Comrades maybe

<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer -yoink-
8:23 PM Claire was heading toward the workshops to get some alchemy done, carrying a box of plants and books, their typical work outfit was a simple black jacket over a white tank top. The only difference was that this time, the left side of their face was covered in chemical burns up to their eye, and down to their shoulders, half of their neck looking rather red.
8:35 PM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa Diego was already setting up inside the workshop, pulling various beams and odd machine parts from inside a crate on wheels. His pin-covered jacket was tied around his waist and he had safety goggles on over his glasses. With all the stuff going on recently, he hadn't had much time to work on his transporter, so he hoped to put in at least a few hours here.
8:38 PM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer Claire passes by Diego's room when she spots him, greeting him in Russian. "-Greetings Diego...it seems you are doing well...i was worried when you were...called from the mission due to nausea.-" though when she goes to talk, she accidentally bumps into the left side of the door way, causing her to mutter several obscenities under her breath through the pain.
8:47 PM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa He recognizes the voice even before he looks up, and he has a grin on his face when he turns to greet her. "-Hello, tovarish Claire! I'm...uh...-" His voice tapes off as his smile melts into a look of wide-eyed concern. "-...Are *you*...uhm..doing okay, fellow worker?-
8:51 PM *tapers
8:57 PM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer Claire decides to set down her box of supplies to relieve the stress off of her shoulders as she stretches her wings a bit "-Ah right, guess no reason anyone would have told you, after we encountered Helga and the man responsible, i was hit with an acid strike, Marie wasn't fast enough to heal me fully.-"
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9:33 PM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa Diego's expression hardens a bit as he listens, like some attempt at projecting a mask of neutrality. It's not very good. "-That's...pretty damn reactionary, tovarish. Of course, Marie wouldn't have to do all the healing if I had actually used my Comintern combat medkit...which is hard to do when you've decided to take a nap in your own vomit.-" Diego chuckles a bit, but the laugh seems forced, his eyes quickly moving to the stee
9:33 PM …is hand. He fiddled with it in silence.
9:37 PM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer Claire waves off the concern "-May i have a quick seat? it's still pretty raw, so i've been avoiding too much work, but i've been feeling too idle, had to call out of work today.-" and goes to sit if/when Diego inevitably allows it. "-Do not worry, it was too fast for Marie to do much to help me, Gungnir was the main target, and as he is a magical being, your med-kit would be of little help. Do not feel too bad.-"
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9:56 PM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa Diego pushes some of his stuff to the side to make more space for her. "-Yeah, sit wherever you want. This room's a free soviet while I'm occupying it.-" He puts the ball joint in the crate and sighs. "-No, that's not it, tovarish. When I conducted research for the Institute back home, I was doing something. A servant of the people. I helped the masses, and I was *good* at it. Here, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm more of a liab
9:56 PM … on peacekeeping missions and Marx know that this world's globalized captalism-on-crack isn't going anywhere soon.-" He looks up at her, looking even more tired than usual. "-This failure just puts it into
9:56 PM relief, tovarish. What's a communist without good service? A fucking do-nothing Social Democrat who likes Soviet Union roleplay, that's what.-"
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10:01 PM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer Claire looks rather less than amused at this. "-I came to say my greetings to a friend. Normally I would help you through this personal crisis of yours, but it is rather self-pitying. That is helping no one, complain about the world all you want, but making sure you insult others while wallowing is less than stellar. Diego, no one is blaming you for failing to keep it together, we shouldn't be expecting that of teenagers, but this is
10:01 PM certainly putting you back.-"
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10:18 PM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa Diego's face is mostly unchanged, perhaps slightly more downcast. "-Seems like we're bothered by different things. It's very counter-revolutionary to crack, and I should be faulted for such displays. Shows a lack of discipline. Did the children defending Barcelona from fascists crack? Nope.
10:18 PM Regardless, I would advise you to save your offence for a more worthy group. Look at this madhouse of a dimension. 'How's that capitalism with a human face' working out for those SocDems? An bourgeoisie in proletarian clothes is still bourgeoisie.-"
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10:21 PM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer Claire blinks before looking at Diego with a sign of disappointment, the tiny wings on the side of their head falling down. "-Diego, we watched several people be dissolved by a madman bent of appeasing his loneliness by ripping the souls out of people, before disgracing them by putting them in vessels such as deli meats, and you are most concerned about your doctrine. I am a proud follower of God, but even i would think it is more
10:21 PM important to focus on the lives at hand rather than furthering that.-"
10:38 PM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa This is the death blow to his calm measured expression. Diego stares at his sneakers to avoid looking at Claire directly. His voice breaks as he speaks."-I know, tovarish. I *know.* That's why this isn't just about doctrine. This isn't ideology. You can stop them today, you can stop them tomorrow, but the whole system is fucked. How many people die of starvation everyday, let alone those murdered by magicians or aliens or whateve
10:38 PM … focused on the short-term, but unless we see the big picture, all the little battles are for naught.-"
10:38 PM  He looks up, dismayed. "-This isn't about politics, this about winning the war. Don't you want that for your world? None of this fighting? A real, lasting peace?-"
10:48 PM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer Claire's face softens as they rub the right side of their temple, though not before accidentally touching their left side and wincing. "-Diego, i know you believe that what you seek is the good of all, everyone does one way or the other. But the little battles are not so shallow to me. Diego, do you believe in the concept of a soul? I do not blame you if you do not, to do so would require faith, and faith is hard. Even so, please
10:48 PM understand, i am not ignorant of the plight of the impoverished.-"
10:59 PM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa Diego looks at her, his curiosity trumping his blues for the moment. "A soul? Currently, no, I wouldn't say I ascribe to any ideas about souls. I'm not a militant atheist or anything, I'm just a dialectical materialist: I need proof positive that something exists before accepting it. Who knows with this dimension though? Maybe such concept
10:59 PM s are accepted science here.-" He leans backs in his chair, adjusting his glasses as he smiles a bit. "-I don't doubt your concern, friend. We would not be tovarishki if I didn't think so.-"
11:03 PM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer Claire places a tentative hand on Diego's shoulder "-Yes, it is. Although the exact mechanics elude many of us, and whether or not an afterlife exists cannot be confirmed or denied at present, souls are very real. One can expend a bit of their soul in magic, moving one's soul into another container to go beyond their mortal coil is dangerous, but possible. The enemies we fight have the possibility of altering them, an expression of our
11:03 PM very individuality and will.-"
11:20 PM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa Diego cocked his head to the right a bit."-This seems like a thing I should have been told about in a pamphlet here or something. Has some interesting implications, but I guess that isn't the point at hand.-" He frowns as he thinks. "-The larger point still stands, however. During the early days of the Red October revolution, people used small and
11:20 PM ineffective bands to conduct operations. The Bolsheviks only started winning when the Comintern was organized. This fight is noble and may have some localized effects, but that can't be our best.-"
11:24 PM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer the rage in Claire was starting to build, half tempted to try crushing Diego's soul just to demonstrate...[[Holy shit Claire, maybe think this through and NOT attack your friend because you're annoyed.]] though she takes a couple of breaths. "-Diego, you are not getting my point, right now we cannot do much about the situations beyond our control except helping. I do my best at the hospital, and the others work charity. Until we can start
11:24 PM working on the large issues, it is in many of our best interests to make sure no anomaly does irreversible damage like eating souls, or ending the world.-"
11:42 PM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa Diego scratches his chin, blissfully unaware of how near he was to a swift soul-crushing. "-No, I can understand the use of fighting for reforms. Lenin said trying to change small things to improve the life of the proletariat is good, just as long as we keep the greater goal of a liberated peace in mind. Stay revolutionary
11:43 PM and don't slip into reformism, you know?-" His eyes brighten at the idea of charity work."--You think I could help? I mean, it'd be worth a shot, yeah?-"
11:48 PM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer Claire looks at Diego as if he just finally figured out how gravity makes things fall "-Of course you can help, is all your science for nothing? Have you been in here, tinkering with your machines for sheer amusement? Even not just that, being an extra pair of hands doling out soup can do a world more good than preaching your communist manifesto. If you cannot help even one simple soul, then it is completely worthless.-" she was almost at
11:48 PM the end of her very waning patience.
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11:56 PM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa More than a little hurt by the hit on his public service, Diego does what any good Marxist does: get angry. "-Hey, I didn't know this capitalist pigsty even allowed for mutual aid. I mean, housing and food isn't free for Lenin's sake. And don't disparage the Communist Manifesto! Marx led the way to salvation for countless souls with just those words!-"
Saturday, June 24th, 2017
12:00 AM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer For a split second, it seemed like the entire room itself was about to collapse as Claire clenches her fist in anger. [[Claire, Claire, Claire, buddy, don't be a dick.]] "-Ok, I am sorry for insulting your manifesto, it was not something a friend should do, ok? But Diego, you are demonizing this world so much that it is preventing you from thinking to help others, do you see issue with that logic?-"
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12:21 AM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa Diego looks at the ceiling in surprise as he feels a quick tremor. The shock, though, is enough to keep him from spiralling any further into his political rant and he takes a moment before responding. "-I guess...I guess I should probably apologize as well. You're right. All this building, all this time, going into some transporter that doesn't even work. Maybe that time *would* be better spent helping people who
12:21 AM can be helped.-" He smiles at her, a real smile this time. "-You would make a good Marxist yourself, you know. Maybe a Kautsky book or two and you'd fit fight in Revolution Square!-"
12:25 AM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer even while not being the best at thinking, Claire was pretty astute in observing and making rudimentary deductions, transporter. The school already has teleporters, yet Diego doesn't seem to question...[[Claire, pretty sure he's just trying to get home...whether that's a good thing or not is a different matter.]] "-Thank you, I apologize if i'm a bit on edge, it's not professional. As for becoming a Marxist, i will need to decline, I quite
12:25 AM enjoy the luxuries wealth can provide a bit too much...truffles and caviar.-" Claire says, half jokingly.
12:38 AM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa "-You don't have to be professional, tovarish. We are friends! Besides, getting blasted on a school-organized mission can sour anyone's mood, I guess.-"
12:38 AM Diego takes a chiding tone, mimicking a particularly nasally schoolteacher he had at the orphan's home. "-We will rid you if your bourgeoisie affectations yet, tovarish, one way or another.-" He laughs aloud at the end of his horrible impression.
12:43 AM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer "-Ah, but then i would be declined the joy of seeing Pix's adorable face when she eats fancy foods, I very much doubt the appeals of marxism will sway me more than her. cuddling marx is leagues less comfortable at night...disrespectful really.-" Claire says, their tail was flitting around still rather agitated, but she was calming down. [[There is definitely something about this picture you're missing Claire.]] "-Though, a thought
12:43 AM experiment for another day, is whether or not an item brought to your dimension would stay magical...-"
12:57 AM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa "-and alas, the great Marx is long since dead even in my world's timeline. Sleeping with the first volume of Das Kapital does not fill the void.-" He says this completely deadpan, as if he does sleep holding a 700 page German economic text. "-No clue. I mean, these dimensions seem similar enough, at least at first glance. Like you say, however, until this bucket of junk gets working, it's all just conjecture.-" He nods at the hal
12:57 AM …of parts.
1:06 AM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer "-Diego, please do not tell me that you have tried sleeping with a book in an attempt at...comfort? That might make me cry, and salt water stings like a bitch. Though, i must say it's a possibility I could bring you to your dimension, with enough research and a contract.-" Claire says, merely entertaining the idea rather than seriously offering
1:16 AM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa Diego turns a little red and stares off at a wall past Claire's eyes, but his silence answers for him. He turns his head sharply around when he hears about a way home. "-Wait, really? That's...beyond revolutionary!-"
1:19 AM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer Claire cringes at the thought of the scrawny kid just hugging a book at night...and really wishes she could say that she hasn't tried it at least once. "-I mean, it would take a while to prep, and it would be just sending you there personally...not much I can do about another person...probably. Never tried besides Underworld which is...an oddity dimensionally speaking. Don't get your hopes up too high.-"
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1:27 AM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa He tries to control his exuberance. Diego didn't know much about devils, but if that old Pushkin poem was right, deals with them were dangerous propositions. "-What exactly would you specifically require of or from me to provide said aid?-" He tries to word the question carefully, just in case this was one of those literal loophole devil things. Or was that genies?
1:29 AM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer Claire was a bit taken aback by this, but suppose it makes  sense...and certainly an opportunity. "-Well, for one the contract would give me the power to command and summon you, though i've yet to do that, it would also allow us telepathic communication. I would lend you the power to send you back home.-"
1:37 AM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa "-A steep cost, that. Don't get me twisted, comrade, I'm sure that you wouldn't be a callous...commander, but the idea of supernatural thralldom unnerves me. I am not yet so desperate to enter into such an agreement. To go back to the Comintern so easily, though. I'd get an Order of Lenin for sure.-" His eyes seem distant as he speaks the last portion.
1:39 AM <UltimixRed> 2nd Placer Claire shrugs "-I leave the decision up to you Diego,  there is no reason for me to force it, if you find yourself homesick, you have my number.-"
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1:46 AM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa He was a little wary, but he had no reason not to trust her. They were tovarishki, no? "-Thanks for the offer, though. I'm always homesick, but it hasn't reached that fever pitch yet. I'll get by for the little it takes to build my machine.-" Diego grins good-naturedly, as if he honestly believed that his problems were that simple.
1:52 AM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer Claire nods, standing up to grab her box. "-As my friend, help me carry this box to the lab, my shoulder has been just killing me all day.-" now remembering she came here to deal with some potion work that must be done.
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2:06 AM R<RedRosasGhost> RedRosa He gets out of his chair and puts his coat on before grabbing the box and hoisting it up. "-Of course, tovarish! Mutual aid and all that, yes. Well, that isn't the exact Emma Goldman quote, but it gets the point across. Don't she wouldn't mind.-"
2:09 AM *think she
2:10 AM U<UltimixRed> 2nd Placer Claire rolls her eyes as she starts walking toward the lab down the wall. "-I do not believe that really suffices as a quote, but it will have to do. Oh, be careful not to breathe any of it, you may lose control of your limbs, and respiratory system.-" as casually as one might say pass the salt.