synflux | [ OPEN ] here comes the boooooooy

A— what?

[ It takes Yzak a moment, when he turns to Taryon and lets the word Gundam sit with him. ]

Oh, right. [ And the way he responds implies that he isn't unfamiliar with the term - they just don't call Gundams Gundams where he comes from - GUNDAM is just the acronym of the operating systems on the super special giant robots.

And then his expression drops into a somewhat annoyed little scowl at what he says next! ]

Huh!? Yeah, I met him! Why the hell didn't he tell me that other machine was his when we were both right here!? [ How dare Yzak not get information immediately???? Wow! ]

A Gundam, right? It's not a word anyone knows. [He folds his arms lightly and smiles.] Must be a surprise to hear it from me, right?

[But no, Yzak does not respond positively. Instead, it seems like Taryon has walked into and instigated some sort of complex drama between others. Again. He somehow has a habit of doing that no matter the universe.]

...I don't know.

[Elan is an alright kid, but how is he supposed to know what's going on in his head?]

He doesn't like talking about it?

Yeah, but we were right here the other day and talking about that unit!!

[ Yzak makes a small grumbling noise, and the fuss doesn't exactly subside in him about this, but it's more that he has more pressing matters to focus on for now. He's still getting used to how this altered version of his machine works. So he throws up a hand dismissively. ]

Ugh, whatever! I'll talk to that guy later! [ That almost sounds like a threat, sorry Elan for when Yzak sees you after this. ]

Anyway, [ He huffs. ] we don't actually call these things Gundams, but I've heard one or two people use that term because of the operating system certain machines use, like this one. They're just called mobile suits.

Are you from my world, then? Or that Elan guy's?

Oh, no, Elan taught me that word. [Which...doesn't paint him in a better light at all. Taryon grimaces.] Look, Elan's pretty cool, and he and I have been working a lot together. So, don't be too hard on him?

[He's dreading that Yzak will punch him or try to instigate a fight. It's a common occurrence between adventurers and mercenaries in Taryon's world.]

Mobile suits, right. And you're...sure sure not from Elan's world. You're the only people with these kinds of robots.

[ IT'S TOO LATE ELAN'S ON THE SHITLIST*.

*it is completely worthless

He makes no promises about being hard on anyone - though really all he's going to do when he sees him again is get cranky and yell a bit, because that's just how he rolls. ]

The build of his machine is vastly different and nothing that I've ever seen before. [ As he speaks, he looks over to Elan's Gundam. There's another machine that sits docked next to Yzak's own, and from a glance one can tell from their many similarities that they come from the same place. ] Both in and outside of my own military.

I suppose there's a chance he's from where we are. [ 'We,' he says. ] But that could open up an entirely new can of worms, because what sort of organization is designing and building new machines that nobody else is aware of?

[Looking over them again, it's clear that they are variations on the same design, but some of the components function differently. He thinks of Winter, of how both Exandria and Faerûn share the same systems of magic, the same races, and strangely similar environments, but they diverged at some point.]

If he recognizes the countries from your world, then you know you're from the same place. Of course, there's a chance that it's slightly different, like how lots of people here have a Japan at home. [He shrugs.] Either way, you guys are the robot piloting experts.

I'll have to dig deeper and find out if that's the case or not.

Considering how ... different [ In a tone that really also means 'ugly'. ] the entire design is, I doubt we're from the same place.

But you are right, I know my partner and I are more than qualified to pilot our machines. We've had years of experience in the military. Hopefully Elan has similar experience or can at least keep up.

[ And once he says that, his focus seems to shift more toward the man directly in front of him. He meets Taryon's gaze with sharp, curious blue eyes. ]

Have you been here for very long, then? And if we're the 'robot piloting' experts, what does that make you?

[Taryon wants to insist that all robots are beautiful in their own way, but if Yzak hates it, then he just has bad taste. It's a shame that all the robots and robot-experts can't get along.]

A few months. I was with the first group that showed up back in December. [He steps away from the Gundam to admire it from afar.] Sure, I've built automatons, but they're powered by arcane runes. Robots, as far as I've come to know them, are powered by electricity. Both involve mechanical engineering, but one involves studying circuits. I'm pretty sure I have many more books to study until I can full understand one of these.

The first group, huh? [ That seems to sincerely interest him. ] I do hope there's been some progress since then.

[ And then he brings his hand up in a sharp salute. A habit, but he still sees himself as on duty as he would if this was happening back home. ]

Lieutenant Colonel Yzak Jule, by the way.

[Taryon hesitates and angles his head side to side while he figures out a diplomatic answer.]

Some? We fought two big monsters and tracked down some smugglers. I think that counts. There's still a lot we don't know.

[The salute is a surprise. Taryon figures that if Yzak is bringing in military manners, that he must meet that with his gentlemanly politeness. He bows deeply, mimicking a fairy tale prince.] Taryon Darrington, hero and adventurer, at your service.

I think that definitely counts.

[ He gives Tary a polite nod before easing up and bringing his hand back down. ]

But if there's still critical information we lack, that should be one of our primary focuses when we head out again. The nature of these "rifts" they come through, for example, still seems shrouded in mystery.

I agree. LILITH makes a lot of the decisions on what we'll work on. So far, it's been tracking down places and investigating stuff, but nothing about the rifts. I think they don't trust us in the labs.

They should.

...

Or rather, if they're bringing in so many people, they should focus on those who could actually help in the labs.

I could work in a lab! I know how to work with chemicals, I can build robots. And I can fight, sure, but I want to help in other ways.

As should be your choice here. Even if someone can fight, they shouldn't have to if they don't wish to.

Even that bit of apprehension about it could end up in a tragedy. If not for the person in question, then for someone who's going to have to pick up that bit of slack for them out there. And I know I neither want to die for a stupid reason like that or see someone else die because of it!

Why don't you get on their asses about it? Tell them hey! I have the experience here and you want to get this done, right?

I offered, but they're adamant on experimenting on the kaiju first. We're here to collect materials, fight monsters, and be field agents. I mean, it's all pretty cool, but I miss spending all day in workshops.

[And he doesn't know if he can be intimidating enough to brute force his way into a position.]

I don't know. [He folds his arms and slumps against the Gundam.] We can't even reach the people in charge.

Maybe we've just got drive the point in that we'd like to discuss these things because it's pretty fucking important! So they should get their heads out of their asses and come speak to us.

Just because they're in charge doesn't mean they're better than us or that they should be cooped away somewhere secret and safe while our asses are on the line!

Look - [One arm is folded around his chest while Taryon points at Yzak.] I'm all for running in and demanding they let us help, but we have to make sure we have some leverage. I don't know all of the science of this world, but I have my magic. We have to prove that they can't do enough without us, or that locking us up will only hurt their efforts. As it stands, we could end up being sent back home without warning.

Being sent home won't have any complaints from me - I've got tons to do back there that I would much rather be focusing on anyway!

They're probably pretty aware that they're only so powerful without our help. Hell, that's why they started "recruiting" us in the first place! So that'd definitely some leverage to start with.

I guess. But I'm not from a world with all this technology. Did they really pick me because the best I can do is support others in battle?

[Or moral support. Maybe they care about emotional well-being in the far future.]

I just wish I could do more.

Supporting others is plenty. If everyone had the same parts, you couldn't make a properly functional machine, right? It's the same concept, only we obviously shouldn't look at ourselves like a machine.

[ He stares at Tary for a long moment. ]

The fact that you wish to do more is enough, at least. Until we're given the proper opportunity to do as much.

[A shrug from Taryon. Yzak could be just trying to be nice, but there's no need to call that out. Taryon has enough experience to know that he can't catch up to the heaviest hitters, not if he doesn't train for years.]

I'll see what our future adventures take us. Hopefully, we'll have more chances to help out.

[ OPEN ] here comes the boooooooy

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