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Honestly, I feel the same way. I had...worked with much more advanced technology than here.
This? This is primitive, to say the least.
This? This is primitive, to say the least.
[Her expression turns expressly sour as she tucks the laptop under her arm.]
Yeah, monster transformation or whatever.
Yeah, monster transformation or whatever.
[Jade frowns. Of course it's a private network. No creepy place that kidnaps people would ever let them have contact with the outside world.]
Shit. I was afraid of that.
Shit. I was afraid of that.
Yeah, yeah. I already got the "everyone's from their own special little planet!" speech already. [He closes the laptop, and holds it under one of his arms.]
...But voting for your own sky colour? Seriously? Isn't there like, somethin' y'know... better to waste voting for?
...But voting for your own sky colour? Seriously? Isn't there like, somethin' y'know... better to waste voting for?
[Long enough for him to completely lose his mind, apparently. Several months, though. Can she really believe that this creature standing before her used to be a man? Yes, she realizes after a moment, and that's enough to send chills through her. Immediately, she quashes the idea, trying not to bare her teeth when his head flickers like it's... well, not really a solid thing at all.
Nynaeve decides that she's finished with this conversation. Light, she doesn't think she can watch his features do that again.]
Any other advice, Mr. Bracket? [Her words are brittle and clipped, but the way her knuckles are white with strain betray her true emotion.]
Nynaeve decides that she's finished with this conversation. Light, she doesn't think she can watch his features do that again.]
Any other advice, Mr. Bracket? [Her words are brittle and clipped, but the way her knuckles are white with strain betray her true emotion.]
I'm sorry to hear that.
[She gives him a sympathetic smile -- while it was a good thing in her case, she knew it wasn't the same for everyone.]
My species as a whole weren't very nice, to say the least; our society was a very aggressive and segregated one that preyed on the weak. They were also world conquerors, destroying and taking over other planets throughout the galaxy. Now that it's all gone, the few of us that are left are working to start anew and make it a much better place this time.
[She gives him a sympathetic smile -- while it was a good thing in her case, she knew it wasn't the same for everyone.]
My species as a whole weren't very nice, to say the least; our society was a very aggressive and segregated one that preyed on the weak. They were also world conquerors, destroying and taking over other planets throughout the galaxy. Now that it's all gone, the few of us that are left are working to start anew and make it a much better place this time.
Ach, who knows? [ He shrugs. ]
Last I was here, I woke up in the hospital. Herr Doktor told me they pulled me from the water.
[ He throws that information out there, purely to see how differently things have changed since he's, apparently, been gone. ]
Last I was here, I woke up in the hospital. Herr Doktor told me they pulled me from the water.
[ He throws that information out there, purely to see how differently things have changed since he's, apparently, been gone. ]
[ tim laughs, but just a little. yeah -- primitive would be the word. ]
At least it serves its purpose, considering I haven't heard of any other way to get ahold of people here yet.
At least it serves its purpose, considering I haven't heard of any other way to get ahold of people here yet.
[He stares at her for a moment, before he folds his arms, frowning.]
...Even if you had your, ah, "internet", I don't think it would serve you well. This isn't the world you know.
...Even if you had your, ah, "internet", I don't think it would serve you well. This isn't the world you know.
World conquerors? So, ah, I suppose you are...used to other worlds, then. Seeing them, destroying them, though I am not, er, saying you are a destroyer yourself, no. Just your species.
...How does this game work?
...How does this game work?
Don't...just call me Royce. Or Bracket. Not that.
[There's a slight flicker of annoyance across his features - he doesn't like the formality of that. He likes success, of being acknowledged, but somehow it smacks of cheap flattery when someone calls him "mister".]
[He thinks over it for a moment, before he turns back to her, taking out the cigarette from his mouth and letting his head flicker back to its regular shape.]
...Ah, yes. Almost forgot. When you turn into a monster, well...you'll be eating something new. Something different. You'll be eating parts of...human beings.
[He lets out a slight huff and says, ever so casually:] I eat souls, myself.
[There's a slight flicker of annoyance across his features - he doesn't like the formality of that. He likes success, of being acknowledged, but somehow it smacks of cheap flattery when someone calls him "mister".]
[He thinks over it for a moment, before he turns back to her, taking out the cigarette from his mouth and letting his head flicker back to its regular shape.]
...Ah, yes. Almost forgot. When you turn into a monster, well...you'll be eating something new. Something different. You'll be eating parts of...human beings.
[He lets out a slight huff and says, ever so casually:] I eat souls, myself.
Well? Why, do I appear unwell?
[But as she speaks, he understands what she's getting at. He gives her a casual shrug.]
I...don't know. I'll have to think of it. Maybe tell you later. Well, unless you can return me home, but...don't think any of us have that power, no.
[But as she speaks, he understands what she's getting at. He gives her a casual shrug.]
I...don't know. I'll have to think of it. Maybe tell you later. Well, unless you can return me home, but...don't think any of us have that power, no.
I'm a shade.
[He says it succinctly, without any trace of emotion, as if he's about to launch into a lecture about his species and what he can do. Luckily for Marco, he doesn't.]
There are more types of monsters than what I am, however...you could be turning into something else.
[He says it succinctly, without any trace of emotion, as if he's about to launch into a lecture about his species and what he can do. Luckily for Marco, he doesn't.]
There are more types of monsters than what I am, however...you could be turning into something else.
No, this is the only way. Crude, very crude! But better than nothing at all.
Exactly. [He folds his arms, his stare never leaving her.] And what do you...think? Just generally.
Well, good that you have. Not many have, ah...received that particular explanation yet.
[He stares at Lars blankly, as if what he's saying is making absolutely no sense.]
We voted on everything. Buildings, fashion, leadership, the weather...you could decide whether it rained or snowed. All up to the people's whim.
[He stares at Lars blankly, as if what he's saying is making absolutely no sense.]
We voted on everything. Buildings, fashion, leadership, the weather...you could decide whether it rained or snowed. All up to the people's whim.
True. They weren't ah, soldiers. Or scientists. Their background is hard to be tied to what we saw...
[He nods.] Could consider that as a possibility. These so-called gods seem to have their fingers in many a pie...
[He nods.] Could consider that as a possibility. These so-called gods seem to have their fingers in many a pie...
I woke up in the hospital as well. So far, so far...this, what has happened to you has not happened before.
[He shakes his head.] Wait, you say...last you were here? You left?
[He shakes his head.] Wait, you say...last you were here? You left?
Not at all. Only one city. And a suburb, of sorts. No deserts to speak of.
[The shade doesn't flinch from it, but he looks faintly surprised by it either way. He's always been an outcast of sorts, even at home, so people acting genuinely nice to him is not something he's used to.]
Well, well, I...I won't be modest and say that it isn't brilliant. But I have a lot to do, a long path to go forward...it isn't perfect. Not yet.
[The shade doesn't flinch from it, but he looks faintly surprised by it either way. He's always been an outcast of sorts, even at home, so people acting genuinely nice to him is not something he's used to.]
Well, well, I...I won't be modest and say that it isn't brilliant. But I have a lot to do, a long path to go forward...it isn't perfect. Not yet.
I'm simply curious. People come here, react to the news differently. Some dig in their heels, others fall into misery, other live in denial...
So. What about you? What will you do?
So. What about you? What will you do?
None taken. Not a ghost, though...well, that is the common term people refer to when they see me. I'm not dead, though. Not really. Maybe, in a way, but...not quite.
[He nods.] Yes. Use your time wisely. It'll be gone before you realize it.
[He nods.] Yes. Use your time wisely. It'll be gone before you realize it.
[She stares at him for a long while, as if she's not going to come around to answering his question--but then she looks off into the distance where the pit she woke up in lays quite the distance away. She can't see it very well with all the equipment and people blocking the view, but she's hardly broken-hearted about that.
She looks back at Royce.]
I've been through worse.
[People have probably said that before, bragging, sounding like a big damn hero that couldn't be harmed by the likes of a malicious god. But Ryuuko says it in a way that sounds like she wishes she hadn't gone "through worse". Then again, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
She's seen some monsters by now, and all of them look like they're doing pretty well. They have nothing on what she looked like before, either literally or figuratively.]
She looks back at Royce.]
I've been through worse.
[People have probably said that before, bragging, sounding like a big damn hero that couldn't be harmed by the likes of a malicious god. But Ryuuko says it in a way that sounds like she wishes she hadn't gone "through worse". Then again, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
She's seen some monsters by now, and all of them look like they're doing pretty well. They have nothing on what she looked like before, either literally or figuratively.]
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