003; Planetside and Catchall

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Who; Aaron and you!
Broadcast; Yes
Action; Various (Planetside and around)
When; All March

Broadcast-Audio | Fleetwide

[Aaron does clear his throat before speaking.]

So, this planet seems interesting. Does anyone want to go exploring? Maybe just get out into something a little more open than the ships? Personally, it's been way too long since I've smelled pine.


(OOC: If you'd like to do anything specific, like meet and greets or just hanging out, feel free to post a starter, or drop me a line on plurk (vikael) if you want to hash out details. Individual starters for things we're already discussed below!)

Comments

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[That's a lot of faith you're asking for there, Daryl.]

That makes two of us.

[But the other man knew that already.]

So, do you really think the locals are right? That there're creatures out here?

[worn_wings]

[ They've got restlessness in common. Though really, anyone from home is probably in the habit of casing rooms, marking exits. Sooner or later they always have to run. ]

Sure, [ he answers, mildly surprised at the question. ] why not?

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[Probably. It's not even seen as anything strange anymore.]

I mean, there were tons of stories like these back home, and only...a very small amount of people believed them. I camped a lot, we spent a lot of time in the wilderness and Eric and I never saw anything. It's fun to think about it, though.

[He pauses.]

Wait. Do you actually believe this?

[worn_wings]

[ Aaron is so much a part of Daryl's extended survivor family, now, it's almost surprising to remember he hasn't been with them the whole time. That he doesn't remember everyone giving him shit over the story. ]

Maybe,

[ he says, oddly wary. He's not used to worrying about people judging him, lately. ]

Saw some things. Long time ago.

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[Thankfully, Aaron is the last person on Earth or any other planet Daryl needs to worry about judging him.]

Really? What did you see?

[worn_wings]

[ it's just so weird, thinking about this now. ]

Saw a chupacabra once. I was out huntin'.

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You...saw a chupacabra? [Now he's going to have to really think on this one.] Isn't that the one that looks like a rabbit?

[worn_wings]

Kinda? Dunno. More like... Kinda a scaly dog.

[ The whole thing feels like a fever dream-- for obvious reasons-- but now even the memory of the last time he talked about it feels like another lifetime. Everyone at the quarry laughing over it... And most of them are gone, now. Merle, too, who never stopped giving him shit over that and basically everything.

In spite of himself, he huffs a laugh, a little uneasy. ]

Think so, anyway...

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A scaly dog? [He's not going to deny Daryl saw something. Aaron has too much faith in him to believe anything else.] As it...doing anything?

[worn_wings]

Startled it in some brush, it just kinda hissed and ran off.

[ he mulls it over. It's not that long ago, the farm and the quarry, but he's grown and changed enough not to be embarrassed by the story. ]

I dunno if it's real, [ he admits. ] Felt real. I was kinda high, though.

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It hissed and ran off into the undergrowth and you were slightly high?

[He frowns, thoughtful for a moment.]

...maybe it was a mangy cat?

[worn_wings]

Weren't a cat.

[ HE KNOWS WHAT HE SAW. Maybe. ]

My brother's friends, they used to do some hard shit. Never touched that. But this once they had some 'shrooms...

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Mushrooms? [He almost looks apologetic. You want to believe man, and he gets that.] The...hallucinogenic ones?

[worn_wings]

[ He shrugs. Of course, hallucinogenic. ]

Ain't like Merle was hangin' out with chefs.

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And...you're sure it was a cat. Not...something the mushrooms made you think was a cat?

[And after a beat.]

...who was Merle?

[He can only assume a 'was'. There was no 'Merle' with their group when Aaron had originally tracked them.]

[worn_wings]

[ He's never much liked talking about before, not with anyone. Talking about family was rough even before the world ended. ]

Merle's my brother.

[ Was is the right word, but he's not gonna correct himself for that. ]

Tough sonofabitch. Real asshole, sometimes.

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[It's in that moment, really, that Aaron really realizes how little he knows about Daryl...and that Daryl knows about him, really.]

...I didn't know you had a brother.

[worn_wings]

[ He's quiet for a moment, not sure what to say. ]

Lost him before we left the prison,

[ he says finally, with a shrug. It's neutral enough, for such an inherently personal topic. ]

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[Aaron doesn't try to rein in his look of sympathy. Horrible brother or no, Meryl was still his brother.]

I'm sorry.

six hundred years too late

[worn_wings]

[ it's a testament to how close they've gotten, or maybe just to how much it still hurts, that he doesn't try to brush it off.

Granted, what he does do is grunt something that kind of sounds like thanks, which maybe isn't so far from a brushoff, but it is what it is. ]

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[Aaron gets the point loud and clear, but smiles rather than taking offense, removing his hand.]

Don't mention it.