seventh install | video; backdated to 3/17

[cava]

[Cain flicks a little wave in greeting, leaning back in his chair and pushing his goggles onto his forehead. he's wearing a Canadiens jersey, hockey night and all that. there's a bottle of red wine in the frame, about three-quarters full.]

Bon, bon, bonjour, Network. [unlike his usual greetings, it lacks a teasing edge. He doesn't look particularly excited.]

I hadn't had the opportunity to check in, between the nonsense last week and what happened to my workplace, but. Well. [he frowns somewhat, chewing on the inside of his mouth. his eyes briefly flash red - and are those numbers at the center?]

For those that know her, it appears that my sister Calista has lost her Echoes. [he shrugs, pouring himself a glass.] I must confess, I'm not entirely sure how to feel about it. As long as she's safe, I suppose that's what matters most, though it's hardly going to make things any easier for me. [he manages a wry laugh, bringing a hand up to his forehead.] Tabarnac, I knew that I was selfish, but honestly... [Cain's gonna need that glass of wine now. he picks it up and waves again to sign off, closing the video.]

Comments

[sucrosity]

[ Rustling noises, then, clearly not directed at Cain, a robotic woman's voice, not so different from a GPS device - ]

(Yo-ko, you're standing on your homework!)

Shut up, Usada!

[ More arguing, a door slamming, some rustling, the sound of air rushing, then a click, and she smiles somewhat tightly at the feed as it comes back on, a cockroach hissing in her palm. Usada can still be heard grumbling from the other side of her bedroom door. ]

We're fine! I'm working on the cage. [ A beat. ] Who do you live with, anyway? Your sister? [ Aaaawkward, if so. ]

[cava]

[He blinks at that.]

If you say so, I suppose... [and at that he just laughs.] No! God, no. I live with an old friend.

[sucrosity]

[ Ah, he can laugh. Like a normal person. (Why would that be a surprise?) ] ...oh! Oh, okay. Better than your sister, I guess - they're not on the Network, right?

[cava]

[Rude.] If he is, then he's done a remarkable job of hiding it.

[sucrosity]

[ Her middle name is rude. ] It'd be a lot of work to pretend you've never noticed your roommate being melancholy on the Network...

Does he just think you're the unluckiest guy in the world? Getting your job demolished by a giant stone snake thing takes a certain... talent... if you're not Numbers. [ And therefore used to everything turning into a mess. ]

[cava]

[... Yoko, what.] ... It's far from a pattern, you realize that? Either way, I've had to tell him something about what's been going on, yes.

[sucrosity]

[ NO SHUT UP THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE!! ] Really? Then you got lucky.

Wait, what did you tell him, 'I'm like a video game character now'?

[cava]

I told him that I was gaining the abilities and memories of a weapons AI developed by Quebec nationalists in the dark, dystopian cyberpunk future of 2009 as, apparently, imagined in the 1980s. I believe I said a Japanese zaibatsu had acquired Tim Hortons and used its brand to exercise hegemony and dominance in Canada, or something to that effect.

[he says this all very matter-of-factly as he idly rummages around his desk for something.]

[sucrosity]

...that might actually be more realistic than what you really are.

[ Pause. ] What are you doing?

[cava]

Your words, not mine.

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to remember to keep ordinary batteries around in this day and age? There was a pack of AAs around here, ciboire, where...

[sucrosity]

Just calling it like I see it.

Not really? But dad's an engineer, so you know... batteries for days. What do you need double-a's for right now? [ More quietly. ] Things would be so much easier if Enetron were a thing...

[cava]

[he starts to realize the pointlessness of that.] Ah...nothing that can't wait, I suppose. I'm not sure why I started looking now. [he nods.] It would, wouldn't it? I have some information on an alternative, but I don't know if I can secure a supply.

[sucrosity]

[ She rolls her eyes. Drunk as a skunk, this one. ] I'm sure it'll make sense in, like, a minute.

...wait, really? I could use RH-03 again... [ Teenagers with helicopters always sound pleased to have access to the helicopter again, and it shows on her face as she brings her hands together in front of her face and smiles.. ]

[cava]

[he waves a hand, tutting.] Don't get too hasty. My contact who provided my initial energon supply moved out west. I may be able to get the formula from someone else, but I'm not sure of that. Even then, there's production capacity to consider...

[sucrosity]

[ Don't dangle joyrides in front of her like that and then pull them away!! She pouts. ]

Well, why don't you get it, and see if anybody can give you a hand. There's a whole Network to help out!! [ Yoko you are arguing with a maudlin drunk man. ]

[cava]

It's on the agenda! Don't think that it isn't. Energon is essential for all three of us now, no? If we can make a deal...

[sucrosity]

It better be, or Juicy's gonna be hounding us all the time. He text messages me enough already...

It'd be nice to be able to leave my stuff at home and just... transport it. But we can't without Enetron.

[cava]

And that doesn't strike you as squandering our resources? [just sort of. raising an eyebrow. he gets where she's coming from, but seriously?]

[sucrosity]

Have you tried going anywhere with a laser gun in your bag? Or your pocket? It's really obvious.

Besides, if we can make more it's not a problem! [ Teenage logic. ]

[cava]

The issue isn't whether we can produce more, it's the volume that we can produce... [rubbing at his forehead.]

[sucrosity]

That doesn't even make any sense! [ Yes it does. ] Look, sometimes stuff happens, and it'd be nice to be able to get a hold of my weapons without carrying them in my bag.