Difficulties

[lostamigo]

[1 - backdated a little]
[Daniel wasn't around for several days - he suddenly asked for a leave, if anyone bothers to investigate his disappearce. But now, he just as suddenly shows up again. He also looks kinda dejected. The large cyborg sits down in a chair heavily (which creaks in protest), and boots up a tablet (he has to use a stylus - fingers too big), which shows an e-book titled Tales From The Old West. But Daniel doesn't look like he's in the mood for reading. It's a mystery if he's physically capable of sighing, but he looks like he really wants to.]

...Thought I finally found them. But I was wrong. It was a false trail. A red herring. Again.

[2 - the outskirts of Alhambra]
[Steel Wanderer is being piloted right now, for a practice session. The mech fights against a target dummy, hitting it repeatedly with a training sword (pretty much a large steel tube). The attacks, while certainly strong, are very simple and without skill, as if delivered by a rookie - very different from Daniel's usual precise sharpshooting. Is he really the one who's piloting the robot?]

Comments

2

[stupidhonor]

Mm...

[Sielje is standing on a hill, staring at the training and looking not very happy with it.]

[lostamigo]

...

[For a moment, Steel Wanderer stops. But then it continues with the practice again.]

I didn't know I have company.

[stupidhonor]

It was not my intent to sneak on you. So it is you? Inside his machinery, it is Daniel after all.

... But what you do is unlike you.

[lostamigo]

[The practice doesn't stop.]

In what way?

[stupidhonor]

You are bad at this.

1

[keep_your_dignity]

HITTING YOUR HEAD AGAINST A BRICK WALL TOO, I SEE.

[Floating past behind Daniel, on her way to somewhere, was one of the few people in unity that make for a more massive shape than he does. And so she comments even as she glides through.]

[lostamigo]

Not the first time it happened. And-

[Suddenly Daniel pauses as he stares at Kagura.]

[keep_your_dignity]

THAT'S WHAT THE BRICK WALL SAYING MEANS.

[Yeah, Kagura has about a guess of what Daniel's reaction is going to be]

[lostamigo]

Ah. Yeah.

...Sorry. I lost my breath for a moment.

1

[itbelongsinamuseum]

So the lead you thought you had didn't work out? Is it something others can look for, there are a lot of connected people here, after all.

[lostamigo]

It's not something. It's my friends. The same ones I've been trying to find for years. I thought I found them this time. But no dice.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

I meant if the lead you thought you had found was something others could look for. You must have some idea of what it takes to find them.

[lostamigo]

Hmm. No. Don't think so.

All I'm trying to do is catch leads of people who could be Maggie or Bob. Any leads, even vague ones. I haven't heard from them in so long that vague is the best I can get. This time, it led me to a pair of wanted criminals. Couldn't be them.

1

[dolorous_sensei]

Your fishing trip was unsuccesful?

[lostamigo]

Depends. Do my old friends count as fish?

[dolorous_sensei]

Dunno, that depends on your psyche really. So I assume you were continuing your livelong quest of trying to find these friends of yours? How long have you been doing this actually?

[lostamigo]

Actively looking? Three years, more or less. But I haven't seen them for longer.

2

[empress_without_a_throne]

Trying to work on your melee skills?

[lostamigo]

...Yeah.

[Daniel keeps on with the practice.]

...Last few fights made me realize one thing.

[empress_without_a_throne]

Well, you do know that there's more options in close-range combat than big swords, don't you? Maybe something smaller would be better for you, like a knives?

[lostamigo]

Maybe. I considered unarmed, too. But you gotta start somewhere.

2

[fourth_rider]

[A particular horse watches this with great interest.]

...

This is new.

[His rider is not too far behind, but seems to have gotten part of her dress caught in a bush.]

Re: 2

[lostamigo]

Pilots training are new?

[Daniel speaks up, but the practice doesn't stop.]

[fourth_rider]

[The rider, who finally approaches after freeing herself, addresses Daniel as well.]

Did something happen? Are you malfunctioning?


...What my mistress means is that you don't seem like the type to take up battles in close quarters.

[lostamigo]

I used to mostly fight Mobile Suits. And smaller units. A gun works just fine against them.

But recently, it changed. Varied enemies. And focusing only on long range bit me more than once.