driftfleet | Libuscha IV System Mingle (no. 1)

[he's not going to make a comment about fighting monsters, nor is he going to elaborate about just in cases. Look, he's paranoid like, all the time, you don't know what's on the other side of that, and he may or may not be down here armed, so there.

As Connor crawls in Ben crouches down to watch, making a face. Connor is . . . well, smaller than he is, and Ben is not as agile as an android is, and so this is not going to take him fifteen seconds. It's gonna take a little longer, and a lot of cursing, once Connor gives him the go ahead.

As soon as he's through he braces a hand against the wall to heave himself up with one more curse for good measure]

There's gotta be another way in here, no way everyone's climbing through that.

[Connor doesn't watch Ben's entire struggle through the gap. After he'd given Ben the go-ahead, he had turned to survey the room - and gone still. There was a tree (the tree, he's 97% certain) glowing brightly in the centre of the chamber he had emerged into, icy limbs outstretched over a pool of water below. Despite all the things he's already witnessed in the Fleet, the small yet growing shift in his acceptance of magic-related things ... he wasn't really expecting to find this thing. It registers for him as it usually does:

Confirm cavern ice-tree rumours: complete.

He's snapped out of his daze as Ben's muffled cursing rings out again behind him. By the time Ben's squirming through, Connor's turned his back on the scene and waiting to give him a hand out.]

Yes, from here I can already see several other openings that could lead to other passages.

[Ben gratefully accepts the hand out, if only so he doesn't end up on his face]

Good. I'm not old enough to be complaining about being too old for this shit. [it's half-muttered to himself, and trails off at the end when he catches sight of the tree. He's seen plenty of magic already while being here, but it's still something that, at least for the briefest of moments, still amazes him completely] Holy shit.

Edited 2018-12-09 03:15 (UTC)

[Connor's LED whirls yellow for a couple of seconds before it settles again, having gotten through that initial amazement.]

Yeah... it looks like the stories were accurate. [As far as the existence of a subterranean tree goes, at least. Walking a few paces closer, he peers up at the translucent leaves hanging off the white branches. It's definitely ice - if there's plant material embedded within the tree he can't scan it, or has no reference for its exact makeup. Maybe it's more akin to a sculpture than pure flora. He muses aloud:] It's beautiful, isn't it?

[he makes an agreeing noise and takes a few steps closer to get a better look, before he shakes himself out of his awe and amazement and all that] Yeah, it is. [a little gruffly] All right, so we found the pretty tree. Now what do we do?

[Turning to Ben, Connor makes a considering noise then goes back through the stories he's heard so far.]

I've heard three different things that are meant to prompt something being given by the tree. You have to have a strong will, a kind heart, or be unburdened and true to yourself.

[Rubbing his hands together, he stares up at the tree in consternation.]

They've been said in a few ways, but those are the main ones I've heard of.

[given that he wasn't even sure he'd find the tree, Ben didn't even know what he'd wish for, if anything. It was just something to do because he was bored. Now that he's here . . . he kind of makes a face, like the idea of any of those pains him a little.

He gives the tree a long look before he huffs and looks at Connor]

Don't you like, immediately meet the requirements for the first one?

[Ben receives a blank stare for a few moments, before Connor just grimaces a bit.]

I don't think just existing near the tree counts.

[Also, shut up, his willpower is debatable.]

[he just shrugs in response]

I'm just saying.

[he glances up at the tree again] So what, we gotta - talk about it or something? [muttered] Gross.

Maybe. I can't say I know exactly what it needs to proceed.

[he crosses his arms and tips his head back to sigh, pained again]

It's all subjective shit. I mean, we both kinda fit the first thing; you broke through your programming, I refused to die a bunch of times - that counts, right? Same difference? [he winces a little] Fuck if I know.

[Pausing, Connor moves to circle around the water's edge, getting a better look at the tree from other angles. It's an impressive feat to grow here, but that's not what he's searching for. There's no evidence of anything being left on the ground ... though he stops when he identifies a series of footprints around the water's edge. At least four different sets of shoes made the marks, though they're jumbled up.]

Well, we aren't the first to come here. It appears at least four people approached the water before leaving again. I don't know how that relates to the tasks we need to complete, but it could point towards the sequence of events once the tree does something in response.

[Ben glances over with a curious look, then steps over to take a look himself. Though he can't really see them in the way Connor can, he crouches down to squint at the footprints . . . and then with an amused huff, reaches up to activate his eye to see them better]

Are we playing detective, then? [he scratches at his cheek, quiet for a few long minutes as he thinks, before he stands up to look around, eyeing the ground for more footprints that aren't theirs] Four out of how many, though? A bunch, right?

It's likely there have been others. [He glances back over the deeper side of the shoreline.] But the ground has been disturbed too much to be sure. We can probably assume not everyone succeeds in getting a gift from this tree.

[he makes a noise of agreement] People probably left and came back, too. For more info or - I dunno, two of those requirements could be literal. [he glances over at Connor] Like, you can literally unburden yourself or you can show you have a kind heart by doing something nice for someone. [he shrugs]

[Connor nods, working through the various meanings the phrases could have.]

I doubt I'll be able to do any physical unburdening. I don't own much to start with.

[there's the faintest sound of metal sliding against metal, as Ben plays with the panel in his palm]

Same, really. And none of like, my parts are a burden either. Not anymore. Kinda grew out of that.

The kind heart shit is kinda . . . out. I mean, you can try it, but if I do it, it'll just feel - I dunno, forced? Even if I mean it.

Edited 2018-12-15 06:52 (UTC)

It's unfortunate that buying the coat for me doesn't count. Otherwise you would have already had something waiting when you got here.

[Yes, he's calling that out as a kind act.]

You're right though - doing so with the expectation of some kind of reward seems to defeat the purpose of it.

[his nose scrunches up, how dare you call it out]

I doubt that would've counted, dude. It was just a jacket.

But yeah, that's what I mean. Might work for people who like, do nice shit all the time. But for someone like me? Ain't gonna fly.

[so that leaves the one thing, which he can't think of a damn thing, or the other . . . ugh] So - say we figure it out. It goes without saying that whatever it is doesn't leave the cave, right? Like, if it's private shit.

It's already apparent it didn't count.

[This doesn't bother Connor or anything. It's just a fact of this tree's abstract standards. He gives Ben a quizzical look.]

The method? Or what we do specifically?

Edited 2018-12-15 08:33 (UTC)

[Ben personally thinks the tree's abstract standards can shove it, but that's Ben. He sighs and rubs at the bridge of his nose with his flesh hand]

More the latter. I'm just saying - if I end up dropping some deep dark secret of mine? Keep it to yourself.

All right...

[If he sounds uncertain, it's only because Connor isn't sure who he would tell that sort of thing. Or why Ben thinks he would. He understands the concept of confidentiality. He's no longer in a position where just being ordered to keep quiet would be enough, but he's still not about to go broadcasting secrets all over the place.]

I'm not going to tell anyone.

[he rubs at his face, peeking through his fingers to watch Connor at the tone of his voice. And then he sighs, and decides maybe he should just - be honest, for once. And not just . . . himself about things]

I don't think you will. But like, people like me? I can think you won't, logically, but there's also part of me that doesn't believe it, so hearing that you won't kinda calms that stupid part down. Does that make sense?

You mean an irrational worry.

[At least Connor can say that these days without being too clinical about it. It's not the kindest phrasing - he never did get the hang of that part. Yet he understands it far better now than he would have back in his machine days, where his programming would have logged the answer and spat out the response.]

You need it to be clear.

[he appreciates someone else being blunt about it for once, even if he winces a little]

Right. [a shrug] Seems like nothing, but later on when my brain decides to remind me about all this, I can say "hey, he said he wouldn't talk about it" and I'll probably be fine. [dryly] Human brains suck, by the way.

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