Closed Paths

[rekindledtitan]

Blaze hasn’t been around the Plaza much of late, keeping her Nexus visits to brisk strolls through less well-protected areas. Areas she’s less likely to run into familiar faces. But today the Exo Guardian teleports straight in, the signs of recent battle marring her armor as she pulls off her helm and looks around. After a moment, she exchanges a glance with the tiny silver bot floating at her side, then strides over and parks herself on the nearest sturdy bench.

“Ever feel like you’ve learned more than you could have imagined and still wound up right back where you started?” It’s the first frustrated question that comes to mind. She shakes her head at it.

“Never mind. How do you ground yourself when you need to get your head straight?”

That's an easy one. She has an abundance of questions today, and to her unease most of them aren’t ones she feels free to share.

Comments

[chiron_survivor]

"I don't think he'll still be wearing his Virgon University sweatshirt," Adia says with a small, sad smile. More brightly, she adds, "That's good to know that you're one of a kind. I won't mistake you for anyone else... well, unless an alternate of yours shows up in the Nexus."

She hopes she didn't commit some sort of social gaffe by asking Ghost her questions, but she didn't want to leave him out of the conversation. "I never liked having a nickname, either," Adia says. "But you're able to tell one another apart, right?"

She cringes visibly at their reaction, even though she knows that they aren't blaming her. Still, it's hard not to take responsibility for all of humanity when there are so few of them left. "It's more complicated than that," she says, a touch defensive. "Many people lost their vaccination records when the colonies were destroyed. Their biggest concerns now are getting enough food to eat and keeping their shelter from collapsing in a heavy rain. We try to run as many clinics as we can, but it's difficult to get to everyone."

[rekindledtitan]

"Ah. Heh. No. I don't think that'll be a problem. Seems like the problem around here is more often the same people showing up with different faces." She's been hit with a few too many LOLs; Blaze doesn't even want to think about an actual alternate showing up. "Why, have you ever met an alternate version of yourself?"

Ghost doesn't seem to mind answering, for what that's worth; even his surprise is wearing off as they talk and he relaxes a little. Blaze is trying her best not to interrupt her shy partner. Adia seems quite safe to talk to, after all.

"Oh, yes. And once we've bonded with a Guardian, they can recognize us too. Other people don't, um, need to as much." He flexes his shell in what looks like uncertainty before he ventures, "Do people often try to nickname you? It doesn't seem necessary."

Blaze seems taken aback when Adia flinches like that. "Hey, relax. I'm not mad at you. And I guess you've got a point about your priorities. I just don't understand why people wouldn't be on board with precautions like handwashing when the situation's so critical."

[chiron_survivor]

Adia shakes her head. "No, but one of the first people I met in the Nexus warned me of the possibility. Although I was never concerned with running into an alternate of myself as much an alternate of someone else."

Being incredibly shy herself, Adia is happy to hold a conversation with Ghost at his comfort level. "Are you always with Blaze, then?" she asks curiously. She shrugs a little at his question. "Some people use it as a way to show closeness, but my name doesn't shorten easily, so it sounds strange to me."

"Sorry." Adia murmurs, relaxing her posture. She smooths out the wrinkles in her scarf and adds softly, "People are trying to take care of themselves as best they can. When you're constantly under attack, certain things can fall by the wayside."

[rekindledtitan]

"Ah. Yeah. I see how that'd be disturbing." She wasn't lying when she said she hasn't met an alternate of any friends, but she knows something about that kind of experience nonetheless. "Especially with where you're coming from. Better if it's just one face, one person."

"Always. Or depending on how you look at it, she's always with me." That gets a chuckle from the Titan. "Shortening your name wouldn't make a lot of sense, I agree. Besides, it's a nice name."

Blaze nods slowly at Adia's words. "That old survival instinct, I guess. It just isn't easy, thinking of people suffering when it could be prevented. There's no room for error in situations like ours."

[chiron_survivor]

Adia smiles gratefully. Blaze gets it. "It's not the same situation, obviously. And I've overcome some of my other fears, here. But I'd rather know who I'm talking to."

"Thank you," Adia says, flattered. "I hope you find a name you like."

"There are people who are worse off than me." Adia shows Blaze her hands -- clean, but the fingernails are cracked. "Surviving means different things to different people."