damn bitch u live like this?

[rudelanguage]

WHO: "Antigone," Shadow
WHEN: Early May
WHERE: Alexandria
WHAT: interacting...socializing?!....scheming...
NOTES\WARNINGS: marked where needed, none in top-level


A scant-few miles south of the hospital, the land is...rather sparse. It's quiet in unnatural ways, lacking the typical fauna sounds Knife would expect with enough greenery (the chocobo noises are not pleasant to hear, though they're more tolerable at a distance). It makes innocuous sounds sinister with the risk of danger. It makes being closer to people seem...almost comforting?

Until remembering that Knife doesn't fucking know these people and there's autonomous slaves and and and--

Eugh.

This sucks.

While Knife's set up Pending's stashes along the water, they move Antigone inland with enough plausible distance as to avoid being too easily correlated. It makes them anxious to check in on their stuff, useful or otherwise, but it's safer to just leave it be for a time. They've set up a couple tents in a copse of trees near the baseball stadium - close enough to a food source to pinch from, far enough as to avoid regular traffic. It also gives them a chance to pinch any additional bots, should they need to, during investigations with the inactive ones one of the Shadows had mangled for them.

They're...not really a tinkerer, but the real Antigone is, and since that's their mask for now? Fuckin'...gotta learn to tinker.

It's something to do, anyway, that isn't just stressing about being stuck, alone, and separated from Soliton.

Suppose he thinks I ditched him. He's so convinced he's going to live forever alone, the dumbass. I'm not here on purpose, idiot! Don't think I abandoned you!

Antigone's lips curl back in a frustrated growl while trying to reconfigure chips and bits back where they belong; disassembling and reassembling repeatedly helps familiarize them with some parts, even if they don't wholly get computer chips or circuits just yet.

Near and around the tents, Knife has set up little signal traps: Buttons and tiny bells on threads and wires that shift or tinkle in ways not unlike a spider's web to alert them of encroaching bodies. When one of them goes off, they go still for a beat, waiting to hear if it's another damn chocobo. When the telltale dinosaur-thumping doesn't sound, they get up and peek out of the tent, blinking around in the daylight. Scattered giftbox debris, random assortments of wrappers or other odds and ends gathered from shops and trash bins, and...

Comments

[rudelanguage]

[a little nose wiggles in tandem with ears as Antigone scopes around, then double-takes when some of the sun-dappled shadows nearby turn out to be Shadow-shadow.

one of them.

or the Shadow? Knife's genuinely unclear on that one. but what's fucking new?

stare.

beat.]

Yo. [nod-up.]

[limiterrings]

[ shadow looks to the side, it's acknowledgement on his end as the hedgehog guesses that these little traps here and there are orchestrated by them. ]

Hiding from someone?

[ it's best to ask what's going on than to be surprised later in case something goes wrong. besides, antigone shuffling away from society is a choice, especially when they seemed to keen on staying in the know and finding people who had their stuff together.

he won't complain about that and rather focus on why "why" they hide away in case there's a problem. is shadow showing concern? of course not, it'd be a shame if he lost information due to the clumsy nature of this one. causing damages to the city and breaking bots will probably have consequences in the future, so it's best to reap rewards while they can. ]

[rudelanguage]

[Antigone slinks out of the tent, moving around to a side and doing something unseen, disarming a proximity trap that's a bit. um. ruder.

turning back, gesturing they're cool to come near:] I like my space. And I like to know when someone's in it, y'know?

[limiterrings]

[ the hedgehog watches as the trap is undone, looking to them with a tired expression, and once the gap is bridged. ]

Mm.

[ considering antigone has taken this whole area as their own, shadow can understand why they haven't taken up an apartment. probably due to not having someone they trust or doesn't want to sleep in a small enclosure controlled by aurora's companion bots. ]

You know what I want from you.

[rudelanguage]

Yyyup. C'mon, then.

[they gesture, turning and leading onto one of the other tents, flipping the flap open and heading inside. they've stripped and organized bot parts from one carcass, the other in a state of near-repair and laid out like a body for operation.]

How much do you already know about how these mechanisms work? So you don't get all snippy and tell me to [slight vocal drop + huskiness:] get on with it.

[limiterrings]

[ do you see that really angry face he's making, it's none of their damn business, but he'll give what he knows. ]

They have recharge stations, which means they can't stay online forever. They have a direct line to Aurora in helping her take care of the city. Anywhere you go, you'll find one close by.

[ on the outside, he understands how they works. ]

Tell me what you've found inside of them.

[rudelanguage]

[they plop down to sit between the robo-cadaver and the sorted piles; Shadow is free to loom or sit as he pleases.

they hum an acknowledgement, nodding like they know entirely what that whole system could look like. they don't look terribly convincing (deception 8 (2+6)) about it and don't let space build after the demand.]

Soooo... [they gesture.] I'm not like, an artificer by trade [truth!], but I figured I'd look for components that make sense for what they were doing. Like sharing similar voices and moving in similar patterns.

I took 'em apart at the same time, piece by piece, but also reassembled this one-- [pats the carcass.] Just to make sure I could.

[they wave over the piles of components, sectioned off by type - wires together, circuits and chips together, fasteners and clips, and so on.]

Here's the guts. See anything familiar or worth nicking for other stuff?

I kinda expected to find some like, sending stones or such? But no dice.

[limiterrings]

Are you unable to cut its connection with Aurora and control it under your thumb?

[ they're not like tails... a shame, but having some control over these things could work to their advantage. with a roll of his eyes, he does walk through the pile of bolts and wires finding nothing that stands out. ]

As long as you have one.

[ that's good enough, but with as many as they have broken apart, aurora will probably realize and send in new units.

where are these robots manufactured anyway?

... ]

Sending stone.

[ explain. ]

[rudelanguage]

Mm-hmn. Or something like it. [they aren't looking to see the inquiry in Shadow's scowl...until they are and double-take.

blink. frown.] You...don't know what a sending stone is? [okay, more obvious by the look.] Eruh, it's like...it's not always a rock, but it's a small surface that has the Sending spell sealed in it. And, like...uh... [sheesh, they've never had to explain this shit before, it was just there.] It has charges? Per day? To cast.

[they wiggle a finger at their ear with the earpiece.] And beam the spell into your head like these, you know?

[limiterrings]

...

[ ... ]

No.

[ he doesn't know what the fuck they're talking about, that's why the hedgehog looks at antigone like they're going to correct this mistake. ]

Show me.

[ like make the spell. ]

[rudelanguage]

[they grimace.]

I mean, I would, if I had a sending stone to pass along? But I don't. So...so think of it like the ear-thingies. Beaming...noise. Into your head. [they try not to sound too disgusted by the notion. honestly? they hate Sending, Telepathy...whatever the fuck these earpieces do...]

Anyway, whatever. The point is? I didn't find those in here, so I can't figure out how they can communicate. [shrugging.] Maybe there's a different way to spellcast involved? But like I said: I'm no artificer.

[limiterrings]

It's not magic.

[ if anything, it's programming. if they think of everything as magic then they'll have a problem. walking over, the hedgehog looks at what the other has pulled out. ]

There's pieces that give them a direct line to Aurora. Comparable to charging stations, do you know what that is?

[ let's start there. ]

[rudelanguage]

[Knife clenches their jaw to keep from scoffing or huffing in frustration. If it's not magic, how should I know?!

they exhale through their nose slowly, masking their agitation rather smoothly (deception 17 (11+6)).]

I can't give you a solid answer. Neither work anymore, so I can't replicate the effect. If I had to guess? [they gesture to the pile of circuits and chips.] It's one of those. Because all the wires and strings were there to connect those.

[limiterrings]

[ he knows that, it's rather obvious, but what can he ask for if the other can't build on top of what's presented to them. ]

...

[ can antigone feel how much shadow is staring at them as though they've failed what he was after. ]

What do you need in order to further your knowledge?

[ he seems willing to work to see improvement. ]

[rudelanguage]

[their mouth opens and closes without a response while they scramble for...whatever the fuck answer will make this asshole happy. this is suffocating.

but what the fuck else can they do at this point? they need to know how these stupid things tick for their own needs, too.

after a couple seconds:] It'd help to be able to see them communicate while they were still active, but. But with all the insides visible.

[limiterrings]

...

[ that means antigone needs two? then shadow knows what should be done. ]

Let's go. I want to watch you fight one.

[ ready for some combot training?... combat... combot... it works. this gives the other a chance to sharpen their skills, and not need shadow in order to obtain them in the future when he's not around. ]

[rudelanguage]

[affronted:] What? I-I'm not doing that. Why am I doing that? What's me kicking one going to do but get me yelled at?

[limiterrings]

Why else? You need to learn how to handle this part on your own.

[ he can't be the one who goes out there every time hunting a robot when antigone messes up. ]

Are you afraid?

[rudelanguage]

[indignant:] Yes. And I don't care what you call me because of it! [they cross their arms.] Gutting these things as a favor to you at the risk of my own neck doesn't mean I'm excited to get seen and known only for that. It's not safe. [arms unfold so a hand can flap in an exasperated gesture.] What do I do when poking another one with a knife sends like fifty of them on my ass!

[limiterrings]

Did you hear what you said?

[ that yes, they're afraid. not only that, they're unable to fight to protect themselves. don't ask where he's pulling this out of, but there's a red feather now in his hand which he holds out to the other. ]

It's no longer a favor, think of it as business.

[ because he's not going to have a favor held over his head in case one day antigone goes remember when i did something for you? now do something for ME. ]

Learn to protect yourself, cowards run.

[rudelanguage]

[they scoff, breath fluffing the feather held out.]

Staying out of sight is protection, you know? Especially when there's folks what can explode swords and armor out of their asses as easy as blinking! You seen those guys? No, thanks!

And it's not like you're risking anything, Mister Speedy Slicey...Kick-Guy! [they nod up at them before sitting back on their hands.] Putting all the risk on a schmuck like me is easy work for you, huh?

But I guess that's business.

[limiterrings]

No.

[ he has not seen anyone summon explode swords and armor out of their asses as easy as blinking. though, he continues to hold the feather waiting for the other to take it. ]

I am giving you options to protect yourself. Here.

[ and here he thought that antigone would probably have some affinity for things like this, shadow can see where he's wrong if so. ]

[rudelanguage]

With a feather? [they pluck it out of Shadow's hand, looking and sounding skeptical.] Is this a magic focus for something?

[limiterrings]

Hm.

[ shadow isn't really into it, but he feels as though there's something special to it. ]

You seem like the person who could make use of it.

[ in their hand it's already burning with a good heat, but what could it be used for? who knows. ]

If it's useful, I'll bring you the rest that I have.

[rudelanguage]

[their brows raise as their fingerpads start to feel a bit warmer than they ought to; while Shadow's talking, Knife drops the feather into their open palm and frowns.]

Hang on...

[sitting up straighter, their free hand feels around their pockets and pulls out a planchette, peering at the feather through the viewpiece for a few seconds.]

Oh, whoa. I was joking, but it is a spell focus. What the heck? Where'd you gank this?