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[robussy]

This is 2B.

Comments

[strongroots]

no

[ It comes as soon as her own message is sent, separate, as well as what follows: ]

you didnt fail me

you didnt fail ANY of us

if u didnt come i would be dead to. i told alec we needed to get out. u tried 2b nd ill never forget that

[ That she came, that she was there, the metallic skeleton of her body under her skin exposed; watching that creature sucking her in, trying to break her apart.

It hurts to recall. The memories tear at his own heart, making his fingers tremble, his sight blur. ]

you nearly died. why are you apologizign



you said goodbye

[ She did everything right.

She did everything he couldn't do. ]

[robussy]

[ she writes— stops. writes— stops. ]

I've died many times, Robby. Back home, when my body is destroyed, my code is uploaded into a new chassis. Termination is an occupational risk.

[ he risked himself, he risked everything that is precious, he risked his life, a life that couldn't simply be replaced— for her to remain. it scrapes at her heart until her eyes sting. ]

I don't want to say goodbye again. And I swear— I will never give up after what you did.

[strongroots]

[ so what if u come back, he texts, fumbling to complete: i dont want to see you die. it doesnt mean shit, it doesnt make a difference.

'You would still have been dead.'

Robby stops, deletes until he's back to the beginning, and tries to find a less emotional explanation that doesn't make him sound angry. Even if he's angry at the idea -- that it should mean less, that he needs to understand and accept a potentially immortal existence. What if you didn't get uploaded?

I saw you watch that man die. Dying doesn't mean nothing to you. ]

your life doesnt mean less to me just bc you can come back

[robussy]

[ her heart is bleeding. that’s the only way she could describe this feeling that comes from her chest and spreads to her face. ]

I know, now.
That’s why I want to live.

[strongroots]

[ It would be strange, if Robby ever thought about it: how strongly he feels about 2B, how much he cares. Someone he's only met twice, but that second time -- there's nothing to question in that. That experience shared, the emotions between them; and maybe there is something to unpack in how single-minded he cared more about her than himself when they left that place, nothing about it sits in him strangely without reflection.

True, he would be more agreeable to a hospital now. But he would still help her get back if there were a way, despite the dangers. He gave his word. ]

ill do better and get stronger. i want to save people too
if you ever need warmblood i have it. i dont know what people do with it but the beast stuff but ill find out

[robussy]

[ you already have, 2B thinks, but perhaps he already knows. she hopes he does. ]

Thank you. [ he deserves this one: ] I'm glad we met. And perhaps we should see each other soon.

[strongroots]

[ He's glad too. ]

sure. show me what ur interested in
i skateboard and im learning how to use a staff. and how to make magic stones

[robussy]

[ it takes her some time to recover from all of this, so it may take her longer to respond. the emotional baggage gets heavy to the point that she needs to rest and heed daniel's advice in meditation. she does, however, always respond eventually. like so, about fifteen to twenty minutes later: ]

What is a skateboard?

[strongroots]

[ Robby doesn't respond until early morning.

Because he figured that 2B went to sleep, and that's alright; and somewhere along his emotions numbing after their rise, he manages to get some rest himself. Switch off his omni, let the exhaustion give him some escape from the itchiness quietly growing in the back of his legs. Finally, exhaustion wins out, at least for about five or six hours.

It takes another hour for him to check his omni, and oh--

A picture of a worn board comes through, the black surface more brown from use, but the side of the wheels at least still read. ]

this is a skateboard. you can ride them and do tricks on them
mostly use it to get around trench

[robussy]

[ it starts the day anew. 2B had a strict inner schedule to abide by, and, at least sleep was sleep. she’s rested and starting the day an hour before with maintenance. her omen is perched on furniture while she cleans her joints, and both she and pod exchange the texts for her, as long as she spoke out loud.

this skate board item was . . . weird. wheels for locomotion, but she imagines something much larger, such as a car or aircraft. it looks unprotected! and also— ]

Why would you trick someone on it?

[strongroots]

[ Someone is meant to be doing morning katas right about now. But hey, he's got stretches he can do first! Stretches are important, as well as checking your phone omni every time to signals a new message.

And that one gets a smile from him. ]

not trick other ppl. you can do flips and jumps on them. you just need speed and the right surfaces. ill show u some basic ones when we meet

you can take a ride. best spot is somewhere with steps

[robussy]

These sound like rollercoasters.

[ read: strange wheeled things used for human enjoyment. ]

[strongroots]

[ Comparing skateboards to rollercoasters? That's a new one. ]

rollercoasters dont go where u tell them to. and you dont get to sit

you like rollercoasters?

[robussy]

I’ve stood on them. I think they’re strange.

[strongroots]

stood? was it moving

[robussy]

Yes.
There were seats but it was a quicker trip to stand.

[strongroots]

[ ??????? ]

how

[robussy]

I stood on top of the first cart and jumped off at our stop.

[ JUST LIKE THAT ]

[strongroots]

[strongroots]

ok

[ He's not going to keep asking. ]

what do you do for actual fun

[robussy]

[ this is both a hard and easy question to answer at the same time. ]

I don't.

[strongroots]

you never had time for it?

[ He can at least guess that. People come from tough backgrounds, 2B uses weapons like she was born with the skill -- it doesn't mean nothing. ]

[robussy]

I wasn't made for it.

[ but, it does make her think how she has been wanting a change, a revocation. and while she doesn't specify whether or not she enjoyed it (it was a strange emotion, that pricked at her, but did affect her—) ]

Daniel showed me how bonsai are cared for.

[strongroots]

[ So... she just doesn't know how to, even if she did have time for it. ]

you close your eyes and get everything out of your head except the tree
think of how you want the tree to look
and you make it happen
?

[ He might just be smiling, even if she can't see it. ]

[robussy]

[ 🤯 ]

Is this standard procedure?