Video | Forward dated to the 12th

[hammernhasslehoff]

Mal sehen, ob ich mich erinnere.... Otacon! I have for you an update on what the shift is for me, during Iris.

[The man ducks his head just a touch, and the base of what appear to be very large, very imposing antlers are visible for a moment. Apparently it would take a bit of effort to actually display the entire rack, just judging by the sheer girth of the base of those antlers. Less visible, but still obviously there? The base of a pair of fluffy, off white colored lop ears.]

I would show you in person, if you like, but I would need eh... A little bit of time to get ready. Leaving the apartment has become... a bit more complicated than usual. I am not clear on the anatomy of antlers, I do not think you can just file them down to fit through doors.

... Ah, with complicated in mind! Gabriel, I have a favor I would like to ask of you! I will pay you back, I have no button up shirts. Would you be able to get one or... three for me? I did not come prepared for this, I fear.

Comments

[hammernhasslehoff]

They are? Ah, they're quite common where I come from...

[He trails off, fiddling with his bottle for a moment, before continuing past that subject-]

His name is Soundwave, a very striking fellow I must say. A bright blue and white, and he has rabbit ears. He mentioned that they no longer vanish at the end of the moon cycle.

[codecmoment]

Sounds like I need to find this robot! This'll be amazing.

[ His big blue eyes practically sparkle with potential sci-fi reality! ]

Why did he choose to keep them, then? I'm not judging, a friend of mine kept his jellyfish tentacles, but it seems like a weird choice.

[hammernhasslehoff]

I do not think he intended for it to be so! He seemed rather disparaging of them, did not even believe me when I said he looked fetching with them, wenn du es glauben kannst.

He mentioned a bracelet, bought from a ware wolf shop, that he had on at an inopportune time.

[codecmoment]

-- oh!

[ Hal holds out his wrist, which has a bracelet on it. ]

I have one of those! I wanted to keep the electric magic that Iris people get. I need it to learn.

[hammernhasslehoff]

I will be honest! I did not think to ask why he would keep it, I had thought it was because it was attractive.

[It was a bracelet after all, and no it didn't occur to Reinhardt that it might be at all odd for a robot to like jewelry.]

But, that is what they do, eh? Keep parts of the blessing?

... I see according to Soundwave, he kept more than a few abilities.

[codecmoment]

Hmm. I'll have to ask! Mine was just because it was a necessity to do coding and the work I want to do here, but other people likely have their own reasons.

[ Speaking of, he demonstrates the baby-level stuff he's figured out how to do by making visible static come from his palm. ]

My now-roommate thought it was smart to hold my hand after I said I was practicing.

[hammernhasslehoff]

[He peers at the outstretched hand, clearly fascinated by it.]

I can imagine it was quite the surprise for him, regardless!

I wonder if I could do the same though, I had not given it much thought.

[codecmoment]

When the triple moons first appeared, it really... messed up a lot of people. Angela, I -- she was sparking with electricity when I found her. I've never seen anything like that since. I mean, I've seen magic, but that's all been innate things the person could do. That was... something else.

[ It really scared him. For her, and his own life when he'd touched Angela. ]

[hammernhasslehoff]

Angela was?

[That must have been a sight... She was fine, that much was obvious, he'd been speaking with her after all, and Hal had lived, hadn't he? A sight, but it all ended well enough.]

So it becomes even greater than this?

[He wouldn't touch that sparking hand, no, but he'd gesture at it!]

I wonder how much greater it could become if one focused, eh?

[codecmoment]

I don't want to hurt anyone. It's mostly just to... understand how it works. Feels. Whatever. So I can interact with the world here better. I really resent my important skill set not being as useful.

[hammernhasslehoff]

Nein not for hurting, there is much that can be done with such an ability, ja?

Who told you that it is not useful?

[codecmoment]

The world I live in, now.

It's kinda... they really just want us to make energy for them. The rest they'll cater to, but I really feel like we're just alien batteries for them.

[hammernhasslehoff]

Ah, I have heard this theory before.

Perhaps it is so, but... At current, there is not much to be done. The conditions here are comfortable, and without knowing how to return home, for now the best course of action would be to take what comfort we can.

I do not suggest of course, not seeking a way back. But I see for myself, no need to be upset as I do so.

[For now, anyway.]

[codecmoment]

Mmm, yeah. A little vacation away from normalcy. The daily grind. I get a lot of attention here, but I got that... back home. Just not from men. It seems there's a lot more, ah, open and less straight folks around then the norm for me.

[hammernhasslehoff]

Ah? And do you enjoy the attention? From other men, of course.

[codecmoment]

I mean, yeah, I'm bisexual. It's just I'd like to be with a woman back home. I spent over a decade with my male partner, and nobody can replace that. He was a perfect specimen.

[ He says that with a little chuckle. ]

I prefer them. Women, I mean. I'm just not great at them.

[hammernhasslehoff]

Well, you are great enough for Angela. I should say that makes you wonderful with them!

When I am free of these-

[He gestures upwards at the massive antlers]

And can escape from my house again, perhaps I can play wingman for you at the bar.

[codecmoment]

[ Hal gives a short, clipped little squeak of a laugh. Really? ]

I'm more desirable back home. Stable job, responsible brilliant kid that doesn't live at home, older and established in his career, gentle... here, none of that is really... I'm kinda just old and tired. No, they'd go to you. Big, strong guy with a positive attitude. Men who like men are into that, too.

[hammernhasslehoff]

Nein, no, don't sell yourself short, mein Fruend! There are things beyond work and age, ja?

Here now, I have but known you for a short time, but I find our conversations nice, and your demeanor kind. You are a handsome man, and I would not call you old at all.

[codecmoment]

[ Well, now he feels bad. He wasn't fishing for anything - just being honest. ]

I'm just doing my best.