synflux | ( closed ) life like the unplumbed sea;

[ What a compliment… that he can't even take with his whole heart right now because of how tired he is, too. ]

Great. Glad to have established that I'm doing better than a psychopath. Maybe if we unionise we can get LILITH to oust him.

Have you maybe figured out it's not a good idea to try and be so friendly to everyone?

[ HAVE YOU?? ]

I'm not even being friendly to him, is the thing.

[ So. Gebura isn't exactly wrong when Callisto had thought he was in love with him(???), but that's something else. ]

… If I'm being honest? It'd probably be less of a pain if I was. But I really can't stand guys like him.

[ Listen, she's not here to deter you and your weird romantic relationships that border on concerning-- ]

Well.

[ She finally straightens, though she's still a little pale. ]

If nothing else, we've got that in common.

[ it's a new month he's reforming after this callisto encounter don't @ him ]

Haha. There's plenty else, Miss Gebura. Don't say it like that.

[ He's a little better for wear, considering he doesn't have any qualms against flying itself. Following a beat as he straightens himself out along with her: ]

Want me to grab you some water?

I can get it myself, I just needed a minute.

... And if you take a photo of it, I am not in the mood to let you get away with it and still keep a limb. [ This is serious. ]

And get us both down even further when we've already been defeated? Haa…

[ truly. this is serious. not that he'd ever admit to Callisto he's worn him out to this degree. thanks for being a pal in commiseration, Geb. ]

… Let's check out the city. Fresh air, new sights. And whatever else it might have to offer. I heard you like sweets?

Edited 2024-08-09 11:26 (UTC)

[ It's fine, sometimes you have to admit it to someone who isn't the person in question or they'd take it as a victory. ]

... Who told you that?

[ She just! Doesn't like bitter things!! That's perfectly normal! ]

[ … ooh… oops. ]

I just threw out a guess. [ an amused sound. sorry. ] You make it too easy, Miss Gebura.

[ gotta cover for his lil guy Siffrin, since they didn't technically tell him she'd liked them. just that she had them. ]

Edited 2024-08-09 14:08 (UTC)

And that's not an honest statement, Elysium.

[ Please. She's just rewarding him with a very flat look. ]

I don't like sweet things, I just don't mind them. If anything, it's the bitter flavors I'm not fond of.

[ So she's not happily devouring candy on the regular, okay! Weirdo! ]

I made an inference, so it's true enough.

[ :') ]

Say you did like sweet things. What's so wrong with that? You aren't the type to care about image.

I'm not. I'm just saying it's not accurate. Liking them means I'd have a preference for them, and I'd be fine with any of that as much as I'd be fine with anything savory or spicy.

[ And an inference! From what!! Sir!!!! ]

Alright, alright. Sweets are on the same level as anything else that isn't bitter. Case closed.

[ (haunting shakespeare voice) the lady doth protest too much ]

Shall we be on our way now?

... Yeah, let's get going.

[ Well, he at least got company out of it. Non-sadistic company. Things can only improve from here, possibly??

But Gebura also looks a bit better the further away she is from the airport, so they're both winning. ]

[ things have improved since they've gotten off the plane, it's fine, they really were working from the bottom there ]

Hungry, or do you want to check out some of the cultural sights first?

[ Though, the "improvement" might not be much when immediately, they're met with petty crime by way of purse snatching. ]

…

[ A glance over to Gebura. They aren't going to let it go, are they? ]

...

[ She can tell he's looking at her and there's no real need to answer. Just a short-- ]

Stay with them.

[ And she is taking off after the thief at top speed. Poor thief. ]

[ he'd feel a little sorry for the thief, but it is what it is

Here he'd been ready to take off, but you know what? This is fine. This is better. He nods, even if Gebura's long gone before she can actually see it; he doesn't exactly amble over to the victim, but he doesn't rush over them like they're in imminent threat, either, placing his hands on their shoulders to begin the process of talking them down.

No one better for the job than Gebura, after all. ]

[ What Transpires is best not described--Gebura returns with the purse in hand, looking no worse the wear, if just vaguely irritated. As for the thief, they're not being dragged behind her, nor are they anywhere in sight, but it's probably fine.

Ideally Elysium has calmed the victim down enough so she can hand the purse back to them. ]

Here. Keep it close. They shouldn't bother you again, but it's not like they're the only thief out there.

[ They're placated, but they scuttle off nonetheless after muttering their thanks. Elysium watches as their back retreats into the crowd, expression blank. Ostensibly, he's muddling over something, despondent even if Gebura tries to catch his attention in the time he tries to follow his thoughts through.

Whether he ends up settling on one thing or another, what does eventually escape his mouth is this: ]

… It's everywhere in this world, isn't it? Crime.

[ with little inflection. ]

[ Gebura doesn't bother to speak up or nudge him out of his thoughts; Elysium has the time to ponder whatever's got him looking so morose, which is not always the case with their line of work, so she doesn't see a need to get him to speak unless he feels like it. He doesn't ever really need the encouragement, anyway.

And sure enough, there it is. She angles a glance at him. ]

Yeah. If it's not everywhere in your own world, I'm a little envious. It sure as hell was everywhere in my own... or at least in the Backstreets. People who lived in the Nests lived a much more secure life.

Most countries are like that. [ To the Infected, prior to Rhodes Island—one could argue the whole world felt like that. Despite existing on the same plane of existence as everyone else, the world saw to it that they'd follow different laws, lead different lives. ] But there are some that are doing good for its citizens or well on their way there.

[ That is the future they're working towards, idealistic as it is. And to some, Rhodes Island is the manifestation of that idealistic vision. ]

Say. How far are you willing to go for a world that isn't your own?

[ apropos of nothing. of course. ]

[ Why is he like this. ]

Depends on the situation. I couldn't just give you a blanket answer on how much I'd be willing to do. I'm not altruistic or anything like that.

Considering we're already putting our lives on the line fighting kaiju, I think it's a fair question to ask by itself without any more context.

[ … ]

You took off after that thief pretty quickly. And like you said, they aren't the only one out there. But is it really fine? To only deal with crime as you see it.

[ ... ]

Could you stop doing this weird lead-up line of questioning and just tell me what you're getting at?

[ Not Elysium calling Wriothesley out on this only to inflict it on Gebura himself… Earlier along in the timeline, but still.

He smiles, picture of innocence. Not because he's any less serious about it. Far from. ]

I've been looking into the crime back in Neo Tokyo for a while, seeing how far up the corruption goes and what it'll mean to try and remove it. But as you know. [ vague hand gesture. ] I'm just a guy.

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