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[He furrows his eyebrows, giving a slight shake of the head.]
I believe so. Don't know, really, perhaps things were different before I arrived, but...definitely different now. For what reason, I wonder?
[He furrows his eyebrows, giving a slight shake of the head.]
I believe so. Don't know, really, perhaps things were different before I arrived, but...definitely different now. For what reason, I wonder?
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[Luckily, he is not from the 1980s...in Earth terms, anyways.]
I do! I certainly do. Many...computers where I come from. Perhaps it's a different format of computer, this laptop? In my world, we have terminals.
[Luckily, he is not from the 1980s...in Earth terms, anyways.]
I do! I certainly do. Many...computers where I come from. Perhaps it's a different format of computer, this laptop? In my world, we have terminals.
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That is...that is the question, yes. And why, why would it happen, hm...
[His fingers tap restlessly against his chin as he thinks.]
Perhaps it has something to do with what occurred with Rota? The timing is...convenient...
That is...that is the question, yes. And why, why would it happen, hm...
[His fingers tap restlessly against his chin as he thinks.]
Perhaps it has something to do with what occurred with Rota? The timing is...convenient...
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I'm 37. Hardly a grandparent! Not even a...parent.
[Royce, he could not give a damn about your age.]
But no, I come from...a different world than you. What exists in one place is most likely not to exist in others! For example, fooooooooor example...you don't vote for what color the sky is in your world, do you...?
I'm 37. Hardly a grandparent! Not even a...parent.
[Royce, he could not give a damn about your age.]
But no, I come from...a different world than you. What exists in one place is most likely not to exist in others! For example, fooooooooor example...you don't vote for what color the sky is in your world, do you...?
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Ah, yes, I'm...Royce. Royce Bracket. Just call me...Royce. Or Bracket. Whatever you prefer.
And you are...?
Ah, yes, I'm...Royce. Royce Bracket. Just call me...Royce. Or Bracket. Whatever you prefer.
And you are...?
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[Not very hard at all to understand and use, especially for people familiar with technology.]
Well...most places. Some connection areas are...spotty, not really all there, but it should connect around the island.
[Not very hard at all to understand and use, especially for people familiar with technology.]
Well...most places. Some connection areas are...spotty, not really all there, but it should connect around the island.
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[Poor, poor Marco. This is a place that will change you, inside and out. Whether its truly punishment is anyone's guess.]
Around. Could be less! Could be...more. But two months, that goes by, and...humanity, your humanity is...
Gone.
[He stares at the other man with those piercing glowing white eyes of his, their green color having faded a long time ago.]
It's gone.
[Poor, poor Marco. This is a place that will change you, inside and out. Whether its truly punishment is anyone's guess.]
Around. Could be less! Could be...more. But two months, that goes by, and...humanity, your humanity is...
Gone.
[He stares at the other man with those piercing glowing white eyes of his, their green color having faded a long time ago.]
It's gone.
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Sand...like on a beach? How can that be? Wouldn't there need to be a sea to, ah, grind the sand down? Create it?
[DESERTS ARE SO CONFUSING]
Well, now you've...seen it. [He reaches over to type a reply, his fingernails clacking on the keys.]
the name is royce. royce bracket.
[He turns back to Rosa.] Yes, you've...got it! You've got it down.
Sand...like on a beach? How can that be? Wouldn't there need to be a sea to, ah, grind the sand down? Create it?
[DESERTS ARE SO CONFUSING]
Well, now you've...seen it. [He reaches over to type a reply, his fingernails clacking on the keys.]
the name is royce. royce bracket.
[He turns back to Rosa.] Yes, you've...got it! You've got it down.
Yes, that's correct! And Damcyan is near the ocean, but that's not the only way sand is created. The harsh desert winds grind down stones and mountains over time, and the lack of plant-life contributes to erosion. It's amazing to think about how both humans and animals have learned to survive in such an unforgiving climate.
[She watches as Royce enters a reply, wondering if it must be difficult to tap the keys with his claws. He doesn't appear to have too much trouble with that.]
Royce... [She smiles.] This is a wonderful device you've created! It's very kind of you to share such a boon with the masses.
[Because, really, it's what the Lunarians did with her ancestors long ago. Who's to say that's not how it works here, too?]
[She watches as Royce enters a reply, wondering if it must be difficult to tap the keys with his claws. He doesn't appear to have too much trouble with that.]
Royce... [She smiles.] This is a wonderful device you've created! It's very kind of you to share such a boon with the masses.
[Because, really, it's what the Lunarians did with her ancestors long ago. Who's to say that's not how it works here, too?]
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No. Not at all. You can...be whatever you want to be. Your choice.
[She could be an alien from a planet where they have three heads for all he cares. He has nothing to do with her choices, and his personal judgement has no part in what he thinks about the profession of others.]
Well, then, well, now, let's...let's head there right away. I would like a drink myself... [He pauses, before offering his elbow for her to take. That is what gentlemen do, right?]
No. Not at all. You can...be whatever you want to be. Your choice.
[She could be an alien from a planet where they have three heads for all he cares. He has nothing to do with her choices, and his personal judgement has no part in what he thinks about the profession of others.]
Well, then, well, now, let's...let's head there right away. I would like a drink myself... [He pauses, before offering his elbow for her to take. That is what gentlemen do, right?]
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Well, you seem like you've gotten a...ah, handle on it. Your transformations. I was right, though you do...you would need water on a regular basis. Your species, it is similar to an...acquaintance of mine.
[The last part, though, catches his interest.]
Kids?
Well, you seem like you've gotten a...ah, handle on it. Your transformations. I was right, though you do...you would need water on a regular basis. Your species, it is similar to an...acquaintance of mine.
[The last part, though, catches his interest.]
Kids?
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[Royce Bracket is like the sea.]
[He looks placid on the outside. Barely a wave of emotion mars his surface. And yet, there are things that lurk in its depths, dark things, things that do not exist to cause harm, but could, at any moment, show their teeth...]
[He doesn't move, just stands there, repeating his little smoke trick. The smoke billows in the air, the smell of tobacco quite pungent.]
When did I...when did I change? [He seems to muse that to himself.] Several months ago. Four...maybe five? I've been here for quite a while...
[Royce Bracket is like the sea.]
[He looks placid on the outside. Barely a wave of emotion mars his surface. And yet, there are things that lurk in its depths, dark things, things that do not exist to cause harm, but could, at any moment, show their teeth...]
[He doesn't move, just stands there, repeating his little smoke trick. The smoke billows in the air, the smell of tobacco quite pungent.]
When did I...when did I change? [He seems to muse that to himself.] Several months ago. Four...maybe five? I've been here for quite a while...
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[He shrugs in response to that question.]
Met her, once or twice. Once when she arrived, then...well, we were all involved in an attack. The city of Rota, it...captured us. Placed us in a pit. She was there.
Other than that, she...posts on the network, time to time.
[He shrugs in response to that question.]
Met her, once or twice. Once when she arrived, then...well, we were all involved in an attack. The city of Rota, it...captured us. Placed us in a pit. She was there.
Other than that, she...posts on the network, time to time.
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Oh.
["Destruction of your home planet". Those words hit hard, somehow.]
Couldn't participate in that, then. My world, my city...[There's a long pause.] Already gone. Ah, but, but why was it a good thing? In your case.
Oh.
["Destruction of your home planet". Those words hit hard, somehow.]
Couldn't participate in that, then. My world, my city...[There's a long pause.] Already gone. Ah, but, but why was it a good thing? In your case.
[Jade nods, relieved. That doesn't sound too different.]
So you've still got like, the internet? Do we get the internet here?
So you've still got like, the internet? Do we get the internet here?
[A shake of the head.]
Uh. No? Not quite. I don't know of this internet, but as the name supposes we...we have a private network across the island. No other networks..
Uh. No? Not quite. I don't know of this internet, but as the name supposes we...we have a private network across the island. No other networks..
Winds grind down stones.
[He sounds kind of awed. It's almost like hearing something from a fairytale. Wings grind down stones.]
Ah, well, I-I didn't create it. Already here when I arrived, just made...improvements! [He almost looks a little bashful.] It's just...my job.
[He sounds kind of awed. It's almost like hearing something from a fairytale. Wings grind down stones.]
Ah, well, I-I didn't create it. Already here when I arrived, just made...improvements! [He almost looks a little bashful.] It's just...my job.
Th--
[He turns his back to Royce and places a trembling hand over his mouth, grips his own face for lack of anything else to grip.]
Th-thank you. For the information.
[Breathe. Breathe, breathe, breathe. He still has questions to ask, but he can't do it like this. He breathes, and turns to face Royce again. No amount of breathing can hide how pale he is.]
... What are you? You eat souls, but... what are you?
[He turns his back to Royce and places a trembling hand over his mouth, grips his own face for lack of anything else to grip.]
Th-thank you. For the information.
[Breathe. Breathe, breathe, breathe. He still has questions to ask, but he can't do it like this. He breathes, and turns to face Royce again. No amount of breathing can hide how pale he is.]
... What are you? You eat souls, but... what are you?
It sounds as though there are no deserts in your world...
[Which, to be fair... might actually be the case. Even if it's incredibly hard to believe that there aren't myriad environments like that in every world.]
You didn't? [Oh dear, she made another assumption. And Royce seems rather embarrassed about the mistake. Rosa offers a reassuring smile. It's so radiant, it's like the sun breaking through cloud cover. Hopefully, the shade won't flinch from it.] Even so, to modify something like this, without being the one who engineered it... that's quite a feat of genius, I think!
[Oh, if only Royce new how often Cid would blather on about reverse engineering established technology and how much of a pain in the arse it could be to get things to work!]
[Which, to be fair... might actually be the case. Even if it's incredibly hard to believe that there aren't myriad environments like that in every world.]
You didn't? [Oh dear, she made another assumption. And Royce seems rather embarrassed about the mistake. Rosa offers a reassuring smile. It's so radiant, it's like the sun breaking through cloud cover. Hopefully, the shade won't flinch from it.] Even so, to modify something like this, without being the one who engineered it... that's quite a feat of genius, I think!
[Oh, if only Royce new how often Cid would blather on about reverse engineering established technology and how much of a pain in the arse it could be to get things to work!]
True... But it's hard to imagine that the Rotans themselves would have been responsible. [He's not sure there are even enough of them left for something of this scale, let alone enough left who actually hate the newcomers.]
Could be some kind of sick joke by the gods. Wouldn't put it past them.
Could be some kind of sick joke by the gods. Wouldn't put it past them.
Right. Let me be honest with ya, Royce. I can tell you ain't a salesman where you came from 'cause yer pitch is shit, even fer somethin' yer givin' away fer free.
It's Ryuuko, by the way.
It's Ryuuko, by the way.
[She laughs - out of sheer giddiness more than anything. If her Mama could see her now. If Montparnasse could... well, it is perhaps well that he cannot see her now. She takes his arm gingerly]
Where is good to drink here? Cheap and strong, I like it. I don't care about the taste.
Where is good to drink here? Cheap and strong, I like it. I don't care about the taste.
Wasn't born to be a salesman. I'm afraid I don't have the...conciseness for it, no.
[He quirks his mouth to the side, looking faintly amused.]
Ryuuko, Ryuuko, will...I will remember that. Have you heard what this place does to people like you, Ryuuko?
[He quirks his mouth to the side, looking faintly amused.]
Ryuuko, Ryuuko, will...I will remember that. Have you heard what this place does to people like you, Ryuuko?
There are several places. Several, yes, so...really quite a lot of choice. The nearest one, well, probably we'll go there. Cheap there, too. Not really into walking too far...
[He walks forward with her, out of the cemetery and towards the city.]
Forgot the name, though. But I know the place. The...location.
[He walks forward with her, out of the cemetery and towards the city.]
Forgot the name, though. But I know the place. The...location.
[ another nod. ]
Might be hard to get used to the downgrade. Not to say I'm not grateful or anything! I'm just...used to, uh. Much better computers.
Might be hard to get used to the downgrade. Not to say I'm not grateful or anything! I'm just...used to, uh. Much better computers.
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