[ it's like what he thinks the outskirts look like. ]
Anyway, I'd better cut right to the chase. [ he continues watching the scenic view; if they're being watched or something, they'd only look like they're just hanging out. ] They got a punishment system here. Memories get wiped if you commit a grievous crime. Sound familiar?
It's a bit like the Outskirts. [ She can confirm this thought of his, except-- ] Just with more apparent civilization and greenery here. Doesn't make it feel any less empty when you look at it.
[ And her gaze flicks back to him, only briefly, because they don't really need to look like they're having a serious conversation here. It's hard to tell what kind of observation they're under. ]
... So they've got something capable of that. [ Rather, at this point, there's so much about the City that can tamper with your memories or reset you to a certain point. So this place can do it too? ]
What do they consider a grievous crime, though? Mugging? Property damage? Murder?
[ he hums in agreement. gebura would know, since she'd gone out there herself. but like certain people in the city, roland has always wondered what it's like out there...
but anyway, back to the matter at hand. he walks over to get their beers and hands a can over to his fellow librarian. ]
Murder, most especially. [ cracks his can open as he continues to look onward towards the scenery below. it's eerie, how they can both talk about murder like it's the weather, but it's #justcitythings at this point. ] I heard from some kid that the two of 'em tried setting the city hall on fire, but they ended up getting cuffed to one another upon waking up the next day. Seems that whoever's watching us can just sneak up on us while we're unconscious without us noticing.
That might be the case for a pair of kids, but you think that'd be the same case for us? Because if someone can do as much to a pair of seasoned Fixers, that's a much bigger problem. [ Being able to be manhandled while unconscious, without waking up? That's not a matter of being sneaky, that's a matter of having a way to bypass someone's sense of awareness or doing something to their consciousness in the first place.
... It makes Gebura frown to consider it, even as she flicks the tab on her can and takes a healthy swig of it. ]
Knowing an enemy's capabilities is the first step to acting against it, but when we don't even know just how vast their reach here is, it pisses me off. [ Of course it does. ]
I'unno... I mean the fixers from the higher sections of Shi Association could sneak past the locked doors and cuff a couple of kids together without their notice. But I guess someone like you could take 'em down on your own just fine.
[ roland too, probably. but even someone like him can't compare to her, and he knows this. ]
It's been ticking me off too. And we're not the only ones waiting for the shoe to drop either. [ he sighs, then takes a sip of his beer. ] I just... want it to happen already so that we can finally get it over with.
Yeah, I can't say I'm real into the idea of having to sit back and wait for it to happen, either. You're probably more patient than I am, so if you're already feeling it, it's got to be bad.
[ They're in absolute agreement on this matter. ]
It's been about a month. Something has to give before much longer... is the feeling I get, anyway.
Nah, I wouldn't say I'm patient. Anyone would be bored out of their minds here. At least back in the Library we get to receive all sorts of interesting guests, and have drinks with either Netz, Chesed, or Binah during downtime...
[ a long sigh, as he crosses his arms over the railing. does he miss them? it's complicated. ]
I'm more than sure someone already has, though. If we're lucky, we don't have to wait hundreds of thousands of years before someone goes berserk. [ thanks, warp trains! ] That only goes to show that humans truly are flawed in situations like this.
I'll be sure to tell Binah specifically you miss her and her teatimes.
[ With a very straight face. ]
Either way, flaws don't necessarily mean humans are without hope entirely. It just remains to be seen what'll come next, from all of us, in response to what we end up dealing with.
[ maybe he does miss them. a little. but it's more like he wants to go back for some unfinished business than anything else.
but gebura's going on about hope now and roland's simply beyond that at this point. he's seen and experienced way too much to ever have hope in anything else. he knows better than to try gebura, though, so he grunts in acknowledgement and takes another swig of his drink. ]
...How'd you feel, though? Being out here after so long.
[ Gebura casts him a side glance, ponytail spilling back over her shoulder. He's changing the subject, which means he doesn't feel like arguing about it, and she gets it, the City is shit and full of equally shitty people. She's seen it for herself and she'd witnessed his memories. The ones he'd gone on a rampage after. ]
Out here? You mean, out of the Library or outside in general? [ Given her time at Lobotomy Corp. ]
[ it's nice, though, to have someone not judge him for the rampages. other fixers wouldn't have get it, but he figures that a fellow(?) color would understand where he's coming from.
they really do have a screw loose in their brains. ]
Outside in general. I mean, you've been stuck in L Corp for ten years, right? And on top of the Library bullshit Angela pulled...
[ Sometimes this sort of thing just happens. Yeah. She gets it. ]
Yeah, it feels more weird to me than anything. But also kind of "oh, of course it'd be like this", because the first time I get to go outside again, it's because we've been kidnapped or become unwilling parts of an experiment or a Distortion and I can't trust any part of it anyway. If they wanted a Librarian who'd be a little more excited about all of this, they picked the wrong ones.
[ it's just gebura's luck as a citydweller, as a respected fixer. out of the pan and into the frying pan, as they say - even if said frying pain is set on the lowest setting possible since shit hasn't hit the fan yet. still! ]
I doubt the others would've liked it here. Angela, especially. Sure it's peaceful, but... It's a different kind of peaceful. The kind that raises hairs on the back of your neck even when you think there's nothing there. [ his shoulders slump with a sigh. ] Would you have wanted this kind of peace compared to the things we've seen in the City?
[ A tad flatly, her gaze roaming the view that lays stretched out before them. ]
Chesed would have at least been better at hiding how he felt about being here in a place like this, but this kind of atmosphere just makes me feel stretched in my skin.
[ he hums in agreement. there's just nothing calming here, despite their efforts in making sure no one's stalking them in the shadows. not like it doesn't happen in their city, but at least the chaos and hyperviolence are good enough distractions to fend off the feeling of paranoia.
he finishes his drink, tries tossing it at the nearest bin and succeeds. ]
The bowling alley seems like a stupid afterthought now, like they're assuring us that things can be fun here~ What a load of bull.
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But Gebura shows up swiftly enough, heading over to the railing to join Roland with a slightly quirked eyebrow. ]
Nice view, I guess.
[ Except it all still just looks Abandoned As Heck out there. ]
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[ it's like what he thinks the outskirts look like. ]
Anyway, I'd better cut right to the chase. [ he continues watching the scenic view; if they're being watched or something, they'd only look like they're just hanging out. ] They got a punishment system here. Memories get wiped if you commit a grievous crime. Sound familiar?
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[ And her gaze flicks back to him, only briefly, because they don't really need to look like they're having a serious conversation here. It's hard to tell what kind of observation they're under. ]
... So they've got something capable of that. [ Rather, at this point, there's so much about the City that can tamper with your memories or reset you to a certain point. So this place can do it too? ]
What do they consider a grievous crime, though? Mugging? Property damage? Murder?
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but anyway, back to the matter at hand. he walks over to get their beers and hands a can over to his fellow librarian. ]
Murder, most especially. [ cracks his can open as he continues to look onward towards the scenery below. it's eerie, how they can both talk about murder like it's the weather, but it's #justcitythings at this point. ] I heard from some kid that the two of 'em tried setting the city hall on fire, but they ended up getting cuffed to one another upon waking up the next day. Seems that whoever's watching us can just sneak up on us while we're unconscious without us noticing.
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... It makes Gebura frown to consider it, even as she flicks the tab on her can and takes a healthy swig of it. ]
Knowing an enemy's capabilities is the first step to acting against it, but when we don't even know just how vast their reach here is, it pisses me off. [ Of course it does. ]
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[ roland too, probably. but even someone like him can't compare to her, and he knows this. ]
It's been ticking me off too. And we're not the only ones waiting for the shoe to drop either. [ he sighs, then takes a sip of his beer. ] I just... want it to happen already so that we can finally get it over with.
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[ They're in absolute agreement on this matter. ]
It's been about a month. Something has to give before much longer... is the feeling I get, anyway.
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[ a long sigh, as he crosses his arms over the railing. does he miss them? it's complicated. ]
I'm more than sure someone already has, though. If we're lucky, we don't have to wait hundreds of thousands of years before someone goes berserk. [ thanks, warp trains! ] That only goes to show that humans truly are flawed in situations like this.
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[ With a very straight face. ]
Either way, flaws don't necessarily mean humans are without hope entirely. It just remains to be seen what'll come next, from all of us, in response to what we end up dealing with.
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[ maybe he does miss them. a little. but it's more like he wants to go back for some unfinished business than anything else.
but gebura's going on about hope now and roland's simply beyond that at this point. he's seen and experienced way too much to ever have hope in anything else. he knows better than to try gebura, though, so he grunts in acknowledgement and takes another swig of his drink. ]
...How'd you feel, though? Being out here after so long.
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Out here? You mean, out of the Library or outside in general? [ Given her time at Lobotomy Corp. ]
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they really do have a screw loose in their brains. ]
Outside in general. I mean, you've been stuck in L Corp for ten years, right? And on top of the Library bullshit Angela pulled...
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Yeah, it feels more weird to me than anything. But also kind of "oh, of course it'd be like this", because the first time I get to go outside again, it's because we've been kidnapped or become unwilling parts of an experiment or a Distortion and I can't trust any part of it anyway. If they wanted a Librarian who'd be a little more excited about all of this, they picked the wrong ones.
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[ it's just gebura's luck as a citydweller, as a respected fixer. out of the pan and into the frying pan, as they say - even if said frying pain is set on the lowest setting possible since shit hasn't hit the fan yet. still! ]
I doubt the others would've liked it here. Angela, especially. Sure it's peaceful, but... It's a different kind of peaceful. The kind that raises hairs on the back of your neck even when you think there's nothing there. [ his shoulders slump with a sigh. ] Would you have wanted this kind of peace compared to the things we've seen in the City?
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[ A tad flatly, her gaze roaming the view that lays stretched out before them. ]
Chesed would have at least been better at hiding how he felt about being here in a place like this, but this kind of atmosphere just makes me feel stretched in my skin.
This isn't peace, it's tension.
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he finishes his drink, tries tossing it at the nearest bin and succeeds. ]
The bowling alley seems like a stupid afterthought now, like they're assuring us that things can be fun here~ What a load of bull.
[ ... ]
You don't wanna try it out?
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[ She turns to stare at him directly. ]
Do you seriously want to bowl that badly, Roland?
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[ PLEASE...? IT'S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD TOO, GEB. ]
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... Fine. Let's go.
[ This is for Roland. But also if he tells anyone, he's getting decked. ]