boxolawyers | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: Quatre, Edgeworth
What: A virus strikes! Quatre and Edgeworth are forced to stay within proximity of each other, lest they become terribly ill.
Where: The Maganac's village and base of operations.
When: Some random point in time.
Warnings: None!

The sun peaked through the curtains of the window, slowly bathing the small bedroom in light. It was a quiet morning; the only sounds that could be heard were those of men and women setting up shops at the market down the hill, and those were only faint echos at best.

It was a day to sleep in--not that Quatre normally did. There was something about this place, though, something peaceful and safe. Everyone knew who he was, just as they did nearly everywhere he went these days, but the Maganac Corps were like family, and so was everyone in the village by proxy. He could forget about politics and disarmament, at least for a moment, which was why--when a sliver of sunlight positioned itself directly over his face--the young man simply winced and rolled over with nothing more than a groan.

He could afford a moment more.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's... a long story. Suffice it to say, they were used in the Eve Wars several months ago. Now they're being used to aid the disarmament process.

Then the war is over for you as well. [falls silent, considering for a moment.]

The you that was on the community before...he shared a little information with me. About his friends, his family, his part in the war. I don't believe the conflict was so recent for him.

[except when he spoke of his father. recent or no, that was still fresh.]

[seems surprised at this; given how Edgeworth feels about him, Quatre can't imagine why such a topic would have come up, unless it was the result of another virus]

[he casts his gaze ahead, musing] It was four months ago that it finally ended. Christmas Eve, AC one ninety-five.

[hmphs loudly at the date.] How appropriate...or perhaps ironic.

I believe the war had ended for him about a year prior. I wonder what other discrepancies there are between you two.

[a quick glance, a beat, and then:] ...May I ask what happened?

[falters, pausing in the hallway.] I'm sorry?

[pauses ahead and turns to look at him, unfaltering] Between the two of you.

[there's a long pause before he tilts his chin up and crosses his arms.] He proved to not be the person I thought he was.

Yes, that's what you said before... But I thought, perhaps, since we're more than likely going to be in each other's company for a while... [pauses, shakes his head] ...I suppose asking for another chance might be a bit too much, wouldn't it?

[with a touch of petulance] ...It might.

[pauses, averting his eyes as he reconsiders the question.] I'm always extremely selective about the people I associate with, Mr. Winner. I couldn't understand the kind of person he really was until he was too close. I don't intend to make the same mistake twice.

[watches him for a moment, his expression somber, then simply nods in understanding]

[turns away] The entrance to the base is just up ahead.

[he hesitates, struggling with a touch of trepidation and unease--trepidation over what lies ahead and unease over what lays behind. eventually he falls back in line behind the boy.]

[they come to a room that looks like an ordinary, albeit small, laundry room; Quatre opens a panel on the wall, pushes a few buttons, and then steps back as the ground begins to shake. a trap door lifts from the center of the room, revealing a staircase]

[looks at Edgeworth, eyebrows raised, as if to ask him if he'd like to go first]

[the shaking catches him off guard, causing him to fall back against the wall with a soft gasp. if it had gone on any longer, Edgeworth might have been in more serious trouble. as it is, he's able to hold his breath, bite his tongue, and bring himself under control only a few moments after the pseudo-earthquake ends, just in time to hide his reaction from Winner's sight and take in the scene.]

[it's almost like something out of a spy movie. Winner gets a very skeptical raised eyebrow, as if to say, "Are the theatrics really necessary?" then a casual wave.] After you.

[hey man, this village has been attacked before; no sense having a secret entrance that anybody can access]

[but Quatre doesn't respond to Edgeworth's unasked question; instead, he gives the man a curious look, as the remnants of Edgeworth's fear dance on the edge of his senses; he considers asking if everything is all right, but Edgeworth has composed himself, and Quatre doesn't want to cause irritation]

[he simply nods and takes to the stairs]

[wise choice, boy. Edgeworth stares coolly back, wary over the possibility that he didn't hide his reaction to the shaking well enough. he's sensitive enough about it when he's around friends, let alone people he's not comfortable around.]

[fortunately Winner seems to read the message clearly enough and declines to comment. Edgeworth follows him down, wondering again what he's getting into.]

[what he's getting into is, in fact, a giant hangar, packing at least a dozen mobile suits]

[there are also several workers down here--mechanics, from the looks of it--doing maintenance and repairs on the suits; Quatre nods to a few of them in greeting (and they in turn smile and nod, all while keeping an eye on the man behind him), then turns to Edgeworth]

Sandrock is at the end of the hangar, just a ways down.

[it's like descending into another world. it seems almost impossible that such a massive space could exist below the completely normal home they just came from. Edgeworth can't help staring at each of the monstrous suits as they pass, heedless to the stares his own presence is drawing. the name might have given him some clue to their nature but could hardly have prepared him for how impressive (not to mention intimidating) they would be. it strikes him in a very concrete way that these are weapons, instruments of war. what they must be like in action...]

[a shiver runs down his spine. he starts when Winner halts suddenly, and follows his direction to find a suit which appears, even to his untrained eye, more advanced than any of the others.]

That one is yours?

[his tone is tainted with disbelief, though it's not meant as a judgment on Winner. that anyone his age would be given control of a weapon like that just seems outlandish.]

[Quatre simply nods; it's not the first time he's gotten that reaction, though it doesn't happen as often as one might think]

[he walks towards it, beckoning Edgeworth to follow]

The computer's on board.

On board? [Edgeworth stares at the machine for a few moments as if approaching it is the last thing he wants to do, but eventually he does follow.]

[following the boy into the machine, if that is the intention, would be a different question entirely. besides being a weapon, it appears to be completely enclosed. knowing military vehicles, chances are good the interior's also cramped and uncomfortable...and possibly claustrophobic.]

[Quatre nods and continues walking.]

For some reason, it's the only one that will access the community here.

[distractedly, still mostly focused on the Gundam they're quickly approaching.] Strange. As far as I know, everyone on my world has access from any device they use.

Really? [glances over his shoulder, genuinely surprised] Hm... Well, I can access it from any of my devices; Sandrock's computer just happens to be the only one I have, at the moment. But if I give somebody else the URL, they only get an error in return.

You can't access it for them, or use someone else's computer in their absence? Hm.

[mulling it over.] I've never tried inflicting the site on any unsuspecting victims from my world, but I assume they would have the same problem. The community only seems to want who it wants. But those of us who already have access don't seem to be limited in how we get to the site. [He eyes some of the computers scattered throughout the hangar, wondering if that rule would still hold true here. Maybe he wouldn't need to use the boy's Gundam after all.]

[They're almost at the Gundam now; its sheer mass, if not obvious before, is greater than that of any other mobile suit in the hangar, and it towers over them at more than fifty feet tall.]

Strange... I've heard others mention the same problem that I have. I wonder if it's different for everyone...