bewrightback | IC Inbox [Cerealia]

[She stands up, crossing the linoleum in a step or two, and rests a hand on his shoulder. Warmth floods out of her, vibrant and alive. She knows it bothers him. This isn't his arena, and it shouldn't be.]

It's fine. I was doing the right thing. I'd do it again without hesitation, though next time it'd be different.

[He feels so out of his depth. He's supposed to be able to protect people, but that's nearly impossible in this world. But her hand and her warmth helps to comfort and calm him. And her perspective as well... He feels silly that he's handling this much worse than the person who actually died.]

I certainly hope that it would be different.

...You did the right thing, huh? Well... I'm proud of you, Rei. [He manages to smile while blinking back tears, and he also spreads his arms out to tentatively offer a hug.]

[Rei lets her hand fall away, snorting a little before folding her arms around him in that hug. He deserves that much, and hopefully he’ll be fine. She doesn’t really want to see him while he’s crying about her. It makes her feel a little guilty, knowing he’s upset enough about it to cry, and that’s what really eats at her. It’s not a new experience for her, not by a long shot, but she realized long ago that she has to be an inspirational figure here, not the stoic and silent soldier she is at home. Still, it is nice to know he cares that much. It’s just a strange feeling.]

Next time, I won’t get sucker punched. [There’s a hint of a self-deprecating smile in her voice, but it’s true. Next time…because there’s always a next time, she’ll be ready.] And thank you. Phoenix. [She’s truly touched. Enough that the last linguistic barrier she keeps between herself and most people just comes down.]

[He'll be fine. And he'll keep it from becoming a full cry at least. It just feels like a lot piling on... Rei died. Maya and possibly more of her family may have been sacrificed. Yang's lost a hand and her cheerful spirit. And Trucy's gone.

He hopes that she gets some comfort from the hug too, but he realizes it may be something for his sake more than anything else. And at least she's taking it well. Phoenix does perk a little as he notices the fall of that language barrier, and he smiles lightly as he pulls back from the hug.]

I know you won't. [He has full faith in that.] You're welcome. I... I'm just glad you're back.

[It's pretty complicated, yeah. But Rei just holds on and pats his back a little more before retreating and nodding. She can empathize, since she feels Trucy's presence gone from the house, and she's fine with him taking some solace in her. She hadn't known the girl well, but the mp3 player that she'd been given meant a lot to her.]

I know. And I'm glad to be back. [A pause.] You'll want to hear what we found. It's...kind of strange, and a lot to take in, I know, but once the tea's ready, let's share stories.

[He does look intrigued by the mention of some sort of discovery! But then he nearly facepalms at himself once she brings up the tea.]

Right, the tea! Sorry, let me... get to that.

[With a nervous chuckle, he scurries on into the kitchen to get it done.]

Thank you.

[She will leave him to that, waiting patiently for his return!]

[It won't be too long before he returns, putting one cup in front of her while he sits down with his own.]

There you go! I hope it came out alright.

[And Rei accepts, letting the warm cup rest in her palms, drawing a kind of soothing energy out of it. It’s nice, feels solid, a reminder and a reassurance to herself that she’s with friends again.]

It smells fine. Thank you. [She’ll get right down to it then.] I was taken by one of the robots. One that I think made that strange thing we saw. I was with Merlin, Yu-kun, Yuri and Hyoubu-san. I don’t know if you know all of them, but you probably know Merlin at least. Ah…[Probably. Hopefully.] Anyway. We were in a prison cell, in what looked like an abandoned prison. It felt like it’d been in disrepair for a long, long time. Lots of rust, collapsing floors, and skeletons of people who’d been left to die in there. It was…really unsettling.

[Phoenix sets his cup down and folds his hands as he listens to her account.]

So... that robot got you as well. ,small>[He frowns.] An abandoned prison. That... [He shakes his head softly.] That sounds bad right off the bat.Was this a CERES location? [If there were skeletons, does that mean they were people who die normally?]

I believe so. It didn't seem like something that the natives would have built. We saw their structures before and this was a little too advanced. More than a little, honestly. [She chews her lip a bit, thumbing her chin.]

We did some exploring though, and it was definitely a place that was falling apart. It almost felt like the labyrinth we were in below the city.

I see... [Phoenix nods thoughtfully as he takes that in.]

If it's like that labyrinth place, then maybe it really is another odd relic from CERES's mysterious past. Maybe they're even connected... but it's hard to say for sure at this point.

...Did you come across anything else of interest down there?

You mean besides the ghosts and the architecture? Honestly I didn't see much. Though, I guess, I have this feeling that those people in there? Were tied to Maris somehow.

The cranky goat spirit? ...What, could they have been his people?

Possibly. They weren't like us, because the bodies didn't disappear. They decayed.

[That's definitely one fact to add to the mental court record, as he takes a thoughtful sip of tea.]

...That's definitely a notable difference. [And one that can't be easy on the eyes. Phoenix frowns.] They're most likely from outside the colony, then. ...And if CERES is behind this, it's just more proof of how despicable they truly are.

They're probably natives, yes. They were put there for...lowering profits. And the only corporation on the planet we're aware of is...

[She trails off, sipping tea herself.]

CERES. [He speaks flatly.]

Wait, for 'lowering profits'? You mean... they didn't even commit any crimes?!

Probably not, Phoenix. [This is CERES] But is there even a legal code? This place is almost as lawless as the American West.

No, I don't imagine there's any legal code aside from 'don't do anything that particularly upsets or threatens CERES'. [He responds bitterly.]

At least with the West you probably have in min, there's a chance of a sheriff with a decent head on his shoulders keeping up the order. [Or at least she hopes he doesn't mean it in the modern sense... that's where he practices law, Rei!!] I wish this was a problem that could be solved just through a showdown at high noon...

Exactly. That's more than a little bit troublesome, don't you think? They claim there's some sort of order but really, we're just parts of their machine, and unruly behavior gets punished.

[A sigh.]

I'd not mind a gunfight though. That might...accomplish something.

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