Video

[runs_on_batteries]

Good evening, Voidtreckers. I'd like to announce a council meeting in three days. It's overdue and I believe we have a number of items to discuss.

Please council members take some time over the next few days to come up with and notify me of topics we need to discuss so I can prepare an agenda. If anyone who is not a council member feels strongly about a certain topic we should consider, either tell me or seek out a council member so they may relay the information.

Comments

[irrationally]

[ Give her a moment here.

Alice is very visibly doing a double take. Because, uh. Is this an adult man who can acknowledge his mistakes? Do those actually exist? By far the weirdest thing she's seen on the train.

At least it makes her answer surprisingly honest and cooperative. ]

Her name is Alice, and I believe she did. She's still new, hence why this might be your first time seeing her. The mission was tough on her, as you can imagine.

[ Hence why older Alice is particularly pouncy. ]

.. my name is Alice as well. [ Tacked on as an afterthought. ]

[runs_on_batteries]

[He waits for her to collect herself enough to answer him.]

I'm assuming you're close with her if you know about her state of mind. Please, let me know if she didn't get one and I'll make sure she does.

[He visibly glances away from the screen so he can check what team she's on for some context. Although doing so brings up something else surprising.]

You two have the same last name too.

[He looked at her curiously.]

What's your relationship to her?

[irrationally]

[ Well, at least him apologizing and doubling down on making sure she gets a bear is getting him some points with her. ]

We're the same person.

[ Look, okay, she knows that's going to sound weird to anyone else, so she adds-- ]

She's exactly like how I was at that age. Not to mention we share the exact same highly specific memories. It can't be a coincidence.

[runs_on_batteries]

I didn't know that was possible.

[That was going to take some thought.]

Think one of you might be willing to take a nickname?

[He smirked, a little humor to his tone.]

I bet she'd be a cute 'Minnie', like the term 'mini-me'.

[irrationally]

[ As straight-faced and deadpan as possible: ]

I would rather jump off the train and straight into the void than even consider the possibility of having to deal with a nickname.

That being said, you may find her liking the idea more. She's still more.. excitable.

My apologies I lost this notif

[runs_on_batteries]

[Tony snorts a laugh at that.]

I'll talk to her about it.

[However, he finds the girl he's talking to right now interesting too.]

So finding a younger version of yourself has brought out a family-like protectiveness toward her, I take it?

it's okay hope you can tell me you hate me personally i'm ready for it!!!!

[irrationally]

[ Thank god he isn't insisting on nicknaming her. She might just die.

Though she isn't too sure if she likes this topic much more either. It threads too close to vulnerability. Maybe she can get away with it if she just presents it like a natural fact. ]

Who wouldn't feel that way? If you met a younger version of yourself, wouldn't you want to protect them from any and all bad things that happened to you?

*cries*

[runs_on_batteries]

I don't know. I've never thought about it before. He'd be even more of a dick than I am, if you can imagine..

[This was said jokingly, but he wasn't really kidding. He knew who and what he was back then.]

Anyway, Alice, I have things to do to prepare for this council meeting. Is there anything else you needed?

[irrationally]

[ Even though she doesn't mention anything about it out loud, she's definitely considering that comment for a moment. Funny. For as much he seems to think a younger version of himself would be worse than him, Alice knows a younger version of her is better than how she is now. ]

No. It seems that you've understood the message, so I don't have anything more to say. Good luck with the meeting.