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Some say that this world is unlike any other. That there are things, creatures, monsters.. fantastic beings that defy all laws of reason.
But for one scarred member of the Brotherhood of Hashshashins.. it looks much like the others he has seen. People go about their business, they are pawns to cosmic beigns that care little for their existance, they rely on others to protect them, they die and live at the whims of others stronger than them. This world, like the last one, and the next one. It always seems to be the same. There is always.. injustice.
And where there is injustice, there will be vigilantes like Altair. Its almost funny, a tactic that has worked for him even in the medieval ages of middle easter Jerusalem, has worked for him across all the multiverse. He sits on a bench, hood down, appearing to be reading a newspaper and everyone around him seems to be none the wiser that there lies a master assassin, just calmly sitting in their midsts. Hidding in plain sight like the days of old.
As Altair sits upon the bench, paying attention and yet seeming not to, he will become aware of a great many things. As he has come to find out, people here are much like people back in his home world, living and dying as normal people, even if they happen to have horns, wings, green skin and antennae, or whatever other odd thing this world can throw at him.
But Altair's name is that of a star in a constellation given the Roman nickname of a sharp-eyed predator bird. This name is not wasted on him. Altair will doubtless notice many things about the crowd as the people pass by. A woman with cat ears and a tail, whose hips do not move like that of a woman's. A man with purple skin speaking with two voices, a male and a female voice...
A soft thudding sound, as of someone with a heavy but gentle tread. The flash of a familiar red coat. That particular scent, one that might bring back memories of yet another world that was just the same, but in which he had met a friend...
Finding the owner of that coat may not be easy. If it IS the same person, the owner of that coat took lessons in hiding in plain sight as well. From Altair himself. Even then he'd had time to perfect it. Has he fallen out of practice?
It is as if dreaming awake. While Altair is aware of all these fantastic people walking around him and so readily dismissing them as yet more inconsecuential individuals, it is the flash of red and that scent long forgotten that draws his attention. It reminds him of a life forgotten, and indeed, one that he wanted to forget as it was none too pleasent. But there were good things mixed with the bad and bitter and jaded as he might be, Altair still wishes to retain that if he can.
He could dismiss it as simple hopeful thinking, for the chances of a meeting like that are indeed miniscule. He briefly considers returning to his paper and continue people watching, until a memory of yet even a more ancient time strikes him. Malik did once tell him that he can't ever be sure, he can only assume.
The only way he can be sure here is he sees the face of that red robbed individual.
Folding his paper and sliding it inside his coat, Altair stands from the bench and prepares for some good old fashioned tailing through the crowded streets. The person with the red coat passed too quickly for Altair to mark him with his eagle vision, but that doesn't matter when the assassin can simply rely on more mundane means of tailing.
Blending into the crowd, Altair follows his target. Hopeful that perhaps it may be who he thinks it is.
Perhaps it's fortunate that Altair caught that glimpse of the red coat. Because indeed, the one in the red coat is skilled at not being found. Whether he's doing it on purpose or not is the only real question. Altair will find that just when he thinks he loses track, the sound of the boots or the flash of red fabric guides him -- that sound, that precise red, are too distinctive to be anyone but.
And soon Altair will learn that it is indeed who he thought it was. Shortly the man comes to a stop just off of the main thoroughfare, and turns to the right. Altair will be able to catch up. Now he can see more. The collar, the gray-streaked black hair, the smoked-glass lenses held before his eyes...
...And the cruel scar sealing his right eye shut. It's this side that Altair has facing him. Even now, Auron faces his blind side to him, as he'd learned to do in that other world. A sign of trust, already, even on the off-chance that THIS Altair may not know him.
But perhaps Auron is aware of more than that blind right eye would note. As Altair comes within speaking distance, Auron leans again the entrance of the alley he's stopped near, and does just that... speaks.
"...I had wanted to hope you had come here as well," he intones quietly. "But you know my track record with hope. Still. If you didn't know me, you wouldn't have followed." Here he pauses, turning to Altair. And he gives a smile. His voice is gentle as he says the next, lacking the gruffness he usually speaks with.
"...Safety and Peace, my friend."
That is a thing that Altair learned, or rather, was never sure about his old friend and owner of that distinctive red coat. He wasn't sure if Auron's abilities to sneak around were of practiced skill or he was simply accidentally good at keeping a low profile. Nevertheless, it was one of the many reasons why the paths of these two men crossed, and even after all these years and dimensional travels, this natural ability to stay hidden is something that Altair would be hard pressed to forget. Every step he takes closer to this man and every moment he spends tailing him pulls at something in the heart of the old assassin. That this is the man he remembers. Not one in the multiverse can ever hope to be the same.
And indeed, Altair needs not his eagle vision to recognize him. For Auron faces him with his blind side. A sign of trust between warriors, for someone like Auron it would be folly to ever give his vulnerable side to anyone he doesn't trust, much less someone he knows for a fact can kill a human being instantanously from 20 yards with a knife, thrown or otherwise.
They are like old wolves the two of them. Auron shows him his neck almost as if to say 'only you can see this side of me'.
But two can play that game, and after a momentary pause to recover from the shock, Altair steps closer to Auron. "Hope has always been what kept us going, old friend."
Without a doubt in his mind, Altair shows too a vulnerable side that only a select few like Auron have seen and felt. The assassin steps closer and embraces the monk in a warm hug, no blades or posturing from him, just a tight hug through clenched teeth of restrained joy. "Safety and Peace, Auron. I knew it in my heart that we would meet again, either in this world or the next."
Posturing? No, there's none of that here. Without context, one would probably be forgiven for thinking these two men were something other than friends, given that hug. And the fact that Auron doesn't even question, just steps forward, slipping his left arm out of his coat and returning that hug with the same ferocity it's given. It's not often he gets to meet a dear friend again, after literally leaving the world he met him in.
In fact there may be a smattering of applause from a few people in the crowd who happen to notice two dudes basically running down the street to hug each other. Only thing missing, as far as they're concerned? Sappy music and slow-motion. Auron doesn't care. He has missed this man incredibly, and he's not about to let a few bystanders interfere with the reunion. Not that he really cared about what people thought anyway, since growing up.
When the hug does break, Auron holds onto Altair's shoulders for a moment. There is a smile on his face. It's not a huge one, but it's no less genuine -- it reaches that single remaining amber eye. "It's been too long," he remarks.
Haven't these people seen two buff dudes hugging before???
Actually, when he thinks of it that way, Altair can perhaps see just why people decided to look in their particular direction and start clapping. If he were a lesser man he might be offended and with his skills he'd start throwing daggers at the little audience that gathered to see the embrace between him and Auron. Thankfully, Altair is a wise man, far beyond the petty concerns of humanity. That he cracked a smile at all and hugged Auron speaks volumes of the deep relationship they had, for indeed, Altair is a cold and brooding individual, and once the warmth of the embrace has passed, he returns to his usual business mode.
This is something Auron would remember well. How easily Altair returns from hot to cold in and instant.
"Indeed it has." Responds the Grandmaster as he pulls away from Auron, not even shooting a glance to the people clapping around him. Its like they don't even exist. "There is much we need to talk about. I presume that you already noticed there is no Brotherhood here nor that we are in the 'other' multiverse with the Union and the Confederacy."
One in the 'audience' is a certain green-haired woman who goes as far as to whistle as well. As the two end their embrace, however, she is, like most of the others, suddenly feeling slightly awkward... but hell, she's in a good mood, so she's still got a smile on her, even if she's turning away.
Auron too is quick to return to 'business mode', tucking his left arm back into his coat as Altair pulls away. He's also ignoring the people clapping... though he's also kind of wondering why himself! Still, Altair has something to say, and Auron is paying attention to that.
He nods here. "I have noticed that, yes. Reality fractured... I suppose you could call them 'reality quakes', since the very fabric of that Multiverse rippled. The world began to fall apart, and people were caught up in it. I saved what of them I could, but the ground fell out from under me and I lost consciousness. I was sent back to the Farplane."
"I thought I had died again, but when I saw Jecht there, he told me that I had not," Auron continues. "He said that Multiverse had fractured and I had been caught in the storm and sent to the point of least resistance. But that he knew of another place. Shortly after, I found myself here."
He isn't ignoring that green-haired girl, oh no. He rarely outright ignores people around him. In fact, once he's explained, he looks in her direction! Has he seen her before? Does he recognize her? Perhaps, but he isn't saying one way or the other. Altair and he have that much in common; they both rarely speak unless it's important.
"So, is that what happened?" Altair says with concern to his voice and a rub of his chin. Almost as if he was skeptical of what Auron was saying! "Good, I almost suspected treason." He continues and lowers his hand, reasoning that Auron probably did have a better idea of what happened. "Last thing I remember was being in a mission with some others, Ezio included. I became trapped in a room and next thing I knew... I was here. I know not for how long I was perhaps floating in the abyss but I imagine it was not instantaneous." He exhales and ultimately just shrugs his shoulders. "In a way, I am glad." He admits. "I would have assassinated the leaders of the Union eventually. Tyrael and Psyber were certainly in my list."
Suddenly he realizes that he's perhaps speaking of confidential information out in the public and he reaches to grasp Auron's shoulder with a reassuring smile of his scarred lips. "It is good that you are not dead, my friend. The universe is still in need of people like you and I. This world, it is not unlike the previous multiverse. But at least the local authorities are less corrupt than the Union." Indeed! Altair has also taken notice of a certain green haired woman nearby. Has he ever met Violet personally? Probably not! But he is Altair ibn la'Ahad, and you best be assured that he keeps a dossier of information of everyone important in Neo Tokyo.
Violet looks like she's about to head on her way as well, walking towards the Usual... When she just stops at what Auron says to Altair about the reality quakes, the world falling apart. It's mid-step, she doesn't even return to a proper standing position, though a hand mid-swing falls straight to her side as the color drains from her face some. What was once slightly red from mirth is now quite pale as she gets a bit of a thousand-yard stare.
Auron nods to the question. "I've had no contact from the other Multiverse since then," he confirms. "I don't know what caused the reality quakes. For all I know it could have indeed been purposeful. A great many powerful people found their way there. And it wouldn't have been the first time a single being was able to affect the Multiverse at large." However, the reassuring smile gets one from him in return. Perhaps he knows the danger, since he easily lets it go. And he nods to the mention of needing people like them here. "Indeed. I suppose where there is life there is always evil."
And then he pauses, noticing how pale the green-haired woman has become. He frowns a bit, the brow over his remaining eye drawing down slightly, and tilts his head. Altair (and possibly Violet herself) may notice a tension in his shoulders, their line pulling up more firmly, as if he expected an attack. "...Something wrong?" he asks, watching her carefully.
"Life goes on." Concludes Altair. "And with it the struggles against those who would seek to tarnish it." Interesting talk coming from an assassin, though those who do know of Altair are aware of the deep love of life he has. His entire motivation is to protect the innocent after all. That he does so in an extreme way is a subject of much debate however, though ultimately not a talk that needs to be discussed now.
"I feared as much." Says he after Auron suggests that the fracturing of the Multiverse came from someone causing it rather than a natural phenomenon. "Although I would prefer to hope that we were simply caught up in the matter and not actually its targets." He looks up as if asking the sky. "The thought of someone going to such lengths to rid the Multiverse from the Brothrehood sickens me greatly. But it would not surprise me if it were true. I've seen the lowest of scumbags be elevated for worse things after all, both in the Union and the Confederacy."
Altair too notices that Auron is glancing at the green haired woman and Altair slightly turns towards her. Unlike Auron, there is no tension on his shoulders. Altair is always relaxed.. almost unnervingly so. And it is with this same relaxed mannerism that he rests his hand on the pommel of his sword.
Violet suddenly looks back with a start, apparently aware that she was adressed on a delay. "Huh? Oh, yeah. I mean no! Nothing's wrong now." She shakes her head repeatedly. "Don't mind me, just... continue your reunion." The look on her face isn't one of someone worried something is going to happen... it's the face of someone who has seen something happen before. The look of someone that just relived that something horrible in her mind.
Auron does note, "I have my doubts it was to remove the Brotherhood from the Multiverse." Perhaps putting Altair's mind at ease. "I doubt a being with the power to destabilize the entire Multiverse would unleash its full power to destroy a single world. It would surely have the power to just destroy one world, if it had enough power to create such powerful and instant reality quakes. Whatever the reason, I have my doubts that the Brotherhood factored into them."
It seems that Auron's more or less under the impression that, since even whole worlds are little more than specks in the greater multiverse, why should the Brotherhood matter on that scale? Though true, being rid of the Brotherhood would be a nice addition for anyone who didn't want to deal with them in the future. Though... "I didn't see the outcome of the reality quakes. I have no idea if that Multiverse even still exists. Anything I could offer past that would be pure speculation."
He is also rather skeptical of Violet's blase' answer, and the raised-brow look he sends at Altair is pretty clear evidence of it. "...Are you sure? You seemed to go pale when the reality quakes were mentioned. Do you know anything about them?"
A ghost of a smile appears in Altair's scarred lips. "Ah, but you forget, Auron. That -our- Brotherhood composed of members from all over the worlds. And it was no secret that we were a thorn on the side of both the Union and the Confederacy. We made -a lot- of enemies and it strikes me as too much of a coincidence that we both ended up here." He rolls his shoulder, still in that relaxed defensive position. His hood covered gaze towards Violet whilst he addresses Auron. Hand... still resting on the hilst of his sheated sword.
"I suppose one day we will find out. But for now.." Altair's eyes narrow when Violet tries to skitter away and dismiss the question. HIs head tilts in a hawk like manner, resembling the eagle that is his namesake. "Do you not work for the Space Defense Force?" He asks of the green haired woman.
Violet shakes her head to Auron, not responding to the conversation between the two she knows nothing about, but she's not going to let a question like that directed at her go unanswered. "No, I don't know anything about them... but I have seen them... felt them. Watched the universe fracture around me as... as I barely got out." Tiredly, she nods to Altair, and then she straightens herself up to properly identify herself. "Lt. Commander Violet Karrde-Donovan, captain of the NTSDF Phoenix at your service." She then slumps slightly again. "I lost my first ship... I lost Nobara when this reality collapsed."
Auron thinks about that statement. "Point," he agrees. "Would've been too difficult to wait until we were all at base... no guarantee that every one of us would be there." Do not compromise the Brotherhood, after all, so Auron doesn't speak the name of the Assassins' headquarters. As for both of them ending up here? "Jecht... was a Fayth when he died. He has power in the Farplane. He either knew you were here, or knew you would be coming here."
He is, however, quite willing to let the matter go, particularly since Violet is now seeming less like a possible threat and more like a refugee herself. So instead of glowering and being suspect of her, Auron relaxes just a hair, just enough to be noticeable. Her account also brings a frown, but it is one of sympathy.
Her introduction gets a polite nod. "Auron," he offers simply in return. "I do not remember you from the other Multiverse, so it must have been a different reality." And there's the realization, then, that other realities have crumbled too, left others displaced from their original realities...
Though his hood masks most of his facial expressions, Altair's face darkens considerably. It looks like what Violet just said deeply troubled him. Not to mention what Auron then said about Jecht 'leading' him here somehow. As if he knew that their paths would once again converge.
"How troublesome." Altair concludes. "It appears that we have a deeper mystery in our hands than I thought. I was ready to simply dismiss our appearance here as something beyond our control but..." He casts another glance to Violet. "It appears that if we were the ones that were targeted, many other innocents were caught in its wake."
"And that is unforgivable."
One foolproof way of getting on Altair's bad side is to hurt innocent people to get to him. That guarantees a blade to the neck.
"I do not recognize you as well, my lady. As my friend here says, perhaps you come from a different reality than ours as well."
He brings his hand to his chest for a warrior salute. "I am Altair ibn la'Ahad. Salaam Alaikum."
Violet looks between the two for a moment before saying, "I... don't think you two heard me quite right... It wasn't some other reality, some different reality... it was this one. This world collapsed once. Nobara.... was the NTSDF Nobara." She sighs and shakes her head. "It... it was the worst day of my life, bar none. It made me lose all my memories, I'm guessing from the PTSD, for over two years." She sighs, slumping a bit further again. "It's a pleasure to meet you both, but... don't let me get in the way of your reunion, really."
Rainbow Dash comes flying in from above, kind of lazyly looping the loop as she swoops down low over by a nearby fruitcart!
Auron does frown a bit, but also confirms, "There were innocents involved. 'Collateral damage', it might be called. I hope it was some sort of natural phenomenon. That perhaps so many universes converging in that one place simply broke down its barriers after so many years and forced a restructuring. But again... you know my track record with hope. And I wouldn't put it past someone there."
Though at Violet's explanation, Auron's head tilts back a little, in recognition. "I see." And a bit of the snarky humor he was known for, "Forgive me. After one reality collapses on one, it tends to get difficult to remember which ones have and have not." Sobering then. "But I am sorry for your loss."
He pauses and looks up at the blue streak in the sky, trying to figure out what it is. A flying blue pony? This gets a raise of the brow over his remaining eye, but he doesn't question it. Apparently he's been here at least long enough that he has learned not to question odd things.
Rainbow Dash gets a few apples, and, spotting Vi she trots on over. "Hey Vi! How's it going?" she greets brightly as she trots closer, nodding to Violet's companions, "Hey all," she greets them as well.
Altair lowers his hand after the salute and narrows his eyes. "Perhaps you're not explaning yourself properly." He says with a similar snarky tone than the monk next to him. Similar men despite their drastically different paths of life. Or perhaps not so, given their history.
The talk of PTSD makes him frown again and he shakes his head. "From one warrior to another I can tell you I understand. Particularly the feeling of losing everything you had." Altair glances at Auron. "We were part of a much greater group. I fear for those that were left behind..." But those dark thoughts are best saved for another time so that they do not spoil this reunion. "We'll get to the bottom of this in due time I'm sure. If there if someone behind all this trouble... they will pay." With their life if Altair has a say in it.
Noticing a familiar pegasus approaching, Altair nods in greetings to Rainbow Dash. "Safety and Peace."
Violet, for her part, is actually looking a little pale as she looks over to Rainbow Dash. "Oh.... Hey. I'm okay. Been better?" She's gotten a haircut, though! She looks back to the other two and lowers an eyebrow at the snark from the two. "Well, in my case.... With the exception of my ship, most of my friends, and half of my memories of before then, everything's come back." She shrugs in a fakely nonchalant way.
Auron offers a polite nod of greeting to Rainbow Dash as she trots over. He seems like the kind that doesn't really talk much unless he has something important to say. But then Altair snarks and... oh Lord. Yeah, that's a similar tone. However, he does seem to agree with Altair's words of losing everything one has. "That... takes getting used to." He's not snarking this time, but it does feel like there might be an attempt at humor there.
Though he does note to Violet's recovery of most of her memories, "Good. There's little worse than forgetting. Even if the memories are painful, they are yours." He pauses as Altair makes his exit -- a situation has come to his attention, one that he'll no doubt fill Auron in on later. But once Altair has been bid farewell, he turns his attention back to Violet and the pony.
Rainbow_Dash tilts her head, "Hmm? Anything I can help with?" she offers, "Ohh....cut your mane! Looks cool!"
Violet shakes her head to Rainbow Dash. "No, no, just... had a reminder of... something bad that happened in the past." She looks back and Altair is gone. "What the..." She glances around, trying to spot his retreating form and failing. "...Does he do that often?" She shakes her head again and looks back to Auron again. "Yeah... well, the worst memories are the ones that are still the most vivid... It really was... not a good day," she says in understatement.
Auron smirks a bit at Violet's question. "Yes," he replies. "It's his stock in trade." Though there's the trace of a fond smirk there. He doesn't speak about Violet's haircut, since he didn't know Violet before it. He does speak about her 'not a good day' though. "People are hardwired to remember the bad more than the good. Helps us make sure the bad doesn't happen again."
Rare is the time when someone or other isn't making their way through Tokyo's centerpoint. And today is hardly an exception. What's unusual however is that the bus that stops just down the way, happens to disgorge Cammy, who as she steps off it, she looks a bit creeped out. Or at least as much as someone so heavily mentally locked down gets.
Rainbow_Dash flaps her small wings and rises up, patting Violet on the back with a hoof, "Sorry you're going through a rough time, but don't forget, you have a lot of friends here to help you out when you're feeling homesick and stuff."
Violet gives Auron a sideglance. "Well, as far as I know, I have no clue what caused the 'bad day' to begin with, so I fail to see how I can avoid this entire universe collapsing again." The color is starting to return to her, at least. She looks back to Rainbow Dash, somehow not noticing Cammy getting off the bus. "...Oh, you didn't know? This place is where I'm originally from, Dash. I'm not from some other universe like... well, most people, it seems. But... yeah. I do have a lot of friends, and an amazing wife that I still say I don't really deserve." She smiles at that, though, meaning that more as a compliment to Alexa than any sort of diss to herself.
Auron is listening to the conversation, not to worry. But Violet and Rainbow Dash are talking about things he really doesn't know much about. So there's little he can offer in return. But he does notice Cammy, and frowns a little. Being of usually understated expression himself, he might have it a little easier seeing it. He looks to Violet and Dash. "...Excuse me." Then hea heads slowly in Cammy's direction.
Rainbow_Dash says, "Oh yeah! That's right," she laughs, "I'm so used to people -and- ponies, being homesick around here, I totally forgot! So sorry again about your bad day, then, hope it gets better!" she waves to Cammy, "Heya," she greets.
Spotting Rainbow, Cammy waves. She vaguely remembers encountering the blue pony at least once before. She makes her way over, curious to see what the polychromatic mare is up to.
Violet shakes her head to Rainbow Dash. "No, no, it wasn't today, I just got reminded of... you know what, nevermind, I'll tell you about it later..." She sighs and looks over as Auron walks away, now spotting Cammy. She raises an eyebrow at the blonde's expression. "...an improvement... sort of..." she says.
Rainbow_Dash says, "Well, that's a plus, right?" she glances over as Auron walks over towards Cammy, she furrows her brow a little? has she met him? Hard to keep straight sometimes...she flits over to where he approaches Cammy, peering....
Cammy spots Violet as well and nods. Auron however, is new to her. However as he doesn't seem hostile-- yet-- she doesn't seem to feel the need to worry. Or as much as someone like her ever gets to it anyway, as she makes her way over to the three.
"Never travel on buses." She says in her usual emotionless near-monotone.
Rainbow_Dash says, "Not with these babies!" she flap flaps her wings!
Violet pauses, then looks to the others before saying, "....Okay? Do I even want to know, Cammy?" She makes sure to use the name, unsure of how much the woman is used to her new name or not. "But, uh, yeah, I tend not to travel much on the surface anymore."
"...Normally, you probably would not. However.....this unit appears to have encountered a force that seems to transcend universes. However as there was no reason before now for this unit to pay attention to it...." Cammy stares at the departing bus and actually shivers in something approximating -fear-. What the hell did she run into that a girl who makes most mannequins seem lively is actually -scared-?
Rainbow_Dash flits around Auron, "Whoa...you seem pretty cool, you must be some kinda awesome warrior guy, huh? I don't think we've met, I'm Rainbow, Rainbow Dash!" She grins, "I'm head of the totally awesome club!" she laughs, then looks to Cammy, "So what's got you so freaked out? The...bus? Some Weirdo on there or somethin'?"
Violet glances back to Auron and says, "Don't mind her, she has the biggest ego in the city," before looking back to Cammy. "Well, whatever it was, we can tell you had a bad ride even without you having said so... So you're definitely improving on your, uh, expressiveness?"
Auron offers a quiet chuckle at Rainbow Dash's words. "No. I'm just a man. My name is Auron." He offers a nod of greeting. Violet's words get a smirk. "Don't worry. I knew someone who was much the same." He goes quiet then, listening what Cammy may have to say about her brush with weirdness on the bus.
Looking to Rainbow, Cammy stares for a moment. Then turns back to Violet. "...Autograph hunters." she says even more flatly than usual, as if that explains the entirety of what she encountered on the bus. Then raises a brow, not sure what Violet happens to mean about her expressiveness.
Rainbow_Dash says, "Oh, I totally get those all the time," she grins, flipping in the air, "It's totally awesome, too! it's like, 'we love you! sign this!' I love it!" she laughs, then looks to Violet, "It's good to have a healthy ego, right?" she then spins in the air back to Auron, "You remind me of that Aragorn guy from that cool movie!"
Violet shrugs lightly. "I guess a healthy ego doesn't /hurt,/ no." She then looks over to Cammy again and raises an eyebrow. "I've not had the problem, myself. But if you don't want to be recognized... you can always wear something else. Your outfit is a bit, uh, distinctive." She then pauses a moment before asiding towards Auron, "Frankly, I think it amazing this city hasn't collapsed under the weight of all the massive egos in it."
"Wear....something else?" Cammy blinks, looking at Violet as if she's grown a second head.
Auron nods to Cammy's words. "I've seen my share of those before," he agrees. "Our worlds are apparently forms of fictional media in this world. There will be people who recognize you from whatever media in their world you appeared in." A nod at Violet's words. "Particularly if you still wear the same outfit. A red coat with leather pauldrons, always worn off one arm, tends to be distinctive, for instance." Yes, he's talking about his own outfit. Though he does shake his head to Rainbow Dash. "I think you mean the one whose friend is an elf?" Of course he's seen Lord of the Rings. "I was a monk at one time. Not the Christian kind. Closer to the Shaolin kind."
Rainbow_Dash says, "Yeah, that's the guy! Totally epic!" she grins, "Of course I get by just wearing my cutie mark and nothing else," she jokes, "Well, except on dress-up kind of occasions; but hey, I really don't want to hide from my fans! Besides...people like us, kind of mean a lot to people sometimes."
Cammy nods slowly. "This unit...appears to have been used in a 'video game' here. However other figures in the game are not from the same world." And thats almost as creepy to her as the whole point of discovering she's fictional here.
Violet deadpans, "Yes. Wear something else. You've not seen me wear the same thing every day, have you? You can wear that outfit when you don't mind people recognizing you, and find some... other combat gear to wear when you do mind it." Her shoulders slump again as she shakes her head with a sigh. "I probably need to see that movie," she then mumbles before looking back to Auron and Rainbow Dash. "Sometimes I do wonder what it would be like to have actual fans."
Auron smirks a bit. "Rainbow-colored hair tends to be rather distinctive, yes," he observes. Cammy's words of 'video games' get a nod. "So have I. Though. It would seem the depictions aren't always exactly right. I'm reported to have a daughter. But I can be sure, with one-hundred percent certainty, that I do not." Auron also tilts his head to Violet's words. "That doesn't always do the trick. I do have different clothes, and I'm often still recognized." Then again, that scar on his face... Though the words of 'having actual fans'? "I'll give you mine."
Cammy's also pretty distinctive herself facially, as she has a scar as well. Not to mention her hair. She looks herself over. "Where is it possible to obtain clothing that offers freedom of movement in order to not impede combat when necessary?"
Rainbow_Dash says, "Tell, you what; this is what you do; wear something that doesn't look quite right so people think you're a cosplayer. They'll just compliment you and go on thier way after a selfie or two."
Violet shrugs to Auron. "Hey, clearly some people are perfectly fine having lots of fans," she says while looking right at Rainbow Dash. "I just don't have the opportunity to be aware of how I'd feel. Several of my officers do." She then frowns and looks back to Cammy. "The Mall, I'll bet, has at /least/ one store with combat oriented clothing." She looks back to Rainbow Dash a moment, then says, "What, like getting a different tie and a slightly off hat or something?"
"Not a women's clothing store," Auron says flatly, in response to Cammy's question of clothes that allow for combat. Yes, that's snark. But c'mon, look at those silly shoes, skinny jeans, and pencil skirts and say any of that is 'made for combat'. Still, he offers some actual advice. "Though if you buy a size larger than you normally wear, it might give you room to move." Though... Rainbow Dash has a point. "...I've done that before," he admits. "Pretended to be dressed as... well, myself. It's an odd feeling." Violet gets a smirk. "Imagine someone running up to you, practically bouncing. Now imagine this person knows almost everything there is to know about you. Now imagine this person asks you, rather crudely, if you and a very close friend were... more than friends. That's about what it's like."
Cammy shudders at that last little bit. Seems like she came across something similar, if not identical, on that bus ride. She frowns as she considers the idea of...effectively impersonating herself. It's an odd tactic, but it might work. She brings a hand up to subconsciously trace the scar on her left cheek. "What....about this?" she asks. It's not like she can convince people she's impersonating hself if she has the legit scar.
Rainbow_Dash says, "Just put a dab of make up on it, so it looks like it's not real....problem solved."
Cammy blinks in as close to confusion as she gets. "'Makeup'?" Seems the poor girl has never heard of the term. Given her mission parameters, what she was made for (even if she's not aware of that part), and the fact that she's never been on a date in her life, it's no surprise she's never heard of the term. The closest she's aware of is the body paint on her legs, but that's a different thing altogether to her.
Violet points to her eyes... yes, she's wearing some eyeliner. "Kinda like this stuff, though they make all sorts, most of it related to making your face look featureless. Or more colorful. Depends on the type, really. But yeah... I guess if you put some sorta foundation on the scar, like... exactly on the scar, it'll look a bit fake?"
Rainbow_Dash says, "Huh....all that hanging out with Rarity, totally paying off!"
Auron nods to Rainbow Dash's words of Cammy's issue with her scar. "You could use makeup to cover it," he suggests. "I have similar issues." His scar seals his eye shut though, so makeup won't work in his case. "All I could do to hide it is wear an eyepatch." As to the makeup? "Female war paint," he states. "Tends to show a woman is ready for the world. But like paint, you do have to blend it to make sure it doesn't look fake, yes."
Rainbow_Dash says, "But in this xase, you want it to look fake...so people will think it's someone else pretending to be you."
War paint, at least, Cammy is aware of. She almost ironically gives the lightning bolts on her legs, made in body paint, a wry look before looking back up at Auron. Then to Dash. "That still makes no sense. How could it make something real look unreal?"
Rainbow_Dash says, "That's....what make up does.... I never wear the stuff myself."
Violet glances over to Auron. "Or you can do some sort of cybernetic look. Or shades. Have you considered shades?" She then turns to Cammy and shrugs. "Well, you basically put a fake scar over the real one, I think is the idea? it makes it look... sloppier? I honestly don't know."
Auron tilts his head up and back. "Ah. Yes. Line the real scar with makeup. Make a sharper line of demarcation. Should convince people the scar isn't real, since the skin wouldn't appear to blend from the scar to unscarred skin."
"...Covert ops disguise." It's about the best way that she can think of to make the idea fit into the way her mind is molded by Shadaloo's mental shackles. She still seems dubious of the idea though. Then something else comes to mind. She turns to Violet. "Query. Why did people on the bus ask me if this unit wished to go out of it before the stop it was intended for?"
Violet nods to Auron. "Yeah! That kind of stuff!" She overturns her arm to look at the scar running along the underside of it, with all this scar talk. She then shakes her head and looks up again, tilting her head at Cammy. "...People asked... if you wanted to leave the bus early? I have no freaking clue."
Auron's not the right person to explain it either. Mainly because he also has no idea what's being talked about. "Sounds like they were trying to shove you off the bus," he notes. "I hope you gave them a hard time."
Cammy frowns. "The strange thing is if this is true, they were also going to throw themselves off." she adds, still not sure what to make of all that whole mess.
Violet looks confused for another few seconds before asking, "Wait... what was their exact wording?"
Auron remains looking confused. "...Really, people's hobbies don't surprise me anymore. Maybe they just like jumping out of moving buses," he suggests. Yeah, Auron has no idea.
Cammy tilts her head. "Something about wanting to 'go out'. Is that significant?" she asks. Oh that poor, poor girl.
Violet sighs and facepalms. "....So, let me guess the exact words... 'You want to go out with me sometime?' Was that what was said?"
Surprisingly Auron doesn't get it until Violet actually says it. Then his eye widens in recognition. "...Oh! Yes. That... makes more sense," he admits.
Cammy nods. "Something along those lines, yes." she says. "What purpose would throwing oneself or others out of a bus serve?" she asks, still mystified by the entire thing.
Violet does not remove her hand from her face. "They wanted to go out on a date with you. I'm not explaining that one to you if you don't know it already."
Despite himself, Auron snickers a bit, keeping it to little more than a soft snort. But just in case? "A 'date' isn't just a fruit. It's a part of courtship. Dating is for seeing if two people are compatible on a personal level." He assumes, anyway. Not that he's ever actually BEEN on one...
Cammy gives a slow, owlish blink. She actually has heard the term in this context before. But the idea that someone would see -her- as a romantic partner.....
She looks herself over as best she can with no reflection to go by.
"This would seem illogical. There is nothing about this unit that would indicate compatibility for physical intimacy." ....Hard to tell if that's her being self-depricating or if she genuinely doesn't see why anyone would have any form of romantic/sexual interest in her whatsoever.
Violet nods to Auron with a look of thanks. "Right." She pauses, then looks back to Cammy. "...Really? Come on now. About three quarters of guys would just look at your appearance and the fact that they know you from a video game and would likely say, 'I'd hit it' or something lame along those lines."
"Your form is aesthetically pleasing, within certain criteria. For some that's enough to pursue a physical interest," Auron offers helpfully. He seems to think she's just genuinely unaware. Though he raises that brow at Violet's words. "'Hit'..." Pause. "Oh. I'm... still not completely familiar with modern slang." And just in case? "'Hit' in this context isn't literal." But he doesn't explain what exactly it DOES mean.
"Aside from attempting to hit this unit being counterproductive to pursuing it as a romantic partner, the chances are high that any such attempt would result in several shattered bones on their parts afterwards." Cammy points out, in what she assumes is a perfectly resonable response, not understanding the slang. Then looks herself over again. "What does this unit's appearance have to do with the matter, anyway?" When Auron mentions she has a good body, she just blinks at him in complete incomprehension.
Violet sighs and hangs her head again. Now it's 'both' of them that don't know the phrasing. "Er, yeah, it's not literal. In that context it means they want to have sex with you." Using /any/ euphamism here seems to be a bad idea.
Auron answers Cammy's question by tilting his head at Violet. "That. For some people, looks are ALL that matters in that regard," he notes. "These people are generally the type to 'use' another for this purpose."
Cammy turns to Violet in as close to surprise as she gets. She stares for a moment or two. Her entire response is succinct and pretty well exactly what is wrong with this girl.
"Why?"
Violet looks a little confused by this fact. "...Because you are a phyisically attractive individual? This is kind of related to the conversation we had last time about why I think your 'regulation' uniform is really designed that way because someone is a pervert."
Auron snorts slightly at Violet's words. "Why do you say that?" He looks at Cammy again. Assuming THAT is her uniform (since she seemed confused about wearing other things), he gives the outfit a once-over. "If her emphasis is mobility, armor or tight clothing would interfere with it. Loose clothing would give the enemy a point of weakness to stop her from moving, too. And the paint breaks up her outline, even if it doesn't serve as complete camouflage."
Cammy nods at Auron's comments, as that's pretty much it. Her outfit does allow her some protection and padding to begin with. Then she turns to Violet.
"This unit still does not see why anyone would find it attractive. It's not as if this unit is designed for purposes beyond combat." And somewhere the creator of Cammy the character is randomly laughing his head off for no particular reason, and somewhere ELSE Bison is randomly wondering if the brainwashing done to her when she was created from his cells worked TOO well.
Violet says, "eeeeehhhh.... Let's go being physically fit has a tendency to make you look more attractive and call it a day? I'm not going to attempt to explain the finer details."
Violet then looks at Auron and deadpans, "Have you looked at what the back of her outfit looks like?"
Auron may be pretty ignorant about relationships, yes, but he knows where lines are that he shouldn't cross. One of those is explaining what 'else' besides combat Cammy could be good for. That sort of explanation, coming from a man, is the last thing needed here. Though Violet seems understandably uncomfortable with explaining the details too, so he offers helpfully, "humans are hardwired to recognize certain features as more attractive. Physical fitness is one of them."
He pauses then, looking at Violet with a raised brow. "...No," he replies. "We've only just met." And she's been facing him the whole time.
Technically, she's been facing both of them, but who's counting? Cammy still looks like she's trying to figure out why being physically fit is attractive. But then blinks at Violet's comment. "What's wrong with the back of this unit's uniform?"
Violet deadpans to Cammy, "There's not enough of it."
At Violet's answer, Auron snorts again, quietly. He tries to explain to Cammy, since the confusion only seems to be getting stronger despite efforts to explain it, "You may have been raised separate from a lot of human culture. If so, there's a lot of things about people you won't understand. Some of it is confusing to me. I was raised in a monastery, and so away from the population at large."
Cammy looks back and forth between the two, then tries to look at as much of her own backside as she can. (Which may mean giving one or both a potential look at her back...and at least part of her exposed ass.
"....It suffices for protection where necessary and does not encumber combat or movement." She says as she turns back around fully to face the two. "What more is needed?" she asks, still not seeing an issue.
Violet sighs and just facepalms again. "There's this word called 'modesty'. Clearly it's not a concept you understand, and no, I don't think I can explain it. Granted, you can pull off the look, but for pretty much anyone but you, that is not an everyday wear look."
"Why would this unit walk around naked?" Cammy asks. It's hard to tell if she's actually misinterpreting the slang of 'pull off the look' or if she's actually attempting some kind of humor on the off chance she DOES get the terminology.
"The other members of this unit's combat squad wear virtually identical uniforms." she also adds, though it more or less escapes he rnotice that while the looks (color aside) IS identical, the other Dolls in the unit all have pants. Skintight spandex pants most likely, but still, pants.
Oh HELLO there!
Okay, see... Auron had little issues with Lulu's outfit. Or the Summoner Dona. Or Yunalesca! Though admittedly he had a hate for Yunalesca that bordered on the psychopathic. Didn't change that she wore very little clothing. But see... Auron had been Unsent when he'd known Lulu and Dona. Unsent, of course, being basically a glorified ghost -- lacking a true physical body aside from the semblance of one made from pure energy.
Now however? He does not have that problem.
When Cammy turns so that the unintentional peek happens, the brow of Auron's remaining eye lifts, before he clears his throat and looks away. He's not blushing. ...No, really. He's not.
Yes. Yes he totally is. It's slight, and his high collar might cover it up. But there it is, nonetheless.
He doesn't say anything, but his reaction may speak for itself, particularly if Violet can hang a hat on it. It'll be embarrassing, but it might serve as an object lession!
"I can see how it wouldn't encumber you," Auron notes, with a bit of a wry tone. But to Violet's words he nods, trying very hard not to look at anything he shouldn't. "It's the same principle behind swear words. Those words aren't used often, so when they ARE used, it means more. People don't show off a great deal of their bodies, so when more of someone's body than is normal gets shown, it's... shocking. Perhaps that's the right word."
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