

A long period of silence was Alex's reward, broken only by the periodic, barely audible crackles of static caused by the slightly damaged intercom. Even Modestine was as quiet as death, hands clenched tightly as she awaited the man's response. Then, the subtle sounds of movement came from the other end of the line, followed by light clicks from the lockers at the other end of the room. "If that's what you want, then so be it, Alex. But what you see isn't something that will leave you."

Carefully, Modestine pulled herself away from the terminal, taking uneasy, slow strides toward the lockers. Gripping the handle of one, she pulled it open, revealing a simple hazmat suit. Sighing slowly, she reached for another, pulling it open in order to reveal the same. "Put one on, Alex. And bring the other for your father."

"You don't have to do this, Alex," the intercom pleaded one last time, "what you hear and see will permanently take you outside of the life I've built for you. It...would be better for both of us if you went back to the colony knowing nothing--"

"--He can handle it, Adam," Modestine snapped, taking in a sharp breath, "don't you think we both deserve to know whether you're going to live or die?"

"I think you deserve to live unburdened." The intercom once more returned to silence, as if Adam Kain had said all that he possibly could.

---​

"His bicycle was recovered when we sent out our rescue team, but we haven't managed to find anything else," he replied, pursing his lips, "I don't want to alarm you all, but--well, I'm sure that you all saw the situation for yourselves. Not even all the members of our rescue team have ultimately been accounted for just yet, but I can assure you that we're looking for everyone that's missing. We don't plan on ceasing our efforts until we at least have tangible leads on everyone's fates, including that of your friend." This smile, at the very least, was surely genuine, even if one doubted all the others. It was no secret that children were important to the colonies; it wouldn't be the first time that Column's administration had mounted an extensive search for one gone missing.

Something of a pause in the conversation followed and the man's smile diminished, as if the sagely executive himself were uncertain as to how to continue the conversation. After a brief, light clearing of the throat, he found his footing once more. The sun had long dimmed over the mountaintops, the light flowing in through the wide windows finally, silently overpowered by the artificial lighting within the office itself.

"I would advise you all to spend some time thinking about my proposition. If you find that you are unwilling to go through with it all, we can send you home. Yet, know all the same that the lives you return to will not be as you left them." He took in another deep breath, letting out a long sigh afterward. "You're all free to return to your rooms and rest, if you've no more questions. The nurse will show you the way. Otherwise..." His smile resurged, and he gestured to the desk in front of him. "I will be here."

 

[GasMaskie]

Alex... Alex... Another name that didn't ring any bells. Though, for some reason, the boy imagined a lanky fellow in purple overalls. Perhaps making a shrill "waaaa!" noise. He shook his head, taking in all that the man had said. In any case, it seemed like the re-awakening of these Artificial Biological Entities was tied to the re-awakening of the Husks. Even a cold genius like Morgan felt a pang of guilt for his direct involvement, but he swallowed that feeling when he glanced at the girl. He turned his gaze back on the man - if he was deceiving them, he was certainly good at acting. The line between how much information he was given and how much he had simply chosen not to reveal to them was blurred. But it seemed like cooperation was the only way to learn more about Utsāha and these ABEs.

As for the potential task he had given out, it'd further his own pursuit of knowledge as well. In the process, he'd hope to make a copy of the gun-toting Husk's datalogs. But even before that, this all hinged on her co-operation. If she decided to quit, he'd simply return... He shook his head. It was as the man said, the life he'd return to would be different after all of this. Even if he continued that solitary existence, he'd be forever haunted by the knowledge he had learned. Of the dangers that lie beyond the walls of Column. He turned to Ida now as he looked down the empty corridor that lead back to the housing facility.

"...Personally, I want to keep piloting Utsāha. I don't think that any Colony has the sort of armaments that can deal with ABEs after years of inactivity. If there's something that you and only you can do, you might as well give it your all, right? And, I do-" He stopped himself. He would have mentioned how had nothing left to return to anyways - that death was an outcome he'd face willingly. But that would have put too much pressure on her. He bit his lip and continued, the pale genius's face remaining as stoic as ever.

"It takes two to pilot Utsāha , however. And I suppose that the Husk has already imprinted on both of us so I imagine that finding another pilot in your stead would be difficult. Regardless, I'll leave the final decision to you Ida Sommers. Even if they did find another pilot, I simply prefer you. If you want to leave all of this and head home, then I'll abide by your decision and do the same."One of his rare smiles had finally appeared on his face as he finished speaking. He trusted her enough to make a decision on his behalf as well - he'd save the teasing and antagonizing for later.

(Re: Coin )

 

[Coin]

Ida knew the moment the questions left her lips, she'd have a lot to process, but that didn't really grant her the comfort she wanted in the slightest. But, to just simply let them go after what had happened? That's exactly what Ida wanted, to go back to simplicity and predictability -- but to have it offered to her so easily? It all seemed incredibly off. Ida was far from naive, but she just couldn't imagine the likes of her being assassinated by some shadowy Column officials for walking away from the offer.

She was about to excuse herself to mull on her thoughts alone as she often did, but was stopped by her co-pilot. Much to her surprise, she was caught completely off guard by Morgan's insistence in continuing on with operating Utsāha with her. Did he not need to think over it at all? On top of it all, Morgan's awful choice of words didn't help Ida think straight either. In all her life, she could not recall once where someone had claimed to "prefer her." Ida could feel the tips of her ears burn red as her expression soured.

"Morgan," she complained. "Come on, you can't just put me on the spot like this. Have you even considered what could happen to us? Sure Utsāha let us in this one time, but what if the next time we aren't so lucky? And not to mention those... ugh, Entities? It took all of us working together just to bring one of those down -- what would we do if more showed up? We're not soldiers, Morgan, we're still just teenagers."

Ida bowed her head and ran her fingers through her hair as her thoughts roiled about. Even though she was preaching caution to Morgan, she wasn't even convincing herself. The rush of adrenaline, the power, and the energy she felt while in the cockpit was just like the thrill of riding her vandal sister's coattails. Utsāha, Morgan, the Entities, all of that was her moment to become her own person. But, was she willing to lay her life down for it?

"I don't want to let you down," Ida shrunk down. "But, c-can I have a bit to think about it? I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at all this and I don't want to make the wrong choice."

She glanced around at the others, wondering if she was the only one feeling pressured.

((Re: GasMaskie ))

 

[GasMaskie]

Pat. That sort of apprehension was expected - especially with a big decision like that. He placed a gloved hand on her head once more, administering a slightly more proficient headpat to the girl now. He had spoken his mind and given her his input, all that was left was her answer. The pale boy paid no heed to the others, who may have likely been mulling over the information given as well. After a few more moments, he withdrew his hand and spoke.

"Take all the time you need then - we're not in any rush right now." He had considered her words of course - they were far out of their depth as young students. But at this point, he really had nothing left to lose. Those who lose the ground they stand on tend to devote themselves to greater causes, don't they? A small comfort for someone who's essentially determined their life to be worthless.

Morgan considered her words and brought a hand to his chin as he slowly began the trek back to the housing facility. Expectations really were a frightening thing. He could almost taste something sweet as he replayed those words in his head. As he left the building and felt the crisp outdoor air on his face, he couldn't help but smile once more. Even a natural-born genius like him was unaware of the slight reddening of his face.

(Re: Coin )

 

[dwif]

The rest of the group began to file out of the office but Seb stayed behind. He had already made up his mind on what he would do. It was something that he had decided before they were even given the choice. To let this opportunity pass him by would be a waste, he had already suffered the worst that the machines could throw at him and he could definitely handle more as long as it meant that he got that thrill when he was piloting them.

He approached the desk and addressed the man directly"I don't know about the others but I'm in. I still have questions about the whole thing and I guess the only way that I'm getting answers is to do whatever you guys want." If this was a mistake it he had already gone too far now to turn back "If you need me for anything I'll be back at the common room."

He turned and continued back through the clinical hallways, returning to the common room. He sat observing the others listening to each of them deliberating their choice. For the first time since the incident he felt relaxed, everything was out of his hands now.

 

[simj26]

Cain“Jerry, do you think going home is a good idea?” Cain spoke suddenly. Up until that moment, the girl had looked to have had more interest in watching dust gather on the edge of the man’s desk, her eyes looking at everything else except the man or at the other kids. She would have loved to interject, make a joke, or do anything else, really, but maintained her silence only because Jeremy seemed to be struggling with his emotions. She thought perhaps it would be better to shut up for a bit, and just listen in. The ABEs, the whole Husk Piloting Initiative, Alex having gone missing, she heard it all. She wouldn't say she wasn't worried about Alex- it was unprecedented that he would be missing from the roster, but she wouldn't say she was chewing her nails in anxious worry either. Somehow, somewhere inside her, she believed that the young man was still alive somewhere. The fates weren't that twisted to take him out of the game so quickly. That having been said, there was no evidence to her conclusion, so she remained silent until everyone began to empty the room.

“I…” she looked down at her hands and a weary look came over her expression. “Perhaps I want to remain here. The Husk, it gave me a glimpse of freedom outside of the walls of the Colony. I don’t want to go back to a world of boredom, scrounging on the ground to look for something to look forwards to.” She sighed and raised her eyes to look at Jeremy, and tried her best to work a smile onto her face. The memories, the feelings of the Husk and its previous pilots still lingered in her mind. She wanted to see the world outside, she wanted that rush of adrenaline in her body again- going back to the Colony was just…impossible.

Still, Jeremy was her prime concern. Would it matter at all, if she remained and he went home? The answer was clear. She scratched the back of her head and shrugged as dismissively as she could, her nonchalant behaviour returning. “If you wanna head home, though, I’m on your side. As long as you’re around, nothing’s ever too boring anyway. I’m with you, all the way, Jerry.”

 

[Hextremus]

Otto had let himself blend into the background of the group of children, completely silent as he listened to what the adult had to say in response to their questions. He had nothing to say, really. Alex was still out there somewhere, and Shēnqíng needed a pilot. Or two. He watched with faint interest as Morgan patted the head of Ida. The pilots of Utsāha were quite the role models for the other pilots. He idly wondered if physical contact as demonstrated by Morgan was one of the reasons they piloted so well, if that was what he and Kori needed to pilot at their full capabilities. Worth a try. Once the questioning had petered out and the other children began filing out, Otto uncrossed his arms and finally spoke.

"I have a request to make, sir. I will pilot the Husk, and I'm sure K.C. will as well. However, I would like permission to aid the search for Alex with Kori in Shēnqíng after we finish defending the servicing sites. Alex... he's..."

He paused for a moment, once hand reaching up and lightly wrapping around the black metal ring on the cord around his neck. His face remained expressionless despite his hesitation as he searched for the words to express how he felt. Finding none, he continued on.

"Please consider my request. Thank you."

He nodded respectfully at the man before turning and slowly making his way out of the room, his gaze searching for Kori. Upon finding her, he quickened his pace. Approaching her, he once again considered utilising headpats on her as Morgan had on Ida. He cleared his throat quietly as he drew close to her, fingers of his right hand flexing ever so slightly. To headpat or not to headpat?

"I'm sure Alex is alright, K.C.. We shouldn't dwell on what happened to him. Even I know he wouldn't want that."

Was what Otto said immediately, voicing what he knew was on both their minds. The words sounded slightly hollow even to himself; they had no way really knowing if he was alright at all. He forced the thoughts out of his mind and tilted his head to one side, attempting a smile. It expressed itself as a slight upward twitching at the corners of his lips.

"In any case, how are you feeling?"

Now probably wasn't the best time for a headpat.

[ QizPizza , _Line 213 ]

 

[QizPizza]

Kori "KC" Chang
"I'm sure Alex is alright, K.C.. We shouldn't dwell on what happened to him. Even I know he wouldn't want that...In any case, how are you feeling?"

She was beginning to get up when Otto came by. KC wasn't sure how to feel at all. She could hardly process anything that occurred when she was awake. All the information about Artificial Biological Entities and the whole experience with Husks had left her in shock. She wasn't what to think about the offer to bring the Husks over. KC just wasn't sure about sharing thoughts with Otto again. It was such a vulnerable act and she didn't want to expose her thoughts to Otto after she had some time to think about things... "I'm barely holding up."

KC looked up to the giant of a boy and rested her head on his shoulder. She wouldn't have done this with anyone before, but after they exchanged thoughts, he would understand that Alex was a close friend and that losing him...devastating didn't even begin to describe it. "I don't even want to ask, but...how about you?"

Interacting: Hextremus

 

[Hextremus]

Barely holding up, huh? That wasn't surprising. Otto wasn't sure himself how he'd managed to remain as calm as he had. Practice, he supposed. He then also wasn't sure how he managed to keep his cool as Kori laid her head against his shoulder. He stared down at her, surprise alight in his eyes as he swallowed quickly. No one had been this close to him for a long time; no one had even touched him for years. He cleared his throat softly when she asked about him, another thing he hadn't been expecting.

"I, uh... well, I never imagined I would experience guilt at this stage of my life. Certainly not to this extent, anyway."

Strangely enough, it didn't feel strange at all to open up to her. He supposed he'd already passed that threshold during the battle. What felt strange was when the arm belonging to the shoulder Kori's rested on slowly raised up and wrapped gently around her shoulders. His head tilted back to stare up at the ceiling.

"It's my fault Alex fell. If I don't find him, if I don't bring him back to you... I suppose I'd never be able to forgive myself."

His free arm began to shift. Otto hesitated as he glanced back down at her, the girl leaning against him. Ah well, it was worth a shot. He let his hand reach across his body and gently place itself against the top of her head, delivering the hesitant headpat he'd been considering. The texture of her hair against his fingers tinted his cheeks a red so faint it could barely be made out, even under the lights.

"K.C., I'm sorry. Really."

He wasn't sure if he had to say any more. He knew what she was going through, and he hated that he was the reason for that. He knew that the headpat wouldn't resolve the situation in any way, but hopefully it would help Kori somewhat. And right now, that was all that mattered.

[ QizPizza ]

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

It was nice to know that he wasn't the only person who was concerned about Alex. It was also even nicer to know that Vic, for once, was showing a little reservation. But, well, that didn't mean he was going to go about instigating a role reversal. He was worried about Alex, and he could see the responsibility that was being offered by this man, and the Husks.

"...Sorry, Vic, but I'm going home." This wasn't something he needed to think about. Getting tricked into becoming some sort of child soldier was not on his list of priorities for today, or any day for that matter, and unlike Vic, the Husk had filled Jeremy with fear and anger, not freedom. He definitely felt guilty for letting Vic down, which he was sure he was regardless of her reassurance, and even a little for 'abandoning his duty'. Regarding Sehnsucht, on the other hand...

Good riddance. As far as he was concerned, that thing was nothing more than a leech. On himself, and even moreso on Vic.

"I'm leaving here the first chance I get, and..." He paused for a moment. What was he going to do? Go searching for Alex like some sort of hard-boiled hero? That sounded just as dangerous as piloting the robot. "...And I'll figure something out." Alex was the son of someone important, at the very least. If he asked around, then surely someone had to have some interest in where he was, right? His sister, or maybe his parents could talk to somebody and...

Get a search party together?

Maybe Alex was just hiding out. He didn't have a reason to distrust the man, but maybe Alex would be more easily coaxed out of hiding by a familiar face?

It was really hard to ignore how many 'maybes' were running through his head right now.

"A-anyway, I'm uh, going to spend the night here before I head back. I'll be in my room, I guess." And with that, he turned his back on his peers, and began to make his way towards the dorms.

simj26
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[_Line 213]

"I would be open to that idea. Though I'm not quite sure how some of my administrative counterparts would take it, I will do my best to convince them to allow for your involvement." The man stood, as if punctuating his promise to the youth. "Indeed, that goes for all of you--if you wish to help your friend, wherever he may be, I firmly believe that partnering with us would be the best way to do so. I urge you all to keep this in mind." The man's air of maintained seriousness seemed to take on some extra gravity; whether this was due to the situation as it stood, or something only he were privy to, was impossible to discern. He took in a deep breath, releasing it in the form of a slow, controlled sigh.

"In the meantime, we'll be doing all we can, for you, and everyone else. The population of Column is safe for the time being, but just how long they will remain so is something I cannot quite answer."

As the children moved to comfort each other and talk amongst themselves, the man fell silent, returning to his seat. Some of the children began to peel away from the rest of the gathering, and the nurse outside, picking up on the meeting's closure, quickly made her way to the man at the desk. Their exchange was brief, and she immediately returned to the exit, calling to the children moving out and onto the footbridge.

"If you're prepared to return, you may follow me," she suggested, though those who left first were more than able to continue on their own. With the remainder of the children in need of her directions--or at least, so she thought--there was only so much she could do if others decided to go off on their own.

 

[Lucem]

Alex let out a sigh of relief when the intercom was turned off. Somehow, he managed to convince his father to see him and Modestine. When he raised his voice a moment ago, it was one final attempt at trying to persuade the man. Honestly, he wasn't sure if it would work, but it seemed as though his yells were enough to get through to him. Maybe it was because some of his own emotions leaked into those words, something he wasn't completely able to prevent. He managed to put a lid on things and compose himself, but Alex wasn't sure if he could keep it that way, depending on what his father had to say.

He didn't fully understand what his father meant when he mentioned the life that had been built for him, but he could say for certain that it would be impossible for him to return to the colony like this. Regardless of whether he decided to walk away, he couldn't live unburdened. That was never really his choice. It was a result of being his father's son. After what happened at the valley, along with what he experienced in the ruins of this building, it was far too late. However, even if everything prior was out of his hands, choosing to face it head-on was still a decision that he could make for himself. Even if his choice made things worse for him, he could say that he made it by himself. If someone else was involved, he may have hesitated or changed his mind, but that wasn't the case. If he was the only one that had to deal with the consequences, then there wasn't much to think about.

As the material of the hazmat suit covered his reddened skin, Alex looked to the other in his hand. It may have been due to horrible circumstances, but this would be the first time in several months that he had seen his father's face. Not only that, but he could also tell that this would be their first real conversation since his mother died. The thought of that made him a bit apprehensive, but he quickly squashed that feeling. Right now, it was important that they took his father with them and left the building as soon as possible. Everything else came second to that, but with the way things were going, Alex wasn't sure if he could keep calm the entire time.

Looking to Modestine, Alex finished adjusting the suit. He had noticed it during the journey to the lab, but seeing how the woman snapped at his father's voice, he felt as though she was reaching her limit. He couldn't blame her. It was only natural in a situation like this. Those emotions were completely justified. After what they had just heard and were about to see, he wasn't sure if there was anything he could do to help put her at ease. Still, he tried to offer her a calming smile. There was no trace of the previous expression or tone he maintained when talking to his father. His eyes remained gentle, hoping it would somehow help keep her relaxed, even if just a little. "Ready?" Hopefully, he'd be able to do the same.

_Line 213

 

[QizPizza]

Kori "KC" Chang
"I, uh... well, I never imagined I would experience guilt at this stage of my life. Certainly not to this extent, anyway...It's my fault Alex fell. If I don't find him, if I don't bring him back to you... I suppose I'd never be able to forgive myself. K.C., I'm sorry. Really."

KC was a bit surprised when Otto put his arm around her. Otto wasn't much for physical contact at all. Otto took it even further when he began to pat KC on the head. It was really out of character for Otto, based on what she felt when they connected. It was strange for the giant of a boy to do this, but she appreciated the gesture and the thought. It was comforting to have someone to be willing to be there even if they barely knew each other. Well..."barely knew" in a relative sense. Both of them now know more the other than most people would ever know through a whole life time. It was almost like cheating in a relationship.

Needless to say, KC hugged Otto back, wrapping her arms around his chest. She stayed with her face buried in Otto's shoulder for a few moments before she spoke, "No. It's not your fault he tried to save you when you were about to fall. I can't say I hadn't wished it was you that fell instead, but you're the one who was saved and piloted the Husk with me. And now...we know more about each other than we can possibly imagine. I just can't imagine being like that with anyone else...Not even Alex...We'll find him, but that means we'll need to cooperate and fight...Will you keep on fighting alongside me?"

The girl pulled away a little bit to look up at his eyes with her yellow eyes. She was practically begging him to stay with her and help her find Alex.

Interactions: Hextremus

 

[_Line 213]

Modestine shuffled into one of the hazmat suits, carefully securing the rare connective portions. Her posture was tense, and her audible breathing an odd mixture of attempted, nigh-enforced calm, and run-away panic. As the two adjusted their suits, a light beeping came from the far door, the panel next to it flushing green as automatic access was granted to the airlock.

"I'm ready," Modestine replied, nodding to Alex from behind her protective visor. She started toward the airlock, which opened automatically upon detecting the pair's presence. She stepped forth alongside Alex, and once the two had entered, the door hissed shut behind them. A pressuring silence took over for nearly half a minute, only to be interrupted by a sudden, loud hissing from a collection of jets above. A clear liquid dripped down the fronts of the visors and peppered their suits, more jets opening up on the sides, air and fluid pressing against their plastic exteriors.

"DT: Clear," chimed a synthetic female voice, matching words appearing on the panel on the door just in front of them. Another, shorter moment of silence followed.

"...Alex. Make no mistake--the main reason why I'm going to tell you what I am is that the Colonies would never lay a finger on a child." As Adam Kain spoke, the airlock door before them finally slid open with a loud hiss, revealing a darkened, murky hallway spreading out to the left and right, bluish light cutting through green fog; the toxins sprayed into the air had been active for quite some time, having spread with perfect evenness throughout the open air. "What you will see here cannot be unseen, and what I say cannot be unheard. Know that your position as humanity's future means that they cannot harm you, not yet. Modestine and I don't have that privilege. Turn left."

Long, brightly-lit windows looked inward upon observation chambers, some equipped as laboratories and work spaces, and others seemingly designed as blank holding chambers. The glass of some had broken, while others remained intact yet empty, the equipment within scorched and wax-like, as if subjected to unimaginable temperature. "At this point, your history books must seem like a lie. Scientifically, they are not--these things truly are machines, in a sense. But, they are biological as well, and capable of interacting with many forms of life. Machines made from biological resources--humanity's response to the problem of material scarcity."

 

[_Line 213]

The children slowly began to filter out of the room and back to their resting areas, and the man at the desk let out a sigh as the door closed behind the last potential pilot. For some time, there was nothing but silence in the room--silence, and the last embers of the setting sun. For a time, he watched motes drift lazily in the final orange stream of light cutting over the mountains, only for his moment of reflection to be rudely interrupted by a series of beeps emanating from one of the folders on his desk.

He reached over, sliding out a tablet from betwixt the folds and tapping the screen lightly. The aging visage on the other end of the call was, of course, a familiar one. "I've just met with the children, Mister Mayor."

"How did they take it?"

"Most are confused and want to know more. The good news is that most of them have decided to stay on for that purpose."

"Most?"

A pause. "Yes, Mister Mayor. One has elected to go home; from what little I overheard, a friend is to go with them. Their names are Victorie Cainewright and Jeremy Kerr."

"How did the girl fare on her tests?"

"Very poorly, sir," he replied, pulling several sheets of paper toward him from the other end of the desk, "the boy, however, was surprisingly stable, even after exposure. He could be--"

"Focus on the girl, Endo," the mayor replied, aging eyes narrowing ever so slightly, "whatever theory you have in mind pales in comparison to getting the girl the treatment she needs. That applies to all of the more sensitive children." This time, it was the mayor's turn to pause. "...You did not tell them about that, did you."

Endo pursed his lips tightly, casting a long pall of silence over their conversation.

"Answer me, Endo."

"With all due respect, Mister Mayor, though this station may be staffed by members of both your colony and mine, it isn't under your direct control. I've done enough for you already by going against--"

"You are doing this for your colony as well as mine." The elder's voice had grown steely and cold, losing some of the prior, familiar warmth that it had initially carried. "You know as well as I am that Entities are not picky, especially with the Combine silenced. We can only hope that we'll be able to eliminate them before the sensory connections reinvigorate her consciousness." He leaned forward, the creaking chair beneath him almost seeming to accentuate his age. "I am putting you in charge of my children. Children are a colony's future--humanity's future. You should know that I am not doing this lightly." His point seemingly made, the man reclined, letting out a light sigh as his back regained the support it needed.

"...Of course, Mister Mayor," Endo replied, emotion having left his voice completely.

"Don't play with fire, Endo. The board of the Initiative already is. And send me the reports on the children." The feed momentarily froze, then cut short without a calm, satisfied blip. The mayor had said his piece.

Endo stared at the Call Ended screen, the second finger of his left hand quietly digging against his pants. Many years ago, he had attempted to curb that nervous habit, yet in his later decades it ran rampant all the same. The mirroring finger of his other hand reached up, clearing the call away as it navigated to the contacts book, scrolling through before hovering over one name in particular.

P. Damask, Initiative Board Representative.

The waiting finger trembled above the tablet, while its counterpart quickened its nervous, conflicted notion. His jaw tightened. In tandem, Endo clenched his fist.

Another interruption saved him from the struggle, heralded by the same sound of the first. Slowly, he relaxed his hand, and tapped the incoming call with a sigh. "Have you found something?"

"Yes sir, one vehicle, unmanned. The tracker's been disabled, but records show that it belongs to a Column citizen, Modesti--"

"Where's it parked? Where are the drivers?"

"It's near a building out here, kind of in the middle of...nowhere. I'll send the coordinates to you, but it's not on the map."

"I see. I'll be there immediately." That same coldness returned as he stated his blank affirmation, closing the call on his end this time. One hand reached for one of his desk's many drawers, revealing a small black firearm. He had always hated the device, a crude, pre-war item that would, if the Initiative had their way, be little more than a curiosity, an odd fascination of a more barbaric human era. And yet, it was all too ironic that such seemingly horrid things were the only way of keeping specific elements quiet.

He weighed the gun in his hand; with each time he held it, the item seemed to grow heavier. Then, Endo stood, tucking it away as he strode toward the door.

---​

Despite the man's statements of urgency the evening prior, no nurses came to wake the children early the next morning.

The clocks on the walls of the not-quite-homely individual rooms only read eleven by the time the children were seemingly asked to rise; there were no knocks, and neither nurses nor doctors entered the room. Instead, there was only a repeated chime, an alarm without the harshness. For those who had risen earlier, whether due to restless sleep or other factors, breakfast had been provided, served on the center table with collections of plates and silverware, all perpetually heated by small burners beneath the holding trays, and waiting for those who rose later on.

Yet, despite the late rest, as soon as the children were indeed asked to rise, business was to be attended to. Breakfast was eaten, and soon, the children were once again shuffled through the facility's many corridors and down to a pristine parking garage at the bottom of the facility. Rows of white cars, gleaming in the artificial light, greeted the entourage alongside their waiting drivers, each one entirely unknown to the rattled class.

"If you're going back to Column, you'll want to head to those cars over there," the escorting nurse said, pointing to the other end of the garage, "if you're coming to the valley, stay over here."

 

[Coin]

Ida hardly slept a wink that night. She was far too busy letting her thoughts run rampant with everything that had happened since the bike ceremony. It was supposed to be a liberation, but Ida felt as if she had shed the shackles of childhood for bindings far more sinister. What if she had just stayed home? Of course she knew that the future was all she had a say in now, but Ida couldn't help but replay the events over and over again in her head. Ida remembered every jarring blast of Utsāha's terrible cannon, she remembered how frightened she was in the heat of battle, and she recalled all the stupid things Morgan had said to her.

Of all the terrible things that Ida forced herself to see over and over again, she could not seem to bleach the thought of Morgan patting her head like a cat in front of the others in their class earlier that night. It was different back in the cockpit, but this time Ida's response was more than regrettable. She tried and tired to find the right words to say back to him, but only stuttered and blushed crimson before fleeing the scene in a hurry. Just thinking about it again made Ida groan aloud as she smothered her face with a pillow. Ida was so stricken with embarrassment that she couldn't even recall what he had said to her, though she knew it was supposed to be comforting.

Eventually, sleep had found her, but it was fleeting. She awoke with tear-stained eyes and grief anchoring her heart, but yet she felt as if it were not her own grief. After composing herself for a few minutes, she mustered the strength and willpower to get up and creep out of her room. There was far too much that she wanted to get off her chest, and even more questions that she wanted answered. From the lighting down the hall, it seemed to be early morning, though none appeared awake yet. Being courteous to those still trying to get some shuteye, she tip-toed to Morgan's room and stood alone in front of the door for a moment. Before she could get any second thoughts, she knocked ever so softly on his door.

"Morgan? It's Ida, are you awake?" She hushed, trying to get his attention through the door.

Part of her wished that he was still asleep, or at least a heavy sleeper so that she could slip back into her own room and be left to her own thoughts once more in solitude. Though she knew she needed to talk, she had not the slightest clue as to what she would say or ask him yet. No matter how hard she tried to focus, she couldn't think straight with her heart hammering in her chest.

Please be awake.

((Re: GasMaskie ))

 

[CerpinTaxt]

This was all too much.

The others had shot question after question at the man and he'd answered them as best as he could have Luka supposed. He learned what that weird creature they'd fought was, and that Column needed their help; there were more of those things on their way. He didn't want to say yes, but it would have been wrong to say no. His parents were in danger, and they might be relying on him! Worrying them is worth it if it meant they would be okay in the end, right? What about Hachi? He hadn't seen her in a while, was she going to help him?

He really hoped so; it's not like he'd really talked to anyone else before.

Part of him really didn't want to go back in that machine though, it was too far up the ground that it made him feel a bit sick and it gave him such a nasty headache. Maybe that was just a first time thing? Today had just been a mess from beginning to end. Ruining his clothes, messing up his book..his book? It was strange but he couldn't help but wonder just where he had put the book he'd dropped right before climbing up the Husk. Even as he was lead by to his room by the nurses he kept thinking about it. Was it in the robot? Or maybe it was in his bag? His bike and bag were certainly destroyed in that conflict; enveloped by the creatures strange 'essence'.

Mom was going to freak.

Sleep didn't come easy; it never really did for Luka but this time it was worse. Plagued with repeated abrupt awakenings, tossing and turning in the night. The only thing that could have made it worse was him not being able to sleep at all. After the fourth time he was woken up by nothing, Luka just felt content to just stare up at the ceiling of his room for a while. He wished this was just a dream; that he when he blinked he would wake back up in his room. That he'd simply had a bad dream on the day before the ceremony. Too bad the wish never came true.

--

After a while, Luka sat up in his bed before sliding out from the covers and onto his feet. He had no reason to lay there and do nothing; perhaps they had made food for them? Luka opened the door to his room and left, making sure not to hit his head like last time. He walked into the small common room, his memory flashing back to when that girl had threatened him with that knife of hers. It seemed they had provided food to them, and a small clock which rested near the plates. Just a few minutes past ten o' clock.

He may as well have something to eat then. A familiar color at the corner of his eye pulled his attention away from the food, watching as a doctor made their way down one of the man hallways. Wait..the colored pattern on their jacket. Orange? His time in the library, watching the various doctors come in for various books, hit him. They always wanted the biological stuff; or something Luka wasn't allowed to read. Or it was just too complicated.

Remembering that certainly made eating his breakfast harder.

_Line 213

 

[Hextremus]

When Kori had hugged Otto in return, he had found himself rather surprised. He made a mental note then that headpats seemed to function effectively when needing to comfort his partner. Her confession that she had wished he'd been the one to fall instead of Alex didn't come as a surprise whatsoever; sometimes even he felt the same way. Her request for him to keep fighting with her had caused him to smile. It was the smallest smile one could make, but it was a smile nonetheless.

Of course I will, K.C.. I won't leave your side, no matter what happens. I promise.

The children had been led back to the resting area after that. Thinking back on it as he stared up at the ceiling of the room he'd occupied for the night, his thoughts were conflicted. Making promises only ever asked for trouble, and he couldn't suppress his slight regret at making such a promise without even thinking. But even as he thought this, he realised he wouldn't have changed what he'd said. He'd meant it, every single word. He wasn't sure how to take that.

He'd been woken up by another nurse; apparently breakfast was ready. He'd remained in bed for a short while, one half of his brain telling him he was just tired while the other half told him he was scared to find out how Kori had received the promise he'd made. Considering the promise further, his nose wrinkled in distaste; the words had been so annoyingly cliche. He was almost disappointed in himself as he slowly sat up and made his way out of the room to eat his breakfast.

Otto sat down in a chair once he'd grabbed his food, scanning the room for Kori. The chair beside him was empty and he wanted to talk to her. He enjoyed her company. He wanted to listen to her voice, to meet those brilliant yellow eyes she possessed. The feelings made him anxious, such that he began to incessantly tap his foot against the floor. He'd never felt such urges towards anyone in his entire life, not even his parents. He let out a heavy sigh, slowly consuming his breakfast.

[ QizPizza ]

 

[GasMaskie]

The pale boy had been roused slowly from his gentle sleep with the feelings that had seeped into his mind. While it was no problem rationalizing them and speculating on the connection between ABEs and Husks, it still felt very unreal. Morgan wiped a stray tear from his cheek. He kept his eyes closed as he slowly sorted through his mind before turning on his side intent on going back to sleep. At the very least, the bed wasn't too uncomfortable and the provided gowns weren't as revealing as the standard ones you'd find at a hospital. Hopefully they hadn't touched his hidden stashes of books - the paranoia was enough to keep him from drifting back into unconsciousness.

As he turned over once more, he thought of the girl. Ida Sommers. Quiet, yet prone to rage. Easily placated by physical touch. Her hair smelled nice enough. At the very least, she was someone he could "get along" with. Perhaps calling her his first friend would be reaching. The stigma that came with being associated with him was something that he'd like to spare her from as well. And... a knock at the door. Speak of the devil. Or rather, think it. He doubted that it was a shadowy figure with a silenced gun - as Husk pilots they were definitely worth more alive.

He slowly rubbed his eyes and carefully pulled the blanket off himself as he shuffled to the door. Morgan wiped the sleep from his eyes as her voice rang out from beyond the door. Without a peephole, he couldn't be completely sure it was her. But he relented and opened his door with a yawn.

"A late night visit, Ida Sommers? My my, I never took you for the lewd sort. Or, I suppose a midnight head patting session is too irresistible for you." Of course, he had a faint idea of why she bothered to come to his room - it seemed that even outside of Utsaha they were still somehow linked. More likely than not, they had re-experienced the same emotions at the same time within dreams - the brain worked differently during REM. The genius could have said all of this and cut straight to the point.

But teasing her seemed like more fun.

(Re: Coin )

 

[simj26]

CainShe wasn't feeling well.

That much she was certain. It wasn’t as if she had a sleepless night. If anything, she was certain she had slept the entire night away, and yet she felt restless. A headache not unlike the one she felt when she clambered onto the Husk assaulted her cranium when she awoke. She sat in the sparse bed for a while, and did not bother to respond to the nurse who entered the room, possibly to wake her up for breakfast. Once the lady saw that the girl was awake, though, she did as Cain suspected she would- inform her of the breakfast- and left. Cain remained on her bed, and sorted out her memories, still groggy from sleep. Interspersed amongst Jerry telling her that he was heading home were recollections of her conversing with someone. The pain in her head only intensified, however, when she strained to remember who it was, or what the conversation was about. It was almost as if it happened in a dream. If so, then why did it feel so…real? She clutched at her head, hoping that the strain of her hand on her skull would help to subside the pain, that the pressing of her fingers against her temple would dull the headache. Perhaps it was just a placebo effect, but the headache did feel at least somewhat survivable after a slow massage. She supposed she should go and have something to line her stomach. Besides, though she doubted it, she was wondering if Jerry had changed his mind about going home.

---

It wasn't as if there was nothing back at the Colony. Yet, it felt like there was nothing left at the Colony. Her parents repetitively asserted that she should think more rationally, than using her guts. It came to her slowly, as she chewed on a piece of toasted bread, a question that only seemed to darken her visage. What happens when there were no ABEs left to kill? What happens at the end? Would they return to the Colony, live their lives as heroes who saved the world? That was rubbish. Hailed as heroes or not, they were going to be expected to put in a good day’s work after the fanfare has died down. As sad as she was to leave Sehnsucht unpiloted, and unable to feel freedom again, it sure beat putting one’s life on the line, and having nothing in return.

She’d go back. She’d study hard, climb a rock wall once in a while, become what the Colony expected her to be, and give Jeremy a nice life. That was the plan. It hurt her to go back to a world of dullness, to just nothing, but for Jeremy, she was ready to put everything on the line. She had to think not only for herself, but for him as well, just as he had for all these years.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, as the headache started again. This was starting to annoy her. Where was Jeremy? She needed a proper distraction from the pain.

 

[_Line 213]

The two turned onto another stretch of hallway as per the older Kain's instructions, delivered between labored breathing. Between the end of his last explanation and the beginning of his first one, there was nothing but silence, spinning lights continuing to rove through the deep mist. The structure of the hazmat suits made every step, every breath, indeed, every motion, far more acute, more audible, more noticeable, and more laborous, as if the barrier separating them from the choking gas of their surroundings was equal part protector and pressure.

There was something nearly calming about the state of the inner facility; the haze was reminiscent of early morning mists, the harsh light flooding from the observation windows dissipated just enough thanks to the smoke to almost feel like a strange sort of muted, 5 AM daylight. It was the sort of scene that Adam Kain himself likely would have seen many times during his morning drives to work, passing through dew and clouds of condensation resting betwixt the forest trees. The patches of darkness in-between individual windows almost served as a form of dappled tree cover in and of themselves; a metal replication of a nature-borne sensation privy only to the world's early risers.

Finally, the scientist's voice cut through the passages once more. "Though biological in origin, they were designed and created, indeed, as machines." His breathing had grown more labored over the course of his silence, almost as if he were at the edge of some sort of long, deep sleep. "They were given instructions, and limitations, the same as a computer, and given only the parameters necessary for their operation, nothing more than what was required. As they took in more matter, absorbed more, reconfigured more, they grew more complex, yet still operated solely under humanity's purview. Turn--" a loud cough, followed by a mangled sound which, despite its lack of structure, could nonetheless be parsed as "right," leading Alex and Modestine into a far dimmer hallway.

"From what we understand, humanity was very...very cautious, with them. Even as they began interlinking them, bettering their combat abilities via shared experience, they were sure to keep them mindless. The development of their cores, followed by their rebellion, was a later phenomenon, one near the end of the initial portion of the war, right before the developers of the Entities could claim victory."

At the end of the hallway was another airlock door, opening as the two neared the end of the hallway. Fresh light flooded outward into the hallway, a proverbial sun in the midst of the gloom. The white, pristine nature of the bright inner space contrasted starkly with the journey taken until that point. Once more, jets above the two travelers hissed to life, spraying them down and venting contaminated air from within the chamber. "Entities are living things, Alex. Their primary instinct is to live...in school, did they ever teach you about symbiosis?"

"DT: Clear."

The panel lit up.

The doors slid open.

The lights of the office interior had been broken, judging by the glinting shards of glass present on the ground. Save for the shaft of light forced into the room by the detox chamber, the only other illumination came in the form of disparate lights lining equipment and the soft glows of monitors.

In the corner, hiding from the light, and just barely visible following a few steps into the room, was Adam Kain.

A cord hung down from the desk beneath which he cowered, a small desktop microphone present at the very end and linked upward to the security systems just above. A trail of blood stopped at his feet, and red stained his labcoat, yet Adam was not bleeding. His face, wrinkled with stress and age in equal measure, was as remembered, though discheveled all the same. One arm, his right, weakly held the small microphone.

The other was a vague mimicry of an arm, a grey, malformed limb that had seemingly forgotten how to be itself, or perhaps had decided to slowly become something else instead. Small, quietly waving tendrils looped up and down, sensing changes in the air, while others had spread and attached to the ground, seeming nearly wire-like in their form and extention. Five malformed fingers, complete with joints, wrist, elbow--the artificial mass snaked its way upward, eventually intertwining with Adam's original flesh a little more than half-way up his bicep.

Modestine tried to scream, but she could not; the sound that came from her was one beyond horror, her reaction more than simple fright as it pushed her voice beyond her highest register and into silence, a rasping, airy, empty sound eminating from her as she fell to her knees from the pure shock of the sight. "You're a C--you're a Co--"

Even the beginning syllable twisted and contorted Adam's face into one betraying severe pain, emotional and physical alike. Tears streamed down already-glistening pathways. "I'm sorry, son."

He had to mouth the words. Even in apology, there was nothing more he could give.

 

[Soviet Panda]

Connor awoke with a start, sweat glistening off of him and his blanket now tangled about him. He looked around wildly, what he had felt in his dream still lingering. Raising a shaky hand to his head, he pushes back the stray hairs caused by the notorious bead head. But before it could even reach his hairline, he stopped it before his eyes. He stared at his hand for what felt like hours. Eventually, having apparently decided on something, he lowered his hand and prepared to start his day. But even as he got dressed, the remnant of the dream tugged at him. And no matter what he try to do, there it stayed, clinging like a tick to whatever it had a hold of. "Don't think about it," he muttered quietly to himself before doing just that. He was hungry after all, easiest to think about that.

After finding the room filled with food, he took a seat closest to where he had come in and began autonomously filling his plate as he thought. He thought mostly about whether he was going to stay or not. He would've decided yesterday, but given what had all happened not to long ago he felt drained. Physically, mentally, emotionally, there was barely anything left in the tank. But now he was rested and recharged, even though he was hungry.

He wanted to return to Column, to never enter that thing again. That was his first decision. But as he sat there and thought about it, he began to realize something. First of all, it would be one less Husk to help those that decided to stay. But that brought him to his second realization. If he wouldn't pilot it, then someone else would. He remembered the man telling them that the Husks didn't like getting new pilots after they formed a bond with their last one (thinking about that thing forming a bond with him sent a shiver up his spine), but that didn't mean they wouldn't take one. Which would mean someone else would have to experience that thing. No, he wouldn't let anyone else fight it. He would fight it, but he needed to be stronger. He needed to be so much stronger if he even wanted to stand a chance against it.

 

[Coin]

"Ugh, I hate you," Ida groaned at Morgan's cruel humor. It was probably something she wouldn't get used to soon. She wound up and punched him in the shoulder, using the momentum to push him out of the doorway to allow her to slip into his room. In the same motion she shut the door behind her to keep prying eyes and ears away. "Listen, you incorrigible idiot, I need you to be serious about this."

Ida took a deep breath and gathered all of her thoughts for a moment before she spoke. Though she dreamed of days where at last she could be Ida Sommers, and not Ana Sommers' sister, she had never been so overwhelmed in her life. Frankly, she had spent so much time relying on her sister for counsel, that she had built a dependency for the affirmation of others. That was how she found herself forcing her way into Morgan's room; what else was she to do? Confide in a war machine?

"It's not right," Ida shook her head. "No one should have to ask teenagers like us to risk ourselves to pilot Husks to fight a battle that isn't ours to begin with. The choice should be easy to make, and I should just tell you that I don't want to pilot Utsāha again to save both of us, but I can't stop thinking about it. How am I supposed to say no when we could be part of something this important?"

She gave a long winded sigh and pulled her hair back, tying it off into a quick ponytail, "I think what I mean to say is this: if we both end up hurt or worse in Utsāha, I won't blame it on you if you won't blame it on me. If you can agree to that much, I'll do whatever those psychos want us to do and pilot the Husk with you."

((Re: GasMaskie ))