4.04: Time for some thrilling heroics.

[nofileext]

The Mainframe populace go about their business as usual, if disturbingly cheerfully. The air is filled with cars and zipboards, not CPUs and tanks.

Everything's quiet, more or less.

Of course, given the group that's just coming in from Milliways, that's not liable to last long.

Comments

Re: Taunts, Tantrums, and TRUCKSPLOSION

[hiroaki_protagonist]

"Okay then." He dodges, pulling his stroke as a result. "But can you at least explain why you turned your back on the Word? Don't you want to belong to something?"

Re: Taunts, Tantrums, and TRUCKSPLOSION

[l33t-mouse.livejournal.com]

"Nah, not really. I just belong ta m'self." She swings her katana towards Hiro's shoulder.

Re: Taunts, Tantrums, and TRUCKSPLOSION

[hiroaki_protagonist]

By the time it gets within about half a pixel, Hiro's katana is already in position to block it and attempt a counterthrust. "Well, that's a sad and lonely way to go through life."

Re: Taunts, Tantrums, and TRUCKSPLOSION

[l33t-mouse.livejournal.com]

"Only 'cause y'got Daemon in your processor." Mouse narrowly dodges the counterattack Hiro makes when her own is deflected and slices down towards his wrists.

Re: Taunts, Tantrums, and TRUCKSPLOSION

[hiroaki_protagonist]

"It's the truth. I knew it before I heard the Word, and I know it still." She manages to graze one wrist slightly before he can get them out of her way. "My great triumph over
(Asherah)
Rife was built on other people's work.
(Lagos, Juanita)
They did the research,
(Fisheye, Ng)
they provided the weapons; I was just the hand that held the blade."
It's the concrete manifestation of an abstract policy goal.
While he talks, he's dodging and weaving his way toward what he guesses to be her off-side, with the intent to swing at her from that angle.

Re: Taunts, Tantrums, and TRUCKSPLOSION

[l33t-mouse.livejournal.com]

"Didn't sound like it from what y'told me before, sugar," Mouse objects. "An' in case ya fergot, y'were fightin' somethin' looked a lot like Daemon." Mouse notices that Hiro's working to get on her off-side, but she doesn't try to stop him. Better to let him attempt it and then do something he doesn't expect.

Re: Taunts, Tantrums, and TRUCKSPLOSION

[hiroaki_protagonist]

"From the outside, yeah, my Lady looked a lot like... Asherah." (Why did it take him a moment to think of that name?) "But Asherah shut her victims' minds down. The Word
(only shuts parts of the mind down)
lets you do what you want."
(You just don't want anything Daemon doesn't want.)

She may notice the moments of hesitation as some rebellious thought rises and the Word squelches it. Whatever she's planning to do once he gets into position, he should be a pretty ripe target for it.

Re: Taunts, Tantrums, and TRUCKSPLOSION

[l33t-mouse.livejournal.com]

Mouse thinks that maybe, just maybe, what she said got through to him. She didn't expect that, at least not consciously. Hiro's clearly flustered, and that gives her the opening she needs.

She lunges in suddenly, knocking away his sword with her own held one-handed, and uses her free hand to fetch him a blow on the temple. "Sorry, sugar," she says. "You'll thank me for this later."

Re: Taunts, Tantrums, and TRUCKSPLOSION

[hiroaki_protagonist]

He probably will, later. Right now, though, he just collapses without a peep.