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Post by redhavoc on Oct 10, 2011 0:34:28 GMT -5
*I look at the old woman more closely now, even as Max stiffens when she comments. She's the oldest person I have ever seen. The old woman is wearing civilian clothes and is heavy-set, but strong. I wouldn't put her in a fight, but the mere fact that she's still alive in a ghost town... I don't trust her, exactly, I don't even know if I know the word for what I feel about her, but I step forward slowly and extend my hand*
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Post by Max Griffiths on Oct 10, 2011 0:40:19 GMT -5
*Red's gesture makes Moniker smile, and she takes the girl's hand and shakes it* Good to meet you, Red Havoc. I'm Moniker. I used to help heal people before the Wars, but now it's all I can do to keep myself alive. If you'd like me to look at your injury, however, I'd be glad to.
*I speak up, my dislike for Moniker temporarily overriding my wish for Red to recover quickly* She's already seen a doctor.
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Post by redhavoc on Oct 10, 2011 0:49:03 GMT -5
*Moniker... I'll need to remember that. I touch my side lightly and shake my head. I don't need another doctor. I step back. I want to know about the time before the wars, but I decide that if Max doesn't want to hear it, neither do I*
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Post by Max Griffiths on Oct 10, 2011 0:54:24 GMT -5
*Moniker sighs* Very well. It's your choice.
*I shift my balance impatiently and she looks sharply at me* You're just itching to leave me far behind, aren't you, Max? You can go any time you like. Goodness knows I can't stop you. But I'm disappointed in you. The Max I used to know wouldn't stand for the state of the world. He'd have done something about it, tried to make a difference even if he thought it was useless.
*I reply without emotion* You know as well as I what happened to him, Moniker. I know better than that now. *I turn my back on her, tapping Red lightly on the shoulder as I pass* We're going.
*Moniker looks from me to Red, but just nods, resigned* If you must. Be careful out there, both of you.
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Post by redhavoc on Oct 10, 2011 1:01:55 GMT -5
*I look at Moniker for a few more seconds, thinking. I nod a goodbye and turn away, following five paces or so behind. It's a new thought to me that Max used to be a drastically different person. Can people really change that much? The sun distracts me from my thoughts as we emerge. It quite hot by now and everything outside seems to fry. I quietly wait for Max to give me directions. I've dispbeyed him too many times already. Still, it was worth it to meet Moniker...*
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Post by Max Griffiths on Oct 10, 2011 17:04:03 GMT -5
Get in the car. *I do so as well, and start down the road, staring straight ahead. My mind is in turmoil, my thoughts bouncing between Moniker, Red, and the fragmented memories of my past. I almost miss my old assignments with BLI: just get your coordinates, capture some killjoys, and take them back to the city. Simple.*
*After a few minutes I become aware of Red's covert glances at me and sigh* Yes, I knew her a long time ago, before Better Living. Yes, she tried to- *I pause, not wanting to say "help"* - to return me to my previous condition a short time ago. The only important thing is that she was not successful. She's a meddling old fool who needs to keep herself to herself.
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Post by redhavoc on Oct 10, 2011 21:01:21 GMT -5
*I bite my lower lip and think, picking up my notebook. There is more to Max, and more to most people I suspect, than I origionally thought. I write: 'If you want to forget all your memories, why not go back to BLI?', but as I stare at the words I realize he's probably forget me too if they wiped his memories again. Selfishly, I close the book without showing him, not wanting to put the idea in his head*
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Post by Max Griffiths on Oct 10, 2011 21:21:35 GMT -5
*Noticing her actions, I hold out one hand for the notebook* You can't have written anything that terrible.
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Post by redhavoc on Oct 10, 2011 21:38:39 GMT -5
*I don't want to give him the notebook, but I feel I can't defy Max, not again. I open the notebook again, which of course flips open to that very page, and hand it to him*
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Post by Max Griffiths on Oct 10, 2011 21:49:00 GMT -5
*I read the message without expression and hand the notebook back. It's a while before I respond* They could probably take away my memories again for a while, I suppose. But I'm not like you and everyone else. I don't think it would last.
*I see her confusion and elaborate* I wasn't trained like you were, I wasn't put on a pill regimen, and I didn't just walk onto the team. They weren't as advanced back then, and - *I cut myself off, then start again* I remember the doctors talking, and as far as I could understand, the effects of BLI medication on me would be unreliable at best. They weren't very concerned, though, because my treatment was... thorough, enough, that I didn't need it.
*I push back against my seat, stretching my arms and unsure why I'm telling her so much.*
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Post by redhavoc on Oct 10, 2011 22:45:54 GMT -5
*I jump a little when Max responds, already sure by that point that he wasn't going to. Treatment... yes, I could relate to that. When Max hands me back the notebook, I write: 'I don't want to forget anything else, ever again' and hand it back to him*
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Post by Max Griffiths on Oct 10, 2011 23:20:58 GMT -5
*I shrug* Sometimes it's not so bad to forget. Besides, most of the time you don't have a choice one way or another.
*I slow down as we pass through another dead town, looking for a suitable building to stop in. We still need to change out of the killjoy clothing*
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Post by redhavoc on Oct 10, 2011 23:25:12 GMT -5
*I frown and write: 'But what if I forgot you?' and quickly hand it back, oblivious to the ghost town around me*
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Post by Max Griffiths on Oct 10, 2011 23:33:02 GMT -5
*I'm nonplussed by Red's question, not understanding why she asked it in the first place* You'd be assigned a new partner, and continue participating in missions. You wouldn't know the difference.
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Post by redhavoc on Oct 10, 2011 23:41:32 GMT -5
*I think for a second, frowning, and write: 'I think I'd notice something was missing. Besides, you would remember me' and hand the notebook back*
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Yes, I'm still running - sort of. But it is lonely out here. Haven't seen anyone else for a while.
//