Twin Roses Mingle (visitors welcome)

[passingthrough]

Who: Twin Roses’ crew, friends, and lookieloos
Broadcast: Unlikely
Action: Twin Roses
When: March 2019

[Not much has changed on the Twin Roses since their stay on the Marsiva. No crew changes. No promotions or downgrades, although Vash is no longer co-captain, but rather first mate, in case anyone missed it and Krolia is still somewhat new among their ranks.

There aren’t even any stale donuts lying around which also means the plants in the garden and pets are thriving and their food stocks are still going strong. Yep, just totally normal stuff after being gone over a month! And probably no weird things to talk about after seeing each other’s memories. Business as usual here!

Also, there was the part where they attacked the Marsiva afterward for a hot minute. Just another normal day in the life of the fleet.]

Comments

[passingthrough]

How could anyone not? I mean, most people would phrase it like a normal person, but otherwise.

[candothat]

You think so highly of me and my tolerability. I'm flattered.

But we're talking too much about me. [It's very uncomfortable, honestly.] How are you?

[passingthrough]

Okay, first of all there's no such thing as talking too much about you. You're a delightful topic. Second of all, I'm good.

[candothat]

I already said that I'm flattered, you can stop now. [Joking! She can say all the nice things she wants, he'll allow it.] Good. Your crew is the same as it was before we were all sent to the Marsiva, correct?

[passingthrough]

Can't stop. Won't stop.

More or less. Makie is back, but not on our roster yet. I believe she's moved back in though. [See how easy it is when you just want to be on a ship?]

[candothat]

[Please don't stop.]

I didn't realize that Miss Makie had returned. [He only talked to her once, but she was always there.] Does she have her memories?

[passingthrough]

[Never, though it is on pause for other topics.]

It was a little before calibrations actually. Very little before. It's actually impressive how we can all be squeezed onto the Marsiva and still not run into people, isn't it? [She has little doubt Makie was keeping to herself.]

She does remember. So we have that going for us.

[candothat]

Impressive or proof that my observation skills are not so keen. [Or maybe he was trying really hard to not talk to people on the Marsiva. It's awkward, you know, running around in others' heads and then seeing them the next day.]

That's fortunate. I'm glad that a member of your crew came back.

[It's especially heartening after poking around in Kitty's head and seeing some of the times people didn't come back... which was most times.]

[passingthrough]

Well, we had a lot to be distracted by to be fair. At least in our sleep.

Thanks. It's good to have her back and like most people on my crew she's better off here so that's something.

[But speaking of calibrations...] Do you remember everything from the Marsiva?

[candothat]

As their captain [well, close enough in Maki's case] I believe you're obligated to order your crew not to leave.

[Ah, there's the thing again. They probably should speak of calibrations.]

I do, yes. Do you?

[passingthrough]

I'll be their transparent overlord. [As opposed to the mysterious ones.]

I think so. It's hard to know if you forgot a thing, but I remember lots and lots of things. I remember being in your memories. You seemed like yourself there.

[candothat]

An improvement over the overlords that they have now.

I remember being in yours as well. You weren't very like the you that I know at all--and to be clear, I like this version of you much better.

[passingthrough]

You don't think I should be 80% harsh, disapproving looks? What about 70%?

[She tries to manufacture one before breaking into a smile.] I used to be a lot like that actually. I mean, she was more wooden. There to do the job of running people through memories. But still, I was very mission focused too. Walled off to most people. Hard like the world around me.

[candothat]

Maybe 5% at most.

[Her attempt gets a sad smile.] You were a little like that in one of the memories--the early one in Marina. I'm sorry that your world made it necessary to be hard.

[passingthrough]

Not everyone reacted that way to it. Morph was...always silly and joking and trying to keep things light. Some people were just quiet and withdrawn. I don't know if I did what I had to do or what worked for me, but it felt normal at the time.

[candothat]

I think that it's one of many normal ways to react to a hard world. Nothing and no one could hurt you too much if your walls were big enough and strong enough.

[passingthrough]

Turns out, not true especially if you let someone inside before you build it. [Piotr of course. With all the betrayal and murdering.]

[candothat]

A design flaw with walls. [He'd like to give her a hug--you know, because Piotr and the betraying and the murdering--but they're not really configured for that.]

You have come a very, very long way, you know.

[passingthrough]

Well, sure. I don't really know where Chicago is in relation to wherever we are now, but I'm guessing it's decently far. [She knows that's not what he means and she appreciates it.]

[candothat]

Yes, that's exactly what I was talking about. [It was not and it's a good thing she knows it.]

How... ah. How is it going with Vash? [Does he really want to know? He does want to get back to a place with Kitty where they can talk about things, and since many of Kitty's things are relationship-related...]

[passingthrough]

[Okay, okay, she knows. How can she take all this kindness? Unbearable!]

Oh... [No, this is good. This is what they said they'd do.] Good. I think? I hope? It's um... [She pauses and kind of slows herself down so she isn't just barreling through or away from the answer.]

Is it weird if I said I enjoyed the calibrations with him? I mean, they're violating and wrong and all of that. Full disclaimer, but I feel like I know him so much better now.

[candothat]

You sound very uncertain. [A little teasing. Maybe he's trying too hard.]

That's not so weird. Learning things about people is a way to become closer to them.

[passingthrough]

I probably have more clarity now than I've ever had with this and it's still foggy conditions, hazards ahead. But I want to do better by him than I have been. And I told him we could start saying things like girlfriend and boyfriend and dating. [Which Pavel may not have realized had been off the table this whole time. She hasn't been very open about the relationship with anyone. It's not specifically Pavel.]

[candothat]

[Pavel feels like he should be surprised that Kitty and Vash have been kissing on the reg for at least five or six months now without introducing any of those words, but... no, he's really not.] Those are relationship words. What changed? [And again, does he really want to know? Is this the right way to bolster their friendship, or is it masochism?]

[passingthrough]

I got to know him better and I had more time to...heal I guess? I still love Winn. I'm still in love with Winn. But this is important to me too. You know, in that confusing way where I feel like it's eventually going to break the heart of everyone I care about? [She manages a smile.] But it's real and it's here and anything else is just pretending.