He's Back: A Dolorous Story

[dolorous_sensei]

*Look who's appearing in Alhambra Base. It's Walt!*

Great to be back! It's been a while since I had a vacation.

...and apparently I still have a job. I don't know what to think about it.

Life is bittersweet.

Comments

[star_of_sad]

You were on a vacation, lt Schmertz?

[Setsuko can't imagine Walt vacationing. Still... good for him.]

Did you have fun?

[dolorous_sensei]

Well yeah, I guess you could call it a vacation. I guess I had fun. Free food. Free lodging.

Medical team who were constantly plucking eyeballs from my arm.

Could be worse.

[star_of_sad]

Ah, that sounds nice...?

Wait, what?!

[dolorous_sensei]

Oh yeah. I forgot that most vacations don't have that. Even paid ones.

[star_of_sad]

Just what happened to you while you were gone?

Someone... tried to take those eyes? Why?

[dolorous_sensei]

Eliene said that she's going to do something with them.

[star_of_sad]

Do? Do... what?

I do not like the sound of this...

[dolorous_sensei]

Well, things are pretty bad right now, but I guess things can get even worse.

[star_of_sad]

Please don't jinx it. No... disregard that, Lt Schmertz. Is there something you know? It could be really, really important.

[whats_a_good_end]

You were expecting not to have a job?

[dolorous_sensei]

By me still having a job, that means the world is still threatened.

[whats_a_good_end]

Well... it's... nice you're concerned about the world like that, I guess.

But isn't it good that you can at least do something about it?

[dolorous_sensei]

That's true. That's exactly why I'm back here, and not like, running away as soon as my vacation ended.

[whats_a_good_end]

Yeah... I know what you mean. Sometimes there's just things... that you don't want to just hope get resolved.

[She makes an assertive fist with her hand.]

Things that you want to get involved in so you can make a difference.

[dolorous_sensei]

Hey, it's not like things can get any worse, right? It's not like, there's new alien invader just when I return to the job.... right?

[cloningblues]

Why would you lose your job? Did you just bail for a few weeks on your own, without letting anyone know?

[dolorous_sensei]

It's not like that. It's just... by me still having a job, that means the world is still threatened.

[cloningblues]

All the threats to the world are not going to just disappear over a few weeks. There's only that much we can do.

[dolorous_sensei]

That's exactly why I'm sad.

[cloningblues]

That's just how the world is. We do what we can, but results don't appear overnight.

Why did you decide to go on vacations anyway?

[dolorous_sensei]

I think it's called mandatory vacations. That's what you call when people in white robes forcefully drag you away to remote sanatorium, right?

[cloningblues]

Wait...

You were taken to a laboratory so the doctors could experiment on you?!

[dolorous_sensei]

Yeah, mandatory vacation.

[cloningblues]

That's a very weird definition of vacation!

...Did they do anything to you?

[actuallyselfish]

"Yo!" Dido says, leaning on a cane as she walks in. "How you doing? Still depressed and stuff?"

[dolorous_sensei]

Do this base still only serve instant curry?

[actuallyselfish]

"We did expand the menu a month ago!" Dido chirps. "But then that manchild Loni Gabin drained our entire budget for his super robot upgrade, so now we're back to curry!"

[dolorous_sensei]

Then I am still depressed.

[dolorous_sensei]

What happened with your leg, by the way? Is this an attempt to appear vulnerable and delicate?

[actuallyselfish]

"Oh, I'm still recovering from Void poisoning. " Dido says, waving the cane around for emphasis. "Should be back to full physical health in a month, though!"

[dolorous_sensei]

I always know that nothingness will poison you.

[actuallyselfish]

"Well, it was more the platonic manifestation of darkness...but yeah." Dido concurs.

She grunts and sits down slowly. "It was worth it, though, sorta; Mizuki's limiter release saved our lives!"

[dolorous_sensei]

Limiter release? Does she turn muscler, or sleeker?