Etraya Inbox

[hexcope]

𝐓𝐄𝐗𝐓 | 𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐄 | 𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎 | 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

Comments

[hexcope]

Why?

[levelshift]

I'm well-versed in AI, and my ability is really fucking useful. I know it sounds egotistical, but I bring a lot to the table. My going would increase the chance of the group succeeding.

[hexcope]

It's not egotistical if it's right. You should be there. I just wanted to see if you're going for the right reasons.

How's your defense looking? If you need someone to look out for you while you're doing something that needs your full concentration, Caitlyn, Vander, and Sevika are also going. I'd recommend asking them, in that order.

[levelshift]

What are the wrong reasons, in your opinion?

I'll be fine. I'm good at splitting my attention, and most shit can't get through my defensive measures.

[That said, it's kind of interesting he's recommending Vander.]

Not sure I'd ask Vander even if I wanted to, anyways.

[hexcope]

To prove something or for revenge.

Why not Vander?

[levelshift]

Yeah, those would be some real immature reasons.

[He's too mature for that nonsense.]

I think he's been projecting onto me because of his damn kids.

And not that I can talk, but I know he's done bad stuff back home. I've seen what he can do. I'm not scared of him, but I know he tries to be a fucking reliable adult and I don't know if he is.

[He's spent most of his life around unreliable adults, he's a little wary when they try to push the whole trustworthy narrative at him.]

[hexcope]

Maybe I don't know what you're talking about, because he's one of the most consistently reliable people I know here.

[levelshift]

Is he? Did you two know each other back home?

[hexcope]

No, but... There's something to be said about knowing where someone comes from in relation to yourself. Shared memories of the same places, or the same people. Even if I didn't know Vander as well as I do, I'd be more likely to put my trust in him before someone from another world.

But biases aside, if there's one thing I can trust him to do, it's try to protect people he considers his people. Which you would be.

[levelshift]

[Accelerator's reply doesn't come for several minutes, he's too busy ruminating on this. He's used to adults being disappoints at best, and outright monsters at worst. There have only been a few rare exceptions in his life, so he's hesitant to take Jayce at his word.]

You know I don't trust people that easily.

[hexcope]

Let's start here.

Do you trust that I haven't lied to you?

[Even to his own detriment, he's been as honest as he can.]

And do you trust that I'm smart?

[levelshift]

Yes to your second question.

[He feels Jayce has proven his intelligence, so he doesn't have any doubts there. That first question though, that one is harder for him to answer definitively.]

I don't know about that first one.

[Accidentally or otherwise, he isn't sure.]

[hexcope]

[Hurts a little that even after all that, Accelerator still doesn't trust his honesty. But it's not about his feelings right now.]

Then trust that I'm looking at this with efficiency in mind. This trip to Somara's more than just a rescue mission, it's a preventive measure. If Borealis isn't able to be contacted, if Alrys is left alone, everyone in Etraya's going to have to be looking over their shoulder for the foreseeable future, and we don't have the defensive measures for any sort of invasion prevention outside of what Aurora would have to handle. None of this should be new to you. I'm sure you've thought it before yourself.

You have your defenses, but you can't do it all alone. Vander's good at protecting people, as long as Silco's not around as a distraction. I'm not saying you pour your heart out to him. I'm saying if you give him a task you need done with urgency, there's no doubt in my mind he'll get it done.

[levelshift]

[Better to be honest than to lie and get Jayce's hopes up, especially since he's actively working towards the kind of trust Accelerator reserves for people like Harold.

The way Jayce explains this, anyways, is something he can understand. It's logical and pragmatic, and those qualities help take the focus off of the personal edge that comes with trusting someone.]

Okay.

What you're saying makes sense. I don't want Etraya to be unsafe, and from everything we've heard this Alrys person is a threat. [He also wants to look into Borealis' status.]

I guess I didn't expect to see him lose control like he did. Before Aphaia he didn't seem like a person who loses control.

[hexcope]

[Jayce doesn't know what Accelerator's talking about. He didn't see Vander for most of Aphaia, so he'll have to discern exactly what happened there from someone else- probably Vander himself.

It's a good thing this is text, and Jayce can more easily regulate his response.]

All of us have the capacity to lose control. It's human nature.

[The capacity to be a monster.]

[levelshift]

[He supposes that's true. Anyone can get angry or upset enough that they flip out, even people who seem too relaxed or too in control of themselves all the time. Is it supposed to be a part of growing up to realize that that includes adults? He isn't really sure. It could just be his own baggage when it comes to control.]

It doesn't feel like it is, sometimes.

[hexcope]

It seems like a choice, right? "If I'm so in control, why can't everyone else be?"

But we all have our breaking points. It's the people who keep it all locked inside that have the hardest time keeping themselves in check when they hit that point.

[levelshift]

That feels so irresponsible. If you're the kind of person who can hurt people when you lose control, then it's on you to fucking manage that.

[He refrains from saying it's unfair, but that's what he's thinking.]

I put in the effort, other people can too.

[hexcope]

Do you hurt people when you lose control?

[Feels like the easy answer is yes. If your "weapon" is a shield that can hurt people if they touch it, what happens when you lose control of the shield?]

[levelshift]

[He almost replies with, 'What the hell do you think?' But opts for something else.]

I kill people when I do.

[It... isn't much better.]

[hexcope]

[Yeah, that's about the answer he was expecting. It was less about the accurate answer and more about being able to lead into this question:]

So what do you do for stress relief?

[levelshift]

[Stress relief??? That isn't high on his priority list. It takes him a minute to come up with an answer.]

Sleep.

[hexcope]

Ace.

[levelshift]

What?

[hexcope]

That's not stress relief, that's a bodily function.