At 1:13 A.M. in late January, 2070, the light goes on in the kitchen that bridges the Reality Check conference room and the main lab space. A somewhat ragged looking girl in sweat-soaked pajamas shuffles over to the counter, selects a coffee cube at random and drops into the steam hydrator. As it starts to pop and hiss, she pulls out one of the chairs at the small table, sits down, and then smacks her head down on the tabletop.
"My table isn't forehead-proof," comes a remark from the lab just off the kitchen. Apparently 1am is still work time for Jason because he sounds very awake in the other room. "So if you dent it, you're buying a new one."
"Were you already awake, or did you turn the room monitors back on while Inari is off on her 'find a media backer' junket?" Tracy replies. There's a 'ding' from the hydrator, and she gets up to fish a mug out of the sink, shake out the dregs of whatever was last in it, and fill it with the coffee she really doesn't like to drink in the first place.
"You assume I sleep. And speaking of sleep, why aren't you sleeping?" Jason asks from the other room. "And ... drinking those years-old coffee cubes? I use those to remove paint these days."
"Nightmare," Tracy mutters loud enough to penetrate the door, then decides she doesn't want to talk that loud so takes the mug of caffeinated sludge out into the lab. "What's your excuse? And do we have any BrainChill tablets left?"
"It's quieter to work on things at night," Jason remarks from his desk. He's hunched over a bit where he tinkers on some old-looking electronics board with some thin picks. "As for the pills. We probably have some somewhere. You really shouldn't take those, though. They're not good for you." And unuusal for him he actually stops working, sits back, and sets his tools aside. "So, what's this about a nightmare?"
"Oh, you know.. reliving some horrible thing, then it gets horribler somehow," Tracy says, brushing some damp hair out of her face. "I should be drinking water. I have to wash the bedsheets now before the sweat gets them crusty. You know I have nightmares every few nights."
"Except you defeated all the actual causes of your nightmares not that long ago. You really ought to stop punishing yourself," Jason remarks, waving a pick in her general direction. "It'll give you wrinkles."
"Who says these aren't new things?" Tracy says. "Like Inari going berserk on me, or the Frys dying because I didn't get them enough protection. And lava. Lava shows up a lot, and people falling into it. And sometimes I melt. I need to start seeing a therapist again."
"I think you like being miserable," Jason remarks. "I'm supposed to be the cranky miserable person. I might just have to sue you for infringement."
The girl makes a face after taking a sip of coffee. "I do not like being miserable," she claims softly. "I've just been busy and trying to figure things out as I go and.. just stressed. I thought I'd relax more, but I just can't unwind."
"Id recommend you spend more time in your VR designs, but frankly, they suck," Jason remarks a bit dryly. "It's been something I've been debating taking you to task on."
"You're just so encouraging," Tracy says sourly. "I've been working on other things. Like getting the King's Explorers recast into a rescue organization, and trying to get the 'VR is Real' movement to quiet down and be useful. I've gotten safe-houses set up in the Diadem and Gloaming to bring any accidental visitors to, where Hecate can portal them out, and set up the Frys with a home and tried to get them to.. retire. They cause me all sorts of problems."
"You see, your problem is you're never really satisfied. You keep tinkering on things, even when they don't need to be," Jason remarks. He leans over and taps for a bit on a console. A hiss in the room precedes the activation of an old holographic system. The air grows damp as the mist-systems kick in, then a myriad of old lasers start tracing out an uncomfortably familiar person a few feet away. Tracy fines herself looking at a translucent version of 'Lady Tracer'. "And here is a prime example of your VR designs sucking because of over-tinkering."
"What? Tracer? How is having a successful alter-ego that people actually like and respect sucking or over-tinkering?" Tracy asks, sounding confused.
"Because you keep thinking of this as some sort of hero. The problem there is that's a complete lie to hide the real hero," Jason adds. He taps for a bit on the console and the figure of Lady Tracer is slowly stripped apart; adjusted, and shaped, until Tracy finds herself looking at ... herself. "That's the real hero. Everything else is just a mask. A costume, no different than the armor I tinker on. You're better as you any day. You're real, you care, and you try. You don't need magic to make a difference. It wasn't 'Lady Tracer' who saved a world, it was you. You should quit hiding in the mask so much; the real you is better than your crappy VR creation."
"I wouldn't know how to be brave if not for that crappy VR creation," Tracy mutters. "I'm only like that in a crisis though. The rest of the time I'm a mess. But Tracer is who people know, and I need her to get things done that have to get done. If I'm so great on my own, why am I sleeping on a couch, afraid of my best friend's girlfriend and waiting on lawyers to tell me if I can restart my life yet or not. My birthday is coming up, which is also depressing."
"Because you're a person, and you're young. Look at me. I live out on the outskirts of civilization and I'm a decade older than you. I have more of the crazy-failure person markers than you do. But I'm not miserable," Jason points out, then shrugs. "And you only still sleep on a couch because you haven't asked me to build you an actual bedroom. The only person who actually looks down on you is you."
"I didn't think you wanted me staying that long," Tracy notes, and sips her bitter coffee. "Do you know anything about meta-materials?"
"If I wanted you gone, you would have been gone already. And besides, I couldn't disappoint RIU. He's still building a nest out of your underwear up in the rafters," Jason quips as he turns a bit to shut off the holo projector system. "As for meta materials ... in what sense? What context?"
"I need something that can act as a quantum insulator when interacting with superfluid Helium II," Tracy notes. "I want to make a Schroedinger Box."
"Why?" Jason asks.
"It's a project I'm working on for Penny Arcadia," Tracy says. "Just.. I had a notion about how to fix the whole fake matter problem."
"Why? We don't need matter crossing between realities, you know," Jason poibts out.
"Yeah, see.. that's the point," Tracy says. "I want to create a confined zone of isolated space in the real world, where an AI can be the only observer in order to manipulate things within the space. With a supply of real matter to use, for medical purposes. I call it Schroedinger's Cat Scan but Penny said that couldn't be the final name if it works."
"I don't blame her for refusing that name. It's silly," Jason agrees. He leans back a bit in his chair so he can look up at the ceiling. "Now, what is this about Inari tearing you apart? She's not even around right now."
"Oh.. that.." Tracy says, slouching now. "She didn't want me to flirt with or tease you anymore. She sort of had her claws out and her hands on my shoulders when she made that request. I mean, it's not like you'd ever show any interest in me anyway, right?"
"Hm. Hearing that ... if I were feeling evil, I could flirt now and you couldn't respond," Jason says as he rubs his chin a-la evil-beard sort of way. Well, evil stubble, anyway.
"Do you even know how to do that?" Tracy asks, sounding skeptical.
"So you want to found out? Jason counters.
"Hmmm," Tracy ponders. "It does mean you'd have to be nice to me though."
"Oh, well, can't have that," Jason remarks. "It might give you a big head."
Tracy does one of her sorta-sideways pouts. "How much longer are you going to be awake?" she asks. "And what are you working on, anyway? Did you want to see my machine design?"
"Nothing very important. Just trying to deal with some noise issues in the EMF defense systems," Jason says, "As for your machine ... sure. I could use a break and a laugh."
"Can you use standard VR protocols with your implant?" Tracy asks next, since.. well, she doesn't recall Jason ever actually using VR without being inside of it.
"Yes, but it feels so dirty when I do that," Jason jokes.
"Okay, but please don't mess with my scape beyond avatar-related stuff?" the girl pleads, before dragging herself to her feet and heading over to 'her' workstation.
And Tracy distinctly feels a hand swat her on the butt as she passes by Jason's desk. "Now, would I ever mess with something?" he asks innocently.
The girl squeaks, and rubs her butt (primarily to dislodge the sweat-stuck fabric of her pajamas from it). "Just for that, I get to use your bathroom in the Forbidden Zone to clean up."
"Only if I help," Jason taunts. "I'm sure I have a hose somewhere."
Settling into the papasan chair, Tracy says, "Be careful what you promise!" She slots a particularly fat v-chip in the console, and makes the security adjustments for allowing a wireless connection, then puts on her own induction set. "Give me a minute to set things up," she says, before activating the VR headgear and closing her eyes.
"Sixty second countdown starting as of now," Jason quips, then obnoxiously starts loudly counting down. "60, 59, 58, 57..."
If Tracy hears, she doesn't react. She looks asleep, which means she's probably in the deepest interface mode instead of the normal hypnogogic state used for a game.
And so Jason naturally starts throwing paper airplanes at her. He can make them quite quickly as it turns out.
One does manage to lodge in the girl's ear.. but she's still deep under. One of the workstation displays lights up, and the message 'Ready for second connection' flashes on it.
Jason almost goes over and puts her in a suggestive pose, but decides not to. Instead he just sits back and closes his own eyes to establish his own connection to the node.
There's the usual odd tunnel-vision effect, but it's also a bit odd for Jason: usually he uses RIU for this rather than go in alone. Things resolve, and he finds himself standing in front of a full length mirror in what appears to be a large walk-in closet-dressing-room combination. To his right are rows of brightly colored Hawaiian style shirts and a variety of men's shorts (some knee-length) and swimming trunks. To the left is a similar selection of women's beachwear.
"Oh how I should resist the urge to grab from the ladies side," Jason remarks. He even pauses and eyes that side for a moment.
There are skirts and sashes and other accessories on that side, along with the bikinis, monokinis, shorts and t-shirts.
Jason thinks better of it, but makes a mental note for the future. Instead, he just turns and grabs a pair of shorts and a not-too-loud shirt from the men's side. He's coordinated enough to change clothing, at least, and does. "Waste of time; why not just have people appear in appropriate attire?" he mutters.
"Are you done in there?" calls Tracy from somewhere beyond the closet.
"I can't find anything for my breasts!" Jason calls back as he finishes buttoning the shirt.
"I didn't think to include any band-aids, sorry," Tracy replies.
"Touche," Jason quips, then leaves the dressing room.
The closet opens onto a large, empty bedroom. It must be a bedroom because there's a large bed floating in the center of it. The far and back walls are made of tinted glass, showing a beach from the side and a jungle behind, with a flagstone path leading into the jungle. There's a double-door leading into the rest of building, and Tracy is waiting in it. She's wearing two clamshells and a glowing, multicolored fiber-optic 'glass' hula-skirt. "Hmmm, I half-expected you to fashion a loin-cloth out of some of the wraps," she notes.
"And you are appropriately shell-shocked," Jason remarks. "Or I could have just worn jeans and a tee-shirt. I don't see the need for beachwear."
"It's a beach-house," Tracy notes, and heads into the next room. "I don't usually wear anything since it's just me, but it's good to know the clothes actually work."
"Then why wear anything now?" Jason asks as he follows after Tracy. "It's not like I haven't seen it before..."
"Because, you're my first guest," Tracy claims. "I don't want to cause a distraction or worse: apathy." She leads the way into the main room of the house. To the left is a wet bar (complete with actual Virtuhol, which only works with induction sets) and on the right is a kitchenette area. Beyond that are low tables, couches and even an entertainment center. There is no far wall: the floor just extends out to become a deck, with a sunken conversation pit (with firepit) on one side and a hot tub on the other. "I was expecting to have more friends when I started building this," Tracy admits.
"You have quite a few friends last I checked," Jason points out as he walks along and looks. "More than I have."
The deck faces on a lagoon, with a solitary sailboat moored out in the middle of it, and a few seagulls that fly around in perpetual orbit. "I still haven't had the nerve to throw a VR party though," Tracy notes, heading for the deck.
"Why not?" Jason asks as he continues to follow along. "I'm sure that werewolf guy would love to come to one."
"Because.. I'm still not much of a party person," Tracy admits. She turns right, down some steps to the beach - and the flagstone path that goes down the side of the house to the jungle. "Also, I never had a lot of processing power before."
"Again, you could have asked to borrow my systems," Jason points out. "The worst I would do to you is make you appear decked out in balloons. Really, you can ask me for things. I kind of hoped you would have trusted me a little by now."
"I don't like to impose," Tracy says, heading into the jungle. "You're always busy and looking put-upon or being worn out by Inari."
"I have to look put upon or you would get a big head," Jason claims. "And quit being jealous of Inari."
"Also, I'm still learning fusion-bellydance and don't need an audience for that," Tracy says, and actually pauses and turns. "Jealous? Jealous? That'd be like being jealous of Sasha," she insists. "I'm nothing like Inari, and I don't want to be like her, either." She spins around, causing the skirt to flare out, and marches onward.
"Funny, because you act like her," Jason quips as he continues to follow along. By now he's stuffed his hands into the short pockets.
"I do not!" Tracy claims, as they reach a clearing. The ground is stone, somewhere between natural and set. A large hot spring (also not quite natural, not quite artificial) takes up the far end, and there are benches and towels and a massage table with a blank-faced manikin standing over it, the only detailed bits of it being the natural-looking hands and forearms. "How am I like her? I'm not pushy! Or violent! Or.. just.. taking what I want.."
"You're uncomfortable, scared, and lonely," Jason points out and rolls his eyes. "So was she when I first met her. In-between the times she was trying to kill me. Inari has her own masks too, trust me on that."
"Still.. you were supposed to be with Akiko," Tracy says, a bit more softly. "She's the one that would have gotten you out more." She stands before the rotenburo, claps her hands three times and then holds her arms spread out. The water begins to part in the middle and move aside to expose stairs and a short walk to a an otherwise submerged hatchway.
"That's a bit overly dramatic. Next you'll have a great door that opens by saying 'Open Sesame'," Jason quips, shakes his head, then follows along. "And perhaps. But Inari does need someone to look after her and keep her 'on a leash' at times. Granted that can be fun in certain contexts..."
"Your bedroom isn't that soundproofed you know," Tracy claims, and heads for the hatch. "And it's not dramatic. Lots of games use this." She punches in a combination on the hatch keypad to get it to open. "I'm sure if you were designing things, you'd have something weird."
"I could always ask Inari to bite you and make you look like her," Jason claims. "As for a door, I would have it in a volcano. That's the appropriate place for an evil genius."
"I am not an evil genius," Tracy notes, and heads inside. There's a steel catwalk leading into a blank black space. "Watch out for the laserbats and crabflies."
"No, you're just evil," Jason agrees. Since he can terminate the VR connection anytime he wants, he's not worried about any sort of strange guard creatures ... and follows along.
It turns there aren't any laserbats or crabflies after all. Just a big metal sphere, twenty feet across, connected to a lot of cryogenic pumps. There's a hatch on the front, which Tracy pulls open. It's a foot thick with insulation, and a black shimmery inner layer. Beyond that is.. another hatch, opening inward to another sphere.
"You should have designed it to look like Russian nesting dolls," Jason comments. "Spheres are so passe."
"Spheres are efficient," Tracy notes. Inside the inner sphere is a rather cramped space, mostly taken up by the rings and sliding bed of a full-body scanner. Beyond that is the familiar slap of a Q-Core, engraved with caduceus symbol. Two robotic arms with pneumatic hypodermic injectors are folded by the foot of the scanner, and are clearly able to reach inside. Tubes connect them to mixing chambers and a serious of containers above the scanner.
"Almost all the rest of the volume is ultracapacitors," Tracy says. "Enough for ninety minutes of power, with about an hour of actual quantum isolation time for the AI to operate. The insulation can't prevent heat-noise getting into the Helium sheath and breaking the isolation."
"And you say I need to get out more. You really ought to be a normal college kid," Jason remarks as he looks over the odd machine. "Not some Frankenstein protg.
"I thought I was your protege?" Tracy points out.
"Minion," Jason corrects.
Tracy rolls her eyes at that. "Sidekick, at least," she counters. "It can't do gene sequencing or anything like that. That has to be pre-done, and any gene-repair sequences loaded into the matter bank."
"Anyway, if I can get it to work, it'll fix Inari of whatever her problem is," the girl assures. "Hecate already has a simulation worked up for dealing with oxidation damage and mitochondrial repair."
"And that is why you've been doing this? To fix Inari?" Jason asks, brow arched a little at that.
"That's a big part of it, yeah," Tracy says, a bit more seriously. "But mainly.. because I wanted to make use of the technology in a way that doesn't require sending someone into VR. Something harder to abuse. Even the AI can't do a lot in the time it has to operate. This isn't magic, just superposition of virtual and real waveforms."
"I thought you hated Inari, though. Why help her?" Jason asks.
"I don't hate her, I'm just afraid of her," Tracy says. "But you're in love with her. Even when I had a major crush on you, I didn't do anything.. much.. because I knew you'd be better off with Akiko. I don't want you being hurt because of Inari's health."
"Tracy, I've lived through the death of my family. I'm tougher than you seem to think," Jason points out, then shrugs. "Not that I don't appreciate you wanting to help ... just that you aren't obligated to."
"This is how I can be a hero without Tracer though," Tracy points out. "This can save a lot of people, not just Inari. If it works. The entanglement barrier is the last issue. And if that works.. it means you can use it to protect areas against synechdoche events too, maybe."
"But you need to have your own life, too. You can't just live to help others. You need to do stuff for yourself," Jason says, "And get past your nightmares; have a real life. You don't want to end up alone in some old building on the edge."
"I've had to restart my life twice now," Tracy notes. "Third time coming up. I need to get this stuff taken care of so I can have a life. Something that's not associated with monsters and fires and flashing my boobs and faking my own death."
"If you don't want to flash your chest, you shouldn't dress like that," Jason says while pointing at the clamshells. "I really don't know what more to say to you to convince you you're fine as you are. You don't need to wear masks or be some great hero."
"Well, what do you think I should do then to be happy?" Tracy asks, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Relax for once," Jason offers. "Just ... do something someone your age normally does. Go get drunk or something. Have a fling."
"You mean.. be like my mom?" Tracy asks, squinting one eye.
"You're too tall to be like her. Also, you don't have an octopus in a purse," Jason points out.
"Did you ever do those things?" Tracy asks, still looking skeptical.
"Not really," Jason admits.
"Even know anyone who did?" the girl continues.
"Yes," Jason asnwers.
"Someone other than Officer Cranberries that is?" Tracy asks.
"Yes," Jason answers.
"Okay... that's one more person that I thought you knew," Tracy admits. "How'd they turn out?"
"Fine, far as I know," Jason says and shrugs. "And it's also one reason Inari is enjoyable to be around; she pushes me past my own barriers. There's something to be said for trying new things."
"Ah, so if I do something, it's okay to drag you along?" Tracy asks, perking up.
"If I say yes, will you quit being grumpy?" Jason asks.
"Maybe," Tracy says, noncommittally. "But you're okay with me doing things that will make me feel better, right?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Jason asks.
"Oookay!" Tracy says, putting on a big exaggerated smile. "Can I use your likeness for my massage robot?"
"Why, exactly?" Jason has to ask.
"So I can pretend you're giving me massages of course," Tracy says, tweaking one cheek upward. "Why else?"
"Why would you want me to do that?" Jason has to ask,.
"What? I can have my fantasies, can't I?" Tracy says, sticking out her chin.
"Then go ahead. It won't have the tattoo I have anyway," Jason remarks with a grin. "So it wouldn't be completely a copy of me."
"What tattoo?" Tracy asks, curious now. "You don't seem the tattoo sort. That counts as an Identifying Feature after all."
"That's my little secret, now isn't it?" Jason says, grinning now.
"Little secret, eh?" Tracy asks. Clearly she is now determined to see this. "Well.. what do you think of my quantum nano-surgery system prototype? We shouldn't linger much longer, or the salt on my skin will start to itch."
"It's moderately impressive," Jason concedes about the machine. "I can just disconnect, so I don't need to head out any doors."
"Sure, leave a mess in my metadata stack," Tracy says. "See you on the outside!"
"I'll be sure to pee on something before I leave, too!" Jason claims ... then pops out of existance!
A minute later, Tracy opens her eyes in the lab, makes an odd expression, and reaches up to pull the paper airplane out of her ear.
"Be thankful I didn't have any permanent markers at hand," Jason quips, grinning and spinning his chair around slowly.
Without a word, Tracy shuts things down, gets up, recovers her coffee mug and shuffles into the kitchen.
"Problem?" Jason calls ater Tracy.
A few minutes the girl reappears, wearing her kimono-styled bathrobe and holding a bundle of bedsheets and her pajamas, which she dumps into the washer-dryer machine made of scavenged parts. Then she heads to the door to Jason's bedroom, turns towards him, and says, "Okay, I'm ready for my sponge-bath now."
"Sponges are next to the tub. Have fun," Jason quips as he spins his chair again. "I don't think the drain is clogged right now."
"Hey, you said I could use your bathroom if you got to help out," Tracy reminds him.
"I did! I told you where the sponges were," Jason points out.
"Aren't you going to give me a tour at least?" Tracy asks, gesturing at the door. "Are there booby traps?"
"Why would I boobytrap my own bathroom?" Jason has to ask and stands anyway.
"Is that a rhetorical question?" Tracy asks.
Jason rolls his eyes. "Fine, fine," he grumbles.
Jason heads to his door and actually unlocks it. He doesn't offer for Tracy to go first, though, he walks in and leaves the door open.
"This.. isn't what I expected," Tracy admits. "Where is the bank of security monitors? And that bed is huge. And there aren't any toys.."
"What? Sometimes I like quiet," Jason notes as e heads over and taps on a wall. The panel itself flickers, then takes on an image as if the building was nestled in the mountains and looking down on a mist-covered valley lit only by moonlight. "Bathroom is through the right side panel; hidden door. It'll slide open."
Eying the wall suspicously, Tracy pokes at it until she finds the door. "What side of the bed do you sleep on?" she asks.
"I sleep in the middle," Jason answers as a door opens into a bathroom as large as the bedroom! It's also clean, made of polished metal and artificial stone. It's designed to look like a chamber built into a cave, or some sort of natural grotto. The shower at the far end looks large enough for four people, easily ... and the tub could fit six or more! And it seems to have jet nozzles. When it's turned on, it probably looks like a natural hot spring.
"Have fun in the bath," Jason says as he heads to the bed and unceremoniously falls face first on it.
"This.." Tracy seems at a loss for words. "It's decadent. So.. unlike you.." She fiddles with the controls for the tub, and gets it to fill. She grabs a towel to keep close by before shucking her robe and getting in. "I bet if I turned up some of these jets to full power I could swim in place against the current!" she notes.
"If you flood my bathroom I'll flush you down the toilet," Jason mutters. He's still face down on the bed. "I spend money where I will enjoy it. You don't know everything about me, you know."
"You didn't scavenge and restore this?" Tracy asks from the center of the tub, at the middle of the jet vortex. "I'm impressed. This had to cost a fortune."
"Do I spend money on anything else?" Jason has to point out.
"I don't know what your budget is like," Tracy admits. "I assumed you had bug-out bags full of cash and fake IDs stashed in airport lockers or something."
"Never said I didn't," Jason quips annoyingly.
Tracy is quiet for a bit as she washes her hair, then moves to one of the lounging benches in the tub where the massage jets are. "Why keep this all secret from me?" she asks. "Did you just not want me in your bedroom?"
"Why do I have to show people everything I have?" Jason counters. "My sanctuary is my private place to just relax and not worry about everything."
"Really?" Tracy asks. "You can really relax in here? What do you do?"
"I relax," is all Jason will say.
"Do you relax as well when Inari is in here?" Tracy asks next, as if trying to isolate the exact quantum-of-relaxation.
"Depends on what she wants," Jason says vaguely.
"I guess I mean when you're both just, you know.. sleeping," Tracy clarifies.
"Well, of course," Jason replies. "Sleeping is relaxing."
Tracy shuts of the jets and drains the tub, then starts toweling dry. "Okay, that's good to know," she says.
"For what?" Jason has to ask. He still sounds like he's face down on the bed.
Still drying her hair with the towel, Tracy walks into the bedroom. She sets the towel down, and pulls back the bedcover on the closest side of the bed, sliding in until she's a lump next to Jason. "I want to relax," she says. "So can I sleep in your bed with you? And I mean.. actually sleep. I've never slept next to anyone and if it's comforting then maybe I won't have nightmares."
"You're naked, and in my bed," Jason mutters from his pillow. "And are you sure you would want to? You were just saying something about Inari killing you..."
"It's a big bed," Tracy notes. "My pajamas will be dry in an hour though. I trust your established lack of interest, along with my exhaustion, to keep things chaste. Unless you want to cuddle or spoon or something? I don't know how you and Inari position yourselves. I'm okay with that, too."
"Just saying. As long as you behave, I don't care," Jason says as he flops an arm around, finds the light control, and turns off the light. It's still dim in the room from the simulated moonlight, at least. And he crawls into bed ... still fully dressed. At least he takes off his shoes and socks.
"Wait," Tracy says in sudden alarm. "Do you snore?"
"No," Jason mutters.
"Oh, okay," the girl says, laying her head back on the pillow. "Goodnight then, Jason. This bed is a lot better than the folding one. Thanks for not kicking me out of it on principle."
"There's still time for me to do that if you really want me to," Jason offers.
"I'd have to ask you to turn in your Man Card then, I think," Tracy notes.
"Touche," Jason mutters. "Goodnight. If you snore I'll stick carrots up your nose."
"If I do just roll me over and rub my belly," Tracy mutters sleepily.
"I'll rub your chest instead, just because," Jason mutters. "I still think they're secretly the volume knobs on women."
"Mine go to eleven," Tracy claims, and rolls over to face Jason. "I don't think you'd do that though. I'm sure you tested that theory with Inari already, right?"
"She gets louder," Jason mutters.
"I probably don't," Tracy claims.
"Go to sleep, you weirdo," Jason mutters, laughing.
"Halfway there.." Tracy mutters, curling up a bit to sleep.
No more commentary from Jason. Apparently he's going to let the crazygirl sleep there all night. It might also have to do with the nightstick he keeps under the pillows; just in case. Never know what she'lll do next.
Amazingly, Tracy barely moved for the rest of the night. There was none of the usual nightmare-induced thrashing about that would set off the security cameras in the conference room, or much of anything else. She kept the covers up to her chin and had her face half-buried in her pillow. And she didn't snore.
And the morning comes with sunlight bleeding through her eyelids. And there's a nice breeze too. Jason must really have good simulation gear in the bedroom! Why, the sound of overheard engines seem so real too...
The girl stirs, and a hand appears to brush the hair out of her face that's being blown about. Finally both arms appear as she rolls onto her back and stretches. "Wow, I have slept that good since... before Sasha," Tracy mutters, then finally opens her eyes.
And Tracy finds herself sitting on the roof. It's mid-morning. And even odder, she finds she has some sort of harness wrapped about her upper torso. Her arms are free, at least, but that harness is sure snug.
"Uh.." Tracy says. "Maybe I'm having a nightmare after all." She checks the harness, and to see if she's suddenly sprouted any other odd clothing, since she went to bed naked.
She's at least wearing underwear to go along with that harness; everything necessary is covered up. But. the comment about having a nightmare seems appropriate. The click that sounds from behind her, along with the tug on the harness sure seems like one.
Tracy turns around to see what's tugging on her. "What's going on?" she cries out, in case this is a dream and the vegetable garden will answer her.
Jason is standing right behind her, clad in in a partial exoskeleton. "Oh good, you're awake," he remarks, grinning, well ... it's not sadistic, but it is a rather evil grin. "Hopefully you won't flop around too much..."
"What's going on?" Tracy asks, looking scared now as she searches the harness for catches. "Did you put this stuff on me?"
"Of course. I didn't want you to fall," Jason remarks. His eyes narrow, he hefts her up and cinches the catches closer; her hack is pressed against his chest. "It's normal to scream, by the way," he whispers in her ear. There's a rumble; then the pair shoots straight upward into the air! Jason had on the rocket parts of his armor, it seems!
"Ahh!" Tracy screams, and flails her limbs. "Wait! Get us down!" she cries.
"Never! I need a moving weight test!" Jason croons as their hight draws stable and they bob back and forth several hundred feet above the ground. "And since you like to make my nights torture, I thought I would make your morning!"
"I didn't do anything!" Tracy pleads. "I just wanted a good night's sleep for once! How'd you get me into this?!"
"You don't sleep much, so when you did; it was like a rock," Jason claims as the pair bobs and weaves back and forth. The rocking back and forth eases up, within a few seconds the pair is in a stable hover. "So, it was pretty easy," he claims; the dull rumble of the rocket systems settling into a repeating tone.
"No way! Ack!" Tracy exclaims, once things settle down. "You handled me? You wouldn't touch me! And why didn't you put me into a jumpsuit! It's cold, and I have to pee!"
"That makes it more exciting, don't it?" Jason asks, grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat.
"This isn't funny," Tracy says, sounding really alarmed now. "Can we go back down now? Please?"
"You're fine. It's as safe as the crazy sport you do," Jason points out. "Safer! I built it."
"But I've got nothing to hold onto! And I'm nearly naked and I really wasn't kidding about having to pee and how could you do this to me?" Tracy rattles.
"You don't need to hold onto anything, you're strapped to me!" Jason points out. "Isn't this exhilarating?"
"I WANT TO GO BACK DOWN!" Tracy cries, and really does seem about to burst into tears.
So, down they actually go. The descent is controlled, but reasonably quick. Her feet are touching the pebbled roof within the next minute. The sounds of jets cut off too. Click goes the catches that were securing her to Jason a few seconds later. "Not quite the reaction I expected," he admits.
Tracy immediately gets down on her knees and hyperventilates. "Not.. what were you expecting?" she cries. "I have nightmares about being kidnapped and you.."
"Tried to show you everything was okay, even when you aren't in complete control," Jason admits as he crouches down. "And that sometimes you have to trust people. Yes, I know, that coming from me. Life is full of unexpected things; but it tends to work out."
"I trusted you, and you.. tied me up?" Tracy sniffs. "Are you crazy? Things were bad enough for me when I was just at Executive's Kid levels of danger, and even then nobody thought I was worth the risk! The only guy who did just wanted to cash in on it! I've been on TV associated with a terrorist attack, reported killed by Dantech drones.. and probably have the fringiest fringe of the 'VR is Real' movement wanting to get their hands on me too. Nobody in their right mind would have anything to do with me except for people I shouldn't trust!"
"No, if you were tied up you wouldn't be able to move," Jason points out, "I used a tandem jump harness on you. Big difference." He starts t fiddle with his feet now, disconnecting the makeshift jet assemblies. "And I hate to point this out, but the fringest of the fringe isn't as strange as I am; and you aren't scared of me. You see too many shadows. And when a guy legendary for being paranoid tells you that, maybe you should listen."
Tracy is still choking a bit and wiping her eyes. "So, you say it's all in my head and I'm paranoid and don't have any problems at all.." she mutters. "Despite that a bunch of fantasy monsters did come after me and caused a lot of damage on the way, and my ex did try to sell me out.. Sorry, I've been through this all before you know. And just like then, nothing I do changes anything."
"It is because you invite it. You chose the ex that sold you out," Jason points out. "You basically want to be miserable, so you ensure that you are."
"And nothing changes because you don't want it to," he adds.
The girls turns to glare at Jason and asks, "So what do I do? What can I do?"
"Let it go," Jason suggests. "And try enjoying living instead of being afraid of it."
"What does that mean? Let it go?" Tracy asks, still upset and rubbing at her forehead. "I just.. Can we go inside? I still can't believe you dug out my underwear and.."
"I can't believe you want me to be predicable," Jason counters. "And that you shave off your body hair."
"I don't shave," Tracy snaps. "I use a long-acting topical.. why would you even bring that up?" She asks. "I know you don't find me attractive but do you have to tease me about everything?"
"Because it made dealing with you like dealing with an android, or a mannequin," Jason points out as he rises. "And yes, I do, or you would accuse me of being sick."
"So I'm a mannequin now," Tracy mumbles and heads for the stairs, only pausing to ask, "Is there some other way inside that's less exposed?"
"What do you want to be?" Jason asks, "And of course there is. No self-respecting recluse like me would be without a few secret doors." And so he kicks the side of an air vent and another stairway down opens up a few feet away from him.
Tracy seems hesitant to enter the stairwell, as if worried someone my push her from behind. "I want to be.. someone worth the risk. Not just valued by what I'm worth to others," she says quietly as she starts to descend. "I'm tired of being worthless."
"Who said you were worthless?" Jason asks as he follows behind Tracy. "Secret of life, you're only worth the price you set on yourself. Take me for example, I'm priceless."
"You said it," Tracy notes. "You said a 'relationship' with me wasn't worth the risk of embarrassment if anyone found out. With the other guys who broke it off, I always told myself - and mom did too - that they were just afraid. But Sasha laid it out for me: I just wasn't worth the trouble. There's nothing special about me. There're plenty of better choices that don't have crap in their pasts that can't be asked about."
"Why care what she said, or what I did?" Jason notes as the end up on one of the ceiling catwalks. He closes up the stairs to the roof behind them. "And going by that logic of being 'worth it', I'm not either. I have plenty of things in my past I can't talk about."
"It's okay for a guy to be mysterious," Tracy claims, then vaults over the railing of the catwalk to catch the edge, where she can swing towards the wall, grab another pipe and drop down to the floor.
"By what logic?" Jason asks. His way down is more direct. He just rolls over the edge of the catwalk and uses the boot jets to stop himself from splattering on the floor.
"What's logic got to do with it?" Tracy asks, and finds a clear spot on a worktable to sit. "I'm just not.. very likable. I don't make friends easily, I'm emotionally fragile.. and I just fail at life in general."
"And I'm a mannequin too apparently," she sighs. "I mean.. what would you have done if I'd woken up while you were.. handling me?"
"Logic has everything to do with it. Also, I thought you had to pee," Jason remarks. "As for what I would have done, I would have claimed I was arranging blackmail photos."
"My bladder exaggerates when I'm under stress," Tracy says, "And because I was taught to say that when abducted.. and to do it if necessary because fouling yourself can potentially discourage rape."
"Like I would attempt that," Jason remarks and rolls his eyes. He now has to busy himself with removing the jets and the partial skeletal supports he's sporting.
"Executive Abduction Training makes a lasting impression when you're 15 years old," Tracy points out. "Why do you think I automatically stiffen up at first whenever I'm touched? And I still can't believe you'd mess around with me naked but would never give me a hug or anything comforting.."
"Putting clothing on someone is hardly 'messing around'," Jason points out, waving one boot around for emphasis. "And I have been plenty comforting."
"You have?" Tracy asks. "You seem to go out of your way to kick me or stomp on any sign of hope or.. I guess we have different notions of comfort then," she mutters.
"I treat you like a friend," Jason points out. "If I hated you, I would just ignore you. Instead, I've let you live here and I've kept it interesting."
"So, you treat me like a friend, even though I'm just a nuisance you're stuck babysitting?" Tracy asks, frowning. "I thought.. after all the stuff you said last night.." She rubs at her face and sighs. "You offered to build me my own bedroom. Is that because you like having me around, or because you know I don't have anyplace else to go? What am I to you, really?"
"Someone more screwed up than I am," Jason claims. "And someone who needs to have another person around who won't tell them what they want to hear, but what they need to hear. So, a friend. Also, your left boob is slightly smaller than your right one."
"That's normal," Tracy notes. "If you were more familiar with boobs you'd know that. Are they as nice as Inari's though?" she asks.
Jason bursts out laughing. "The things I think will make you blink, don't," he says, wheezing.
"Well, it's not like I was awake to appreciate you noticing," Tracy claims. "And you didn't answer the question!"
Jason is too busy not falling over from laughing to answer the question it seems. "Why does it matter?" he counters once he can manage to breathe again.
"Because it's the only other set you're familiar with," Tracy points out. "And because Inari intimidates me."
"And this has become a battle of the boobs?" Jason asks.
"I'm just curious," Tracy claims. "I mean.. I want to know if there's another thing to add to my jealousy list. Or my inadequacy list. I don't have a victory list.."
"And I know there is no safe answer to that question, so I won't answer it," Jason points out. It is his turn to wipe his eyes of tears ... from the laughing.
Narrowing her eyes, Tracy says, "Well.. I bet mine taste better at least. And in the face of no evidence to the contrary I'm going to claim that as a victory: non-musky tasting boobs."
"I like how hers taste," Jason remarks. He even waggles his brow, adding, "It's a real call of the wild..."
Tracy sticks her tongue out and makes a face. "Ugh.. so.." she asks, looking more sidelong at Jason now, "are you in love with her?"
"Love is such a vague term," Jason answers as he waves his other boot around now. "And don't knock the experience of being with someone slightly animalistic."
"Yeah, well, the werewolf wasn't that impressed with the real me so I guess I'll just have to imagine," Tracy notes. "Do you love me?" she asks.
"You turned the werewolf down," Jason points out. "And why all these questions about love?"
"I didn't turn him down," Tracy claims. "And I'm just curious to know if you love anyone. I mean, I was in love with someone!"
"Given I would have died to save Inari, and I've offered to give up being human for her, infer what you will," Jason answers rather indirectly.
Tracy's quiet for a bit, then asks, "So what's wrong with me? That I have to fix to be.. less miserable?"
"You worry too much about how other people see you. Just be you. Quit trying to impress others.
"You worry too much about how other people see you. Just be you. Quit trying to impress others. Also, walking around naked is not necessary," Jason adds. "Plus, grow some fur. Maybe a tail..."
"I never tried to impress others," Tracy claims. "And.. you don't really know what I'm normally like. I'm wishy-washy and quiet and shy around most others. And I don't 'walk around naked' for attention! That was just because you.. that is, I.." Tracy pauses to rub her face again. "Since you're in love with Inari, and I'm no temptation or anything, can I sleep with you so I don't have nightmares? My pajamas were in the wash last night.."
"That was just because what?" Jason asks, "And maybe you can. It depends."
"Because I wanted your attention," Tracy says, throwing her hands in the air. "I'm a stupid teenager who fell in love with a jerk who couldn't see what was in front him because he was still hung-up on unresolved feelings for someone else, and clearly wasn't ever going to be happy with me so I pushed him to resolve things and.. as usual.. just got hurt and heartbroken and had my nose rubbed into just how badly I'd lost.."
"Clearly I did it because I want to be miserable, just like you said," she concludes.
"One, I'm far too old for you. Two, you can do a lot better. Three, I'm broken anyway," Jason points out and sighs. "You saw what the younger me was like on to of it. You know, the clone. I'm hardly likable."
"But you were someone I could talk to about the stuff I couldn't talk to about with anyone else," Tracy says quietly. "And you were all alone. I thought you'd be.. sympathetic. Age doesn't matter you know. But I was doomed to fail anyway. I always have been, because I won't play to win. Because of her. My mantra has always been, 'What Would Sasha Do,' just so I would know what not to do. It's not just with you, it's with everyone. I've convinced myself that trying to get what I want is.. bad."
"That all depends on motives and methods," Jason points out and shrugs a bit. "And who says I wasn't sympathetic? I just don't ... coddle. That would just re-enforce, well ... self destructive behavior."
"Because all you ever did was make me feel guilty for feeling bad, because everyone else had it worse," Tracy notes, looking at her feet and twitching her lips back and forth. "I couldn't even suffer adequately. I just don't want to be hurt anymore. I sometimes wish I could just.. merge back with Tracer again. I don't have to worry about anyone getting hurt just because they're around her. Or having to deal with questions that I can't answer.. I still don't know what to do if someone asks me about any of this stuff. Hey, what was that attack about? Can't say. What's up with that whole being shot down thing? Can't say. What reason do I have to trust you then? None."
"You shouldn't be suffering at all. You're punishing yourself, others aren't trying to. And if someone asks you about stuff, just tell them you don't want to talk about it. If they keep asking, you just don't say anything. And I wasn't trying to make you feel guilty, I was trying to get you to forget about it, or laugh, or hit me with a pillow for being annoying, or something," Jason says, "And since you're so worried about if people think they can trust you. Why do you feel you can trust me? It isn't like I ever give a straight answer."
"Because I think you care about me," Tracy says. "That maybe, just maybe, you actually want a friend to hang around with. It doesn't hurt me to be around you anymore, not like it did at first when Inari was here. I felt trapped. I still feel trapped. You say I just have to change my outlook but.. how? The stupid risks I wasn't worried about did happen. I still don't know what to do. Should I just go live on the Avatars campus so my parents can watch over me? Get an internship, let them set me up with someone they know they can control? You've seen how far away I am from what I want to be - a friggin' virtual party house that nobody's ever been to!"
"I think you should have breakfast and be grateful I didn't know you used pee as a defense mechanism," Jason finally says after all that. "Otherwise ... well ... I think the first aid kit does have a catheter kit for handling kidney stones..." He's also making sure there is at least one table between himself and the girl.
Tracy sits up straight and takes a deep breath. "Breakfast.." she says. "And it does matter if I'm naked right? I mean.. you're at least a little uncomfortable about it?" she asks.
"I'm not dead am I? Of course it is uncomfortable," Jason says and rolls his eyes.
"And you were just teasing about the fondling my breasts if I snore thing?" she asks next, just to be certain.
"Try it and find out," Jason threatens.
"I'd rather be able to sleep soundly," Tracy says. "And you have my permission to sleep naked if you want to. After all, I could have had you anytime I wanted, if not for What Would Sasha Do." She grins, and gets up, adjusting her panties a bit before heading back to the bedroom (where her bathrobe is). "It just takes three little words, after all.."
"And what words are those?" Jason just has to ask. "And I am not that easy."
Tracy pauses and turns, hands on hips, and says, "I. Challenge. You.. And it'd be something hard too, like.. make love to me at least three times a day until Inari returns or something! I'm pretty sure it meets the rules of the game, since I might back out of it. Probably the only Challenge to you I could win really. And do you think I should throw a VR party on my birthday? Use the beach house, actually come out that I'm Lady Tracer and all that?"
"Hardly a challenge. I'll just build a replica of myself," Jason claims. "As for your birthday, throw a real party, not a fake one. They're more fun. Except for vomit; that's not so much fun. Now go, get dressed. Worry about things later."
"A real party?" Tracy asks. "Uh.. I'm not as confident in reality you know. And what do you want for breakfast?" she calls, stopping first at the dryer to retrieve her pajamas and then heading for the bedroom.
And as helpful as ever, Jason answers that with "Edible food!" There's this pause, then he adds, "But not the edible undies Inari left. I'm saving those..." He smirks to himself, then wanders into the kitchen, muttering to himself about it would serve her right if she thinks too much on that.
Zahnrad theres.