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 Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:34 am
Before was in the cafeteria, busy applying the finishing touches to a table he managed get all to himself. He made sure the thermos of hot coffee (the contents swiped from the Mist Lounge) was full, no one was trying to sneak off with the plate of assorted cookies (ranging from butter pecan to chocolate chip), and his pad of paper was in front of him. It looked like everything was in order! All he needed to do was send the message. Before took a deep breath as he stared at his phone and keyed in the recipient.Quote: Text to HarrisonHi! Are you busy? If not, can I ask you some stuff? I'm in the cafeteria. Toshihiko Two Text to HarrisonI have cookies 8D
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Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 7:08 am
Harrison never turned down Before's cooking. The guy was just plain handy to have around during projects or get-togethers, and he always cooked a ton.
He turned up hungry, eyeballing the plate stacked with cookies. The REALLY great part about Before was that he had transferred out of Life, so you didn't have to worry about the goodies being stacked with experimental formulas.
"Hey, man, how you been?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:02 am
Before looked perfectly pleased that Harrison was so obliging to him. Granted he didn't spent a lot of time with the Moon hunter, but Before never had reason to be wary or suspicious of Harrison's motives, so the willingness was just a plus.
"Good. Good-ish. As good as anyone in Deus can be," he grinned as he nudged the cookies towards Harrison. Yes, he made them just for you ^w^v "Thanks for coming, I, uh, know it was totes short notice." He gestured at the empty chair he'd saved, "Please have a seat, I got coffee too! Or would you rather have some milk? I think I got some whole cream stashed away..." he rambled.
Yes, Before was nervous and kept fidgeting with the pad he was holding.
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Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 1:24 pm
"Milk and ice cream'd be great," Harrison said, taking the offered seat and making himself comfortable.
He took a frosted cookie, which was like a little sugary piece of heaven.
"What'd you want to ask about?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2012 10:51 pm
Before took note of the request, "I can totes get you some after this, ah, super-duper short interview!" he promised. "It ain't anything big or secret-like, just wanna know what your thoughts on being a Moonie is," Before explained, then began to scroll through his phone's options until he got the program he wanted. "Okay so, please state your name, rank, and division first. And then answer "What are you thoughts on being a Moonie?"" OwO
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Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 11:28 pm
Harrison laughed. "That's all? Sure."
He bit into another cookie, then leaned against the table, one cheek full of crumbs.
"Harrison Hughes. Intermediate Trainee-" he paused there, "but I'm putting in for a promotion to full Hunter pretty soon. Not gonna transfer divisions, either. And I'm a Moon, obviously, heh."
He scratched his chin.
"Moon's not too complicated, I guess. We're on the frontline, along with the Suns. Anything that involves keeping your a** safe, that's us. Defense, Rescue, Repair, First Aid. Everybody else, they go out on Missions with like, objectives. Get this info, kill this guy, do this research, whatever. But Moons always got the same job, and that job is to make sure the team comes back safe. ...And you can't get mad at other Divisions for making stupid moves or thinking there's such a thing as acceptable losses. They're doing their thing. It's not their job to think about it."
Harrison chewed it over while he chewed on a buttercrunch.
"You also got to be able to deal with pressure, and ******** up. You live with it and move on. You're the last line of defense, and when you don't save people, that's it for them. ...But we're up against some evil s**t. And at the end of the day, it is what it is. You got to focus on what you can do- even if you're a screw-up, you're better than nothing. Moons don't do their job, Suns go in without anybody defending them. Stations don't get a barrier. Somebody's got to do it. Somebody's got to be there."
Harrison tapped the table pointedly.
"And on a goddamn personal note. There's a lot of like, vendettas and s**t out there. This guy doesn't like him, she hates her, whatever. But, and I've said this before, just because you don't like somebody doesn't mean they're never going to do you any good. We need every hunter we can get. Every guy we lose, that hurts everybody. But," Harrison held up his finger, "You gotta remember that includes you. You don't need to go out there being a hero and getting your dumb a** killed over it. You stay alive, you stay working, you'll save a lot more hunters than you will with some shitty last stand. The math there's pretty basic."
The cookies were half gone.
"...Can I take some of these with me?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 4:06 am
Before nodded encouragingly, "Sure! Totes! Made 'em for you after all! Didn't know what exactly you'd like so I made a whole bunch! Just a couple more follow-up questions and we should be done here," he smiled, relieved that things were going swimmingly and there were no threats being thrown here and there. Yeah, Harrison was cool, mos def cool!
"Are there any divisions in particular you find it difficult working with? Or is it more of an individual thing?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 9:44 am
Harrison considered this.
"Guess the Divisions that aren't Sun are about the same. There it's kinda like working on a timer. You defend and defend and defend until your shield gives out, and hope they've...decoded a machine or whatever the hell they're doing. Suns are a different story."
His expression took on a kind of distant sparkle.
"With them, it's like you could both go forever. Like a proper killin machine. You're defending for a reason, everything that distracts them, you get to first, and they eat through the badguys like they're at a buffet table. Without a Moon, they get swamped, but together- nothing better than that. Didn't know what defending was until I worked with a Sun."
He folded up some cookies in a napkin, and reached for a fifth one to chew on.
"Mists acting as Suns are okay," he acknowledged. "It's a mindset. Now that's an individual thing. Depends on the Mist. Me and Candace work together a lot, she's a damn professional. And that wheel of yours, bet it could do some damage."
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2012 5:06 am
Before was finding this insight fascinating as he nodded enthusiastically with the points Harrison made. "Huh, never really saw it that way," he murmured, rubbing his chin in thought, glad he decided to record the interview instead of going with the old pen and paper.
When the topic turned to Before's own division substituting as a Sun, the brunette looked a tad bit awkward. Said awkwardness increased by tenfold at the praise. Or at least what sounded like a praise, that had to be a praise, yes?
Yes, silly Before. Harrison has yet to demonstrate his ability to give you back-handed compliments, Vanna mentally assured him.
"Ah, um, th-thanks," Before stammered, scratching the back of his neck nervously, "All the props goes to Vanna though. If she wouldn't let me lift her when summoned, I don't think I'd be able to do much of anything. A-anyway!" He coughed, giving the pad one final glance. "Last question and you're free to go! How do you deal when someone you know d-" he seems unable to say the word, but he manages to finish the thought with "Goes away?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 9:01 pm
Harrison bundled up the cookies tightly, frowning at the question. After a while he said, "Wish there was an easy answer."
He elaborated.
"Guess the smart answer is that you keep it off the field. Work. Get the job done. Grieve in private. If you lose it, especially as a Moon, it means more hunters will join them. But..."
It wasn't a mindset everyone was equipped for.
"Sometimes it's all you can do just to stay on two feet. There's nothing that can fix it or make it better. Time, maybe. If you live that long."
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:49 am
The Mist digested Harrison's words, letting them sink in for a few moments before he turned the recording option off. His face was a carefully neutral expression when he turned to face the Moonie, "Thanks for doing this. Seriously. I know I'm not really there for most of the missions and we don't do a lot of the duties and chores and stuff together, and hell, we haven't even sparred since... at all," Before rambled, the corner of his lips quirking ever so slightly. "But I totes appreciate that you don't mind, like, talking to me and stuff outside of missions."
After all the sorts of horrors and tortures they as hunters had to go through, Before realized he never made his appreciation known. Coupled with the fact that he genuinely liked and immensely respected Harrison, well, the Mist wondered why it took him so long.
Maybe because you're a moron, a spiteful voice that did not sound in the least bit like his weapon sneered. Before recognized whose it was, and so ignored it.
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Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 9:35 pm
Harrison smiled wryly, "Ha. It's not you. I just don't do a lot of sparring. All that fighting on an even playing field's not my style."
He shrugged.
"I like you. And your cooking. And I don't mind answering s**t. Or like, hanging out." He took one last bite. "You need s**t, you let me know. Or practice on your defense game. Ofelia's a friend of yours, isn't she? I mean, you bake s**t. She's always getting banged up. And when she's in battle, she doesn't stop. Just keeps on hitting until she can't. So she needs a Moon. Or a Mist with a weapon like yours. That wheel would make a hell of a shield. Just, you know. Think about it, next time you're on mission."
He picked up the napkin and extras with another smile.
"Thanks for the cookies."
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