expiationlogs

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Who: czeslaw and you???
Where: various locations in aldrip
What: czeslaw's adventures in february.
Warnings: implied violence? that's about it.

nerding out

[czeslaw sits at a table in the aldrip library, mostly hidden by several stacks of books. they bear titles such as "history of aldrip", "beasts of aldrip", "natural history", "biology", "physics". should one go looking behind the piles, they will find czeslaw deeply engrossed in a book about chemistry. it seems a little...advanced? for his apparent age? he can't be older than ten or eleven. his feet barely scrape the floor from his seat.]

relaxing on the docks

[despite the cold weather, czeslaw has convinced some local spot to serve him a luridly pink popsicle. he sits on the edge of a dock, just far enough out for his feet to be dangling over the water, and enjoys the bustle of people hurrying around him. he seems to be really enjoying that popsicle, too. savoring every lick.

should you wander to close to him, he looks up with a gentle smile.]

Sorry, am I in the way?

Panik

[near the edge of the forest, a strange, high pitched sound can be heard. it is, of course, czeslaw screaming his lungs out. he's running, too, sprinting in fact. he's surprisingly fast for someone of his size, but that's probably because he's motivated - he was just walking through the woods when he stumbled onto a human-sized plant that starting growling at him. it didn't even have time to try and bite him - czeslaw was long gone by that point. no way in hell he was sticking around to get eaten by a monster!!

are you unfortunate enough to be near the screaming either in the woods or right outside them? czeslaw literally dives behind you as soon as he spots you, screaming ceasing as he gasps for breath.]

M-monster!! Monster!!

[he's pointing wildly behind him.]

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[czeslaw barely clocks that he's happened to run in to someone he knows - he's doubled over, gasping for breath. running like a crazy person really takes it out of a guy!]

W-wait - [he gasps, but she's probably already far enough ahead to not hear him. the monster in question is probably a football field's length away in the forest, and it's already gone back to....whatever human-sized bitey plants do when they're unobserved. it's quite the tranquil scene.

czeslaw will be waiting for her when she comes back, pondering in the meantime why so many people around aldrip seem to have swords??]

[Despite arriving more quickly than a human might, A2 is greeted by nothing but a peaceful clearing and silence. No slavering monster to fight... she sighs in disappointment and trudges back.

Her sword is back in its glowing lock when she returns to Czeslaw, and she only barely manages not to sound disgruntled when she speaks.] It must've run off. Area's clear.

[A beat.]

What the hell are you doing out here alone? You could've been a monster's breakfast.

[he's mostly caught his breath now, at least. he still seems frazzled though.]

I just wanted to take a walk! How was I supposed to know there are - giant plants and - other stuff!

[Arms crossed, expression serious, A2 says:] In an environment you don't know, you should be prepared for any threat.

[It's spoken in a way that suggests it might be a recitation. A rule, perhaps. But she softens some, and with a huff, follows up with:] I'm out here all the time. I can keep an eye on things if you want to explore.

[he hates to be essentially scolded this way, but then again, he feels like he kind of deserves it? he had read there were monsters around, he just didn't fully believe it. like realistically what are the odds you would run into a literal monster in a forest?? pretty high in this place, apparently!]

I-it's all right. I wouldn't want to be a bother.

[is what he says once the scolding is over. part of him is afraid to go back in the woods anyway, even with a bodyguard.]

[There's a "tch" under her breath at his response.] If it was a bother, I wouldn't have offered. I don't do shit I don't feel like doing.

[Top ten A2 lies of all time.

And then she just starts walking, motioning over her shoulder for him to follow.]

C'mon! We're exploring.

[he hesitates, shifting from foot to foot, but nope she's still walking, so with a loud huff he reluctantly follows her. he's definitely staying behind her, though, this is dangerous!!]

It's all right, really! We don't have to!

So what are you gonna do? [Asks A2, after listening to his repeated protests.] Be scared the whole time you're here?

[She glares at him over his shoulder, expression almost defiant.] We're exploring. Keep up!

[This last bit has the tone of command. A2 feels strange, bossing a human around. But he's a child, and so she's more in her element. She turns back to keep her focus on their path.

Finally:]

Don't be afraid. Nothing's gonna happen.

[She wouldn't let anything happen.]

Yes?

[he says immediately with no hesitation. he is very good at being scared thank you very much!]

I don't think it's unreasonable to be afraid of literal monsters. And you could get hurt, too!

[nevertheless, he continues to follow her.]

[A dismissive scoff.]

I won't get hurt. [And, with a disturbing lack of emotion:] Nothing's killed me so far.

[She looks over her shoulder at him again. This time, her brow is furrowed — she's more thoughtful than annoyed.] You're not curious?

There are worse things than dying.

[he sounds way too ominous on that one, for someone his supposed age.]

Of course I'm curious, but I don't want to get hurt. Doesn't that bother you? The potential of being hurt?

[Suddenly remembering the machine children, she looks over her shoulder again at Czeslaw's ominous comment, brow furrowed in concern. But his questions seem to mollify her unease: she sighs in what seems like relief.]

I don't want to get hurt. But I can push through it — focus on the objective. When you're a soldier, you can't be afraid of pain. It's going to happen no matter what.

[The damage painted all over her body seems to be an indicator of this. But it's hard to tell if she's in pain at all now, with the easy and confident way she moves.

A loud caw sounds from a tree, and she glances up, points.] That one's been trying to build a nest. Hold on to your hat.

[one hand nervously springs to his head, but he carries on regardless.]

If you can avoid getting hurt, you should.

[he sounds firm about that, at least.]

Hm.

[A2 uses the tip of her sword to keep a heavy branch leaning into their path lifted for Czeslaw to walk through without injury. She considers his remark for some time. Then:]
...

Maybe. Sometimes it's a necessary risk. If you're avoiding getting hurt, you could be avoiding other things too.

[For some stupid reason, she thinks of all the invitations she's gotten from the humans. Farms and clubs to go to.]

I told you not to worry. There's nothing in here that can hurt me, and I'm not gonna let anything attack you, so don't be a wuss. [...] Some of the monsters don't even attack.

It's not being a wuss if there's something to actually be afraid of.

[he says, dignity in shreds.]

And if it doesn't attack, then it's not really a monster, is it?

Sounds like something a wuss would say. [Says A2 in amusement now, embracing her role of older sister-slash-bully. But his question makes her huff.]

You a monster expert now? [She thinks it over, and asks, genuinely:] What's the difference between an animal and a monster then? Animals can be dangerous too.

I'm going to show you one of the ones that don't fight. Look.

[She motions down. They are standing among a series of enormous, oddly shaped tracks. Moss gathers in the indents left behind.] These are its tracks.

[he very nearly pouts at her rebuttal, but ultimately lets it go. he knows better than to feed into this older sister act.]

Animals aren't malicious. They don't attack with purpose. They're just following their instincts.

[czes shuffles a little closer to her after his little speech, following her motion down and seeing that they're in the midst of some very large tracks.]

W-what kind of monster makes a track like that?

Destruction can be part of something's nature too. [She says this, and doesn't clarify further. In truth, she's thinking about the machines. And herself.

Was it in their nature to fight? They had all seemed to know intrinsically that their purposes meant nothing. So what was left, other than instinctual hatred and mistrust? Something to consider.

As for his question:] You'll see soon. It just came through this area not long ago. See the snapped branches on that tree, up high? [She points.] Must've passed by without noticing...

[Off in the distance, there's a low, animal rumble that is enough to cause the ground to shiver under their feet. A2 looks straight ahead.]

Hm.

Let's keep going.

[czeslaw jerks to attention at her pointing and the rumbling, drawing even closer to her in his nervousness.]

Don't you think we should turn around before we run into...that?

Hmmm...

[Staring down at him, A2's brow knits. She looks to be really considering his nervously given suggestion.

Then, deadpan:]

Nah. C'mon.

[Welp! That's a bust! A2 continues to walk, following the deep tracks as they go further into the woods.]

[how rude to get his hopes up in such a way!! he moans quietly and follows her, not willing to get too far from her and DEFINITELY not brave enough to walk himself back out of the forest alone. how do these things keep happening to him?...]

There's no way this ends well...

I told you, it'll be fine. Don't complain.

[Her instruction is delivered without breaking stride. More deep tracks await them as they venture further in, all speckled with patches of fine green moss. The next rumbling noise is closer, an animal sound that makes the tree tops sway gently.]

Think it's in this clearing. Straight ahead.

[The clearing this time is a field of brightly-colored wildflowers, only beginning to sprout. And in the middle of that field is indeed, a great and lumbering beast. It rumbles again, this time contentedly, and plops right down in the middle of the spray of wildflowers.

A2 makes a little noise: it's almost a chuckle.] There it is. [She says to Czeslaw.] Your big, scary monster.

[czeslaw has clearly been winding himself up the longer their walk goes, at least if his body language is any indication. he lets out the smallest little shriek when they come in sight of the beast, and makes sure he's fully behind A2. he doesn't even peek from around her, one look apparently having been enough for him.]

Yes that's exactly what I'd call it! Can we go now?

Nah.

[Says A2, again.

The floating drone next to her, which had been silently following along with the two of them, finally decides to speak.] Classification: Goobue. This species is non native to the environment. Rather, it originated from one of the worlds of the "Chosen," a colloquial term given to individuals who arrive here. The Goobue is not a hostile species. Observation is recommended for data purposes. Proposal: Unit A2 and Subject "Czeslaw" will continue to study, monitor and record the Goobue's activity.

Well, well. You heard Pod. [She sounds a bit smug.] C'mon.

Edited 2025-02-28 02:48 (UTC)

We're getting closer?

[how could this happen to meeeeee]

I'm not a biologist, you know!

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abandonware - 2025-03-06 01:56 (UTC) - Expand

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eternalcutie - 2025-03-09 12:37 (UTC) - Expand

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