"Play the game. It's good for her and it's good for you," Jedao tells him as Gliss rings softly in pleased acknowledgement, then settles in with her cool titanium paws draping down to make gentle biscuits on Ekko's shoulder, while she makes a low singing-bowl like hum that seems to be her version of purring.
"If you can get to level 30 I'll give you a gold star."
"This whole room is. We're not supposed to make the mechanics of the barge work. We're just here to give her...effort, attention, interaction. Care. The details don't matter, but treating it like it matters, matters."
Or at least, that's Jedao's best theory after three years working here.
"The precision helps," Jedao promises. "And...yeah. I think she's cool too." His voice gets a little warm and soft as he says it; Jedao isn't just proud of his work or intrigued at the concept. He cares about the barge like she's a person he loves.
He'll take Jedao's word for it. There's a brief glance at him at the tone.
"A few things. I'd show you my mace, but I don't have it with me. My hoverboard, too."
He sounds a touch sad when he says it - they're not just his inventions, but parts of him. Even if he can, very begrudgingly, understand why he couldn't have the former back.
He pulls out what is absolutely a little picnic basket from under a bulkhead, and pulls out a tupperware of uneven, only slightly cracked homemade meringues.
"My husband makes them for me because he's the best." Jedao gets a properly smitten look on his face about it, then offers the open tupperware to Ekko.
Jedao leaves the tupperware on the bulkhead, and he does help himself to one of the meringues before starting to putter around, turning a hand crank here, ringing a bell three times there, tossing a second cookie into the little steam boiler and then stoking up the coals.
An unfortunate way to meet a guy, but so it goes. Hey, turns out your inmate killed me! Honestly, it's probably not an uncommon way to meet people here, all things considered.
"He enjoys the challenge, I think. If I were a gambling man -" and he is, "I'd say Sebastian's got another three years or so. You'll be out of here long before, unless we all fail you horrendously."
"No, one to two years is average, I think. And I'm pretty sure you've just learned to deal with bad circumstances and need a fucking break and some new tools. It's the one with bad values they're clinging to really hard that get stuck for ages," is Jedao's observation.
"I'm aiming for six," Jedao admits shamelessly. "Although to be fair I had a head start, Hakkai was still graduating himself around when I knocked out my first one."
He's quite for a moment.
"It isn't fair. But it's also not fair that almost everyone in the universe never gets a chance to earn a miracle, and we do. There are times when fairness is extremely important to consider, and there are times when you have to decide if you're willing to take the opportunities you've been given regardless."
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2025-09-08 12:41 am (UTC)"If you can get to level 30 I'll give you a gold star."
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Date: 2025-09-08 10:35 am (UTC)"You do realize there's nothing like this from my world and I only just started getting used to it, right?"
Nevertheless, he leans forward to get into position.
"I don't suppose you'd let me look at the guts sometimes?"
He's a nerd, so getting to figure out how things work is much more exciting than any game.
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Date: 2025-09-08 03:26 pm (UTC)So, there's that. The plinky music comes on: absolutely classic arcade Tetris.
"Have you opened up your communicator yet?"
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Date: 2025-09-09 07:57 pm (UTC)Talking while playing is going to be even more challenging, but he'll give it a shot.
The question gets a snort.
"Yeah, and it's about as sensical as the stuff in here."
Ekko hadn't known whether to be disappointed or amused.
"The game machine like that, too?"
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Date: 2025-09-10 04:51 am (UTC)Or at least, that's Jedao's best theory after three years working here.
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Date: 2025-09-12 10:16 pm (UTC)He loses on the first level, makes a face, then starts again.
"I'm definitely more a mechanics guy. Won't say it isn't cool, though. The whole "living ship" thing."
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Date: 2025-09-13 09:34 pm (UTC)"Did you build stuff before?"
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Date: 2025-09-13 09:46 pm (UTC)"A few things. I'd show you my mace, but I don't have it with me. My hoverboard, too."
He sounds a touch sad when he says it - they're not just his inventions, but parts of him. Even if he can, very begrudgingly, understand why he couldn't have the former back.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-14 01:17 am (UTC)The only mace he knows is Zerxus's.
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Date: 2025-09-14 08:23 pm (UTC)Level 3 defeated, baby! He is moving UP in the world!!
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Date: 2025-09-15 01:01 am (UTC)"I'll request your hoverboard from the Admiral later if you'll show me how it works," he offers.
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Date: 2025-10-02 03:56 am (UTC)"If you do that, I'll even strip it to the bones!"
Ekko. Ekko, you didn't pause the game...
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Date: 2025-10-02 04:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-10-07 12:52 am (UTC)He tries to recover, but there goes another life. He looks at Jedao.
"What do I get if I reach level..." ... "...five?"
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Date: 2025-10-08 01:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-10-08 03:09 am (UTC)Listen, he's a slums kid, cookies were probably a luxury as it was.
no subject
Date: 2025-10-08 03:12 am (UTC)He pulls out what is absolutely a little picnic basket from under a bulkhead, and pulls out a tupperware of uneven, only slightly cracked homemade meringues.
"My husband makes them for me because he's the best." Jedao gets a properly smitten look on his face about it, then offers the open tupperware to Ekko.
no subject
Date: 2025-10-13 12:45 am (UTC)"Huh."
But there is a faint smell that smells like it could be edible, soooo why not, he supposes.
Back to gaming.
"Who's your husband?"
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Date: 2025-10-13 04:50 am (UTC)Jedao leaves the tupperware on the bulkhead, and he does help himself to one of the meringues before starting to putter around, turning a hand crank here, ringing a bell three times there, tossing a second cookie into the little steam boiler and then stoking up the coals.
no subject
Date: 2025-10-17 10:57 pm (UTC)An unfortunate way to meet a guy, but so it goes. Hey, turns out your inmate killed me! Honestly, it's probably not an uncommon way to meet people here, all things considered.
"He's sure got his work cut out for him."
no subject
Date: 2025-10-19 03:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-10-22 08:02 am (UTC)Said with no amount of hidden concern. He can't help but glance at Jedao at the last part.
"Yeah? What makes you say that?"
no subject
Date: 2025-10-25 08:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-05 06:45 am (UTC)...yeah, he won't touch that other part. Look at him! Look at how focused he is on beating level four!!
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Date: 2025-11-06 02:23 am (UTC)He's quite for a moment.
"It isn't fair. But it's also not fair that almost everyone in the universe never gets a chance to earn a miracle, and we do. There are times when fairness is extremely important to consider, and there are times when you have to decide if you're willing to take the opportunities you've been given regardless."
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