route_1065 | Spring Cleaning: the beast wakes;

Entry tags:

!plot: spring cleaning

Spring Cleaning: the beast wakes;

Who: Suicune (

legendarybeasts), Rocket operatives and bystanders in the area
Where: Route 7
When: May 8th, 8:30PM
Summary: Rockets capture Suicune.
Rating: PG-13
Log:

[It runs. The wind carries it, fog is its mantle, and the ground weeps dew at its passing. It has known only endless sleep for so long, and now, it has awakened to the scream of the grass and the clouds, knowing in its heart that the world's Order is not being kept. The Old One sleeps too, too deep, not watching, and then they all fell after it.

But then it heard whispers, up in its cold mountain hideaway where pure crystal water flows in trickling, shimmering rivulets. The water whispered to it, wake up wake up, I am hurt, and it did. Its brothers sleep still, their consciousness tickling at the back of its mind like a reassurance. It does not know what awaits, only that it must run, and seek, and destroy.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Wow, way to put words in people's mouths. Newsflash! Not everybody is mute.]

It was not my intention, Caroline. What I mean is that you are simply too important to be put in jeopardy like this. But if you can fend for yourself, I believe you.

Speaking of which, is it just me, or is the travel inconveniencing you less, now that I have successfully distracted you?

[A bit of a smile.]

[You implied that she isn't prepared to go into battle, and then flat-out told her that she should be protected. Newsflash! Your statements cause others to draw logical conclusions!

And as a follow-up report, everything went to shit in Aperture every single time a man was left in charge. These stories and more on your local news at ten; for the time being, she's going to ignore that latter question entirely for the sake of being annoyed at the first part.]

No one is "too important" to fight. If they want to fight, let them fight. If they're underprepared, that isn't anyone's fault but theirs.

And you want to fight.

[He nods simply, acknowledging that.]

So once the door is left open, you are more eager to fly out of your cage than I thought you would be. Very well.

[There is a metaphor here; it involves birds. In any case, the neutral expression from just a moment before just turned into a friendly smile.]

Your strength inspires me, Caroline. And I would leave you now, but as I said, I feel it is best for your attention to be diverted elsewhere for the remainder of this trip.

[...well, you'd be surprised as to what else flies out of open cages if you give them the chance. Morons, for example.

...the reference might be a bit obscure for you, Gorthan, but oh well.]

And what do you plan on doing about it?

Angering you seems to be the most effective option so far. But for obvious reasons, it is something I should abstain from overdoing.

So, instead, how would you like to tell me a story? Any story will work.

[...wat.]

I'm not really one for stories. Never have been.

[Well, that's not entirely true; she used to tell Chell quite a few stories.

However, she doubts that Gorthan really wants to hear that he's fat, a horrible person, and no one likes him. Somehow she doesn't think that's quite the story he's looking for.]

But surely there is something interesting you can tell me. Again, this would be for your own sake.

[Even that could work? He's not really looking for anything. He just wants her to not inwardly freak out.]

[...staring...so much staring.]

How is it for my own sake if it's optional and I'm not interested?

[That's a genuine question, actually, not anything overly snide.]

I am saying you should be interested, since it is for your own sake.

[... And even this seems to be working, but he won't comment on that.]

Or would you rather I leave you alone with your not-so-well concealed fear of heights?

[And that question of his is also genuine.]

I've had a lot of experiences with heights. And falling from them. They weren't good experiences.

[...wow, thank you, Captain Obvious, I'm sure no one else in that helicopter ever would have guessed they were bad if you hadn't said so.]

[Falling...

He closes his eyes for a moment with a sudden air of gravity.]

I understand. I can say something similar, actually. But perhaps that story would bore you, if you were to hear it.

[When his eyes open again, they will seek GLaDOS', in search of a mutual understanding.]

And yet, the very fact that we are here to tell those stories... does it not mean that we should treasure those experiences? For it is proof of our ability to overcome those situations, and as such, we no longer have to fear them.

[She smiles then, though the expression is incredibly sardonic.]

You're going on about my ability to overcome, yet you just finished telling me how you think I need to be protected.

I've fought many battles before. Falling was just a really inconvenient thing that I don't want to experience again.

Those two things... do not exclude each other. I admire your logic, Caroline. But even if - or precisely because - I am a scientist, I have to admit that perhaps the foundations of the universe lay on shifting paradoxes, impossible to ever fully grasp.

[A pause, as he considers whether to tell her or not, and decides he can.]

I had to jump off my ship as it burned and crash-landed on a desert.

[She tilts her head, as though she's not entirely sure why he's telling her this, but her tone is casual when she replies.]

...shoved down a mineshaft, myself. Among other things.

[He blinks, shocked.]

I am sorry... who did that to you? And for what reason?

[She doesn't seem bothered by it at all, actually, just kind of offering a dismissive handwave at those questions.]

One of my coworkers. He thought he could run the facility better than I could.

He was wrong, of course.

I do not doubt that he was, Caroline.

[He then seems to consider something for a moment.]

Was your coworker a biological entity, or...? More importantly, were you able to punish him?

[She seems a bit confused by the first question for a moment, her brow knitting before she speaks again.]

I don't see why what he was matters. Either way, he managed to punish himself better than I could.

[A smile, which gains a playful edge by the time he's finished speaking.]

See, that sounds like an interesting story. As do the mantis men you mentioned earlier.

Are you going to just let me be tortured by my own, frustrated curiosity, or do you have a little mercy left in you?

[Hers isn't nearly as playful; just detached. Amused, but cold.]

I think it's funny that you would talk to me about mercy. My morality core was the first thing destroyed before I died.

[... are you going to just give him a bunch of book sleeves and back covers of all the stories you have to tell

or are the actual books coming, too, eventually

just sayin' ]

... You died. When? How? ... If I may ask, obviously.

[He... actually sees how she would be amused. She is managing to confuse him so much.]

Well, that depends. I was murdered once, and then the same person tried to kill me again. You know, after I spent a good, long time being dead.

The coworker was making a third attempt. He made a fourth by the time it was all over. It was pretty great, except for the parts where it wasn't.

[Oh, come now. She never gives anyone the full story regarding anything. Even when she does give an account of something that may have happened, it's usually all lies, anyway; it'd change the next time you asked her about it.]

[It's not like he knows, though!

... That said, GLaDOS, you are officially the worst storyteller. Gorthan acknowledges this with brief, stifled laughter. It is at this point that Gorthan officially gives up asking questions strictly related to her story, which is something he is sure she will appreciate.]

What is it like to be dead, Caroline?

[Oh, the smile you get at that is a bit of a nasty one.]

Well. In the event of a cataclysmic system failure, I have a certain feature that activates itself - let's call it a black box. It preserves the last two minutes of my life for analysis.

It lets me relive being killed. Over. And over. And over again. For as long as it takes for my system to come online again.

...did I say that it lets me? It's really more like being forced. But I'm not one to split hairs over a little thing like that.

[At first, he simply blinks, as the information registers. Then he lowers his head sadly.]

Caroline... that... that is horrible. Why do you even have that feature? For what purpose? Are you unable to remove it? Nobody should have to go through that, biological or not. I... I am very sorry.

[His hand searches for hers then, seeking to hold it. Maybe with the armor on, it doesn't really count as contact?]

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MY SENTENCE WENT ABOUT FIVE DIFFERENT WAYS AND NONE OF THEM WERE GOOD i think i'm done now i'm sorry

It's okay! *patpat*

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It's okay! patpat