oo1 ✦ let’s begin.

[richesse]

[ There’s a whisper through the murmur, more a breath of feeling than a fully formed thought. It’s sweet, and warm, and laughing—though it is not gentle, nor kind.

A voice follows the whisper, chased by darkness and shadows, the very suggestion of a nightmare. ]

Do you think we’re still dreaming? Or is this a living nightmare?

[ a hum, and another brush of teasing laughter, there and gone like a brief burst of memory, the last moment of summer that you can taste on your tongue before it’s irretrievably gone. ]

You’ve changed, haven’t you? We all have. What are you thinking, right now…? Who are you?

What are you?

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[vocalistyodels]

[If his voice could be a shrug it would be.]

As I'm sure you've figured out, you ain't the only one yapping in heads.

Besides, dealt with worse.

[richesse]

Worse?

[ that genuinely surprises her. images flicker through the murmur of twisted nightmares that used to be animals, climbing walls with too many legs. ]

… have you experienced the end of the world before? [ a smile. ]

[vocalistyodels]

[It's his turn to smile, though there's a tired bitterness to it.]

Was the end for lotta folks.

[There's a flash of remembered fear, the sight of multiple large mushrooming clouds rising from the horizon of the city. Screams of people realizing what's going on.]

But some of us more like cockroaches than others.

[Hard to kill.]

[richesse]

There’s nothing wrong with surviving.

No wonder, then. You’re already used to a ruined world. Any tips you can offer? [ half-teasing. ]

[vocalistyodels]

Don't die.

[Okay smartass.]

[richesse]

[ That wins a startled, amused laugh. ]

Well then, I’ll be sure to keep that in mind. I’m fortunate to have your guidance.

[vocalistyodels]

[Maybe he should give up there merc life and become a comedian.]

Ha. Well, he's a free piece of advice to go with it. Trust ain't given, it's earned and you better off trusting someone as far as you can throw em.

[Because even once it's earned people have a way of stabbing you in the back. Or shooting. Same thing.]

[richesse]

I don’t trust anyone, as a rule.

[ said very casually. ]

Running a business is a rather cutthroat affair, after all.

[vocalistyodels]

Least someone got more than a thought knocking round in their head here.

[It's a good rule okay.]

Oh so we got little miss entrepreneur is that right?