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[droptheious]

OLD INBOX - NEW INBOX IS HERE

Varian

I'm busy creating life-changing inventions, you're welcome. Leave a message.

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION

FROM: SUBJECT: JUN & HARU Hey Var, do you got a moment? JUN Just so you know, I'm fine, but I might be harder to contact. EVE Hey Varian, are you on this train? JUN Hey honey, where are you? GIL The Cube 4 GIL The Cube 3 JUN Hey Var, is this a good time to run a rather personal ethical dilemma by you? JUN Oh hey, lumber! GIL The Cube 2 GIL The Cube 1 RATIO Some while back... JUN I'm fine, I went to my room. KNI I am sorry. RATIO I will be going back to teaching on Monday. NOCTIS you okay there? JUN Date BLADE Varian. How are you doing? NOCTIS hey, you’re an engineer. JUN birthday NOCTIS hey, it's noctis. from the park? BLADE A little bird told me... ZHONGLI Hello. This is Zhongli BLADE This is Blade. Jusis told me to find you... ROSE You’re Varian, right? AMAL Loser gets adopted FERN Heyyyy V, you busy? DANNY Birthday AMAL Happy nameday to the best scientist I know! JUN Are you busy? There's something I wanted to ask you. AMAL hey varian FERN hey i just realized something great DANNY Hey. I know you're probably busy with everything... ZODIAC Happy Holiday from Zodiac! CLAUDE Hey Varian. You there? ZELOS Heeeey Varian! I'm sure you're busy... FIVE I know you might be busy right now but... FERN heyyy, did you see that guy...

TO: SUBJECT: JUN Two questions. BLADE Hey, hey hey, Blade. JUN Birthday VASH I figure it's probably about time we talk, huh? JUN 愛してるよ ???!!! AMAL Dad? You home? JUN Forgt anyting nuice I said aboout space KNI Happy birthday, Kni! MIKLEO Hey, Mikleo. Jun said it'd be okay to message you... YUUKI So hey, do you think you could... JUN So. Uh. That happened. ELLIOT Hi, Elliot. Can I talk to you about something? AMAL Dad, something happened to Fern. DANNY Hey, Bud. I've got some bad?? news? EVE Hey, Eve. I wanted to make sure AMAL Happy birthday, Dad! AMAL Hey, could I get your opinion on something? VASH Hi there! Texting ahead of time like you asked. FERN Happy birthday, you. FERN Day of Hearts WILL Hey, Will. When are you free? I've got your... ELLIOT ...Hey, Elliot. Can I ask your advice on something? SNOW Hey, you available? ELLIOT Elliot? I'm- I'm really sorry to bother you... AUGUST Hey. Can I ask a follow-up question after my last one? DANNY Hey. There's something important I need to talk to you about. FIVE Hey, I was thinking we should probably talk MOANA Hey. Remember me saying we probably needed to talk... ELLIOT Um. Hey. I wondered if we could talk. AMAL Hey. Are you busy? Can we talk? HUNTER Just so you're aware... AUGUST Can I ask some advice? DANNY Hey, Danny! I think I've figured out something... KEN Hey! The figure you wanted is all finished.

code by cawaii

Comments

[droptheious]

[Wise move, honestly!]

Great! Thank you. It's something that's always been kinda tricky for me. I mean, I've been in this world for nearly two years now so I'm way better than I used to be, but it's something I for sure need to work on.

Hah. I'll hold you to that one. Don't worry, I'll let you know if you lost me- you could probably tell by the staring into the middle distance I'd be doing.

[He has accepted all fishing talk is just gonna be what it'll be. ]

[illucesco]

it took my dad a while to get the hang of his smartphone too, if that helps. he used to say that the blackberry era should've lasted longer.

"blackberry" is a phone brand btw. they were smartphones with keyboards like you'd see on a computer. used to be popular, then other smartphone brands started getting better and better and blackberry just never managed to keep up.

you know, it's funny, i'm more than familiar with people staring into the middle distance while i talk.

[droptheious]

Thank you for the clarification, I was about to ask. Actually, that sounds really clever? I like the idea of having a keyboard attached - it makes typing so much easier!!

[Varian remains the youngest boomer to ever be.]

Is it from all the fish talk?

[illucesco]

you'd have gotten along well with my old man. he said that too.

if they still worked i'd tell you where to get one, but they went defunct two years ago. all their software doesn't work anymore, you'd just have a fancy brick on your hands. sorry.

yes.

[droptheious]

That probably doesn't help defend myself from the old man allegations I've have been pointed at me.

I wish I could say I'm surprised- technology seems to go defunct so quickly in this time period. It's so weird. People move on fast.

Thought so. That'd about go it for most people.

[illucesco]

not at all.

call it a shortened attention span. people like new things, but something will be new for only so long.

fishing is fun though.

[droptheious]

Oh wow, I HAVE noticed that. I guess that works with a lot of future stuff- people want everything right away and then once they get it they get bored and it's over.

Sure. I never really did much of it. But it looks relaxing?

text; un: blade; after the mid month post

[unreachableside]

Varian. How are you doing?

I will need your help a little more from now on. If you want nothing to do with my 'projects', this is your last chance to back out.

[droptheious]

I'm good. I mostly stayed clear of the dungeons. How about you?

Are you kidding me? No way am I backing out. If you need my help, you've got it! All the way. Does that mean we're making more of a headway?

[unreachableside]

I got to fight for real for the first time. It was... messy. I heal fast, though, so I'm fine. My other friends are safe and... avenged.

That's good to hear. I knew I could depend on you.

Now that the threat is clear and open we can move. It's time to finalize the designs and go into mass production. We don't have a lot of time, but I'm confident we can do this. I will handle the personalized weapon enhancements I have planned, but I may need to pass some others on to you if it has to do with your element.

[droptheious]

Gald to hear you healed up. Even gladder your friends got out. I remember last year, that whole thing was awful.

[He missed out on a lot of it, hiding from Zodiac as he was. But still.]

Of course! I'm in this for the long haul.

That's absolutely fine! You're only one person and I'm pretty sure Dan Heng will come after you if you overdo it, trust me, I know how it goes. You're better off making sure you give yourself a fair workload. I'm more than happy to pick up some slack. We can get this done in time.

[unreachableside]

It was. If that never happens again, it'd be too soon.

[He is so thankful for Varian, damn.]

Haha, that's a sure bet. He takes good care of me. [This isn't the time to get soft, Blade.] Thanks. I can split the pay with you. Granted, I'm not sure how much it will be, but I still have my day job so I can make sure you're compensated for the extra work.

The Black Order's stopped paying us so I assume any commission for this project is going to come... later. I'll keep track of it and make sure you get your fair share.

They're still not paying you POKEGO people enough.

[droptheious]

I hear that. Really hope the Order don't pull that on us all again.

[Blade, that's adorable, he can feel the simping from all the way over here.]

I'm glad you have each other.

Wait what? They stopped paying you? Then jeez, don't worry about paying me yet, you gotta be able to live and eat. And this is vital work, it's not like a little fun side project, it's protecting people's lives when it's needed more than ever. I mean, everything is gonna come crashing down sooner rather than later after everything this month. So don't worry about that, we can put a pin in it for now.

[He's got a lot better in accepting his worth and charging people for his work- but this is different and he honestly doesn't want to see Blade doing himself down while trying to protect the people of the city from a massively looming threat. Priorities, and all that.]

Tell me about it- but it gets a little better as our rep is restored. I knew what it'd be going into it, it's fine. It's more important to me to get the work we need to do done.

[unreachableside]

[He is a bit of a simp. Incurably so.]

Me, too.

... They did. I'm on probation, so I didn't expect to be paid while I had my powers Sealed regardless. But to forgo paying Jusis and the other long-time members? They are sending a message. As for me... I still have my job as a civil engineer, even if I can't expect a raise this year due to all the time I took off.

Ideally, I'd like to take a sabbatical until all of this is over so I can focus purely on the upcoming battle. But... I need to be able to eat. [Such is life.]

I'll owe you after this is over, then. Maybe you can build the next mech suit and I'll supervise.

[VARIAN IS SUCH A GOOD KID AUGH]

I'm not usually in the business of saving the world. I had a bounty on my head in my past life.

Feels weird.

[droptheious]

So they stopped paying ALL the Order members? Because, like, it's not like they sent an actual sociopath into your midst who IMMEDIATELY started attacking everyone? Like... I don't know what they expected to happen? That's insanity.

Of COURSE you still need to be able to eat. You all do. Seriously, don't worry about it for now. Focus what money you can get on being able to put food on the table, If you need help with that let me know.

I won't say no to building the next mech suit, though.

[It's the culmination of a lot of hard work in becoming a better person!]

Hah. I know how that feels. Back in my old world, I was one of Corona's most wanted felons once. Then suddenly you're helping save everyone from world-ending chaos. It's a super weird shift.

[unreachableside]

No one's getting paid. At this point, their doubling down is just begging for the inevitable to happen. They were the ones who sent a snake into a mongoose nest to rile us up and now they're mad that the snake got its head bit off.

[Seriously, this is the dumbest end goal.]

All right. I'll remember that. Thanks, Varian.

I've been the one captaining all the projects so far, so I think it's time I let you helm the ship for once.

[This is the funniest and worst thing to have in common.]

You're a little young for a grizzled felon, but I get it. I know how easy it is to get in over your head when you're smarter than everyone else.

Even in this life I find it hard not to look over my shoulder sometimes, but maybe I'll get over it in another five years or so...

[droptheious]

Exactly! I don't know what they expect after all this. Just starving you guys out won't do anything but make you more likely for everything to happen. They dug their own graves.

[ Literally. ]

Thanks! I'll be really careful! You won't regret it.

I was fourteen when I was a felon so even younger. It was... a bad time. I made mistakes, I wasn't completely innocent, but I wasn't completely without a reason too. It was complicated. But I've learned from it.

I think it's important to not forget what's happened in the past- we need to learn from things that've happened. So long as you don't make it something that controls everything you do, I think it's okay.

[unreachableside]

Yeah.

I'm confident you'll do a good job.

[He knows how Varian works by now.]

Fourteen? Fourteen???? You were a child. No child should ever be called a felon. A child literally cannot grasp the consequences of their actions the way an adult can, their brain isn't developed. Even I know this, and I got knocked in the head so hard I forgot almost everything.

[He rubs his face invisibly.]

... Anyway. You're right. In my past life, I let my guilt and my vengeance control me until I was nothing but a shell of my former self. I won't let that happen again.

My cooperation with the Black Order has an endpoint.

[droptheious]

Thank you, I appreciate that.

[Bless you, Blade, for boosting his confidence every time. ]

I mean. I literally tried to murder the royal family with a giant automaton. I definitely knew it was the wrong thing to do. I was stopped and arrested for it, and spent a year in prison before I broke out. So it's less about being called a felon and more. You know. Legally being one.

I got pardoned after I saved the city.

[It's super fine. He's SUPER fine. ]

Yeah, that's a road where nothing good comes from it. But at least you know better now.

Good. They don't deserve you.

[unreachableside]

If a kid walks up to another kid and smacks them, they'll probably get smacked back just as hard, right? You were functioning on survival logic because it was all you knew. They could have helped you learn to be better, but they didn't. I bet you were justified, just not to the point of murder.

Still... I'm glad you got pardoned.

[Neither of them are ok, jesus christ.]

One of these days you're going to invent something that will change the world in a really good way. I can feel it.

[droptheious]

The King covered up a magical anomaly that was literally killing the livelihoods of the poorer people in the kingdom. I tried to fix it myself when I knew we wouldn't get any help at the palace. My dad got... hurt real bad. He got stuck in the experiment I was doing to try and fix it. The Princess couldn't help me when that happened and didn't come to me for months after I asked her for help. They kind of just... forgot about me. So yeah. I guess to a point I was justified, but I took it too far too. I've accepted my fault in what happened just as much as theirs. It's... well, it's not fine, but it is what it is.

[He's made as much peace with it as he can. There's no changing the past and he can't go back to Corona anymore, regardless. It's always going to be an unfinished mess in his life and he knows he has to live with that or let it consume him. Therapy has done him wonders in that, at least. ]

Me too. Prison sucked.

[ Neither of them are even slightly okay in the tiniest bit. ]

That's the hope! Before I got pulled into this world, I managed to create a running hot water system for my homeland, so that was... good. But really hoping I can do something here, too. One day.

9/13 | Action | THE DATE

[whiteshroud]

[After talking with Varian, the rest of the day was a matter of finding ways to fill his day so he wouldn't think too much about the upcoming dinner. He helped out in the fortress's kitchen, worked on homework, tended to the plants, and after all his chores were done- he occupies himself with a video game.

Was he nervous? A little bit. He certainly paused his game a lot more than usual to tidy up his place, and waffle over what he should order for dinner.

Eventually, he settles on burgers. Once he finally gets a text from Varian that he was finishing up with studying, he puts in an order for burgers, fries, drinks, and some custard. It's easy to pick it up, thanks to his teleportation power. Now the custard sits in his mini-fridge while the burgers sit on his dining table.

... Boy, he hopes this goes well. He sits there, fiddling with his phone as he waits for Varian]

[droptheious]

[Varian definitely felt nerves of his own, there's some quiet jitters in the back of his mind around going on a date with Jun. It's a simple, easy one at least, something he's glad for, but it has been a while since he's gone on one. Worse than those jitters is that it's been a long time since he sat down and told anyone about his past, too. He doesn't know how Jun will take it- it might very well end things before they've even begun, and that is terrifying.

So he focuses himself on continuing his work in the basement - and once he's finished up with that, he heads into this room to do his studying for the day. It's... not easy to concentrate on it, and he knows he's certainly further behind than he wanted to be when he finishes and sends Jun a text. But that's a problem for future Varian to deal with.

So all there is to do now is put on a clean, not-grimed-up shirt and make some sort of attempt to tame his hair. He knows he doesn't have to fancy it up for this, but he makes a little effort at least- Jun deserves more than him showing up like he's been crawling under robots all day. He heads off out of his room, walking the short way to Jun's room, knocking on the door. ]

[whiteshroud]

[Jun can sense presences of others, so he's already halfway to do the door when Varian knocks. He stops himself from opening too fast, taking a moment to take a breath, before opening]

Hey Varian! Come on in.

[It looks like Jun's also cleaned himself up, wearing something simple but nice. He'll step aside the doorway to allow Varian into his room]

Get caught up on your studies?

[droptheious]

[ Varian taps down on his leftover nerves as Jun opens the door - smiling and stepping inside. He needs to remind himself not to overthink it. Ultimately, they were still just... them, after all. It's just that the parameters of what made them them have widened. And no matter what they were actually doing, he still genuinely treasured spending time with Jun - that part hasn't changed at all.

There's still some butterflies in his stomach, but he finds the panicked nerves at the back of his head have eased as soon as he steps in.]

Hey. And for the most part? Kinda. [He laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.] I was admittedly kinda distracted.