[ Ranger moves to pluck the packet from his hand and pour it in himself. The little bit is already too much, and he stirs it with just a few steady turns of the spoon. ]
You'll do the opposite.
[ It's true enough that once one becomes aware of the thoughts of others, they can use that to their advantage. The name of the game is to notice the other person before they notice you, and to use what you've found to gain an advantage. Ranger has done that from the start, and his knowledge of those around him has only grown. There's a downward twitch of the lips that might pass as a frown as he searches for the error in his calculations and comes up blank.
Careful observation. Logical assessments. Running through each and every option before forming a conclusion. In the long term, that should have been correct, and even now he's rolling over what had transpired in his mind to try and make sense of it. It won't do to let himself grow stupid from fear, and he's not satisfied with this result. But for as much data as he's collected, he finds no evidence that he wouldn't be betrayed. There's nothing that can affirm that every action wasn't with some end goal in mind. If it were him, he would handle it that way.
A couple more switches, and he taps the spoon against the mug. He can find no evidence that he won't be treated the same upon being found inconvenient. ]
Ahaha! If you left it to me, you'd say something like "this isn't coffee anymore!"
[ his own cup was nothing but sugar, but it was enough for him to get through the conversation. it's not like everyone has the same taste buds as him, but having it too sweet might have been what was best, it would have helped in easing his nerves because they'd talk about something else.
it's probably shit coffee because when did yogen care about getting them anything good, he really drowns it in both sugar and creamer. there's a jar of honey sitting on the desk though, if ranger would like to use it as a substitute, for midori had at one point. it's the cute glass with a see through brown, and the honey comb spoon settled inside. ]
We're the only two here from ASUNARO, I wouldn't do anything to you that would pose problems, you see...
[ he knows better, especially where his standing is in this place— shin has warned plenty, he's sure, there's so many people who knows to stay away from him now. word moves quick in a small school, especially when most of the student body is frozen in place in the study hall. there's a different between him and shin, he knows how to use, and throw away when he doesn't need them anymore, and shin was a fool who would still need ranger, and would probably still ask for help despite his inner goal of figuring out how they work, and using it to his advantage. ]
How close are they? Himeko and Shin.
[ any answer will be the wrong answer, because there's only one answer in his mind as he asks. ]
no see he's helping right now, ranger wants to go bond with someone
[ It's shit coffee, and Ranger has expensive tastes, but he thinks that he could pay for a better blend. He takes another sip before letting the cup rest in his lap. If it's to ease his nerves, he thinks that finding Komaeda might be a good idea. He's easy to talk to, and his judgment is sound. There would be no need to worry about intentions and accuracy.
He casts a glance at the door. He's reported as he should, and Midori has been given the opportunity to correct the misunderstandings that had been in place, so it wouldn't be out of line for him to leave now when they can catch up later. He believes it when he's told that the other won't cause him any trouble, as doing so would be to his detriment here. Ranger is a steadfast ally who aligns himself with others. It would be reckless.
There's another slight frown at the query. It's a loaded question, but he'll answer regardless, ]
[ he masked his own, so it tastes a whole lot better than what ranger is drinking— eight packs of sugar, and nine tablespoons of sugar is more than enough to fix the problem. he lifts one hand, tapping his chin as to what he shoudl do "properly," and he'll look over to the coffee maker. what are they supposed to expect in the year 2000, but things are meant to taste better as the years go on, things become more artificial, they lose their taste. this is unique shit coffee. ]
No, no.
[ why is he looking towards the door, must be that other person, sighs... when will he fuck up so midori can ruin that relationship too. ]
As soon as you're better, then you can leave the room.
[ not that ranger has bad taste in partners, but he's heard something about that one, and he's very active. it would be safer.
annoyingly so, midori knocks his shoulders with ranger's, laughing a little as he remains leaning on the other, but not too much that it becomes uncomfortable. ]
Close enough that she'll no doubt learn about what was said in the meeting?
Edited 2022-03-03 02:46 (UTC)
STOP can't believe how fast midori's warning bells went off
He shoots Midori a questioning look. Better? The day's events have left a bitter taste in his mouth and left a gaping wound, but that's all the more reason to seek out his partner. He's easy to speak with, and it would be less lonely. ]
Probably. He's just gonna blurt it out like an idiot to everyone he's talked to even once.
[ Ranger is at least certain of that much. But the truth is that Shin himself isn't very a very reliable source, and he doubts he'll go into detail on the matter. With any luck, it'll wind up backfiring.
He twitches a little when Midori bumps against him, but he doesn't move. ]
I'll leave when I want to... Anyway, I wanna go talk to someone else. That shouldn't be a problem.
[ For as deferential as he could be to the other three, Midori has never quite had the same pull over Ranger. ]
Give it thirty more minutes for your mood to settle. With that expression, someone might as well ask you what's wrong as soon as you leave!
[ which isn't wrong, he's trying to save ranger from the inquiries of certain people, and then if a fuss is made, it'll make ranger out to look like the crazy person from shin's meeting. the last thing they need is the other being so uptight, that there's something visibly wrong— shin could paint the narrative any way that he wants. they did push ranger out because of being asunaro and having close ties, but he also knows that holding him isn't how you treat those with this sort of personality.
he truly is like a cat, they normally come back once they're ready. ]
If that's too long, then before you go...
[ thinking dots, he holds his hand out for the cup if he's not interested in it anymore. ]
I suggest that we don't leave room for error. You said Himeko was a "smart kid, picked the code up fast", and that's no good. There was no one else at the time, but I'm here, and we can remove that convenience floating around.
[ as an addendum, which ranger should already know. ] You'll be both awake and aware.
Edited (thinkin bout my typo) 2022-03-03 04:21 (UTC)
THAT IS TRUE EVERY TIME HE DOES SMTH IT SHOULD WORRY YOU
[ It's true enough. Ranger is difficult to read. He's as stoic as Gashu when he chooses to be. Nor would he worry if anyone he did, as the atmosphere has grown increasingly tense since the investigation started. But his emotions are starting to settle, and there's nothing left for him but hurt and confusion and distrust.
The latter seems that it might be what he's been angling for this entire conversation. He puts a few additional inches between them. ]
... Emiri Harai, Michiru Namida, Gashu Satou. Those are the only three authorized to access my code or perform maintenance.
[ He should have never let anyone get close, and he should have never let anyone touch it. It was his first mistake, and it was a painful one. Midori, who has far more skill than those youths, would pose a far greater threat to him now.
Maybe that's why he'd steered the conversation in this direction? It's possible that it was just an effort to control the narrative, true or otherwise. If he could detach Ranger from the rest, then that would serve several purposes at once. It would allow him to monopolize Ranger as an ally, with only his partner to worry about, and access to his code as well. It would mean taking a powerful piece from the other side, and the increased tension would hurt them more than him. It's what Ranger would do in his position.
...
... ]
There's no anomalies. You have nothing to worry about.
[ He murmurs those last words, a little distracted as he hands the coffee cup back. It's too bitter. ]
[ that there's no anomalies, but ranger's words hold no ground anymore. those three that had authorization to his code are no more, and he continues: ]
You said it yourself, that no one can match our code. [ that's how special they are, some of asunaro's finest, but ranger is the masterwork. he's the most important part of the puzzle while midori was made to do something else— he wasn't to be an heir, but there was something special waiting for him. it was taken from him unfairly, and with that piece of ranger's code known out there within the school, it breaches that same feeling. a fluke, information given because ranger felt terrified of what was happening to him. ]
Doesn't that mean I'm the only one who understands it intimately here?
[ midori would be a threat, to give him that control, but who's fault is it that the control is even here? had ranger not been afraid, he wouldn't be here, the reason he's sitting on the bed in the first place is because of his code has been touched, that someone could mess with his code and take everything from him. if no one had that piece, then he'd have no reason to be afraid. in little ways, ranger is just like midori.
midori felt powerful when no one knew he was afraid of death, but when it's known... everything changes.
he takes the cup, walking back over to the desk where the maker sits, and this time, he grabs a different cup. he sets it down before him, and slowly he begins to rip open a few packets of sugar and powdered creamer. it all falls down to the bottom, and as he slips the cup under the machine, he watches as the black falls down, filling it. it isn't to the brim, but enough when he puts the spoon inside of the liquid that it doesn't run over.
there's a few stirs, before he reaches for a jar of honey, grabbing the honey dipper, turning it slow so that no honey drips off. it stays in place, even as he hovers it over the coffee, and with a turn of his wrist, it begins to drip into the liquid. he watches it slowly, light brown disappearing into light brown, and he brings the dipper back to place inside of the jar.
with that done, he slowly walks back over to ranger, offering the new cup that he's made. it's no longer bitter. ]
If you were able to handle your own code, you wouldn't have needed an extra hand.
[ ... ]
I only offer because of how dangerous that is, and there's no denying it. If it's anyone else, they won't value you as they should.
[ can't break what's already been ruined. ]
Unlike them, at least I know what I'm doing in regards to check-ups! Ahaha.
[ It's tempting to remind him that Ranger knows their code just as well, but he understands that Midori is making the same point. He chews on his word as the coffee is prepared. There are reasons to be concerned about who knows what about him, but those are fixed by removing the problem rather than reviewing his internal code once more. He's done that and found there to be nothing of interest.
The code given to him was sloppy by their standards, and a member of ASUNARO could perhaps perfect it further, but it was functional. The safety mechanism that had kept him from modifying his code on the level that others could, and so he could do so himself, but Ranger sees no reason to modify it when that could lead to issues with his system, and he would rather not further depend on others to repair and restore him.
He takes the cup when offered, holding it by the handle now as he tries an experimental sip and finds it to be sweet. It's too saccharine for his tastes, but it hides the muddy taste of the cheap coffee mixed in with it.
He tells Midori none of that, but it'll become apparent if he's allowed to sift through his code. Ranger look down once more, eyelids lowering halfway as he slowly turns his options over in his head. ]
You're the only one who can understand it, so you're the only one who would understand how to modify it to your benefit, especially without it being noticed. As for me, I can self-repair. There's few things that I'm not equipped to handle.
[ That much is true. Their systems truly are impressive, and Ranger is sensitive to small changes in his code. It's unusual, but so long as everything is running properly there's no strict need for it to be looked over. But as with their intentions, he can't deny the possibility that there's some part of his code hidden from him. There was before, and that needed to be found by another person.
He takes another sip. The sweetness is a little more manageable now. ]
... So, you're saying that there's something that I can't access, and that if there is, you can fix it before it can cause issues down the line.
[ A beat, and then cautiously - ]
What are you thinking would've been done that I wouldn't have noticed?
I don't know ASS ABT FUCK IN CODING LIVIN ON A PRAYER
Don't see me cruel, but why did someone touch your code?
[ he places that down on the board first, there was something ranger must have not noticed then he arrived here. considering he's more emotion based now, he must have found that, because he wasn't anything like this before. that's specific, fixing a code, and even this isn't well done, he finds some hiccups in his actions— midori knows all about what ranger was meant to be, and the fall out of where he was picked apart due to gashu's poor understanding of what makes a human.
everyone always forgets love! ]
Our benefit. Unless you're satisfied with Shin knowing your data, and Himeko having a piece herself. The only thing left of ASUNARO is us, and what little reminders appear.
[ having that information out there is no different from safalin skulking the facility levels, that's ranger willingly putting them all in danger because he wants to trust so badly. time is different though, it makes you think, and want to relate to them more— not believe they can do something because they're just normal people, and one of them have probably an online degree in coding.
but ranger wants examples, and midori holds out an index finger as he taps that first to list off his thoughts: ]
Logs, trackers, records.
[ pieces of information set inside ranger that's locked away because of high security, it seems like normal code until the hatch is flipped, and there's something hidden underneath, and the surface camouflaged perfectly into what reads normal to him. ]
Worst of all: honest mistakes.
[ with a sigh, he crosses his arms as he explains, figuring that ranger may understand why this is the worst one that can happen with a masterwork like himself. all it takes is someone touching a sensitive code, and... ]
They start unnoticeable at first, but multiply like bad calculations. It's like a cancer in the code. Say they misunderstood a certain value, and tried to apply it elsewhere.
[ he sits down now, crossing his legs, and his hands placed into his lap. ]
But surprise! It meant something else entirely, and every time that value is called on, it becomes more messy, more jumbled.
[ maybe that's why he still has good faith in shin, there's a value misplaced, but he'll let ranger come to that conclusion if he finds that the shoe fits. ]
I'm not fond of those surprises, and then there's little Easter eggs like your chip. With the proper decryption, it's not like it has to be used the way that it was. Using something important from you to destroy ASUNARO, I don't see why they wouldn't try it again.
If you can't find the answer to that yourself, you don't deserve to know it.
[ There's a coolness to those words that hasn't been present up until now, and Ranger thinks this to be enough of a hint for the man beside him. For Rio Ranger, whose loyalty would always lie with ASUNARO and who had no capacity for love or trust, his code was all that he had.
That name, that note, that person, those people, experiences had and questions asked. One piece knocked over after another until the gameboard was flipped over to reveal the scribbled message hidden on the underside and the remainder fell to the floor.
Nothing changes and every day is the same, and yet nothing is as it was yesterday and it can never be the same again. Each and every day is like that.
If Midori can't find the truth perfectly, precisely, in just seconds then it's not one he's worthy of being given. If he doesn't care enough to, then that only benefits Ranger, who has no desire to speak of his creator's flaws, nor to see them used as leverage in this conversation. ]
You don't believe that I could detect that, and that an amateur using sticks and rocks could decrypt and utilize what those three worked on for years without depending on our facility to do the heavy lifting.
[ Those words are chillier still, and Midori should catch the implication that hes beginning to feel offended on the behalf of the three who put him together. He may be right, but he was designed to detect even the slightest changes. The modifications done had been like a itch that he couldn't scratch until he adjusted to it, but every scan and consideration had proven them to be safe.
Every consideration had gone into ensuring that their masterwork would be kept from harm.
...
He knows that right about now Harai would snap at him for being so stubborn. But then, if it were her he wouldn't be.
Begrudgily: ]
... Human error is possible. They don't have a fraction of Harai, Namida, or Gashu's talent.
Edited (the way everybody refer to only gashu by his first name) 2022-03-03 20:15 (UTC)
[ the error in his design, what made him rio ranger, and not rio lazier. if they're getting to the point, then midori can do so as well, it's the most obvious aspect that stands out like a sore thumb. even if he minded his business all that time, that doesn't mean he wasn't aware of what was going on. the role ranger was meant to have, and how because he no longer had it, the death game was meant to go according to plan. if he hadn't suffered through that loss, then nothing would have to be this way.
midori keeps a small smile as he runs through the information. ]
Actually, I believe you can, that's why I'm here to help... a touch more freedom.
[ without damocles' sword looming overhead, so that shin's words frosty bite disappears from the forefront of his mind, but it's unfortunate it'll always remain inside the memory bank. nothing they can do about that now, so with a touch of kindness, he explains from an emotional point of view than logical. ]
I want you to enjoy yourself, and not live in fear...
[ midori is someone who lives to the fullest, but that's because he chooses what he can and can't do. it's all by his own will, and he knows that he's different from ranger because he wasn't created from start to finish by prodigy hands. he was born from two successful humans, and he was taught, guided by their hand, and learned by his own curiosity. as he grew older, he understood what he was meant to do, and so he began to replace himself one by one— he wants to live, his humanity spread, he's eternal.
even though he's dead, pieces of his body still exist there. ]
I know you're tired of hearing my thoughts, so I want to listen to you...
[ because those at the meeting wouldn't listen to his side, and midori feels as if he's given enough of his thoughts on the matter of what makes this dangerous and terrifying. it's ranger's turn, besides, he must have quite a lot to think about, to mention, and what he'd like to say. ]
Anything on your mind, what you have to say matters as well.
Ranger found it, and he kept the information to himself. There was just one person who knew, and he had never intended for them to find out. That was when a seed had planted itself in his heart, but it was stifled and unable to even bud. He'd noticed it then though. He had noticed it after. Finding out that he was shackled had been a curse, and if he had never found out then perhaps he could have just continued to exist as he was. But things have changed, and yet nothing has, and yet they can never be the same again.
Midori has always been adept with a scalpel, cutting out a person's heart with ease. Ranger has no heart, but he can still use it, carving out every emotion and thought that he wants to keep hidden. He knows that, but still he falls silent for several seconds as he looks down at the cup that his hands have wrapped around once more.
It hurts. It's painful. If he had never been born, then the world might have been better. But Rio Ranger is alive, and he'll preserve his existence at all costs. He's alive for that, and he had loved them even when he wasn't capable of such a thing.
No one, not one single person, could possibly understand that feeling. But the person next to him, who works with functions and values, can see hints of it. He knows that, and that's why despite understanding everything about the person beside him, Ranger's shoulders slump, and the tension eases out all at once. It's too heavy a burden to carry by himself, and he's eased it onto others over time, and yet there's so much that he can't. ]
... "Rio Laizer." That's how I was addressed when I arrived. It's a name that should have held no meaning. We can buy and sell trust.
[ He rubs his thumb on the mug once more. It's a light brown, the color changed by the creamer and sweeteners added. ]
Why was I born a doll? Are you sick? Why create a human that's less than one?
[ ... ]
"I love prodigies... Let's create a human." [ Midori will no doubt recognize those words. ] Why was I born? Who am I? How do I feel about you? Errors in parsing answers. Lost bits of time. Have you seen snow before? Let's look in a mirror together. You are no longer a masterwork, but you are my partner, and I want you to have hope. This is for you. Next time, I'll be sure to pick out the gift myself. I'm going to find a way back. Black boxes where words should be. I X you.
[ X, because even though he knew the right word, it wouldn't pull at his system. It was pulling at threads that wouldn't connect, code that wasn't there. Everyone forgets the love, but only one person had, or else he might have been able to. Ranger places his hand over the pendant that he wears around his neck for just a moment. He'd traded his scarf for it. That one little piece of attire he'd been given, the one item that could be proof that Rio Ranger existed. Crystalized affection. Proof that he mattered once. But he touches this and it reminds him that he still does.
It's months condensed into just a handful of sentences. And finally, in between all of that - ]
No one is here. I don't want to die. I hate being by myself. I want to know how I feel about you. I want to understand. A thrown cord. Calculations and data and observations. I can trust you with this.
[ And here they are, and Midori already knows the rest. He takes a sip of coffee. It's sweet, a saccharine taste that cuts through the bitterness of those words. ]
Edited (removed the last sentence ) 2022-03-04 16:15 (UTC)
You've gained so many memories between there and here.
[ information he can never get rid of for their attached to him. time stifles in this place. the hours and seconds stick to the skin, pierce it. better to ignore its passing, though that’s not possible. with an ai, they'll always know, they'll always remember, and there will never come a day where ranger will forget. that's why this hurts him so much from what was said, to what was hinted, and midori watches him as he lists if evidence, reality, his acceptances, those grievances, and many more phrases and words compiled into odd terms. a token around his neck, but his entire appearance has changed, even the look in his eyes, and the way he speaks.
emotion takes place, it shows itself even more, and his feelings take part in his actions so it occurs to him that "i x you" followed by the touch of a gift must have some from someone else. that individual he couldn't bother, something that belongs to ranger. is this horrible for midori? it truly is when he knows more mistakes can be made all because of a single sensation of warmth or happiness. it doesn't mean to be, but accidents happen, and they don't have enough of those to spare based on feelings.
if only he knew to protect himself when engaging on others that left such impressions, then it wouldn't coil around his arm like a snake; the fangs wouldn't dig into his flesh, and then there's be no need for midori to grab the hook to settle in between the mouth to pull back the top of the head. ranger may not be capable of bleeding, but the substance oozes by his actions through his words.
with a sip of his own drink, he brings it down to his lap, and his foot taps the floor gently while flipping through all that was said. ]
Loneliness is a cruel mistress, and you weren't meant to meet her ever.
[ he sets down his own cup, gets up again to find a book so that he can place himself back in the seat that he once was.
midori flips through a few pages before closing it again. ]
I really am sorry for the trouble I've caused, at least their true colors showed before it was too late. Ah... Ranger, you have every right to feel the way you do and they'll make you feel silly... try to draw you back when they never tbought of youe emotions, but I can be a selfish man and say I'm happy you came to speak with me. At least there's someone I can help by being here. Removing black boxes, helping you understand how you truly feel, and removing anything muddled by extra hands since you've been here. Anything that you need.
[ ... the door is open, just like the offering he game about coming into his room. there's no need to fight over the participants for ranger because he'll do as he decides, and that's why: ]
But that's to be your choice, and you know where to find me.
[ Ranger takes the apology to be genuine, as Midori should regret allowing things to get to such a point from the start. If he were here sooner, he could have done everything himself. He could have fixed his errors, completed his unfinished code in the blink of an eye. It's because he was left alone that things turned out this way. It's because he was lonely that he had to take another person's hand to pull himself up, that he had to cling to weak bonds and lie to himself, that he has to be afraid, and none of it is fair.
He should apologize.What if in the end even the pendant resting over his chest shatters like glass, falls to the floor in microscopic particles that he'll be finding for months and years and yet can never piece back together?
If it does, then he'll have no choice to accept the consequences of his actions. It won't be Midori's fault if that happens, no more than the rest of this is, as the blame lays solely on him for willingly bringing the glass to his lips and drinking down the poison in it. He's down to the last of it now, shaking the final few drops out in the form of chocolates and flowers in a cute little box, and he's equally afraid that he'll throw it all up along with all the sugary sweets rotting in his stomach. Midori would force the matter if only he could, inducing vomiting and pumping his stomach before shoving activated charcoal down his throat.
There's no love in the words, no love in that salvation, and no words in anything to come, but Midori is the only one in this place who needs him. He turns the words over in his mind, lets them mingle with complex emotions. ]
Hiyori.
[ In a moment of insanity, he thinks to ask a question. He opens his mouth to do so before only inhaling a deep breath and closing it enough to blow it out. There's things that his colleague would know that Ranger isn't privy to, just as there are pieces of information that are locked away solely within Ranger. They're far and few between, as the pair large share the same information, but they're there.
He was never meant to be lonely. He was never meant to be an incomplete creation. He was never meant to hate as deeply as he did, to struggle as he has, to be hurt as he has. So what was he made for then? Why was it that Rio Ranger was created? If he could answer that, then the res would make sense. It would tell him where to throw his chips, and it would ease the pain, and it would give him some meaning that he's lacked ever since he realized how much pride had been taken and thrown away in his creation.
His instincts tell him not to ask now. It's dangerous when he's like it, when the conversation has switched from logic to emotion, and Hiyori has found his own way to protect his one and only colleague - the one he'll go down with. ]
You're right. I shouldn't have allowed myself to fall prey to begin with, but there's no point in dwelling on it. I won't allow anyone save those of ASUNARO to view or modify my code nor hardware.
[ Which is how it should have been from the start. Ranger lifts the cup up again, taking one small sip after another as he considers the rest. It's possible that there's something that he missed. It's possible that they were sharper than he thought. It's likely that there's some error that will eat away at his system if not caught. If not that, then perhaps improvements that can be made. Would that make it easier?
He closes eyes for a couple seconds, and takes one more sip. Anything he needs, huh...? It's too sweet on his tongue, but he can drink this. ]
It can only be viewed and edited using ASUNARO equipment. If you can secure that, then I'll let you do what's meaning.
[ Sharp, precise, and logical, and the cup lowers, and his voice grows softer, ]
I'll give you a chance to answer my questions, since there's things that don't really make sense to me.
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okay true he is being very helpful today
You'll do the opposite.
[ It's true enough that once one becomes aware of the thoughts of others, they can use that to their advantage. The name of the game is to notice the other person before they notice you, and to use what you've found to gain an advantage. Ranger has done that from the start, and his knowledge of those around him has only grown. There's a downward twitch of the lips that might pass as a frown as he searches for the error in his calculations and comes up blank.
Careful observation. Logical assessments. Running through each and every option before forming a conclusion. In the long term, that should have been correct, and even now he's rolling over what had transpired in his mind to try and make sense of it. It won't do to let himself grow stupid from fear, and he's not satisfied with this result. But for as much data as he's collected, he finds no evidence that he wouldn't be betrayed. There's nothing that can affirm that every action wasn't with some end goal in mind. If it were him, he would handle it that way.
A couple more switches, and he taps the spoon against the mug. He can find no evidence that he won't be treated the same upon being found inconvenient. ]
You should learn how to make coffee properly.
[ Either that or it's just cheap coffee. ]
helpful (for me) me thinks!
[ his own cup was nothing but sugar, but it was enough for him to get through the conversation. it's not like everyone has the same taste buds as him, but having it too sweet might have been what was best, it would have helped in easing his nerves because they'd talk about something else.
it's probably shit coffee because when did yogen care about getting them anything good, he really drowns it in both sugar and creamer. there's a jar of honey sitting on the desk though, if ranger would like to use it as a substitute, for midori had at one point. it's the cute glass with a see through brown, and the honey comb spoon settled inside. ]
We're the only two here from ASUNARO, I wouldn't do anything to you that would pose problems, you see...
[ he knows better, especially where his standing is in this place— shin has warned plenty, he's sure, there's so many people who knows to stay away from him now. word moves quick in a small school, especially when most of the student body is frozen in place in the study hall. there's a different between him and shin, he knows how to use, and throw away when he doesn't need them anymore, and shin was a fool who would still need ranger, and would probably still ask for help despite his inner goal of figuring out how they work, and using it to his advantage. ]
How close are they? Himeko and Shin.
[ any answer will be the wrong answer, because there's only one answer in his mind as he asks. ]
no see he's helping right now, ranger wants to go bond with someone
[ It's shit coffee, and Ranger has expensive tastes, but he thinks that he could pay for a better blend. He takes another sip before letting the cup rest in his lap. If it's to ease his nerves, he thinks that finding Komaeda might be a good idea. He's easy to talk to, and his judgment is sound. There would be no need to worry about intentions and accuracy.
He casts a glance at the door. He's reported as he should, and Midori has been given the opportunity to correct the misunderstandings that had been in place, so it wouldn't be out of line for him to leave now when they can catch up later. He believes it when he's told that the other won't cause him any trouble, as doing so would be to his detriment here. Ranger is a steadfast ally who aligns himself with others. It would be reckless.
There's another slight frown at the query. It's a loaded question, but he'll answer regardless, ]
Close enough.
not that one *door disappears*
No, no.
[ why is he looking towards the door, must be that other person, sighs... when will he fuck up so midori can ruin that relationship too. ]
As soon as you're better, then you can leave the room.
[ not that ranger has bad taste in partners, but he's heard something about that one, and he's very active. it would be safer.
annoyingly so, midori knocks his shoulders with ranger's, laughing a little as he remains leaning on the other, but not too much that it becomes uncomfortable. ]
Close enough that she'll no doubt learn about what was said in the meeting?
STOP can't believe how fast midori's warning bells went off
He shoots Midori a questioning look. Better? The day's events have left a bitter taste in his mouth and left a gaping wound, but that's all the more reason to seek out his partner. He's easy to speak with, and it would be less lonely. ]
Probably. He's just gonna blurt it out like an idiot to everyone he's talked to even once.
[ Ranger is at least certain of that much. But the truth is that Shin himself isn't very a very reliable source, and he doubts he'll go into detail on the matter. With any luck, it'll wind up backfiring.
He twitches a little when Midori bumps against him, but he doesn't move. ]
I'll leave when I want to... Anyway, I wanna go talk to someone else. That shouldn't be a problem.
[ For as deferential as he could be to the other three, Midori has never quite had the same pull over Ranger. ]
STOPP WHEN RANGER DOES STUFF ITS FOR A REASON
[ which isn't wrong, he's trying to save ranger from the inquiries of certain people, and then if a fuss is made, it'll make ranger out to look like the crazy person from shin's meeting. the last thing they need is the other being so uptight, that there's something visibly wrong— shin could paint the narrative any way that he wants. they did push ranger out because of being asunaro and having close ties, but he also knows that holding him isn't how you treat those with this sort of personality.
he truly is like a cat, they normally come back once they're ready. ]
If that's too long, then before you go...
[ thinking dots, he holds his hand out for the cup if he's not interested in it anymore. ]
I suggest that we don't leave room for error. You said Himeko was a "smart kid, picked the code up fast", and that's no good. There was no one else at the time, but I'm here, and we can remove that convenience floating around.
[ as an addendum, which ranger should already know. ] You'll be both awake and aware.
THAT IS TRUE EVERY TIME HE DOES SMTH IT SHOULD WORRY YOU
[ It's true enough. Ranger is difficult to read. He's as stoic as Gashu when he chooses to be. Nor would he worry if anyone he did, as the atmosphere has grown increasingly tense since the investigation started. But his emotions are starting to settle, and there's nothing left for him but hurt and confusion and distrust.
The latter seems that it might be what he's been angling for this entire conversation. He puts a few additional inches between them. ]
... Emiri Harai, Michiru Namida, Gashu Satou. Those are the only three authorized to access my code or perform maintenance.
[ He should have never let anyone get close, and he should have never let anyone touch it. It was his first mistake, and it was a painful one. Midori, who has far more skill than those youths, would pose a far greater threat to him now.
Maybe that's why he'd steered the conversation in this direction? It's possible that it was just an effort to control the narrative, true or otherwise. If he could detach Ranger from the rest, then that would serve several purposes at once. It would allow him to monopolize Ranger as an ally, with only his partner to worry about, and access to his code as well. It would mean taking a powerful piece from the other side, and the increased tension would hurt them more than him. It's what Ranger would do in his position.
...
... ]
There's no anomalies. You have nothing to worry about.
[ He murmurs those last words, a little distracted as he hands the coffee cup back. It's too bitter. ]
STOPPPPPPP WHEN WE KILL HIM
[ that there's no anomalies, but ranger's words hold no ground anymore. those three that had authorization to his code are no more, and he continues: ]
You said it yourself, that no one can match our code. [ that's how special they are, some of asunaro's finest, but ranger is the masterwork. he's the most important part of the puzzle while midori was made to do something else— he wasn't to be an heir, but there was something special waiting for him. it was taken from him unfairly, and with that piece of ranger's code known out there within the school, it breaches that same feeling. a fluke, information given because ranger felt terrified of what was happening to him. ]
Doesn't that mean I'm the only one who understands it intimately here?
[ midori would be a threat, to give him that control, but who's fault is it that the control is even here? had ranger not been afraid, he wouldn't be here, the reason he's sitting on the bed in the first place is because of his code has been touched, that someone could mess with his code and take everything from him. if no one had that piece, then he'd have no reason to be afraid. in little ways, ranger is just like midori.
midori felt powerful when no one knew he was afraid of death, but when it's known... everything changes.
he takes the cup, walking back over to the desk where the maker sits, and this time, he grabs a different cup. he sets it down before him, and slowly he begins to rip open a few packets of sugar and powdered creamer. it all falls down to the bottom, and as he slips the cup under the machine, he watches as the black falls down, filling it. it isn't to the brim, but enough when he puts the spoon inside of the liquid that it doesn't run over.
there's a few stirs, before he reaches for a jar of honey, grabbing the honey dipper, turning it slow so that no honey drips off. it stays in place, even as he hovers it over the coffee, and with a turn of his wrist, it begins to drip into the liquid. he watches it slowly, light brown disappearing into light brown, and he brings the dipper back to place inside of the jar.
with that done, he slowly walks back over to ranger, offering the new cup that he's made. it's no longer bitter. ]
If you were able to handle your own code, you wouldn't have needed an extra hand.
[ ... ]
I only offer because of how dangerous that is, and there's no denying it. If it's anyone else, they won't value you as they should.
[ can't break what's already been ruined. ]
Unlike them, at least I know what I'm doing in regards to check-ups! Ahaha.
I'M ABOUT TO KILL HIM RN
The code given to him was sloppy by their standards, and a member of ASUNARO could perhaps perfect it further, but it was functional. The safety mechanism that had kept him from modifying his code on the level that others could, and so he could do so himself, but Ranger sees no reason to modify it when that could lead to issues with his system, and he would rather not further depend on others to repair and restore him.
He takes the cup when offered, holding it by the handle now as he tries an experimental sip and finds it to be sweet. It's too saccharine for his tastes, but it hides the muddy taste of the cheap coffee mixed in with it.
He tells Midori none of that, but it'll become apparent if he's allowed to sift through his code. Ranger look down once more, eyelids lowering halfway as he slowly turns his options over in his head. ]
You're the only one who can understand it, so you're the only one who would understand how to modify it to your benefit, especially without it being noticed. As for me, I can self-repair. There's few things that I'm not equipped to handle.
[ That much is true. Their systems truly are impressive, and Ranger is sensitive to small changes in his code. It's unusual, but so long as everything is running properly there's no strict need for it to be looked over. But as with their intentions, he can't deny the possibility that there's some part of his code hidden from him. There was before, and that needed to be found by another person.
He takes another sip. The sweetness is a little more manageable now. ]
... So, you're saying that there's something that I can't access, and that if there is, you can fix it before it can cause issues down the line.
[ A beat, and then cautiously - ]
What are you thinking would've been done that I wouldn't have noticed?
I don't know ASS ABT FUCK IN CODING LIVIN ON A PRAYER
[ he places that down on the board first, there was something ranger must have not noticed then he arrived here. considering he's more emotion based now, he must have found that, because he wasn't anything like this before. that's specific, fixing a code, and even this isn't well done, he finds some hiccups in his actions— midori knows all about what ranger was meant to be, and the fall out of where he was picked apart due to gashu's poor understanding of what makes a human.
everyone always forgets love! ]
Our benefit. Unless you're satisfied with Shin knowing your data, and Himeko having a piece herself. The only thing left of ASUNARO is us, and what little reminders appear.
[ having that information out there is no different from safalin skulking the facility levels, that's ranger willingly putting them all in danger because he wants to trust so badly. time is different though, it makes you think, and want to relate to them more— not believe they can do something because they're just normal people, and one of them have probably an online degree in coding.
but ranger wants examples, and midori holds out an index finger as he taps that first to list off his thoughts: ]
Logs, trackers, records.
[ pieces of information set inside ranger that's locked away because of high security, it seems like normal code until the hatch is flipped, and there's something hidden underneath, and the surface camouflaged perfectly into what reads normal to him. ]
Worst of all: honest mistakes.
[ with a sigh, he crosses his arms as he explains, figuring that ranger may understand why this is the worst one that can happen with a masterwork like himself. all it takes is someone touching a sensitive code, and... ]
They start unnoticeable at first, but multiply like bad calculations. It's like a cancer in the code. Say they misunderstood a certain value, and tried to apply it elsewhere.
[ he sits down now, crossing his legs, and his hands placed into his lap. ]
But surprise! It meant something else entirely, and every time that value is called on, it becomes more messy, more jumbled.
[ maybe that's why he still has good faith in shin, there's a value misplaced, but he'll let ranger come to that conclusion if he finds that the shoe fits. ]
I'm not fond of those surprises, and then there's little Easter eggs like your chip. With the proper decryption, it's not like it has to be used the way that it was. Using something important from you to destroy ASUNARO, I don't see why they wouldn't try it again.
ME IT'S FINE WE'LL JUST BS OUR WAY THRU IT
If you can't find the answer to that yourself, you don't deserve to know it.
[ There's a coolness to those words that hasn't been present up until now, and Ranger thinks this to be enough of a hint for the man beside him. For Rio Ranger, whose loyalty would always lie with ASUNARO and who had no capacity for love or trust, his code was all that he had.
That name, that note, that person, those people, experiences had and questions asked. One piece knocked over after another until the gameboard was flipped over to reveal the scribbled message hidden on the underside and the remainder fell to the floor.
Nothing changes and every day is the same, and yet nothing is as it was yesterday and it can never be the same again. Each and every day is like that.
If Midori can't find the truth perfectly, precisely, in just seconds then it's not one he's worthy of being given. If he doesn't care enough to, then that only benefits Ranger, who has no desire to speak of his creator's flaws, nor to see them used as leverage in this conversation. ]
You don't believe that I could detect that, and that an amateur using sticks and rocks could decrypt and utilize what those three worked on for years without depending on our facility to do the heavy lifting.
[ Those words are chillier still, and Midori should catch the implication that hes beginning to feel offended on the behalf of the three who put him together. He may be right, but he was designed to detect even the slightest changes. The modifications done had been like a itch that he couldn't scratch until he adjusted to it, but every scan and consideration had proven them to be safe.
Every consideration had gone into ensuring that their masterwork would be kept from harm.
...
He knows that right about now Harai would snap at him for being so stubborn. But then, if it were her he wouldn't be.
Begrudgily: ]
... Human error is possible. They don't have a fraction of Harai, Namida, or Gashu's talent.
N OT BS OUR WAY THROUGH IT ok okm ok
[ the error in his design, what made him rio ranger, and not rio lazier. if they're getting to the point, then midori can do so as well, it's the most obvious aspect that stands out like a sore thumb. even if he minded his business all that time, that doesn't mean he wasn't aware of what was going on. the role ranger was meant to have, and how because he no longer had it, the death game was meant to go according to plan. if he hadn't suffered through that loss, then nothing would have to be this way.
midori keeps a small smile as he runs through the information. ]
Actually, I believe you can, that's why I'm here to help... a touch more freedom.
[ without damocles' sword looming overhead, so that shin's words frosty bite disappears from the forefront of his mind, but it's unfortunate it'll always remain inside the memory bank. nothing they can do about that now, so with a touch of kindness, he explains from an emotional point of view than logical. ]
I want you to enjoy yourself, and not live in fear...
[ midori is someone who lives to the fullest, but that's because he chooses what he can and can't do. it's all by his own will, and he knows that he's different from ranger because he wasn't created from start to finish by prodigy hands. he was born from two successful humans, and he was taught, guided by their hand, and learned by his own curiosity. as he grew older, he understood what he was meant to do, and so he began to replace himself one by one— he wants to live, his humanity spread, he's eternal.
even though he's dead, pieces of his body still exist there. ]
I know you're tired of hearing my thoughts, so I want to listen to you...
[ because those at the meeting wouldn't listen to his side, and midori feels as if he's given enough of his thoughts on the matter of what makes this dangerous and terrifying. it's ranger's turn, besides, he must have quite a lot to think about, to mention, and what he'd like to say. ]
Anything on your mind, what you have to say matters as well.
WE GOT THIS I BELIEVE IN US
Ranger found it, and he kept the information to himself. There was just one person who knew, and he had never intended for them to find out. That was when a seed had planted itself in his heart, but it was stifled and unable to even bud. He'd noticed it then though. He had noticed it after. Finding out that he was shackled had been a curse, and if he had never found out then perhaps he could have just continued to exist as he was. But things have changed, and yet nothing has, and yet they can never be the same again.
Midori has always been adept with a scalpel, cutting out a person's heart with ease. Ranger has no heart, but he can still use it, carving out every emotion and thought that he wants to keep hidden. He knows that, but still he falls silent for several seconds as he looks down at the cup that his hands have wrapped around once more.
It hurts. It's painful. If he had never been born, then the world might have been better. But Rio Ranger is alive, and he'll preserve his existence at all costs. He's alive for that, and he had loved them even when he wasn't capable of such a thing.
No one, not one single person, could possibly understand that feeling. But the person next to him, who works with functions and values, can see hints of it. He knows that, and that's why despite understanding everything about the person beside him, Ranger's shoulders slump, and the tension eases out all at once. It's too heavy a burden to carry by himself, and he's eased it onto others over time, and yet there's so much that he can't. ]
... "Rio Laizer." That's how I was addressed when I arrived. It's a name that should have held no meaning. We can buy and sell trust.
[ He rubs his thumb on the mug once more. It's a light brown, the color changed by the creamer and sweeteners added. ]
Why was I born a doll? Are you sick? Why create a human that's less than one?
[ ... ]
"I love prodigies... Let's create a human." [ Midori will no doubt recognize those words. ] Why was I born? Who am I? How do I feel about you? Errors in parsing answers. Lost bits of time. Have you seen snow before? Let's look in a mirror together. You are no longer a masterwork, but you are my partner, and I want you to have hope. This is for you. Next time, I'll be sure to pick out the gift myself. I'm going to find a way back. Black boxes where words should be. I X you.
[ X, because even though he knew the right word, it wouldn't pull at his system. It was pulling at threads that wouldn't connect, code that wasn't there. Everyone forgets the love, but only one person had, or else he might have been able to. Ranger places his hand over the pendant that he wears around his neck for just a moment. He'd traded his scarf for it. That one little piece of attire he'd been given, the one item that could be proof that Rio Ranger existed. Crystalized affection. Proof that he mattered once. But he touches this and it reminds him that he still does.
It's months condensed into just a handful of sentences. And finally, in between all of that - ]
No one is here. I don't want to die. I hate being by myself. I want to know how I feel about you. I want to understand. A thrown cord. Calculations and data and observations. I can trust you with this.
[ And here they are, and Midori already knows the rest. He takes a sip of coffee. It's sweet, a saccharine taste that cuts through the bitterness of those words. ]
A WEEK LATER IM ON A PRAYER
[ information he can never get rid of for their attached to him. time stifles in this place. the hours and seconds stick to the skin, pierce it. better to ignore its passing, though that’s not possible. with an ai, they'll always know, they'll always remember, and there will never come a day where ranger will forget. that's why this hurts him so much from what was said, to what was hinted, and midori watches him as he lists if evidence, reality, his acceptances, those grievances, and many more phrases and words compiled into odd terms. a token around his neck, but his entire appearance has changed, even the look in his eyes, and the way he speaks.
emotion takes place, it shows itself even more, and his feelings take part in his actions so it occurs to him that "i x you" followed by the touch of a gift must have some from someone else. that individual he couldn't bother, something that belongs to ranger. is this horrible for midori? it truly is when he knows more mistakes can be made all because of a single sensation of warmth or happiness. it doesn't mean to be, but accidents happen, and they don't have enough of those to spare based on feelings.
if only he knew to protect himself when engaging on others that left such impressions, then it wouldn't coil around his arm like a snake; the fangs wouldn't dig into his flesh, and then there's be no need for midori to grab the hook to settle in between the mouth to pull back the top of the head. ranger may not be capable of bleeding, but the substance oozes by his actions through his words.
with a sip of his own drink, he brings it down to his lap, and his foot taps the floor gently while flipping through all that was said. ]
Loneliness is a cruel mistress, and you weren't meant to meet her ever.
[ he sets down his own cup, gets up again to find a book so that he can place himself back in the seat that he once was.
midori flips through a few pages before closing it again. ]
I really am sorry for the trouble I've caused, at least their true colors showed before it was too late. Ah... Ranger, you have every right to feel the way you do and they'll make you feel silly... try to draw you back when they never tbought of youe emotions, but I can be a selfish man and say I'm happy you came to speak with me. At least there's someone I can help by being here. Removing black boxes, helping you understand how you truly feel, and removing anything muddled by extra hands since you've been here. Anything that you need.
[ ... the door is open, just like the offering he game about coming into his room. there's no need to fight over the participants for ranger because he'll do as he decides, and that's why: ]
But that's to be your choice, and you know where to find me.
ME I NEED TO BE DOUSED IN HOLY WATER
He should apologize.What if in the end even the pendant resting over his chest shatters like glass, falls to the floor in microscopic particles that he'll be finding for months and years and yet can never piece back together?
If it does, then he'll have no choice to accept the consequences of his actions. It won't be Midori's fault if that happens, no more than the rest of this is, as the blame lays solely on him for willingly bringing the glass to his lips and drinking down the poison in it. He's down to the last of it now, shaking the final few drops out in the form of chocolates and flowers in a cute little box, and he's equally afraid that he'll throw it all up along with all the sugary sweets rotting in his stomach. Midori would force the matter if only he could, inducing vomiting and pumping his stomach before shoving activated charcoal down his throat.
There's no love in the words, no love in that salvation, and no words in anything to come, but Midori is the only one in this place who needs him. He turns the words over in his mind, lets them mingle with complex emotions. ]
Hiyori.
[ In a moment of insanity, he thinks to ask a question. He opens his mouth to do so before only inhaling a deep breath and closing it enough to blow it out. There's things that his colleague would know that Ranger isn't privy to, just as there are pieces of information that are locked away solely within Ranger. They're far and few between, as the pair large share the same information, but they're there.
He was never meant to be lonely. He was never meant to be an incomplete creation. He was never meant to hate as deeply as he did, to struggle as he has, to be hurt as he has. So what was he made for then? Why was it that Rio Ranger was created? If he could answer that, then the res would make sense. It would tell him where to throw his chips, and it would ease the pain, and it would give him some meaning that he's lacked ever since he realized how much pride had been taken and thrown away in his creation.
His instincts tell him not to ask now. It's dangerous when he's like it, when the conversation has switched from logic to emotion, and Hiyori has found his own way to protect his one and only colleague - the one he'll go down with. ]
You're right. I shouldn't have allowed myself to fall prey to begin with, but there's no point in dwelling on it. I won't allow anyone save those of ASUNARO to view or modify my code nor hardware.
[ Which is how it should have been from the start. Ranger lifts the cup up again, taking one small sip after another as he considers the rest. It's possible that there's something that he missed. It's possible that they were sharper than he thought. It's likely that there's some error that will eat away at his system if not caught. If not that, then perhaps improvements that can be made. Would that make it easier?
He closes eyes for a couple seconds, and takes one more sip. Anything he needs, huh...? It's too sweet on his tongue, but he can drink this. ]
It can only be viewed and edited using ASUNARO equipment. If you can secure that, then I'll let you do what's meaning.
[ Sharp, precise, and logical, and the cup lowers, and his voice grows softer, ]
I'll give you a chance to answer my questions, since there's things that don't really make sense to me.