Excerpt 003: Ship’s Cradle

[rekindledtitan]

TYPE: Personal log

LOCATION: Orbit, Earth

PARTIES: Three [3]. One [1] Ghost-type, [1] Guardian-type, designate Blaze-37, Class Titan [rekindledtitan], One [1] Unconfirmed, designate Hughes, Maes [bestdadinamestris]


ASSOCIATIONS: Multiversal Nexus; Maes Hughes; Earth; Multiversal Phenomena; Blaze-37; Amestris; Dr. Hill; Deep Stone Crypt; [REDACTED]




Blaze should have figured the warning signs for what they were. When the senses slow and the body insists on sinking into the nearest furniture, it ought to be a clue. But she has no memory of fatigue, no sense of whether her body is just complaining or injured or seriously needs to rest. So it’s not until their meeting at the Harp sees her stuffed with food and forced to actually sit down for a while that the torpor kicks in.

She’d like to shake it off, but the more level (and more inorganic) heads around her are able to point out that that’s not how human biology works.

She’s yawning uncontrollably when they materialize aboard her one-room jumpship. It wakes up for them with a soft hum, lights revealing a cabin just big enough for both she and Hughes to move around. Every inch of the clean metal plating looks like it’s part of some compartment or pull-out section, and that includes the floor. To sharp Exo senses it might look a bit patchwork, too: different panels have subtly different finishes; signs of repair are everywhere. There’s little sign of home comforts: just one cushy pilot’s chair, Blaze’s helmet clipped alongside it.

“I’m… going to power up the life-support systems,” the Ghost says, swooping over to the controls.

Blaze tries to talk through her next yawn. “Oh… yyyeah. Good thinking. Uh.” She looks up at Hughes and waves a hand toward the star-speckled view up front. “Welcome to Earth orbit.”

Comments

[bestdadinamestris]

Hughes thinks for a moment before checking his pockets for his wallet. Once he finds it, he fishes out a card with Katsuya's number on it and hands it to Blaze. "I can meet him at the portal to his world, but not sure how much further I'll get on my own."

That is not funny at all, so why is Hughes chuckling? And... grinning. He finishes off his first glass of water and sets it aside. The second can wait while they make the call to the officer.

[rekindledtitan]

Blaze shows the card to Ghost, who promptly hovers between them and shifts form. The little bot's silver shell splits apart into its individual points, all spinning around the expanded blue orb of its inner light.

"Establishing the feed now. I'll relay any audio from you once he answers."

"Sure." Blaze takes a glance at the card and passes it back to Hughes. She doesn't know why he's chuckling, but now she's laughing too. "...What's funny?"

[sumarusfinest]

"This is Suou."

So professional and polite. There's a distinct sounds of keys being pressed. He must still be at the station. What time is it in Sumaru, anyway?

"Hughes? Is that you?"

[bestdadinamestris]

He snorts at Blaze's question, still laughing a bit. "You are funny."

And then Katsuya's voice is there and Hughes is completely distracted. "Katsuya! Hey, I have a favor to ask..." He chuckles a bit. "I feel really bad about calling while you're at the office, though." Not like he's got any clue what time it is there. It could be early in the morning or late at night for all he knows in his buzzed state.

[rekindledtitan]

"You're funny." Drunken comebacks are one area the machines are definitely not superior. Blaze hasn't lowered her volume to mind the open comm, either.

But a thought occurs. "Oh! Suou! We oughta tell him we got switched again!"

"Blaze, the comm is open."

[sumarusfinest]

"Blaze? Ghost?" Okay that's new. He supposes that makes sense considering that they were swapped for a long while, but...

Wait.

"Are you drunk?" The key pressing has stopped. Katsuya seems to have assumed he is not getting any more work done for today. He starts packing up to leave the station.

"....You don't want your wife to see you inebriated." Katsuya can guess what the favor is. "Will Blaze be joining us as well? She's welcome to. I'm assuming she is not used to this sort of...actually I'm not even sure how you managed ot get her drunk, but..."

[bestdadinamestris]

Hughes grins as he regards Ghost. "Maybe a little." Stop laughing, idiot. This isn't funny.

"And Blaze is drunk because we both had drinks, duh." It's obvious, Katsuya. Can't you tell? "I had whiskey and she had several powerpacks." Beat. "Well, technically, I had the powerpacks and she had the whiskey, but it's all the same now that we're ourselves again." Another beat. "...damn, I didn't even get to taste it. Maybe just one more wouldn't hurt...?"

If Blaze doesn't stop him, he's totally flagging down a waiter for another drink.

[rekindledtitan]

"Hughes!" She can't really tell him off when she's still laughing. "You said you're already too drunk!"

"Oh dear- that really doesn't seem like a good idea. Um, Officer Suou? I'll try and get Hughes safely to your portal."

[sumarusfinest]

"Why don't you all come. I have a feeling you'll need a hand with Blaze as well." And if she gets too rambunctious, Katsuya can just set her loose in the warehouse district and let her take care of some demon nests.

Since he won't be able to do his nightly patrol when he's now effectively on babysitting duty.

The good thing is his portal is right outside the station. Katsuya is waiting for them, his coat on over his suit and briefcase held lightly in one hand.

[bestdadinamestris]

No one physically stopped him, so another shot of whiskey for Hughes it is!

"That sounds great! It'll be fun!" He pushes himself to his feet a little too quickly, rocking a bit as he stands. "We'll be there... soon." Luckily for everyone, Hughes isn't so dumb as to forget to drink some more water, so he slams a second glass before settling the bill. He can expense this later, right?

It's not too long of a stumble over to Katsuya's portal and getting through is nice and easy. Hughes' grin is a bit lopsided when he spots the officer and walks over to him. He reeks of alcohol, but that's not stopping him from pulling his friend into a hug. "Katsuya! It's good to see you again! Keepin' busy, I assume?"

[rekindledtitan]

"I'll try... but I can't guarantee where my Guardian will go at this point."

Blaze is almost laughing too much to push away from the table and follow Hughes. She does try to wrap an arm round his back and keep him on his feet, but once they get to the portal there's no resistance to letting him head over to Katsuya. The Exo just chuckles a bit and looks around, optics brighter than usual.

"Hey Suou! Thanks for picking up the distress call! ...Wait, Ghost, 're we supposed to come through this side?"

[sumarusfinest]

"Yes, hello."

The hug is really not necessary but Katsuya (wisely) decides it's not worth arguing about and gives Hughes a small pat on the shoulder with his free hand.

"Is this really a distress call so much as an unexpected visit?" He's not sure why he find's Blaze's antics to be funnier than Hughes'. Possibly because he should know better. "Come on, let's get you lot back to my place." Ghost gets a knowing look from the officer that says he's already decided to take care of them. Ghost thankfully won't have to deal with his guardian alone.

[bestdadinamestris]

Unnecessary hug is unnecessary, but Hughes seems happier for having given it. He's also surprisingly good on his feet despite how drunk he smells. "What? No, no. It's not a distress call at all. I just can't go home right now." The reason is most definitely obvious.

"Besides, it's been too long since we spent any real time together. No time like the present, either, right?" Hughes has a mischievous grin on his face as he nods to the officer in a knowing way. He's far too happy given his current state of inebriation.

[rekindledtitan]

Ghost is lurking in Blaze's shadow faced with these unfamiliar and public surroundings, but he flutters in acknowledgment of Katsuya's kindness. He sounds both uncertain and grateful when he points out, "We don't want to be any trouble."

Blaze is much louder in her inquisitiveness: "Your place?" Hmmmmmm! She frowns in concentration. "We're not gonna start any wars or crash your timeline or anything doing this, are we? We're definitely not allowed that. Hard negative from the commander."

I see you understand the Universal Basic Language: ENGLISH.

[sumarusfinest]

"No wars to be started, anyone who asks we'll tell you're in costume. The timeline's suffered much worse than a visitor from a friend, let me assure you."

It isn't far to Katsuya's modest apartment. In fact, it's rather on the large side for a typical bachelor's home in Japan but Katsuya's had to care after his brother, too. Until recently, that is.

"My brother's room is unoccupied and clean." Katsuya points out to Hughes. "So whenever you feel you need to, you're welcome to sleep there."

He's less sure what to do about Blaze and Ghost, for for now Katsuya gestures to the couch and turns on the television. He's careful to turn the subtitles on as well since he knows neither of them speak Japanese.

[bestdadinamestris]

Short walks are good, considering Hughes is almost laughing himself silly the whole way. There's absolutely nothing funny going on, but he can't help himself. He's simply... happy.

"Sleep? I couldn't possibly sleep now!" Of course not. He said when you're ready, Hughes. "You need to tell me all about what's been going on with you," he adds suddenly, a hand resting on Katsuya's shoulder to get the officer's attention. "I haven't seen you in... forever, I think. Or something like that, anyway." Hughes waves his hand vaguely at the air to emphasize his point.

[rekindledtitan]

Blaze is probably giving Hughes plenty to chuckle at, too, because she's looking around with wide bright optics like the alien tourist she kind of is. The comprehension has clicked that they're in a genuine pre-Golden Age human city and it's alive and thriving away all around them.

She's never even seen her own city from ground level before.

Ghost has ducked out of view, but that doesn't stop her pointing out every new sight and smell and sound with bemused fascination. Anyone else they pass gets an overly friendly nod and greeting. She's temporarily distracted from her original intent to go kill something, and her Ghost isn't complaining.

Katsuya's apartment gets an equally curious inspection, Blaze strolling into the center of the room as she looks around. Her armor's started to spark a little, so her Ghost's first job when it re-materializes is to murmur for her to keep a grip on her power. Fortunately she's focused enough to take heed. For the moment.

"Didn't know you have a brother," she comments cheerfully and obliviously, leaning over to inspect the television like its an antique. "Hughes is right, this is no time to sleep. We only just got back in action!"

[sumarusfinest]

Katsuya's quick to explain (in Japanese, obviously) that his tall English speaking companion is a huge tech geek and is attending a science fiction convention if anyone stares for too long.

Having them both in his apartment is a welcome thing--Katsuya had begun to forget what it was like to have company. Never a good thing.

"I've been...actually I've been studying some old recipe books of late. Trying to get a feel for what I do and don't know. There's been...talk of a business venture in the Nexus. And I'm considering taking it."

[bestdadinamestris]

"Business venture?" It takes Hughes a little longer to process that thought than it should, but when he does, his face lights up. "You mean... more sweets?!"

Honestly, the fact that the television is on behind him doesn't even phase Hughes at this point. Now that the topic of sweets has been brought up, everything else is secondary to that.

[rekindledtitan]

"Sweets?" Oh, right. Food. Blaze glances at them, but this is human stuff. Though she's still listening, she joins Ghost in studying the television with its ancient-yet-vaguely familiar dialect and amusingly energetic hosts. Civilian programming, huh?

It's a little cramped in here for the big Exo, so she plonks down on the floor in front of the couch, making it creak under her. She'll just sit down for a minute, while they study this cultural insight.

[sumarusfinest]

"Well, not just--" Hughes is entirely too close for comfort and entirely too excited about the prospect a bakery opening in the Nexus. Well, another bakery. There's plenty already in the shopping districts and he tries not to think too hard about how awful he'll feel if this fails.

"Yes. It will mean more baking for me." He nods slowly.

The television meanwhile has started playing advertisements in it's usual energetic splendor. Katsuya glances over to Ghost and Blaze, smiling warmly at the sight of the Exo woman watching the television.

"It must seen terribly outdated to you. The tv I mean."

[bestdadinamestris]

The intelligence officer's enthusiasm only grows when Katsuya confirms his plans. "Do you need any help? I may not be a baker, but I'm sure I could help with advertising or something. And taste testing, of course." There's a wink thrown in there for good measure, but Hughes' honesty is quite obvious.

It's a really good thing he's too distracted by the prospect of Katsuya's new business venture to pay attention to the television. He might not leave it alone if he did and he's already a handful enough without the added help.

[rekindledtitan]

Maybe it's the buzz, but Blaze is chuckling readily at every new ad, amused as much by the enthusiasm behind the wackiness as anything else. Humans are so funny. Why is there an over-sized dog dancing around? What's up with the horde of tiny marching... somethings? Who knows!

"Oh, sure," she agrees blithely, leaning back to look up at Katsuya. "The City uses any tech we can get working, but I've never seen any this old. Kinda crazy to see all this in action. You have to wonder if our civilian channels are like this."

"Some of the local text is legible, but I'm still analyzing the spoken language. It seems very close to the Old Japanese I've heard before. Though I haven't really heard enough for a solid comparison."

[sumarusfinest]

"It is Japanese." Katsuya confirms, giving Ghost a nod of his head, before slipping into his native tongue a moment.

"I had turned on the English subtitles as I was unaware if either of you still had record of my language in your time. I'm afraid I know very little of when you both are from, though I was told it was a version of Earth."

He's happy to switch back to English and translate if need be. Until then he's shifting glance back to Hughes.

"I'm not sure yet? I'd have to ask Ms. Radio about what needs doing."

[bestdadinamestris]

Hughes should really be taking more mental notes about all of this, but now that he's seen the television and all the bright, happy things happening on its screen he can't focus on anything else. "Is it always so... cute?" It's easy to see he's not upset by that because of the way he's grinning like a fool.

He does take note about Katsuya's comment, though, and nods vaguely. "If you need me, you let me know."