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memepatheias2019-05-18 07:20 am
empevents) wrote in memepatheias2019-05-18 07:20 am
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TEST DRIVE: June
Welcome to
empatheias' test drive meme. This test drive is to help interested players test their characters in the game's environment. We've included a few prompts that incorporate specific elements of the game, though you'll find all of them have a lot of leeway for players to get as creative as necessary. Before diving in, here are a few things we'd like to remind everyone about the game in general:- Date reminders. Reserves open 25 May and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on June 1st. Reminder: Our application cycle only lasts four days.
- OC Reminder! Just a quick reminder that original characters are allowed. Those interested can also use the test drive. OCs do not need to be reserved.
- Emotions are key! Empatheias' premise focuses on how anyone's emotions can affect their environment, be it big or small. While not every emotion will cause a reaction, significant ones definitely will. How much effect a character will have will ultimately be up to you, the player. Also, while we're giving a lot of leeway for the test drive, keep in mind that there will be some limits in the actual game.
- Everyone has an amulet. All characters have a unique amulet that is specialized for them. It will contain all of their emotion drops and it serves as the network device. Remember, communication is telepathic. Otherwise, it works basically the same.
- Assume the character is already in the game. Because "OMG WHERE AM I IS THIS REAL LIFE" threads aren't going to be very helpful in this test drive! Plus, those are going to happen in-game, anyway. So to make things easier, just assume that they've been around at least a week or so. Still learning the ropes, but not a complete "first day" experience.
- First or third person allowed. Your threads can be in either first or third, but we'd advise being flexible about it. Remember, these threads can also be used in your application for samples! Reminder: We only require one sample and it can be done in either format. We have also made a change to our sample requirements, so look over the Applications page!
- Transfer to in-game. If accepted, you can assume threads made on the Test Drive happen in-game if the scenario can reasonably fit. For new characters, these threads do not count for activity check. However, these can be supplementary threads for players already in-game.
- For your threads, put the Character Name and the Canon in the subject line to help readily identify them. You're also welcome to use more than one prompt for respondents to choose from. If you have any questions or want to brush up on the game information, refer to the Game Information entry. Otherwise, tag around and have fun!
Now with that out of the way, here are some prompts you guys can work from!
• Prompt A: How about giving the emotions a try?
• Prompt B: Refer to the Task Board and choose a task your character may be interested in taking up. For this prompt, you could have your character ask for help, already be in the middle of the job, or react to it in some way. Perhaps they were an unfortunate victim or want to create a job countering an existing one. You could even have a prompt making a job request. Creating jobs for the purpose of the test drive is absolutely doable.
• Prompt C: How about giving the amulets a go? Start a telepathic conversation and see how it works. Remember, the amulets are sending out the owner's thoughts so might want to be careful about how the stream of consciousness goes...
• Prompt D: Empatheias seems to love festivals! Every festival is always filled with so many people - whichever city might be celebrating it. However, the next coming days has Verens filled with people from all over the world. The Nightingale, as most people know her, is a travelling Fortune Teller who has decided to pass through Verens for a few nights. As such, she's set up a booth. She will tell the fortune of whomever wants it for only 10 Sylvs.
Apart from being able to see one's future, The Nightingale also sells various wares that would improve one's luck, one's love life, one's career, and the like. Buying a blue adamantium bracelet is said to triple one's bank account, while buying a red feather hat would give its wearer more opportunities to meet new people. Just about every item for every possible effect can be found in The Nightingale's Shop, and everything is limited edition! Perhaps one may want to try purchasing an item and see what happens.
• Prompt E: Rumours are going around about how The Nightingale’s fortunes and her charms are effective. Verens is abuzz with stories such as that man who stumbled upon some spare Sylvs while wearing one of The Nightingale’s pendants, or a shopkeeper whose profits shot up threefold in a week after she paid the fortune teller a visit. Everyone’s horoscopes as told by The Nightingale, even those as specific as, “You will accidentally run into a wall in the next five minutes” or “You will be unable to control a particularly odious fart while you are walking with a good friend”, are coming true. A strange phenomenon, to be sure, but those who are perceptive and diligent enough may notice that a person’s emotional state might just have something to do with how fortunes come true. Persons dominated by negative emotions receive negative fortunes, and so on.
• Prompt F: Some of these fortunes sound just a little bit too good, don’t they? And the frequency with which they come true is suspicious on its own. How could the Nightingale be so precise and accurate in all things? Well, as it turns out...she’s not so precise. Or, at least, not in actuality. Her fortunes and charms are, in fact, powerful spells that fool those under their influence to believe they are coming true, when they are, in fact, not. Once she begins to pack up to leave town and head to her next destination, charms will begin to break, bank accounts will fall back to their normal numbers, and newly-found sweethearts will find their eyes unclouded. Will you stand for this trickery?
If confronted, the Nightingale will reveal her true form as a powerful demon witch. She will not hesitate to attack those who provoke her, and her offensive spells are powerful enough to turn friends against one another. Avoid her magical blasts and aim for the talisman she carries! Once the talisman is broken, the Nightingale will disappear in a puff of smoke...but at least she seems to leave behind all the sylvs she collected while in town. Maybe your fortunes aren’t so bad after all...
• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include seeds and/or spoons.
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He paused from his surveying to glance down at her. The question was probably rhetorical He decided that he would answer it anyway and consider checking out this particular Wall for himself at a later date.]
Can't say I've even heard of it before this. What is it?
[He expected that he was very much alive, and he completely intended to stay that was as well. He had matters that would be attended to as soon as he figured out how to get out of this place, which was seemingly increasingly difficult from what he had managed to deduce. Yet, he had apparently been here before, left or at least had his memories wiped. Sounds like Talon tricks.]
I'm listening. [He was, mostly. He had his task at hand, and he didn't even look over when she decided to slip up into the tree as well. He kept track of her out of the periphery of his gaze and that was enough.] I know what this is. I know who it is, and I'm going to kill him.
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Jill nudges her baseball cap up so she can meet his eyes -- she thinks, anyway. The visor doesn't exactly allow for her to know where his line of vision might be. It's polite, at the very least and shows her interest at most. ]
It shows the names of every person who has been here and left. Anyone there more than once has come and gone multiple times. It's near where the crystals are from. An underground lake full of them, though I'm not sure how they get from there to us when we first arrive. [ Or how they're different and what the significance in their appearance might be for the individual. There were still too many unanswered questions. ] Can't say I know what the purpose of it is or how the names get there, but I also can't tell you how we're chosen and brought here. Been here close to two years and I feel like I've got more questions than answers.
[ It's sincere, at least. Her voice is lower now that she's nearer, carefully thrown. Her voice is softer than some might expect, but she's shorter, too, than one might assume from a distance. A lot about Jill is contrary. ]
...oh. [ It seems to dawn on her, slow and airy and she huffs out a mild laugh. ] It's not him. Smoke isn't the same thing as floating body parts, you know. Can't say I believe in ghosts, but there's a lot of things here I didn't believe in. And before you go trying to kill one of my best friends, I think you should maybe talk to Ana. And him. [ Weakly, since if he can't remember being here she knows it's probably going to be an uphill battle. At least from what she knew about how tumultuous his relationship had been with Gabe before their arrival. ] Or try to, anyway.
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He could tell she was looking at him, but he didn't remove his visor or even shift his head to acknowledge the politeness. That wasn't how he operated anymore. Besides, she didn't seem to much care about his personal policies and lack of manners at this point.]
Why would any place need a catalog of the individuals who had come and gone from this place? You sure that list of names isn't to mock everyone else stuck here for their failings to figure out how to leave. [He was already given the impression that this place had more questions than answers, and he could tell that was basically the same situation that he had been following for the last few years. It wasn't his world, but he made his problem because the one who did know it was some masked vigilante.] So you're not actually helpful with whatever you know about this place?
[Perhaps a bit frank about his assessment, but the lack of answers was less of a comfort than her attempt to be honest. He felt like he was back to square one when he had dragged himself half dead from the rubble and left with nothing but questions and a lot of dead bodies that he had crawled over.
He looked sharply in her direction when she decided to laugh, issuing a little growl at her for that.] Your best friend? [He would have sounded incredulous if he wasn't hissing the words out like he had a forked tongue. He filed away Ana's name, but she wasn't his keeper and with Talon not being here, the need for another old soldier but more a voice of reason was limited in his current point of view.] If this mission isn't him, I have no interest in being here. At least, you've verified he's here.
[Which means he had a different kind of hunt to start. He could interrogate her, but why? If she was calling Gabriel her 'best friend', she would likely protect him and any information she had would be coveted but also difficult to obtain. And now he suspected, she would warn Reyes off of him.
Damn it.
Soldier: 76 was swinging his pulse rifle from being in position to take a shot to slinging over his shoulder.]
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That's the question, isn't it. Could be part of it, could be to induce some sort of emotion in us. [ After all, they've been brought here to apparently help rebuild the world and their emotions are the key to it. She's seen first hand what her feelings are capable of here. It made sense that there would be monuments erected with the intent to inspire some feeling or other. ] Ask the right question and I can offer whatever information I have. Knowing there isn't an answer saves time. At least there aren't a lot of answers yet, anyway.
[ It has her chuckle, shoulders minutely shaking like he told a joke when he mentioned the part about not being helpful. She's always valued being straightforward, so at least he cuts to the chase. ]
One of 'em, anyway. [ Christ, she's going to have to watch Gabe's back. Not that she isn't impressed by Jack's resilience and dedication; she'd been pretty single-minded in her need for vengeance and justice for years, after all. It's a trait she admires in a way. ] Like I said, I thought you'd remember. Didn't occur to me you wouldn't be aware of it. McCree's still here to my knowledge, as well.
[ She might offer something worthwhile if she felt it would matter, but he's scoffed at most everything she's said so far. That he even believes they're friends is almost surprising to her.
Jill eyes his movement, but doesn't budge from her spot where she's precariously balanced. ]
I know you two have a lot of bad blood between you, but try to hear him out. I won't stop either of you from doing what you need to do, but you managed to work things out before and you... [ It's probably not her place (definitely not her place), but she can't help it. It comes from a place of love for Gabe. ] It's rare to have someone who has your back, even if it's long since passed. Your friendship means a lot to him and you've got a chance to deal with things without pretense here.
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If he didn't have that, didn't have the vengeance, he had no reason to be alive anymore. It was the way it was, and he was dogged in his pursuit. Losing that to be here, losing the opportunity for answers left him with the very thing that he feared: emptiness. Nothing to fight for, no one to save, no war to throw himself into. If he didn't have that, he had literally lost everything.
So being here with no answers, no way home, no way back to his war left him desperate in his own way. Now he had a target. He had Reyes to find and beat into a pulp and figure out what he would do to fill the void that his life had become after that. One mission at a time. That's the way he always worked.]
I only want to know how to leave this place, and no one seems to have an answer for that, so I'm shit out of questions or care to give otherwise. [Because no matter what Winston and Oxton might think with their eternal pep, Overwatch was dead in the water. It was never coming back. It could only become something else. Optimism had long ago vanished, worn away by the years.] Is there an escape if you die here?
[76 wasn't about to attack her other friends; he had one name on his list and it was underlined twice right about now.] I don't remember. [He grunted at the name, remembering well Reyes' student, basically right hand in Blackwatch. Always good at getting into places no one else seemed to.] I don't suppose those two have put bygones behind them, have they?
[He set a hand to the tree, all his worldly possessions already on his person. He was used to traveling light, and this was no exception either. He paused from jumping down from the tree when she seemed to think it was her place to tell him how to handle Reyes. He growled at her, more a threat this time, but then he tipped back right out of the tree, twisting to land on his feet without any real effort.
He looked at up her in her precarious perch. He shifted his shoulder to set his rifle more comfortably a moment after.] I'm not who you remember, and you have no business telling me how to handle Reaper. If he's mended fences with the previous me, then he'll be upset and that's a rare thing. Means he's extra vicious when he lashes out. [He turned away.]
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And Wesker was dead now. She had autonomy and she was free. She had to let it go, even if she had no idea how to live her life with the goal now fulfilled. Just the best she can, she supposes. ]
You say that, but if you're stuck you still have to be aware of things. [ She hums a little as she considers what might be worth saying, but he already carries on with a good follow-up. ] I'm afraid not. Someone I knew even tried jumping over the edge of the island -- if you're not aware, it's floating mid-air. There's land below it and you can teleport to it. Lots of ruins and sand; I've tried an expedition or two but without any luck of finding anything.
[ Jill was willing to give it a try, though, if she thought it might work. Or she would have before. Now that she knows Chris is safe, that's all that matters. ]
They have. It was tense for a while, but they're getting on better.
[ Of course, she doesn't know if he can take her word at face-value nor would she blame him if he doesn't. All of this put together is overwhelming in some ways, she's sure.
Jill, of course, follows suit when she gets that response from him. A swift drop, crouching as she hits the ground. No damage, no hint of a twisted ankle or anything out of the ordinary beyond that she just dropped as she did. She's a smaller woman, but the muscles in her legs are far from invisible and she can cut an imposing figure when she wants to. She's near, but not entirely in his personal space, leaning forward in a way that's more impassioned than aggressive. ]
No, you aren't. But what you intend to do to my friend is my business, Jack. [ Her handgun remains holstered and knife down low, hands free and earnest, finally making a crescent around to plead with him. Her eyes are as sharp as they are soft, saying more than she's able to fumble through articulating verbally. ] You've got him wrong. You don't know me, but I wouldn't stick my neck out for someone like that. I'm not asking for you and him or me to be best friends and ignore reality, just don't close yourself off to the possibility of something good. And... don't be a stranger, alright?
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It forced him to trust a lot of people. Back then, he had no problem, not harassed by the paranoia that they may be infiltrated.
Now he didn't much trust anyone save maybe a very small handful of people. She might be giving him information, but he still planned on testing it out for himself or at least verifying it. What else did he have to lose at this point? This world had just taken the last thing that he had going for him, and the motto of build a better world never stuck quite right anymore.] I'm aware. If death doesn't return us to where we should be, then it seems I just need to discover another way.
[He nodded his head slightly. Good, he could go through McCree - literally if he had to - in order to get to Reyes. He had no qualms about that, and if they were on solid ground with one another, it meant that Reaper would show up. Of course, getting the drop on McCree had never seemed like easy business. He filed that information away for a plan later.
He turned his head enough to make certain that she wasn't coming at him, but she seemed to consider reasoning with him to be of more value. Probably a good plan, even if he was being particularly intractable. He narrowed his eyes at the fact she called him by his first name, but he said nothing about that. It still caused his proverbial hackles to rise.] Then let him know I'm coming. He'll know what to do.
[No, Jack didn't have Reyes wrong. They had been through Hell and back, so he expected that he was a very good judge of character for all the years they had known each other, all the history they had. War showed all the ugly sides of a person. Reyes had seen his, and he had seen Reyes' one.] You're right, I don't know you, but I know him. I'll do whatever it takes to get answers. And don't for one second think you know him better than I do.
[He growled, planning on being a stranger to everyone he could. His emotions were completely set right into the negatives.]
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We. We need to discover it. I've tried diving in that cave with the crystals, but there was nothing there. We keep coming up on tech, broken cities that are more advanced than this place. I'm convinced the answers have to be somewhere in there.
[ Never in her wildest dreams would she expect to see buildings of such grandeur in this place. Computers, robots... broken machines that she couldn't make heads or tails of. There still wasn't an answer to that, either, but it had to mean something. Something they're missing. ]
If that's what you want, I will. Just... try. For both of you. [ Jill knew betrayal too well and she'd reacted the same way as Jack. When stabbed in the back she doesn't take time to remove the knife, she goes for the throat to tear the carotid out. ] I think I know the person he is now better than you do -- things here. They're... [ She pushes back verbally, though without the same roughness he holds. Almost. Jill's hands twist at the wrist as she explains things. Tries to. ] Listen, it's not right to know what I know about you and your past like this and I don't think it's right to keep that knowledge to myself. I've seen it first-hand, through memories. I don't necessarily approve of his way of doing things and seeking out the truth and I think I understand where you're coming from more than anything.
[ She starts off before him, groaning in frustration, arm shooting to her neck. Jill turns around, walking backwards. ]
C'mon, jerk. I'll buy you a drink or ten. Give yourself a night off and I'll answer your questions to the best of my ability. Up to you what you'll believe or not, but I do care about you, too. [ She moves with ease, like she can see the path even while directed away from it, hips swerving around foliage just right. ] Then again, it might just be because you promised to show me your gun.
[ The teasing, flirting tone is so embarrassing that even she laughs at it. Bright and warm. Enough that soft blue morning glories trail her steps. ]
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After all, she made it clear that she had been looking. Two years was a long time to be looking for a solution to the problem of being stuck here, and in his mind, he didn't have that amount of time to waste. War was coming and it was inevitable that the Second Omnic Crisis was about to break out world wide.]
It sounds like you have it covered when it comes to exploring dead cities and crystals. This all sounds like its out of a sci-fi or fantasy novel.
[Wasn't that just depressing? No way out and them stuck here. He would probably go mad, and that wasn't a position that he was exciting to be put into. He had to find a way out; it was priority number one, maybe shuffled to two depending on how the Reaper issue panned out.
He grunted, but he had no reason to try anything. Reaper had clearly wanted him dead back then, and that was fresh enough of an opportunity that he wanted some payback. Clearly there were no answers of value there in his mind.] Then keep him away from me if you know him so well. It's not like he's going to show anyone he's suffering; he always did that in silence and alone. [Maybe things had changed, but he didn't think that the loss of someone maybe people considered important wouldn't have the same effect that losing Gérard had.
However, her outright revealing that she had somehow had context on his past made his shoulders tense and him to immediately slam up personal walls against her. A paranoid part of him was already racing over the possibilities of what she could know, what she could tell Reyes, what had been shared.] You're right, it's not right you know anything about me. Whatever you know or have seen about me, you had better keep it to yourself. If I hear you're talking to others about me, don't think I won't guard my secrets.
[76 refused to move from where he was standing, watching her head off, even more at odds with the idea of following or even thinking of getting to know her. She admitted to being friends with Reaper, and now she apparently knew a lot about him, which put him in an awkward position. He stared at her as she head off, fists closed at his sides but wary and untrusting. She was dangerous to him, especially with no personal history to trust that she knew any discretion at this point. She had a big mouth around him already; who's to say she wouldn't wag her tongue to everyone else?]
I don't know you. [As if reiterating that for the third time would make any difference.] And I didn't promise you anything. I don't remember being here, and I certainly don't remember drinking with you or anyone.
[He was like trying to pet a porcupine, all hard edges and unwillingness to buy in to her enthusiasm.]
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As much as I could... can, anyway. Still not used to magic but I live in a world where viruses turn people into monsters. I don't just fight people who want to use the flu as a weapon and that... can be strange, too.
[ Jill had wanted desperately to go back, even if she thought she might be dead. Hit by the brunt of a rocket launcher blast, blacked out, then she was here. She'd feared she'd be dead, but then she went home for a short period. Everything panned out somehow. A natural pessimist, it's a very new thing for her to feel optimistic of the future. ]
You're right. But you're stubborn, too, and so am I. It's not easy to talk about the difficult things you're going through, especially if you fear it'll change your relationship with someone you care about forever.
[ She doesn't comment on that first part. She expects that Gabe'll say something eventually, but she doesn't think he'll actively try to start something.
Jill raises her arms at the elbow in a defensive gesture. ]
Hey, I just offered you this information, didn't I? You think I'm going to go around telling everyone your real name just because I know it? Hell, I still call Gabriel "Reaper" sometimes to keep his anonymity. [ Jill shakes her head, though she can understand why he's guarding himself. She stops in place, stares at him a little. ] What you went through... we're similar in a lot of ways. You try to do your best, but the world fucks you over. I respect you and what you fought for in Overwatch, but what I've known I've known for ages and I'm telling you because it's not something I should hold over you. It's shitty and uncomfortable, but it's wrong to not let you know that I've seen moving memories of your life. I'd offer the same, but you're already dealing with a lot here and now.
[ Jill makes another frustrated grunt, but less dramatic now as she shuffles nearer. ]
You know what I meant. Other you and I'm not saying you have to live up to those promises or be the person I knew. I know you're like me and a few beers or whiskys aren't going to do anything to you. [ She doesn't know how to deal like this, but walking away feels so very wrong. Her smile is as taut as fresh violin strings and just as somber. It loosens to something more kind and genuine quickly, though. ] You can appreciate the situation I'm in, though, can't you? I'm not asking you to take off the mask and be my best friend, I'm asking to talk to you like a normal person.
[ Fortunately, she happens to pet a shark on regular. You get used to almost getting your hand cleanly removed from the wrist. ]
And I was joking about the gun, although I'm interested in it. I make ammo for more standard issue weapons and grenades and I promised to do some modifying for you back around the holidays. And, you know, do a little shooting. Hell, if you're that adverse to a pub I'll let you borrow an AR or something and we can talk and literally shoot the shit in my yard.
[ She's trying. ]
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He wouldn't exactly know about using the flu as a weapon, but there was always a fear of biological agents in large populated areas. It was one of the reasons that the Omnic Crisis had heated up so rapidly because the fear of the Omnic using biological agents and being relatively unstoppable because they weren't affected. In the end, it had been the extreme erosion of trust, the extreme amount of bullets and violence that had caused the actual outbreak of war.
Stubborn should be his middle name. Instead it was Francis.]
Everyone I care about is dead or think I'm dead. [That's all there was to it. His world had fallen down around him, and he had left a big piece of him behind. It was easier and beneficial to those who had once known him to think that he was dead. He didn't do a lot of talking about things he found difficult or emotional.] If he comes near me, I'll put a bullet between his eyes. That's all there is to it.
[The fact of the matter was that 76 didn't want that information, not in the least. Why would he want anyone recounting his own history when he was perfect capable of remembering it for himself? Hell, he had enough pictures in his coat pocket to be a constant reminder of the good days and the bad days, what he had gain and then lost over the course of time. He didn't need some stranger telling him what he already knew, but he was more uncomfortable that she knew it in the first place.
And her telling him they were similar? Fine, but he didn't believe it because it wasn't tangible. It could be some bullshit line to draw him in. He'd been at the top of the world stage, and he knew how mechanizations worked, how people used, manipulated and blackmailed for their own gains. Little information here, little show of a knife there.]
How about this? You don't tell me and you never mention it again to anyone ever again? I know what my own memories are and sitting down while you wave them at me is not what I consider a good times by any means. [He also wasn't particularly interested - yet - of laying down anything that might be considered roots. He wasn't staying and the harder he believed that, the easier it would be for him to just carry on with finding a way out of here and not dealing with all the emotional hangups that came from being completely translocated from the life he knew. He had done it once; he wasn't doing it again.
He knew exactly what she meant, but he was drawing his line in the sand very strongly. He wasn't that 76 until he had memories of being here, and because he didn't, he wanted to be very clear that he wasn't going to act or share himself in the same way. Those expectations would leave everyone involve with a huge amount of disappointment.]
I'm not taking my visor off. [Now he was just being stubborn, and he knew it. He was digging his heels and leaning all the way back, trying to distance himself from the idea that he had trusted her enough to sit around drinking when he didn't know her.] Why would you even want to talk to me? I don't plan on making connections here, so it would be a waste of your time. Don't get attached to me.
[She was offering all manner of incentives, he could tell that she was. He could manage his ammunition just fine, not that he expected to have to use it much. Besides, his pulse rifle also made for an excellent club.]
Why are you assuming that I'm going anywhere with you? Don't you have a ghost to find and collect the bounty on? I assume that's why you were out here when we met.
[He recognized she was trying so hard, but he wasn't taking the bait just yet.]
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My captain killed my entire team off systematically and I've got an empty grave back home. I know what it's like. [ She wasn't just saying it because they were military and could understand that lifestyle. It was too much, too similar in some ways. With both him and Gabriel. ] I can't speak for him and if he will or won't.
[ Nearly pleading, Jill just wants them to be... alright. They don't have to be wonderful or perfect or even good. Just alright. Acceptable. Still, she pulls a face, arms folding like she's offended by the notion he's brought up. ]
That's fine by me, but I didn't think it was right to withhold the information I knew about you. I wasn't going to try to transmit your own memories back, not unless you'd want me to. [ Jill had camped out for multiple months for some time before deciding to take her tent to a fixer upper and spend a great deal of time and energy on making it livable. ] And I didn't ask you to take your visor off. As for that, allies are always useful. I don't make a hobby out of using people, but it's worth knowing others here. And again, I liked you.
[ In terms of bullets, especially the average sort, you couldn't just buy them around here. The same with grenades. Jill infused them with fire or flash, modified weapons herself, took great and painstaking energy in perfection for them. ]
Because I'm willing to sit down and give you answers without any expectations of anything in return. As for bounties, this isn't a Beast Hunting Guild mission. That's why the reward -- not bounty -- is so low. It's not dangerous. I typically make my money with the Beast Hunting Guild and even then it's only money. Don't think I'm asking much from you and you've nothing to lose, do you?
[ He sure is being a sour grape. She can't believe she thought he was cute before, heh. ]
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How did you survive if he was being systematic about it? [He expected the answer to be that she had killed the captain, as it was the logical conclusion on some levels.
76 completely believed that he had and Reaper would fight. Not once, not twice, probably not even three times. They would fight at some point if they ever came into contact with each other, too much bad festering blood. Even if they weren't fighting, he knew that they had a habit of bickering, but that habit might have died with the rest of their past.]
I'm not interested in what I did before now, unless it had something to do with being able to get out of this place. [After all, that's still all that mattered now. He had to have a mission or he'd likely just get twitchy and that led to him being extremely reckless.] Logically, to have a drink I have to take it off. [She had offered a drink or ten twice now.] Good to know that we've already made like in the past tense. As it should be.
[He could be the most frustrating person to deal with. He knew it, Ana probably knew it, and anyone else who had to step up and endure him growling at them lately would know it. He wasn't looking for allies or friends. He had gotten by just fine on his own before this, and he would continue on that while he was here. Or so he thought.]
I don't even know what Beast Hunting Guild is. [He expected that such information could be easily researched though. At least it seemed that two years here had allowed her to find a way to keep well-funded. That amount of time in one place didn't sound like a fun time at all.]
There's always something to lose. But fine, I'll watch you drink.
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There were twelve of us -- less than half survived, including him. I fought tooth and nail to make it through it all and survive, even if monsters were fictional until that day. Everything was denied when we made it out, but we found out the PD was on the payroll of a large company. [ She's used to this story now, omitting the details and offering bare bones but it's still enough to make sense. ] So we went after them, myself and my partner. Unfortunately bioterrorism is something ingrained in our world now. Why pay mercenaries when you can inject them and turn them into monsters? Supply a resistance group with bio-organic weapons -- BOWs, monsters and they suddenly have the upper-hand.
[ Jill doesn't expect them to be best friends. They weren't that way with... the "other him", either. But she hoped more than anything they could figure things out. There's too much loss and pain and suffering for them not to at least end up somewhere better. She wants to believe in that. ]
I'm afraid not, but I'll keep it in mind. As for... that. you can't slightly lift and use a straw? Nice try, pal. Like I said, I like you. Even if you're kind of an ass right now, I can appreciate that. I don't expect to change your mind, that's on you -- and I hope you will talk to Ana before doing anything -- but I had to try, here. There's no point without trying.
[ Jill could be real trouble when she wanted to be. Sweet as pie with those she enjoyed the company of, but if crossed she was swift and deadly. In her own way, it's keeping people at bay. Preventing herself from creating deeper connections and thereby avoiding loss and heartache. Easier. ]
They're on the task board. It's for hunting monsters, though they'll only pay you if you work in groups of two or more. They're some of the best paying jobs and good for a quick buck. You shouldn't have any issues with most marks. [ She knew he was skilled enough that most fights could be a struggle at times, but he'd be alright in the end. ] Usually is, isn't there? One moment. I'm going to send you a map.
[ She doesn't want to startle him, but she mentally transmits a map of her home. Outside of Verens, large property. It's not too far, but it's still useful to know where it is in proximity. ]
Bought a broken down place and rebuilt it. Figured I could have some peace and quiet out there... know you're not interested in it, but you should know you were living with Ana. I don't know about what possessions you had, but it could be useful to just check in.
[ She says it out of consideration. He might have left himself some sort of note or at the very least money or he might have regained something important to him. It's worth mentioning. ]
...we've been dealt a shit hand, you know?
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He listened attentively to her story. Like Reyes had always insisted, information was the greatest power that anyone could obtain and not making a go for it was a huge mistake that cost more than the price of admission. Her version of injecting mercs and making them monsters played more into his own questionable experimentations at the hands of his government.] Sounds like a mess. Bioterrorism is never an easy platform to find a solution for, especially when it's used recklessly.
[He filed away her past to consider in more detail. He expected that she had omitted quite a share of details for the purpose of easier understanding on his part. There was no reason for her to impart more than the bare bones, but it still made him prickly that she clearly knew a lot more about him than he would ever know about her. Those kinds of details made her dangerous to him. Trust was hard to give.
Despite the fact that he was wearing his visor and it obstructed view of his expression, he still looked at her in what could only be seen as a flat stare. He allowed an eyebrow to rise as if to say 'really?' at her.] You make it sound like I take my orders from Ana, and that any decisive action on my part requires her approval. [He liked Ana, had been eager to find her and convince her to assist him, but in the end, they all made their own personal choices.] You best be getting used to my being an ass. I don't know anything about who the other guy was, but I don't have a need for friends when my only goal is to get out of here.
[So the Guild was literally that: paying for hunting jobs. Just another form of a mercenary board then.] Why can't we work solo?
[He twitched when she seemed to easily able to make a mental connection and send him a detailed map, and he even took a step back away from her as if that might protect him from the possibility of her rifling for details. Logically, he knew it wasn't possible, that he slammed up mental walls even if he was drinking in the details of the map all the same. Familiarizing himself with the terrain. It would be stupid not to.]
I don't do peace and quiet well. [That was a lie. He did peace and quiet just fine, sitting around a crackling fire or in a run-down place looking at ghosts of the past. They were his constant companions: memories. They reminded him what he was fighting for, of what he had lost.] ...how long was he here?
[As difficult as it was, he may as well ask. What the hell was he going up against? How many people would be like her and want to badger him like he was anything like the other person who had existed here and found a way out?]
Life is just dealing with one shit hand after another. It's not what happens to you that matters, it's how you deal with it.
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No, it's part of our ecosystem now. All we can do is combat it, try to keep up with vaccines, and take down as many labs as we can.
[ She seems honest enough about it, but the only verification that's currently available for it is her own words. On the other hand, Jill has a somewhat positive reputation in the city for protecting others and being available for hunts. Her skills in battle -- both hand-to-hand and with weaponry -- also show her prowess and aptitude in a way that lines up with her statements. ]
You're assuming too much. I know she's an ally and she's all I can offer in terms of verification you might trust -- and that you lived with her, so you might have some possessions still here. [ Jill laughs with her shoulders, already with a seeping fondness. A generous warmth. ] Well, that's fine by me, but surely you know the value of an ally -- especially when working toward the same goal.
[ She shrugs lightly, hmming. ]
Just a rule. You can still do them by choice -- I tend to if too many monsters are wandering into the city -- but they won't pay you. There are other things on the task board, but I'm more suited to a fight.
[ It's bullshit and she hated it for a long time, refusing to connect or use her amulet to contact anyone until she felt like she could control it. ]
Sorry. You can reject "calls", too. You get used to it. [ His statement rings true for herself to some degree. She likes being alone, but she quickly tends to get that travel itch. It's too rare to be in a place for too long. ] To my knowledge it was quite some time before I arrived. Kept to himself, mostly. Kind of stumbled on one another discussing weapons.
[ At least Jill actually seems genuinely apologetic at this point, shifting so she's nearly beside him. ]
You're not wrong. Anyway, follow me. I can tell you any information I found useful when I first arrived along the way. Hm... if you jump off the edge of the island, it'll blow you back like an invisible force-field and there are little hamlets all throughout the island. There's free housing for the first month, but you can just as easily camp out. I wouldn't stray too far if you do that since there are a variety of monsters and the city itself is pretty convenient...
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Fearmongering and war will always be big business.
[It was good to know that Ana was here, that she had made it, but at the same time, she was far too much of a good voice of reason to be dealing with him right now. All he honestly wanted to do was throw down, fight something and create a big mess of any situation he walked into. There was a reason that he sometimes went after street level thugs, just to beat the ever living shit out of a group of asshole who had it coming their way, even if he also recognized some of their life choices had been due to circumstance and not their fault. All the same, that's the mood he was in now and Ana shouldn't have to deal with that.]
I don't want any possessions left over. I make my own way on what I have. [He was being mulishly stubborn, and that was set to continue until he had more time to process his situation. There was no adapting to being out of his element and having the very little he had left ripped from him.] You haven't found a way out, so why good will I be as an ally? No, don't just take people in because they have pretty gear. They have to have something to offer back, and I don't.
[What a stupid rule. Who needed a buddy system? So it was logical and easy to follow, but he didn't have to like it in his current mindset. After all, it didn't seem like earning funds was actually going to help him leave, just provide him with a situation to settle. 76 didn't want to settle.
He growled and shook his head as if he could reject her call, but apparently, she was either right or he wasn't yet aware enough to block her out. The map was still useful, so he wasn't making that much effort right now.] I don't want to get used to it. I want a way to control it.
[Well, at least some things stayed the same. Keeping to himself was decidedly what he planned on doing. Maybe mope a few days because he was an adult, and he need to figure out things for himself. Find a new plan of attack.
He shifted his weight on his feet, subtly agreeing to follow her this time rather than remaining a mule at this point.] I thought jumping off killed you. I'm not staying in housing. [He'd rather sleep in a tree. Or a bush.]
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Unfortunately. But someone has to protect people and combat this. It's one thing to watch someone die and another to watch them transform and mutate, to have only a base sense left -- and to have to kill them.
[ It's worse than she lets on, especially when someone just gets up. To watch whole cities transform, to see innocent children injected and see their skin melt and bones break and reform. To see their jaws split, stomachs burst, limbs elongate. And sometimes it's just necrosis, just mindless. ]
Well, that's up to you. I was just offering you the information. [ She has to wonder if this is what it's like dealing with her when she gets in a mood. Perhaps worse, since she'd have walked off on her own by now -- and maybe given someone a big elbow to the face. ] There's value in having someone at your six, even if you haven't developed trust in them yet.
[ Though she almost barks out a laugh and asks if he's talking about himself, because that outfit of his isn't exactly subtle. Her own is functional, compression tank under compression top, compression pants, boots that women tend to avoid, tactical packs and gloves. And an AR swung around her shoulder. ]
Getting used to it will give you control over it. If it's frustrating for now, best thing you can do is take the amulet and bury it somewhere. If you're far enough away from it, you won't be able to hear it. I did that when they were malfunctioning.
[ She isn't sure what his brand of stubbornness will offer him in the long-term, but it definitely won't garner him information from the average person. People wanted value and exchange and having someone that thought differently to see things from another perspective and bring a new point of view to their plans. Who knows how it'll work out? ]
Might be a "hole" somewhere, I don't know. All I know is a friend jumped when a task was put up and I watched him be thrown back. As for housing or not, that's up to you. I was just letting you know some basic information.
[ Jill has the gun slung across her arm, not entirely prepared to shoot at any moment but settled in a way that she can transition into a fight quickly while walking. ]
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He sighed heavily, feeling the weight of old responsibility momentarily before he shuffled his shoulders to hide it away again. Part of the reason he was hunting Reyes was to get answers but also to find a way to put the old bastard out of his misery.]
Yeah, guess I know what that's like....
[If anything, he wanted less to do with anything that had been associated with the other him (still weird to think about) than he wanted to do with anyone that associated with him. Items, keep-sakes... all reminders of a more or less settled life, and he was trying to avoid turning into that himself. He needed a mission, not the quiet life of exploration and whatever else happened here. Bounties he supposed.] Don't lecture me on the value of having someone on my six.
[Take the amulet and bury it somewhere, she said? He immediately put it on a list of things to do, thinking because it was crystal he would simply smash it. Who knew what else that crystal could be tracking after all. He didn't want it anywhere near him if he could help it.] How far away is far enough? [Because he was going to bury it far beyond the 'bare minimum'.
It seemed like the information of this place was changing. He was definitely going to investigate, maybe throw a rock or something off the edge to see what happened, work his way up to something living.]
Fine, so there's housing. Any laws in this place worth taking note of?
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She doesn't know what his goals are now, like this, but she understands Gabriel's intent. To end something that begun under your watch, to see it through and expose the truth. Sometimes the truth stains deep through bone, unable to be cleansed. All you can do is make it real and true. ]
I've some idea about that. It's one of the reasons Gabriel and I get along; our histories are too similar. An understanding, I guess.
[ She has to wonder if he might get it if he actually sits down and is open and willing to listen to Gabe. Jill doesn't fully agree with what he does, how he does it, and what he intends to do but were she in his position and without options she thinks she'd do the same damn things. ]
I'm not lecturing, but I'll stop if you keep assuming shit. Might be a shock to hear that someone might give a shit for no reason other than it, but deal with it.
[ Unfortunately smashing didn't seem to work, but she has to wonder if there might be a way to really destroy them. She's curious on that and will have to look it up later at some point. ]
Little under a mile. You could probably get away with less if you bury it deeper. If you haven't been told, though, they... collect emotions. I don't understand how it really works, but if you "fill" it, you'll be given the opportunity to get something of yours from home. [ There's something more steel and serious about her now. Like she's on the clock. ] While that's something that's important, I've been trying to look into it because if the "gods" of this place can bring things from our world while saying they can't control us coming and going... I don't know. It seems like bullshit to me.
[ She suspects it'd seem like a lot of crap to him, as well. It's not something she's talked about at great length with anyone else so far, but there's too many possibilities with it. Nothing solid. ]
I haven't seen a great deal of enforcement of laws, but I also haven't seen a lot of serious crime. Often, if someone steals something or hurts someone they tend to leave it up to the task board and vigilante justice. If you haven't looked at the task board in the welcome center, I think it's a good place to start even if you don't intend to take up any jobs.
[ The trees are already thinning. It's amazing how quickly you can travel when you're distracted by discussion. ]
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He managed a grunt for her on the comment on how she got on with Reyes, biting his tongue from following it up with anything snide. It probably wasn't worth even engaging on that level, since she seemed to be rather set in Reyes' corner at this point. That was perfectly fine, but he wanted a distinct nothing to do with that.]
Then everyone has an idea or two.
[Soldier: 76 had his own set objectives, and he wasn't going to stop them from happening just because this place existed. He might garner no benefit whatsoever of sticking it out here for as long as he was stuck, but he had to continually think about the fact that he had to get back to where he was finally making some progress, finally putting some of the pieces together in a sensible order.
For him, the need for conversation of any kind was limited. His ability to speak, negotiate and order hadn't saved Overwatch. The time for talk and mending bridges was long over. It was time for action.
As for the idea that someone was giving a shit for not reason, 76 offered a deep growly chuckle. There was absolutely no humour in it.]
Everyone wants something. That's the way it works. No one gives anything for free.
[If all it took was getting rid of the crystal to prevent people from potentially keeping people from talking into his head and god knew what else, he would just pitch the damn thing over the edge of the world. Maybe throw it in some body of water where he would never have to be close to the thing.
He narrowed his eyes at the idea of this crystal filling with emotions. No one had told him that before, and he could imagine it was currently chalked full to the brim with anger, frustration and the pressing need to get home. It was definitely not worth keeping close to him in that case.]
All the more reason to get away from these things, bury them all if you ask me. I don't need or want anything from where I come from aside from the door back there. Nothing more, nothing less. [It was also the first time he had heard any real talk about gods, which only made the situation more bizarre to him.] Sounds like you're all being used like emotional batteries.
[Oh good, a lack of laws was something he had grown used to. He was perfectly willing to exact vigilante justice; it was almost entirely how he operated, and it meant that he had more leeway when it came to his own digging and operations for information. Maybe he could be rougher than usual.]
I'll figure out where the welcome centre is and read up on any information there.
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Always how it goes.
[ Her objectives were now convoluted. She'd seen what she needed to back home and her own fate didn't matter so long as they'd both ended things with Wesker and the world was safe (Chris was safe). In the grand scheme, she was hardly a cog. Unneeded and brushed aside. The astral clock would work without her, she just made it run more smoothly at the start. ]
Like I said, I enjoy your company. 'course you're a bit of a looker, my type, really, but I'm not free for that sort of thing. It doesn't factor into it.
[ There is something so incredibly bare and honest about it, like she's mentioned it before even if he can't recall it. Maybe he doesn't trust her, but beneath the surface of whatever she says is so absolutely earnest that it's hard to deny. Naturally, Jill was above 10/10, so even then it had to means something. It wasn't just desperation or a shallow thing. ]
Do what you need to. I'm not going to chide you over it. [ It's her turn to laugh, harsh and shallow. With clarity. ] Welcome to the club, soldier. Some people are fine without questioning it. I suppose part of me has been too eager to get what I've lost, but that doesn't mean I don't see it's faults enough to warn others.
[ She had something she'd wanted desperately from home, even if it was as simple as a photograph. Her mind would sometimes fog over and she'd struggle to recall simple things like the shape of a nose or the cadence of a voice. She couldn't let it slip through her grasp. ]
Tend to hang around looking for people to work with, myself. [ Like his displeasure is unheard rather than ignored. Silenced. ] Tend to hang out there looking for people to work with, myself. Don't really have a regular partner. Feel free to call on me if you need someone. If there's anything else I can offer, you're welcome to it.
[ A fondness. Whatever he may choose to derive from that. ]
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That they might have some similarities was noted, but he wasn't about to think too hard about it. He had his war to consider, and it had been his driving force all these years. There was no way he was giving it up no matter what anyone told him. His stubbornness had grown considerably entrenched over the years, and he made absolutely no apologies for that.
He grunted when she seemed intent to comment on his appearance like he had even shown it to her. Other Jack clearly had if she was making continual passes in his direction, but he wasn't about to rise to that bait.]
Then maybe you should stop commenting on how 'your type' I am, and go to whoever you are free for that sort of thing with. I'm not interested.
[He wasn't even interested in compliments. He was used to people flirting with him way back in the day, and it came with a certain sleight of hand to not offend anyone was also not even coming close to compromising himself either. He wasn't looking for roots, and he wasn't looking for friends nor asspats or anything. The only thing that he cared about was searching out a way to get out of this place. The sooner the better if he was stuck here like she said.]
I don't care if you do chide me. It doesn't mean I'll listen or respond to it. The further away from anyone can get from my mind, the better. [He preferred the company of old photographs anyway. They were excellent motivators for what he was trying to accomplish.] I can't get back what I lost, so there's no point to gifts and offerings. I have a war to return to.
[There was nothing that this place could bring him that would make him content to exist here. He had everything that he needed on his person already; that's what being a nomad was all about. He could ask for trinkets, but why? They were meaningless as far as he was concerned. Anyone that just took gifts from unknown entities were just asking to be used and abused for their loyalty. Everything he needed he already had on his person.]
I don't need anyone. [Perhaps that would change with the situation, but right now, he was staunchly being stubborn on the lone wolf aspect of his gruffness.] You're already throwing information at me, and that's offer enough. I don't intent to take any more than that, and the only reason I'm going anywhere with you is because I suspect you'll follow me and badger like a five-year-old.
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Good thing I'm not interested either. [ Almost a hum to her voice, making the teasing all the more clear. She had no interest in relationships in any sense, not even really attracted to anyone. It's an easy way to keep your walls high and distract people from the truth. Trust is rare for her, even at the most basic level. ] I wouldn't think the teasing would get under your skin like that.
[ Though she cared about people here, created some strange family here, what mattered were the people back home. The friends she could count on just barely one hand. Once you've been here for close to two years, though... it was difficult to see yourself as anything but cemented.
It was still better than that loss she'd had before. Still better than injections and masks and cloaks and words trapped in the depths of your stomach and rolling on the tip of your tongue. ]
I didn't think you would care about it. [ Memories were never enough. They were fading still; voices and the color of eyes and the way they might have laughed. Little tics. ] I understand that sentiment, but like I've said, I'm only offering information I think that might have value. It's up to you what you do or don't do with it.
[ Jill had gotten photographs, but more importantly, weapons. And her wetsuit, which had made some work here easier. Guns were the most useful, especially when varied. She didn't really own anything worthwhile otherwise. Her apartment -- if it was still around -- was sparsely decorated and without any identity. Technical manuals and weapons and clothing and necessities, rarely a full day passing before she was off and on duty again. When she got back home, she'd likely be in the hospital for some time.
She wasn't looking forward to it. ]
Fair enough. [ The response is simple and lacking in argument. She didn't feel the need to right now, but if she felt challenged or threatened she could be just as sharp as he is; a blade against a whetstone. ] Ha, well, you might not be wrong on that. Just because you don't appreciate it or want it doesn't mean I'm not worried.
[ Not just for his sake, but for Ana and Gabe. They'd both been hurt by him leaving. She at least wanted to keep an eye on him for a little longer. ]