fuelthefire | Victory Road IC Contact

[It's fine, honestly. Krieg may not have a clue about what to do with this information now that he has it (except not tell Connor, he guesses), but he doesn't particularly mind having it.]

I feel sad when my friends are sad but I don't hate my friends when they're sad. You should tell your buddy.

[That's what Hank means, here, right? Maybe? Of course Connor feels bad when Hank feels bad, that's just a thing that happens when you're friends with someone. It's natural to want your friends to be happy, because of course they deserve to be happy. It's also natural to empathise with them when they're not, because that's what people do.

Krieg doesn't really get artifice, and he doesn't care who knows what his emotions are at any given time, so the idea of trying to hide how he's feeling from someone is just...really foreign. So he's having a hard time trying to figure out why Hank is trying to hide his sads from Connor, especially because it seems like Connor would be more than happy to be supportive, empathetic sads and all.]

I don't like to see him sad, either.

[And the Hank motions around his head.]

He's got this fuckin' thing where he's supposed to succeed at missions or he's worthless. Comes from being the sorta fuckin' android he is. The company that made him got him all screwed up. And I think he thinks one of his missions is to make me happy.

So I don't like him to see me sad. I don't want him to think he's failing at his mission.

[At least when he talks about Cyberlife, he sounds more mad than sad. The fuckers set him up for a life of difficulty.]

That's why he takes this badge thing so fuckin' seriously, too.

[That...okay, yeah, that does make kind of a weird sense. Krieg's no expert on computer software or programming or whatever, but he's had enough experience with one overly emotional AI on Pandora that he can understand Hank's hesitation here.]

Mnnn...okay. I kinda get it.

[With that said, though, he's...basically scraped the bottom of his extremely shallow advice bucket.

He's quiet for a few moments more, feeling very out of his depth, but then something new occurs to him, and the next thing he says is absolutely unprecedented:]

D'you want me to stop calling you "Gramps"?

[The first ever offer to retire a nickname. Because saying "I'm sorry your kid died" feels like an empty platitude, even if it's true.]

Nah, that's fine. I never took it personally.

I guess I'm just disappointed that I keep trying to get my hopes up. [And he feels like he should, but he shouldn't. And moving on in a place where he might actually have one last chance is fuckin' hard.]

[Moving on is hard enough.]

[Poor goddamn Krieg, putting up with this whiny old piece of shit.] Thanks for drinkin' with me. [He actually does need someone around for that.] And whatever other shit we got here. There are pokemon with pun names anyway and I am only now drunk enough to deal with that. Not even their type names. Like their name names.

...It's hard to stop hoping.

[Oh, boy, he feels you, Hank. He's grateful every day that he's got plenty of attention-holding distractions, but he can't distract himself all the time.

And then, reminded of the booze by his buddy's thanks, Krieg gestures a toast with his whiskey bottle and takes another swig.]

I'll drink with you anytime!

[Also: this boy loves puns. Thank you for reminding him they exist. He leans in close to the 'Gear again, interest grabbed.]

Tell me the pun names!

There's a goddamn Roselia whose owner is named Pearl Elenor Tuniya. Her fuckin' name is P.E. Tuniya.

[Then he hesitates and drunkenly says.]

I want a Roselia.

[Why? Fuck if he knows. But he wants one. His drunken sulky ass wants a fuckin' flower or Budew or whatever.]

Anyway, this fuckin' Roselia went missing somewhere near Goldenrod. Figure if you can't find it, could look for it when I get back. Maybe Connie could find it. The dogs get caught in thorny bushes and it was last seen in a viney, thorny area.

[And the unfortunate witness to all this drunken sadness is pulled out of his pocket, a little Floette that he puts in front of the Pokegear he has propped up, just hugging away at her flower, looking as sweet as pie.]

[It takes him a moment, because he's not super familiar with flowers, but after wracking his brain, a vague memory pops up, and he snorts in amusement. Yeah, that's a good (bad) one!]

Mnnn...Not a lot of vines out here. We're in...Pewter? The stone town with the rock gym. We're gonna leave and check out the moon mountain next. Got anything out here?

[He watches with interest as Hank produces a small flower fairy, and tilts his head curiously at her when she's placed in front of the 'Gear.]

What's that?

Pewter... Pewter pewter pewter...

[He repeats to himself as he's rifling through papers. And then he pauses to look at the Floette. Who he's drunk enough to boop lightly on the head. She squeaks a little "Ette" at that and hides her face in flower petals.]

She's a Floette. She's a fairy type, but I loaded her up with some good water and fire moves. She's level 100. And a very good girl who likes to throw down. Aren't you?

[Drunk Hank cooing at his flower fairy. Never forget, Krieg. As he checks his listings again, she looks to the pokegear and Krieg's big old scary face and just shyly looks over the petals of her flower as if she could do no wrong ever.]

Kanto... Kanto... Uh... Okay, they don't think he's in a lot of danger. But some kid named Linus got the bright idea to use his Trubbish to attract bugs and he's been a couple of days late getting out of Viridian forest. Got any good flying types? Probably good for this kinda thing.

She sounds badass. I wanna see her throw down the next time I see you!

[They can do a friendly battle or something. It'll be great!]

Mmm, yeah, I got the Torch Dragon. And the Slag Stack's buddies with Sparky's Trash Bag, I bet it'll be a good helper to find this missing one, too. We can go look tomorrow.

[The Floette gives Krieg another happy little "Flo!!", as she would absolutely love to, good sir. Look at that tiny beaming face. She's absolutely up for a good try.]

[Hank, in the meantime, nods at that.]

Shit... looks like most of the Kanto ones are still people having seen those weird new ones around. [And then he belches as he earnest looks between sheets.] Pardon me.

Victory Road IC Contact

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject