Let's not stick around and find out the hard way...
[The last thing she wants to do is pressure Inaba into fighting. Especially with how much more threatening the constructs have become...
Right. Back to the matter of safe spaces.]
There's a safehouse near here that we can still use. I'll take you there. [She turns to the way she came from.] I cleared the path on the way to finding you, so we shouldn't have any issues.
[And if there are any stragglers she missed, she'll make sure they stop being issues.]
At the very least, I can do something about it this time.
[Too many times, she has found herself on the wrong end of misfortune, be it in years past or even in recent memory. As used to it as she is... she hates, loathes repeats.
Mei leads the way through the streets, lent their eerie red glow by the unusual construct that stands in the distance; as she does, she opens her comms again, this time to make a proper call. Though getting anything outside St. Fountain would be an issue as things are, it should be possible to get to anyone within the barrier--
Ah.]
This is Bronya.
[...what a relief. It gets her to slow a bit, though not so much that she hamstrings the brisk pace.]
Sorry for calling out of the blue. I found a friend near where the Honkai anomaly was picked up.
A friend...? St. Fountain was supposed to be...
I'll explain later. Right now, we're on the way to the safehouse; can you meet us halfway?
I shouldn't be far off from your location. Just be careful until then.
Mm. See you soon.
[Mei hangs up not long after, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she held in.]
[ Inaba hums thoughtfully to herself as she continues to try and keep up the pace, still ever being so vigilant in the off chance that a 'worst case scenario' happens. She isn't going to ask much about who she was talking to - that's something that can be saved for later, but instead: ]
It happens. Sometimes you just got to roll with the punches.
Unfortunately. I didn't think being stuck in Starsand would actually help, but here we are, cut off from the outside world all over again. At least there's good odds that we can get rid of what's causing it more directly...
[...from the look of things, too, the road stayed somewhat clear. If there are any stragglers, she can tell they haven't converged back on the road enough to be trouble, but something in the back of her head is telling her that's not going to last.]
We should be able to rendezvous with my companion at the fork ahead. It won't be further off after that.
[ There's optimism in that regard. Although that definitely doesn't explain why she's here and how she can find her way back... What's also a relief is that she seems to have been the only straggler around. ]
Alright. Although I can't say that I'd be able to give a proper explanation for my appearance here if someone asks.
I don't think we'll have answers for that, either, not until we can re-establish contact...
[If nothing else, anyone else they know from Starsand shouldn't be pulled into this.
...She quickly knocks on wood mentally as that thought comes to mind, and keeps moving. It's incredibly unlikely, but it's best to see if another of that Honkai anomaly comes up before she even thinks they're safe...]
...let's just refocus on getting back to that hideout for now.
[The trip back to the hideout, at least, proves mercifully painless -- something Mei will gladly count her blessings on, given the alternative. After meeting up with Mei's contact, the silver-haired Bronya Zaychik, they opt to save the introductions for when Inaba can finally rest, and hurry along. It wasn't too much further from where they stood, and after the panic that was nearly having her get killed by the Sky People's handiwork...
Well, it was better to not dally.
Once they're there, too, she finally breathes a more proper sigh of relief. The place still could have seen better days, but it was enough to serve as a good hideaway from the horrors that still lurked within the streets of this forgotten city. Temporary measures were already in place to keep things afloat, including a little space for the rations they had, and a place for Mei to do some more rudimentary cooking. She made a point of keeping everyone in shape in spite of the circumstances.
The young principal takes the chance to set up at that rudimentary cooking area as they get inside, Bronya settling near the hole in the wall to monitor the situation.]
Sorry for all the mess. It was kind of like this when we first got here.
[ It's not surprising. Things always tended to be like this, one way or another. She's sure that people might potentially worry, and she's certainly concerned to an extent.
It's her first time having to explore a city like this - both the Foundation's world and Starsand had such modern buildings; nothing so bleak and sad as this, although there are signs of life. In any case, it's not something that she should think about right now.
Being somewhere safe, at least, is enough of a relief for her to square her shoulders and stretch a little bit. ]
Thank you. And don't worry, I'm used to handling rough situations, so it's not a problem.
[ She is taking that seat, however. Hers now. ]
Ah... is there anything that I should know about the situation? Since it looks like I might be stuck here for the unforseeable future, I want to at least help in any way I can.
[The question gets Bronya to turn her head; there's something of an impressed noise. Well, as impressed of one as she could make given her muted expression.]
Your friend certainly hits the ground running, doesn't she?
[Mei lets out an awkward chuckle as she finishes prepping a simple tuna sandwich for Inaba to eat.]
This wouldn't be her first time getting roped up in outlandish situations. We actually met in... a very similar context to what we're dealing with now.
Was that why you seemed to be spacing out here and there...?
Mm... well, I can't say it's the only thing, but we're on a bit of a tangent. [She finally turns to Inaba.] Inaba, this is Bronya. [Then to her fellow veteran.] Bronya, Inaba. [Then back again, as she gets to the point.] A lot's happened, and I think saying that is putting it very mildly.
[Bronya gestures to the crystal formations that dot the landscape of St. Fountain.]
Those crystals, the Rubrillites, are at the heart of our current problem. The long story short is that a handful of these formations are fueling the barrier that's cutting us off from outside, and those constructs you've seen roaming this city are guarding them.
We're not the only ones here, either; we have squads that are currently working on clearing those areas. We've only dealt with a handful of them at present, including the formation that dotted the road we just passed through.
It'll be a while before they come back, but I trust them. They can handle themselves just fine. [...it's as good a time as any to look at the issue of what Inaba can handle, too. After bringing the sandwich over to her, she joins Bronya at the window, mindful of her step.] The barrier originally cut us off only one way, leaving an opening through the nearby station, but right around the time Bronya came back from another part of the city with our squads, even that opening was gone.
I know you're not good with them, so I won't ask you to fight. But we'll need someone to monitor things, keep everyone in touch and call in help as soon as the barrier is dealt with.
[ Inaba nods, taking the new information all in. ]
Well, I'd be more of a liability in a fight so it'd be better for me to keep to the backlines, anyway. Besides, monitoring things was always my style in the first place as a professional analyst. Plus it's something I've done in the past and am good at.
[ Which is a general plus in her book. Ah, but wait... ]
But there is one thing I should ask. If they're powering the barrier, would that be considered a part of their abilities? Like the barrier is more supernatural over scientific.
You wouldn't be wrong to call it that, even if we can technically harness the energy hiding within the Rubrillite... They only really started getting out of control when the constructs took over.
And by that turn, they're not really natural to Earth to begin with.
Whoever's responsible for this could have picked a better thing to cover the city in than a bunch of rock...
[She almost sounds annoyed. Almost.
Mei just scratches her cheek.]
The looming restoration efforts aside, it doesn't change that it's an issue big enough to warrant as many heads working on it as possible. I don't like that they emerged as suddenly as they did.
The mastermind's definitely trying to push their plans forward...
[ Well, that definition at least helps her because of what she winds up saying next, smiling a little awkwardly: ]
I guess maybe we should consider ourselves 'lucky' in a sense. If it's an ability of theirs, I should be able to open up the barrier. The only issue is that I wouldn't be able to monitor things safely if I had to do that...
[ But it is a potential option that she can offer, as she still feels the part of her that is still an SCP. ]
[She can't remember if Inaba ever told her anything she was hiding -- and her memories of that cordoned, starry city have been something of a blur since coming back, since she had the life sapped out of her by that abomination... but if she was talking of opening it...
It would need to involve her 'controlling' it in some manner.
For her part, Bronya's quick to follow up on the more glaring issue--]
Say we do let you back out there to give us that early opening, even knowing we just got you to this hideout. What if whatever you do to it doesn't last?
[ She wasn't going to lie at least. That would do neither of them any benefits in the slightest. ]
But even a temporary opening isn't entirely worthless. At the very least, it would open up more opportunities and give more options. [ Inaba says this as she finally starts to eat her sandwich, biting into it as she continues to mull on things more in her head. At the very least, it'd give her a few more seconds to stall as she thinks. ] Plus, I wouldn't think that anyone would see it coming, even if it didn't last. If you think about it like a game of chess, it'd be as if someone from outside the board came and secretly took one of their pieces and ate it while they weren't looking.
[ Inaba, is now the time to reference a meme... ]
Well. It's just an option that I'm throwing out there, of course; you don't need to take me up on it, given that the risk doesn't necessarily outweigh the benefits. Not to mention that this isn't my world. [ It's then that her gaze darkens, hazel colored eyes narrowing as if she's looking somewhere far, far away. ] I don't have the right to make a decision that can make or break the situation. Realistically, it'd be better to play things much safer.
We already had a lot of rough scrapes trying to get back after Big Sis Mei got injured. We can't just throw anyone out there like that, much less one of her friends...!
[...and yet, while she doesn't want to risk Inaba, there's a part of Mei in this moment that's actually considering the idea, and how to make it work.
In fact, she finds herself idly taking her katana out of its sheath, gazing into the edge for a moment, then putting it back.]
...it's still something to keep in the back pocket, at least.
[Bronya finds herself whirling on her long-time friend as soon as she hears that.]
But--!
[Mei, for her part, keeps a level head as she continues.]
I'm not saying we're throwing her to the dogs, for the record. Just that if we do seriously act on what Inaba is suggesting, it'll take planning and a prayer that the Overseer picks up on what we've done. I'm sure she's kept a close eye on everything since the barrier went up.
...I also know you mean well, Bronya. But communication is key, more than ever, now that we have someone else with us.
[...The acting squad leader eventually relents, leaning back against the safer bit of rubble to ruminate. After she takes a breath, realizing she'd let it slip,]
Sorry, Squad Leader Raiden. I'll try not to act up like that. It wasn't necessary at all.
No need to go back to being formal. Besides, you have valid points too.
[ Hearing all of this, Inaba finds herself... surprised? She's so used to throwing herself into things in spite of people worrying- people who have known her for a while, in fact- that hearing someone show concern so quickly, even if it's just simply because she's a friend of a friend is a bit jarring.
She can't help but feel a little jealous, as she wears a thin smile that only lasts for a second before it fades and she speaks up. ]
I do agree that I'd rather have things planned out than just Leeroy Jenkins the whole thing. [ And then, to Bronya, specifically: ] I know very well that I don't exactly have much in the way of combative capabilities. I know basic self defense and how to use a gun from one of the other worlds I've visited, which honestly probably isn't much.
And risking my life just for a single moment may not even be worth it, especially given that my own words are those of a stranger... even more so given that it's a stranger who is offering such nonsensical things for a world that isn't hers.
[ It doesn't necessarily benefit her at all. It doesn't even guarantee that she'd be able to return home, either. ]
But that's why I spoke up and offered outright instead of just running off to simply just do it. Since it isn't something to take lightly, or do on my own.
[ She is, at least not that reckless...? Right now, anyway. ]
[Bronya has to take a moment to clear her throat after all that; it was... unbecoming of her, and she can still feel the pangs of shame, even if she did prove to have some sense.]
As long as we're in agreement of what risks this poses, then...
[Mei spares a glance for Inaba to get a read of her... and even as she considered what the younger girl put forward as a solution, there was always a bit of her that recalled a certain important person's more reckless ventures. The way she'd suggested with out a hint of irony things that put her in harm's way.
It's not something she can really shake off easily -- moreso knowing who else they shared as a friend... and a very precious person, in Inaba's case.]
Either way, it shouldn't be too long still before we get word from our squad members. Let's try to make the most of what time we have before we have to throw ourselves back into the fray.
[Bronya looks to Mei again, on that note -- though her tone was still laced with concern, she does keep a smile up.]
Just don't strain yourself too hard, Big Sis Mei. You just got back.
[ Inaba is just going to chew on her sandwich now, ruminating on a couple of things. She doesn't really have words to say here, so now she's just kind of... awkwardly silent.
Honestly, she can't help but wonder what the other squad members are going to think - she's someone that came out of nowhere, after all, and even if Mei trusts her, what would the others think...?
That sort of anxiety is something that she can't help but think about. Well, that's a problem for later, she supposes. ]
[Naturally, she's quick to raise a brow when there's a bit of dead air.
...now that she thinks of it, since they have the time now and they don't have to worry about her dying--]
...Bronya, could you go back to monitoring things for now?
[Bronya nods before taking out her multi-weapon. The hideout might be a relatively good vantage point, but there's not much point to that edge if it isn't being used...
Returning the gesture with a nod of thanks, she opts to settle near Inaba.]
Something the matter? ...as always, you don't have to talk about it right away.
[It's been a while since she got to settle back into the role of principal, but... here's hoping her presence can still calm in spite of things being as they are.]
[ She's quickly brought out of her thoughts when asked if there's something wrong, and while there's a part of her that wants to shut it down, doing that in a foreign world when you only know one person is probably not the best idea.
Besides, these worries of hers are ones that she can at least gather the strength to voice. ]
I was just thinking about how other people might wind up seeing me, in this world.
[ Her answer is very quiet, and she doesn't look at Mei; instead just staring at the floor beneath her feet as if it'd give her answers, even if she knows full well it won't. ]
[...she had to listen a tad more intently to catch that, try to hazard a guess, but--as soon as it clicks with her,]
Mm... I don't think it'll be that bad, at least. Our squads... well, they have their quirks, but that doesn't make them bad people. Some might be more reliable than others, but they're hardly the kind to judge.
[Though she's supposed to be keeping an eye on things, Bronya finds herself unable to help a response. And there's some mild irritation as she speaks up.]
Just don't let Lyle go off on his tangents...
I'm sure he's just doing some moodmaking... [Cough. That's beside the point.] ...anyway, my point is, they're friendly. They're all roughly your age, too.
But if things go wrong... then she'll have to find a way out as soon as possible. After all, she knows that while she might look human on the outside, the inside was a completely different story. ]
At least having friendly faces will make being far away from home tolerable.
I'm sure we can talk things out if anything does happen, at least...
[She does try to continue, but Bronya getting a call makes her snap to attention. Mei nods to her fellow veteran to have her patch it through, and--
"This is Carole--! We have trouble! Big trouble!"
...that immediately gets her to knuckle down. That's not a tone she wants to hear.]
Carole, report!
["We got ambushed again--! Gah!" There's the sound of something whooshing past the girl on the other end of the line, before scrambling footsteps leak in from the background. "We need help, and quick!"]
Was there more resistance than we expected in that area...!? [Oh, that isn't good...!]
[Bronya grits her teeth. The constructs aren't smart, but the more advanced forms -- they would be enough to cause that sort of trouble...!]
Adam! Respond immediately! What's your situation!?
["Still able to fight, Squad Leader--! A Hermit and Sun caught us on the way back!"
Bronya grimaces. She should have double checked for bigger game in the area...!
"We'll hold them off as long as we can!" The fighting intensifies on the other end. Bronya can only hope her orders get through and they can be followed up on.]
Pull back to more open ground! We'll meet you halfway! [Putting away her communicator, she readies her multiweapon; of all the times for something like this to happen...] ...Inaba, there should be a spare communicator and a dedicated mapping device in the supply box. Take those and be ready to track their signal.
[The supply box in question is sitting a short walk from where she's sitting, laid out a lamp's width away from the door.
Mei readies her katana at the same time.]
This isn't how I wanted to hear back from them, but hopefully they don't mind the extra hand...!
[ Of course she can't have normalcy for even a good hour, a feeling from her time at the Foundation that she hasn't missed in the slightest. It's this kind of rush into action that makes her realize that she's had it good for far too long in Starsand.
She has to let out a breath that she hadn't thought that she was even holding, finishing the last bits of her sandwich before stretching her hands up and hopping right off of her seat. ]
Okay, looks like it's back to work, huh?
[ Inaba says this as if dealing with this sort of thing was just another day ending with "y" as she goes ahead to walk towards the supply box and start grabbing what she's going to need.
Her unfamiliarity with the world and how things work does put her at a rather obvious disadvantage in a dire situation, but she'd like to think of herself as quick-witted enough to pick up on things as she goes. She's had to fly by the seat of her pants before in the past plenty of times, now is absolutely no different.
Once supplies are obtained it's time to crack her knuckles and properly set up--if she's lucky, locations will be marked. If she's not, well that's what asking's for. ]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2024-04-05 02:16 pm (UTC)[ She lets out a bit of a sigh before smiling a little awkwardly. ]
Getting to safety would probably be for the best. I don't even know if I can handle monsters.
[ Even if she is technically part monster herself. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-04-06 12:46 am (UTC)[The last thing she wants to do is pressure Inaba into fighting. Especially with how much more threatening the constructs have become...
Right. Back to the matter of safe spaces.]
There's a safehouse near here that we can still use. I'll take you there. [She turns to the way she came from.] I cleared the path on the way to finding you, so we shouldn't have any issues.
[And if there are any stragglers she missed, she'll make sure they stop being issues.]
no subject
Date: 2024-04-06 06:01 am (UTC)Alright. Hopefully you didn't jinx that just now, though.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-06 08:52 am (UTC)[Too many times, she has found herself on the wrong end of misfortune, be it in years past or even in recent memory. As used to it as she is... she hates, loathes repeats.
Mei leads the way through the streets, lent their eerie red glow by the unusual construct that stands in the distance; as she does, she opens her comms again, this time to make a proper call. Though getting anything outside St. Fountain would be an issue as things are, it should be possible to get to anyone within the barrier--
Ah.]
This is Bronya.
[...what a relief. It gets her to slow a bit, though not so much that she hamstrings the brisk pace.]
Sorry for calling out of the blue. I found a friend near where the Honkai anomaly was picked up.
A friend...? St. Fountain was supposed to be...
I'll explain later. Right now, we're on the way to the safehouse; can you meet us halfway?
I shouldn't be far off from your location. Just be careful until then.
Mm. See you soon.
[Mei hangs up not long after, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she held in.]
That was more than I really expected...
no subject
Date: 2024-04-06 12:51 pm (UTC)[ Inaba hums thoughtfully to herself as she continues to try and keep up the pace, still ever being so vigilant in the off chance that a 'worst case scenario' happens. She isn't going to ask much about who she was talking to - that's something that can be saved for later, but instead: ]
It happens. Sometimes you just got to roll with the punches.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-07 11:21 am (UTC)[...from the look of things, too, the road stayed somewhat clear. If there are any stragglers, she can tell they haven't converged back on the road enough to be trouble, but something in the back of her head is telling her that's not going to last.]
We should be able to rendezvous with my companion at the fork ahead. It won't be further off after that.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-07 03:34 pm (UTC)[ There's optimism in that regard. Although that definitely doesn't explain why she's here and how she can find her way back... What's also a relief is that she seems to have been the only straggler around. ]
Alright. Although I can't say that I'd be able to give a proper explanation for my appearance here if someone asks.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-08 12:45 pm (UTC)[If nothing else, anyone else they know from Starsand shouldn't be pulled into this.
...She quickly knocks on wood mentally as that thought comes to mind, and keeps moving. It's incredibly unlikely, but it's best to see if another of that Honkai anomaly comes up before she even thinks they're safe...]
...let's just refocus on getting back to that hideout for now.
[The trip back to the hideout, at least, proves mercifully painless -- something Mei will gladly count her blessings on, given the alternative. After meeting up with Mei's contact, the silver-haired Bronya Zaychik, they opt to save the introductions for when Inaba can finally rest, and hurry along. It wasn't too much further from where they stood, and after the panic that was nearly having her get killed by the Sky People's handiwork...
Well, it was better to not dally.
Once they're there, too, she finally breathes a more proper sigh of relief. The place still could have seen better days, but it was enough to serve as a good hideaway from the horrors that still lurked within the streets of this forgotten city. Temporary measures were already in place to keep things afloat, including a little space for the rations they had, and a place for Mei to do some more rudimentary cooking. She made a point of keeping everyone in shape in spite of the circumstances.
The young principal takes the chance to set up at that rudimentary cooking area as they get inside, Bronya settling near the hole in the wall to monitor the situation.]
Sorry for all the mess. It was kind of like this when we first got here.
Take the chair for now; I won't mind.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-08 01:31 pm (UTC)That sounds about right.
[ It's not surprising. Things always tended to be like this, one way or another. She's sure that people might potentially worry, and she's certainly concerned to an extent.
It's her first time having to explore a city like this - both the Foundation's world and Starsand had such modern buildings; nothing so bleak and sad as this, although there are signs of life. In any case, it's not something that she should think about right now.
Being somewhere safe, at least, is enough of a relief for her to square her shoulders and stretch a little bit. ]
Thank you. And don't worry, I'm used to handling rough situations, so it's not a problem.
[ She is taking that seat, however. Hers now. ]
Ah... is there anything that I should know about the situation? Since it looks like I might be stuck here for the unforseeable future, I want to at least help in any way I can.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-08 05:38 pm (UTC)Your friend certainly hits the ground running, doesn't she?
[Mei lets out an awkward chuckle as she finishes prepping a simple tuna sandwich for Inaba to eat.]
This wouldn't be her first time getting roped up in outlandish situations. We actually met in... a very similar context to what we're dealing with now.
Was that why you seemed to be spacing out here and there...?
Mm... well, I can't say it's the only thing, but we're on a bit of a tangent. [She finally turns to Inaba.] Inaba, this is Bronya. [Then to her fellow veteran.] Bronya, Inaba. [Then back again, as she gets to the point.] A lot's happened, and I think saying that is putting it very mildly.
[Bronya gestures to the crystal formations that dot the landscape of St. Fountain.]
Those crystals, the Rubrillites, are at the heart of our current problem. The long story short is that a handful of these formations are fueling the barrier that's cutting us off from outside, and those constructs you've seen roaming this city are guarding them.
We're not the only ones here, either; we have squads that are currently working on clearing those areas. We've only dealt with a handful of them at present, including the formation that dotted the road we just passed through.
It'll be a while before they come back, but I trust them. They can handle themselves just fine. [...it's as good a time as any to look at the issue of what Inaba can handle, too. After bringing the sandwich over to her, she joins Bronya at the window, mindful of her step.] The barrier originally cut us off only one way, leaving an opening through the nearby station, but right around the time Bronya came back from another part of the city with our squads, even that opening was gone.
I know you're not good with them, so I won't ask you to fight. But we'll need someone to monitor things, keep everyone in touch and call in help as soon as the barrier is dealt with.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-08 06:00 pm (UTC)Well, I'd be more of a liability in a fight so it'd be better for me to keep to the backlines, anyway. Besides, monitoring things was always my style in the first place as a professional analyst. Plus it's something I've done in the past and am good at.
[ Which is a general plus in her book. Ah, but wait... ]
But there is one thing I should ask. If they're powering the barrier, would that be considered a part of their abilities? Like the barrier is more supernatural over scientific.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-08 06:20 pm (UTC)And by that turn, they're not really natural to Earth to begin with.
Whoever's responsible for this could have picked a better thing to cover the city in than a bunch of rock...
[She almost sounds annoyed. Almost.
Mei just scratches her cheek.]
The looming restoration efforts aside, it doesn't change that it's an issue big enough to warrant as many heads working on it as possible. I don't like that they emerged as suddenly as they did.
The mastermind's definitely trying to push their plans forward...
no subject
Date: 2024-04-08 07:03 pm (UTC)I guess maybe we should consider ourselves 'lucky' in a sense. If it's an ability of theirs, I should be able to open up the barrier. The only issue is that I wouldn't be able to monitor things safely if I had to do that...
[ But it is a potential option that she can offer, as she still feels the part of her that is still an SCP. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-04-09 11:12 am (UTC)[She can't remember if Inaba ever told her anything she was hiding -- and her memories of that cordoned, starry city have been something of a blur since coming back, since she had the life sapped out of her by that abomination... but if she was talking of opening it...
It would need to involve her 'controlling' it in some manner.
For her part, Bronya's quick to follow up on the more glaring issue--]
Say we do let you back out there to give us that early opening, even knowing we just got you to this hideout. What if whatever you do to it doesn't last?
no subject
Date: 2024-04-09 11:26 am (UTC)[ She wasn't going to lie at least. That would do neither of them any benefits in the slightest. ]
But even a temporary opening isn't entirely worthless. At the very least, it would open up more opportunities and give more options. [ Inaba says this as she finally starts to eat her sandwich, biting into it as she continues to mull on things more in her head. At the very least, it'd give her a few more seconds to stall as she thinks. ] Plus, I wouldn't think that anyone would see it coming, even if it didn't last. If you think about it like a game of chess, it'd be as if someone from outside the board came and secretly took one of their pieces and ate it while they weren't looking.
[ Inaba, is now the time to reference a meme... ]
Well. It's just an option that I'm throwing out there, of course; you don't need to take me up on it, given that the risk doesn't necessarily outweigh the benefits. Not to mention that this isn't my world. [ It's then that her gaze darkens, hazel colored eyes narrowing as if she's looking somewhere far, far away. ] I don't have the right to make a decision that can make or break the situation. Realistically, it'd be better to play things much safer.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-09 11:51 am (UTC)We already had a lot of rough scrapes trying to get back after Big Sis Mei got injured. We can't just throw anyone out there like that, much less one of her friends...!
[...and yet, while she doesn't want to risk Inaba, there's a part of Mei in this moment that's actually considering the idea, and how to make it work.
In fact, she finds herself idly taking her katana out of its sheath, gazing into the edge for a moment, then putting it back.]
...it's still something to keep in the back pocket, at least.
[Bronya finds herself whirling on her long-time friend as soon as she hears that.]
But--!
[Mei, for her part, keeps a level head as she continues.]
I'm not saying we're throwing her to the dogs, for the record. Just that if we do seriously act on what Inaba is suggesting, it'll take planning and a prayer that the Overseer picks up on what we've done. I'm sure she's kept a close eye on everything since the barrier went up.
...I also know you mean well, Bronya. But communication is key, more than ever, now that we have someone else with us.
[...The acting squad leader eventually relents, leaning back against the safer bit of rubble to ruminate. After she takes a breath, realizing she'd let it slip,]
Sorry, Squad Leader Raiden. I'll try not to act up like that. It wasn't necessary at all.
No need to go back to being formal. Besides, you have valid points too.
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Date: 2024-04-09 12:31 pm (UTC)She can't help but feel a little jealous, as she wears a thin smile that only lasts for a second before it fades and she speaks up. ]
I do agree that I'd rather have things planned out than just Leeroy Jenkins the whole thing. [ And then, to Bronya, specifically: ] I know very well that I don't exactly have much in the way of combative capabilities. I know basic self defense and how to use a gun from one of the other worlds I've visited, which honestly probably isn't much.
And risking my life just for a single moment may not even be worth it, especially given that my own words are those of a stranger... even more so given that it's a stranger who is offering such nonsensical things for a world that isn't hers.
[ It doesn't necessarily benefit her at all. It doesn't even guarantee that she'd be able to return home, either. ]
But that's why I spoke up and offered outright instead of just running off to simply just do it. Since it isn't something to take lightly, or do on my own.
[ She is, at least not that reckless...? Right now, anyway. ]
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Date: 2024-04-11 10:11 am (UTC)[Bronya has to take a moment to clear her throat after all that; it was... unbecoming of her, and she can still feel the pangs of shame, even if she did prove to have some sense.]
As long as we're in agreement of what risks this poses, then...
[Mei spares a glance for Inaba to get a read of her... and even as she considered what the younger girl put forward as a solution, there was always a bit of her that recalled a certain important person's more reckless ventures. The way she'd suggested with out a hint of irony things that put her in harm's way.
It's not something she can really shake off easily -- moreso knowing who else they shared as a friend... and a very precious person, in Inaba's case.]
Either way, it shouldn't be too long still before we get word from our squad members. Let's try to make the most of what time we have before we have to throw ourselves back into the fray.
[Bronya looks to Mei again, on that note -- though her tone was still laced with concern, she does keep a smile up.]
Just don't strain yourself too hard, Big Sis Mei. You just got back.
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Date: 2024-04-11 01:09 pm (UTC)Honestly, she can't help but wonder what the other squad members are going to think - she's someone that came out of nowhere, after all, and even if Mei trusts her, what would the others think...?
That sort of anxiety is something that she can't help but think about. Well, that's a problem for later, she supposes. ]
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Date: 2024-04-11 02:15 pm (UTC)[Naturally, she's quick to raise a brow when there's a bit of dead air.
...now that she thinks of it, since they have the time now and they don't have to worry about her dying--]
...Bronya, could you go back to monitoring things for now?
[Bronya nods before taking out her multi-weapon. The hideout might be a relatively good vantage point, but there's not much point to that edge if it isn't being used...
Returning the gesture with a nod of thanks, she opts to settle near Inaba.]
Something the matter? ...as always, you don't have to talk about it right away.
[It's been a while since she got to settle back into the role of principal, but... here's hoping her presence can still calm in spite of things being as they are.]
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Date: 2024-04-11 02:29 pm (UTC)[ She's quickly brought out of her thoughts when asked if there's something wrong, and while there's a part of her that wants to shut it down, doing that in a foreign world when you only know one person is probably not the best idea.
Besides, these worries of hers are ones that she can at least gather the strength to voice. ]
I was just thinking about how other people might wind up seeing me, in this world.
[ Her answer is very quiet, and she doesn't look at Mei; instead just staring at the floor beneath her feet as if it'd give her answers, even if she knows full well it won't. ]
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Date: 2024-04-11 03:04 pm (UTC)Mm... I don't think it'll be that bad, at least. Our squads... well, they have their quirks, but that doesn't make them bad people. Some might be more reliable than others, but they're hardly the kind to judge.
[Though she's supposed to be keeping an eye on things, Bronya finds herself unable to help a response. And there's some mild irritation as she speaks up.]
Just don't let Lyle go off on his tangents...
I'm sure he's just doing some moodmaking... [Cough. That's beside the point.] ...anyway, my point is, they're friendly. They're all roughly your age, too.
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Date: 2024-04-11 03:38 pm (UTC)[ For now, anyway.
But if things go wrong... then she'll have to find a way out as soon as possible. After all, she knows that while she might look human on the outside, the inside was a completely different story. ]
At least having friendly faces will make being far away from home tolerable.
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Date: 2024-04-15 02:51 pm (UTC)[She does try to continue, but Bronya getting a call makes her snap to attention. Mei nods to her fellow veteran to have her patch it through, and--
"This is Carole--! We have trouble! Big trouble!"
...that immediately gets her to knuckle down. That's not a tone she wants to hear.]
Carole, report!
["We got ambushed again--! Gah!" There's the sound of something whooshing past the girl on the other end of the line, before scrambling footsteps leak in from the background. "We need help, and quick!"]
Was there more resistance than we expected in that area...!? [Oh, that isn't good...!]
[Bronya grits her teeth. The constructs aren't smart, but the more advanced forms -- they would be enough to cause that sort of trouble...!]
Adam! Respond immediately! What's your situation!?
["Still able to fight, Squad Leader--! A Hermit and Sun caught us on the way back!"
Bronya grimaces. She should have double checked for bigger game in the area...!
"We'll hold them off as long as we can!" The fighting intensifies on the other end. Bronya can only hope her orders get through and they can be followed up on.]
Pull back to more open ground! We'll meet you halfway! [Putting away her communicator, she readies her multiweapon; of all the times for something like this to happen...] ...Inaba, there should be a spare communicator and a dedicated mapping device in the supply box. Take those and be ready to track their signal.
[The supply box in question is sitting a short walk from where she's sitting, laid out a lamp's width away from the door.
Mei readies her katana at the same time.]
This isn't how I wanted to hear back from them, but hopefully they don't mind the extra hand...!
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Date: 2024-04-15 04:33 pm (UTC)She has to let out a breath that she hadn't thought that she was even holding, finishing the last bits of her sandwich before stretching her hands up and hopping right off of her seat. ]
Okay, looks like it's back to work, huh?
[ Inaba says this as if dealing with this sort of thing was just another day ending with "y" as she goes ahead to walk towards the supply box and start grabbing what she's going to need.
Her unfamiliarity with the world and how things work does put her at a rather obvious disadvantage in a dire situation, but she'd like to think of herself as quick-witted enough to pick up on things as she goes. She's had to fly by the seat of her pants before in the past plenty of times, now is absolutely no different.
Once supplies are obtained it's time to crack her knuckles and properly set up--if she's lucky, locations will be marked. If she's not, well that's what asking's for. ]
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