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

[ex_elude798]

It sounds like a Western thing, honestly. Bad to keep unicorn stuff in your house or something like that.

[NOW, UNICORNS]

It's different from Japanese mythology.

[argents]

[ ROBOT UNICORNS ]

Actually, I don't know a thing about them. I think the whole concept is wrapped up in some kind of French tapestry, but I'm not sure.

What does Japanese mythology say?

[ex_elude798]

[IS HIS ROBOT AN APP YET]

Well, they look pretty different for one thing, except having a single horn. I remember something about a few kinds, one of those was a Kirin. If a judge arbitrating a dispute really couldn't tell who was in the wrong, the Kirin was able to tell who was the criminal...and would then stab them through the heart with its horn.

[Cheerful story, truly]

[argents]

[ HIS TOP SCORE IS NOTHING TO LAUGH AT TBH ]

Sounds... gruesome. As a form of justice anyway.

[ex_elude798]

[THIS SOMEHOW DOES NOT SURPRISE. HE SHOULD ACE ANYTHING WITH UNICORNS]

Well, when you think about it, capital punishment still exists.

[argents]

It's true. [ The lines on the page appear slower, almost thoughtful. ] Not that I necessarily agree with it.

[ Now come the buttons, the levers, and pedals. Robot unicorn battlepod. ]

And a machine can't really play judge like that.

[ex_elude798]

[Interesting, he doesn't remember pedals.

Boy does he with he could show his godfather this stuff. His technical know-how would have a field day]

No, a machine depends on what it's given. These have to be weapons, but that makes me wonder what makes them necessary.

Aside from looking [don't say cool-] impressive.

[argents]

[ In the name of the moon meta, he probably wouldn't actually mind, if it could shed a little light.

And for that line of thought, he has only one word. ]

War.

[ex_elude798]

[One of these days, he can just shove it in Tony's face. Hold for banter before the actual technerdery starts]

Natural conclusion. But what kind of war makes giant robots necessary? Or even standard?

[Because he's pretty sure those "knightmare" things were standard. Maybe not his, but he can only guess on that one]

[argents]

There's the question. It doesn't seem like they'd be very convenient, when you think about it. Not even in space.

[ Down below his sketch of the Gundam's cockpit, he starts on something that has beginnings not unlike a jet. ]

But I remember more than one type, like this one.

[ex_elude798]

That's true. I have no idea what the fuel source was, but the cost'd have to be insane.

[Thanks to Tony he looks at logistics. At little]

Different models... The red one was different, but I only know the exterior.

[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.