secondplacing (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
secondplacing) wrote2015-09-21 08:21 am
secondplacing) wrote2015-09-21 08:21 am
Entry tags:
Voice; action available for New Bark Town
This is Agent Carolina, reporting in from New Bark Town.
[Carolina’s tone is just as militaristic as ever, as though she’s making a call straight from Chorus. She holds the pokégear steady despite the squirming, wiggling growlithe in her other arm. Of course, the growlithe can't be seen, but his little wiggly yips can certainly be heard.]
I understand that I— hey, calm down—
[Yeah, hold that thought. Carolina has to put the growlithe down before she’s going to be able to say anything else.
There's a sigh before she starts to talk again.]
...Sorry about that.
I understand this line is a public channel, so if any of my men are hearing this, please send me your coordinates. Or.
[Right. They can't do that.]
...Just let me know if you're here.
Assuming they aren't here, I’d like to put out a request. I’m in charge of a crew of soldiers who refer to themselves as the reds and blues [(though, the way she says that, it sounds more like she’s their babysitter)] and if I’ve turned up here, it’s just as likely they will, too.
If you hear from anyone going by the names Washington, Church, Tucker, Simmons, Grif, Sarge, or Caboose, please send word to me. They can be a bit of a handful, but I’d really appreciate it.
[That last bit is said with a hint of an affectionate smile in her voice.]
In any case, thank you in advance, and it’s… nice to meet you all. I’m sure we’re not all here under the best of circumstances… but…
[She sounds lost for a moment, as if searching for the next thing to say.]
Anyway. Thank you for your time, and if… anyone is experienced with the pokémon ‘growlithe’, I’d appreciate any pointers.
Agent Carolina, signing out.
[but before she can disconnect..]
Hey, what are you-- No, don't bite that! What are you doi--
[As for action, Carolina can be found just outside New Bark, glaring at the ledges.]
[Carolina’s tone is just as militaristic as ever, as though she’s making a call straight from Chorus. She holds the pokégear steady despite the squirming, wiggling growlithe in her other arm. Of course, the growlithe can't be seen, but his little wiggly yips can certainly be heard.]
I understand that I— hey, calm down—
[Yeah, hold that thought. Carolina has to put the growlithe down before she’s going to be able to say anything else.
There's a sigh before she starts to talk again.]
...Sorry about that.
I understand this line is a public channel, so if any of my men are hearing this, please send me your coordinates. Or.
[Right. They can't do that.]
...Just let me know if you're here.
Assuming they aren't here, I’d like to put out a request. I’m in charge of a crew of soldiers who refer to themselves as the reds and blues [(though, the way she says that, it sounds more like she’s their babysitter)] and if I’ve turned up here, it’s just as likely they will, too.
If you hear from anyone going by the names Washington, Church, Tucker, Simmons, Grif, Sarge, or Caboose, please send word to me. They can be a bit of a handful, but I’d really appreciate it.
[That last bit is said with a hint of an affectionate smile in her voice.]
In any case, thank you in advance, and it’s… nice to meet you all. I’m sure we’re not all here under the best of circumstances… but…
[She sounds lost for a moment, as if searching for the next thing to say.]
Anyway. Thank you for your time, and if… anyone is experienced with the pokémon ‘growlithe’, I’d appreciate any pointers.
Agent Carolina, signing out.
[but before she can disconnect..]
Hey, what are you-- No, don't bite that! What are you doi--
[As for action, Carolina can be found just outside New Bark, glaring at the ledges.]
[Action]
Look, I had a lot of time to rehearse. ...Which, all right, maybe I shouldn't admit, given the results, but, well. Maybe you'll forgive me my faults.
[His tone doesn't rise, but it's still a question. She's not angry with him anymore? Might as well start there and work their way down to the other, more technical questions.]
[Action]
She puts her hands on her knees, bending over to take a breath, to laugh incredulously.
This... is happening. She looks up at him with electric green eyes.]
You... have so much more to forgive me for, York. If I can even ask for that.
[Action]
He clears his throat and bends to pick up Delta Two, heft her up easy against his shoulder. When he looks up again, his smile is warm and real, no flash at all. Just sincere.
It's been a long time, and he finally strides right on up and closes the distance, kneels in front of her so he can see her. So they can see each other.]
You know me. I'm easy.
['I understand why she did what she did. I just wish she hadn't.'
Once there, the changes in Carolina are so much clearer, even to his long-damaged vision. He sets D-2 down again and reaches out to touch Carolina's face, gentle with his callused fingers.]
Carolina, I... What...what happened to you, after the ship went down?
[Action]
Right. Breathing. She remembers to do that as Stripe circles the two of them and D-2 suspiciously.]
...Maine took me down, York. He took Eta and Iota... No, the Meta did.
[The person who did that to her... he wasn't Maine anymore. Not her old friend.]
He dropped me off the edge of the cliff near the crash. When I came to, I couldn't remember anything for a while. That's... part of why I was laying low.
[and before he can ask--]
I'm-- sorry, York.
[Action]
He keeps his eyes on hers while she speaks, still and serious, but unafraid of anything she has to say, now. He doesn't understand half of it (what's the Meta?), but that doesn't matter anymore.
D-2, on the other hand, fidgets nervously as she watches Stripe.]
It's okay, Carolina. The Project, I know what that meant to--
[Hhhhold that thought.]
Wait. Wait, you...you were alive?
[Action]
[Her hands clench as if looking for the gun again; not to raise it against him, but to have something to hold on to, some sort of lifeline in the confusion and pain.
She'd just missed him.
If she'd been there just a few months before...
Stripes starts to take interest in D-2's fidgeting, then, snuffling and sniffing at her. He doesn't quite understand what's going on between Carolina and York, but they're not fighting, so he isn't as concerned.]
[Action]
In the meantime, York sits back on his heels while the pieces fall into place.]
Oh.
[Putting that together with the time he seems to have missed out on, he comes to the obvious conclusion: Carolina outlived him. By quite a bit, it appears.
He brightens.]
Hey, that's great! And also, makes a whole lot more sense. Seriously, a little old spaceship crash doing in Agent Carolina? Never happen.
[Action]
You're not mad?
[She shouldn't be surprised, but she is. She's incredulous, because nothing should be going this swimmingly.
It doesn't. Ever.
Stripes, meanwhile, is very confused by the fact a new thought just appeared in his head. However, he sits back on his haunches, wagging his tail. Okay. He understands.]
[Action]
[He slows down, then breathes out a faint laugh and lowers his head.]
I didn't believe him for a long time.
[Oh. Well. Nice doggie. D-2 waits a moment, then raises her hand to flash a little light sequence at Growlithe in greeting.]
[Action]
[She shakes her head, quiet again.
And then she reaches forward again, hesitantly, and grasps his free hand.]
...I wish you could tell him you told him so.
[God, does she wish it.]
[Action]
Comfort and regret. Carolina is here and he let Delta down.]
Yeah, well. Me too.
[He rubs his thumb along her skin.]
I guess you already know what happened to us? Me and Delta.
[Action]
And what you think happened... didn't happen.
[She looks around for a moment, sighing again, and squeezes his hand.]
I don't want to talk here. Not out in the open.
[It doesn't feel right. They've always been about hiding and strategic movement-- she isn't about to stop now.]
[Action]
We can get some ways into the trees. There isn't a lot of shelter otherwise, and I don't think we'll find a place to talk back in New Bark Town, either.
[He gets back to his feet without letting go of Carolina's hand.]
[Action]
C'mere, boy. Stripes! Follow us, okay?
[It's gentle, like the damn thing is already her favourite.
He also has but one single stripe. Carolina is aware of this. Just one. Not stripes.]
Let's go.
[Action]
Ah well. At least York was always one of the least sore losers on the squad.]
Up you get, D-2. [He finally releases Carolina to scoop up his little grey partner and walks at Carolina's side into the trees, alert to the telltale rustling of Pokémon in the undergrowth. Wouldn't want to be interrupted at this point by a random encounter.]
[Action]
Amongst the trees she feels a little better, despite the fact no one is watching. No one is there to spy on them.]
You missed a lot, York. Are you sure you're ready to hear?
[Action]
I'm as ready as I can probably get. Go ahead, Carolina. You know I hate feeling left out.
[They all had their fill of lies and secrets aboard the MoI.]
[Action]
She hates that he sounds like home.]
You didn't make it past your run-in with Tex. Delta did.
[She sighs a little, crossing her arms and starting to pace a little as she tells the story. She walks almost as though remembering the gait of her armor, like she feels lighter than she thinks she should and takes up less space.]
But what happened after that... I'm not sure I what I should tell you first.
What do you know about what happened to Agent Maine?
[Action]
Instead, he glances away for a moment, thinking, then shakes his head.]
Dude fell off my radar ages ago. Don't think I've heard from or of him since the crash.
[Action] Hella spoilers here on out
It wasn't Maine.]
Sigma ended up with more power than he Maine could handle... and drove him to wanting even more. After he took Eta and Iota from me, Maine became less himself... and more the combined AIs. He was referred to as 'The Meta', and continued to collect as many AIs as he could.
[She looks down at the ground, a bit somber.]
Theta, Delta... Almost all of the AIs, except for Epsilon and the Alpha, were absorbed by the Meta-- even Omega. North and South... were both killed somewhere in the line, presumably by the Meta.
[Action] WHOOPS this whole thread is and was spoilers
[North...York spares a moment of sympathy for Theta--poor kid--but North had been his buddy. His best friend in the snakepit. Not that York hadn't been one of them; not that North hadn't, either. But it still drags at his heart to know North had been killed by a teammate, someone York had once trusted.]
South never even got an AI, why would he--no, they would've been together. Damn it.
[He rubs Delta Two's shoulder absently, like she's the one who needs comforting. He adjusts her weight in his arms.]
But I don't get it. How did he end up with Delta? Wyoming shot me, not Maine, and I know Alli--Agent Texas wouldn't have given him up to anybody.
[And it goes without saying that when Tex doesn't give something up, it stays ungiven.]
[Action]
Luc, however, is not going to tell Asher about homestuck. Because Asher knows about homestuck.]
[Action]
...
Holy shit.
You fought how many Texes?
[Action]
I didn't count, York. But it had to be over a hundred.
A whole army.
[Action]
[There are other things he could press, here--like the part where the Freelancers were done, the Project finally exposed, the Director and his lies done for good. How Carolina must have felt then. His own fight put to rest.
But a ragtag bunch of idiots taking down a Tex army? Come on.]
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