net slum preparation

[dzelkva]

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Meeting up! 11/3

[tinged]

[ another letter, another note.

it seems lately, they have all had no choice but to jot down every important detail in ink. memories and wished penned by hands hani has reached out for. do warm hands beget warm words, always? (what does that other letter say? they're scared, so scared to open it.) this letter still hurts to read in a sweet way, in a kind way.

hani holds zelkova's note close to their heart after reading it twice. names come to mind, one immediately and many more as the option for the second choice. but... hani remembers a conversation when this world was still new to them all. about a hero who wanted to live freely and true to herself. and they think: her.

the messages they draft and send are brief. soon, they wait at the gate for one to become three, to help a friend help them. ]

[insinning]

[ Sinclair arrives almost immediately after he's done messaging Hani. He's looking better now, his skin returned to its usual pallor; the wound aches here and there but in time that would soon fade too]

Hani...I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long.

[tinged]

[ hani has always lived like a canvas of colors, the composition of them seems to make no sense at first glance, but they can be learned. there are wet spots now, splotches of emotions muddying colors, washing out areas in them. they smile because that’s how they’re made, but the colors are quieter today, chipped and peeling at the very edges.

when he’s close enough, hani reaches out and hugs him carefully. brief comfort, a gentle request to borrow some of his strength. then they let go and slip him the note from zelkova. ]

… It doesn’t count as waiting if it’s you. But - we are waiting for one more.

[rebelles]

[ Haru comes as soon as she's able. Still feeling the exhaustion of battle but pushing her legs forward because she can't turn away from a call for help, the very spirit with which she had first formed the Phantom Operatives. Upon arriving, her eyes go to two familiar figures. ]

Hani! Vogel! I came as soon as I could.

[insinning]

[ If Sinclair could, he'd lend Hani some of his fire, a small spark to bring Hani's patchwork of colours back to a vibrant life. He hugs Hani, firmly, but gently letting go only to take the note to read]

One more? Who else did you--oh! Haru!

[ He brightens a little further when he sees Haru too. It made sense; Haru was the perfect person for this job]

[tinged]

[ hani tilts their head at the mention of her name (her real name, perhaps? it’s beautiful; they think it suits her) but aside from that, they don’t comment on it. ]

Hello, Noir-kun. Thank you for coming. [ and they should probably explain a little! they nod to the note in emil’s hand. ] Zelkova-kun has… left us a kindness.

[ to emil: ]

I believe in Noir-kun’s heart, so I asked her.

[rebelles]

[ She feels a little embarrassed, but happy that Hani believes in her. ]

I'm glad to help. If Zelkova entrusted Hani with it, it must be important. Let's get to it!

[ Accented with a little pump of her fist. She hasn't even read the letter yet, but she's fired up! ]

[insinning]

[ Sinclair hands the letter for Haru to read, already thinking about what they could do]

It's a big job, but I know the three of us can manage.

[ He thinks about the AI and Hani's shoulder. Hmmmmmm]

[tinged]

[ hani will give her a chance to read it before gating them to… the netslum! a brief description (taken from mods, more detailed ones to follow): "rogue AI roams the cramped metal streets of the net slum, a low level of light filtering in through the small pieces of space between buildings where the sun can actually poke through. they'll see building upon building stacked up on another everywhere, build haphazardly by what they can presume might all be the work of rogue AI."

where they continue the conversation: ]

We can. And don’t worry, this area is very safe!

[ what about their shoulder there’s nothing wrong ]

[rebelles]

[ Haru reads Zelkova's letter, hearing his voice in each word, pausing over the line where he says he's been 'taken away' with renewed hope that he's alive somewhere. Then they're stepping into the net slum itself. She looks around with fascination. It reminds her of the Warehouse Kawasaki, and the AI roaming about it gives the place a strange kind of life. ]

Zelkova was always thinking of us. This is just the place we need to rest and recover.

[ Not looking at Sinclair but she means you, pal. ]

[insinning]

[It's not Sinclair's first time here - Hani had brought him in before - but it never fails to surprise him when he steps in. It's a different atmosphere from the rest of Fragment, buzzing with an energy that reminded him how much worked to keep this world together behind the scenes]

Mm. I agree. So we need to set up supplies, an infirmary and a meeting space. What are we thinking of?

[He feels the accusations even though no one is looking at him. Why...]

[tinged]

[ hani’s eyes go to sinclair’s stomach. ]

The infirmary first.

[ it’s decided! they start leading the other two to zelkova’s pseudo hub where they had received help from him once before in the form of hugs and ki the grunty plushie. ]

This is where Ki came from. … I hope… once we are done with setting this all up, we will be able to get Zelkova-kun back. I don’t know where he is, but he keeps trying and trying for us.

[ they know some people don’t think he does much, but hani thinks he does a lot!! ]

[rebelles]

Me too. He's done so much for us, I hope we can return the favor.

[ For now, what they can do for him is to carry out the task Zelkova left for them. ]

For an infirmary, we'll need beds and medical supplies. Maybe extra chairs for visitors.

[insinning]

We should make sure there's a comfortable space for entertainment too or people will go crazy. Can we add pot plants and comfortable blankets?

[ Pulling on his dusty memories of what an actual hospital was like, but also]

Books and games should help kill the boredom if people need to stay overnight

[tinged]

[ hani nods along and thinks about what to add. oh - ]

Snacks! And ropes!

[ they don’t elaborate as they open the door to zelkova’s hub, or as it’ll be known as soon: the new meeting room! the large screen catches their eye first and they wander over to it, watching the various root towns. ]

Should we write this down? Or maybe draw out the layout? We’ll have to ask one of the AIs to show us to the right buildings…

[rebelles]

[ Ropes? Oh...for the stubborn patients you need to care for aggressively. Haru sees no problem with this. She nods along to the suggestions. ]

I'm all for making the space comfortable. I wonder if there's a building with windows and ample sunlight. We can add curtains so people can rest any time of the day. Let's start a list so we don't forget.

[ Is there pen and paper around?? Or she can take out her gardening notebook and flip it open to a blank page. ]

[insinning]

[ Sinclair has note book and pen (not his journal). It's full of all sorts of strange scribblings, but otherwise:]

I'm sure I've got enough materials in my inventory to craft things down here. This is Zelkova's place?

[ Some seating. Something comfortable that put everyone at the same level.

He'll craft some ropes too]

[tinged]

Mm! Ki came from over there.

[ they type in the air with one hand and then use it to point at the console. ]

That's also where the note was left... [ they trail off thoughtfully. ] I... um... this place is very important to him - all of it, so let's take care of it. The AIs also built this entire city, from a long, long time ago, so they are quite intelligent.

[rebelles]

Who is Ki?

[ Haru looks up from where she is jotting down their infirmary supply list. She's heard their name a few times now. ]

[insinning]

It's the cute grunty doll Zelkova and Hani made to help cure the plague.

[Haru might have missed that entirely, actually. Hm. ]

Do you think Ki would like to be down here to watch over the infirmary or meeting place?

[tinged]

Where is Ki anyway?

[ they think the last person to have it was... hector maybe? but that was so long ago, and their memory, y'know ]

[rebelles]

Oh! I knew the plague was cured but not how. So it was thanks to Ki-chan.

[ She adds Ki to the list of to-finds. There might not be a plague anymore but surely Ki would boost morale. ]

[insinning]

Mmm, who gave Ki the last hug? We'll ask.

[Ok, they've got a good list. Looking around the meeting room]

I know Zelkova's note said chairs...should we look at couches instead? So people feel more at ease. I don't have many good memories of board rooms...

[He barely has any now but the feeling remains]

[tinged]

Hector-kun I believe.

[ thinking hard… ]

Couches so everyone can share! I like that. Or… floor cushions! So everyone is on the same level.

[ hani’s level of tall! ]

[rebelles]

Yes, we should make it feel cozy. I don't like how stuffy meeting rooms usually are. What if we add a fireplace and push the seats around it? And a table for snacks and drinks?