Now you're just somebody that I used to know.

[chiron_survivor]

Adia is sitting at a computer terminal in the Plaza with a pint of cookie dough ice cream and a carton of boxed wine, watching cute animal videos online and occasionally wiping at her red-rimmed eyes with the back of her hand.

It's every bad break-up cliché, but Adia does not care. After recently experiencing the (second) worst day of life, she needs a break. And unfortunately, the only place she can get that is the Nexus.

She clicks on a thumbnail of a hamster eating a tiny burrito and takes a swig of wine while it loads. "How do you get over someone," she asks the Nexus unhappily, "When they've clearly gotten over you?"

Comments

[chiron_survivor]

"You think so?" Adia knows about Adam's augmented limbs, but to suggest that he has altered enough of his body to be functionally immortal is far out of her realm of experience. Her curiosity is quickly tempered by worrying over the possibility of Vaclav returning to his world. It was bad enough, with all the hatred and discrimination against augments, but now she's imagining scary gangsters after him, too. "Oh, please be careful. Make sure Adam goes with you, if you have to go back."

She murmurs her thanks when Vaclav holds the door open for her. His optimism brings a small smile to her face. It doesn't seem like much can bring down his spirit. She wishes she could do the same. "Have you found a building yet that you could use?"

[zombots]

"I never worked on someone with that many augs before. I mean he seems to be more machine on the inside than he is human." And from what Adam has told him, Vaclav knows his heavily augmented from is tougher than tough! Smiling at the thought of having someone like him as not only a client, but as a friend is rewarding. "I will. Or I'll ask someone else who is good at busting heads for help. Not to mention, I still have some faithful connections back home."

He looks at the pizza on display, and his stomach starts to growl. Everything smells heavenly, but his eyes fall on something called a Calzone. He has never heard of those before, and he points to it. "That looks good; I'm going to have one of them and a big gigantic cup of soda! Extra caffeine please!" He looks back to Adia, and he shakes his head. "I haven't found one, but once I do, I'll be happy to let you know. Maybe I'll put comfy couches and chairs, so people can read their books after they buy them."

[chiron_survivor]

Adia doesn't say much in response to that. It feels a little gossipy to be talking about Adam's insides, even if Vaclav means it as a compliment. "You could probably find someone here to help, if necessary... maybe even someone stealthy so no one even knows that you're back." She knows that "busting heads" is a necessity sometimes, but she'll always prefer a less violent solution to a problem if one's available.

She would have sworn that she wasn't hungry just a few minutes ago, but once she takes in the menu, she finds herself suddenly famished. A greasy slice of pepperoni pizza and a cup of icy cola sound like the perfect thing for her wine-soaked stomach. "I'll have a slice of pepperoni pizza and a cup of cola... is that okay?" She looks at Vaclav hopefully. "That sounds like a good idea, by the way. Places to sit in your bookshop, I mean."

[zombots]

It doesn't help that of all Augs he's met that Adam happens to be the most fascinating. But talking about what makes him tick is a bit gossipy, and he takes Adia's silence as hint to leave it to Adam to answer any questions about his inner workings.

"I'm sure I could get help! There's lots of friendly people here, and I did have some help getting some of my gear here." Vaclav is happy for the people he's met here, and the help he got when he was first settling down in the Nexus. "And of course, you can have pepperoni and soda!" He pulls out a credit card from his pocket, and he goes to hand it to the cashier.

"Couches. Well couches are a plaza thing, but you cannot have enough comfy couches. And maybe bean bags."

[chiron_survivor]

She doesn't think any less of Vaclav for it, but she's relieved that the topic is dropped. Although perhaps when she is more sober and less heartbroken, she could learn more about how augments work in general.

"Who helped you with your gear?" she asks, curious if it's anyone that she knows. She smiles gratefully when he pays for her order. "Thank you... I'll pay you back someday, I promise." She leans against the counter, unsure of whether she needs to wait for the food there or take a seat. She's eyeing the empty booths, looking forward to sitting down again. "The couches in your bookstore won't get rained or snowed on... bean bags are fun, too. I had a bean bag in my college dorm."