Video | UN: oceangem

[riptidequeen]

[It's the local blue woman once again on your network making a post.]

So let's say you're trying something new, and I mean super new. You've never done anything like it before...

[A beat.]

And I don't mean a sex thing! [JUST TO CUT THAT OFF AT THE PASS.] Like a legit way to make money, a work thing. Would you just keep going at it on your own or ask for help?

[This is her way of asking for help without asking, ha ha ha.]

Comments

[polypeptide]

[ Something he should consider, but hasn't in his agitation.

Something she says gives him pause in his readiness to fight though. Enough that he's asking a different question despite the fact that he visibly balks at the age she gives him. ]

"What you're made to do"? The hell do you mean by that?

[riptidequeen]

I mean something like this.

[She'll turn to look at the fountain now, very obviously turning her back to him and with a gesture a pillar of water (much bigger then what a fountain sprayer could do) rises from the fountain.]

[polypeptide]

[ Almost on defensive reflex, as if his body knows that the most comedic outcome would be to guide that water right down on top of his fool head, Ryuuga steps back away from the fountain.

It's not the wildest thing he's ever seen someone do, and he's been on this planet too long to be overly surprised by much.

But it suddenly occurs to him-- ]

You were made to make fountains?

[ That seems like a weird life purpose.

He's clearly missing something big here. ]

[riptidequeen]

No, and anything more I could show you will get me into trouble.

[She's moving to wipe her hands down the front of her pants and the water just... sploosh, back down with a bit of spray back on them and anyone else near the fountain.]

Do you know what terraforming is?

[polypeptide]

[ And there it is, the water he was inevitably going to be hit with, but at least it was just a light spray. He still makes an undignified, non-verbal sound at being sprayed, and brushes at his pants like he can somehow wipe off the water.

He's definitely scowling when he looks back up at her. ]

I have no idea what that is.

[ Oof, that was said with more conviction than admitting ignorance should ever warrant. ]

[riptidequeen]

{... Wow, she wasn't expecting that answer, so one can imagine the look she's giving Banjou conveys how much she wasn't expecting it.]

I used to use water to destroy planets.

[Said in a matter of fact tone.]

[polypeptide]

[ No one expects the full extent of Ryuuga's ignorance, and yet...

The reply does get a change in expression from him at least, his jaw clenching as the realization hits.

As does something a lot more personal than Lapis realizes. Look, you never know someone's backstory on first meeting. You never know who has or hasn't fought extraterrestrials bent on destroying your world. Though in Ryuuga's case it goes beyond that, considering he was primed from before birth to aid in that planetary destruction.

The point being this whole thing is hitting home in a surprising way. ]

Oi... something like that you can't blame on being made to do it.

[ His fist clench at his sides, and for all he was demanding a fight earlier, he looks a lot more ready to take a serious swing right now. ]

[riptidequeen]

That's how it is for Gems though.

[She doesn't care about his history or even the fact he looks like he wants to fight. Of course, if it turns to a fight, she'll fight.]

And I'm well aware of what I did, and that I don't do it anymore.

[polypeptide]

Who the hell cares about how it is for Gems? And is not doing it anymore undoing the fact that you did it before?

[ There are people around. Keep that mantra in mind. She's not actively doing anything wrong right now, and as much as he wants to fight it's not worth dragging in other people and getting someone hurt.

He takes a deep breath, flexing his fingers as he tries to avoid doing anything rash. ]

Were there people on the planets you destroyed?

[riptidequeen]

[Sigh, somehow she should have expected this.]

Organic life, yes. And back then I didn't care.

[Getting mad won't do shit for her, so she's keeping herself calm. That and she's well aware of what she did, and she has her own feelings about it.]

And I get the feeling anything else I have to say about the subject is just going to upset you more so... [And she's going to leave.] Have a good day, Banjo.

[polypeptide]

[ She's right about that. It is probably rare someone will take news like this well. Ryuuga has to keep repeating it over and over in his mind as he stands there, clearly barely holding in anger as he watches her turn and leave.

It does him about as much good to fight her as it does her to fight him. That is to say, no matter who wins no one really wins.

He can't even manage to be as civil as she is while she walks away. In fact, by the time she's out of view he's slamming his fist into the stone lip of the fountain. Without his armor on, or the strange power of one of his bottles activated, he's got perfectly normal strength. It means he fortunately does no structural damage to the fountain, though he sure does a number on his knuckles.

That's entirely his own dumb problem to deal with later.

The way she just left is probably the most sensible way for him to go too, but he's actively turning and walking the other way to put some distance between them.

Who would have expected a conversation involving fake farting to end this way? ]