ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe's soon to leave after Inkcap, fleeing back to the woods.
ㅤ
ㅤㅤ⌜ And with that notion, he leaves out of the labs himself.
ㅤㅤ. . . It's a long trek home. ⌟
ㅤ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe's soon to leave after Inkcap, fleeing back to the woods.
ㅤ
「 They already have their son, their brother. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe shakes his head, heading to the door.
「 Besides... 」
ㅤ
ㅤ‘ Can I ask why? ’
ㅤ
「 My work here is done. I don't belong in this house anymore. 」
ㅤ
「 They already have their son, their brother. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe shakes his head, heading to the door.
「 Besides... 」
ㅤ
「 My work here is done. I don't belong in this house anymore. 」
ㅤ
ㅤㅤ⌜ Lingering a moment longer, the fox withdraws a quiet sigh. His worries and anxieties could be pushed down for a little while longer.
ㅤㅤ. . . Now his attention went back to Quint. Curiosity and suspicion clashes. ⌟
ㅤ‘ Are you going to leave once I depart? ’
ㅤ
「 Take all the time you need. 」
ㅤ
「 My work here is done. I don't belong in this house anymore. 」
ㅤ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ︵
ㅤㅤ➣ㅤㅤ𝐃 𝐖 𝐍 — ∞⃝ ㅤ :ㅤㅤ𝚁𝙴𝙰𝚆𝙰𝙺𝙴𝙽𝙴𝙳.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ︶
ㅤ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ︵
ㅤㅤ➣ㅤㅤ𝐃 𝐖 𝐍 — ∞⃝ ㅤ :ㅤㅤ𝚁𝙴𝙰𝚆𝙰𝙺𝙴𝙽𝙴𝙳.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ︶
ㅤ
「 Take all the time you need. 」
ㅤ
ㅤㅤ⌜ That seemed to be his only viable option to regroup, he thinks, and perhaps even formulate a better plan of action. But even if the sense rung in him, he can't help the aching in his chest taking it over. ⌟
ㅤ‘ I . . . need a moment before I do. ’
ㅤ
「 If my memory serves me right, it was a little less fair than that... but that doesn't matter. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe shrugs.
「 You should probably go home. That'll be the first place Lunus will look when Mega tells them you're alright, yeah? 」
ㅤ
「 Take all the time you need. 」
ㅤ
「 If my memory serves me right, it was a little less fair than that... but that doesn't matter. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe shrugs.
「 You should probably go home. That'll be the first place Lunus will look when Mega tells them you're alright, yeah? 」
ㅤ
ㅤ‘ Stagknight . . . ’
ㅤㅤ⌜ Any remainder of his rough exterior had openly vanished at the mention of his friend. ⌟
ㅤ‘ That damned fake probably did it before Mega could get the chance to free him. Urgh . . . ’
ㅤㅤ⌜ Turning to side eye him. ⌟
ㅤ‘ So what? Do I just stay here and wait? ’
ㅤ
「 Now, personally, I'd pin the blame on the reploid that actually took his eye out. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe rolls his eyes with a laugh, slowly putting his mask back on.
「 But they're both fine. At worst, they feel guilty over not being able to save Stagknight yet. 」
ㅤ
「 If my memory serves me right, it was a little less fair than that... but that doesn't matter. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe shrugs.
「 You should probably go home. That'll be the first place Lunus will look when Mega tells them you're alright, yeah? 」
ㅤ
「 Now, personally, I'd pin the blame on the reploid that actually took his eye out. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe rolls his eyes with a laugh, slowly putting his mask back on.
「 But they're both fine. At worst, they feel guilty over not being able to save Stagknight yet. 」
ㅤ
ㅤ‘ Rrrgh . . . ’
ㅤㅤ⌜ Fists clenching, breaking into a pace. His ears pin back against his head. ⌟
ㅤ‘ Even if he's fine . . . I'm still responsible. He's just as family as Lunus.
ㅤㅤ. . . I just need to know they're both okay. ’
ㅤ
「 This is Maverick Hunter HQ we're talking about. Aren't you considered a Maverick? I don't think you /can/ visit him. Not safely, at least. 」
ㅤ
「 Now, personally, I'd pin the blame on the reploid that actually took his eye out. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe rolls his eyes with a laugh, slowly putting his mask back on.
「 But they're both fine. At worst, they feel guilty over not being able to save Stagknight yet. 」
ㅤ
「 This is Maverick Hunter HQ we're talking about. Aren't you considered a Maverick? I don't think you /can/ visit him. Not safely, at least. 」
ㅤ
ㅤ‘ But I should / be / there! ’
ㅤㅤ⌜ It was only fair. Mega saved his life, and he repaid him with cowardice ; not having the ability to save him from a path that could've been avoided.
ㅤㅤIn the same vain . . . Maverick Hunter HQ was somewhere Inkcap couldn't be. ⌟
ㅤ
「 Don't work yourself into a panic. Clearly, he'll end up alright. 」
ㅤ
「 This is Maverick Hunter HQ we're talking about. Aren't you considered a Maverick? I don't think you /can/ visit him. Not safely, at least. 」
ㅤ
「 Don't work yourself into a panic. Clearly, he'll end up alright. 」
ㅤ
ㅤㅤ⌜ Shooting back up to stand, his breath faltering for a moment. What had happened in the time he was gone? ⌟
ㅤ‘ I - I have to go see him. Now. ’
ㅤ
「 I mean that he should already be back at Maverick Hunter HQ, getting the frayed wires repaired. It's past 5, right? 」
ㅤ
「 Don't work yourself into a panic. Clearly, he'll end up alright. 」
ㅤ
「 I mean that he should already be back at Maverick Hunter HQ, getting the frayed wires repaired. It's past 5, right? 」
ㅤ
ㅤㅤ⌜ Suddenly alert. ⌟
ㅤ‘ What do you mean, being fixed now? ’
ㅤ
「 Depends on what you mean. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe gestures to the exposed metal—
「 That's /very/ recent in my memory, so about 15 years from now. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤAnd then to the empty socket—
「 And if I remember right... this is getting fixed right now. 」
ㅤ
「 I mean that he should already be back at Maverick Hunter HQ, getting the frayed wires repaired. It's past 5, right? 」
ㅤ
「 Depends on what you mean. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe gestures to the exposed metal—
「 That's /very/ recent in my memory, so about 15 years from now. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤAnd then to the empty socket—
「 And if I remember right... this is getting fixed right now. 」
ㅤ
ㅤ‘ Comforting. ’
ㅤㅤ⌜ So his assumption was correct. He stares after him, studying the damage on his right side. ⌟
ㅤ‘ . . . Even that? ’
ㅤ
「 A /lot./ Being 15 years from the future will do that to you. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe retracts the blade, putting it back in the toolbox.
「 It'll be a long time before he gets like me, so don't worry. 」
ㅤ
「 Depends on what you mean. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe gestures to the exposed metal—
「 That's /very/ recent in my memory, so about 15 years from now. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤAnd then to the empty socket—
「 And if I remember right... this is getting fixed right now. 」
ㅤ
「 A /lot./ Being 15 years from the future will do that to you. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe retracts the blade, putting it back in the toolbox.
「 It'll be a long time before he gets like me, so don't worry. 」
ㅤ
ㅤ‘ . . . So you witnessed it after all. ’
ㅤㅤ⌜ The real conclusion was dodged. It was a reality that Inkcap didn't want to face head on, especially with not a wound so severe like that . . .
ㅤㅤAnger begins to whittle to melancholy. ⌟
ㅤ‘ What happened to you? ’
ㅤ
「 How else do you think I knew you were going to be here? 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤThat's not an answer to his question.
ㅤ
「 A /lot./ Being 15 years from the future will do that to you. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe retracts the blade, putting it back in the toolbox.
「 It'll be a long time before he gets like me, so don't worry. 」
ㅤ
「 How else do you think I knew you were going to be here? 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤThat's not an answer to his question.
ㅤ
ㅤㅤ⌜ Eyes to the pieces of the helmet, a slight crease in his tired narrowed gaze. ⌟
ㅤ‘ Riddle me this, Quint.
ㅤㅤYou look just like a bot that saved my ass from where that came from. Is that fate, or a coincidence? ’
ㅤ
「 How else do you think I knew you were going to be here? 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤThat's not an answer to his question.
ㅤ
「 Age hasn't unsteadied my hand yet, I suppose. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe walks over to grab a rag, handing it to Inkcap.
「 And I suppose you don't intend to bleed all over yourself? 」
ㅤ
ㅤㅤ⌜ — what Mega had, there would be much more of a mess.
ㅤㅤWhile the back of his head throbbed, it could finally breathe. ⌟
ㅤ‘ It'll heal, ’ㅤ⌜ he grumbles after a moment of smoothing out the fur. ⌟ㅤ‘ That was a clean cut. ’
ㅤ
「 Age hasn't unsteadied my hand yet, I suppose. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe walks over to grab a rag, handing it to Inkcap.
「 And I suppose you don't intend to bleed all over yourself? 」
ㅤ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤAnd carefully does he reveal the sharp edge of the blade, dragging it along the helmet carefully. After a short moment, he reaches Inkcap's neck. Moving to the sides, it really isn't long before the helmet is in four pieces.
ㅤ
ㅤ‘ . . . Quint. ’
ㅤㅤ⌜ He repeats it softly to himself. Hidden gazes are suspicious but wide, stuck to disbelief. Had he known what he was thinking? ⌟
ㅤ‘ I'll . . . keep that in mind. ’
ㅤㅤ⌜ He has no choice but to take what aid he's able now. Settling, Inkcap lowers his head. ⌟
ㅤ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe lets out one breath of a laugh, walking over to the table, blade in hand.
「 Please, just call me Quint. It'll make everything easier on us both. 」
ㅤ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤAnd carefully does he reveal the sharp edge of the blade, dragging it along the helmet carefully. After a short moment, he reaches Inkcap's neck. Moving to the sides, it really isn't long before the helmet is in four pieces.
ㅤ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe lets out one breath of a laugh, walking over to the table, blade in hand.
「 Please, just call me Quint. It'll make everything easier on us both. 」
ㅤ
ㅤㅤ⌜ But the answer is plain to see. No longer Mega, but someone so similar, he can hardly get his bearings straight. ⌟
ㅤ‘ Who are you? ’
ㅤ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe lets out one breath of a laugh, walking over to the table, blade in hand.
「 Please, just call me Quint. It'll make everything easier on us both. 」
ㅤ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤThe brown hair that barely reaches his shoulders is far too similar to another— and when he grabs the knife, turning his head back around...
ㅤ
ㅤ‘ You could say that again . . . ’
ㅤㅤ⌜ Quizzical looks are flashed, taking a pace back to get a better look at the other. Notable features strike him odd, and with an off familiarity he catches himself doubting. ⌟
ㅤ
「 That's what the "I suppose" was for. You've had a long day, I can tell. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤIt looks back over at Inkcap for a short moment, before putting the blade down and grabbing at his mask.
「 Should probably take this off so I can see better... 」
ㅤ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤThe brown hair that barely reaches his shoulders is far too similar to another— and when he grabs the knife, turning his head back around...
ㅤ
「 That's what the "I suppose" was for. You've had a long day, I can tell. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤIt looks back over at Inkcap for a short moment, before putting the blade down and grabbing at his mask.
「 Should probably take this off so I can see better... 」
ㅤ
ㅤ‘ As much as I would / like / that, ’ㅤ⌜ he hisses lowly, ⌟ㅤ‘ I've matters to attend to as soon as we're done. ’
ㅤㅤ⌜ Laced with a tinge of apprehension and bitterness ; but who could blame him? ⌟
ㅤ
「 That's what the "I suppose" was for. You've had a long day, I can tell. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤIt looks back over at Inkcap for a short moment, before putting the blade down and grabbing at his mask.
「 Should probably take this off so I can see better... 」
ㅤ
「 I'm well aware. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤThe voice was very clearly modified, but there was no clear device for that.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe leads Inkcap downstairs, into the heart of the lab. A table lay in the center, surrounded by shelves of boxes of supplies.
ㅤ
ㅤㅤ⌜ Still, he follows what the robot master had told him, and cautiously nods. ⌟
ㅤ‘ ` Rock ` sent me. ’
ㅤㅤ⌜ If that still meant anything now . . . ⌟
ㅤ
「 I'm well aware. 」
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤThe voice was very clearly modified, but there was no clear device for that.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHe leads Inkcap downstairs, into the heart of the lab. A table lay in the center, surrounded by shelves of boxes of supplies.
ㅤ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ..a familiar figure comes by Light Labs. He knew he was coming,and yet it's still a pleasant surprise.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤWhen the figure knocks, there's no response... how odd.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤPerhaps he...
ㅤ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ..a familiar figure comes by Light Labs. He knew he was coming,and yet it's still a pleasant surprise.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤWhen the figure knocks, there's no response... how odd.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤPerhaps he...
ㅤ
「 Emotions are hard. I understand. 」
ㅤ
i. feel a lot about him. but. it's complicated?
but. mm.
( he's spacing out. bad. eyes stare forward, but at nothing in particular. head empty. )
「 ..no matter what you do, it's gotta be lonely at the top. So at least tell him you're thinking of him. 」
ㅤ
「 Emotions are hard. I understand. 」
ㅤ