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[His smile- nostalgic and half there- was sweet. She'd remember it, purely because it made him seem so much younger.
But she was a little taken aback, even as she settled down and smiled.]
Yeah? In a nice, sisterly way, or a naggy, sisterly way?
Because I'm an only child, but I've seen plenty of siblings.
But she was a little taken aback, even as she settled down and smiled.]
Yeah? In a nice, sisterly way, or a naggy, sisterly way?
Because I'm an only child, but I've seen plenty of siblings.
Aerith hadn't meant to make Collins flustered but...well. Couldn't say she minded it very much. It was much better then some of the other reactions he could have had with her, being as sassy and bold as she was.
At least she managed to make him laugh. She rewarded him with a pert little smile, clearly pleased with the outcome.
"Oh, that's something I won't forget Collins. We'd both suffer." And she meant it too. But she nodded at the slight chance of subject.
"I have no idea." She was honest at least. "Song Zichen is showing me how to slash, Cain how to punch, and Saga some self defense. They're really kind to help me out so- I've been trying everything I can."
At least she managed to make him laugh. She rewarded him with a pert little smile, clearly pleased with the outcome.
"Oh, that's something I won't forget Collins. We'd both suffer." And she meant it too. But she nodded at the slight chance of subject.
"I have no idea." She was honest at least. "Song Zichen is showing me how to slash, Cain how to punch, and Saga some self defense. They're really kind to help me out so- I've been trying everything I can."
Alan lifts his head up.
"Really? We're doing this?" He'll at least try it, though. Aerith really does have him wrapped around her fingers. He sighs.
"I don't know," he answers honestly. "I don't even know if I want to be a warden. There's people here I want to help, things I want to do back home, but..."
No. He's thinking practically. He trails off, sets himself up again. Treats the thought exercise as such, pretends he's writing about a character and not himself.
"Well. We need a proper arc, right? An internal realization, like you said. That comes first. A better version of me, but something that's still structurally me. That's important."
"Really? We're doing this?" He'll at least try it, though. Aerith really does have him wrapped around her fingers. He sighs.
"I don't know," he answers honestly. "I don't even know if I want to be a warden. There's people here I want to help, things I want to do back home, but..."
No. He's thinking practically. He trails off, sets himself up again. Treats the thought exercise as such, pretends he's writing about a character and not himself.
"Well. We need a proper arc, right? An internal realization, like you said. That comes first. A better version of me, but something that's still structurally me. That's important."
Edited (he looks so confused in half of his icons i just want one of him being Normal!!!) 2024-09-19 18:45 (UTC)
"Yup." He wasn't the only one wrapped around her little finger. Poor Alan. Maybe poor Alan.
Aerith pulled back and turned so they could watch each other.
"So there needs to be an epiphany." She nodded. "And that can't be forced. And that means no regression. So...what's this Warden Alan look like? Personality wise?"
Aerith pulled back and turned so they could watch each other.
"So there needs to be an epiphany." She nodded. "And that can't be forced. And that means no regression. So...what's this Warden Alan look like? Personality wise?"
This is swerving way too close to being vulnerable. Alan looks visibly pained for a few moments before he literally grits his teeth and pulls himself together. It's just a conversation, Wake. But God, he knows why his mind put Aerith in the place of Alice. Now more than ever.
He sighs, annoyed but more at himself.
"I don't know. The same, I guess. Aerith--I've been going through this gradual change thing for a while and I've got to be honest, it's fucking tiring."
He sighs, annoyed but more at himself.
"I don't know. The same, I guess. Aerith--I've been going through this gradual change thing for a while and I've got to be honest, it's fucking tiring."
There was a reason why Alice had been such an easy fit for her. She didn't sigh. She knew he was trying so hard, and this was stumping him. If he knew, he'd already be on the road to graduation.
"No...it would be tiring. It's a lot of pressure." She reached out to gently pat him on the shoulder. "And I know you want to get back to Alice. And no...you're not wrong to feel tired, irritable, and helpless about it."
Aerith understood. She had to go through some things to accept that her life was different now.
"I wish I could tell you what the solution is. But I guess the only thing I can think of is..." She trailed off. "You're not going to like it Alan."
"No...it would be tiring. It's a lot of pressure." She reached out to gently pat him on the shoulder. "And I know you want to get back to Alice. And no...you're not wrong to feel tired, irritable, and helpless about it."
Aerith understood. She had to go through some things to accept that her life was different now.
"I wish I could tell you what the solution is. But I guess the only thing I can think of is..." She trailed off. "You're not going to like it Alan."
Uh-oh. Alan glances over, brows raised, mentally bracing himself despite his calm expression.
"Not going to like what?"
Aerith is probably right, whatever it is. So Alan makes it a point to attempt to be as accepting of the answer as possible.
"Not going to like what?"
Aerith is probably right, whatever it is. So Alan makes it a point to attempt to be as accepting of the answer as possible.
"What my guess is." She sighed, looking him in the face.
"From my guess, it's about taking responsibility for your actions."
She lightly touched her chest. "I've made mistakes. But before I came, I did step up. Tried to even. I've spoken to Hilbert and Corvo. It doesn't have to be extremes. Just...a thought."
"From my guess, it's about taking responsibility for your actions."
She lightly touched her chest. "I've made mistakes. But before I came, I did step up. Tried to even. I've spoken to Hilbert and Corvo. It doesn't have to be extremes. Just...a thought."
Edited 2024-09-23 17:51 (UTC)
It's a thought. It's a good thought, too, and Alan knows in the back of his head that Aerith is absolutely right. He doesn't agree with it, if the way he shoots her a look is anything to go by, face right set right back into a brooding look, but he doesn't have the heart to actually snap. Aerith, it seems, plays by Alice rules now.
Shit.
He sighs, heavy and noncommittal, and opts out of being Perceived like this as best as he can instead of getting too annoyed.
"You talked to Corvo? Manage to get more than three sentences out of him?"
Shit.
He sighs, heavy and noncommittal, and opts out of being Perceived like this as best as he can instead of getting too annoyed.
"You talked to Corvo? Manage to get more than three sentences out of him?"
Aerith was wondering when the anger would pop up. She could see the thunder broiling. So she waited.
And was a little surprised when he didn't snap or lash out. It had been pointed, and difficult thing to hear. Gently, Aerith gave Alan's arm a squeeze. Just thankful that he didn't lash out.
"Yes? Corvo and I can be positively chatty given the chance." Aerith tilted her head, offering a semi amused, semi puzzled look. "What, is he always quiet and brooding around you?"
And was a little surprised when he didn't snap or lash out. It had been pointed, and difficult thing to hear. Gently, Aerith gave Alan's arm a squeeze. Just thankful that he didn't lash out.
"Yes? Corvo and I can be positively chatty given the chance." Aerith tilted her head, offering a semi amused, semi puzzled look. "What, is he always quiet and brooding around you?"
"We hardly talk," Alan says simply, and there's a bit of a grin on his face.
"He's definitely someone I'd call a friend."
"He's definitely someone I'd call a friend."
"Yeah, that's him." She laughed. Poor Corvo. The former assassin had grown on her with each meeting really.
"We had a kinda awkward first meeting. He told me he was the reason about the signs on the stairs- the ones about this place being real."
"We had a kinda awkward first meeting. He told me he was the reason about the signs on the stairs- the ones about this place being real."
Collins's expression soured a bit at the names mentioned. Not only were the majority wardens, but two out of the three personally pissed off the Irishman. The third meant nothing to him but he was pretty sure it was just another person that would be annoying if he knew.
"I see." His tone was more neutral than his face. "It sounds as though yer gettin' a li'l bit of everything. Except one thing: shootin'."
"I see." His tone was more neutral than his face. "It sounds as though yer gettin' a li'l bit of everything. Except one thing: shootin'."
She had no idea of Collins encounters with the others. Song and Saga were perfectly nice wardens, as far as Aerith was concerned.
Cain...well, he was a temperamental feral cat. There was a reason why Abel had thay network call after all.
"I'm kind of dubious about using blades in the first place." She admitted. "But you're right. I don't know how to shoot arrow or bullets at all. And you do know how to shoot."
Cain...well, he was a temperamental feral cat. There was a reason why Abel had thay network call after all.
"I'm kind of dubious about using blades in the first place." She admitted. "But you're right. I don't know how to shoot arrow or bullets at all. And you do know how to shoot."
"Aye, I do." He said with a faint curl to his lips. "It don't take much strength ta shoot a gun neither. Just tha right amount of trainin' and practice."
He made a small gesture and expression that appeared to be an offer. He was not going to presume she would want lessons from him, but he would not deny himself an excuse to play with guns.
He made a small gesture and expression that appeared to be an offer. He was not going to presume she would want lessons from him, but he would not deny himself an excuse to play with guns.
She had certainly seen him shoot on the run. And honestly...it had been pretty cool, in retrospect.
"Thank you Collins. I'd like that- the training- very much. I don't know if we can do that in the gym, since it's so loud but..."
She offered a little shrug. "Just let me know when, and we can try things out in the Enclosure. Would you want to teach me normal-sized guns, or big guns?"
Since she knew Collins had the regular hand-sized gun, she thought he might have fun with playing with shotguns and rifles.
"Thank you Collins. I'd like that- the training- very much. I don't know if we can do that in the gym, since it's so loud but..."
She offered a little shrug. "Just let me know when, and we can try things out in the Enclosure. Would you want to teach me normal-sized guns, or big guns?"
Since she knew Collins had the regular hand-sized gun, she thought he might have fun with playing with shotguns and rifles.
"They're pretty helpful," Alan admits, and makes it a point to ask Corvo about it later.
"I don't think that guy knows how to be normal. I tried to hit him with my flashlight when we first met. Snuck up on me my second day here."
"I don't think that guy knows how to be normal. I tried to hit him with my flashlight when we first met. Snuck up on me my second day here."
"I hope that doesn't mean you're a stab first ask later sort of guy." Her tease was gentle and she patted his arm to show she didn't mean it at all.
"And I think Corvo is as normal as he can get." She offered a gentle shrug. "His world seems very...very different from what little he's told me."
"And I think Corvo is as normal as he can get." She offered a gentle shrug. "His world seems very...very different from what little he's told me."
He allowed himself a small smile but hid the rest of his excitement over the prospect of playing with guns. And teaching them to someone, of course.
He considered her question seriously for a moment. "Why not both if yer interested? Though you'll need ta work on yer strength a little fer tha larger guns."
Her noodle arms would need some reinforcement. Overall the guns didn't seem that heavy and she could probably easily carry a rifle. But the shooting process, holding the gun up at shoulder height long enough to aim and fire, that took more strength than expected honestly. He was long past the point of remembering what it felt like, but he had seen plenty of greenhorns have that problem.
"Why don't you... get a few guns from yer world, something you would be able ta find and use there, modify them ta be useless here expect fer trainin' purposes, and give them ta me ta get used to them. I'll read up, figure out any differences if there are any, and then I'll teach you how ta use them. I'll show ya mine, too, so you can round out yer knowledge while yer here. Might not be much of any differences, but I won't know till I see 'em."
He considered her question seriously for a moment. "Why not both if yer interested? Though you'll need ta work on yer strength a little fer tha larger guns."
Her noodle arms would need some reinforcement. Overall the guns didn't seem that heavy and she could probably easily carry a rifle. But the shooting process, holding the gun up at shoulder height long enough to aim and fire, that took more strength than expected honestly. He was long past the point of remembering what it felt like, but he had seen plenty of greenhorns have that problem.
"Why don't you... get a few guns from yer world, something you would be able ta find and use there, modify them ta be useless here expect fer trainin' purposes, and give them ta me ta get used to them. I'll read up, figure out any differences if there are any, and then I'll teach you how ta use them. I'll show ya mine, too, so you can round out yer knowledge while yer here. Might not be much of any differences, but I won't know till I see 'em."
"I was when I first arrived," he says, clearly not offended. "Kind of like Corvo, I guess." Who really is fairly normal considering.
"Everyone seems to come from a really bad place if they're an inmate."
"Everyone seems to come from a really bad place if they're an inmate."
"Well, thanks for not stabbing me." She smiled at him. She was still semi joking, but...what had Alan gone through? She wondered.
"Well...if they're coming in dead...that sadly makes sense. No wonder they come in all jittery."
"Well...if they're coming in dead...that sadly makes sense. No wonder they come in all jittery."
Aerith would not be surprised if Collins was plain excited at the idea of using weapons. Which wasn't surprising, since violence sang to him like water over stone.
"Well...I'm already trying to work out at the gym at least."
Aerith found herself frowning in thought. "To be honest, I'm used to seeing rifles more than anything. They were more useful against monsters. I mean, other than Vincent's gun, but? That can also house materia- the orbs I mentioned before. So maybe...not his gun as a blueprint."
Aerith shook her head. "But I can look some up, see about getting some practice guns or something? Maybe there's like...training guns? Something that's only usable for the gun range? I'll have to think about it."
"Well...I'm already trying to work out at the gym at least."
Aerith found herself frowning in thought. "To be honest, I'm used to seeing rifles more than anything. They were more useful against monsters. I mean, other than Vincent's gun, but? That can also house materia- the orbs I mentioned before. So maybe...not his gun as a blueprint."
Aerith shook her head. "But I can look some up, see about getting some practice guns or something? Maybe there's like...training guns? Something that's only usable for the gun range? I'll have to think about it."
'Jittery' is the correct word and also a completely absurd one. Alan doesn't bother to hide the mild surprise flickering across his features at it.
"Definitely something most of us needed to adjust for," he agrees. He frowns, mulling it over. He'd been ready. That's the difference, he thinks. However minuscule. He may not remember the conversation with the admirable, but he knows he'd been willing. This is too good an opportunity to pass up.
"Definitely something most of us needed to adjust for," he agrees. He frowns, mulling it over. He'd been ready. That's the difference, he thinks. However minuscule. He may not remember the conversation with the admirable, but he knows he'd been willing. This is too good an opportunity to pass up.
Aerith nodded. She had taken a lot of time to think over this. With her initial conversations with Corvo and Yelena, they were used to being attacked.
"Maybe some know, maybe some need to be snapped up. We don't know." Aerith shook her head. "And fighters who die fighting...they're ready to keep fighting until the danger is over."
She gave Alan a pat on the arm. "You're included in that by the way."
Him being a fighter.
"Maybe some know, maybe some need to be snapped up. We don't know." Aerith shook her head. "And fighters who die fighting...they're ready to keep fighting until the danger is over."
She gave Alan a pat on the arm. "You're included in that by the way."
Him being a fighter.
[Not too long after they're all corralled onto the Narrenschiff, and very shortly after the Safety Corner has started to form, Shaw arrives - tired-looking, grubby-looking, and with an unconscious woman slung across her shoulders. A tall woman, who looks about half a head taller than Shaw herself (though it's a little hard to tell, given that only one of them is standing upright). Needless to say, these past few days have not been fun.]
Hey, uh, I hear you have a safe place here for people to sleep? 'Cause listen, I'm not gonna lie, my back's really starting to hurt.
Hey, uh, I hear you have a safe place here for people to sleep? 'Cause listen, I'm not gonna lie, my back's really starting to hurt.
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