maskormenace | Duel 01; Video

[There aren't any questions about what this place is or what it's like. Utena's already gotten used to all of that. She does, however, have a question about something else that's been on her mind: employment. She flops on her new bed and turns on her device, and the network will see a zoomed in image of her eye before she stretches her arms and raises her communicator, showing her from the shoulders up]

So. The government gives us these jobs when we get here, right? But what do you do when it's something you're not cut out for? Like...

[Okay, recording like this isn't very comfortable after all. She stops and rolls over on her side, and adjusts the camera so it's focusing mostly on her face]

I'm supposed to be a teacher, sort of. Or maybe instructor is a better way to put it? ...anyway, I'm supposed to give fencing lessons now. And it's not that I'm bad at it, but...

[She bites her lip and glances away for a moment, uncertain of how much she should (or how much she even wants to) explain about the duels.]

Well, I'm not really used to "standard" fencing matches. I mean, I've fenced before, but the last time I did the rules were kind of weird, and as soon as I got used to it the game would change again. The only real advice I could give is, "hey, don't get stabbed," but that's not really good advice, is it? I mean, that's what swordfighting is all about, I guess, but...

[She sighs, and flops back on her pillow]

I'm not really sure what I should do about this. I still need to talk to them - the people who run the lessons, not the guys who gave me the job - but... I guess I'm just worried that they'll expect more from me than what I can give them. That they'll expect me to be some master fencer from a movie or storybook or something like that. Has anyone else had to deal with that? With their bosses expecting them to be something they're not, I mean.

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No, she was fine... or at least, she seemed fine...

[She frowns, thinking]

But you said that there's usually something else, right? What did you mean, exactly?

I'm not sure if there's an exactly involved. Just that where I'm from, weird junk happens an awful lot, and there's a whole bunch of reasons for it. A sudden change like that? It's usually a deal with some metahuman who can help you out, or juicing, or maybe not a deal at all - sometimes people get into stuff like that without even asking for it.

I guess it depends more on what's possible in your world.

[Yeahhhhh she's not going to go into what is and isn't possible back home. Sorry Jaime]

I'm not really sure if any of that exists back home. I think it's more like... like maybe there was something that made her feel special, if only for a little bit. Something that only she knew about.

[Something that she never asked about. Her conversation with Crane gave her one heck of a guilty conscience, and their little chat is still weighing on her.]

[ He shrugs. ]

It could be anything, couldn't it? New boyfriend, maybe? Whenever my friends get in a new relationship, they act funny for a little while.

[ Or rather, annoying, but whatever. ]

You can ask her once you get back - while you're here, there's not too much you can do about it.

There was a guy, but... nevermind. You're right, there's not really much I can do about it now, is there? I guess for now, I need to focus on the people who are actually here. It's just...

[She runs her hands through her hair, thinking]

Even if I know I need to, it's not like I can stop thinking about them. And I'm not even sure if I want to - sometimes I feel like if I get too comfortable here, I might forget all about them.

Look, there's forgetting about people, and then there's surviving. Not thinking about someone 24-7 doesn't make you a bad friend, and it doesn't mean that you'll forget them either. There's just no point in torturing yourself over it.

I sure haven't forgotten about my friends.

[ jaime that's because you have two friends ]

Edited 2017-06-01 00:20 (UTC)

[She already feels like she's forgotten too much, but she's not going to say that]

It must be hard, though - I mean, you've been here a while, right? You must miss them an awful lot.

[ He exhales quickly through his nose, something that's not quite a laugh but sounds sort of like it. ]

You have no idea, [ he says, honestly. ] When I think about what I'd tell them after all this time... I don't even know where I'd begin. I wish I could go back and see them with all my memories intact, even just for one day.

But I've got pictures. Off of my phone from home? That kinda helps.

Yeah... yeah, I bet it does. I don't have any pictures myself, but I have a few things from home. They may not be much, but keeping them around makes things a little less lonely here.

Yeah, that's exactly it. You don't have any on your phone...?

[ It's more idle curiosity than anything else, pinning down what her home's like. For all he knows, she's from some very sophisticated version of the 18th century. ]

Well, uh... not really, no. To be honest, I didn't even think it was possible until I came here. The phones where I'm from aren't really built for that sort of thing.

[Have you seen what cell phones were like in the nineties, Jaime? Have you?]

What year are you from?

Me? I'm from nineteen ninety-

[DING, DONG. DING, DONG.]

-ah, coming! Sorry, give me a sec, okay?

[199X. Ooh, mysterious.]

It's fine! I got stuff to do anyway so - I'll catch up with you later.

Duel 01; Video

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