un: antigoneiguess | audio

[rudelanguage]

Yeah, yeahyeahyeahyeah, lemme. Lemme do it. Hhh.

[Antigone's somewhat nasally, cynical voice is back, hi.

she clears her throat.]

'Kay. I'm not talkin' to whoever's out there that already knows how annoying dealing with Fae sorts is. Everyone else? I'm doin' this to be nice. And helpful. [and on the goddamn record so no one can ever accuse Knife of not trying maybe once.

so she will spell this out slowly for ya's:] Do. Not. Give. Out. Your. Real. Name. Make a new one. Use that one. Make everyone else use it.

Got it? Get it? Good.

Don't say you weren't warned.

Comments

[herofhopeless]

[Clive watches from his seated position as Antigone approaches. He was wondering what the person he had been talking to these past couple of weeks (months?) looked like, but he did not expect an animal of some kind. His surprise is very brief. He's seen stranger things.

Clive stands when she gets closer but pauses, frowns.]

Are you okay?

[rudelanguage]

Y-yeah. Great.

[Nose-break was Pending. Pending's nose. Okay. Knife's quickly reassuring themself that Antigone hasn't had much rapport with this guy.

she rubs her nose all the same and comes up to peer up at him.]

Okay. What am I calling you? [because it can't be Nose-Break Guy.]

[herofhopeless]

[Clive thinks for a moment. He had already given his real name, but he may as well get practice responding to the name that Dion helped him choose for the mission.]

You can call me Crandall for now. I should get used to the sound of it. And you?

[rudelanguage]

[Crandall... what a crunchy name. her brow furrows as she chews on it in her head for a beat, then blinks, back to the moment.]

Uh. Shadow. Whatever, it's fine. Okay, where're we--oh, this place? Okay. [she acknowledges the building for what it is at last.] Are other people in there?

[herofhopeless]

Shadow it is.

[He looks from the doorway down to Shadow.]

We would have to go inside to find out. Do you want me to check first? I can grab something and bring it out if you're more comfortable with that.

[rudelanguage]

[irritably:] It's whatever! Forget me for assuming people check... [she stomps toward the door...then a few steps back from it. so tall man can open it, making an impatient gesture if he hesitates. he can enjoy stopping short anyway when she balks at the door to do a fast scan around for hazards. always check for traps.

nothin' but those annoyin' metal guys. okay. this is workable.]

[herofhopeless]

[It shouldn’t be cute. Shadow’s concern about threat assessment should not be cute. He manages to keep the smile at bay. Their concerns are perfectly valid. He gladly holds the door. In the time it takes his companion to scan for whatever it is she is looking for, Clive does his own threat assessment. Attendants, number of windows, possible exists, defensible positions.

He can almost hear Romano’s voice in his head speaking of disorders. He sets it aside and gestures towards a table that he favors. One that faces the room and protects their backs.]

Does that table work for you?

[His question is genuine.]

[rudelanguage]

[the cuteness is all according to plan until it isn't: she'll use that soft appeal until she gets sick of it and blames others for being weak to it. nothing is ever her fault, obviously. except when it is! and even then...is it?

(it is)

Antigone pads along after him to that well-positioned table, humming, then climbs up on the seat against the wall, having to stand on the cushion as opposed to sitting outright.

after doing a scan around, squinting.]

Yeah. Seems fine. Good pick. [one star sticker for you.]

[herofhopeless]

[Clive watches Shadow stand on her seat and debates looking around for something to help boost her so she can actually sit. How offended would she be at a child seat? Did they even have those here? Clive looks around, big brother instincts kicking in hard.

He swipes a loose cushion off a nearby chair and slides it over. Sorry for the property damage, bots.]

Here.

[He rests his sword on the chair next to him then sits, both creating a safety barrier between his companion and the rest of the diner while not blocking her view of the door and majority of the remaining tables.]

[rudelanguage]

[the property damage aspect is the only reason Antigone isn't immediately bitching about him going to the bother; she arcs an eyebrow, one ear up and one ear back as she considers it, then does the work necessary to put it in the place she wants, because if she's gonna be boosted up, it'll be of her own volition thanks.

I didn't know those come off, Knife realizes. I should take this back to camp with me.

once situated:] Okay. When the metal slave asks, tell 'em one of everything! Whatever it is. Just not raw!

[herofhopeless]

[Clive can't help the little tug to his lips as he watches her ears move. She really is quite adorable. He's pretty sure she would hate it if he told her that.

When the bot shows up, Clive orders one of everything, glancing at Shadow and emphasizing 'not raw' before ordering for himself. If bots could look frazzled, this one might as it hurried back to the kitchen.]

One of everything, huh? Are you stocking up or do you have a bigger stomach than your size suggests?

[rudelanguage]

[Antigone spends the ordering process squinting suspiciously at the helper-bot, primed and ready to dare it to question her choices or the ruined upholstry. Just try me, bastard!

but, as usual, helper bot gonna go be helpful, and all that built-up ire must continued to simmer. she squints at Clive.]

...Yes. [to what? don't worry about it.] You gonna get on my case about being wasteful? I already got that spiel from someone else, so don't bother.