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I was partially hoping you wouldn't be so open about it.
[And all those hopes, lost to the wind.]
[And all those hopes, lost to the wind.]
Oh...I see, ViViD is quite lucrative. But then that's rather harsh, no? Forcing you to do something you don't like. You do not mind that?
[Then again she understands, while she's all for independence and all, all countries have to work under a boss too, and they don't always agree.
Also it's really close to his butt now. Whoa. But she has paused.]
[Then again she understands, while she's all for independence and all, all countries have to work under a boss too, and they don't always agree.
Also it's really close to his butt now. Whoa. But she has paused.]
She may be my Master but she's also my girlfriend.
[Maybe that will kill two birds with one stone? But that should answer the question at the least.]
[Maybe that will kill two birds with one stone? But that should answer the question at the least.]
More shameful, perhaps?
[That'd be an interesting sight to say the least.]
[That'd be an interesting sight to say the least.]
[YO...THIS IS THE BEST PART, well she might be unable to control herself (maybe. She's not moving anyway but she hasn't grabbed his butt) but she likes this kind of news? She's happy for him?
Actually he is going to be safe from butt touching only because she's grabbing him into a hug. It's congratulatory, so don't ask. And then she slaps him on the back proudly after she lets go.]
Archer! You're dedicated. [She means he's cute.]
Actually he is going to be safe from butt touching only because she's grabbing him into a hug. It's congratulatory, so don't ask. And then she slaps him on the back proudly after she lets go.]
Archer! You're dedicated. [She means he's cute.]
Hardly. I'm just doing what is expected.
[This is literally the coldest return hug. Because it doesn't happen. Archer never hugs, lord.]
[This is literally the coldest return hug. Because it doesn't happen. Archer never hugs, lord.]
What if I said I cover you up so I can reserve that kind of thing for myself?
[That's not his reasoning at all but this is a good time for reactions.]
[That's not his reasoning at all but this is a good time for reactions.]
[It wasn't like Rei hadn't noticed Archer's absence, both from his frequent visits to her home and from her senses. A flash of mixed emotions being suddenly silenced was telling enough to inform Rei of what had occurred but there wasn't a damn thing she could have done about it. She was too far away, desperately seeking her own robot and the completely helpless Athena Cykes. That confrontation had gone as well as expected, the machine dealt with, and the lawyer returned to her home but Archer...that had to wait.
The day he'd reappeared in her mental sense she'd not gone to him, not wishing to intrude overmuch and let him recover. But the second day she sought him out. On a rooftop, in his restaurant, in ViViD, or even whatever passed for his room, she'd follow his presence, a serious look on her face when she did finally locate and approach.]
Archer.
The day he'd reappeared in her mental sense she'd not gone to him, not wishing to intrude overmuch and let him recover. But the second day she sought him out. On a rooftop, in his restaurant, in ViViD, or even whatever passed for his room, she'd follow his presence, a serious look on her face when she did finally locate and approach.]
Archer.
[At his own restaurant was probably the best place to find him. Now that he was back, he was all about keeping up his schedule. Mostly to keep his mind off things that had happened. No, he wasn't happy about any of it at all.]
That happens to be my name, yes.
That happens to be my name, yes.
[Well, his schedule had best include dealing with this one, she's not one to leave anyone suffering out to dry.]
I'm aware. [A beat.] You've been missing for days. I have a feeling I know where you've been. Is there an enemy at work, or was it CERES?
I'm aware. [A beat.] You've been missing for days. I have a feeling I know where you've been. Is there an enemy at work, or was it CERES?
Can't you say that both are one in the same most of the time?
[It seemed like it to Archer. Difficult to think of a time where CERES couldn't be considered a foe.]
[It seemed like it to Archer. Difficult to think of a time where CERES couldn't be considered a foe.]
Most of the time, yes. But there are any number of dangers here that aren't CERES, and the potential for enemies arriving from home as well. Was it a robot that killed you, Archer, or something else?
[Let's just stop beating around the bush.]
[Let's just stop beating around the bush.]
A little from column A and a little from column B. It's not exactly as clear cut as you're making it out to be.
To make a long story short, the robot killed Rin and took her Command Seals. When I refused to go for her romantic advances, she ordered me to kill myself.
[Rei's eyes widen for a half second...going through some of the implications of all that. The psychic trauma alone...]
I didn't know a machine could take those seals. Or that such a command was even possible.
[A beat.]
You won't want to hear it, but I am sorry.
I didn't know a machine could take those seals. Or that such a command was even possible.
[A beat.]
You won't want to hear it, but I am sorry.
You're right in that I don't want to hear it.
[Archer hates pity.]
But I also don't know what to do.
[Archer hates pity.]
But I also don't know what to do.
[That is a first. Rei takes a seat.]
How so?
How so?
Think about it. If someone who sported the face you care for ordered you to kill yourself, how would you feel? On top of that, I failed Rin in the first place, which is why she ended up being killed.
[It's not a great comparison. One Senshi can't order another to do anything. They don't work like that. But she lifts her shoulders up and down in a sighing shrug.]
I don't know if you failed her. Those machines acted unpredictably. But I can see why you'd think that, and why you'd have difficulty facing her at the moment.
I don't know if you failed her. Those machines acted unpredictably. But I can see why you'd think that, and why you'd have difficulty facing her at the moment.
I should have known it would have ended like it did to start with. When hasn't something in this place given a bad ending?
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