[ My mission has temporarily realigned feels like such a contradiction in terms to we aren’t created with the intent of becoming more. Lucina feels a muscle in her jaw tense, but it's a reflex of thought; not of unhappiness. She believes if she points out the contradiction, she'll only receive another smoothed over response. At the end of the day? No, she doesn't understand, and she doesn't think Connor is nearly as cold as he presents himself.
Looking up for a moment -
Oh.
Trees. They're surrounded by trees. ]
...Where are we?
[ She looks over her shoulder. More trees. In fact, a vastly growing thicket, sewing up the exit behind them. Lucina blinks, and then will swear that those trees had been there the whole time.
She got so distracted by their talk that she forgot to pay attention to their surroundings. A travesty, that. ]
[He expects a follow-up question. Is ready to answer and appeal to it, his LED blinking fiercely as he rationalizes every one of them away, or utilizes words in just the right manner to avoid talking about the errors he’s piled up in his programming. The wrongness that he knows exists in him, crafted by time and experience during his stay in the Circle.
But Lucina’s question is surprising, and he blinks, peering at her again. And then at their surroundings, sequestered at all sides by tall trees blocking out the majority of the sun.]
We’ve wandered further than I’ve ever thought to explore.
[A moment while he turns, so quickly and completely that he might as well be spinning on his heel.]
We came from this direction, and I’d suggest that we try to follow our route back unless we want to get lost.
My apologies. I let my attention slip from our surroundings.
[ she is a monster and undeserving of love
Regardless, Lucina turns on a heel in a much similar fashion and follows him. Her eyes scan the forest floor in front of them, trying to spot any telltale footsteps marking their initial path in the dirt and the smattering of brittle leaves.
This, of course, means she's concentrating hard enough to be startled by the faint, dark laughter that suddenly emanates from every corner, surrounding them.
Falchion rings a few inches loose of its scabbard, halfway to freedom. ]
[Connor has an eye for detail, for plucking out information from sameness and chaos — such as he was programmed to do. Eyes cast to the ground, he laments once more the loss of his scans, relying on old fashioned observation instead. Picking up the subtle ghost of imprinted footsteps, or where blades of grass bends at strange angles. A slightly tedious process, but one that’ll serve them well enough, should they have the time and leisure for it.
When ominous laughter echoes around them, from no apparent specific direction, Connor lifts his eyes to observe the shadows beyond the trees. LED spinning, he frowns.]
I don’t suggest we linger much longer. I don’t actually know what lives in this forest, and maybe we’re not exactly equipped to find out.
[For now, at least. He looks at Lucina directly.]
I’m going to turn into a dog to lead us out more quickly. Will you be able to keep up?
My power is to turn into a canine, and I can reap certain advantages from that specific form. This includes tracking, which I believe would prove very useful to use right now.
[ It's likely for the best that Lucina is too serious and rigid to take joy in the fact that Connor can turn into a dog. Her puzzlement fades with his explanation and she nods. ]
[It is for the best, at least in this circumstance. He doesn't mind people cooing over his ability -- in fact, he finds it flattering, and he's a somewhat vain android who will always take kindly to compliments -- but now isn't the time.
And so she's granted a succinct nod, and without much fanfare at all, a blue light envelops Connor. Bright and nigh blinding, it lasts for but a second before dissipating altogether, leaving a dark-colored German Shepherd in his wake.
With a visible LED on the side of his skull, blinking blue beneath fur. He looks up at Lucina, for confirmation that she isn't too surprised by the sudden change, and to see if she's ready to get started. Already, scents pervade all around him, and it's easy to get distracted by a sense of smell that's beyond anything a human or an android would ever feasibly experience.]
[ Nah, just kidding. At best, the firm lines that make up her jaw and her mouth soften slightly, lulled into some vague complacency by Connor's transformation. She's never had a bad experience with dogs, despite everything - the Ylisstol palace had a kennel, once, and dogs are canny survivalists when they need to be. That's comforting. As it the blue light, faint underneath the thick fur. Without really thinking about it, she reaches out and gives him a pat on the head, hand briefly disappearing between his ears.
...
She retracts a moment later, because it's still Connor, she still shies deliberately away from contact from him - when not distracted by these false little moments.
For reassurance, that same hand settles back on the hilt of her sword. ]
Go. I'll be right behind you.
[ Or she'll go hide in a tree trunk and die of shame. Either way. ]
The pat on his head makes Connor lift his head up, long snout brushing against her palm just right before she retracts it. A question shines in his eyes, but being unable to speak as he is, there's no way to vocalize it.
Besides, there's much else to do.
A little gruff 'wuff' of confirmation, and Connor catches the scent of them (mostly her), in his nose. A trail back through the forest, the way they came. It might as well be a shining beacon, it's such a clear thing to him now.
He pads forward at a quickened pace. Stick with him, Lucina!]
[ Lucina gives chase, her feet beating in quick pursuit of his path. She keeps her eyes on his lowered head and the tail flicking above his legs. The further they get through the forest, the more she can see faint sunlight filtering through the leafy canopy above their heads. Far ahead, a mouth opens in the seam of trees, providing them an exit.
The lingering inhabitants come out in observing droves as they flee, poking mishapen heads and dilated pupils out from nooks and crannies, from knots in the tree bark and piles of leaves lining the brush. They don't try to interact, but merely observe, which may be even more disquieting.
(I'm sorry, I don't know how to make this interesting, so.)
By the time they reach the edge of the woods, she's slightly winded, and struggling to hide it. ]
no subject
Looking up for a moment -
Oh.
Trees. They're surrounded by trees. ]
...Where are we?
[ She looks over her shoulder. More trees. In fact, a vastly growing thicket, sewing up the exit behind them. Lucina blinks, and then will swear that those trees had been there the whole time.
She got so distracted by their talk that she forgot to pay attention to their surroundings. A travesty, that. ]
no subject
But Lucina’s question is surprising, and he blinks, peering at her again. And then at their surroundings, sequestered at all sides by tall trees blocking out the majority of the sun.]
We’ve wandered further than I’ve ever thought to explore.
[A moment while he turns, so quickly and completely that he might as well be spinning on his heel.]
We came from this direction, and I’d suggest that we try to follow our route back unless we want to get lost.
[THEY ARE LOST ALREADY PROBABLY]
no subject
[ she is a monster and undeserving of love
Regardless, Lucina turns on a heel in a much similar fashion and follows him. Her eyes scan the forest floor in front of them, trying to spot any telltale footsteps marking their initial path in the dirt and the smattering of brittle leaves.
This, of course, means she's concentrating hard enough to be startled by the faint, dark laughter that suddenly emanates from every corner, surrounding them.
Falchion rings a few inches loose of its scabbard, halfway to freedom. ]
no subject
[Connor has an eye for detail, for plucking out information from sameness and chaos — such as he was programmed to do. Eyes cast to the ground, he laments once more the loss of his scans, relying on old fashioned observation instead. Picking up the subtle ghost of imprinted footsteps, or where blades of grass bends at strange angles. A slightly tedious process, but one that’ll serve them well enough, should they have the time and leisure for it.
When ominous laughter echoes around them, from no apparent specific direction, Connor lifts his eyes to observe the shadows beyond the trees. LED spinning, he frowns.]
I don’t suggest we linger much longer. I don’t actually know what lives in this forest, and maybe we’re not exactly equipped to find out.
[For now, at least. He looks at Lucina directly.]
I’m going to turn into a dog to lead us out more quickly. Will you be able to keep up?
no subject
You - what?
no subject
My power is to turn into a canine, and I can reap certain advantages from that specific form. This includes tracking, which I believe would prove very useful to use right now.
So, as I said, can you keep up?
no subject
Of course. Please, lead the way.
no subject
And so she's granted a succinct nod, and without much fanfare at all, a blue light envelops Connor. Bright and nigh blinding, it lasts for but a second before dissipating altogether, leaving a dark-colored German Shepherd in his wake.
With a visible LED on the side of his skull, blinking blue beneath fur. He looks up at Lucina, for confirmation that she isn't too surprised by the sudden change, and to see if she's ready to get started. Already, scents pervade all around him, and it's easy to get distracted by a sense of smell that's beyond anything a human or an android would ever feasibly experience.]
1/2
no subject
...
She retracts a moment later, because it's still Connor, she still shies deliberately away from contact from him - when not distracted by these false little moments.
For reassurance, that same hand settles back on the hilt of her sword. ]
Go. I'll be right behind you.
[ Or she'll go hide in a tree trunk and die of shame. Either way. ]
no subject
The pat on his head makes Connor lift his head up, long snout brushing against her palm just right before she retracts it. A question shines in his eyes, but being unable to speak as he is, there's no way to vocalize it.
Besides, there's much else to do.
A little gruff 'wuff' of confirmation, and Connor catches the scent of them (mostly her), in his nose. A trail back through the forest, the way they came. It might as well be a shining beacon, it's such a clear thing to him now.
He pads forward at a quickened pace. Stick with him, Lucina!]
no subject
The lingering inhabitants come out in observing droves as they flee, poking mishapen heads and dilated pupils out from nooks and crannies, from knots in the tree bark and piles of leaves lining the brush. They don't try to interact, but merely observe, which may be even more disquieting.
(I'm sorry, I don't know how to make this interesting, so.)
By the time they reach the edge of the woods, she's slightly winded, and struggling to hide it. ]