animus_network | 002 ♍ In Which Our Correspondent Discovers The Function Through Which To Visually Broadcast

[ The video clicks on to show Dolorosa fussing with the computer. Well, most of her. Only the bottom of her head is visible, as whoever used this terminal last is far shorter than she is. After a few moments of this, the camera shakes and refocuses to show her face, and after double-checking it against the display on the monitor, she smiles and places her hands in her lap.

She looks tired, and the bags under her eyes have deepened from getting very little sleep this past month. ]

Well, I'm pleased to see they have heard and followed my suggestion to improve the cafeteria menu! The recent state of affairs has been simply atrocious, we can't have growing children expected to receive their necessary sustenance from such negligent offerings.

More than this, it allows little excuse for one to not eat healthfully, so I must encourage you all to observe your proper nutritional schedule each day. Should you require assistance, or perhaps more direct motivation, [ ie. her pulling you by the ear to the cafeteria ] my services remain available.

I'm glad to see local operations improving following the dreadful events of the past weeks.

[ Of course, she...doesn't know about the puffer fish soup... ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

oh
is
is there anythin i can do to help?

It's Difficult To Say.
I Have Been Standing Sentry These Past Weeks, And I'm Unaware If There Would Be Others To Hold That Position In My Absence.

i could spare you a feww Doomed Selvves
if you wwant

[Does he tell her about the guns or not? Decisions, decisions...]

i can probably Hold The Fort for a wwhile?
at least long enough for you to Get Some Sleep
maybe?

Edited 2012-07-04 23:14 (UTC)

[ Her expression is tentative as she begins picking at the keys again. ]

I Shouldn't Like To Be The Cause Of Any Inconvenience For You.
There's Little Necessity In You Being So Bothered For The Sake Of An Old Troll Such As Myself.

but i WWant to

[And then the feed starts and he's nervous and jittery but very determined too. Let the nag-off begin!]

You ain't old, an' helpin' you out is nevver going to be an inconvvenience, I swear.

[CAN YOU WITHSTAND THIS EARNEST WILLINGNESS? CAN YOU?]

[ He gave her opportunity to change the subject, she is so taking it. ]

Little one, you aren't especially privy to my age, so it isn't with any confidence that you can claim me to be any less than old.

[...amateur. One does not simply try to derail the Derailment King.]

I don't particularly need to be, old trolls are dead trolls an' you look pretty alive to me.

[An eyebrow goes up.]

Alive an' tired, but hey. That's nothin' a little sleep won't cure.

[ Nope, she's still ignoring the tired insinuation sorry! ]

Only for the lower castes. Do you know how many thousands of sweeps the Condesce herself has survived across? Surely a greater quantity by your time than it had been during my own.

[Nope at you, he won't give up.]

But then, that's not old for them, is it? If we all age differently, then we all reach "old" differently. You're not old.

[A very wry smile instead.]

Time is very relative, but good thing we all have the little things in common, eh?

[A veiled, yet oddly significant look.]

Like rest and sleep and others willing to help us.

[ She gives him a flat yet amused look. Is she really being lectured by an adolescent? ]

Nevertheless, I'm well past a tenth multiplicand of the present quantity your own life has reached. I'm fully capable of judging for myself what I will need.

[An adolescent whose sole reason for living is lecture and nag people, yep!]

You know, it's kinda funny but everytime someone's told me that they go and get themselves killed short after.

[A very awkward pause.]

I really don't want you to get hurt.

[ She takes a deep breath. ]

I have no intention of putting myself in a position that would potentially lead to fatal consequences.

[He looks a little too miserable here. He does this whole emotional manipulation thing pretty well, all things considered.]

The thing is, neither did they.

[HOW CAN YOU DENY THIS LOOK?]

[ IT ISN'T EASY, but there is a logical problem here. ]

If that is the case, there's no preventative measure I can really take.

[Oh my god, are you seriously going there--]

It's called delegating.

[Eridan blinks for a moment, surprised at his own deadpan, and quickly slaps a hand over his mouth. Ohshi---]

If death is a certainty in the matter, it may be inevitable! Perhaps I would instead suffer from changing my assignment. Or worse, perhaps you would suffer it in my place.

Or perhaps death is not a factor in this equation whatsoever. [ So yeah, that guilt thing worked pretty well for you, huh. ]

[That earns her a little glare. And then he sighs.]

Or perhaps you could accept that I care about you and what happens to you, and that even just being half your size and half as observant as you are, I can tell you look, due all respect, like shit.

[He shrugs.]

Just sayin'.

[ See, now that at least is more upfront, rather than vaguely manipulative, and she responds to it with a weary look. ]

Said far more directly for once. [ A pause. ] And I suppose I can take it under advisement.

But do please mind your language.

...I don't do direct very well.

[No, really.]

...sorry.

There are any number of things you insist on having no skill for, yet you have displayed a commendable capacity for learning. I expect this is no different.

...if you say so.

[Pause.]

I'm still gonna help though.

Perhaps it would be for the best. But I would like my uneasiness toward this agenda noted, for the record.

I would really prefer not to put you through the trouble.

Duly noted, ma'am.

[Eridan smiled.]

It's no trouble. Especially not to me, once we get down to it.

You're absolutely sure?

Yes.

[locked] [VIDEO]

mamadonna - 2012-08-16 20:29 (UTC) - Expand

chronomancer - 2012-08-16 20:31 (UTC) - Expand