un: Accelerator; text

[levelshift]

Hey, listen up.

[He hates doing announcements. Even as Board Chairman he tried to avoid them whenever possible and let his city's communications department handle disseminating notices. Unfortunately, there isn't anyone else here like that who can do this, so the responsibility falls to him. Besides, it's a distraction from certain thoughts that keep invading his head — events in San Francisco, certain Etrayans disappearing, his ribs still aching.]

A while ago this brat and I were using Ramsay Farm as a space for kids. Most of them are gone now, but since kids still show up sometimes I'm opening it back up for that. The fridge is stocked, there are a couple of bedrooms, and a security system's been installed. There are some farm animals the bots have been taking care of, too.

If you're 15, 16 or 17 you can hang out, but only if you're willing to help out around the place. Cleaning, guard duty or whatever, I don't care as long as you're pulling your weight and not being a leech. Anyone younger can just hang out.

If you're 18 or older then you can come do work, and only if someone under 18 vouches for you not being a creepy shithead. You're not allowed to be a loafer. If you've got an age that doesn't line up with modern human legalities then go by your cognitive development and stick yourself into one of these categories: kid, teenager, adult. Then apply the rules based on where you fall.

If any teens or adults break any rules or if anyone messes the farm up, including the gravestone on property, I'll beat the shit out of you. This is your one warning.

[He isn't sure if he'll ever get used to giving warnings, but he knows it's better than the alternative of just attacking someone out of nowhere because they broke a rule. Violence is the easy answer for him, and he's making a concentrated effort not to take the easy way out.]

There aren't really places around here just for kids, and adults are usually really shitty, so getting a break from them can help.

Comments

un: vivi

[ornitiers]

a place for kids? i guess that would be me? i'm not sure exactly what age i would be counted as, though.

[He looks around nine years old. But Vivi is really only not quite a year old, if one were to include his time here.]

[levelshift]

[At the bare minimum they don't sound like they're a human. Or at least, one that was born normally.]

It can be a fucking hard thing to figure out, sometimes. Why aren't you sure?

[ornitiers]

well, technically i'm only maybe almost a year old? if you count the time i've spent here. but i look older than that.

[levelshift]

[Sounds a little like the clones.]

Hm.

How old do you look, and how old do you feel mentally?

[ornitiers]

i'm shorter than zidane and the others. i guess probably physically around nine? that was how old the other kids in class were back during that last mission. i think that seems about right?

[levelshift]

[Nine, huh? That's pretty young. Accelerator is quiet for a minute or two, mulling this over.]

If you were put into classes last mission with kids around that age, then that's probably where you're at mentally. Aurora has a lot of information on us, so she'd be accurate when it comes to identifying what your equivalent human age would be.

Unless you're really, really into adult shit, like taxes, working, eating healthy and having a regular sleep schedule.

[Is it a dad joke if it's about dads?]

[ornitiers]

i don't know about taxes. and i've never worked before. i mean, not a proper job or anything.

[He helped out and traveled with Zidane and the others, but. That wasn't exactly a job. Even back at the previous mission, he's been told to focus on his classes.]

[levelshift]

Then to me it sounds like you're a kid.

[Really, Aurora putting the kid into classes with young kids cements that for him, but these answers help, too.]

So you can hang out and do whatever the fuck you want at the farm.

[ornitiers]

i can? okay! i'll come by sometime, then. it might be fun to come and have a look.

[levelshift]

Sure. There are a few other kids around who are going to come by, so you might run into them.

[ornitiers]

they wouldn't be scared? or, i guess i could wear that necklace from aurora. to help me blend in.

[levelshift]

[Well, that's an interesting concern!]

Why would they be scared?

[He squints at the text, adding after a brief pause:]

If this is some personal shit you don't have to explain publicly.

[ornitiers]

i'm not human. i'm a black mage. so i look different. sometimes that's scared people back home.

[Mostly because Kuja is a jerk and used the other black mages to wage his wars and fight, attacking people, and thus, in the aftermath of that, villagers can be scared and wary when they see Vivi. Thinking he would also attack them.]

[levelshift]

[Geez, it sucks that a kid has to worry about this.]

I don't know what a black mage is. Has anyone been scared of you here in Etraya?

[ornitiers]

no. nobody has been scared here. a black mage is a mage who was created, used to fight for kuja, for the queen. we can use elemental magic, and a few other spells.

[levelshift]

[So he's artificial, that explains the uncertainty around his age. This is reminding him more and more of the clones.]

It sounds like we're from completely different universes. Who's Kuja?

And I doubt you'll need to be worried about anyone being scared of you.

[He can't say he knows any of the kids really well, not since Damian changed, but he's keeping that bit to himself.]

All the kids seem pretty tough or kind. Besides, I'm going to be around the farm a lot for security, and I can guarantee you I'm not going to be scared of you.

[ornitiers]

kuja is someone from back home. he's not here. nobody else from home is. so you don't have to worry about him.

security? oh. um, i hope so. i don't want to cause any problems.

[levelshift]

And if he shows up here?

I'm not worried about any of you kids. The security is mainly for any adults that think they're above the rules.

[ornitiers]

i don't know. things here are...different. so i'm not sure what he would do. i'm still mad at him, though.

the adults? what do you mean?

[levelshift]

Because you had to fight for him? Or is there another reason.

Adults like to think that way when it benefits them or their egos, especially when it comes to kids. Usually kids can't do anything about that, but I'm strong enough so I plan on making sure any fuckers who break the rules regrets it.

[ornitiers]

because he lied. he told the other black mages he would help them. help them to live longer if they went with him.

so, you protect the kids? like steiner protects dagger back home? like a bodyguard? a knight?

[levelshift]

You guys have short lifespans?

[Oh, he's heard of a situation like that before.....]

I'm nothing like a damn knight. I'm only helping out where I can, since I'm strong enough.

[ornitiers]

yes. i'm a prototype, so i might have a little longer? but. we don't live long. no.

that still sounds like a knight to me. protecting people.

[levelshift]

[Ugh, this kid reminds him more and more of the clones. It's depressing.]

I know some girls back home who were in a similar situation. They ended up going to the damn hospital for it, but they were able to have their lives artificially extended. Have you talked to Aurora about this?

[As absolutely ridiculous as it is, he wishes he could say he's like a knight.]

I've hurt a lot of people, too. Knights are better than that.

[ornitiers]

i have. she said it shouldn't be a problem here. that i wouldn't die from this. so i have time here, at least.

we fight all the time, back home. that doesn't mean we aren't good.