All Out of Gum

[an_emulated_mind]

Gwen's arranged an announcement or sort of party in the Sakihama hangar, advertised on bulletin boards around the bases. She's even gone so far as to set out a small tray of sweets in front of the object of the celebration: a brand-new, upscaled version of Nemain. Though this one isn't exploded, or on the bottom of the pacific ocean.

"Good news everyone! Thanks to Doomstar's cooperation, many embarrassing apologies and more than a little bribery, I'm proud to present to you...Medb!"

Gwen gestures to the 15 meter mecha behind her, in all its edgy black glory.

"It's made from Doomstar's mecha, so that won't be gathering dust anymore. With it, I'll be able to take part in the battles from here on and kick some ass!"

Comments

[stupidhonor]

Ah. I see. Good.

[Sielje appears, staring at the robot as she approaches. Though her gaze falls down on the platter of cookies once or twice, as well.]

That is good, is it not?

[an_emulated_mind]

Yep! I don't die easy, so I might as well make the battlefield a second home.

...You can go ahead and have a cookie, they're for everyone.

[stupidhonor]

That is not a very hospitable home... ah, thank you.

[Sielje grabs a cookie, but for now she only holds it.]

But, it is true. You would not die so easily. Even more so than...

[With a quiet sigh she falls silent. Not awkward or anything.]

[an_emulated_mind]

[Gwen takes a step closer to Sielje, putting a hand on the knight's shoulder.]

...Hey, are you sure you're doing alright? If you want to talk about what happened, I'm here for you...

[stupidhonor]

For...

[Her voice trails off at first, but Sielje takes a deep breath. No more hesitating.]

For years, I thought there would be nothing to my life but to fight. I was wrong. But, when I thought I could finally live how I wanted, this is when I lost someone dear to me. I lost her to the same fighting.

And now... you are here. And you will go out, and fight, too.

[an_emulated_mind]

...Yes, I will.

I...I'm not immortal. I can be killed, permanently. It'd be hard, but it can be done. So I can't promise you I'll always come back. But, I have skills. I have power. Shouldn't I use it to help people? And...

[Gwen closes her eyes, placing a hand over where her heart should be.]

That time, in the rain. When Jen...when I fought Apogee and that mercenary, it was like an awakening. That feeling, of perfect calm in the raging storm-I love it.

So I won't give it up. Even if I die a hundred deaths, even if it's going to claim my life someday, I'll go out and fight.

[Gwen opens her eyes again, still looking sad.]

...I'm sorry.

[stupidhonor]

No! No, do not be sorry. I know your intentions are good.

[Sielje looks down, absent-mindedly spinning the cookie in her hands.]

Some knight I am, to worry about others fighting. I should be encouraging you. I know you have the skills.

[an_emulated_mind]

Well...I'm kind of glad to hear that, actually.

You wouldn't be worrying if you didn't care about me, right?

[stupidhonor]

Of course - of course I do!

I mean, why would I not?

[an_emulated_mind]

Aah, don't worry about it. Just some silly concerns of mine that turned out to be nothing.

[stupidhonor]

Everyone has concerns. They are not silly...

[Sielje does not push the point further.]

Be careful, alright? I will not tell you not to fight. But do it without recklessness. Try to return safely. Can you promise me that?

[an_emulated_mind]

That...that I can promise.

[A surprise hug from your robot friend-one that she lets go before Sielje can reciprocate.]

I'm told dying's painful, after all.

[stupidhonor]

Ah.

[No worries about that, she's too surprised to react quickly anyway.]

Y, yes, let us try to avoid that as much as possible.

[majestic_keiki]

Excellent.

[There's a brief pause, filled by helping herself to some sweets.]

Adjusting properly to the new body?

[an_emulated_mind]

Mmm...About as well as can be expected. This body was never meant for people to live in; I'll be modifying it some with time.

I'm pretty sure the warranty is voided five times over by now, but it's worth it. I'd like to taste, even if I can't eat.

[majestic_keiki]

Not being able to taste does sound pretty bad...

[an_emulated_mind]

I know, right? At least that one's an easy fix, I just need to get the kind of tongue they give cyborgs. Expensive, but easy. Alcohol's gonna be more of a problem, I'd need all kinds of fake liver adjustments and the like...

...But this body has its upsides! It's pretty realistic, and I won't need any modifications to...er, be intimate with someone.

[majestic_keiki]

I see.

...

I imagine that you don't need to worry about most of the things most people do. No need to worry about disease or nutrition or the like.

[an_emulated_mind]

No, none of that. Though there are some bits of maintenance I'll have to keep doing on my own-there are some nanobots in my "blood" to handle most of it, but it's not like that goes everywhere...I have to charge up, of course, but the real weird thing is sleep being optional...

...You're making a face. Is there something you want to ask?

[majestic_keiki]

No.

Better find some hobbies so you have a way of passing time while others sleep, though.

[an_emulated_mind]

No kidding. Maybe I'll take up knitting?

No matter how it goes, I've got a long time to get used to this.

[majestic_keiki]

That'd be something to see.

[actuallyselfish]

"Medb, eh?" Dido remarks, taking one of the sweets and popping it into her mouth. "Looks like a solid design!"

She snorts. "You aren't gonna try and raid Irish Cattle with this, are you, Gwen?"

[an_emulated_mind]

Thanks! It's really just Nemain, but bigger and with some options stripped out.

And man, I'm gonna steal the biggest and best cow I can.

[actuallyselfish]

"Make sure to grill up some hinds for us," Dido says, chewing on the sweets and shallowing.

She looks up at the Medb thoughtfully. "You sure you want to fly on Unity Group missions?" She asks. "You can dodge death with backups, but that still leaves a whole bunch of way to suffer during war."

And having memories of fighting as Jen doesn't mean Gwen has to, Dido doesn't say.

[an_emulated_mind]

So why do you bother, then?

Personally, I think it'll be fun.

[actuallyselfish]

"Why do I bother?" Dido hums to herself, pondering an issue she hasn't pondered for a while.

"Well, I first climbed into the pilot seat to keep my friends alive." Dido says thoughtfully. "But later...I'm actually selfish, you know? There's too many rat bastards in this universe I refuse to coexist with."

She glances at Gwen. "Is it like that with you?"

[an_emulated_mind]

I guess so. But really, I do think it'll be fun, going through life or death battles, narrowly dodging bullets and swords.

[actuallyselfish]

"You can back up your mind-state in case of destruction or heavy damage," Dido allows, "but a battle's not a game you can retry if it goes bad."

Dido holds up her hands. " I'm trying to be a prude. I'm just asking...can you still enjoy the fight, even knowing that your friends could die out there? That Sieljie could die?"

[an_emulated_mind]

She doesn't have to come along.

And... [Gwen pauses, unsure of how to phrase the next point.]

...It's not that she could die. She will die, someday, well before me. And so will you, and so will just about everyone else I know.

I'd like it to be later rather than sooner...but I don't see much use in worrying about the day or the hour. If my friends want to risk their lives, that's their choice.