It...seemed like a good idea at the time.

[splinterself]

[So after getting the "Where is this, who are you, what is going on?" out of his system, Dirk Strider was purposefully and boldly exploring Mac Anu and was...kind of bemused by the fact that the city wasn't done up in purple and black.

...just saying.

He had ended up at the harbor and there he paused in his wan- purposeful exploring, as...you know what's incredibly distracting? Actually only having one self (at least for the time being) that he was aware of. Also the clothes. Also the fact that he still had no idea what the hell was going on, and, more importantly, what was happening with Roxy.

There was a certain irony in him spacing out just as badly as he did when he had multiple selves to juggle, one which was lost on the guy as he was spacing out, brooding.]

...

[Yeah, this was getting him nowhere. (And shit, the lack of purple really was throwing him off.) That was when he shook his head slightly, turned to the nearest person, and said:]

Hey.

[So verbose.]

Comments

[hoperaider]

[He's embarrassed.]

What was that look for?

[Jake has to think about that one.]

I don't know, really. I mean, you can look at a page in a number of different ways. You could take a Tarot meaning approach or look at it as a low ranking knight. I'm not sure what "hope" would mean in the context of Sburb. But perhaps that's what I'm supposed to find out by playing! [He smiles at him.] What do you think it means?

[splinterself]

Hard to say. [Shrug.] If you want to get technical, hope means 'the feeling that events will turn out for the best' or 'a person or thing that expectations are centered on.' Your bayonet is your last hope from dying in a dungeon. You hope I won't turn around and ditch you and...no, I'm not planning on it. [Smirk.] Sorry.

Or if you want to play with synonyms, you've got shit like faith, dream, desire...anything you've been wanting lately, English? If you got anything you can tell me, you know. I won't judge.

[hoperaider]

Ditch me? The thought never even crossed my mind!

Hah, the same courtesy extends to you, as well, Dirk.

[He taps his chin, thinking.]

Well, perhaps it is centered on me for our group, sort of like a safeguard against despair or hopelessness? [Pause.] Hm, that sounds rather pretentious of me. The whole thing just reminds me of the story of Pandora's Box.

[splinterself]

So you're seriously saying that you never even once considered that I might just abscond the fuck off right now, leaving you stuck at the bottom of that box with nothing but some by-product of yours truly for company? [As for the rest, he might've screwed up but it's a temporary setback and he's got everything under control in their session and nothing will go wrong, no, nothing at all. Why would they need a safeguard from disaster? It's not like there's going to be legit peril, like fire or shit.]

[hoperaider]

No, not once! [Rude, Dirk.]

[splinterself]

...you're serious, aren't you? [Dude.] You're actually fucking serious.

btw I'm currently checking out Paradisa and my sadistic side is beside herself with glee.

[hoperaider]

Of course I'm serious! Why wouldn't I be? I have more faith in you than that.

Oh? Tell me more. You got three guesses as to where I'm stuck and the first two don't count,

[splinterself]

I shouldn't be surprised. You're the guy who believed me when I said I was from the future, after all. But Jesus, you really never doubted me. [He's a little surprised, yeah.]</small€

Characters are required to lose something important to them upon entering the game.

[hoperaider]

[Jake tilts his head, frowning a little.]

I have no reason to doubt you. Why do you think I'm going to?

Oh! Yeah, that's why I never apped Genis there. Also, you shrew, you immortalized my HTML shame.

[splinterself]

...how long has it been since we seriously last talked?

lol Why, yes, yes I did. :3

[hoperaider]

I'm not exactly sure, actually. Why?

{OOC: It doesn't have to be a memory of an important person they have to lose, at least.}

You churlish hooligan.

[splinterself]

(OOC: And yeah, just in that case his mother figure and only family in the world had forgotten about him.

...did you know our prospective Vriska is a mod there?)

Exactly.

ilu2 and no I didn't know that about Vriska. O:

[hoperaider]

[It is obvious that Dirk has lost Jake. He needs a map, bro.]

<3...<

[splinterself]

I'm just saying, dude, if I hadn't talked to a guy in a while and instead got his robot, his responder...right, some sort of corporeal disembodied dream version of him, right? If that happened to me and then suddenly - bam - he's in the flesh I'd wonder what the hell was up. I'd be suspicious, wondering what this dashing blonde enigma's angle is and what plans he's got in store, what strings he's gonna pull.

Here. [And he tosses Jake a health drink before getting one for himself.] But you, nah, you just believe that I've got no ulterior motivations and I'm gonna be here. Just no hesitation at all.

[hoperaider]

If you were AR, you would most likely be 13, and you don't look it at all right now. Aside from which, I also know that I can touch you considering I dragged you to the Chaos Gate earlier, so that checks off the possibility of you being a figment of my imagination. As far as Brobot is concerned...well, I just doubt that you would be him.

[He catches it and shrugs, putting it away in his inventory.]

Hey, even your ulterior motives have a point to keep us safe.

[splinterself]

[And here he shakes his head. Oh Jake. Jake, the hell will he do with you?]

You really need to be more like Jane and try using critical reasoning on shit instead of blindly trusting everyone and everything around you. [The effect is a little spoiled by his tone, which is ever so slightly pleased, as if maybe, just maybe, a kitten crawled inside, yawned, curled up and took a nap on his heart and now he feels warm and fuzzy inside.]

[hoperaider]

[Kiss him, obviously. And probably make sure he doesn't kill himself.]

But then I won't be a foil for her!

[splinterself]

Foil...? Jake, this isn't some story...well, unless you've been talking to UU...? The fake British one. I'm just saying. It wouldn't hurt for you to be a bit more skeptical. [He said, not having strayed more than eyeshot (for the most part) from Jake since the second they ran into each other.]

[hoperaider]

I happen to agree with her that life is a story of adventure! Then, it wouldn't hurt if you could have some fun, too. [Jake hasn't exactly consciously noticed.]

[splinterself]

God dammit. [Seriously, that? That's getting so old. He doesn't have relaxation problems. Really.

Dirk's going to pick up a staff, curiously, before putting it down again. It's not like he could wield it, anyway: even if he did he couldn't imagine being stuck fighting with it. God, it must suck being a Harvest Cleric.]

[hoperaider]

You opened yourself up for that counterstrike, my friend. [Liar.

Yes, well, that's why they're not clerics. Jake takes a glance through the bayonets, but they're...really...expensive. Yeah no. He goes to the scrolls instead, and he's kind of eying the Repth spell. He'll have to save up for that one.]

I suppose the only downside to this setting is the lack of films to watch. Well, other than the obvious we're not in Kansas anymore sort of deal.

Yeah, I suppose it is.

[splinterself]

It doesn't mean it doesn't get old. Rox gets on my case about it all the time.

[(Roxy where are you.) They're going to cycle back to the movies in a second.

And yeah. Can you imagine having to prance about wearing a dress? Exactly.]

Gut. B<

[hoperaider]

Fair enough. It will be my first and last attempt at calling you a spoilsport. Promise!

[Well, Jake probably wouldn't care about the choice of threads and Dirk would have enjoyed an eyeful.]

Dork.

[splinterself]

Fine. And I'll try [And fail.] to have some fun.

[. . .]

Takes one to know one.

[hoperaider]

Good! I'm sure Roxy would be proud!