[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.]
Would be difficult to discredit him, too. There's no way to know for certain whether or not people actually come and go when they vanish. [Pause.] Though, perhaps Confusion's tracking would help. But that'd also be god-made and possibly manipulated by their lot, even if they say otherwise.
[Given how furtive they've been with their information, it's hard to say one way or another.]
It'd be better if we had a tracking system coded up by one of us, though I don't know who'd have the know-how to do it. Maybe that one kid with the glasses or Rhys.
[Though Rhys seems to have his interests in areas of the non-helpful variety when it comes to programming.]
Me either, but it could be useful if someone gets into trouble.
[But he understands the downsides of such tracking, especially if it falls into the wrong hands. And even if it didn't, there'd be those who wouldn't trust it on principle, much like the Guard.
He makes his way to the couch, taking a seat beside her, glad for the pressure off his leg.]
Thanks for the heads up.
[He'd remind her that he's glad she's home safe, but he's sure she knows.]
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no subject
Date: 2016-09-18 06:19 am (UTC)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.]
no subject
Date: 2016-09-18 06:24 am (UTC)But not enough like you to consider him an asset.
no subject
Date: 2016-09-18 06:34 am (UTC)[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.
no subject
Date: 2016-09-18 06:39 am (UTC)[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?
no subject
Date: 2016-09-18 06:48 am (UTC)["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.]
no subject
Date: 2016-09-18 06:52 am (UTC)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.
no subject
Date: 2016-09-18 07:16 am (UTC)Doubt it.
[She wouldn't want to see what'd happen if anyone asked him, either.]
no subject
Date: 2016-09-18 07:24 am (UTC)You're still not telling me exactly why he'd be a problem for us.
no subject
Date: 2016-09-18 07:44 am (UTC)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
Date: 2016-09-18 08:10 am (UTC)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
Date: 2016-09-18 07:26 pm (UTC)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.]
no subject
Date: 2016-09-21 08:49 am (UTC)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.]
no subject
Date: 2016-09-22 02:07 am (UTC)[Given how furtive they've been with their information, it's hard to say one way or another.]
no subject
Date: 2016-09-25 06:38 am (UTC)[Though Rhys seems to have his interests in areas of the non-helpful variety when it comes to programming.]
no subject
Date: 2016-09-25 09:34 pm (UTC)[Tagging and surveillance was a problem where Rey is from.]
no subject
Date: 2016-09-27 06:09 am (UTC)[But he understands the downsides of such tracking, especially if it falls into the wrong hands. And even if it didn't, there'd be those who wouldn't trust it on principle, much like the Guard.
He makes his way to the couch, taking a seat beside her, glad for the pressure off his leg.]
Thanks for the heads up.
[He'd remind her that he's glad she's home safe, but he's sure she knows.]
no subject
Date: 2016-10-01 02:05 am (UTC)[She raises her head as Nick sits down, rubbing the side of her neck.]
I'll keep you in the loop, if anything happens.
[Hopefully it won't be so dire that it'll come to that, she hopes.
[Not that she's so foolish to ever be that optimistic.]