Video: CW: Language

[runs_on_batteries]

[A disheveled middle aged man's face appears on the screen looking incredibly over it. Whatever 'it' is, he's been done with it since Friday and there's no end in sight. There's a large smear of chocolate running from just about his ear on his left side down his neck and along one side of a red hoodie he's wearing.]

Dammit! Damn this place and those creepy bears from god-knows-what! Where the hell am I? Voidtreckers, if you can hear me, my communicator isn't connecting me to the train!

Of all the f-

[Tony's cut off as he spots another bear gang down the street and moves quickly to an alley out of sight.]

What is this place?

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[runs_on_batteries]

[Tony stops when she does and it just sucks. Her plea tugs on his heart strings and he couldn't push any harder than he has already. At least not without a really good reason to be that cold, which he doesn't have.

He thinks for a moment and tries to come up with a compromise.]

Tell me one fact. One thing about you. Anything you'd like. Surely you can tell me something. Can't you?

[She looked like his daughter, of course he wasn't going to be able to keep pushing on this if she still refused, but he'd like her to. Okay, he doesn't even make her answer that before relenting even further.]

Think about it. Okay?

[iustaegis]

[ Moments ago he had warned her not to hug random strangers on the street, yet now he seems sincere in wanting her to open up. She's caught between been seen as naive and closed-off-- both things she accepts, because she cannot bring herself to speak of herself so readily, even if progress has been made.

...Still, he seems earnest, and both his expression and tone are meaningful. He's learned that she can sense energy. She's learned that she's called a Blade, both things that she hopes he won't repeat to others anyway.

"Think about it. Okay?"

Her hand leaves his forearm, but the other stays with her palm kept in his. Unfortunately, this is the most she can give at the moment. Visible relief appears in her eyes when he stops insisting, and she appears grateful for his patience. ] Saying something like that... Thank you. You really are a hero. [ --Not in the traditional fighting sense, but that he is encouraging at all. ]

And you're helping this world already, you know. [ She gives his hand a small squeeze. ]

[runs_on_batteries]

[Again, her compliment cuts through any armor he had and goes straight to his heart. He could be getting completely manipulated, but he had a weakness and she'd found it.]

No, it's how you deserve to be treated by a friend.

[He said, though he wasn't all that sure why he kept deflecting. And for the record, he definitely could be a hero in the fighting sense!]

I'm glad. But.. how about you tell me if you have roommates? I'll let the armor be just between us for now, sound good?

[Okay so maybe he was sort of 'forcing' the one fact thing, but he was also just curious who they might meet as they walked up to her house.]

[iustaegis]

[ Roommates— an easier topic, and her answer comes readily as they walk. ]

Mm. [ A nod to the armor part, and she moves on. ]

Since you know Gladio— [ Because that’s made apparent on the network. ] —you might know them, too. Noct, Ignis, and Prompto.

[ She glances sidelong at him, observing his expression for any indication of familiarity on his part. ]

[runs_on_batteries]

[Tony almost stumbles hearing who she was living with. He could play it off as the armor disappeared, but they both knew the misstep had happened before.]

Of course you are.

[He laughed, unsure what to do now. The house is just up ahead, so he could see the rest of the path to the door. He stopped and turned to look at her.]

That makes things complicated, but it was a pleasure to meet you, Pyra. I hope I get to see you again soon.

[iustaegis]

[ She notices the misstep, her brow raising in question-- but not speaking it, because it seems that he's suddenly eager to leave. It isn't so difficult to connect that with the house coming into view. Who among Ignis, Prompto, or Noct does he also know personally, she wonders, and what makes him stop and stutter in his warlk before seeing them?

"Complicated," he said. Personal, she interprets, and so she won't push.

But she does leave him with this, a reassuring smile: ] Well... Then, Tony.

[ Stopping along with him, she turns, keeping her hand in his and lifting it between them. ] If there's ever a way to make it less complicated... I'll be here.

[runs_on_batteries]

[He was grateful that she had mercy too. She could've called him out but she didn't. If she was with who he now suspected she was, Noct had better treat her right.]

Thank you. Have a good night.

[He gently let go of her hand and waved, waiting to make sure she was safe. He was glad for the time it took to walk home after that.]