Post by Fainis the Sadistic Pansexual on Jan 15, 2015 1:59:48 GMT -5
(These characters are technically still involved in the thread "Stalk the Halls," but since it hasn't so much as twitched in more than a month and was all suppose to take place on Halloween night anyway... just pretend this is further ahead in time, m'kay?)
Oscar practically yanked Alex and Sam through the door to Ranger's hangar when they arrived, pulling the pair of shorter human beings across the large, empty floor of deepest gray and planting them firmly in front of the massive, reptile-shaped mech that occupied the space. The massive Scottish pilot rubbed his hands together giddily and bobbed up and down like a child on Christmas morning as he looked up at the machine, giggling in a most undignified manner as he did. Alex responded with an unsure, but genuinely happy chuckle- it was always amusing to him to see a person with such a huge build and personality act like a child- while Sam mere rolled her eyes and spoke up, her voice a bit harsh.
“Feel like telling us why you called us here? You made it sound important.”
She was clearly annoyed, but that did little to dampen Oscar's spirit. “Jus' look!” cried the redheaded man excitedly. He gestured at Ranger with a sweep of his hand. “Ain't 'et beautiful?”
Alex hummed. “Sorry to burst your bubble, big guy, but I don't see anything different from the last time you dragged us here to stare at your ride.” He paused for a moment. “The new paint job is still nice though.”
“Don't be silly, Shepherd,” drawled Sam, voice thick with sarcasm. “It looks slightly shorter.”
“Oi, c'mon now. Both of ya'?” Oscar sent a glare at Alex. “Yur' ah bad influence on 'er.”
“I try my best,” said Alex, looking quite pleased with him, while Sam only scoffed aloud.
“I am in no way being influenced by this idiot. I'm just annoyed with you for calling us here like the world has changed forever each time you decide to buff out a scrape. It's getting ridiculous.”
“Wait, was it not ridiculous the first time?”
“Hhm. Good point, Shepherd.”
Oscar groaned and rubbed his brow. “Ya' know, fur' the first time Ah'm here wishin' that you two were arguin' instead o' getting' along. Anyways, yeah, he 'es ah bit shorter. Just ah bit. They 'ad to take some parts out of 'im when they were buildin' what Ah really called you two over ta' see. Take ah look.”
He gestured to a rectangular structure that stood just to the side of Ranger, looking like a lidless box with only three walls. Two chairs dwelled within the paneled walls of the standalone room, each surrounded by countless monitors and switches like stars in the sky. Upon being waved on by Oscar, Sam and Alex stepped inside the structure and examined it more closely, Sam simply observing with her arms crossed while Alex slumped himself into a chair and spun around with a kick of his legs and a small laugh.
“Ooh,” wowed Alex as he whirled. “Lots of buttons. Would hate to be the one who has to remember what they all do.”
“Well,” clucked Oscar with a laugh. “That's ah right shame then, 'cause that would be you.”
“Huh?”
“Well, the two of ya'.”
Sam raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“Yep. This place is fur' you two. The UCA apparently thinks that yur' a pair o' layabouts, 'cause now yur' workin' fer' me. Or with me. Dun really matter. Point 'es, you can talk tuh' me in Ranger from 'ere an' Ah can talk back. So fur' now on, you two will be helpin' me fight. Fun, eh?”
Sam looked at him disbelievingly. “And you agreed to this?”
“Whoa, yeah,” Alex added, leaping up from the chair like it was going to bite him. “That doesn't sound like a great idea. There's a reason you guys have never seen my in a fight.”
“You would be dead, that's the reason,” deadpanned Sam.
“Exactly!”
The big man shrugged. “Ain't really mah choice now, 'es 'et? Besides, Ah think you two are takin' this ah little too literally. The AI system the boys back home were workin' on was knocked completely out last fight an' I guess the UCA either can't restore 'et or don't mean to. So you two are gunna be my AI from here on out.”
“I resent my intelligence being called artificial,” grumbled Alex, although he had sat back down again.
Grudgingly pulling out the chair next to him, Sam sat down and looked at Oscar hard. “Okay, but what exactly do they expect us to do that a computer system can't?”
“It's not what ya' can do better than 'et could, it's about what ya' can do better than Ah can.”
Alex snorted. “You mean lose?”
“Oh, c'mon! Both of ya' have been in this game longer than me, ya' know. Hell, yer' two of the original GAAF members, right? There's not anyone much more qualified than that. Sam, you've been fightin' monsters since they showed back up. And Alex, I'm pretty sure ya' were obsessin' with 'em before Quetzar ever woke up from his thousand-year nap.”
“You can't prove that.”
“So all ya' gotta do 'es give me advice and Ah'm sure ya've got enough experience between the two of ya' fer' that. Am Ah wrong?”
Sam sighed. “We really don't have a choice in this matter, do we?”
“Nah. Ah dun think so. Sorry. Was tryin' ta' make it sound excitin' so 'et didn't seem so bad.”
“I'd say we appreciate it,” said Alex, who was back to spinning in his seat. “But when you say it like that, it makes me think you were treating us like children.”
Without even casting a glance at him, Sam placed a hand on the back the chair, stopping its rotation and nearly throwing Alex to the floor. He looked at her dejectedly in return.
“Yeah, yeah... sorry fer' tryin' to be sensitive then. Anyways, ya've got jobs now. Hurray.” The pilot, who had crossed his arms rather sourly, briefly looked more excited and made his way towards the left side of the three-sided structure. “Oh yeah. I fergot. This 'es kinda cool.”
He pulled down a reenforced panel to reveal a rather spacious compartment that contained a pair of odd looking gloves and a large control board with labeled switches and buttons. A stylized image of Ranger was plaster on the back of the compartment and the words, “Motion Control” were scrawled across the top of the space.
“If Ah ever get too banged up ta' fight, one of you can take over fer' me. S'not as extensive as the real thing o' course, but 'et should be enough to get ya' through the rest of a battle okay.”
“Oh!” Alex almost sang as he reached out. “Could I-?”
“No,” answered two loud voices.
“Absolutely not,” said Sam firmly.
“Yeah,” agreed Oscar. “Ah'm leavin' this ta' Sam and only 'er.”
The shorter male threw up his hands in frustration. “What? Oh, come on! Now who's ganging up on who! Why not?”
“Ya' said 'et yerself, Alex. Ya' can't fight.”
“Not to mention that you managed to make what should have been two perfectly safe lab environments explode on the Platform.”
“Yeah! In the name of science! We learning a lot from those explosions.”
“Ah'm sure. But ya' ain't gonna learn nothun' from blowing up Ranger except how far I can throw ya' across the room, so hands off, alright?”
Alex pouted. “Oh, fine.”
“Well,” started Oscar. “That's all Ah need ya' for. Apparently the UCA will let ya' know whenever Ah enter ah match, so ya' dun need to worry about bein' here all the time or nuthun'. Ah'm jus' gunna be here tah familiarize mahself with all the new features, so feel free ta' wonder off, you two.”
“Right!” cried Alex, hopping up. “I guess I'll go look for Mara and Vesica then. Maybe <i>they'll</i> let me pilot a giant mech. Mara's whole crew is nuts, so I bet they'll have one laying around”
Sam caught him by the arm as he tried to leave. “Actually, Shepherd, could I talk to you outside?”
A worried look flashed across Alex's face. “Uh... sure, Sam. L-let's go, I guess.”
Oscar smirked and called after the two of them. “Dun hurt 'im too bad now, Sam! We still more o' less need 'im, ya' know!” He shook his head fondly as they left. “Whoo boy... never ah dull moment when those two are together, is there?”
(Not necessarily an open house, but I've said my bit and I dun mind anyone popping in if they'd like.)
Oscar practically yanked Alex and Sam through the door to Ranger's hangar when they arrived, pulling the pair of shorter human beings across the large, empty floor of deepest gray and planting them firmly in front of the massive, reptile-shaped mech that occupied the space. The massive Scottish pilot rubbed his hands together giddily and bobbed up and down like a child on Christmas morning as he looked up at the machine, giggling in a most undignified manner as he did. Alex responded with an unsure, but genuinely happy chuckle- it was always amusing to him to see a person with such a huge build and personality act like a child- while Sam mere rolled her eyes and spoke up, her voice a bit harsh.
“Feel like telling us why you called us here? You made it sound important.”
She was clearly annoyed, but that did little to dampen Oscar's spirit. “Jus' look!” cried the redheaded man excitedly. He gestured at Ranger with a sweep of his hand. “Ain't 'et beautiful?”
Alex hummed. “Sorry to burst your bubble, big guy, but I don't see anything different from the last time you dragged us here to stare at your ride.” He paused for a moment. “The new paint job is still nice though.”
“Don't be silly, Shepherd,” drawled Sam, voice thick with sarcasm. “It looks slightly shorter.”
“Oi, c'mon now. Both of ya'?” Oscar sent a glare at Alex. “Yur' ah bad influence on 'er.”
“I try my best,” said Alex, looking quite pleased with him, while Sam only scoffed aloud.
“I am in no way being influenced by this idiot. I'm just annoyed with you for calling us here like the world has changed forever each time you decide to buff out a scrape. It's getting ridiculous.”
“Wait, was it not ridiculous the first time?”
“Hhm. Good point, Shepherd.”
Oscar groaned and rubbed his brow. “Ya' know, fur' the first time Ah'm here wishin' that you two were arguin' instead o' getting' along. Anyways, yeah, he 'es ah bit shorter. Just ah bit. They 'ad to take some parts out of 'im when they were buildin' what Ah really called you two over ta' see. Take ah look.”
He gestured to a rectangular structure that stood just to the side of Ranger, looking like a lidless box with only three walls. Two chairs dwelled within the paneled walls of the standalone room, each surrounded by countless monitors and switches like stars in the sky. Upon being waved on by Oscar, Sam and Alex stepped inside the structure and examined it more closely, Sam simply observing with her arms crossed while Alex slumped himself into a chair and spun around with a kick of his legs and a small laugh.
“Ooh,” wowed Alex as he whirled. “Lots of buttons. Would hate to be the one who has to remember what they all do.”
“Well,” clucked Oscar with a laugh. “That's ah right shame then, 'cause that would be you.”
“Huh?”
“Well, the two of ya'.”
Sam raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“Yep. This place is fur' you two. The UCA apparently thinks that yur' a pair o' layabouts, 'cause now yur' workin' fer' me. Or with me. Dun really matter. Point 'es, you can talk tuh' me in Ranger from 'ere an' Ah can talk back. So fur' now on, you two will be helpin' me fight. Fun, eh?”
Sam looked at him disbelievingly. “And you agreed to this?”
“Whoa, yeah,” Alex added, leaping up from the chair like it was going to bite him. “That doesn't sound like a great idea. There's a reason you guys have never seen my in a fight.”
“You would be dead, that's the reason,” deadpanned Sam.
“Exactly!”
The big man shrugged. “Ain't really mah choice now, 'es 'et? Besides, Ah think you two are takin' this ah little too literally. The AI system the boys back home were workin' on was knocked completely out last fight an' I guess the UCA either can't restore 'et or don't mean to. So you two are gunna be my AI from here on out.”
“I resent my intelligence being called artificial,” grumbled Alex, although he had sat back down again.
Grudgingly pulling out the chair next to him, Sam sat down and looked at Oscar hard. “Okay, but what exactly do they expect us to do that a computer system can't?”
“It's not what ya' can do better than 'et could, it's about what ya' can do better than Ah can.”
Alex snorted. “You mean lose?”
“Oh, c'mon! Both of ya' have been in this game longer than me, ya' know. Hell, yer' two of the original GAAF members, right? There's not anyone much more qualified than that. Sam, you've been fightin' monsters since they showed back up. And Alex, I'm pretty sure ya' were obsessin' with 'em before Quetzar ever woke up from his thousand-year nap.”
“You can't prove that.”
“So all ya' gotta do 'es give me advice and Ah'm sure ya've got enough experience between the two of ya' fer' that. Am Ah wrong?”
Sam sighed. “We really don't have a choice in this matter, do we?”
“Nah. Ah dun think so. Sorry. Was tryin' ta' make it sound excitin' so 'et didn't seem so bad.”
“I'd say we appreciate it,” said Alex, who was back to spinning in his seat. “But when you say it like that, it makes me think you were treating us like children.”
Without even casting a glance at him, Sam placed a hand on the back the chair, stopping its rotation and nearly throwing Alex to the floor. He looked at her dejectedly in return.
“Yeah, yeah... sorry fer' tryin' to be sensitive then. Anyways, ya've got jobs now. Hurray.” The pilot, who had crossed his arms rather sourly, briefly looked more excited and made his way towards the left side of the three-sided structure. “Oh yeah. I fergot. This 'es kinda cool.”
He pulled down a reenforced panel to reveal a rather spacious compartment that contained a pair of odd looking gloves and a large control board with labeled switches and buttons. A stylized image of Ranger was plaster on the back of the compartment and the words, “Motion Control” were scrawled across the top of the space.
“If Ah ever get too banged up ta' fight, one of you can take over fer' me. S'not as extensive as the real thing o' course, but 'et should be enough to get ya' through the rest of a battle okay.”
“Oh!” Alex almost sang as he reached out. “Could I-?”
“No,” answered two loud voices.
“Absolutely not,” said Sam firmly.
“Yeah,” agreed Oscar. “Ah'm leavin' this ta' Sam and only 'er.”
The shorter male threw up his hands in frustration. “What? Oh, come on! Now who's ganging up on who! Why not?”
“Ya' said 'et yerself, Alex. Ya' can't fight.”
“Not to mention that you managed to make what should have been two perfectly safe lab environments explode on the Platform.”
“Yeah! In the name of science! We learning a lot from those explosions.”
“Ah'm sure. But ya' ain't gonna learn nothun' from blowing up Ranger except how far I can throw ya' across the room, so hands off, alright?”
Alex pouted. “Oh, fine.”
“Well,” started Oscar. “That's all Ah need ya' for. Apparently the UCA will let ya' know whenever Ah enter ah match, so ya' dun need to worry about bein' here all the time or nuthun'. Ah'm jus' gunna be here tah familiarize mahself with all the new features, so feel free ta' wonder off, you two.”
“Right!” cried Alex, hopping up. “I guess I'll go look for Mara and Vesica then. Maybe <i>they'll</i> let me pilot a giant mech. Mara's whole crew is nuts, so I bet they'll have one laying around”
Sam caught him by the arm as he tried to leave. “Actually, Shepherd, could I talk to you outside?”
A worried look flashed across Alex's face. “Uh... sure, Sam. L-let's go, I guess.”
Oscar smirked and called after the two of them. “Dun hurt 'im too bad now, Sam! We still more o' less need 'im, ya' know!” He shook his head fondly as they left. “Whoo boy... never ah dull moment when those two are together, is there?”
(Not necessarily an open house, but I've said my bit and I dun mind anyone popping in if they'd like.)