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[laserguy]

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text | stendhal

[maellum]

Hi. It's Maelle.

You ready for this next mission?

[laserguy]

uh, i guess so?

i know aurora mentioned that we won't have our powers anymore but i got a bat from one of the shops nearby. how about you?

[He's so dead.]

[maellum]

I have a sword. I'll be okay.

Are you going to stick with Sophie?

[laserguy]

oh shit, you know how to use a sword? that's cool.

and maybe? i think we should. i don't know if she's ever had to deal with something where she didn't have her powers. do you have anyone?

[maellum]

Not as cool as whatever mutants have going on. Sophie's told me a little about it.

I think she'll either enjoy the silence or absolutely hate it. You should keep an eye on her either way. I have people from home and my guardian. We should be okay.

[laserguy]

yeah it's alright i guess. depends on what ability you got.

if she's used to hearing voices, she'll probably hate it. well, hope she's fine having me around when she's feeling like shit.

[But guess what matters is being there for her, even if tells him to piss off. He's done that to her multiple times...]

so you'll really be okay? if you end up getting separated, just give me a call. or whatever.

[maellum]

What exactly does yours do?

Yeah, I will. As long as you do, too. I don't know Sophie very well yet but I know she'll worry about you on this mission.

Once it's over we should celebrate with chips and video games.

[laserguy]

optic blasts. basically big concussive beams that tear through mostly everything in front of me. sounds cool, except i can't control them. it's why i was wearing sunglasses while playing video games.

i still don't know why she cares about me so much. guess she'd probably just miss teasing the hell out of me.

but we totally are. fuck we have to toss in extra snacks too. like all the junk food.

[maellum]

Strong sunglasses. Is this something that can be practiced?

Sophie has a bigger heart than I think she'd like pointed out. She's been asking Gustave for advice. Which I'm not supposed to be telling you, but I think it's... proof she cares, yeah?

[laserguy]

if you're talking about learning to control them? not really. apparently i need something called a 'visor' to help with that, but i don't have it.

gustave? wait, so she's asking him advice on how to watch over me or something?

[maellum]

Is that something that can be made?

Not like that. More like how to have a good relationship, I would say. Gustave and I have one because he doesn't treat me like a child.

It's a good thing if she follows his advice.

[laserguy]

yeah i'm pretty sure, but need someone really smart with technology. and probably ruby quartz.

so she really wants to have a good relationship with me. like what you have with gustave? which. is he someone from your world? pretty sure i haven't met him.

[maellum]

Yeah. He adopted me. And he just so happens to be really smart. He's an engineer. Sounds like maybe you should meet him.

I guess I should ask what kind of relationship you want with Sophie.

[laserguy]

well since you're willing to vouch for him, i guess he doesn't sound too bad.

and. i don't know?? i guess i never thought about it. of all the mutants here, it kind of feels like she's the only one that actually gives a shit.

[Well, and maybe a couple of others, but they're gone now.]

[maellum]

He's the best. He'll like you. He'd be happy to try and help you out, too.

I don't know how to tell you this, but she does give a shit. She wouldn't have spoken to Gustave if she didn't.

[laserguy]

heh. if you say so.

[He normally doesn't leave great impressions on people, but he tries every so often.]

yeah. i know. guess i'm just not used to it. [He has Alex, but... his older brother wasn't around often.]

[maellum]

Are you a sad and lonely orphan, too? Before here, I mean.

[laserguy]

[oh fuck really--]

no. i have my parents and stuff. we're just not close, but. fuck okay. guess i'm bitching about nothing huh.

[maellum]

Everyone in Lumière is an orphan. So people are more open to... getting more family, I guess? I forget some people might not want a guardian.

[laserguy]

[.....what the fuck. damn.]

what the hell happened there? to you?

[maellum]

It's a long story and pretty strange compared to other people's worlds, but... there's no one over 32 left. And each year the number lowers.

[Or at least it used to. It's all over, now.]

We called it the Gommage. Gustave would have been up next, and then everyone 31 years old, and then eventually it would be my turn.

[laserguy]

okay. that's really fucked up. putting that out there now.

but wait is it done and over with? you guys stopped it??

[maellum]

Not going to argue with that.

... I thought we did? But that's what you get from operating entirely on assumptions.

[laserguy]

so. like what happened then?

[maellum]

The right thing was maybe the wrong thing. Died anyway. Everyone. Game over.

[She saw that video game screen.]