voidtreckernet | Poi 05

...It's Rich.

[Might as well not bother with preamble, though that's certainly odd for him. Odder still that he has the video off, even if there's still the faint strumming of guitar suggesting that he's nervously plucking at strings as he often does.]

I'm 18 now, according to the roster. Guess I missed my birthday. I knew it was coming up, but I was kinda distracted with stuff.

[Like having a mental crisis for the better part of two months at least.]

Anyways, was just wondering like... what's the longest someone's been stuck here before they got to go back home? Maybe, uh, maybe it was wishful thinking? But I was kinda thinking with the whole Ministry investigation and how fucking useless I am on the missions that the train would boot me off by now.

[He's really trying to laugh, trying to make that sound like a joke.]

Just. Was thinking about it. At this point, my friends back home probably assume my dad stabbed me or shit... maybe they'll believe those messages we got to send at that river, but more likely they'll think I'm nuts.

[Just another certified Rich Goranski Comedy Routine. He'll be here all week, folks.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Rich feels a little uncomfortable being in someone else's private room, and more so when the decor is oddly familiar. Some of it reminds him of the way his dad was, before he got too lazy and stuffed all his old memorabilia in a box in the attic.

The trinkets are nice, at least, and he admires them curiously for a moment before Yondu speaks up and he hurries over to see what he's been writing. Talking about specs and weaponry sounds a little bit easier than dealing with painful memories.]

I think I'd just want something that can stun? Knock someone out for a bit, but not like, kill them outright. I don't know about power levels and shit, but I could probably handle only takin' shots in emergencies...

Alright, sounds fair enough. So... alright, you'd want this kinda blaster. You been shown to shoot on firearms or energy weapons yet?

[He taps the blunt side of his pen against the paper.]

[Absently, 'cause he noticed Rich looking, he points to the ugliest of the frogs.] Kyoko got me thatn'. Makes me grin every time. Someone broke the hell into my room durin' our last stop and left me the sparkly one. Never figured out who.

[He could have been left a frog of death like a mob horse head for all he knows but generally he's pretty sure someone wanted to surprise him and he was in an emotional state where he was happy to receive a gift and too tired to look into it.]

Alright, and it might take a big longer to order, but if you talk with Q'uila about some armor I could probably rig it with some dematerialization tech. Basically 'you push a button and that shit appears on ya'. Spendy stuff back home but I love how this train economy works. [Price by quantity, not rarity or complexity. The damned best.]

Not on firearms. I was too little for my dad to show off his army skills. My friend did archery, but that's about all the experience I got.

[He hesitates a bit when he mentions his dad, and is relieved when they move on to the figurines.]

They're really cute, actually. You a fan of amphibians?

[Frankly, even Rich would see the appeal of them. The sparkles are nice, and the ugly one has a kind of charm to it.

He brightens when Yondu mentions Q'uila.] Oh! Yeah, uh, I have some kinda gauntlets from her. Elidibus said we could try to use them to hone aether if I ever get good enough with that...

[The gun is going to be much faster to get the hang of, so he'd at least like one while he trains further.]

I do some archery too. Never hurts to learn whatever ya can, right? [He shrugs about the frogs, though.] I guess. I like big eyes or big ears on 'em. Dunno why. [Because it's just cute. He likes cute shit. He can't articulate that properly though, just keeps them around to be adorable.]

Good! Then you been introduced.

Alright... I'm gonna make a proposal. I can train ya in some stuff, stuff that ain't gonna use magic or nothin', and stuff you use at a disadvantage. I know I mentioned before. But take for example the fact that you kinda remind me of me. You been run through the wringer. Means you can probably take more of a beatin' than people would expect and that's a hell of a trick.

Not everyone can keep their wits about 'em in a fight. Not talkin' dancin' on your feet or bein' aware of your surroundings. That's basic. I'm talkin' undoin' bindings while you're bein' smacked around or stealin' keys offa someone while they're bullyin' ya for show.

[Because Yondu can fight normally? But fighting by necessity is something he's very experienced with. He'd been too broken to do it properly when Taserface was smacking him around, but he had been 'present' the entire time when everyone else had assumed he'd checked out.]

Yeah. I mean, that's been my thoughts since I got here. I've been trying to get training from just about anybody who knows something, in case I can learn.

[Of course, there's only so much to teach an average human, but Rich... probably shouldn't be guilting himself about that, should he? As much as he feels the temptation rising again.]

I think you just like cute shit. Big oversized features usually just look plain cute.

[Rich has spent too long denying himself the appeal of 'girly' things to not recognize a cute animal when he sees it! He gets distracted, though, with the mention of this proposal. He listens carefully, and though at first he wants to protest, he does have to admit...]

I get you. I've been tortured before.

[And even while he was writhing on the ground, he had enough sense of himself to light a match. He smirks slightly.]

Sounds like you want to teach me to be a pickpocket.

Moren' that. 'Pickpocket' don't cover it. I wanna teach you same as Stakar taught me. I want money or power to not mean a damn thing when you come across somebody. I want you to look at someone twice your size and capable of flyin' and know with the right move, just as what you are, you could ground 'em and they'd not expect it.

[He looks over at his little collection of figurines, though.]

And yeah! Hell yeah I like cute things. I ain't ever denied that. There's a lot to be said in ownin' some shit only meant to make ya happy.

[He doesn't even bat an eye over Rich being tortured. He looks like he's been tortured. But that's practically commonplace for Ravagers.]

You know, you remind me a little of my boy, too. Not in that way you're probably thinkin'. [No, he's not trying to found family him. That's not the point of this.] He's Terran for the most part. His blood father was somethin' real powerful, but he never tapped into that for most of his life. But he had friends, and he could talk them real powerful friends into helpin' him do the right thing. Even the most stubborn of 'em.

I seen how your friends are with you. Bein' able to rally up people? That's its own kinda strong. I bet you could do that, too.

More than a pickpocket, huh...

[Rich listens carefully, the smile on his face starting to widen. He has to admit, the way Yondu describes it definitely makes it sound appealing. Being able to fight back even when he's seen by others and even himself as less than may be the leg up he needs.]

I do love fucking over the wealthy and powerful. I'll be looking forward to learning.

[Though Yondu's mention of his boy gives him pause, and sobers his growing excitement somewhat.]

...I mean, it's nice, if you think I can do that. I never thought I was really good with words, though. It's why I've got this lisp, you know? Being too unsure of myself to even speak properly.

[He makes a show of sticking out his tongue, but it's a weak attempt at humour in the show of bare-faced honesty.]

[Yondu sticks out his tongue right back. And it's blue* so that's a thing.]

Well my boy was from Missouri- which I think is real rural where y'all are from? -and had the manner of speakin' to match. Considering how judgemental the world gets about how people talk, sometimes loyalty and a good point means ten times as much as soundin' fake smart. The friends you got would definitely do a lot for you if you asked 'em.

[He doesn't have any doubts about that in the slightest. Otoha? Devero? They'd both run to the ends of the universe for Rich.]

Look, if I can put one other person out into the world that'll make self-important folks think twice about how much control they really got? Then you'd be doin' me a favor as much as yourself one. I wanna see you succeed.

*So Yondu's mouth only got colored blue in GotG2 because they dyed the inside of his mouth rather than CGIed it but yeah it's supposed to be blue all through.

[That... certainly is a thing, but frankly, it looks less creepy than it would if his mouth was red, so Rich pretty much just waves it off, listening to Yondu speak about his boy.]

Yeah, that is pretty damn rural. And with how closed-minded rural places can be, I bet he learned quick how to talk the talk and get support. People can be really judgemental about all sorts of shit... I guess I never put in the effort to make an impression past that first one.

[Maybe people here have better opinions of him... but Rich still finds it hard to believe. He smiles, a little distant, but grateful.]

I wouldn't mind us doing a mutual favor, then. I'll try my best. I promise.

Poi 05 - Voice

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