005 — video. [laptop]

[argents]

[ Today's Skype connection features the interior of a modest living room, where Haro sits in a rather handsome pile of blankets on the couch, apparently watching television. Futuristic technology, and all he's done is acquire his mother's taste in terrible crime shows. Occasionally, over Banagher's shoulder, he'll belt out an enthusiastic: Subject in custody! Custody! 10-4! Followed by a convincing recreation of a police car's siren. ]

I don't think I've ever skipped that much class by sleeping and not felt really awful about it. Trade-off for finding out you're not going to die of an echoed back disease, I guess. Or be at risk to give it to anybody else, so... I'm just glad everyone else is going to be okay after all.

[ Despite being blunt about it, he's relieved. Really relieved. Slept his face off for like two days relieved. ]

Anyway, this appeared here when I went to Tuning Towers the first time.

[ Reaching over, Banagher picks up a white and gray helmet of some kind. When he slips it on, it sounds sturdy, but lightweight. He rights himself in the webcam's view and reaches up, hitting a concealed button on the right side. A red visor seamlessly hisses closed over his face. He hits it again, and it rises back up. ]

All the robot pilots in comic books and cartoons have pilot suits, right? I guess this might have been part of mine. Same colors and everything. There's some kind of symbol on it — here, let me switch. Does anyone recognize this?


[ He's written his number on a sheet of graph paper to post it to the network. ]

It's a long shot, I know, but if I really am remembering some kind of Earth from the future, a company that's made it all the way out into space might have gotten an early start, somewhere. [ Idly, he hits the visor button again. Yes he's still wearing it. ] Not much seems that impossible anymore.

Comments

[argents]

Especially if you think about mass-production. Replacing all of our technology now seems like an impossible dream. But I'm sure...

[ The sketching stops. ]

This one looked like a plane, and it transformed. It's not a "Gundam" though. Was the one you saw also a Knightmare Frame?

[ex_elude798]

Started off like a plane and transformed...

[Why, that sounds familiar. To the echoes page we go]

I believe it was also a Knightmare, but a different type. Pretty sure they had designations, but I can't think of what it was called.

[argents]

It's the same for me. I don't actually remember anything else.

[ Tired of trying to remember things that just weren't coming, Banagher settles for drawing crappy stars and some half-baked attempt at the Earth on the page instead. ]

I didn't even remember that the machine — the Gundam — was named the Unicorn on my own. Someone else had to tell me.

[ex_elude798]

[There's a strangely long pause on his end, and then guess who's contributing to the doodles.

This guy]

That jet thing...I remember something like that. Or I think I do.

[His drawing skills are limited, but he comes up with a rough outline of one form that machine had]

Someone else knew the name of your machine? Maybe it's a thing. Don't know mine, but I know this one.

[argents]

[ ANOTHER SUCCUMBS TO DOODLES

Oh. That looks remarkably familiar. Thanks Sunrise mecha animu ]

She's from the same place I am. Or was. I'm not really sure how I should think of it anymore, besides the fact that I share memories with someone.

[ Putting his sophisticated space artwork on hold, he curves an arrow between the two plane-like silhouettes. ]

Still, these look so much alike. Think they're related?

[ex_elude798]

[Gather up for a party, Sunrise mecha children. Get some pizza, and doodle]

It's possible that they are. Do you remember what the other form looked like? Probably the easiest way to confirm.

[Now if only there were a Gino so the confusion could reach new heights]

[argents]

[ A mecha doodle pizza party sounds rad as hell. Time to recruit pilots. ]

Humanoid too, but not the same as the Gundam. It was more bottom-heavy, and really dark blue, I think. I couldn't see it very well at night.

[ Aside from then it was indiscriminately firing missiles and lasers everywhere. ]

[ex_elude798]

[This is clearly the best course of action. Can always use more pilots.]

Hm. How's it compare with this?

[It sounds fairly different, but he'll draw the other form he saw for reference anyhow]

[argents]

[ We'll take in honorary pilots if we have to. ]

It's different. [ A pause, and then he amends: ] But right now it's amazing enough someone else even remembers a giant robot that turns into a jet, you know?

[ He can't contribute too much to the upright form since it's still not standing out as much to him, but hey, this was hella productive. LOOK AT ALL THESE DOODLES. ]

[ex_elude798]

[The fliers will say "Sunrise Wants YOU!" ...Though that might seem menacing considering what the characters sometimes endure]

It does seem like it'd be unique...

[And he can only guess what the odds are that such a thing would be designed all that similarly, and perhaps entirely independent of one another]

Couldn't say what'd power things like these though.

[argents]

[ 'Must be a glutton for punishment and/or have awful luck' is actually on the mecha pilot pizza party application form. ]

Neither could I. Can you imagine what it'd take to fuel one of them? Or even worse, how much energy it'd take to just keep it functioning!

[ He busts out a rudimentary little battery doodle on the page. ]

That's what I'm worried about, anyway. You know, if it showed up.

[ex_elude798]

[Yes that does sound about right. That and the ability to survive (to some degree) a few levels of brainbreak.]

It'd have to be incredibly taxing. I can't imagine any innovation managing to keep that from being the case.

...Not as concerned with how much it'd stand out?

[argents]

[ Now we're talking. ]

Obviously I thought about that too. But if I'm going to hide it, it has to be able to move. I can't exactly park it in front of a gas station.

[ex_elude798]

[The hunt begins.]

Well, you could. Wouldn't end well, but still.

[He pauses for a few moments, considering the notion of hiding anything that large]

Actually, I can't think of a place that'd be viable.

[argents]

Unless one of us has an empty hangar lying around.

[ Surprisingly he's not being... entirely facetious. ]

I mean, I'm always surprised at the kinds of things people have to offer up on this thing...

[ "Thing" being the network. ]

...but I don't think anyone's prepared for housing a giant robot, or anything else that big, for that matter. It makes me think we need to try to figure it out sooner rather than later.

[ex_elude798]

My godfather's facilities couldn't accommodate those things.

[Because yes, godpapa Tony has all kinds of space. Technically, their residence includes a huge garage-lab of sorts.

Still not big enough for giant mechs however]

Probably would be best to have a contingency plan.

[In case it ever rains giant robots, like it has with swords]

[argents]

Does he work with stuff like this? [ ... ] Well, not like this obviously, but technology. Even if it can't potentially store a giant robot, I could still probably use all the help I can get.

[ Which is about as far as his 'contingency' plan has gotten.

HELP. ]

Someone suggested kickstarter, but that's so obvious. Who knows what kinds of people are watching out for what we do?

[ What if the NSA are actually Gardeners ]

[ex_elude798]

Yeah, he deals in tech. Always figured the first man-operated robots would be made by him, honestly.

[If only Tony didn't just drop/head off on business. Not while this thread is going on of course, but they'll have to make do]

Isn't that website for creative crap anyway?

[And after a moment]

We'll have to locate something viable. Military facilities would be a no-go, they'd go crazy, but there has to be somewhere that'd work.

[argents]

I always figured it wouldn't be in my lifetime. Looks like I just had the wrong one all along.

[ Alas, what they don't know won't hurt them. ]

And if this won't involve having to get creative, I don't know what will...

[ Banagher finally puts his pencil down since he's stopped drawing while thinking aloud and leans back in his chair. ]

The worst we can do is ask around. See if there's anyone outside city limits, maybe.

[ex_elude798]

I hear people forget, once they leave the city.

[Which still sounds like some weird work of fiction, but he can't really argue against it at this point]

If it's true, we wouldn't have a damn clue what we were after. But if companies can hide crap under buildings, I don't see why any of us can't find a place. Just going to take some effort.

[argents]

It's actually pretty far out. The point where we forget things, but there's always flyovers to think about too.

[ You know what they say about truth and fiction. ]

Anyway, considering the deal with the towers, who knows just how much of the underground is being used up. You still want to try going that way, knowing that?

[ex_elude798]

If I were to find nothing, some empty space, I could use it. If I were to find a space being occupied, I might get some useful information.

[And boy are they hurting for useful information]

Either outcome is a productive one, as far as I'm concerned.

[argents]

[ Humming thoughtfully, he still doesn't look totally convinced. Mostly because there was the 'finding a space occupied and never seeing the light of day again' option to consider, too. ]

Whatever we end up deciding, we have to be careful either way. A contingency plan isn't going to mean much of anything if we screw up somewhere, knowing so little about what we're up against.

[ex_elude798]

[Arrogance is a beautiful thing. Suzaku will never consider it possible that he can't fight his way out of something]

True enough. The lack of overall information is annoying though, so at least it'd be doing something.

[argents]

[ And he's seen one too many scenarios like that go up in smoke. ]

All in, huh.