dualismail | David Alleyne

Honestly? We met in a bar. I was judging their drink selection so I taught her some simple mixed drinks.

youve got a lot of tricks doc. but thats cool. so you met her here first?

Yeah. More than you could imagine.

Yes, I met her here. The two people that were here from my world just... disappeared.

oh im sorry they showed up here before you?

No, actually. They were just, gone. No one knows how or why.

[ Well that's....incredibly troubling. And makes Tidus take a moment to respond. ]

no one will say? has it happened before?

Don't know. This place isn't exactly free with information.

[ mmmghghghrhrhrr

Another delayed response: ]

i need to talk with someone. ill see you tomorrow

Of course. I'll see you then.

[ So after a particularly heavy night of questioning one's mortality more so than usual—

It's the next day outside the dorm, at the agreed meeting time. And maybe Tidus showed early just to be ready, dressed appropriately for the nippy weather in cargo pants and a hoodie jacket. He's leaned against the wall not far from the main doors, and backs away when he sees David, throwing him a smile and a wave. ]

Heya! A uhh, Mr. Not-tech-support?

[ A smile that turns into a grin, anyway. ]

[Really? The guy's forgotten his name? David, in slacks and a nice shirt already, rolls his eyes at that.]

It's David. And I've found a place that should, theoretically, be only three blocks from here.

[ He puts up his hands amicably. ] Okay. Lead the way.

[ No jokes, got it! And Tidus will come to walk at David's level, once they get going. ]

Did your friend get back to you?

Still waiting. She doesn't check messages often. I'm used to it.

[Keep up, Tidus, David's got a long stride, and he puts it to good use now, starting them down the road.]

So, do you have any vague idea of what you might want?

[ Hey, these legs aren't just for show! Tidus won't grumble about going at a quick pace, easily keeping up. ]

Uhh... other than something that doesn't look bad on me? [ Not helpful he knows, but. ] I never had to care about suits back home, and me and the person I'm meeting with thought we'd make it a surprise how we look. Play up the masks and anonymity, you know?

[ Maybe it's silly to someone more accustomed to these things, but Tidus doesn't care. It puts some cheer in his step. ]

If we clash, we'll have something to laugh about!

[ nbd! ]

You can dress up nice without going full on suit. What color are you thinking?

[David himself needs to replace his white suit. He's going simply.]

Mmm... is a blue good? I remember most of the colours they gave us... [ He wouldn't mind the more vibrant choices, but maybe he's not feeling that adventurous for his first ball.

And maybe he's thinking about more than just suits, or his thoughts begin to drift. He's not sure if he should bring anything up, but who else is he going to ask? And it wouldn't be so strange with David. Not after what he told him yesterday.

So: ] Hey, David. What can you tell me about the city? [ They're going at a good pace, so he's not so worried about them being easily overhead; but still he tips his head towards David, shares in a more discreet tone, ] About what's going on. I heard something about [ ... ] robots.

[ And either someone was pulling his leg, or that would actually mean something. ]

Blue is a viable color for the party, and will work with your complexion well enough, so that's an idea. But maybe we can get a nice bright yellow tie to accent it.

[Still, David can tell there is more going on. The way that Tidus, who is clearly energetic, gets quiet a bit as he thinks, that's a sure sign something else is going on. So he's not entirely surprised when the question is asked. Though he does frown at the reference to robots.]

I can tell you that it's evil. I can tell you that the Head is not to be trusted. I can tell you that there were robots that looked like us, and one very nearly killed me. Take all things given by those in charge with a whole block of salt. This party? We're expressly forbidden from being armed. That's partially because there was an attempt on the mayor's life by a rebel force when I first arrived here. But I don't like the idea of being unarmed.

[ Rebel forces—Tidus remembers hearing about that in the announcement for the party. Didn't think to ask about it before with how secretive people had been acting about talking about things, but he's keen to find out more, now. Just, one thing at a time. ]

You don't think there's anything weird about the party, do you?

A party to celebrate death when, so far as I know, no one has died recently? When no one here has even KNOWN anyone who knew anyone who died of the illness the Head brought us here to cure? Yeah. I think there is something weird about it. Which means it's an ideal place to have a medic, isn't it?

[David is prepared for an emergency, and the last time the mayor was involved in a very public celebration there was an explosion.]

I guess.

[ Which means, he doesn't sound sure. But more because he's processing this, trying to make sense with what his own thoughts had been so far, which admittedly hadn't been many. ]

I figured there was something up with how well the city's doing—I mean, it's got more technology than where I came from, and they can bring anyone here. How bad can a disease be when you can do that? But what's the point of the robots?

Diseases are very hard to face. Immunology and all of that, it's a very complicated science. Learning to combat a disease is difficult. If it's a virus, it's even WORSE.

And the robots can act as hands for the Head.

Yeah, but...if they need, you know, samples or whatever, couldn't they get that when they brought us here?

[ He already figured they did...... ]

Not that I get how it works, it's just — they can already do a lot.

It's a point I've made before. Still, the way that research works means that one often has to take multiple samples over time. Especially when dealing with people who may naturally adapt to conditions over time. So they would need us again. And given the wide range of work schedules and unreliable sleep hours, it's not like they can just gas the dorms, put us to sleep, and take more samples that way.

[ Okay, that makes sense to Tidus. His brow is still tight and his mouth frowning, but that's natural for the conversation. ]

So the bots were what, a warning? 'Cause of the what that group tried to do?

[ 'Behave', basically, in the worst possible means of enforcing it. Which doesn't really explain the looking like them part David mentioned, but Tidus can't think of anything to address that right away. ]

The killer bots? No clue. I think... I think that's the Head.

[And David was terrified about what they were being made for.]

David Alleyne

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