[At least she's willing to keep him informed of what's going on, this time. He's not entire sure what she's after with this little 'field trip,' but he can wait until he sees her in person. She's probably with this fellow she's headed out with right now, after all.]
All right. You watch your back, Rey.
[And come home safe, and all that Dadbot stuff. The Silent Hill zone is a literal nightmare.]
[It's a long time later before Nick gets any hint that Rey is even alive. She doesn't immediately report back to him after the event with news of her survival. She's too distracted for that, and regrettably doesn't consider it.
[Not to mention it's late. Late enough for the city to be dark, at least, so it's about as close to one's perception of "night" as you're going to get.
[The door slams softly shut behind her as Rey stumbles in through the front entrance of the house she shares with Nick. Despite the nicks and dings here and there, she seems relatively in one piece. Just recovering from the adrenaline high that got her blood flowing, only now winding down. Barely.
[Because of that, she wasn't really sure if she should return home at all tonight. Or ever.
[She frowns and lifts her head towards the seemingly empty living area.]
Nick? You home?
[Since he doesn't live upstairs anymore and he doesn't need to sleep, she doesn't feel the need to call too loud.]
[Nick appears from his room half a second later, his brow knitted together, those glowing eyes of his laden with concern. Of course he's up -- he doesn't sleep. Yet even if he did, he'd have still been awake, working on papers, checking over reports for patterns of activity. No matter what he was doing, he couldn't bury himself in it enough to cover that sense of dread gnawing at the back of his mind.
The Silent Hill zone, of all places -- the spot where the gods had managed to isolate what was left of the fog. It was a permanent reminder of what had happened, of the power some of the people trapped in the city had, of what lengths they'd go to for their freedom. It had been bad enough when it was all over the city. Why would anyone go there willingly?
That's what Nick wants to know. He hopes Rey's risk was worth the trip, especially since he doesn't yet know just why she was taking that risk in the first place. All he knows for certain is the worry he's been feeling for hours as he's waited for word form her, his phone on his desk, only an arm's reach away.
So the second he hears the door close, he's out of his chair and headed to the den; his slow pace keeps him from making it there until after she's called for him, but all he's been trying to bury with his paperwork is still written across his face as he steps through his doorway. He tries to remain impassive, but the tension in his mechanical frame is evident.
She's fine, he tells himself for the tenth or eleventh time -- it's the first time it's mattered, now that she's standing before him. She's more capable than he is in a lot of ways, so of course she's fine. She can take care of herself.
Of course, he's been wrong before, both about Rey and others he's cared for. Times like that are why he's fought with unease all night.
But he does his best to keep it out of his tone as he goes for the understatement of the year.]
[It's obvious before Nick even says anything. Rey knows that she should have called sooner, and the thought did occur to her when she had walked out of the Silent Hill zone some time ago. But she was so hopped up on the rush of violence still that she didn't trust herself not to give him even more cause for concern.
[With a heavy exhale, Rey makes her way over to the couch, then carelessly falls into the cushion. If she gets a few blood splotches here and there, it makes no difference to her. Cleaning isn't a high priority at the moment.]
It's fine. I was made for this sort of thing.
[Mostly. It wasn't really what her mother had in mind when they had first constructed her vessels, but that ended up being where the project headed. Especially after her original's theatrical display after killing her twin in cold blood. Seems that it just comes natural to her.]
[Nick remains standing, his hand on his cane, his eyes on the floor as she crosses it, a few drops of blood marking her path. His gaze affixes itself on Rey as she flops onto the couch and assures him she's fine.
And of course she is. She was made to be a weapon; she's used to handling whatever dangers are out there. It's what she was built for.
That's not all she is, though.]
That doesn't mean something can't happen to you. Now what was that all about?
[Naturally, Rey would be swift to argue what "all" she is. But that would open up a can of worms that she doesn't want to talk about. Not while there are other affairs to address.
[She leans her head over the back cushion of the couch, her eyes rolling to the side to meet Nick's, glowing in the shadows of the room.]
I wanted to confirm something. Whether or not we might have a "problem child".
[Like and like, she would also argue. Despite where they headed, part of her actually didn't have a terrible time.]
[Nick's eyes narrow. Like me could mean a lot of things: a soldier, a machine, a weapon, a person with a load of other personalities in her head. Nick gets the feeling it's not that last one.]
[And it has nothing to do with the fact that he walked off while she was being attacked like he was leaving her to pick out a new pair of shoes, or that he didn't balk at the hellish transition of the Silent Hill zone.]
The issue is, I'm not sure if the Guard is equipped to handle someone like that.
[Nick might be optimistic on most days, but even he has to admit the truth when it's right there in front of him. His metal hand tightens on the crook of his cane.]
[It's more than just what the Guard can or can't handle. Sato's initial inquiry that sparked the whole outing still nags at her:
["Have you ever thought about what it would take to kill a god?"]
He can't die, for one thing. Not talking about the way most people seem to be eventually brought back by Hope -- you shoot this guy dead, he's alive and kicking a few seconds later.
[She sighs, adjusting her head against the back of the couch and turning it to face the ceiling. She watches that space for a good solid moment before she can muster up a response.]
When I said that he's like me, I don't mean it in the way that you and I are similar, or that we share the same hobbies.
[Not in the way Nick would want to hear, anyway.]
He didn't react to that place at all. You'd think he was a kid in a candy store, not chopping up bodies of monsters. Pretty sure he actually enjoyed all of that.
So no, I don't think he'd care to lend a hand, because he's more interested in killing.
It's that interest that resonated with a part of me that feels the same way. That recognized it.
[Nick is silent after Rey finally explains a fraction of her concerns, knowing good and well that she's not telling him everything. Despite his lawful standing, he's no stranger to shady characters and downright amoral figures, both at home and in Hadriel. He has some qualms with Rey's friends, isn't so sure her partner is a good influence at all, and hell, even Rey herself raises a few eyebrows. Nick understands where she's coming from, given what of her history he knows and what he's been able to piece together; others might not give her the time of day if they found out who or what she was, if they knew some of the things she'd done both in this life and in past ones.
But the difference between men and monsters is what they choose to do with themselves. Rey does more good than she knows, and her experience in being a living weapon has given her a lot of insight into the minds of others who'd side with violence over reason. If she thinks someone is a danger, that's certainly something to consider.]
The question is if he'd be as interested in killing people as he is in killing what lies in that fog and in the caves. We've got enough violence around here as it is.
[Rey has some pretty questionable tastes in the crowd she associates with. But then, Rey is a questionable sort. She doesn't hesitate to resort to violence, as she is almost always inclined towards, which tends to reflect on the company she keeps.]
That I don't know. I'll be keeping an eye out if that turns out to be the case.
One good thing is Hope's resurrection abilities, at least. Just worried about his limits. If too many people die at the same time, who's to say that he'll prioritize bringing back one of his kin over us?
[She knows that it goes against Hope's nature to decide who lives and who stays dead, but she has to wonder how far he can keep at it.]
[Nick nods. Given his experience with near-dismantlement in Hadriel, he's not sure he wants to test the limitations of the so-called gods just yet, especially when people's lives are potentially on the line.]
Yeah. All he'd have to do is say someone went back through the Door as soon as he resurrected them, and some folks wouldn't even question him.
[Rey may have some degree of faith in Hope and what he's willing to do, and the god's actions often err on the side of altruism, but Nick can't bring himself to trust any of them just yet. Not with some of the things they've done.]
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[voice]
...Thanks.
For what it's worth, you'll know one way or another when I get home.
[So it won't be that long of a wait. Maybe.]
[voice]
All right. You watch your back, Rey.
[And come home safe, and all that Dadbot stuff. The Silent Hill zone is a literal nightmare.]
[voice]
Will do.
[With that, she clicks out.]
[action]
[Not to mention it's late. Late enough for the city to be dark, at least, so it's about as close to one's perception of "night" as you're going to get.
[The door slams softly shut behind her as Rey stumbles in through the front entrance of the house she shares with Nick. Despite the nicks and dings here and there, she seems relatively in one piece. Just recovering from the adrenaline high that got her blood flowing, only now winding down. Barely.
[Because of that, she wasn't really sure if she should return home at all tonight. Or ever.
[She frowns and lifts her head towards the seemingly empty living area.]
Nick? You home?
[Since he doesn't live upstairs anymore and he doesn't need to sleep, she doesn't feel the need to call too loud.]
[action]
The Silent Hill zone, of all places -- the spot where the gods had managed to isolate what was left of the fog. It was a permanent reminder of what had happened, of the power some of the people trapped in the city had, of what lengths they'd go to for their freedom. It had been bad enough when it was all over the city. Why would anyone go there willingly?
That's what Nick wants to know. He hopes Rey's risk was worth the trip, especially since he doesn't yet know just why she was taking that risk in the first place. All he knows for certain is the worry he's been feeling for hours as he's waited for word form her, his phone on his desk, only an arm's reach away.
So the second he hears the door close, he's out of his chair and headed to the den; his slow pace keeps him from making it there until after she's called for him, but all he's been trying to bury with his paperwork is still written across his face as he steps through his doorway. He tries to remain impassive, but the tension in his mechanical frame is evident.
She's fine, he tells himself for the tenth or eleventh time -- it's the first time it's mattered, now that she's standing before him. She's more capable than he is in a lot of ways, so of course she's fine. She can take care of herself.
Of course, he's been wrong before, both about Rey and others he's cared for. Times like that are why he's fought with unease all night.
But he does his best to keep it out of his tone as he goes for the understatement of the year.]
I was starting to get worried.
[action]
[With a heavy exhale, Rey makes her way over to the couch, then carelessly falls into the cushion. If she gets a few blood splotches here and there, it makes no difference to her. Cleaning isn't a high priority at the moment.]
It's fine. I was made for this sort of thing.
[Mostly. It wasn't really what her mother had in mind when they had first constructed her vessels, but that ended up being where the project headed. Especially after her original's theatrical display after killing her twin in cold blood. Seems that it just comes natural to her.]
no subject
And of course she is. She was made to be a weapon; she's used to handling whatever dangers are out there. It's what she was built for.
That's not all she is, though.]
That doesn't mean something can't happen to you. Now what was that all about?
no subject
[She leans her head over the back cushion of the couch, her eyes rolling to the side to meet Nick's, glowing in the shadows of the room.]
I wanted to confirm something. Whether or not we might have a "problem child".
[Like and like, she would also argue. Despite where they headed, part of her actually didn't have a terrible time.]
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[He's waiting, Rey. While he knows she's a woman of few words, his tone says he'd prefer if she found some for him.]
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And we may have a problem. Perhaps not now, or tomorrow. But eventually.
[Pause.]
Nothing seriously bad happened, for the record. Well, other than running into what you'd usually expect when heading into that part of the city.
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[He sighs, biting back some latent frustration.]
Who is this guy? Someone you know?
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He seems pleasant, but I'd be careful.
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What happened?
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About what you'd expect. Things changed. We were attacked, and he didn't even miss a beat. Didn't hesitate, or panic.
[She pauses, before choking out the words:] He's... like me, in a way.
[Rey just tends to keep that side of herself in check when no one else is around.]
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But not enough like you to consider him an asset.
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[And it has nothing to do with the fact that he walked off while she was being attacked like he was leaving her to pick out a new pair of shoes, or that he didn't balk at the hellish transition of the Silent Hill zone.]
The issue is, I'm not sure if the Guard is equipped to handle someone like that.
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[Nick might be optimistic on most days, but even he has to admit the truth when it's right there in front of him. His metal hand tightens on the crook of his cane.]
What are we up against this time?
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["Have you ever thought about what it would take to kill a god?"]
He can't die, for one thing. Not talking about the way most people seem to be eventually brought back by Hope -- you shoot this guy dead, he's alive and kicking a few seconds later.
[Not that... Rey shot him dead or anythi--
[It was an accident.]
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I'm not going to ask how you know that.
[Because she pretty much just told him.]
I take it he's not someone who'd want to work with us, either.
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Doubt it.
[She wouldn't want to see what'd happen if anyone asked him, either.]
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You're still not telling me exactly why he'd be a problem for us.
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When I said that he's like me, I don't mean it in the way that you and I are similar, or that we share the same hobbies.
[Not in the way Nick would want to hear, anyway.]
He didn't react to that place at all. You'd think he was a kid in a candy store, not chopping up bodies of monsters. Pretty sure he actually enjoyed all of that.
So no, I don't think he'd care to lend a hand, because he's more interested in killing.
It's that interest that resonated with a part of me that feels the same way. That recognized it.
no subject
But the difference between men and monsters is what they choose to do with themselves. Rey does more good than she knows, and her experience in being a living weapon has given her a lot of insight into the minds of others who'd side with violence over reason. If she thinks someone is a danger, that's certainly something to consider.]
The question is if he'd be as interested in killing people as he is in killing what lies in that fog and in the caves. We've got enough violence around here as it is.
no subject
That I don't know. I'll be keeping an eye out if that turns out to be the case.
One good thing is Hope's resurrection abilities, at least. Just worried about his limits. If too many people die at the same time, who's to say that he'll prioritize bringing back one of his kin over us?
[She knows that it goes against Hope's nature to decide who lives and who stays dead, but she has to wonder how far he can keep at it.]
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Yeah. All he'd have to do is say someone went back through the Door as soon as he resurrected them, and some folks wouldn't even question him.
[Rey may have some degree of faith in Hope and what he's willing to do, and the god's actions often err on the side of altruism, but Nick can't bring himself to trust any of them just yet. Not with some of the things they've done.]
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