[open] Perfect weather for a game of catch.

[gainedlove]

Who: Frisk, Asriel, Chara, and YOU
When: Sssssssometime this month, wibbly wobbly have fun with it
Where: A park in Kauto R1
What: Kids having a picnic, what could be better?
Warnings: Chara, will be updated as needed


It's been a long trip.

Definitions of 'long' are a little variable, but all three children have been anxious to see an end to their travels. It didn't start when they crossed through the Ingress, but long before that.

Someone climbed a mountain for an unhappy reason.

Someone carried a body to a field of golden flowers.

Someone took a long journey, just wanting to live their life.

But now they've come, not to The End, but an end. It's not perfect, not quite what any of them were expecting. But it's better, it's theirs, and...they can stay. What it means to each child, what they think of it and what they have to say, it all varies. But no one and nothing can or will take this from them.

The three of them are gathered together in a park. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming...a blanket is laid out on the grass, and in a cooler drinks and snacks are kept on hand. A few toys lay nearby, but it seems that for now the trio is content enough to relax and talk amongst themselves. Smiles adorn their faces (though one face in particular wears theirs a little sharply), and the scene is...nice. This is nice.

Even if they may not agree, they have long since earned this respite.


(( ooc: Feel free to come and pester the kiddos! Everyone will be responding separately, though there may be threadjacking or some doubling up. Have fun! ))

Comments

/deposits lurker program

[notglitching]

Birds, flowers, and parks as a whole don't much fall in Rinzler's range of interest. He's spent most of the time since their arrival scouting the more urban structures of the region: towering skyscrapers and spaceside ports, living quarters and the more distant hallways of the Ingress complex.

Still, if Frisk, Asriel, or Chara happen to wander slightly off from the bright field (or peer, at just the right angle, toward that gap between the trees), they might spot an out-of-place contrast of red against black. Rinzler's perched on a stone wall shaded by some of the taller branches, making no real effort other than the distance to conceal himself. Or to mask his observation of the group sprawled out on the grass. Chara's presence isn't one he'd calculated for, but they don't look particularly hostile toward the rest.

...good. He keeps watching, making no move to interrupt.

>initiated.

[inconsequence]

A familiar figure, no doubt. His hostility is kept to a minimum, as befits everyone. It is unlikely he would be restrained should he be genuinely hostile - though assumptions, as all well know, are unkind things to be made regarding those whom they do not know.

All the same, there are some that may find a silent observer to be - unsettling. Not Frisk, of course; they bear no qualms about Sans's tendencies, neither here nor at home. But others may take umbrage with such a thing.

Others may approach with the casual, dismissive lift of an eyebrow.

"Enjoying the view?"

> check

[notglitching]

Chara's approach isn't difficult to track, and they'll find the opaque helmet slanting slightly to follow them. Rinzler doesn't move from his spot, but there's a quiet uptick to his constant rumble—if they're listening closely enough to catch it. Irritation? Not harsh enough. Curiosity? Maybe.

To their address, he only slants his mask: a query for a query. Is there some reason he shouldn't be?

> ACT > judge

[inconsequence]

They have every intention of ensuring this encounter is far more expeditious than the one previous. Perhaps there is no harm in watching innocent children at play; only these children are far from innocent, and their play is but a temporary distraction at best.

"Have you something to say, I suggest you say it," they answer, clipped and cleanly professional as ever.

They do so ever hate those who stand in their way.

You find your judgement returned in kind.

[notglitching]

If he has something to say? Rinzler's helmet fixes for a long moment, an irritated skip filtering through his noise. Speech isn't his function, user. And he didn't walk up to you.

But fine. Words might not be his preferred method of acquiring data (words lie, far too often and too much), but he has the means, and a second sampling couldn't hurt. The enforcer reaches for his TAB, a quick touch activating the holographic interface to project his usual textbox out for Chara's viewing.

Association: IDs (Asriel, Frisk)?

:)

[inconsequence]

They had presumed he would be capable to drawing conclusions necessary to be drawn in terms of speech and its associations. Or would "communication" be the preferred terminology?

It hardly matters. Their head tilts slightly, momentarily, and they answer promptly and without a rise or fall to their tone.

"Housemates. Charges. Whichever you wish to call them." Those in need of their protection, as evidently Thisavrou is a harsher environment than is acceptable for a pair of children who love too easily, for whom forgiveness is second nature.

[notglitching]

Housemates is a location-status, no hint of value either way. The second term, though, draws a quiet skip of Rinzler's sound. He stares down at the user, hesitating before adding a line for confirmation. Charges.

Allies?

[inconsequence]

Allies implies equality where none exists. They do not allow for contemplation - that would likewise imply that his words have weight, that they have affected them in some fashion, and they will deny such a claim for every inch, every mile.

And so they smile, blithely, and speak without inflection. He appreciates technical phraseology, does he not?

"Handlers."

[notglitching]

That Rinzler does. Still, of all the specific terms he might have expected... that hadn't made the list. For Chara as relates to others? Maybe. For Chara as relates to them?

The mask twitches slightly to one side, unspoken challenge. Chara appreciates directness, no?

They don't think so.

[inconsequence]

Directness. Certainly they can appreciate a question, a statement, posed without needless dancing about the subject. They've experience with far too many monsters and humans who favor evasion as a tactic, whenever possible.

"Of course they don't." A subtle undercurrent of scorn, an inclination of their chin - quiet, casual acknowledgment. "They are idealistic to a fault."

[notglitching]

Not the answer he'd projected. But not worse. And certainly not wrong. Rinzler stares a moment before dipping his own head... and following the motion with a forward roll off of his perch. It's too slow for an attack, but there's an eerie fluidity, body inverting with the same ease most humans would walk down the street. And probably the same amount of practice.

He lands in a crouch. Straightens, most of the way, to his usual close hunch. There's no effort to close the gap further, but the program doesn't lag in reaching for his TAB.

Protecting them.

[pleasereset]

Maybe Asriel's gotten more paranoid about being watched over these past few months, but he does manage to look back. When he doesn't see anything at first, he turns back to Chara and Frisk to continue whatever conversation they're having.

A few minutes later, he glances back again. A red light in the trees should be something startling, but Asriel perks up immediately. If it is Rinzler, there's a moment where he hesitates. Their last conversation was.... well, heavy, to say the least.

Asriel shakes off his nerves and gets up, wandering over to Rinzler's current stalking spot and looking for him. His disk is in plain view, slightly damaged from the planet before.

"Rinzler?"

He hopes it's Rinzler, otherwise this could end badly.

[notglitching]

The low skipping rumble of corruption might be oddly reassuring in this case. Asriel is subject to a brief inspection (no new damage), but it's seconds only before Rinzler drops, landing on the grass in front of the beta with a light thump. Definitely him.

To the address, he offers a quick nod, before tilting his helmet to one side in inquiry. There's no specifics offered, but as well as Asriel knows him, the implied question might not be too hard to guess.

Status?

[pleasereset]

"No damage." Asriel pauses, feeling a little awkward. "No... new damage. I'm settling in with Frisk and Chara."

No disk-breaking, no run-ins with dangerous people or aliens. Just a quiet day, out in the sun and fresh air. It's too perfect, in a way. He should relax and appreciate it more, he knows, but it's hard to accept this so easily. It doesn't feel real at all.

"It's... really quiet, compared to everywhere we've been so far. What about your status?"

[notglitching]

Quiet. That's one word for it. Still, Rinzler listens to that pause and isn't at all sure it's the one the beta means. He ducks his mask in answer, reaching for the TAB to project his usual textbox.

Functional. No active threats detected.

Plenty of potential ones, though.

[gainedlove]

Frisk doesn't notice Rinzler at first, too absorbed in their time with Asriel and Chara, making up for lost time with them both and enjoying this spot of happiness while it lasts. But eventually in their play a toy is thrown a little farther than expected, and Frisk chases after it almost right into the tree line.

"I got it, I got it!" They stoop to grab it, and when they straighten up the red glow startles them for a moment before the recognize the pattern of lights, and the shape attached to it. Frisk blinks, then turns to call back again. "I'll be right back!"

With their family assured they step closer and look up at Rinzler with a fond smile. "What're you doin' hidin' up there?"

[notglitching]

Welp, so much for cover. Or distance, anyway. Rinzler peers down at Frisk, noise rumbling out steadily, and reaches for his TAB readily when prompted. From him, that's practically a friendly wave.

His answer, on the other hand...

Assessing current status.

See also: watching you. Because that's normal.

[gainedlove]

Totally normal! Not weird at all to be followed in the shadows by a questionably violent older male. Happens to them all the time!

Frisk's head cocks to the side curiously, their brows furrowing together. "You coulda just asked, though. We're doin' okay! We got a house together, 'n we've got enough money to last for a little while." Not forever, Frisk knows they'll need to find work soon, but they have a safety net at least. It's an uncommon boon, for them.

"What 'bout you? Did you find a place?"

[notglitching]

Asking is for other people. People with tact, social skills... or a little less concern about some recent editing. Rinzler doubts Frisk would understand everything he's watching for, and their trying might well make the problem worse.

Still, tact is probably the bigger issue. Or at least a more frequent one.

The black helmet ducks in a nod. He has! It has a door and everything.

No current threats?

[gainedlove]

Frisk huffs out a soft sigh and shakes their head. Of course he's worried about that--they shouldn't be mad, it's what he's made for, but...

"No, nothin's tried t' hurt us. Chara would've gotten 'em before it got far, anyway." The tired acceptance in Frisk's tone is telling of how they've changed since they first came to the ship--no immediate horror at the idea, no vague disappointment at not trying to find another way. Some people, they've learned, simply cannot be stopped. "'M glad you found a place t' stay, though! 'S it with anyone else, or just you?"

[notglitching]

Chara would have. It's confirmation, more than actually new information, but still valuable. Especially as much as they'd tried to obscure their own goals. Frisk's resignation is as significant in its own way, and Rinzler privately saves both datapoints to file.

Their redirect is obvious, though, and Rinzler relents without much argument. The black helmet shakes—no one else—a quick twitch across the projected keyboard adding a new line above.

Region One.

[gainedlove]

Region One? That place probably feels more comfortable, from what they remember of the Grid. Frisk smiles and nods, bouncing on their heels and smiling brighter. "I'll come t' visit sometime! U-um, if it's okay, I mean. You can come t' our house, too!"

[notglitching]

There's a momentary pause... but Rinzler nods. And types out the address! Plus one quick caveat.

Contact prior to attempt. Residence frequently unoccupied.

Where frequently means usually—say, right now, for example. Rinzler tends to wander. And if Rinzler also happens to live down the hall from a yellow-glowing program(mer) he'd prefer to limit Frisk's encounters with... he doubts spelling that part out would go so well.

[gainedlove]

"Oh, um--o-okay! I'll call before I come."

It makes sense--Rinzler had spent more time in vents than his own quarters back on the Moira. Frisk actually isn't sure he ever went there for any length of time--they don't remember often seeing him on any of the rooming decks. They pull out their TAB and make note of the address, and then type out a quick message to Rinzler.

"Um, that's where we live! We're at home at night-time, if you knock one of us'll prob'ly be around t' let you in!" They won't make any promises for Chara--hopefully Rinzler understands.

[notglitching]

The ping of a message appears to the side of his text prompt, and Rinzler opens a new window, glancing over the data. If he's already familiar with the coordinates it maps out... well, he doesn't say as much aloud to Frisk, and that's probably as much tact as can be hoped for. There's a little lag at the instructions, but he does nod in the end, privately appending a note to his internal file. (Knock.)

Preliminary data sorted, Rinzler leans forward, planting one hand on the edge of the wall before he tucks and flips over the pivot point to land in front of Frisk. Ground level achieved! Which also means they don't have to look quite so far up to read his next line.

Obtained local function?