[ robo priest man take me by the hand ]

[recrowns]

Comments

[robopriest]

[can't believe he'll now be hooked completely on tea]

It looks like that kid found a loophole. Speed up the process, get his memories back...its just a recipe for disaster.

How do we convince those who might be swayed by the temptation that murdering isn't the way to go, here, especially after hearing something like that?

[recrowns]

[every other coffee drinker just upset at this betrayal]

Well, you could probably make a list? Who would even be tempted by something like that?

Sora, Hikaru, Uraraka, Yona, and so on - unlikely to reach for their weapons except in self-defense. Eliminate those names, try to determine the motivations for everyone else.

Some you can probably get through to over time - if time is something we have here. The primary strategy would probably to find something to stay their hand while we determine how to dismantle the Realm - or stabilize it, whichever.

A bit difficult when we're all virtually strangers.

[robopriest]

This is true. But now, I fear people will be more secretive with their intentions. If you push a person too hard, they'll shut up like a clam.

[A short sigh.]

And if someone dies that others were close to...that could set things off. Even a person who wouldn't want to kill may kill in revenge, if we don't find the culprit.

[recrowns]

If I die, you don't have to seek revenge.

[soo-won]

[robopriest]

[Just. Stares at him.]

Soo-won. Please.

[recrowns]

[he laughs a bit]

It's alright - I don't plan on dying. I still have things that I need to do, and until I accomplish them, I don't intend on allowing death to claim me. If anyone wants to protect me in place of my bodyguards, I'd welcome it.

[ . . . ]

That said - I don't take back the sentiment.

[robopriest]

I don't think most people "plan" on dying, but sure.

[He shakes his head, smiling lightly.]

Bodyguards is an idea, though. [And a beat.] And don't worry. I'm not the revenge type.

[recrowns]

[there's just a bit of a smile at that - most people don't. some people just know.

anyway,]

Good to hear. Though if we're assigning bodyguards to anyone, I'd like it to be to people who don't know how to defend themselves...

[and he would like one just for kicks but listen he's trying to be fair]

[robopriest]

That's a good point. Are you one of those people? I could defend you.

[He heard what you were saying before, Soo-won.]

You said you needed someone in place of your bodyguards, right?

[recrowns]

[wh

what the heckie]

Eh? Ah, in truth, I'm not entirely defenseless...

[but he seems rather touched at even the offer? who just randomly offers to be a bodyguard for someone that they've only known a week!]

And I wouldn't be able to properly compensate you until we're done here. I wouldn't want to ask you to risk yourself over an IOU...

[robopriest]

Eh, I don't care about compensation. I've never been a bodyguard before. It should be fun.

[Yes, he's just doing it because it's................fun?]

I mean, if we were home, I wouldn't make an offer like that. But strange times call for strange measures, and you're nice enough, so it's no skin off my back.

[recrowns]

[because it's..................... fun.

it startles soo-won, perhaps one of the few things here that's truly managed to throw him off-guard that isn't quite as terrible as murder, before he finds himself laughing, a sincerely happy sound]

Sorry, I believe your offer is sincere - which is perhaps what makes it more unbelievable.

Very well then - though I'll insist on compensation once I can afford it. [afford hansa?] Thank you, my friend, for being willing to look out for me.

[robopriest]

I'm a holy man, Won. Accepting compensation for anything feels strange.

[He probably gets money for doing his priestly things around the world but?? Its not like a 9-5 paying job. It just feels different.]

[He smiles up at Soo-won, though.]

It's not a big deal. You've shown me the fine wonderful world of tea. I guess its fair.

[recrowns]

Oh, that's true, that's an experience that can't be put into monetary terms.

[shut up

but he looks amused... right, his bodyguard is a holy man. ah, this is funny, and he hopes that one day he can let hansa in on the joke.

for now, he'll reach out to cover hansa's free hand with his own and give it a gentle squeeze]

The world of tea... and my sincere gratitude then. Thank you.

[robopriest]

[You'll be squeezing a hand that feels like squeezing the hand of a statue, but you do you, Soo-won.]

[Hansa glances down at it, before turning his attention back to Soo-won. His other hand moves to cover Soo-won's hand because this is still affection week, darn it.]

It's no problem, really. Though I guess...if you have to compensate me, make me more of that tea.

[recrowns]

[THERE IS THIS VERY SINCERE FLASH OF CURIOSITY IN HIS EYES ABOUT WHY HANSA'S HAND IS LIKE THIS IT'S SO OBVIOUS HE WANTS TO ASK BUT HE ALREADY DID THIS WEEKEND AND GOT REBUFFED





it takes him a second to respond]

Hm? Oh! Of course!

[robopriest]

...

[He just. Blinks?]

Are you okay?

[recrowns]

Mm! I am.

[




yeah there's no point in hiding it, he's just going to ask because it's better than another conversation about stripping - ]

Is there something special about your hand?

[robopriest]

Special?

[There's a flicker of something - amusement, maybe? - in his eye.]

What makes you say that?

[recrowns]

It's firm.

[he won't flinch away from pointing it out now that he's started!

in fact he'll pull his hand away - though admittedly not far. he's more interested in taking one of hansa's hands in both of his own if he's allowed to, pressing his fingers against his palm, as if trying to understand better. he's just a little enthralled]

I'm curious why that is.

[robopriest]

[He doesn't pull away - he just lets Soo-won take it, letting him examine it all he wants. It looks like a normal regular human hand, for sure, fingernails and all, but on closer inspection, it seems a little too smooth, the contours a little too perfect. The pressure of Soo-won's fingers press and meet something hard under the surface, and its too large to be a finger-bone.]

...Hm. It sure looks like a regular hand, doesn't it?

[recrowns]

[what the hickety heck]

It does!

[to which he sounds impressed, excited - because it's a confirmation that it essentially isn't, no? if there's no resistance, then hansa will unfortunately have to deal with soo-won trying to move his fingers, curling, and uncurling, before he settles for just holding onto hansa's hand again]

Were you born with this hand?

[robopriest]

[His hand moves like a proper hand does! The fingers move as they should. Hansa's grin just widens as he has his hand played around with, enjoying the whole thing.]

I wasn't. This was installed later in life.

[recrowns]

[this is terrible soo-won is so fascinated]

Installed? How so?

[robopriest]

...

[A long pause.]

If you want to hear the explanation...do keep it to yourself, would you? It's not a major secret or anything, really, but...its just more of a personal thing.