We're making this happen.

[knitwit]

CHARACTERS: Rose Lalonde (knitwit) and Dirk Strider (splinterself)
DATE: May 23rd
RATING: PG13 for possible foul language!
SUMMARY: Rose is planning on improving her skills by grinding in a remote area. Of course, she naturally wants to stock up on goods at the weapon shops and item stores and it is here she runs into Dirk Strider.

There had been no true reasons why Rose Lalonde could find comfort in her surroundings. Not only was the eternal calling that pecked and pierced her brain giving her a headache, but it was urging her onward in her quest for knowledge on their situation. Her datalogs had been finished for the day and all she had to do was step back into reality -- or virtual reality -- and make her plans active.

The weapon store had been dealt with, a small upgrade was her prize after selling some useless items she encountered. The heavy book still traced against her hip from it's sling, but she was not weighed down too much. It swayed to and fro as she continued towards the dimly lit merchant booth that housed her current needs and wants: items.

Rose's vivid irises scanned the stock, attempting to navigate her needs and wants with the utmost calculations. Darn those calculations.

"If only there was some sort of walk-through I could read on this stupid item guide," Rose whispered under her breath.

It was tedious to navigate their little communicator, but she made due using the apps she needed. Perhaps when she wasn't aimlessly tired and the eternal sunset wasn't plaguing her vision she'd learn the electronic. Highly unlikely, but she still continued her search through the silly item bar.

Comments

we are the stars.

[knitwit]

Understandably so. She couldn't fault him for wanting to not die in his battle against the boss. It was a bossfight for a reason, no reason it should be simple.

She was off, taking a few steps towards her discarded pouch that she kept her items in. Of course, now with it in her possession, she planned to return the potion. But, that can wait.

"Ah. Thank you," She spoke softly.

Rose returned and glanced at the loot. It wasn't something she could find useful but she extended her hand to grip onto it. An honest smile returned to her face as she clutched the bounded book against her breasts, as if it was some shield on showing some honest non-snarky emotion.

"Shall we return? I'm not exactly sure if there is some supplementary quests but..."

She'd lift her hand to wipe away the sweat on her forehead, "I do believe I need a cold drink."

And no, not liquor.

Well, maybe she had grown on it when she was utterly bored...

Like a katamari.

[splinterself]

"Yeah, we should. I'd rather not hang around here in case these things respawn." Cue Dirk staring at the boss.

It wasn't like he didn't think they could take another wave. Amazingly, he felt better about their chances than before they went out there. Rather, it was more that he found himself thinking...did he really feel like another fight today? No? Exactly. He had other things he wanted to do. Acquire a puppet. Sew a plush to throw at Jake's head. Sew another plush to throw at Dave.

And that drink sounded good. Because this place hadn't gotten any cooler since they started hanging around.

"I think I need one too. Lead on, Rose."

[knitwit]

"Noted," Rose said with a nod.

It would be such a shame to have to battle for another hour.

So she was in utter relief that he wanted to move away from the now desolate battleground in exchanged for a hopefully more cultured and refined experience. Bar or not, she wanted to cool off.

Rose would pull out her relic, looking over the commands that were available.

>HELP
>MAP
>OBJECTIVES
>EXIT DUNGEON

...

>EXIT DUNGEON

The thin hand moved to grasp at Dirk's with no more then a second between the soft button click. Taking the lad with her, Rose would find her eyes adjusting from the brightness to the now infinite setting sun. An eternal twilight that played it's own beautiful story on the heavens above them.

Her fingers pulled from his and she'd tuck away the relic, sighing a bit.

"Much better. Do you know any place that sells refreshments not in bottle form?"

[splinterself]

"Yeah, I think I saw somewhere." And here he frowned, though this time it wasn't a poker face of indifference or the vaguest of vague scorn: it was a genuine expression, a flash of unguarded irritation, one which invited people who viewed it to see the unfeigned emotion (in this case irritation) and respond accordingly. "I don't know if you woke up on Derse or not...I'm guessing you did though, and even though they overused purple they at least knew how to build a city."

He shook his head ever so slightly and turned in the vague direction of the shops, his expression smoothing over to something a bit more neutral as they walked. "I mean, I don't know if you noticed, but while there's places they're hardly in the same quantity you'd normally expect from a city of this size."

[knitwit]

"Excellent," Rose whispered, noting that the male seemed a bit lost in his own thoughts. It was normal for the girl to take time and question the reasoning behind such actions, yet... she couldn't bring herself to. She allowed him to be as he was.

Until he brought up the conversation on Derse.

"Agreed. They were rich with European Gothic influence in their architecture; a we mean business type of aura radiating from it's very radius."

Derse got it goin' on.

She was following behind him, her hands clasping behind her back as she walked; strolling moreso. A bit of lightness to her step as she traversed with her kind of father? She guessed?

"This place seems run down. Thrown together and such. There's many unused shops, doors and pathways not permissible. I'd suggest there is an update of sorts in the future," Rose noted, hm. There really was a lot of problematic areas of the city..

[splinterself]

"Here's hoping." Dirk rapped on a wall for emphasis as they passed, idly ignoring any strange looks the NPCs might've given him as he did so. The entire place seemed so fake. "It's like..."

And he paused in his gait, turning towards her and...hopefully not causing a Strider-Lalonde collision in the process. (If so, sorry. Insert apology here.)

(...insert insertion joke here.) One hand reflexively fell to the hilt of his sword in an action which was less the prelude to strife and more having something to hold onto. It still felt weird not having his juju around, and that was something he didn't exactly feel comfortable telling anyone, even Jake. "I don't really know what I was like in your universe, and I'm not sure I want to know, but in mine? My bro made movies. He ran a goddamn media empire." Here a metaphor threatened to loom its head and start running and Dirk forced it down. Not now. "Mac Anu makes me think of a movie set, down to the NPCs who don't really do anything besides add background scenery."

He tapped the hilt of his sword once and then...shrugged. "I know the game metaphor's more apt given the circumstances, but that's just what this place reminds me of. At least in Derse the carapacians did something. Anyway, it ain't far." He was leading them to what was pretty much a little hole in the wall a step removed from the main thoroughfares of Mac Anu, if not by much. It was small, shaded, and sold non-bottled drinks.

[knitwit]

The fact that Dirk seemed rather talkative at least found itself to be relieving to Rose. She truly didn't want to make things awkward. She didn't know him, therefore, she didn't want to scare him off too quickly with her subtle snarky jabs or intimidating assortment of vocabulary terms.

His mannerisms caught her attention and as he turned, she sidestepped just in time to miss a collusion.

"You weren't my guardian. Dave's, naturally. I don't know what you were like and I respectfully acknowledge your distaste to unraveling that mystery."

Her face faulted once he mentioned his 'Bro' making movies.

"You've got to be shitting me," Rose spoke bluntly.

It took a moment or two to shake the cobwebs out before she cleared her throat. She better be a fucking God if Dave was making movies.

"I see. It has no personable and approachable sense. No charming Mediterranean coast villas. No bustling New York City activeness. No small farm town with one general store and a slew of colorful characters," Rose sided, rubbing the brim of her nose, "I accede with your sentiments."

Rose grew quiet as he shifted the conversation back to their little venture to find a drink. She would follow and observe, as if making a mental map leading here.

[splinterself]

The hole in the wall was essentially that: a small hole in the wall. It was as if an NPC, who had been gamely selling drinks and general supplies had put two and two together and became aware of the fact that they could sell more if they opened up a rudimentary sort of...cafe? Shit, sure, let's be charitable and call it a cafe.

Oh, don't get the wrong impression, it was functional. The drinks were cheap and (more importantly) palatable. The seats were solid and the tables ample. It was hardly a rattrap in which they'd die shortly in. But it was just there. It didn't have excessive charm of any sort, it was merely functional.

There were a few reasons why Dirk had led Rose here. The main one being that it was somewhere they could get away from the main crowds, if but a little. Despite the fact Dirk liked there being people around, liked the fact that he could goddamn talk to someone without using a computer screen or building his own conversational partners, he still liked his space. Also, they'd be less likely to get interrupted here.

"So," Dirk said as they entered, "I'm sure you've got a few questions for me." Shit, might as well get it over with.

[knitwit]

Rose never judged a book by it's cover. Considering her love of literature, she would hate for her favorite novels to be dubbed as unworthy grunge-trash merely by the heavy Blackletter font choice and simplistic covering.

Perish the thought.

There was a distinct lack of 'hustle and bustle', if one could even call the dwindling number of NPCs and players that. Rose didn't mind.

Following him, she was quick to take a small seat on the make-shift chairs for waiting customers, if some would use it. The small area was more or less for coming and going but two or so chairs seemed perfect for those essentially needing a rest.

"I do actually," Rose said with a small shift in gaze towards him, "I'd like to know something fairly simple."

She paused. It was hard to question. Especially considering all of the information they needed to defeat the batterwitch, Jack, and whatever else SBURB threw their way. But, she went personal.

"Do you know Dave considers his brother, whom is essentially you in theory, a hero? Before you get pessimistic, let me tie this directly to you: do you feel at peace meeting Dave? Because beneath that cliche cool guy demeanor, Dave is happy to meet you."

She left it at that. It wasn't a question, but she had to throw that out there. Closure, since she could pick up the fact he spoke in past-tense of his brother. It could mean multiple things, but she didn't kid herself on that.

Her gaze maintained it's noble state, a soft nod rolling off in confirmation that she wasn't lying.

[splinterself]

If he were the kind of man inclined to do so, it would be at this point that he'd do a spit take and thank god he wasn't drinking any liquids. Starting with something 'fairly simple.' Right.

(Keep it cool, Strider.) He kept his gaze neutral, level, because what else could he do? Dirk sure as hell wasn't going to lose his cool over a question like that. Even if it was a pretty fucking complicated question.

"A hero? You're serious." That part netted her a bit of a stare, a slow blink lost behind his shades. It was an interesting thought for him to consider: a version of the most heroic figure in history thought that he was a hero. The legacy Dirk had inherited was, to him, a weighty one. Learning that on some level (even if it wasn't exactly him, just some version of him that had taken care of Dave and gone on to do he had no idea what) he had lived up to that Strider legacy was...nice.

If bizarre. Wasn't something he had ever thought he'd get confirmation of.

"I guess. I don't know." He shrugged, leaning back in his chair ever so slightly. "Sorry, Rose. It's kind of complicated. But I'll tell you this much: I'm definitely not disconsolate at meeting him."

[knitwit]

Rose kept her comments to herself until the time came for them. Sure, it was a bit much to take in; but Rose rarely censored herself around people she found comfort in. Unless, of course, their emotional state was questionable. Dirk seemed the definition of calm, so she went for it.

Well, whatever male ego the boy had, she didn't feel like she had the energy to prod him. Especially since he was most certainly not Dave and probably would not take it in the same way he does.

"No problem. Don't worry about it, I won't bring it up anymore. He's not your Bro and I was suppose it was ignorant to assume you both should share some significant attachment to the idea."

She pauses, running her hand through her short strands.

This was a difficult topic.

[splinterself]

It was.

"It's fine. First: fuck, yes, of course I've got an attachment to the idea. One of the reasons we were going to play the game was the chance of resurrecting you guys, actually. I just wasn't expecting," he gestured at this point, a vague, loose wave which indicated the building they were in and by extension implied the city, "here."

This was interpreted as a gesture demanding service by the NPC, and after some formalities he acquired a drink. It was something vaguely exotic, after a sip (and a slight face) deemed too milky for his tastes, and ultimately forgettable, more gotten for the sake of trying something new than anything else. And it served that purpose admirably.

He pushed it to one side of the table before continuing.

"Second: when I came from, the most humans I've ever seen in one place was on Derse, and Rox spent most of that time drooling and sleepwalking, heading off to fuck knows where. All of this is new to me."

[knitwit]

"I think anyone who was expecting here is either a fellow Seer or a plain liar."

Rose watched as Dirk was ushered a drink as if he was some form of royalty. Of course, he was, but it was merely the oddity to see such an occurrence. Fate was just too funny.

"Have them under your call, do you? Fitting," Rose would whisper with a soft chuckle.

Dirk was quick to continue and she was quicker to listen. She had a bit of condolences to the living situations. A sympathetic nod, but she wouldn't vocalize it: he seemed far too proud.

"I see. Well, I suppose the only way to handle a new situation like this is to make it worth your stay here."

She grew silent a bit, looking away.

This was all a bit to take in. Yes, another game, yes another chance to 'win'!

But, also another possible failure.

Her eyes kept focused away. She could feel the way the black tendrils of shadow crept from her skin in her past life. She could recall how each verbiage slithered from her throat into a mess of mysterious words lost in time.

It was rather blunt to know that games, and their horrors, were not new to her.

She'd rub at her wrist and forearms a bit, reassuring her that she was in proper mindsets for this.

"Well, you're not alone in this matter. There are plenty of people only a call away."

[splinterself]

"Yeah, and whatever this game throws at us we can handle it. I mean, we've got 3/4ths of a Strider-Lalonde family reunion...what could stand up to that?"

...though technically with the responder would it be 3/5ths of a Strider-Lalonde reunion? On one hand it was derived from his brain waves, but on the other hand it was a fully cognitive, self-aware entity with a mind of its own. Well, likely it wouldn't matter.

Something that would matter:

"Rose. Got any questions about my session? The way I see it, we're going to have this conversation sooner or later so we might as well get it over with before things become too complicated."

[knitwit]

"No clue, but something always manages to present itself as a challenge."

Rose let a soft smirk appear on her features. It was relieving, a nice change of pace to converse with someone who wasn't actively teasing or attempting to read romantic troll literature to her. Not that Dirk was 100% safe from that, but hey.

He spoke up and questioned her and she sat in silence for a moment. A soft breath escaped her lips before casting her violet irises upwards.

"Alright. Before things get complicated, then."

Rose paused.

"Can you lie to me and tell me Dave and myself made some sort of difference? That we did something to make your existence a bit more bearable."

Rose took the time to sigh, showing how much she regretted not dealing with everything personally. Other universes and such were a pain.

"I don't want to feel guilt and responsibility for failing to give you and Roxy what Dave's brother and my Mother gave to us."

Hope.

[splinterself]

And that caused him to stare a little. Dirk leaned back in his chair, sliding his shades ever so slightly off so he could look at Rose without the lenses in the way. The question was incredible in its conception.

"Lie? I don't have to lie."

It was an absurdity and if she were from his universe, his timeline, he'd be asking her what the hell she had been drinking. And if she had been from his universe, his timeline, he wouldn't be able to take the question seriously in the first place anyway.

"Rose, you and Dave are commonly regarded to be two of the most historic figures in the whole of human history, inspiring what generations came after you - at least before everything completely went to shit - through your actions and deeds."