[ With the distraction, Hugo withdraws his hand with an easy smile. It would be odd to have it still offered, so he’ll just withdraw until a better time if it comes up. It might have been a rejection in the first place, which he could certainly understand. ]
Well, either that or a Thiren, yes. [ Knowing that the term is unlikely to mean anything to Gregor, he explains without missing a beat. ] Thiren are people with animal features where I’m from. It’s a wide range from fully anthropomorphic types to those with only a feature or two, so.
[ He shrugs as he nods towards Gregor’s arm. ]
It’s not odd to me at all. In fact, any of the Augmented whose presentation goes towards animalistic could be perfectly at home in New Eridu, really.
And here I figured you were just really good at being polite.
[jokingly, before he takes another sip of wine. he definitely needed this.]
That's not really something we have, though, or-- we don't have anything like it naturally. Plenty of ways you can modify yourself if you can fund it, but even then, this thing tends to stand out.
[what would it even be like, to exist somewhere that wouldn't be side-eyed? it's difficult to imagine at this point. being mistaken for just an arthropoda is the closest he's gotten to that, but he still doesn't particularly care for it.]
Well, admittedly I would have asked a little when we first met if it had been more, well… Private, you know?
[ There was plenty he hadn’t asked and plenty he hadn’t personally shared because they were under Patho-Gen’s watchful eyes. He’d already been distrusting of their motives and interest before, but now? He’ll never participate in their whims again, no matter how they pay. ]
But that’s mostly because most Thiren tend to have their features from mammals. Not to say that there aren’t cases of others, but they’re rarer. So, you were at least saved from slightly nosy questions about that, at least.
[ But obviously, Gregor wasn’t born this way, or that’s what his words imply. ]
So, a different slightly nosy question.
[ Hugo nods to his arm lightly, but his expression makes it clear that he won’t be offended if Gregor doesn’t want to answer. He’s curious but not prying. ]
I'm still filing that under polite. Plenty of fellows out there who would've asked anyway, audience or not.
[he picks the glass back up before he continues. just one more drink before getting into this particular subject.]
It's more like it came upon me, but... I've had the thing long enough to have learned to live with it. Like being stuck with a relative you don't care for, you know? Nothing to be done for it but try and coexist.
[ He can’t help but scoff just a little, since when it comes to his relatives… Well. There’s no coexisting about it, but his family situation is also rather brutally unique. In general, though? He thinks he does understand. ]
Of a sort, I do. It’s a bit how I feel about the Soul I’ve been saddled with, actually, though I’m still very much learning on that “coexist” part.
[ Hugo nods to Gregor’s arm, but he smiles lightly as he looks at the patch of moss that’s starting to grow on it. ]
I know it has its own difficulties— [ He’d seen those below Kelesis. ] But yours is rather charming, I think.
[he fumbles, barely missing the glass in front of him; his fingertips knock clumsily against it rather than grabbing it, leaving him to steady it before it tips and spills.
the hood of his jacket slips as the vines making up his hair curl and shift slightly, and when it's pushed back a little, it exposes some of the plant growth among the tendrils: a few stray white baneberries, a strangely textured yellow rose.]
I, uh, don't know about charming, I keep having to pull things off it-- you know it's sort of sticky now? Been sleeping with my arm hanging off the bed so it's not glued to the sheets... trying to sleep, anyway, it's all a little... it's an adjustment.
[ Ah… That’s a rather cute reaction. Hugo had gotten the impression when they first met, but this confirms it for him. Gregor isn’t really used to receiving compliments, is he? That’s definitely charming, and it makes Hugo want to flirt-slash-tease all the more. For now, though, he just laughs pleasantly. ]
You might think I’m joking, but I’m serious.
[ And he is! Plant life just seems a bit more pleasant than some of the more monstrous transformations, and he especially includes himself. ]
But it’s a “grass is greener” situation, if you’ll forgive the turn of phrase. That does sound awfully annoying… I suppose there’s more maintenance to it than others?
[ Hugo starts to take off one of his half-gloves, which is a sign of what he has in mind, but he’s still polite enough to ask. ]
May I?
[ he does want to feel the sticky for himself, yes… ]
[what do you MEAN someone wants to willingly touch his freak arm, especially now that it's had new changes added on? his eyes widen, tone genuinely baffled-- as unused as he is to compliments, this is something on a completely different level, considering how normal it is for people to want to avoid being touched by it.
it takes him a moment, but he does hesitantly lift his arm so that hugo can reach out to touch it. the surface of its blunted side is covered in what must have been setae before, now converted into the dewy hairs of a flypaper.]
It, uh... does take some maintenance, though. Seems these clean out pretty well, but trimming all the vines is... I was pruning 'em before, it's gotten to be a little too much to keep that up.
[ He can’t resist, ultimately. He says it with a flirtatious smile and a warm undercurrent in his tone, but flirting comes as easily as breathing for Hugo. How serious about it he is, well… That’s different.
But he is very genuinely interested, so without any hesitation at all, he reaches out to touch Gregor’s arm. He’s careful, since it’s something new, but when he feels the texture of the little plant hairs, he huffs out an incredulous little laugh. ]
Ha— I’m not sure what I expected, since you warned me, but that is sticky.
[ Hugo’s touch is still cold, but it also doesn’t quite feel right. There’s a give to it that doesn’t feel completely like skin, but it’s similar enough that it could be dismissed as a misconception were they anywhere else. Here, it’s easy to guess that it’s part of his own transformation, though he doesn’t personally seem to notice the discrepancy at the moment. He just runs his fingers along Gregor’s arm boldly and curiously. ]
A high maintenance Soul, then. Who would have thought? Does it hurt when you trim vines or things like that?
[you're gonna be the death of him, buddy. but at least it's simple enough to get past-- after all, it's a joke, right? no reason for him to be serious about flirting.]
It didn't hurt when they first started growing in, but now they're... more rooted or something, maybe? I used to be able to just weed 'em all out of my hair.
[the hairs react to his touch, curling in on themselves in the wake of his hand, and gregor shivers slightly.]
Phew, that's a different feeling. Don't think they like the cold much.
[ It’s interesting to hear, if only because Hugo hasn’t asked others very much about the process. He’s been curious about it, sure, but it opens up the awkward door of the question being returned, and that’s something he shies away from. He can at least casually mention the death aspect of being a Spectral, since he does feel like that’s good information to be out there for the sake of any others, but beyond that? He’s much more careful.
It's also why he pulls his hand away with a little “ah” as Gregor shivers and the plants curl in. His expression immediately becomes apologetic. ]
My apologies… They’re that sensitive, huh? [ It makes sense, so much as anything makes sense here anyways. ] I forget how, ah, chilly I am nowadays.
[ Between death and the icy inclination he’s taking on out of what he can only assume is the universe playing an ironic joke, he’s definitely on the colder side. So, he at least moves his hand away from the plants as he touches an area that’s more chitinous instead. He’s still unbothered by it all, seemingly. ]
I had been wondering if it was better or worse that all of you don’t seem to recall what happened, but it seems like the progression is there regardless… It’s why I was concerned. It can get… quite bad. Dangerous, rather.
It's-- probably just a little sensitive in general, you know, not really used to... anyone actually touching it. Can't blame 'em though, 'ne? It almost looks less disgusting like this.
[it was arguably more grotesque when they were insectoid bristles, actually. maybe hugo isn't wrong about there being a bit more charm to the plantlife...
his attempt at a little lighter banter evaporates with the mention of what happened to them, though, and their lack of collective memory; it takes a few moments before he says anything.]
I know some folks would say it's better to know, but I don't know if... I think if it's anything like the dreams I've been having, I don't need to remember much about what went on.
[ Ah… “Disgusting” as a word does fill in the remaining gap of that surprise a minute ago. No wonder it was surprising that Hugo wanted to touch his arm. He doesn’t outwardly react to that realization, but he notes it. As of late, he can even relate.
He’s about to apologize for the serious change of topic at the pause, but Gregor does speak up. Usually he’s the one to try and stay away from heavy topics, so his expression does turn lightly apologetic all the same. ]
…Your dreams, huh.
[ He does wonder if that’s related to that strange dreamscape, but it’s not like he has any particular insight. It’s just a curiosity, so he moves on. ]
I understand. Based on what others had described to me, I don’t know if there’s much benefit in knowing anyways. What useful information there was to be learned was at least past along to those of us that were left behind, but…
[ He shakes his head, but he gives Gregor’s arm a little squeeze of support before he pulls his hand away. He wipes that hand on his pants to get off the remaining residue, but with the other, he takes another, rather healthy swig of the wine. ]
I hate that it happened, obviously. I’ll do anything I can to stop it from happening again.
...yeah. I'll be all right, I've probably had worse, but not everyone is gonna be like that-- I can't say I like the idea of it happening to more of 'em.
[sure, it's a little rough right now, but he got through one nightmare. he'll make it when it comes to this one, he's sure.
his human hand taps idly on the tabletop, before he finally caves and reaches into the pocket of his jacket to pull out a pack of cigarettes and his lighter. after slipping one into the corner of his mouth, he sets the pack on the table between them in an open invitation, though he doesn't light his own immediately; instead he toys with the lid of the lighter as he continues.]
Thing is, I don't know that there is anything we can do. Not with what we seem to know right now. They've got an awful heavy advantage with their tech implanted in all of us, and the implications of them being able to just-- make a number of us disappear are... well, the implications are more or less that they can do what they want.
Have you? [ …Well, maybe that’s not a surprise, considering what he’d implied with his arm, now that he thinks about it. ] You’ve had it hard, then. I don’t say that to coyly ask for an explanation, to be clear. But you do have my sympathies.
[ That’s genuine, and it’s clear in his tone. Hugo is an empathetic person. Moreso than he likes, at times.
After a moment’s consideration, he hums out a sound that’s clearly a “why not”, and he takes the pack of cigarettes with a grateful nod. His smile is even briefly wry as he comments: ]
Now, I only smoke on rare occasions, so you’re not allowed to laugh if my first draw is more like a sputter.
[ But, hey, this definitely seems like the right mood for it. It’s why the smile doesn’t really last as he pops the cigarette out of the pack before sliding it back towards Gregor. At the very least, he’ll likely only have one. ]
—Admittedly, I have to say that you’re right. With what we know now, I don’t know if there is a way. However, I do think recent events will certainly push plenty of research from our more innovative minds in how to escape that shackle. That’s not my area of expertise, personally.
[ He pauses, considers for a moment, then decides to just admit it. He feels more comfortable with his imprints, ultimately. ]
[so no big deal. he's fairly sure none of it killed him, and therefore it wasn't as bad as it could've been.
he sparks the lighter's flame into life, taking care of his own cigarette before he leans in to hold the flame to hugo's; after tucking his lighter back into his pocket, he takes a long first drag, slowly exhaling a stream of smoke.]
So'm I, honestly. It's about all that I have any experience in-- I know urban warfare, but that's really the extent of what I can strategize about, you know? Theories, tech... that's all outside my usual realm.
[gregor is a man who carries out plans, not one who often makes them.
after another, briefer inhale:]
...I've worked for one of these companies before, is the thing. I know how it all goes.
[ Hugo holds out his cigarette until it’s lit and nods appreciatively once he draws it back to his own lips. Despite his concern, the first drag of the cigarette goes down easily, though he does chuckle because of it. It really has been a rather long time since he’s felt an occasion to smoke, so the concern was real.
His expression does turn more serious as Gregor agrees, but there is a little twinge of relief in it. He’s been lucky so far, he thinks. His intuition for who to be a little more truthful with has been working out for him so far. ]
And I may not have worked for them, but I’ve stolen from them often. So, I imagine there’s some overlap in our expertise, funnily enough~.
[ Hugo shrugs like that’s a casual thing to admit. Here, it is becoming much more commonplace, at least. He’d been hesitant before, but now that Patho-Gen has shown some of their hand? He truly doubts any Augmented would be likely to tattle, even if they found his work distasteful. ]
I didn’t exactly trust their telling of why we’re here from the start, but I can hardly take any pleasure in being proven correct. I don't trust any company that claims to want to save the world on principle, and it's only been proven.
Stolen from-- sheesh, I must've sounded ridiculous to you before, then, trying to insist on my job not technically being theft...
[which it still isn't, in most cases! but regardless!!
either way, he truly can't be one to judge, especially when it comes to getting one over on a corporation. stealing from your fellows is one thing, though even that can be forgiven in desperate times. from entities like that? it's more or less deserved.]
... I wanted to believe it, y'know. That they'd turn out to be different from the companies I've known-- that we'd really be helping out with something good for once. [a huff of a more humorless laugh, there, shaking his head before taking another drag.] Serves me right for that, maybe. There's still good work we can do here, and probably decent people in Patho-Gen's rank and file... but it's gotta be rotten at the top for something like this to happen.
[ Hugo laughs, since despite the otherwise dark tone of their conversation, he can’t help it. He tosses Gregor a playful wink, complete with bringing a finger up to his mouth. ]
Well, to be fair, my point of comparison was a little different anyways. Your job sounds more like what Hollow Raiders get up to. I steal much pettier things than that, but from more powerful people, so~.
[ He shrugs with a toothy little smile. Even if it’s a secret, he does have a flair for the dramatic, so he’ll never deny that he enjoys it. The thrill of a heist is part of why he’s stuck with it. Even so… ]
Do keep that to yourself though, hm? I’d rather not have any extra attention directed my way just by reputation.
[ He’d at least like to earn the ire by stealing something big first, obviously! ]
[ But even if the smile stays on his face, it does soften into a more thoughtful and gloomier one. As much fun as it would be to regale Gregor with charming stories of thievery, it also feels trite. That’s always been the tension with his work and something he’s been reexamining as of late. Thanks, Silco. ]
Well, anyways. You’re not alone there. I’d hoped for the same, even if I didn’t expect much. I don’t like it when cynicism is proven correct… But I also didn’t expect that the rot would be so extreme.
[ A shady organization was what he’d expected. It was unlikely that the story they were told was true, sure, but he’d thought their actions would be more subtle, more or less. Leave a question of their intentions, because the state of their world was true enough, and Hugo can understand that perfectly. But it’s so extreme and dehumanizing that he finds little room for forgiveness now. It’s why he pauses before continuing with a brief darkening of his expression, but he ends up just sighing heavily as he takes another drag of the cigarette too. ]
…Personally, I’m not inclined to help them again. Our help was never asked in the first place. Only demanded, and at a high personal cost. [ Transformation. Death. He doesn’t like any of it. ] I only see it more uncharitably now.
[he says with a grin that doesn't quite last, given the rest of the subject matter-- he's definitely going to want to ask about it another time, when they're not talking about something a little more pressing.
when it comes to that...]
I don't think I really care for helping out the company itself, nah. Not in their experiments, if I can help it. [seeing as they don't always get the choice. given what's come out about their methods and gregor's discomfort being there, he figures hugo has likely guessed that he didn't volunteer for that imprinting session.] But I don't think everyone in it is gonna be an enemy of ours-- I never cared about the company I worked for, either. Ditched it when I had the chance. If we meet 'em with nothing but animosity after this, it's gonna keep them aligned with it for their own safety; their higher-ups are gonna tell them it's their only option, and they'll believe that.
[he's got no empathy for whoever in the company was involved in this, but he also knows well enough that the left hand never knows what the right is up to in an organization like that. it's so easy to keep things under wraps and block it off in bureaucracy and secrecy-- and, of course, when people tar it all with one brush, a part of him can't help but remember hearing: those g corp scum all ought to be sent to the gallows, muttered behind his back.]
... for now, though, I'd rather just do what I can to help out the regular folks here. No shortage of need there.
[ Hugo listens seriously, and there are some points he finds he agrees with and others he would take more issue with. Gregor isn’t wrong that animosity would cause Patho-Gen to shore up their ranks, but Hugo is also doubtful of that one anonymous post in the first place. Is there anything they can feasibly take from Patho-Gen for themselves? That’s what he wonders, and he wonders how much violence it’ll have to come with.
So. It’s a little surprise how Gregor ends it, and it shows on Hugo’s face for a moment before his expression falters. He smiles, but it’s a little embarrassed and rueful. ]
…Right. Of course.
[ But even from his tone, that “of course” isn’t the most convincing. That’s clearly not what Hugo had been thinking about at all, and that’s why his expression tilts towards the apologetic. At least he’ll admit it, though it comes after a pause to tap off some ash as he takes a drink of wine too. ]
It speaks well of you that it’s where your thoughts go, you know.
[ Hugo also says that warmly. He clearly means it as a compliment, even if it’s not where his went. ]
Mine haven’t at all. Since so many of you “left”, I’ve been much more concerned about the Augmented, I have to admit.
W-well, not that I'm not concerned about us either... but if we can't work with the company, it's the other people here we're gonna need to have ties with, right?
[as ever, he's not particularly skilled with taking compliments, but he's relaxed enough in hugo's presence that he's stopped worrying about keeping the hood in place. the vines making up his hair have shifted it enough that he can see how they curl almost shyly, becoming an extension of his body language, and their movement exposes more of his new flora: mostly white baneberries, with a few stray yellow roses (though those look a little... off, somehow.)]
I mean, yeah, we could always tighten our ranks and keep to ourselves, but I don't think that'd go so well for us. Better to have people on our side.
[he pauses long enough to take a drink, which-- takes a little one-handed juggling of the glass and cigarette, but he manages.]
... besides, reminds me of home, a little. It's not as rough here as the Backstreets can get, but... I guess it's familiar.
[ That little stutter and the way those vines shift warms Hugo’s expression despite the topic at hand. It’s charming, and as he looks at more of the flora blooming on Gregor, there’s a little appreciation in his gaze too. Compared to other Augmented, there’s something rather lovely and whimsical about plants as part of the transformation. He doesn’t imagine Gregor feels the same way, though, so he keeps it to himself. ]
Mm, that’s true, and I wouldn’t discount the average person here, to be clear. It’s not as if they have anything to do with it.
[ If things got tense, that would change, he’s sure. The Augmented are very firmly outsiders here, so he feels like they’re on the back foot, but. It’s a cynical thought, and it’s one he doesn’t like to indulge, even if he thinks it’s realistic to consider it. Talking of home is a better topic then, ironically. ]
But I feel the same, actually. Ah, maybe in the reverse direction, since New Eridu is very much the opposite of “rough”, but… There’s plenty that’s familiar, yes. Though they’re doing better here to not need to go digging around in lost areas, admittedly. Hopefully they won’t have to either, since that would be too much of home, I'd think.
[the warmth in his expression is reassuring-- gregor definitely prefers to try not to bring people down too much, and considering where the conversation started off? that's an improvement. his vines settle, more at ease.]
What are those lost areas like, anyway...? If you've ever been into them. Figured you might have, if you can handle yourself well enough to get around corporate security.
[other places are always curious to him, after all. from what he's heard, the city is different from many others; it makes him want to know more about them and what they're like, how other people live. what they know and what they're accustomed to.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Well, either that or a Thiren, yes. [ Knowing that the term is unlikely to mean anything to Gregor, he explains without missing a beat. ] Thiren are people with animal features where I’m from. It’s a wide range from fully anthropomorphic types to those with only a feature or two, so.
[ He shrugs as he nods towards Gregor’s arm. ]
It’s not odd to me at all. In fact, any of the Augmented whose presentation goes towards animalistic could be perfectly at home in New Eridu, really.
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[jokingly, before he takes another sip of wine. he definitely needed this.]
That's not really something we have, though, or-- we don't have anything like it naturally. Plenty of ways you can modify yourself if you can fund it, but even then, this thing tends to stand out.
[what would it even be like, to exist somewhere that wouldn't be side-eyed? it's difficult to imagine at this point. being mistaken for just an arthropoda is the closest he's gotten to that, but he still doesn't particularly care for it.]
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[ There was plenty he hadn’t asked and plenty he hadn’t personally shared because they were under Patho-Gen’s watchful eyes. He’d already been distrusting of their motives and interest before, but now? He’ll never participate in their whims again, no matter how they pay. ]
But that’s mostly because most Thiren tend to have their features from mammals. Not to say that there aren’t cases of others, but they’re rarer. So, you were at least saved from slightly nosy questions about that, at least.
[ But obviously, Gregor wasn’t born this way, or that’s what his words imply. ]
So, a different slightly nosy question.
[ Hugo nods to his arm lightly, but his expression makes it clear that he won’t be offended if Gregor doesn’t want to answer. He’s curious but not prying. ]
How did you come upon this, then?
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[he picks the glass back up before he continues. just one more drink before getting into this particular subject.]
It's more like it came upon me, but... I've had the thing long enough to have learned to live with it. Like being stuck with a relative you don't care for, you know? Nothing to be done for it but try and coexist.
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Of a sort, I do. It’s a bit how I feel about the Soul I’ve been saddled with, actually, though I’m still very much learning on that “coexist” part.
[ Hugo nods to Gregor’s arm, but he smiles lightly as he looks at the patch of moss that’s starting to grow on it. ]
I know it has its own difficulties— [ He’d seen those below Kelesis. ] But yours is rather charming, I think.
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[he fumbles, barely missing the glass in front of him; his fingertips knock clumsily against it rather than grabbing it, leaving him to steady it before it tips and spills.
the hood of his jacket slips as the vines making up his hair curl and shift slightly, and when it's pushed back a little, it exposes some of the plant growth among the tendrils: a few stray white baneberries, a strangely textured yellow rose.]
I, uh, don't know about charming, I keep having to pull things off it-- you know it's sort of sticky now? Been sleeping with my arm hanging off the bed so it's not glued to the sheets... trying to sleep, anyway, it's all a little... it's an adjustment.
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You might think I’m joking, but I’m serious.
[ And he is! Plant life just seems a bit more pleasant than some of the more monstrous transformations, and he especially includes himself. ]
But it’s a “grass is greener” situation, if you’ll forgive the turn of phrase. That does sound awfully annoying… I suppose there’s more maintenance to it than others?
[ Hugo starts to take off one of his half-gloves, which is a sign of what he has in mind, but he’s still polite enough to ask. ]
May I?
[ he does want to feel the sticky for himself, yes… ]
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[what do you MEAN someone wants to willingly touch his freak arm, especially now that it's had new changes added on? his eyes widen, tone genuinely baffled-- as unused as he is to compliments, this is something on a completely different level, considering how normal it is for people to want to avoid being touched by it.
it takes him a moment, but he does hesitantly lift his arm so that hugo can reach out to touch it. the surface of its blunted side is covered in what must have been setae before, now converted into the dewy hairs of a flypaper.]
It, uh... does take some maintenance, though. Seems these clean out pretty well, but trimming all the vines is... I was pruning 'em before, it's gotten to be a little too much to keep that up.
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[ He can’t resist, ultimately. He says it with a flirtatious smile and a warm undercurrent in his tone, but flirting comes as easily as breathing for Hugo. How serious about it he is, well… That’s different.
But he is very genuinely interested, so without any hesitation at all, he reaches out to touch Gregor’s arm. He’s careful, since it’s something new, but when he feels the texture of the little plant hairs, he huffs out an incredulous little laugh. ]
Ha— I’m not sure what I expected, since you warned me, but that is sticky.
[ Hugo’s touch is still cold, but it also doesn’t quite feel right. There’s a give to it that doesn’t feel completely like skin, but it’s similar enough that it could be dismissed as a misconception were they anywhere else. Here, it’s easy to guess that it’s part of his own transformation, though he doesn’t personally seem to notice the discrepancy at the moment. He just runs his fingers along Gregor’s arm boldly and curiously. ]
A high maintenance Soul, then. Who would have thought? Does it hurt when you trim vines or things like that?
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It didn't hurt when they first started growing in, but now they're... more rooted or something, maybe? I used to be able to just weed 'em all out of my hair.
[the hairs react to his touch, curling in on themselves in the wake of his hand, and gregor shivers slightly.]
Phew, that's a different feeling. Don't think they like the cold much.
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It's also why he pulls his hand away with a little “ah” as Gregor shivers and the plants curl in. His expression immediately becomes apologetic. ]
My apologies… They’re that sensitive, huh? [ It makes sense, so much as anything makes sense here anyways. ] I forget how, ah, chilly I am nowadays.
[ Between death and the icy inclination he’s taking on out of what he can only assume is the universe playing an ironic joke, he’s definitely on the colder side. So, he at least moves his hand away from the plants as he touches an area that’s more chitinous instead. He’s still unbothered by it all, seemingly. ]
I had been wondering if it was better or worse that all of you don’t seem to recall what happened, but it seems like the progression is there regardless… It’s why I was concerned. It can get… quite bad. Dangerous, rather.
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[it was arguably more grotesque when they were insectoid bristles, actually. maybe hugo isn't wrong about there being a bit more charm to the plantlife...
his attempt at a little lighter banter evaporates with the mention of what happened to them, though, and their lack of collective memory; it takes a few moments before he says anything.]
I know some folks would say it's better to know, but I don't know if... I think if it's anything like the dreams I've been having, I don't need to remember much about what went on.
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He’s about to apologize for the serious change of topic at the pause, but Gregor does speak up. Usually he’s the one to try and stay away from heavy topics, so his expression does turn lightly apologetic all the same. ]
…Your dreams, huh.
[ He does wonder if that’s related to that strange dreamscape, but it’s not like he has any particular insight. It’s just a curiosity, so he moves on. ]
I understand. Based on what others had described to me, I don’t know if there’s much benefit in knowing anyways. What useful information there was to be learned was at least past along to those of us that were left behind, but…
[ He shakes his head, but he gives Gregor’s arm a little squeeze of support before he pulls his hand away. He wipes that hand on his pants to get off the remaining residue, but with the other, he takes another, rather healthy swig of the wine. ]
I hate that it happened, obviously. I’ll do anything I can to stop it from happening again.
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[sure, it's a little rough right now, but he got through one nightmare. he'll make it when it comes to this one, he's sure.
his human hand taps idly on the tabletop, before he finally caves and reaches into the pocket of his jacket to pull out a pack of cigarettes and his lighter. after slipping one into the corner of his mouth, he sets the pack on the table between them in an open invitation, though he doesn't light his own immediately; instead he toys with the lid of the lighter as he continues.]
Thing is, I don't know that there is anything we can do. Not with what we seem to know right now. They've got an awful heavy advantage with their tech implanted in all of us, and the implications of them being able to just-- make a number of us disappear are... well, the implications are more or less that they can do what they want.
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[ That’s genuine, and it’s clear in his tone. Hugo is an empathetic person. Moreso than he likes, at times.
After a moment’s consideration, he hums out a sound that’s clearly a “why not”, and he takes the pack of cigarettes with a grateful nod. His smile is even briefly wry as he comments: ]
Now, I only smoke on rare occasions, so you’re not allowed to laugh if my first draw is more like a sputter.
[ But, hey, this definitely seems like the right mood for it. It’s why the smile doesn’t really last as he pops the cigarette out of the pack before sliding it back towards Gregor. At the very least, he’ll likely only have one. ]
—Admittedly, I have to say that you’re right. With what we know now, I don’t know if there is a way. However, I do think recent events will certainly push plenty of research from our more innovative minds in how to escape that shackle. That’s not my area of expertise, personally.
[ He pauses, considers for a moment, then decides to just admit it. He feels more comfortable with his imprints, ultimately. ]
I’m more of a direct action kind of fellow.
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[so no big deal. he's fairly sure none of it killed him, and therefore it wasn't as bad as it could've been.
he sparks the lighter's flame into life, taking care of his own cigarette before he leans in to hold the flame to hugo's; after tucking his lighter back into his pocket, he takes a long first drag, slowly exhaling a stream of smoke.]
So'm I, honestly. It's about all that I have any experience in-- I know urban warfare, but that's really the extent of what I can strategize about, you know? Theories, tech... that's all outside my usual realm.
[gregor is a man who carries out plans, not one who often makes them.
after another, briefer inhale:]
...I've worked for one of these companies before, is the thing. I know how it all goes.
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His expression does turn more serious as Gregor agrees, but there is a little twinge of relief in it. He’s been lucky so far, he thinks. His intuition for who to be a little more truthful with has been working out for him so far. ]
And I may not have worked for them, but I’ve stolen from them often. So, I imagine there’s some overlap in our expertise, funnily enough~.
[ Hugo shrugs like that’s a casual thing to admit. Here, it is becoming much more commonplace, at least. He’d been hesitant before, but now that Patho-Gen has shown some of their hand? He truly doubts any Augmented would be likely to tattle, even if they found his work distasteful. ]
I didn’t exactly trust their telling of why we’re here from the start, but I can hardly take any pleasure in being proven correct. I don't trust any company that claims to want to save the world on principle, and it's only been proven.
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[which it still isn't, in most cases! but regardless!!
either way, he truly can't be one to judge, especially when it comes to getting one over on a corporation. stealing from your fellows is one thing, though even that can be forgiven in desperate times. from entities like that? it's more or less deserved.]
... I wanted to believe it, y'know. That they'd turn out to be different from the companies I've known-- that we'd really be helping out with something good for once. [a huff of a more humorless laugh, there, shaking his head before taking another drag.] Serves me right for that, maybe. There's still good work we can do here, and probably decent people in Patho-Gen's rank and file... but it's gotta be rotten at the top for something like this to happen.
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Well, to be fair, my point of comparison was a little different anyways. Your job sounds more like what Hollow Raiders get up to. I steal much pettier things than that, but from more powerful people, so~.
[ He shrugs with a toothy little smile. Even if it’s a secret, he does have a flair for the dramatic, so he’ll never deny that he enjoys it. The thrill of a heist is part of why he’s stuck with it. Even so… ]
Do keep that to yourself though, hm? I’d rather not have any extra attention directed my way just by reputation.
[ He’d at least like to earn the ire by stealing something big first, obviously! ]
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Well, anyways. You’re not alone there. I’d hoped for the same, even if I didn’t expect much. I don’t like it when cynicism is proven correct… But I also didn’t expect that the rot would be so extreme.
[ A shady organization was what he’d expected. It was unlikely that the story they were told was true, sure, but he’d thought their actions would be more subtle, more or less. Leave a question of their intentions, because the state of their world was true enough, and Hugo can understand that perfectly. But it’s so extreme and dehumanizing that he finds little room for forgiveness now. It’s why he pauses before continuing with a brief darkening of his expression, but he ends up just sighing heavily as he takes another drag of the cigarette too. ]
…Personally, I’m not inclined to help them again. Our help was never asked in the first place. Only demanded, and at a high personal cost. [ Transformation. Death. He doesn’t like any of it. ] I only see it more uncharitably now.
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[he says with a grin that doesn't quite last, given the rest of the subject matter-- he's definitely going to want to ask about it another time, when they're not talking about something a little more pressing.
when it comes to that...]
I don't think I really care for helping out the company itself, nah. Not in their experiments, if I can help it. [seeing as they don't always get the choice. given what's come out about their methods and gregor's discomfort being there, he figures hugo has likely guessed that he didn't volunteer for that imprinting session.] But I don't think everyone in it is gonna be an enemy of ours-- I never cared about the company I worked for, either. Ditched it when I had the chance. If we meet 'em with nothing but animosity after this, it's gonna keep them aligned with it for their own safety; their higher-ups are gonna tell them it's their only option, and they'll believe that.
[he's got no empathy for whoever in the company was involved in this, but he also knows well enough that the left hand never knows what the right is up to in an organization like that. it's so easy to keep things under wraps and block it off in bureaucracy and secrecy-- and, of course, when people tar it all with one brush, a part of him can't help but remember hearing: those g corp scum all ought to be sent to the gallows, muttered behind his back.]
... for now, though, I'd rather just do what I can to help out the regular folks here. No shortage of need there.
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So. It’s a little surprise how Gregor ends it, and it shows on Hugo’s face for a moment before his expression falters. He smiles, but it’s a little embarrassed and rueful. ]
…Right. Of course.
[ But even from his tone, that “of course” isn’t the most convincing. That’s clearly not what Hugo had been thinking about at all, and that’s why his expression tilts towards the apologetic. At least he’ll admit it, though it comes after a pause to tap off some ash as he takes a drink of wine too. ]
It speaks well of you that it’s where your thoughts go, you know.
[ Hugo also says that warmly. He clearly means it as a compliment, even if it’s not where his went. ]
Mine haven’t at all. Since so many of you “left”, I’ve been much more concerned about the Augmented, I have to admit.
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[as ever, he's not particularly skilled with taking compliments, but he's relaxed enough in hugo's presence that he's stopped worrying about keeping the hood in place. the vines making up his hair have shifted it enough that he can see how they curl almost shyly, becoming an extension of his body language, and their movement exposes more of his new flora: mostly white baneberries, with a few stray yellow roses (though those look a little... off, somehow.)]
I mean, yeah, we could always tighten our ranks and keep to ourselves, but I don't think that'd go so well for us. Better to have people on our side.
[he pauses long enough to take a drink, which-- takes a little one-handed juggling of the glass and cigarette, but he manages.]
... besides, reminds me of home, a little. It's not as rough here as the Backstreets can get, but... I guess it's familiar.
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Mm, that’s true, and I wouldn’t discount the average person here, to be clear. It’s not as if they have anything to do with it.
[ If things got tense, that would change, he’s sure. The Augmented are very firmly outsiders here, so he feels like they’re on the back foot, but. It’s a cynical thought, and it’s one he doesn’t like to indulge, even if he thinks it’s realistic to consider it. Talking of home is a better topic then, ironically. ]
But I feel the same, actually. Ah, maybe in the reverse direction, since New Eridu is very much the opposite of “rough”, but… There’s plenty that’s familiar, yes. Though they’re doing better here to not need to go digging around in lost areas, admittedly. Hopefully they won’t have to either, since that would be too much of home, I'd think.
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What are those lost areas like, anyway...? If you've ever been into them. Figured you might have, if you can handle yourself well enough to get around corporate security.
[other places are always curious to him, after all. from what he's heard, the city is different from many others; it makes him want to know more about them and what they're like, how other people live. what they know and what they're accustomed to.]
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