Super Robot Wars ∀: Deep Space IC Thread - Part 2: Of Dire Tides

[Dandragon]

"Obligation? What's this gotta do with obligation? Yeah, you're my superior on the ship, but... Why should that matter? I care because I want to, and I think that's all that should matter in a situation like this. That's what..." Elaine wanted to say 'that's what a hero would do', but thanks to not only Chris laughing at her the other day, but Nikolai as well, the word 'hero' started to feel more like a childish thing to even think about. Granted, Chris laughed more at the idea of a 'justice fighter', but to Elaine, that was virtually the same thing. Still, even if it was starting to feel childish to constantly chase being a hero, the sentiments, the feelings of wanting to help as best she could, would not and could not disappear from Elaine's heart. "That's what I would do." She said, finishing the sentence.

"And, as to what you should do...Well," She began, "I think you should stay with the ship, for now, if that's what you're talking about. We need all the help we can get in these times, and, even if you don't think it, you're still a boon to the crew. Hell, you were especially helpful in the last battle we were in, when Jess didn't show up immediately. You took charge of the situation, and I think that speaks way louder than a lot of the crew, or even a lot of XOs out there that might not even do anything in a situation like that." Elaine knew she could be considered grasping at straws to try and compliment Roxanna, but a job well done was a job well done, right? Though, deep down, she couldn't deny that the tiniest bit of this wasn't some sort of jab back at Jessica, as petty as that was. She still held some resentment over the way she treated Nikolai and Abigail over her, but now, Elaine was willing to at least admit she wasn't flawless in her own actions. No one was. All the same...Elaine needed only one look at the XO, and knew she needed the confidence boost. It was as plain as day. "And even if you keep challenging the captain, I personally don't think that's a bad thing. If you think the authority needs to be questioned, then I say you do it. It's like my uncle said to me, once: 'Surround yourself with varying opinions, and you'll be better off for it.' As long as you keep a level head about it. Which...I'll admit, I'm not very good at." Elaine scratched the back of her head in embarrassment.

"Long story short, I think you should stay and help the Riese. But, whatever you decide is completely up to you. Just...Well, if you need a shoulder to lean on at some point, then I'll do my best to be there." It wouldn't do well to make promises she couldn't keep, but her desire to assist was far too strong to let her think towards the future. She was in the moment, as she always had been through life, despite that lifestyle getting her into trouble more often than not. That was who she was, and it would take something significant to truly change that.

[Nanami Touko]

Minus One

Christina waved at Brant and Chris as they walked off, letting out a little sigh and looking over at Kim. "Guess it's just us. Heh... Still wanna find me proper clothes?" She couldn't help worrying about those two, Brant apparently having drank and Chris being... Well, Chris. If Brant said the wrong things, she could explode. I'll just have to trust him...

Plus one

Chris kept her arms folded, following after Brant, looking at him with a very curious glance. "What now, flyboy? Your date ran off, so I'm the replacement?" Probably not best to be stabbing him like that, but... "I hope you don't try to blame me over being worried. 'Cause I was... About you and the tinca-- a-android both. So... So yeah. If it went badly, then... Then it did... What do you want?" This was awkward. Very awkward...

[Ether]

"We... may as well. I'm sure that... Brant can handle things." Kim replied, watching the two of them go. Christina still seemed a bit... averse to the idea, but Brant was one of their more dependable allies in general, so she had no reason to doubt him... plus, getting away from her would likely do the clone some good, her hostility still rather evident, at least to Kim.

"Do you still want... to start at The Hole, or go somewhere else?"

[Shin]

He was reading her like a book, there was no chance that Talia could convince someone like Thorvald that she occupied a role in her existence other than being a complete and utter failure. Was he trying to help her, or was this a public humiliation that she deserved? She could feel cold sweat across her back as he smiled at her, what was he going to do? Her heart was racing, she could feel her stomach churning, this man was a master of psychological torture and he made it seem so natural. There was a bried escape from her torment as his daughter approached her, was this a team effort? Did they even realise what they were doing? She'd been trained to sniff out weakness, the child could have been primed to attack at her weakest moment...

Or it was just a child saying hello, as the seconds passed it became quite clear she'd overthought the encounter, just a little too much. Talia let out a sigh of relief, followed by a nervous laugh. Maybe the entire world wasn't out to get her? It was so easy to see everything as an attack if one was always on the defense. Holly was just a little girl, a completely normal non-genetically modified little girl without a sadistic agenda. Stuff like that only existed in horror movies.

"I... possibly... " she began, sniffing as she tried to avoid another torrent of tears. Live with them, was this girl so innocent as to accept a total stranger into her life so easily? What was the source of this nondiscriminatory It was another act of kindness that she hadn't seen coming, Parallels ran with when she'd been accepted aboard the Heion Riese. It was so sudden, could she really do something like that? Was she going to become a big sister, or was this another dastardly scheme by Thorvald... was his wife getting too old for his tastes, perhaps he looking for a replacement? It was another irrational thought process that she would have to endeavour to fight against, nobody was even making her anxious, she was doing it to herself. Besides, it was just a child's whimsical fantasy, nothing more.

"Having a big sister can be fun too, I got along really well with my big brother and he was only a boy." Talia replied, deciding she'd enter Holly's game rather than panic about becoming Thorvald's concubine. Holly was far more pleasant than T-4 could possibly be, she didn't even have to try to be likeable. Her anxiety was slowly subsiding as the exchange continued - normally the complete opposite occurred when she tried to partake in conversation. "If you're lucky your dad might find a little sister for you too. I think he's good at looking for things."

[Phoenix]

Replacement? Chris wasn't even his friend at this point, nor was she particularly pleasant to be around. Still, from the outside looking in, it would definitely seem like they were on a date, one going almost as poorly as the last one. Maybe blondes in general just weren't his thing, Brant noted with bitter amusement. Things had been fine with Hannah overall, and then less than a day after the change, the rules suddenly changed, too. He could only wonder if she would ever act normally around him again, or if that was all in the past, now. Was there even a 'normal' with Hannah? Go back even just a few days, and her personality was far less complex. For better or worse, she seemed to have outgrown her naivety and lost a great deal of her 'innocence.' In that case, it really was all in the past, now.

Brant wasn't even sober anymore. He knew that because he wanted to go back into the bottle rather badly, and only his instincts were making a coherent case against it. His mind was in several other places. He was trying to track down Tonya in his thoughts again so he could level himself out, but it was hard to do that and talk to Chris at the same time. Even so, he felt he could hold back on his jabs better than she could. It was almost baffling how much Chris liked to poke and prod people ... "Worried about me? Yeah, I don't think so. Hannah, I get. She had a date with her who looked alright but was a complete wreck. As for what I want, I literally just went over this a minute ago: I'm doing a little more shopping before I get out of here, but I need a second opinion on some things. You do keep opinions on you, right?"

 

[Nanami Touko]

Worried

"Hey, fuck you. I was worried, about the both of you. Just because I can't do emotions like my airhead template doesn't mean I can't care. Jesus..." Keep opinions on her, yeah... "I do keep opinions on me... If you needed someone to model anything for you though, you should've taken Kim. I've got an issue in the chest area compared to a few of the other girls." She shook her head, still rustled. "...What's wrong with me trying to care, anyway? I know I'm prickly... It's not, entirely by choice. But I still try, when I can. ... So what happened? And why did this blow up?" She was invested, now. Especially with Brant trying to tell her she didn't care, what was his problem?

The Hole

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure. We can start there. I don't really have any clothes in mind, but I'm sure I can find something nice to wear. Lead away then, Kim~" Ever so bold, Christina took hold of her girlfriend's hand, the sensation finally starting to become bearable.

[Ether]

Squeezing Christina's hand as her own was taken hold of, Kim gave a gentle smile to the blonde, as she began to walk the duo towards The Hole. It didn't take long to get there, the mall wasn't amazingly large, after all. Looking inside, it was about as Kim had remembered... fairly generic, all things considered. It didn't scream of a singular identity like some of the more... eclectic stores might have done, but that wasn't a bad thing either. 

"Well... here we are." Kim noted, giving Christina's hand a bit of a tighter squeeze as the pair stepped inside.

"What do you... want to start with?"

[Phoenix]

It was nice to have Chris on the defensive for a change, though it was brief. "Sure, Chris. I believe you," Brant snickered. He did believe her, but singling himself out and watching her react was more fun than ... well, the usual. "I guess it's nice that you care, but it'd be even better if my actual friends did, too ... and not just because it's 'their problem,' too."

"Anyway, I'm not shopping for just one person here," Brant clarified as they reached the info kiosk, "so I don't need a model. I just don't want to stick them with things that only look good to me." Come to think of it, he knew Tonya's exact measurements already, and nearly falling to his death carrying Hannah to the Accensus, as well as sleeping draped over her last night, had given him some working memory, enough to be helpful here. Firmia was a different story, but he wasn't planning on getting her anything form fitting if it didn't seem like a good idea at the time ... and in that case, he would just call her, ask for her measurements, immediately get told not to buy her anything but alcohol, and then drop that from his to do list. Simple. It was very simple shopping for introverted rich girls.

What wasn't so simple was Chris' prying. Things had 'blown up' because he couldn't change his feelings or keep them hidden well enough and long enough to get from point A to B. What happened before the latest explosion wasn't something Brant even wanted to focus on, right now. His focus was primarily on the shop list, trying to see which ones--if any--had customization options available for the clothes they sold. One thing that might convince Firmia to lighten up and let him pick her up a few things, was offering to get her company logo sewn or grafted onto some of them.

Sighing as the pause between Chris' question and his answer grew even longer, Brant said, "Does it really matter what happened? Honestly, what are you going to do about it? Tell me I'm being stubborn and to just give up? I've had enough of that garbage served to me already, thanks."

[Nanami Touko]

Inside The Hole

"Where do I want to start first... Well, shirts would probably be the best place to begin. Since that was your... Concern." Kim was still holding that package, so Christina went about getting things picked out by herself, not wanting to hassle Kim anymore. Hmmm... T-Shirts were alright. Even if they were the right size though, they were still kinda... The sleeves being so short just felt like all the focus was elsewhere. Maybe she was-- no, she was definitely weird to think like that, but long sleeves were the way to go for her. Taking some flat colored shirts off the stands, and a few with some logos, a few from the store, but others with things like bands she'd listened to before, like Quarterback, The Murderers, Jump Out Boys, Blink 183, My Drug Attraction... She didn't really feel strong attachment to any of them, but a shirt with something on it was better than an empty one, right? She'd also grabbed a few of each, since... Well, Brant had taken Chris off, and they were the same size. She'd probably need more clothes.

"Uh, for pants, what do you think I should wear...? Jeans are nice an' all... But sweatpants are comfy."

'Friends'

"I will hit you, and it will hurt. We're both TKs, don't think you can dodge forever." Chris grumbled louder as Brant decided to jab back, but she deserved it, so she didn't feel too terrible over it. His actual friends, huh... And not shopping for one person? The urge to slam him with 'playing so many girls isn't smart' was banging to get out of her head, but she managed to swallow it and try something more productive. "That's... Fine. I can help. I guess..."

As for what happened mattering, oh, oh yeah. It fucking mattered. "If your friends," she nearly sighed out, "don't give a shit, then why don't you try someone who does, huh? Christ, you're drinking, you're hurting, your brain's like a monsoon, someone's trying to help, as abrasive as I am, and you're making excuses to not get it. What, am I just not old enough to get it? Please." She sighed, looking away from him. "I know what hurting feels like. Just figured I could give some advice... If you don't want it, then fine. But not even letting me try? Fuck, man..."

[Ether]

It seemed that Christina was opting for shirts with longer sleeves, band logos, that sort of thing. Quite normal, really... she had also grabbed multiples, likely for Chris... well, for the clone's sake, Kim could only hope her tastes didn't immensely clash with the original's in that regard. When Christina asked Kim herself for an opinion on pants, she tilted her head slightly.., seemed silly to ask.

"I mean... both are good for... different things. No point in limiting yourself... to just one. If you see something you like, try it on."

[Phoenix]

"Thank you," Brant said, letting her threat pass by for the sake of keeping the discussion somewhat productive on his end, as well. 

She wasn't ready to let the situation with Hannah go, unfortunately, coming back by suggesting Brant look elsewhere for advice, even to her since she happened to be there. He didn't want advice, though, at least not the type one should expect in this situation. That was why he didn't want to get into the details. Once Chris knew what the situation was, those opinions would come flying in like frisbees. That typical advice he so despised now would likely show up as well. He'd really rather skip all of that nonsense if he could.

 Brant sighed, wondering what he should do with her so up in arms over this. They barely knew each other; what sort of backwards situation was this, when he'd be leaning on a former enemy pilot for anything over his friends? Or so called friends. Everyone save Tonya was starting to feel more like an acquaintances he was too involved with. Hell, he was clothes shopping for them, right now. On the bright side, the customization options were a go, regardless of which establishment they chose.

"Chris ... it's not that they don't care at all. We just ... want very different outcomes." How best to explain this without running headlong into annoying advice about Jessica ...? "Do you know what it's like to have a goal--an extremely important, personal goal ... and to know that more or less everyone you know would be relieved if you failed? Yeah, they'd try and comfort me. Yeah, they'd go through all the pointless shows of support after the fact. But in the end, they get what they want, and I just get to drown in regret. We're on opposite sides, but they think they're helping me. I was already messed up from before, but realizing that nearly took me out of the game ..." The true depths of Brant's weakness nearly surfaced when Hannah left. Even before that, he could feel it coming, that desperation taking over him inch by inch. If not for the rage he was crushing that weakness with, he might even be begging Chris of all people for help right now.

... it seemed like the more information he gave, the more curious--and likely demanding--Chris would get. Brant sighed again, reaching into the shopping bag for his own vodka. "I'll tell you what's going on if you really want to know" he said, removing the cap and lifting the bottle up to his lips, "but I need to stop giving a damn, first," he nudged the bottle in his hand before taking another drink.

Edited March 31, 2018 by Phoenix

[Nanami Touko]

Choices

"I know that, and I probably will, I just... Meant for you." Christina blushed for no real reason, before wandering off towards the other aisle, absently picking out things in her size. You can't seriously ask her something like that, so just... Find stuff that fits good and get on with the day. Geez...

Outcomes

Chris sighed, shaking her head. "So fuck 'em," she said, bitterly. "I'm gonna be honest with you here, unless you're trying to get someone killed, blow up the base, or something equally as volatile, if what you're trying to do is going to make you happier, fuck your so called friends. If they want you to fail, who the fuck do they think they are? They aren't your friends at that point. Friends are supposed to be people that support you decisions, even ones that are difficult... Supposed to be there to help you make yourself feel better. You're talking to a broken clone, drinking-- still drinking-- Oi!" Chris, in all her amazing judgement, grabbed at the bottle, trying to drag it away from his mouth.

"And you shouldn't be! Goddammit, Brant! What is this accomplishing!? Look, I don't care if you tell me all the details, but for fuck's sake, stop feeling sorry for yourself! If what you're trying to do makes you happier, then do it! And if the people that care about you want to see you fail, then you succeed and prove to all of them that it's worth going through with. Screw the android, screw your tiny Russian, if they'd be happier with you sadder, then they aren't worth it." Taking her frustrated hand off the bottle, Chris grit her teeth. "I hate people like that..." Whether this was all a part of Chris' own developed personality, of Christina's old memories given the voice to come out, it was anyone's guess. Either way, Chris wasn't interested in the way Brant was acting, not at all.

[Phoenix]

He didn't get his drink like he'd hoped. Was Chris going to stop him if he tried to, again? In that case ... "... trying to make someone else happy." Brant put the cap back on the bottle, hoping Chris would get the message and let him put it back in the shopping bag. He didn't like his wording there, but the alcohol had convinced him to stop worrying so much about his word choice and focus more on how he was feeling. It was mostly the hollow hatred he fostered for Rosa all these years, repurposed toward himself. Along with that, some genuine disgust, also aimed at himself. That swirling inferno deep within was wrapped up in the pain and sadness Chris had picked up on. It was then that Brant realized that no matter what came out of his mouth, there was going to be a certain impression Chris got from him, based on what she was sensing. That was definitely something to keep in mind. "I can find my own happiness, but it'll be easier once this mess is behind us ... yeah."

The thrust of what Chris had to say to him was sobering. Were Firmia and Hannah not his real friends? That was ... admittedly how it felt. Times were tough for once and where were they? While Brant would tell them straight away that he didn't need support anymore, the fact that he couldn't have gotten it was crippling. Add to that the daunting task he signed himself up for, and he nearly caved under the pressure. "I may have to rethink my other relationships, you're right. If I wanted one or two people on our side killed, I could get Firmia on my side. That's saying something, isn't it?" Sure, they had quite a few former enemies on the ship, Chris included. There were also moles to hunt down. But still ... how messed up was that? She would help him murder ANF personnel and recruits before so much as green lighting a relationship with Jessica? For crying out loud ...

"I don't feel sorry for myself. Not anymore. Earlier, I was so convinced I needed someone on my side. The more I thought about it, the more impossible this felt without it. I thought I was going to lose without help, and wanted Hannah's support. Honestly, if she hadn't abandon me here, sooner or later I would have begged her like a dog to help me get Jess back." Brant couldn't see himself turning down anything Hannah wanted in exchange, either, not when he was so broken down and desperate. A relationship on the side that Jessica knew nothing about? Consummation right there in the mall? Perhaps in a changing room? If she had agreed, then in that moment of false hope, he would have bagged his principles along with the vodka and given her all of that without even flinching. That was his weakness, and it sickened him to his core having to face it. He had his own desire, now, something pure and good and worth fighting to the bitter end for, but the puppet would have ruined it all for the sake of appeasing someone else. That was why this hatred was right where it belonged, now. That was why this weakness, this Alkaev puppet, had to die. Brant never wanted to see that side of himself, again. If he had to win Jessica back without any support whatsoever, then so be it.

Brant wasn't completely without support, it seemed. Chris still didn't have all the details, but from the sound of things, she at least supported him in principle. She looked like she may have had some experience with that sort of pain, after all. "I'm not going to let myself stoop to that level, again. I've only been drinking because my usual comforts aren't here and I've never had to cope with this much crap, before." He was learning, at least. "As long as she's still here, the Jess I know and love, I'm fully committed to getting her back. That's my goal, and even if I have to track her stubborn ass down in a hospice center eighty years from now, I'll do it." Brant locked eyes with Chris, so serious, his eyes were on fire. "Give me one month with her on our deathbeds, and I will make all the time she spent with Abby a footnote." He couldn't be any less determined than that. The stakes were too damn high.

[Nanami Touko]

Reasons

So that's what this was about... Chris didn't know all the details, but mentioning Jess, and Brant getting all riled up like this. Heh, she could only smile at him. "Flyboy thinks he's better for the captain than Rebel, huh?" She shook her head some, clasping her hands together and chuckling. "Tell me, what the actual fuck were you doing here with the robot, huh?" Her smile faded, she couldn't really get that part. "It's like I said earlier, Flyboy... If you were here out of some obligation you felt to an earlier request, something you wanted to do to make her happy... You can't do that. Did you honestly think this was a good idea, in any way? From the start, from any point? Tell me, tell me right to my face, and try to lie, because if you tell me at all that you thought this was smart, I'll slap that fire right out of your eyes."

A huff, and she flicked a hand through her hair some, looking at him more seriously. "So, what's your plan, then? Captain's out here, hanging out with Rebel, probably having a great time. What are you gonna do, big guy? And I don't mean today. I mean at all. If you want my help, I can see about getting in Rebel's way for you, but that's about all I'd be able to do... Unless you've got an idea of how to woo Jess off her feet so hard that she stops hanging around someone that acted quicker than you, this isn't about to be any form of easy. Waiting until you're one hundred years old to make this work seems incredibly silly... Even if I get that you're exaggerating." Why were Firmia and Hannah against this, again? Well, okay, Hannah sure, but Firmia? What was her deal? "So? Ideas?"

[Ether]

Kim snickered a bit at Christina's reaction... so that's what this was about, huh? Wandering in the same direction as the blonde, Kim looked her over teasingly, almost making a scene out of her appraisal with exaggerated nodding and stereo typically framing Christina between her fingers like a wannabe photographer... not that she didn't already know what her answer was without any of the fluff to begin with.

"Well, if it were... up to me, I think you would look very good... in something like this." Kim eventually responded in proper, gesturing to a rack with some leggings and other form-fitting casual wear, those on display rather simply designed with solid colours and little fanfare about them. Simple but effective, as it were.

[Phoenix]

((Spoiled for scrolling convenience))

Spoiler

 

Had Chris just asked him if he thought he was better for Jessica than Abigail? He didn't 'think' anything. If he had any doubts about that, he would have given up like a normal person. He supposed either way, he would have wound up a third of the way into a bottle of something or other, but things would definitely be different in most other respects. Her question about the date with Hannah was surprising at first, until he realized that there was actually something of a trend going on. He hadn't noticed it back in Russia because he lived in a militarized facility in the middle of Nowhere, Siberia. He couldn't be sure right now, but his time on the ship had left him with an increasingly deep impression of the crew and their grouping habits.

"Is there some ... custom in the west ... that I don't know about?" Brant asked, genuinely curious, "Is it really a bad idea to spend time with her, just because I'm after Jess? I get how this one specific case is kind of stupid and reckless; Hannah was trying to wean me off of her, but that wasn't why we decided to come here." Originally it was an 'Abrams outing,' something he hadn't gotten to do since before his brother joined the EU. Hannah was different from a typical friend or family member, and so Brant often had trouble deciding how to treat her on the whole, but he didn't want to trade one relationship for another. Being romantically involved with Jessica shouldn't preclude him from quality time with Hannah or anyone else close to him. It felt like that was the custom, though: Brant could pick one woman that was willing to involve herself with him, but then he had to all but ignore the rest, prior friendships and familial ties be damned. That wasn't what was truly going on, since the crew as a whole didn't know each other very well. It was only natural that couples would be just about the only combinations of people he would see ... and meanwhile he was sharing his room with Tonya and Hannah because ... reasons. That was admittedly one thing that would have to change if he managed to win Jessica over.

"I know I'm playing this too passively even though 'all's fair in love and war,' but I really did want Jessica to have a good day, today." Brant's expression softened even more as he glanced at the list of stores, wondering where the Captain and the rebel had wandered off to. "There was nothing I could have said or done to convince Jess not to come out here with Abby, so rather than fighting a losing battle I decided to just let them have this one and try again, tomorrow. I'm not interested in ambushing Jess everywhere she goes and getting into fights. Plus ... I'm genuinely scared. The more I piss her off, the less she'll put up with me. Meanwhile, all Abby has to do is keep pretending this is more than just a fling, and eventually Jess will agree and tell me she doesn't want me, at all."

That was something Brant absolutely did not want to happen. The only thing that could be worse than Jessica rejecting him, would be her doing so, only to come back to him later, hoping to try again. Just thinking about it made him cringe and caused him to sweat. If after letting her renovate his heart with a wrecking ball, and giving her every opportunity to walk back her mistake, she still chose the easier option ... he had to let go. If he couldn't let go, he'd have to kill his affection for her the same way he'd killed his affection for Rosa. He had to let the outside world and its offerings back in and allow himself to give that love and that potential to someone else, someone who understood and appreciated it. He would love Jessica forever, if she let him, but it was something Brant could only do once. The idea of rejecting her would fuel his nightmares until this was over and done with. "If that happens ... ... well ... she'd better hope this thing with Abigail pans out because if she stomps out this fire there's nothing that can light it, again. That's what got to me, today. That's why I was so desperate. I couldn't think of a way to get between them without shooting myself in the foot."

"So, yeah," Brant shrugged, glancing back at Chris briefly, "there actually is no plan, right now. Believe it or not, Chris, I'm pretty new to whole seduction thing." Boy, was he. Smiling bitterly at the shopping list, he quietly added, "usually there's no effort on my part. The lady just does whatever she wants with me and I pretend she's someone else. Anyway, the best I can think of is trying to even out the playing field, a little ... convince Jess to go on a date with me and ... take it as far as I can as fast as I can." There were things he could do that Abigail couldn't, even with his partial conditioning holding him back. "She'd figure out what I was trying to pull though, so I doubt she'd budge on that."

Jessica was never going to invite him to the pool again if this didn't work out, was she? That wasn't as bad as being rejected altogether but it was ... definitely up there, one of those little things he wasn't ready to be without. One more reason to consider fighting dirty, he supposed.

 

 

Edited March 31, 2018 by Phoenix

[Nanami Touko]

Customs

"Look..." Some custom in the west, no, it was just common sense. "Hannah loves you. You love Jess. You decided to come to the mall with Hannah, alone together, no one else... Can you not see the issue here?" Hopefully he could. She really, really hoped he could... He probably wouldn't. Mulling over everything else he'd said, she sighed. "Going on romantic outings with a woman, while you're looking at another, it's just-- it's stupid, bud. And I know it isn't entirely romantic for you, but could you take one damn second to look at that robot? Like, really look? I dunno about after today, but she was quite literally head over heels for you. Like, almost unhealthily so. She'd probably have done anything you asked, just to please you. And you're giving her this sort of attention, egging her on, whether it's your intention or not... Then you ask me, why it's a bad idea? Is this registering? Please tell me it's registering.'

She gave him a second to think that over while trying to think over anything else. Didn't wanna push too hard, wasn't sure what to do, this was the only chance this would work. Sounded like Brant was trapped in enemy territory with an automatic rifle, facing down a Heracles. Odds didn't look good. What did she know about that, though? She got the general gists of these things, but quite literally taking someone from another. It was... It was actually something she knew too well, just not from the side Brant needed. "The more you let them spend time together, the more Jess is going to think this is the right thing... And I'm not gonna give you all the benefit, here. I'm glad you're passionate, but this might be the right thing. That's all I'll say there... I don't want to turn into one of those 'friends' of yours."

As for what to do... She sighed. "Spend time with her. Flirt. Flirt like hell... Smoothly, of fucking course, but, she has to realize it's more comfortable with you than Abby. And if she can't... Or it isn't, you're shit outta luck. A date, though... You know she probably won't say yes to something with just you, right? Best chance you've got... Best chance you've got it to invite her out into a group, and find a convincing reason to split up. It's a bit scummy, but at least it'd get her out, alone with you. Then you can work your magic, or whatever else you do.... Is any of this helping? I butted in, so if it isn't, well fuck me."

Frame Perfect

Christina noticed what Kim was up to right away, blushing and trying to shrink away from it, before her opinion came out about what should be worn. It made sense, coming from Kim... That didn't make it any less embarrassing. "I'll... I'll grab some stuff and try it on. You should take a look around too, okay? See if anything is here that you want to get. Then you can come see what's fit me." Christina went about the leggings, grabbing a few that were definitely supposed to mimic tie dye patterns, and some that were just rainbow colored for the sake of it. "Be done in a bit~" It seemed there were changing rooms on both sides of the... Oh, was that the captain? Looked like she was with Abby... Best to let them be, then. Christina headed to the other side of the store to try things on.

 

Edited March 31, 2018 by SnakeMomMelissa

[Phoenix]

Brant sat down on a nearby bench while Christina tore his idea of a friendly outing to pieces and exposed its bloody innards to him. It made sense, though only when Brant viewed it from Hannah's perspective. Looking at it from his own, there was a sense of normalcy to it that he couldn't trace back to its origin, at first. Why was he so close to Hannah and willing to risk so much? It was normal to him, but why? Was it his frame of reference? Everyone had them, one relationship that so many others were judged by. Brant's frame of reference was Tonya. He'd known her longer than almost anyone else. One could argue that they were too close by some standards. They were both broken in their own special ways, and so what could have blossomed into a strong marriage had instead become something ethereal and incomplete. They could say or do anything they wanted around each other without either having anything to fear from the other, but they were still just teacher and student. Using her as his frame of reference was dangerous. As things stood, were Brant and Chris friends, he wouldn't bat an eye if she plopped down in his room for a few days along with Hannah. She could even take a spot on the bed and while the implication wouldn't be lost on him, Brant still wouldn't mind.

Brant smiled somberly and sighed. "I get what you're saying. I already knew all of that, actually. I think deep down, I want more or my relationships to be like the one I have with Tonya. There's no danger there. Nothing she says or does is going to hurt me and vice versa. I'm literally free around her, and there are no strings attached. If you don't know what that feels like yet you really need to look into it. Anyway, Hannah's about the closest I've gotten, but that finally backfired. So I guess I'll just have to keep that desire in mind and try not to let things get too far." Easier said than done, but he could manage if it meant a smoother ride.

As soon as Chris hinted that Jessica's current relationship might be 'right,' that deep sadness that was just barely cloaking Brant's inner rage was incinerated. There was no trace of it left in him. For the briefest moment there was nothing in his heart but blistering heat. He would have rammed his fist into the kiosk if he'd been standing at that moment. Brant rose back up from the bench as his blood began to cool again, and stood right in front of Chris, pointing in the general direction of the other stores. "The right thing?" Brant shook his head, his tone dropping so low, he almost sounded like a different person. "No. It's not. Abby said 'better luck next time.' She knows the rules, and she would have given up on Jess in a heartbeat if she was in my shoes. I asked Jess if she'd come back to me if she and Abby broke up ... and I think you know what she told me," Brant scowled as he nodded, the fire in his eyes brighter than ever before. "They might call that love, but I don't, because if that ... is what it is, sleeping with people on a whim and only growing a conscience after the man you've been grooming shows up, keeping secrets, staying with someone out of sheer convenience, hiding behind every excuse you can think of instead of making an actual choice, agreeing to come back if it doesn't work out and Hannah signs off on it--as if that even changes anything ... and just ... plain hoping any loose ends will sort themselves out so you can be 'comfortable' ... if that's what's right, Chris ... and if that's what love really is ... then I don't want any part of it." There was no expounding on that with any precision or clarity in his current state, but Brant at least knew what he was getting at. "What I'm offering her is real. It's worth the pain and it's worth fighting for. I know I don't have my shit together yet, but I'm the one that's right for her, not Abby."

Chris' advice was actually welcome ... for the most part ... at least in hindsight. It was a far cry from the absolutely pointless 'give up on her' suggestion he'd been dreadfully anticipating. The problem with said advice was that Jessica was uncomfortable around him in general, now. He had to practically beg her for five minutes. Using group outings to try and isolate her was one method, but it was far from foolproof. Jessica was sure to bring Abigail to any group outings, so Brant really would need help for that, and it would probably only work one time, if at all. It was better advice than he could have hoped for, but far from promising. He hadn't gone into detail about the deal Jessica had made with him, but he wasn't sure if he even should. He was too angry for positive lighting.

This flirting thing, too ... it was definitely new territory for Brant in some respects. He had a basic grasp of it but he didn't have that relentless flirting habit Chris was alluding to, and might not have enough time to develop it or gracefully try it out. All of his talents lay on the far end of the relationship, past the ordinary outings and beyond the simple displays of affection. Still, Chris hadn't been unhelpful. He just might have to find something more important to Jessica than mere comfort and exploit it. "Anyway, you definitely helped me with something ..." Brant noted, his tone still low and dangerous, "... I'm not scared, anymore."

[Nanami Touko]

Ignited

How passionate. She didn't flinch when he stood, despite the difference in his tone, but a part of how serious he was about this was rather unnerving. It didn't seem healthy up to a point, but like the android's obsession with him didn't... But she was a machine, learning how to process emotions, and Brant... Well, Brant. From the bit she'd been given on his pilot report involving that Rosa person, he was probably just as messed up. At least he was serious, and made it clear.

Still. "That's the problem, Brant. It isn't right, right now... But you don't know what Abby's going through. I do. Apotheosis has ears everywhere, every pilot got the cases on the people in the Riese. Abigail, volatile, mercenary company destroyed. Whether or not she was serious when this started, faced with your challenge, and the life she'll never get back, you don't have any idea if it'll go that way. You can be convinced all you want, the longer you wait on this, the more Abby's going to start seeing it as real. I know how this works... Much as I wish I didn't." Even if the memories weren't personally hers, Chris had a pretty clear picture of how that dependence worked out. It wasn't exactly pretty, but it could definitely become real, as much as Brant's.

"If she said she'd come running back, then for your sake, I hope Abby screws up somewhere. Would save you a lot of trouble. For now... Glad you aren't scared. Go win her heart, Flyboy... But first, are we shopping, or not? I mean... I opened this wound, sure, but, before you literally light yourself on fire with these feelings, should we find whatever clothes you were looking for? I dunno where you wanted to go, but where Christina and Kim went sounds like a good start..."

[Phoenix]

"Oh, I am acutely aware that she could get serious," Brant reached down to pick up the bags, "Something similar happened to me ... twice, now. That's partly why I've been treading lightly. I'm trying not to shoot myself in the foot here." He could be rejected outright if he gave Jessica an excuse, or he could push too hard or too soft like he had this morning and simply motivate her to try harder. Every option he looked at prior seemed to have critical failure written all over it. Puppet Brant hadn't been able to cope with that at all ... "My point is ... well, hopefully you got my point from earlier." Abigail could never be what he could be. It was time, Brant realized, time to let his friendship with Abigail die completely. He could prove Jessica's worth to her without the former rebel's help, but he needed to acknowledge her for what she was, first. She was the sole obstacle between him and his goal, the first goal of any lasting significance in his life, an enemy in the truest sense.

Brant squinted at Chris, wondering what she was hinting at, again. It could be a touchy subject, but he was considering asking her anyway. It would be nice to have her on the defensive, again. Maybe once they were in one of the stores. As for shopping at The Hole specifically, Brant really didn't want to have to explain some of his purchases to anyone else here. Chris would be annoying enough after that lecture of hers.

"Yeah, let's get started. I'd rather not run into anyone we know while we're doing this, though ..." Since all the stores had customizations he could get done, Brant had a couple of things besides company logos he wanted to add to some of the items. At the very least they would cheer him up and give Tonya a good laugh. "It's further, but how about Orange Theocracy?" He was shopping for a goddess as well, come to think of it. That felt somewhat appropriate. In fact, toss in the ageless woman with super speed and strength, who could change her appearance at will; and the deviously intelligent monarch of a girl who could summon metallic angels to smite her enemies with a mere thought; and then it was entirely appropriate. "Yeah, let's start there," Brant chuckled, starting in that direction.

[Ether]

Objective complete. Grinning at Christina's reaction, Kim shook her head a bit at the blonde's suggestion... she already had more clothing than she realistically had room for, there was little point in buying more for herself.

"No need... I have more than enough clothes already... I'm short on space... as it is." She noted, following Christina over to the changing rooms so she might give her appraisal on what she came out wearing. It also seemed the Captain and Abigail were here for much the same reason, Christina opting to simply go straight to the change rooms on the other side of the store... was she shy? 

"Hello Captain, Abigail. Having a... good time?" She noted, waving at the pair as she glanced over at Christina... she could at least hover for a moment before following.

[scorri]

Astin detached their arm from around Avery as they approached the movie theater. Glancing up at the selection of movies, they grimaced. The fourth in a movie series that they'd only seen the first two of, the nine hundredth superhero movie this decade and... Well, it wasn't exactly their type of movie, but eh. "Want to see The Last Kiss? Probably sappy all to hell, but it's better than the other two options that have showings soon." There were a few other options but it looked like they had just missed the showings for those. Avery had said they'd watch whatever, so hopefully this Last Kiss movie wouldn't be too weird...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The elevator cheerily dinged and Val exited along with Olivia into the hangar, glancing around. She didn't immediately spot any of the mechanics that wasn't busy, so she sighed and turned to Olivia. "Could... could you send a message to one of the people in charge here? I'm sure you've looked up their files already, so you know who to talk to. I would but, well, that's the whole reason we're here..." Hopefully she wouldn't have to beg too hard. Olivia was probably enjoying this a little too much.

[Xinnidy]

No Obligation

Somehow this conversation with Elaine continued to sucker punch Roxanna, continually unable to predict her subordinate's line of thinking. "Uh..." Roxanna was having trouble following why helping a honestly distant and ambivalent XO was at all what Elaine wanted to do, what a non-answer... It was even more baffling as Elaine actually thought there was some merit for Roxanna to remain. "...I think that's honestly the first time a subordinate ever said I'm a boon to the crew." It was, which was sad. Was it warranted at all? These other XOs that Elaine compared Roxanna in favor sounded like literal paperweight.

"I am... painfully aware I'm not that great as a captain, right now. A couple of people made a point to bring it to light, and the difference between my captaining and Jessica's should be clear as day." It was a worrying trend to be outmaneuvered by a captain fresh out of the academy. "At least I don't sleep through enemy attacks, but that should just be common sense." In all fairness, Jessica only did it once thus far. Continuing to poke that would only add to Roxanna's petty record, and there was no bigger thing she needed to distance herself from right then. Still, receiving all this support from Elaine was just out of left field... Roxanna wasn't even poking at her food anymore, her brain was still processing it all. "Still... thanks. Yeah, thanks, I guess." Her eyes couldn't even focus on the Sergeant. That was awkward and... genuinely nice. "I had no plans to leave the Riese unless I was fired, but it's... I suppose it's reassuring if I've been helping."

[Dandragon]

"Well, you're welcome." Elaine smiled at Roxanna, even though the XO couldn't see, instead choosing to stare at her own food. And food was definitely brought to Elaine's attention as her mind now focused on her stomach, which was quite empty. Pasta sounded like a good idea. Maybe she too would treat herself to some Ravioli. "Well," She said while standing up, "I'm gonna go get me some food. You want me to come back and sit here with ya?"

[Balcerzak]

The last thing that Thorvald had expected was for his daughter to run up to the other girl, and make her bold declaration. Thus he was caught flatfooted, and slow on the draw, as something very potentially embarrassing began to develop. It looked like Talia was caught aback by Holly's words as well, seeming rather touched, almost choking up, before just shrugging it off and playing along.

"Hahaha," came the nervous laughter, as Thorvald cleared his throat. "Kids say the darnedest things sometimes..." came the clarifying explanation. The thought of adopting war orphans hadn't quite crossed his mind, and he certainly would need to speak with Anna about that beforehand. And besides, Talia was certainly already past the age where that would be necessary, no? But wait... that assumption was rather cruel of him, wasn't it? She came from the same facility, the same background as Tarquin. Surely she'd very similar issues, the same sterile treatment, the same lack of a proper childhood. If he was trying to help patch those things over for the one, to give him some taste of what he'd missed out on, what right had he to deny it to the other?

A frown crossed his face, this was too much to take in all at once. Raising a hand to his chin and gently rubbing his beard he let out a thoughtful rumble. "Hmmm. But then again, they do also say wisdom comes from the mouths of babes, don't they..." Or course, then Talia had to take things down a slightly awkward, slightly prescient direction with her uncannily accurate insinuations. Thankfully Thorvald hadn't been drinking anything, or choking spittakes could very well have been in the cards. Best to just take that jab on the chin and play along with things.

"Well, sometimes searches don't always turn up with something, or sometimes they do but not quite with what you had in mind when you set out to looking. Still, even if you're not sisters, there's certainly plenty of fun to be had in playing pretend for the day, wouldn't you say? You like to play pretend, don't you Holly? Quite the good imagination, I've always said."

Of course all of this subtext went over Holly's head, altogether. She was still stuck trying to wrap her mind around something else Talia had said entirely. "You got along well... with a boy? With your brother? Ewwww. How?"

 

---

 

Jess was whining some, but Abigail got the feeling she didn't really mean it. Was it the radiant expression on her face, the lilting tone to her voice, or just some sixth sense that gave things away? She didn't know, and she didn't care.

Not only was the captain not serious about her grumbles, but she was working wonders on inflating Abby's already sizable ego, what with the constant buttering up. While she still didn't quite feel 'herself' in the item she was currently trying out, the emphatic 'you should buy it's really added up. A smile, a nod, and an "Okay, I guess I will."

Reaching out to grab the dress Jess had brought back, a flight of whimsy took Abigail, or maybe it was just giving in to a devilish temptation. Rather than taking hold of the hanger, the rebel's grasp landed on the captain's wrist and she started to drag her into the changing room with her. "It's been so long, I'm gonna need some help getting into that thing, you're coming with me."

~~~

When they'd finally emerged, Abby caught sight of Christina--who'd took one look at the pair of them before doing an about face and leaving to find a different changing room somewhere else. Yeah, that reaction was definitely a Christina one, compared to anything the clone might have done. Shaking her head with a smile, she turned to Jess. "Wonder if she got the wrong idea? Right idea? Wrong idea?" Shrug.

The lieutenant was nearby as well, and didn't seem to have the same qualms, waving cheerily and asking if the two of them had been having a good time. Heh. "Oh you know how it is, don't you?" Abby grinned and shot back. "Jess has probably had the better end of it. She's gotten to see me in a lot of new things, and I haven't got to see her in any."

Edited April 2, 2018 by Balcerzak