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Entry tags:

brave police: j-decker | kagerou

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[For a long moment, when the feed clicks on... there's nothing. Only static. Did the manic-seeming BP start fidgeting with his Link again?]

[Then, abruptly:]

I'm sorry.

[The words are soft, choked. They're rough around the edges, as if edged by jagged points. If he were human, he'd have sounded like he'd been crying.]

[Despite the tone, the plea, it's clear the old Kagerou is back in the driver's seat again.]

I'm --

I'm so sorry.

[ click ]

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Good.

[ She's quiet for a moment. She's being pretty harsh on the guy. Deep breath in, deep breath out. ]

Apology accepted. Don't beat yourself up over it.

...

You're angry.

[That's all he can think to say. It's probably not helpful. But none of his limited social skills cover this.]

[ Again, a deep breath iiiiiiiiiiin.

And ouuuuut. Shepard has to compose herself, which, in itself is a lot easier than she imagined. She's just glad he's okay. ]

A little bit. Yeah.

[ Mom voice? Mom voice. ]

More or less, just...scared. But don't tell your alter ego that.

It's alright. I'll get over it.

[The mom voice is... surprisingly reassuring. He's never had a parent figure, other than robots he ended up sort of having feelings about.]

[He shifts, metal creaking.]

... I'm afraid, too. I... that was horrible.

I didn't mean to say those things.

Afraid of what?

[ She purses her lips in a line, even though he can't see it. ]

I didn't think you did.

Of... what that was. Of what I was.

What he did.

That's good. That's... really good.

Have you got a minute?

[ She's still tightlipped, not exactly keen on being in public after her public display of 'this is fucked up'. ]

I haven't met you in person, not yet. And I want to tell you a story that might help you a little. If that's okay.

It's...probably best told in person.

A minute...?

[Oh. She wants to actually... see him. Like everyone else, weirdly enough. He can't imagine why they're being so tolerant. Why they all seem to want to forgive him...]

I'm only a prototype. It's not anything special.

[Why would you want to meet me in person.]

[What ever shred of self-worth he's grown since his arrival has, for all intents and purposes, been obliterated by the Pillar.]

I... don't know if anyone can reach this place.

And I'm a zombie. Already told you, I don't care what you are and no one else should either.

[ She wants to be angry at that kind of view, but she knows she can't, because for all she's done, she knows she's been in those shoes before. Just a Space kid, no actual home, nothing to live or work for, just a cadet, will never amount to anything, so on and so forth. ]

Try me. Consider it a gesture of how badly you need to hear this story.

I don't... know what a zombie is.

[He gets the feeling it's something undesirable, given the context. But beyond that, his processor doesn't want to function enough to figure it out.]

Mm.

[LOCKED]
On top of the temple. Trion's temple.

[ Give her a second. She's. At Prima's. Where she's always been. ]

Yeah. That may be an issue.

[ There's a rustling of something, hard plastic? That's her armor going on. ]

But I'll be there.

I might be a while, but I told you I will, so I will.

If it's an issue... why are you bothering so much?

I think the real question is, why shouldn't I?

[ You can hear her getting ready and leaving, the zing of life support and the exosuit compression system starting. Finally she walks out the door. ]

I haven't been in your exact situation. But I know how it feels. And I want to tell you what I wished somebody told me when it happened.

How about I meet you behind the temple? I don't have a jet pack in this thing.

I... don't know. It just seems odd, to bother.

[He pauses, listening to the sounds. For some reason, it sounds vaguely reassuring.]

All... right. All right.

To both things.

Well. You need that too; someone to bother.

Give me twenty minutes.

...would you rather I stayed on the phone til I get there?

Do I?

[It's less a real question, and more a skeptical one.]

[He shakes his head a few times, before he realizes he can't be seen.]

You don't have to.

Then I'll be there in forty...fifty minutes.

Still a ways away for little ol' me.

[ Provided she doesn't get lost. Which she probably will, costing her an extra twenty minutes or so. But she runs, rather intent on getting there in the time she said she would. Her life support helps her out with the added oxygen supply, but other than that, she does make it, albeit a little later than she expected. ]

...You up there?

Right. Okay.

[He'll be there. Pressed up against a wall and huddled in on himself. There are still lingering damages from his various fights with the other personality, damaged wings, a "broken nose"... paint chipped and scuffed.]

[But mostly he just looks young and afraid and, for some bizarre reason, cold.]

[ Okay, here goes nothing. She really hasn't presented herself with the whole 'approaching a giant robot' yet, so congratulations Kagerou, you are the first.

She presses her lips together again in a line, tugging her helmet off in order to see him better. You know, without a visor in the way. Seeing him this beat up though? Tugs at her heartstrings. He looks like she did the first day of Special Ops training; the actual shit kicked out of her. Any and all lingering resentment? Totally gone. In fact, she finds it hard to be reprimanding at all right now. It wouldn't help anyways. ]

Hey big guy.

[He looks up, when sensors tell him someone's getting nearer. It... looks a lot different than Kay's armor. He tilts his head at first, as if tensing to bolt. But then the helmet comes off, and he visibly calms.]

[His hands rub at his arms, a little hesitantly.]

Hello.

[And here's where the lack of social skill rears its head. What does he say next.]

[ Unceremoniously, she takes a seat in front of him, the helmet plopping down at her side as well. ]

Beat you up on the inside and out I see.

I'm glad you're okay now, though. I'm sure a few people are.

[He blinks, several times, when she sits down. That was unexpected.]

I've never had memories like this... memories I don't want. So... yes. Maybe so.

Kay is glad. At least.

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