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(Setting) Corner of Edge and Wild
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| >A purple-haired lilim enters the area. They appear to be searching for someone.
| >Down the street toward you, a hooded man and hooded smol run down the street like demons possessed!
| >Nym immediately calls out to them.
"H-hey! What are you doing with the kid?"
| "Back off!" >The tol yells, ignoring you as the smol tries to keep up!
| >The Lilim immediately pulls a gun out and points it at the taller figure.
"Freeze. Now."
>Their tone is sharp.
| "We don't have time for this... Clotho, get behind me!" >The tol man says, suddenly whipping her their arm across their body!
>Even in this darkness, you see three spines fly toward you, directed at your throat!
| "Shit...!"
>Nym's eyes glow brightly as they momentarily activate their advanced combat protocols to boost their reaction time and dodge the spines.
>After dodging, they unsheath the arc-blade at their waist.
| "Get out of our way, tin can!" >The figure hisses! >Behind them, the smol peaks around a corner!
| /Uh Mombot... don't want to worry you but I *think* Cyber zombies are headed in your direction./
| /Just... Great./
"Let me guess. You guys are running from Cyber zombies?"
| /Clotho... maybe it's not our girl but they're clearly related to VT/
| "Gee, what was your first thought? Did you lock up in that imitation you call a brain to reach that realization?" >He stings.
| >Nym just sighs.
"Did you two have a safehouse or something you guys were headed to?"
>As Nym talks, they walk past the two and stands ready to attack anything that comes around the corner.
| "In a manner of speaking... we have a vehicle that SHOULD have arrived here by now, but in typical fashion they appear to be taking their sweet little time. Brilliant." >The man says, pacing angrily about, the smol holding onto their pant leg and following them around in circles.
| /uh... hope they don't mean the GCPD cause there was a crashed bike of theirs by the zombies. Either way be careful with them if they're with VT./
| /Understood. I'll keep my guard up./
"Well, considering the circumstances... I can give you two a ride. My car's just a block or so away."
| >The tol guffaws!
"You-you can-NOT be serious... Do you have any idea who I am?" >He says, chortling.
"Well in case you've forgotten, I'm none other than your favorite-"
>He's immediately cut off by the sound of a roaring truck... which is on fire, and full dark forms crowding it. It flies by down the street, barely missing the three of you before tipping over and coming to a stop near the encroaching mass of shadows. >The tol's mouth and finger hang up.
| "...we'll... we'll take your car. Please. Thanks," >He says, extending his hand to the smol again as they follow your lead.
| /Yea... that's probably Eros./
| >Nym doesn't even bother replying before they start running back down the street towards the sports car that they had driven here.
>The lilim hops into the driver's seat and waits for the two to get inside.
| >The two leap into the convertible... perhaps a little too easily. The tol buckles himself and begins trying to buckle the smol's as well.
>A couple zombies appear around the corner, but they're... different. Their bodies are covered in what appear to be metal plates, haphazardly bolted onto their corpses...
| /That's not a good sign.../
| /Why are things never easy.../
>Nym curses under their breath and immediately starts driving down the street.
"So, where's this safehouse of yours?"
| /Man you think that the one time we help our antagonists would be the one time fate decides to make things easier on us./
| >The tol gives you an address.
"Right... here."
| >The directions appear to... lead to the VeriaTech HQ!?
| >Nym takes a look at the address.
"Alright then..."
>They begin to drive towards VeriaTech HQ.
/I'm headed towards VT's HQ. I'll keep you posted on anything that happens./
| /Hmm... actually put me on speaker. This might be a good chance to get some answers./
| /Got it./
>Nym routes their comms channel through the car's sound system.
| /Hello Eros. What a coincidence running into you here./
| >The tol seethes; while the smol has turned her fingers into stick figures. She plays with them on the side of the car, seemingly oblivious to the grown ups talking.
| "C... N..." >The tol says, almost in a growl.
"Don't tell me YOU are responsible for all of this!?"
| /Huh!? Why the hell would I do all this? I know we don't have the history Hermes and I share but you must know by now I hate murder by any means. I'm not entirely certain who did this but I'm sure we can figure out who did by process of elimination. Mombot here just picked you up by chance cause I saw you had one of the kids with you. So what exactly happened?/
| "Tch, have I been gone that long?"
>He pulls his hood back, displaying pale skin and a familiar shock of short, mint colored hair, with red eyes... and a familiar scowl.
"I AM HERMES!" >He says!
"And I would not put it past YOU, of all people, in your mad quest to destroy US... accidentally releasing a horde of abominations upon the city. It wouldn't be the FIRST time."
| /Oh. Well long time no see buddy, oh how I've missed our banter. Besides this isn't my doing, rerouting the entire electrical grid to a secret VT facility I was not even aware of is a little bit above my pay grade. I'd put my money on Remus given the ciphers I've been finding. I swear that man is more unhinged than all of us combined. Besides I don't want to *destroy* VT. I just want you to stop all your shitty secret projects where you play with people's lives./
| /One of which I assume is next to you in the seat. The airport incident was an act of self defense on our part. We were rescuing someone uninfected when you started shooting at us./
| >Nym does their best to filter out the noise that the two are making and focuses on driving.
| "Don't you DARE speak about Clotho that way- what would you know about playing with people's lives, shadowrunner? Your entire job description REVOLVES around manipulating people for a big payday! Or did you conveniently forget about that during yet another one of your overly self righteous diatribes?"
"Don't even get me started on the airport, which, by the way, was destroyed thanks to one of YOUR men firing on it; no one ASKED YOU... or did they? To shoot down a contracted heli-"
| >As the two continue fighting with each other in the background, the smol surreptitiously unbuckled their seatbelt and crawled over the headrest of the passenger seat in front of them.
>They dropped in, swinging their legs over the seat, which didn't even touch the floor. Their stick figures followed with them, tracing along the open window's edge, before reaching the dashboard. Eventually the smol made her way to the floor of the passenger area.
| >Noticing the smol out of the corner of their eye, Nym pulls over and brings the car to a stop.
>The lilim reaches down and gently tugs on the back of the smol's shirt.
"That's really dangerous. Please sit properly and put your seatbelt on..."
| >The smol meekly allows you to pull her up and back on the seat, where you buckle her in. The two behind you still haven't stopped arguing, but at seeing the display, Hermes initially balks!
"HEY! DON'T TOUCH HER ok that actually makes sense," >He says, watching the full thing.
"...thanks," >He says, begrudgingly.
| >Nym looks over their shoulder at Hermes for a moment before facing forward again to start driving.
"So, what's the connection between you and the girl?"
| "'The girl' is my sister. Insofar as we are all siblings," >Hermes says, crossing his arms as the car continues moving yet again.
| "If you must know, we were coming home from a donut shop until I got a call. Apparently our vacation is being cut short, thanks to *someone's* interference."
| >>106580
/So we just seem like lying manipulators to you huh...?/
>There's a heavy sigh, filled with all the exasperation of the past 10 months
/What have I, what our entire team ever done to suggest that? Neither of us are monsters Hermes, even though that would make things so much easier for this squabble between VT and ourselves. I'm tired of all the killing, of the lives ruined, of the childhoods stolen in the kids sake.../
| /If we're really that evil why would we go out of the way to pick you two up and willing drive you back to your HQ? That seems pretty counterintuitive if you ask me, especially since you think we're the ones who caused this whole thing. Whatever this whole thing was supposed to accomplish it wasn't worth it with all the lives lost if you ask me. I'll hack databases and systems to get secret data but I'm not going to release VTs more perverse experiments on the public./
| /...Also going back to the whole airport thing it wasn't a helicopter, it was a VTOL and about 6 heavily armed soldiers that shot Mombot and the survivor we found on site, I'd show you the footage I have here if I could but I digress.../
| /We've gone back and forth like this enough times in the past to know by now how horrible of a liar I am./
| >For once, Hermes remains silent for a long stretch of the road as you return toward the VeriaTech HQ. The smol continues amusing itself with its imaginary stick figures, making cute noises to represent sound effects. You're about two-thirds of the way there when Hermes pipes up again.
"Why did you even take these jobs against VeriaTech? Any other shadowrunner would have quit by now, knowing what we would do to them after the disaster during the Summit."
| /Honestly at first it was just to help Mombot and Fox and a mixture of plain curiosity, hell before all this I wasn't even a shadowrunner. But the more I found out the more I realized that all this needed to stop, simply because of the principal of the thing. I'm sure VT has done things for you that you can't repay, but can you say you're really okay with the way they do everything? Just the kids alone... are they really in the best environment?/
| /If we stop now, I don't think anyone will look out for them outside of the other hybrids. I doubt VT told you to take Clotho out for some donuts. You did that yourself right? Once they can have they have their own lives and all these expirements end can things really start going in the right direction... at least that's how I see it. Honestly I can't really say how things have been for you personally, we've never gotten the chance to talk like this before./
| "Yes. Yes they are," >He says, almost immediately and without malice. There's almost something like... genuine concern in his voice.
"Because the alternative is absolutely disgusting. And I don't mean just aesthetically." >As means of explaining, he gestures to the area around you.
>You've since left the worst of the slums but you're now passing through a familiar area you haven't driven through in months- the Glitz district. A neon infested den of well dressed scum and villainy.
| >But when you look closer, you see all the hallmarks that Glitch City ALSO consists of, that's easy to forget from its pure regularity- groups of young men and women barely out of their teens, OD'ing on the streets. Younger still people who are either choosing their clients or being sold to them for late night rendezvous'. A pair of heavily chromed beefcakes shaking down a couple as they leave a club. A group of lilims selling love in every form, whether it be sexual or chemical,
| >even as their bodies show obvious signs of decay and overuse. The car actually has to stop in the street to avoid hitting some streetrats that run by- one of whom wears a broken leg prosthetic, hopping after their comrade. On one side of the street walk groups of people with holographic headpieces and low cut synth-dresses sewn together from sequins of nanocamo, teasing each other with displays of both wealth and augmented desire.
| >There is no middle ground. Anyone who doesn't shove their garish wealth down upon others of their class and others who don't- instead shambles and suffers their way through addiction, oppression, and death. There are few places in Glitch City where the social disparity is more obvious.
"The false gods of Silicon have failed," >Hermes repeats to himself,
"They allowed the rot, and watched, apathetic, as the humanity destroyed itself," >He says, wistfully.
| "But we will be the new gods- we will bring about a new age of progress. One of flesh and bone- not plastic and steel," >He says, finishing.
"You are right about one thing. VeriaTech didn't tell me to get donuts with Clotho. Hera simply told me to take a break... and to try and not kill anyone in the process." >He clicks his tongue.
"Who does she take me for anyway? I'm not Achilles..." >He reaches over and pats the smol on the head.
| "As for things 'ending,' your lot and quite a number of others around this sickening town are making 'the end' very difficult to reach. Not to mention 'The Adversary,' who keeps insisting on getting in our way..." >He growls.
"And don't even get me started on those 'Awoonymous' assholes, them and their stupid memes and their ad campaigns, calling me out as some sort of pedophile," >He begins to vent.
"They manage to be worse than that time you told my boss I was foolin' around-"
| "with Athena! What, do you take me for a damn fool? It's no secret that she belongs to Apollo alone-" >His venting grows louder.
"I can't even go out and drink anymore because that stupid meme is plastered all over the damn city! I had freaking cocktails thrown at my face just for removing my hood! And the NERVE of people, seeing Clotho: 'Hey aren't you that furry pedophile from that one company? What species are you squishing now?!' How about a gigantic cup of FUCK YOU, how does-"
| "THAT SOUND, chrome sucker!? By the Father, I wanted to tear out their limbs and feast on their entrails SO MUCH-" >He suddenly bites his own, elongated tongue, upon remembering that Clotho is in the front seat. The smol, for her part, doesn't seem to notice nor care.
"Grrrrrr..." >Hermes growls, sulking.
"Sometimes I really do hate everyone, and everything. I wish the plans would just be put into fruition sooner... WITHOUT anyone's interference..." >He spies a look at Nym.
| "Sometimes I wonder if I was meant for this job. The look the others give me...." >His claws start to grip into the car's upholstery.
"I'll show all of them. We will succeed, and then I can get off this rock. Or maybe we won't need to..." >He says, dreamily, his rant finally ending.
| "..."
>His expression changes. Beads of sweat start to drip down his forehead.
>His eyes dart around, watching the immediate environment. His heart beats faster.
>Then suddenly he relaxes, but his demeanor from before changes back to the protected stance he held when he first got into the car. Well, somewhat less hostile.
| "...I can only imagine that you're recording all of this for later, aren't you?" >He says.
| /I-I see... so that's why.../
>Dead silence follows in the TCC as CN thinks about how to respond
/I certainly agree this society is messed up in an uncountable number of ways, I'm a victim of it myself, but it just seems like VT is focusing on the symptoms and not the disease. Even if all the "chrome" is gone, those horrible people would still remain... like that policlub. Trust me the amount of unaugged people selling some of the kids out there disgusts me./
| /But even then, it doesn't matter whether you're unaugged, augged, AI, or a hybrid. There will always be people making things worse, wiping out a portion of the population won't fix that, you can even argue it could make things worse, especially when the means by which VT does it is from a virus stolen from CyberDyne, irony not withstanding. The only way things can change is through working together, not 20 different groups fighting for power and ideologies./
| /Honestly I've tried to do everything I can to do things peacefully as possible, I myself think no one in VT deserves to die, despite your uh... many attempts at our lives but I digress. Nothing is white or black, everything is grey. Yesterday's enemies can be tomorrow's allies and actions can and should be able to be redeemed... maybe I'm too optimistic, my thinking too simple. But even if it's hard and takes a long time, things can change that way./
| /And I am recording this, only for my records though, I have no intentions of increasing the internet hate on you personally./
| >Every now and then, whenever they hit a stoplight, Nym reaches over to gently pet the girl's head.
| "Somehow I doubt that. You heard what they said? They hate the lilims and the augmented, sure, but they also hate anyone who isn't, and I quote, 'pure.'" >He laughs, but it sounds hollow.
"As if there's such a thing. Humans are constantly evolving. It's why we've always been the Apex predator. They're holding onto a stupid, inherently arbitrary notion, ignoring the fact that anytime they take medicine or inject drugs, they're changing themselves. Will they rage against that, too?"
| "And once again, we did not 'steal' anything. Everything we have accomplished has been the result of a Divine power; an angel that blessed us with gifts that allowed us to *survive* in this wasteland- allowed me, and my many siblings, the chance to be *born.* Why else do you think we took these names? Because of some arbitrary fascination with ancient myths, like some other corporation? Ugh..."
| "And besides, CyberDyne didn't 'create' any virus. The 'virus,' if it can be called that, created itself from them. Or rather, the abomination grew from a seed planted by a Mother of otherwise unremarkable repute. So much so that her records don't even exist; or are perhaps obscured, seeing how much CyberDyne enjoys their little secrets."
| "...Makes me wonder why they started that stupid war to begin with." >He grumbles as the car nears its destination. It's since left the Glitz District and is now traveling through the re-lit lights of Glitch City Square. Enormous skyscrapers tower overhead and as you near the square proper, you pass by a monument made of solid granite, built there as a memorandum of the lives lost during the Twenty Four Hours War. On the far end of the square, still a good twenty minutes away,
| "You're aware of the virus' origins...?"
| >Sits that enormous, reinforced tower... The VeriaTech Headquarters.
>Hermes sighs.
"This must be a dream. Here I am with my sister being driven home by one of our most hated enemies, while discussing the past few months with *another* hated enemy, via radio, as if our entire relationship over the past several months was compartmentalized into a visual novel," >He says, knocking his head back as the air sweeps over his hair. It's stopped raining.
"Honestly, your dedication to-"
| "-being some kind of strictly good-aligned shonen anime protagonist annoys me less than it did back then, because you would have to be an incredibly, insanely, obnoxiously lucky and mental person to not only hold onto all those beliefs, but to somehow survive against the might of a multi-trillion networth, interstellar megacorporation with supposedly infinite funds."
| "So, congrats, CN. That's the closest thing to a compliment you're ever going to get out of me, so long as I live," >He peeks over and watches Nym pet the smol. He bristles at first but then relaxes, and looks away, still vaguely angry.
"...thanks for driving us home."
| "...and of course I'm aware. I report to Hera! I know that we didn't make the virus- I know that it isn't a virus at all. I know that it was a gift to us from the Divine themself! I know that CyberDyne attacked us because they feared what we'd do with it! I knew that they themselves feared it, because they tried to forget about whomever it was that REALLY created it to begin with!"
| >He starts ranting again.
"They're nothing but a miserable pile of secrets! The nerve of those hypocrites, and you, to assume that I was only being told what I needed to hear! The Father keeps no secrets from us, we know that we will ascend when the time is right! I know! My sisters and brothers know!" >He's almost... yelling? No. There's something in his voice... something like... desperation.
"We'll... we'll get to see Elysium. I won't need to wear a bloody suit at work anymore."
| "But...but the Adversary..." >He growls again,
"The Adversary... plots against us. Always, and forever. Manipulates our employees... corrupts men, women, children, and turns them against us," >He seethes!
"He manipulated people like you to attack us when we had no previous quarrel. He sent bombers into our clinics to *murder* our employees under the guise of 'protests.' Even my mercy killing of that dumb woman... a slave to that... 'superhero,' was a ploy set against me."
| "Mark my words... if I... if I kill this Adversary for the Father... the only thing that He and Hera fear... I- I'm sure it will please them," >He says, his tone changing again,
"I... I'll surpass Apollo... Achilles... Ajax... Eros... that, that backstabber, Eros... I'll show them..."
"I'll show them that... even demons can bleed."
>He seems... lost, in his thoughts. Once again it's as if he isn't there in the car, ranting to two of his most hated enemies, at least, until today.
| /Hermes... you do realize angels and demons aren't actually behind all this right? Everything has a logical explanation, including whoever this Adversary is and whoever actually made the virus. This isn't an old mythology tale./
>There's a pause, perhaps almost intentional as he seems to change the subject
/Why does it matter if you surpass your siblings? Despite us being enemies and all that you already have your good points. You are fine as an individual./
| >Nym frowns slightly.
"Can I ask you something Hermes...? All this stuff that... VeriaTech is doing... Is it supposed to be for the good of these kids?"
| >>107332
>Hermes growls low, and then looks away, despite CN not actually being in the car with him.
"Spare me *your* patronizing, CN. Ugh!"
>>107976
>Hermes is about to retort but then catches himself part way. He looks like he wants to say something, anything but for once his tongue gets caught in his mouth.
>Instead he continues to sulk, double offended by both questions and, presumably, the comments about his "god."
| >The smol continues to play, still unaware of the arguing that is transpiring around them. Their hood falls off in the process, revealing milky white hair and pale skin. Their smol, red eyes glance over the passenger side door and follow the lights up the nearest skyscraper, until they meet Nym's. The smol studies the lilim, eyes wide with curiosity.
| /I'm not patronizing you. I mean just the way you take care of Clotho is league's better than how some people treat kids. Even if she is your sister the fact of the matter is you can be a lot worse. That compassion is commendable. And while I don't agree with the methods that VT is going about it, I can tell you have a sense of justice given how you recognize the bad in the city. We all have a hard time recognizing are good points, who cares whatever anyone else says otherwise./
| >Nym smiles at the little girl before addressing Hermes again.
"I'm not going to pretend to fully understand your motivations but... If what you're doing really is for these kids' future... Are you sure you want to save that way with blood?"
| >>108359
"If treating the only person who loves me in this wretched city decently is supposed to be 'leagues' better than most people, then maybe the world really does need to be *purged*," >He says as you finally near the HQ. Up ahead, a variety of familiar black suits- CorpSec security- make their way in front of the car, forming a firing line. Others still take no notice, instead choosing to guard the front entrance.
| >The front lawn of the HQ is layered with bodies, all of whom have been nicely arranged and covered with tarps. There are large prints in the ground, along with signs of broken lamp posts, crushed seats, and torn trees. A concrete stairway leading to the main entrance of the HQ has been partially crushed, and on closer inspection, the main entrance doors seem to have suffered damage as well- maintenance staff appear to be trying to reattach them.
| >>108409
"You saw me murder that sniveling wretch on danger/u/, didn't you?" >Hermes says as you near the area. He waves toward the CorpSec soldiers, who break formation and get out of the way.
"I don't have a choice. No one does. Only The Promise can save us- *will* save us." >He says, his voice desperate again.
"...Must save us. Glory to Mankind."
| "...I...I will not be left behind..." >He mumbles,
"We will not be left..."
| /...I suppose it's going to be hard to see eye to eye like This, especially when I don't really know anything about The Adversary or The Promise... maybe if I did things would be different./
>He chuckles to himself, although it sounds strained and almost tired.
/Well regardless on how this continues or ends I don't stray from my beliefs either Hermes, I'll end this my own way, so don't expect me to come in guns blazing when that time comes. More death isn't what we need./
| /...You take care of her okay? And yourself too./
| >at the front entrance walks out a tall woman with medium length brown hair and gold eye augments. She is wearing a very clean white labcoat and a white surgical mask
| >she begins to make her way to Hermes
| >Hermes covers his face in his hands, lost in thought as the vehicle finally comes to a stop. He doesn't even notice the woman until she's already at the car.
"...Oh. Hello, Arachne. Long time no see."
| "I... Don't think the kids would like us carving a future for them over dead bodies..."
>Nym pets the smol again.
"There's been enough bloodshed and I know there's more to come... I'm not stupid. I know there's no avoiding it but..."
>The Lilim sighs.
"Hermes. If you and yours continue to put this city's innocents in danger, we will stand against you."
| >in a whispery voice
"Hello, Hermes. Have you been doing well?"
>she looks at the lilim and then at Clotho.
>she pulls out a small chocolate bar from her pocket and holds it out for Clotho
>with the other she moves to put the hood back on her.
| /...Hello Arachne./
| >she looks around for where the voice is coming from.
"CN?"
>can barely be heard by you
| /Yes. Don't bother looking around for me. I'm not there in person./
| "I was looking for where you're audio device is, doubt you can hear me well."
| /Just talk towards Mombot and I'll hear you just fine./
| >she cocks her head at "mombot" and looks at the lilim
"That is an odd designation."
| /L-look it's not like that matter at this moment. It's not like we're gonna share our entire life story here./
| "Unfortunate."
>she pulls out a larger candy bar and offers it to hermes
| >Nym shrugs.
"That's what they decided to call me. The name's Nym. Nice to meet you."
| /Unfortunate? I'm surprised you cared considering the past few months of communications between us had involved you trying to intimidate me./
| >>108479
>>108492
>The smol reaches up with smol hands and takes the candy bar! She unwraps it easily with a small "claw" that pops out of her finger, and begins nomming hungrily.
>Hermes also accepts the bar gratefully, but puts it away in a side pocket.
"Lovely, just lovely... even got to see Kira Miki. And then this mess happened."
>He looks over your shoulder.
"... let me guess. Another one of those 'milk runs'?"
| >Arachne holds out her hand towards the lilim.
"Arachne, Research and Development."
"How else would I find a better way to do that than to know your history, CN? Or maybe its just a general curiosity."
| >Nym shakes Arachne's hand.
| >>108505
>she gives a firm shake, you don't feel anything unusual happen.
"Nice to meet you, Nym. Is that a Pseudonym?"
>she breaks the handshake
| >>108508
"Yes, though the pun wasn't intended. And what's this about Atlas...? Something going on?"
| >>108510
>Hermes sweats visibly, but wipes it away on his coat sleeve. He grinds his teeth together.
"What is Hera doing about it?"
| >>108516
"I was in the lab, I didn't hear anything else than that."
>a dull buzz can be heard as a mosquito land's on Arachne's lab coat.
| >Hermes wipes his face.
"Brilliant."
| >>108478
>He turns to Mombot.
"...of course you would say that. I would be more surprised if you were employed by us against our enemies. Not that Hera hasn't tried, apparently."
| >>108518
"Interesting. Perhaps later then I can't think of any right now."
>the mosquito has begun to crawl up Arachne's shoulder she either doesn't notice or doesn't care.
>>108521
"On the positive side those subject's that took me up on my 'offer' in December have born some fruit. Though wish I had the one I was supposed to have a few days ago..."
>CN feels this is pointed towards him
| >>108525
>Hermes sighs.
"At least you won't need to worry about anyone coming to 'save' those... bigots. I'm almost surprised that Apollo didn't go on the offensive- like those... 'Crayven' people."
| >>108530
/Is Apollo always that impulsive?/
>>108534
/You and I have very two different meanings of "lab"./
| >>108537
"Apollo is like you," >Hermes says, without a second thought,
"He's a do-gooder. Rubs against our parents all the time, acts on his own... takes after his namesake almost to the point of absurdity. Nothing like his sister..." >He says, thoughtfully.
"...actually, maybe it's a good thing that he's nothing like his sister..."
| >>108538
/Well considering your "experiments" would not be widely accepted in the scientific community then I'd say your definitions don't hold much weight as well./
| >>108540
/I see... I'm surprised I don't see him out on the town more. The last time I heard of those two doing something was back in the Locked and Barrel./
| >>108545
"If you *did* see him all the time, I'd be worried for a completely different reason," >Hermes says, rolling his eyes.
| >>108542
"You know only about the public side of the scientific community CN, believe me. Do you know any scientist personally? I mean actually know, not the face they put on when you do a job for them."
| >>108550
/Y-You don't have to roll your eyes. The only reason I'm asking such obviously stupid questions is cause I don't know anything about you guys. I mean just a codename doesn't really say a lot about the actual person behind the guy who works 9-5 in VT./
>>108552
/As a matter of fact I do know a scientist on a personal level, although I suppose that's a story for another time. Besides, she values her secrecy./
| >>108559
/Well I wouldn't know that cause I don't know where you've worked./
>>108564
/Yes and that's all I'll say since they usually don't like me talking about them without their knowledge/
| >>108572
>Hermes gives the car speakers a suspicious glare, but then shrugs. He opens the car doors and disembarks.
>Meanwhile, in the passenger seat, the smol is still nom'ing away at the candy bar.
| >Nym absentmindedly pets the smol's head some more.
| >>108586
/I guess this is it huh? Honestly I'd rather not pretend that this didn't happen. I found it... humanizing in a way./
| >>108594
>Hermes reaches over and unbuckles the smol. The smol has finished the candybar, her lips smeared with melted chocolate. She reaches up toward the tol, who gently picks her up and brings her over his shoulder. She blinks at Arachne.
| >>108594
>Hermes leans down toward the speakers and Nym, his face devoid of the overbearing, annoying enthusiasm you once knew him for.
"What you said earlier... about not thinking anyone at VT deserves to die..."
| /Yes?/
| >>108643
>He looks away from both you and Nym.
"...the... hybrids, must be doing pretty well, huh?"
| >Nym nods.
"We're taking care of them as best we can."
| /We've done the best we can. Kept them safe and fed. I just worry for the ones still in the city, a lot of them are still missing since the raid. Hey... can I ask how many VT has found since then? I just want to know how many are still out there. It would bring some peace of mind./
| >>108667 >>108673
"...thirteen, that I'm aware of," >He says, softly.
"...two of them were in a clinic that was bombed by those 'Awoonymous' terrorists; they detonated some explosives that were strapped to their chests."
| >Nym's expression just drops.
"I... see..."
| /So between the ones we're both aware of that leaves... 15 unaccounted for... dammit. This never ends.../
>Another heavy sigh
/We'll keep on finding them and keep them safe. Just uh, don't forget about them if you find and raid our next safehouse okay?/
| >>108719
>He rolls his eyes, and makes to leave, but then turns back to face you. He breathes in.
"...Tell Akira that I'm sorry..." >he says, pausing. He gently caresses the smol's head.
"And whatever happens to me..." >He gently pats the top of the girl's hood,
"...take care of Clotha, too."
>With that, he turns away. The smol looks up at you, her red eyes glowing under her hood. She raises a hand and gives a smol wave.
| >Arachne waves back
"Any further business?"
>she says in a whisper
>the mosquito has stopped around her ear. She still hasn't done anything about it
| >Nym gives a solemn nod.
"Of course. I'll do what I can for the kids."
| /No. And please take your mosquito and any other insect-slash-arachnids with you. I'm well aware of the "termite" attack that happened in the Hearts Beat./
| >The lilim turns their attention to Arachne.
"Not really, no. I was just bringing these two home. I suppose I'll take my leave."
| >she lets out a loud laugh completely unexpected due to the whispery voice
"Oh yes, that was fun. Wonder what they did with the tequila worms."
| /*Sigh* I really have a hard time reading you.../
| >arachne turns around
"Good."
>she offers a chocolate bar to Nym
| >Nym just looks at the bar for a moment before accepting it.
"Thank you...? Hopefully future interactions can be just as... amicable."
| >she shrugs and begins to walk away, the mosquito never left her face
| /Well I'm glad that worked out as well as it did but let's still be cautious, we don't want a repeat of the summit. Drive at random for awhile before stopping and checking for any bugs or trackers okay?/
| /Understood. Let me know if there's anything else that needs to be done before I head back./
>Nym starts the car again and starts to drive off.
This thread is permanently archived
| >As if this day couldn't get any worse, it's started to rain. Freezing rain, which freezes into ice on contact with the ground.
>The area is nearly silent save for the sounds of the falling rain, but not so much as a car drives by, nor are there the sounds of birds or other animals that sound out even during such storms.
>There's a light somewhere down the path, along with smoke rising. A fire somewhere, obscured both by the weather and a growing shadow...