[ She answers automatically, not considering how odd the question is until after. Luka now knows that her memory is restored, that he owes her nothing more. Why concern himself with her status? ]
He did not enter your home, [ Arid continues, wondering if perhaps that is Luka's true source of unease. ] I observed anomalous lights outside your residence. When I exited to investigate, he was there.
[ A pause. ]
I... do not comprehend our encounter. When my memory was still compromised, he appeared solid and tangible. However, once I regained my memories, he lost corporeality—as if he were a projection.
[ Had she simply mistaken those moments where he had placed a hand on her shoulder or gently steered her in the direction he chose? Or had he truly been tangible one moment and not the next? If he were simply a projection, it would lessen the danger he presents, though the fact that he is able to make contact in Deerington at all is still extremely troubling.
The tension in Arid's voice is clear in her voice. ]
Are the red lights still visible from your residence?
[Luka frowns, looking around in confusion but then a moment later understanding dawns on his face.]
I think I know what you're talking about. I've encountered them, too. They... took the form of my family. I could talk to them, touch them... [There is a small, emotional falter there.] But then they vanished at dawn.
[Do humans treat you badly where you're from? he had asked. Yes. They did, had been the terse reply. Apparently her pilot had been no exception.]
If that's what you encountered, I don't think it's really him. I think it's just another mind game the city plays on us.
[And still he has sought out his fake family like a sucker over and over again ever since.]
[ As Luka explains, Arid's attention slowly shifts from the door to the Fluid screen. At first, she does not understand what correlation his family might have to her pilot, but gradually, she begins to comprehend. ]
He... was not real?
[ It is difficult to process. The Josephs she had seen had not behaved like a crude simulation. It is not just that the specter had looked like him; it had spoken like him, too, revealing secrets that Arid had divulged to nobody in this system. And yet, there had been discrepancies as well: the red glow, his incorporeality, the fact that he had shown no shock or dismay that Arid had not been destroyed.
Had it really all been a deception?
Slowly, she moves away from the door. Her pilot is not here. And though there are many other threats in Deerington, he is not one of them. ]
Will these apparitions reappear on consecutive nights?
I don't think he was, no. But yeah, they seem to come back at night. They show up more frequently in the forest.
[It's strange. Luka had been so caught up in his own grief and joy over seeing his family that he never even considered that not everyone might share this sentiment. That not everyone might encounter people they wanted to see.
Why would the city do that? Reward some but punish the others? It hardly seems fair. Then again, this whole experience hardly seems fair.]
Did he do anything? Did he harm you?
[He doesn't think it's likely but Danijela and the kids had been tangible to his touch. It slowly sinks in that just because they didn't attack him doesn't mean all the firefly ghosts are friendly.]
[ Arid makes a silent note to avoid nighttime outings until the anomaly has ceased. Even if Josephs cannot physically harm her, this recent encounter has demonstrated that he can inflict ample suffering through words alone. It is his virus Arid is infected with, after all; it is only to be expected that he knows how best to manipulate it. ]
Negative, [ Arid says after a moment. ] He did not harm me. While my memory was compromised, he had me guide him through Deerington. I do not know his purpose in—
[ She cuts herself off, helmet twitching to the side in a sharp denial. When she speaks next, it seems more to herself. ] There was no purpose; he was not real.
[ It is illogical for her to concern herself with the machinations of a simulated facsimile. Most likely, he—it had no function other than to unnerve. Still, Arid cannot help but feel relieved that her memory had returned quickly enough to cut the encounter short. Even if it had not truly been Josephs, outcomes could have been worse if she had spent a longer duration under his sway. ]
It is right that you concealed me from him, [ she says quietly. ] And that you did not deactivate me despite my request. [ The words are halting, awkward. It seems Arid is unaccustomed to expressing gratitude towards humans. ]
[He means that but there is a hesitant pause right after. Luka is just as awkward about the whole situation, doesn't know how to read her response, what it means exactly or where to go from here.
Are they even now? Did he score a small point for the humans aren't that bad team? Is that's what he's after, maybe, just a little? Did he prove a point? Does it matter?]
... You can still borrow those books if you wanna give them a try.
[ Even so, her refusal is lighter this time, maybe even amused. It is strange, the things the human chose to focus on when Arid's memory had been compromised, just at it is strange now. But it is strange in a benign way, which she had expected even less.
Arid's opinion of humanity may still be very dim. But at the very least, she can agree that Luka does not seem so bad. ]
How do you know it's irrelevant if you haven't read it? Lots of people think there are things to learn from literature.
[He grins and there's just the slightest hint of a teasing note in his tone. But it sounds like she's had a rough night, so maybe now is not the time.]
Are you going to be okay? Give me a call if your ghost pilot comes back. I'll pretend to be your new pilot or whatever pisses him off the most.
I am already well-informed on human malfunction. I do not require additional accounts.
[ Rough night or not, it appears impertinent commentary on the foibles of humanity still comes effortlessly to Arid. ]
I will remain functional. If he were able to harm me, he would have done so while my memory was still compromised. [ And it does appear that simply leaving is an effective way of ending the encounter. ] If his capabilities change, I will inform you.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ She answers automatically, not considering how odd the question is until after. Luka now knows that her memory is restored, that he owes her nothing more. Why concern himself with her status? ]
He did not enter your home, [ Arid continues, wondering if perhaps that is Luka's true source of unease. ] I observed anomalous lights outside your residence. When I exited to investigate, he was there.
[ A pause. ]
I... do not comprehend our encounter. When my memory was still compromised, he appeared solid and tangible. However, once I regained my memories, he lost corporeality—as if he were a projection.
[ Had she simply mistaken those moments where he had placed a hand on her shoulder or gently steered her in the direction he chose? Or had he truly been tangible one moment and not the next? If he were simply a projection, it would lessen the danger he presents, though the fact that he is able to make contact in Deerington at all is still extremely troubling.
The tension in Arid's voice is clear in her voice. ]
Are the red lights still visible from your residence?
no subject
[Luka frowns, looking around in confusion but then a moment later understanding dawns on his face.]
I think I know what you're talking about. I've encountered them, too. They... took the form of my family. I could talk to them, touch them... [There is a small, emotional falter there.] But then they vanished at dawn.
[Do humans treat you badly where you're from? he had asked. Yes. They did, had been the terse reply. Apparently her pilot had been no exception.]
If that's what you encountered, I don't think it's really him. I think it's just another mind game the city plays on us.
[And still he has sought out his fake family like a sucker over and over again ever since.]
no subject
He... was not real?
[ It is difficult to process. The Josephs she had seen had not behaved like a crude simulation. It is not just that the specter had looked like him; it had spoken like him, too, revealing secrets that Arid had divulged to nobody in this system. And yet, there had been discrepancies as well: the red glow, his incorporeality, the fact that he had shown no shock or dismay that Arid had not been destroyed.
Had it really all been a deception?
Slowly, she moves away from the door. Her pilot is not here. And though there are many other threats in Deerington, he is not one of them. ]
Will these apparitions reappear on consecutive nights?
no subject
[It's strange. Luka had been so caught up in his own grief and joy over seeing his family that he never even considered that not everyone might share this sentiment. That not everyone might encounter people they wanted to see.
Why would the city do that? Reward some but punish the others? It hardly seems fair. Then again, this whole experience hardly seems fair.]
Did he do anything? Did he harm you?
[He doesn't think it's likely but Danijela and the kids had been tangible to his touch. It slowly sinks in that just because they didn't attack him doesn't mean all the firefly ghosts are friendly.]
no subject
Negative, [ Arid says after a moment. ] He did not harm me. While my memory was compromised, he had me guide him through Deerington. I do not know his purpose in—
[ She cuts herself off, helmet twitching to the side in a sharp denial. When she speaks next, it seems more to herself. ] There was no purpose; he was not real.
[ It is illogical for her to concern herself with the machinations of a simulated facsimile. Most likely, he—it had no function other than to unnerve. Still, Arid cannot help but feel relieved that her memory had returned quickly enough to cut the encounter short. Even if it had not truly been Josephs, outcomes could have been worse if she had spent a longer duration under his sway. ]
It is right that you concealed me from him, [ she says quietly. ] And that you did not deactivate me despite my request. [ The words are halting, awkward. It seems Arid is unaccustomed to expressing gratitude towards humans. ]
...You have fulfilled your obligation.
no subject
[He means that but there is a hesitant pause right after. Luka is just as awkward about the whole situation, doesn't know how to read her response, what it means exactly or where to go from here.
Are they even now? Did he score a small point for the humans aren't that bad team? Is that's what he's after, maybe, just a little? Did he prove a point? Does it matter?]
... You can still borrow those books if you wanna give them a try.
no subject
[ Even so, her refusal is lighter this time, maybe even amused. It is strange, the things the human chose to focus on when Arid's memory had been compromised, just at it is strange now. But it is strange in a benign way, which she had expected even less.
Arid's opinion of humanity may still be very dim. But at the very least, she can agree that Luka does not seem so bad. ]
no subject
[He grins and there's just the slightest hint of a teasing note in his tone. But it sounds like she's had a rough night, so maybe now is not the time.]
Are you going to be okay? Give me a call if your ghost pilot comes back. I'll pretend to be your new pilot or whatever pisses him off the most.
no subject
[ Rough night or not, it appears impertinent commentary on the foibles of humanity still comes effortlessly to Arid. ]
I will remain functional. If he were able to harm me, he would have done so while my memory was still compromised. [ And it does appear that simply leaving is an effective way of ending the encounter. ] If his capabilities change, I will inform you.
no subject
You're a real charmer, anyone ever tell you that?
[Really, he should just call you up whenever he starts feeling a little too good about himself.]
All right, you know where to find me. Take care, okay?
fin!
[ She doesn't sound at all bothered by it, either. Charm is irrelevant to non-social models after all. ]
I will endeavor to remain functional. [ A pause. ] You should do the same.