conductor of the struggle bus [open]

[exuviiated]

[So, after he gets gracelessly dunked and... purified, he supposes, he runs.

Back to his little place in the slums, and there he hides out until he feels ready to face the world again. That comes with time and hunger, and finds him at the mall with what currency he's managed to get from pawning off things he doesn't need.]

Hey, is there any map of the mall? I'm-- I'm lost.

[Very lost.]

Comments

[exuviiated]

Okay, so--

[He hums for a second.]

Not necessarily about you, but are you the only one of your kind here? IT must be lonely to be the only one...

[diediediediediedie]

...There is...another Gem here. yes. It would be great if she wasn't a complete traitor to all Gem-kind.

If she would stop actively hunting me, that would also be ideal.

yes, invite the alien into your home, aaron

[exuviiated]

But we're all facing a bigger threat now. Can't she put aside her aggression?

Well, if you can't find a safe place to stay, you can always come stay the night in my place. It's in the slums, last place anyone would expect.

Aaron, let this be a big ol' red flag for you buddy.

[diediediediediedie]

Well...yes, that would be ideal but I may have...further antagonized her by...critically wounding a human important to her.

...He forgave me, just so we're clear!

Hm...What do you mean by "slums," exactly?

[exuviiated]

Critically wounding?

[(Oh no.)]

I don't... I think that even if you were forgiven, that's not... that's a pretty bad habit.

...anyways, I live just east of the high rises. There's a fern outside my door.

[diediediediediedie]

There were extenuating circumstances. I have nothing really against humans as a group.

[In that she doesn't think much of them at all, but still.]

It was an accident, for what that's worth. Even if it's not that much, apparently.

[exuviiated]

That's... that's good. So, I still need to eat.

[Thanks to his protesting stomach reminding him of that.]

D'you wanna stick around, maybe try something? I know you said you don't have to eat, but...

[His voice fades out, and he shrugs.]

[diediediediediedie]

Then lead to wherever the food is.

[That's subtle polite hinting to Peridot.]

I won't have any, thank you. It seems like...far more of a hassle then it could be worth.

[exuviiated]

So, food court's over there.

[And he leads, hands finding his pockets.]

And yeah, no problem. 'S not like I'm going to force you.

[After a few seconds of quiet walking, he pipes up again.]

Does every gem look like you?

[diediediediediedie]

[Peridot simply keeps up, evenly and almost...robotically. She hardly needs to adjust her speed at all.]

Most Peridots look the same as I do, with minor variations. But a Peridot doesn't look the same as, say, a Pearl. And a Pearl looks different from a Ruby, but similar to other Pearls. And so on and so on...

[exuviiated]

[He nods. Makes sense.]

Oh. So, like... species of cats?

[Could've phrased that better]

[diediediediediedie]

Cats..? Oh, right, the miniature lions.

Yes...you...aren't wrong?

[But boy is she not happy about that comparison.]

[exuviiated]

[...oh, boy, she's... kind of cute. And kind of scary.]

That's good. Being not wrong is always good.

[While waiting in line, he shifts from foot to food, stealing glances at her every now and then.]

[diediediediediedie]

[...What?]

Why are you acting like that?

[exuviiated]

Acting like...?

[Oh.]

Restless, I guess.

[diediediediediedie]

...Why?

[exuviiated]

Because I'm nervous? I get a little fidgety.

[He got to the window and ordered... a burger. Or something that looked like a burger.]

[diediediediediedie]

Do I make you nervous?

[Seemed the most likely conclusion, but it was only a piece of the "why" question.]

[exuviiated]

No.

[That, at least, is honest.]

I've just been really on edge recently.

[He leads them to a table and sits down.]

So, do you wanna tell me about your life before-- all this?