|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 9:04 pm
His thoughts flickered briefly to Patrick; Patrick, who he would never see again, at least not in this lifetime, Patrick who had once been the closest friend he'd ever had but even then there had been lines drawn in the sand, boundaries created because Ian could not help but create them.
He felt Ripley's hand on his own, and his fingers were warm, as was the grateful tone of his voice. Strangely enough, it unnerved Ian, who was neither good at connecting with people, nor frequent at it, and he fought to keep the inside of his mind steady.
"...you're...welcome," he said, trying to keep his tone deliberately light. He flashed a brief smile in Ripley's direction, squeezing the other man's shoulder before letting go and leading the way down the next hallway.
Which wasn't the dorm hallway (yet again).
"All the trainee dorms are on one floor," said Ian. "I think the floors above are for higher level hunters."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:26 pm
The forced light tone was noted, and quietly stored away. Whatever he had done, however innocent it had been, triggered something in Ian that he couldn't place. If it was a good or a bad reaction he couldn't readily tell, but it was interesting enough to note it and get back to it later. After all, he didn't want to risk inadvertently pressing an unwanted button on a first meeting.
His hand slipped from Ian's, and he once more lengthened his strides to catch up with the taller man. A brief glance around the hallway, and then into a nearby open door, brought a small chuckle to his lips. "This looks like a cafeteria." Ripley mused, linking his fingers innocently behind his back. "Do you know where you're going?" He gave Ian a look. A teasing look, but a look nonetheless.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 10:32 pm
He tried not to show that Ripley had managed to do what most hadn't been able to achieve since coming to Deus - and that was managing to catch him off guard. It was rare, but it was possible, and somehow this new guy had managed to do it already.
Ian was highly disconcerted by this fact. Still, Ripley was at least on par with him when it came to wit and intelligence (at least, from what he'd seen so far), and that was something.
"That's because it most definitely is the cafeteria," said Ian, reaching through the open door to snag an apple from a fruit basket sitting just inside the door. He lifted it up, took a bite, and smiled winningly at Ripley.
"Not in the slightest."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 8:22 pm
Ian's winning smile was contagious and Ripley found himself grinning almost goofily, reaching past his guide to grab an apple of his own. He simply couldn't resist; it looked delicious, and the newly awoken Ripley couldn't recall the last time he had ever eaten.
"Well, at least you're honest." He acknowledged, sounding as amused as he looked. "I'll pretend you said yes, and that you're just giving me a very thorough and thoughtful tour." A grin was flashed at his companion, but he was quickly distracted by the fruit in his hand. A bite was taken from his liberated apple, and it was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted. Then again, it was the first thing he had eaten in months and so he wasn't terribly subtle about the noise of appreciation that rumbled in this throat.
"Damn, this has got to be the most amazing apple..." Ripley murmured, trailing off to take another bite; he was starving, and only now realized it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 10:56 pm
"Yes, sounds like a plan," said Ian, as he made his way down the next hallway. They were mostly by themselves now, and all he could hear was the faint thumping of their own footsteps -
- that, and Ripley apparently having a moment with his apple. Ian's steps grew less frequent until he had stopped walking entirely, turning slowly to give Ripley a careful once over over, eyes flickering from his feet up to his hand and the apple and then to his feet.
"Hungry?" he asked lightly, barely concealing a smile. "Should I leave you two alone for a minute?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 7:02 pm
Ripley was indeed having a moment, but by the time Ian gave him his once-over, the apple was nearly gone. There were a few bites left, and one was nearly choked on as he bit back a laugh at the offer.
"Extremely." It was hard to chew with an annoying grin on your lips, but he made it work for him. "Naw, man, I'm almost done." He chuckled, managing to somehow get his mouthful down without choking any more on it. He made short work of the rest of the apple, all but devouring the last couple bites until he had nothing but a core left.
"Definitely not one of my more graceful moments." Ripley admitted with a grin, wiping his mouth with the back of his left hand, the very one that held the apple. "Are you all right?" Maybe he hadn't noticed before, so perhaps this wasn't a new thing, but it seemed Ian wasn't meeting his eyes any more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 7:43 pm
Ian was trying not to show how amusing he was currently finding Ripley, but the truth was that he was glad that someone had come out of the pods with an attitude that actually seemed normal in comparison to several of the other people he'd met so far.
"No, no," said Ian lightly and smiled. "I'm quite fine, thank you. Just making a few observations in my head, but other than that, I'm fine."
He tilted his head. "Finished?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 6:00 pm
"Oh." Ripley looked uncertain for a moment and then pointed back down the hallway with the same hand that still held the apple core. "Is that a cue to run?" He asked, almost sounding serious. "You know, before I embarrass myself even more?" A grin twitched onto his lips, but he was legitimately worried about that. Observations in someone's head after witnessing a less then graceful consumption of an apple? Probably best to backtrack immediately.
"Err...yeah. Garbage?" He was happy for the distraction, looking around for a trash to put the core in.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 7:50 pm
Ian let out a laugh.
"No, no," he said, and waved a hand. "You're fine, I'm just...I'm amused, is all, though I suppose you haven't eaten in a while, what with being stuck in a pod for a long time and all."
Ian glanced around.
"I think we're almost back to the rooms now," he said unhelpfully. "There's probably a trash can somewhere along the way."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 6:48 pm
"Oh, well, good. I'd hate to make a wrong first impression." Ripley grinned sheepishly behind his scarred hand. "But yeah...well, you understand." The whole not eating for a while thing.
"I'm sure we are." He fought the grin that threatened his lips, looking away pointedly. When he looked back at Ian though, he was much more serious. "So...hey, aside from finding my room...what do I do from here? Is there like, a pamphlet, or a book or something? Uniform, maybe?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:32 pm
A slow, amused smirk spread across Ian's face. "It would be really hard to make a wrong first impression for me, Sammy," he said, and brushed a few stray strands away from his eyes. "So far, you're actually doing pretty well. I'm impressed."
Slipping his hands back into his pockets, Ian continued walking again. "Well, there's finding your weapon," he said, and as though on cue, Naomi made a soft sound of annoyance inside of his head. "That's in the Cove, beneath the island somewhere. Once you get that, you get a funny little voice in your head berating you for everything you do."
{ I do not berate you - }
"After that," Ian said, blithely ignoring Naomi. "There isn't really an instruction manual. Uniform, yes," he added, plucking at his own coat. "There should be one left in your dorm for you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 12:31 pm
"Well, that's comforting." Ripley's grin grew a little wider at the nickname, but faltered a little bit in surprise as he heard the words I'm Impressed leave his new friend's lips. "...Really?" He sounded almost relieved despite himself, and slid his scarred hand through his pale hair. That was nice to hear; it wasn't very often he was complimented, especially as of late. At least not something that sounded genuine.
"Wait - Weapon?" He recalled hearing very briefly about that. "But I have no experience with weapons..." Prep room instruments didn't count, he imagined. To the idea of having another voice in his head berating him, he had nothing to say right off the bat. It was something he had to think about and consider. A voice in his head...
"I don't think there's any more room up there for anyone else." He settled, shaking his head. When the coat was called to his attention he gave Ian another once over from head to toe. "I was wondering about your coat, actually...do they all look like that? Symbol and everything?" Ian's attire was given another look, though a curious one, before his gaze dropped to his own attire which, by contrast, was entirely plain. He was somewhat excited to see what would be waiting in his room for him - excited, and incredibly nervous. Would it be furnished? Empty? Military-like? Would he have a roommate?
So many questions brimmed, threatening to spill, and yet he held it back in an attempt to not overwhelm Ian with them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 9:26 pm
Ian stopped walking momentarily to give Ripley a quizzical sort of look. "What, you've never been complimented before?" A grin stretched across his lips. "Get used to it, because if you question everything you hear, you'll never get very far."
He rolled his shoulders and continued walking, idly tugging at the bracelet on his wrist. "Neither do I," said Ian lightly. The pair of red earrings swung a little in his ears, Naomi's unsummoned form catching the light. "And yet I still have a weapon, and she's a small little thing, but that's all right."
Ian glanced over his shoulder back at Ripley. "They all look similar, but the design is different for each one. All white with gold trim, though. Some have more colors, but I think they're higher ranked. And the symbol is from whatever division you're in - I think someone said there are five or something?" He shrugged again. "I'm in Mist, which basically means I'm a gopher."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 1:41 pm
"I don't get them freely, no. But I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Ripley's hand slid down to hold the back of his own neck and finally dropped to hang limply at his side. "So, thanks."
"So what is your weapon?" He noticed the earrings, but didn't link them to a weapon; the idea that they could be desummoned was far from his mind. Perhaps there was something hidden under that large, figure-hiding coat? He stayed quiet as the rest of the information was passed to him; white-and-gold coats that get more elaborate the higher ranked you are, the symbols at the bottom change with divisions. Okay, so there were divisions here, that was a good start.
"A gopher, huh? Guess Crowely still has his claws in you." Ripley snickered, but otherwise shook his head. "But I can't believe there's a whole division of gophers, though. That can't be right!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 6:41 pm
Ian hesitated only a fraction of a second.
"Well, she's not all that impressive," he said finally, his tone rueful. He reached a hand up, brushing his fingertips against the earrings, and they glowed a dull red, disappearing into the hue and reappearing in the shape of a short, curved dagger with an ornately designed hilt in Ian's hand. He dangled it in front of Ripley's face.
"Her name is Naomi, and she's a right pain in the a**," he said lightly. "Weapons can be summoned or desummoned; they take the form of something smaller, apparently, and mine happen to be a pair of earrings."
Ian gave a small shrug, a smirk playing at his lips. "He damned well does," he said, and then added, "Well, from what I've heard, Mist fills in the gaps where necessary. So instead of learning one thing, we learn everything."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
