[BOY. that's a loaded question; gregor is quiet for a minute after it.]
...nah. I mean, I've mostly lived day by day like that, sure... but not the same way. Rifling through the trash like actual bugs, clinging to things that don't matter anymore... even though the war's been over for a decade already.
[traitor. deserter.]
Hope you didn't mention me to 'em, or you really would've pissed those guys off.
[debating for a second, but. well. ichiban saw them.]
You probably noticed they look different from me, right? We all got augmented like this, but mine... I came out without the same side effects. All the extra mutations the rest have. They've been scrounging around down there resenting me for going back into society, like it's been easy to just go have a 'normal' life after that. Never bothered finding out that looking mostly human doesn't matter. I still worked for a fallen Corp-- nobody takes you in after that.
[gregor gives him a sidelong look at that, still leading him along down to the medbay, but-- he doesn't say anything about it immediately, leaving it to see if ichiban explains.]
he reacts more or less like a guy who's never been hugged in his life, basically. freezes up at first, little bug antennae straightening up in shock, before what's going on kinda catches up with him and he just. gives ichiban an awkward couple of pats on the back with his human hand.]
[ yeah, that doesn't really surprise ichiban. but gregor wouldn't be the first person ichiban has hugged like this, someone who isn't used to the idea of human contact being something warm instead of something to be frightened of. ]
You get it. You're exactly the kind of person I look out for, man. The tattoo on my back—I'm ex-yakuza, we got the same kinda thing goin' on. In a way, I'm branded for life. And just like you, they all told me there's no way I could survive trying to live on the straight and narrow. But guess what? I tried anyway. I tried, I kept going, and I didn't let anyone or anything stop me.
As long as you're willin' to put in the effort... you can start over. You can come back. All you gotta do is try. 'Cause when you're at rock bottom, the only way to go is up.
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...nah. I mean, I've mostly lived day by day like that, sure... but not the same way. Rifling through the trash like actual bugs, clinging to things that don't matter anymore... even though the war's been over for a decade already.
[traitor. deserter.]
Hope you didn't mention me to 'em, or you really would've pissed those guys off.
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[ "how could i not" is an additional fleeting thought, but he has the emotional intelligence to not voice it. ]
But I would've never said anything about you to them. They're not the kinda people I see you hanging out with.
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[debating for a second, but. well. ichiban saw them.]
You probably noticed they look different from me, right? We all got augmented like this, but mine... I came out without the same side effects. All the extra mutations the rest have. They've been scrounging around down there resenting me for going back into society, like it's been easy to just go have a 'normal' life after that. Never bothered finding out that looking mostly human doesn't matter. I still worked for a fallen Corp-- nobody takes you in after that.
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sorry, but ichiban just kind of. starts laughing. not with mirth, of course, but with something more like... incredulousness. ]
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You still had the drive to keep going, right? To try.
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then laughs again, and turns to hug gregor with his good arm.
(his other one is still def bleeding btw) ]
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[hello?
he reacts more or less like a guy who's never been hugged in his life, basically. freezes up at first, little bug antennae straightening up in shock, before what's going on kinda catches up with him and he just. gives ichiban an awkward couple of pats on the back with his human hand.]
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You get it. You're exactly the kind of person I look out for, man. The tattoo on my back—I'm ex-yakuza, we got the same kinda thing goin' on. In a way, I'm branded for life. And just like you, they all told me there's no way I could survive trying to live on the straight and narrow. But guess what? I tried anyway. I tried, I kept going, and I didn't let anyone or anything stop me.
As long as you're willin' to put in the effort... you can start over. You can come back. All you gotta do is try. 'Cause when you're at rock bottom, the only way to go is up.
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[their job still very much involves killing people. doing what they need to do. dying in order to do it.
but it's still--
well, it's still something that's not bad to hear, honestly. a similar kind of camaraderie to knowing other people who were former military.]
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[ he is very much trying not to think about that part right now thank you. ]