voidtreckernet | Voice; Request

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Voice; Request

[Ran's not sure she's comfortable with being seen for this one, as it's a subject that's touching a little deeply for her, so for the moment she just sticks to voice.]

[She pulls in a soft breath.]

I . . . need some help.

I know a lot of you have met Conan-kun. He's been here for a while. There's another girl here from my world now too -- Ai-chan. If you haven't met them yet, I hope you get to soon.

What I need help with . . . They're both seven. They're both smart -- really smart -- for their age, but. They're both seven. And not fighters. The train doesn't seem to discriminate about who it takes, and yet the missions that it sends us on are dangerous.

[A pause, wrestling with her words.]

I need them both to be safe. This past time Sera-chan and I were able to be with them. But what happens if we're not able to do that? How does their safety get guaranteed?

I need a better guarantee. Please help me figure out how to keep two kids safe so I can get them back home? I'm teaching both some simpler self-defense, and that will help, but . . . I already know it's not enough.

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[Softly,] Thank you, Eva-san. I appreciate it.

You have experience guarding children?

Yeah, I have. Though, it's less guarding and more keeping them safe. I... For me, that role means lot of different things, and I'd be happy to explain if you want?

[Ran blinks a bit on her end. Honestly, she wouldn't have questioned it, but it's hard just to leave that alone now.]

If you'd like to and are comfortable with it?

[She's not sure that Eva is, given the hesitation, the question, and the lack of just diving into it in the first place, so it seems better to give her the out.]

[Eva's slowly doing a learn not go into explanations re: her world without asking! Yet, she still sighs; she not sure if Ran'll like this answer, but... she's never shied away from something because it's hard.]

The role of a guard is also a teacher. Back home, they'd be of the age where they'd be expected to be looking out for those younger than them as well as know the basics of dealing with dangerous situations. Teaching them how to check storm shutters or forcefield gens or something that should be safe enough is better than having them run off to help the adults because they think we adults don't have faith in them.

[And somewhere in all that, her voice takes on a tone of worn, tired experience and intermingles memory.]

The point is, we can't say for certain the next mission'll be safe, but it's less heart attack pending at least? Besides, at the end of the day, I'm a Leader and I'd sooner user my body as a shield to protect those I'm with, kids especially; I did last mission with Haibara-san. [And she's still healing but details.] Just because i think they should be involved somehow doesn't mean I wouldn't yeet them away from danger or physically shield them if needed.

[Ran releases a quiet breath.]

Finding them things that they can do really isn't the issue. I'm not denying that they're smart or saying that I don't have faith in either of them. I'm saying that there are things on these missions -- a lot of things -- that we can't control, that could hurt a seven year old who doesn't have the size, strength, or training to do much about it.

Hurt . . . [It's hard to say, and even now she can't quite manage it:] Or worse.

This last time, those monsters came by surprise. They appeared in surprising places. They weren't easily hurt or daunted themselves. We can't expect children to deal with that. We can't have the same expectations for them as anyone who's fully grown or knows how to fight.

Eva-san being a shield isn't an option either. I appreciate it, but that's not a long-term solution or guarantee any more than the expectation that Sera-chan or I are always going to be there is. Things happen.

I want -- need -- to find a way to prepare or protect them against those things.

I know. Sorry.

[There's a long, slow exhale as she centres herself, if only because she say so many things to so much of that, but Ran doesn't need a lecture, and Eva knows it.] Back home we started safety training before we could toddle. Holograms of typical dangers, stories, tv shows. That sort of thing. I don't know how peaceful your world is, but I think the important thing is to not try and predict everything, just ensure they have a skillset catered to what they can do.

[Wryly:] Failing that, I could get them both a pokemon so at least then they have a tamed monster to hide behind or drag them to safety if all else fails.

[It's a valid idea in her mind, at least.]

[The corner of her mouth lifts a little, wry.] I think that's part of the problem. The world we come from is relatively safe. My dad is a detective, so we get involved in a lot more than the average person, but there's no magic. No monsters. A low crime rate. Children keep their innocence -- barring instructions about basic dangers -- as long as they can so they can grow into happy adults. Having to be exposed to something so young . . . it affects one's life in really profound ways, especially when a child doesn't process experiences and fears the same way an adult does.

[Realizing that that could potentially sound like a comment on Eva, she amends:] I'm sorry. I hope that doesn't sound like I'm trying to make a comment on you or your world. It sounds like Eva-san grew up in a very different place with very different concerns and needs, and of course that makes sense. You -- anyone there -- would have had to stay safe, and children would have to learn different things.

[Softer,] Conan-kun already wrestles with things that have happened here. I don't . . . even like to think about it, but I know I may not be able to prevent everything from affecting them when they go home. They'll see a lot here. It's my duty to them, though, to prevent as much as I possibly can.

[A small half-laugh.] I'm not against the idea of them getting pokemon if they want them. That's a responsibility, though -- and it is another living thing to worry about getting hurt in the midst of all of this.

It sounds like an honest assessment of world differences.

[-Anything else she'd have said is pause on pause as Eva's mind grabs onto what she assumes is the crux of the matter:] Ran-san... We don't actually remember anything of the train when we go home. There was this woman- Evie-chan. She went home and then returned; time passed for her but she didn't remember anything about the train. All I can assume is that for whatever reason, our memories are wiped clean.

But, it doesn't make it alright for them to have lived through what's been asked of us, and, I think more than ever, they need to be gently encouraged to talk openly about it. It's one of the the ways we use back home.

As for pokemon? [There's a small laugh.] They might look like the animals of your world, but they're far, far stronger than they look. Plus, I would be teaching them pokemon care.

[That they might not remember any of this at home is a revelation. On one hand, it's good. It means that whatever they go through here, it won't necessarily linger. On the bad side, it will mean that they forget people -- and anything good about this experience.]

[It also doesn't mean, as Eva says, that the present will be any less difficult.]

Thank you . . . If that's true, that's mostly good. [Briefly she presses her lips together.] Except where we forget people. But it's good, at least, in the sense that maybe I won't have to worry about Conan-kun and Ai-chan taking the bad things with them.

You're right, though -- that still doesn't make it okay for them to go through things in the first place. I still don't want it for them as much as possible.

As far as pokemon . . . [Gently,] No, I understand that they're not like animals at home. But I mean that it's still a life, nothing is invincible.

[She isn't, and it scares her. The ephemeral, fragile nature of everything is scaring her right now.]

[A breath.] It's up to them if they want that responsibility, but they'd better understand the commitment.

Me either, and it is true, near as I can tell. But it doesn't... It doesn't change the now, so we'll do what we can as best we can. [As much as she's much rather it did.

That said, there's a noticeable 'Ah, RIGHT!' in her voice now.] Sorry, that was cold of me; there's things I'm still adjusting to.

Oh believe me, I'd be training them on that as I was trained: they'd be tasked with looking after either Dancer or Princess for a week- a seven-day? with the option of coming to me should something drastic happen. [A hum.] I'd likely start with Princess; the pippi species can eat anything a human can, so there's no chance of him getting sick.

I think that sounds fair? It would be enough to give them a sense of what the responsibility feels like and if they want to take it on. If, again, they want try in the first place. I think that will be the first question.

Oh, absolutely. I won't assume they'd want to, especially given it's not exactly like an animal from your world, and it'd be asked again after the trial period.

[There's a small grin. She doesn't expect Ran to want to try, but given how protective Ran is over the kids, it only seems fair to offer.]

You're welcome to try too if you want, too.

Ah-- [Ran quickly waves a hand -- before remembering that she's only on voice and Eva won't be able to see it. She tries for a smile in her voice instead.] Thank you, I really appreciate it. I think I'd be worried, though, about having to take care of and train -- and probably look after, in the beginning, during fighting -- when I'm trying to do the same for Ai-chan and Conan-kun. I think it's better right now if I focus on what I can do for them . . . and for me, to make myself stronger.

[With another small smile,] And then see yours sometimes for pets when they're up for it.

True enough and anything else can be talked over if the kids choose to go with this.

[There's a small laugh and the grin is clear in her voice.] Well, I know a bird who won't say no to more pettings, though she's very much not an attention hog.

[Unlike certian pink fluffs, Princess.

Nor does she mention Lele, because honestly, Lele is just a mobile AI to Eva. Not really a pokemon except when it's convenient.]

[A soft laugh.] Dancer is very sweet. I don't know that I've ever pet a bird before, but she's seemed to like it, so I must be doing something right.

Let me know what Ai-chan and Conan-kun choose? --Or they may end up telling me themselves, I suppose.

She is gentle natured, but yeah. She likes pets because it feels like being preened.

Will do, but yeah, they likely will.

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