First Encounters!

[11/21/2016 10:47:41 PM] Kam: dualtoneProtector [DP] began trolling deterministPalindrome [DP] at 10:47 --

DP: 1 d0n’t th1nk 1 ever real1zed 0ur handle2 have the 2ame acr0nym. Als0, h1.
[11/21/2016 10:49:11 PM] DAoG: DP: you diidn't?
DP: eheheh yeah iit make2 log2 kiind of hiilariiou2
DP: e2peciially wiith the whole gold thiing
DP: hey though
[11/21/2016 10:51:28 PM] Kam: DP: 20me0ne 0nce p01nted 0ut t0 me that the DP al20 ha2 a lewd mean1ng beh1nd 1t. Wh1ch 1 th0ught wa2 funny at the t1me but 1n th12 1n2tance, c0n21der1ng there are tw0 DP’2......
DP: 1t2 even funn1er.
DP: Hey th0ugh. H0w2 y0ur day?
DP: 1 had g00d f00d and the b0y2 dragged me 0ut21de t0 g0 gl1d1ng.
[11/21/2016 11:00:58 PM] DAoG: DP: god they diid two me two
DP: my clade kept remiindiing me for liike a periigee
DP: iit wa2 awful
DP: iit'2 been good ii've mo2tly been workiing and a biit of cuddliing iin between
DP: good food ii2 good though that alway2 ii2 a great addiitiion
[11/21/2016 11:02:49 PM] Kam: DP: ehehe
DP: W0rk1ng and cuddl1ng 20und2 l1ke a g00d balance.
DP: w12h 1 had that 20rt 0f 2tab1l1ty 1n my l1fe h0ne2tly
DP: The b0y2 say h1 by the way!
[11/21/2016 11:06:37 PM] DAoG: DP: hey back two them
DP: and yeah iit ii2 p niice
[11/21/2016 11:07:22 PM] Kam: DP: C0rvu2 a2k2 me 1f y0u’re my d0uble... 1’m laugh1ng.
[11/21/2016 11:08:14 PM] DAoG: DP: eheheh
DP: clo2e ii gue22 but 2tiill a way2 off
[11/21/2016 11:09:15 PM] Kam: DP: They’re t00 y0ung t0 kn0w what descendant2 are and al20 under2tand 1t, 1 d0n’t kn0w h0w t0 2ay 1t t0 them 1n a way that make2 2ense...
DP: Hmm...
DP: cl02e but n0 c1gar, huh.
DP: Whatcha up t0?
[11/21/2016 11:12:18 PM] DAoG: DP: that'2 a tough one
DP: ii gue22 iit depend2 iif they get the multiiver2e or not
DP: ii'm mo2tly ju2t doiing re2earch nothiing really mandatory or anythiiing
DP: hbu?
DP: you up for healiing 2hiit happeniing or are you up pa2t your horn2 iin 2hiit?
[11/21/2016 11:13:57 PM] Kam: DP: H0ne2tly?
DP: 1 c0unt y0u a2 my descendant anyway2.
DP: Y0u’re a l0t l1ke me, and 1t2 c00l.
DP: 1 th1nk they get 1t, th0ugh.... And yeah, 1’m up f0r 1t. 1f y0u are.
[11/21/2016 11:18:26 PM] DAoG: DP: ii
DP: that
DP: 2hiit thank2 that mean2 a lot?
DP: ii'm def up for iit
DP: to22 me coord2 and ii'll hop over
[11/21/2016 11:20:04 PM] Kam: DP: ehehe. 1’m a 0ld man w1th a t1ny netw0rk.
DP: 1t2 h0w 1 c0pe, really... Y0u kn0w?
DP: Every0ne 12 prec10u2 t0 me.
DP: are y0u up t0 meet my b0y2 th0ugh? ju2t want t0 be 2ure.
[11/21/2016 11:23:44 PM] DAoG: DP: yeah
DP: yeah ii get you
DP: ii am yeah
DP: ii can handle a couple of wiiggler2 ii thiink
[11/21/2016 11:24:56 PM] Kam: DP: 2t1ll. Y0u’re 0ne 0f my neare2t and deare2t fr1ends...
DP: Alr1ght. They want t0 meet y0u, but they’ll h1de at f1r2t. ... And d0n’t 2tare when y0u meet ‘em.
[11/21/2016 11:25:25 PM] Kam: DP: they’re f0ur and three sweep2 and, uh.
DP: ch0 re2cued them fr0m a helm1ng academy.
[11/21/2016 11:25:33 PM] Kam: DP: t0 prepare y0u a b1t
[11/21/2016 11:27:58 PM] DAoG: DP: ii'll def keep all of that iin miind
DP: iif ii fuck up or 2/t don't he2iitate on calliing me out for iit
DP: ii don't exactly have a lot of experiience wiith kiid2
[11/21/2016 11:29:54 PM] Kam: DP: n0 w0rr1e2. They’re pretty 0ld f0r the1r age2, 1f that make2 2en2e?
DP: 2end1ng c00rd2 n0w....

DP sent DP [hivecoords11-21.TXT]

DP: There y0u are. c:E
[11/21/2016 11:34:20 PM] DAoG: DP: 2weet
DP: ii'll be over iin a 2ec or two then
[11/21/2016 11:35:12 PM] Kam: DP: !! Alr1ght!! 1’ll actually put 0n pant2 eheheh
[11/21/2016 11:35:27 PM] DAoG: DP: that would be appreciiated
[11/21/2016 11:35:53 PM] Kam: DP: pal
DP: 1t wa2 a j0ke
DP: pal 1 d0n’t have any leg2
[11/21/2016 11:36:21 PM] Kam: DP: c:<E
DP: c: <E
DP: c:<E
DP: c: <E
DP: c:<E
[11/21/2016 11:37:04 PM] DAoG: DP: hey ii know enough people that lounge around pant2le22 that ii wa2n't wiilliing two take the chance
[11/21/2016 11:37:40 PM] Kam: DP: Ehehehehehe
DP: 1 get ya. c:>E
DP: 1 w1ll dre22 acc0rd1ngly th0ugh.
[11/21/2016 11:39:27 PM] DAoG: DP: eheheh thank2
[11/21/2016 11:45:04 PM] Kam: > Dress accordingly. Which means putting on pants over the pair of legs you’re wearing (The shiny ones with a strip of glowing red down one side and blue down the other), a shirt (Kyogre VS Groudon!) and making sure your boys are dressed as well. They complain lightly, or at least Tilous does. Corvus runs to his room to pick out an eyepatch. You’ve let him get a collection of them- Why shouldn’t he? You chuckle, hovering over the floor until you reach the hallway and peer out. Waiting. Watching.

You’re very... apprehensive. Pal’s never been over. You’ve not seen him. You don’t know what he looks like... he doesn’t know what you look like. ... Well, besides selfies that you both might have, but... That wasn’t important. The important part here is that you and your scars are Burning, burning up in embaressment and the slight tinge of fear. You KNOW Pal doesn’t care about scars. ... Still can’t help but run your fingers down the ones on your face, though. Damn.
[11/21/2016 11:59:54 PM] DAoG: There's nerves on your side as well, for some of the same reasons and a couple of different ones. Hopping over to an unfamiliar place with three people you haven't met in person was not an easy thing to just do, the fact that two of them were wigglers didn't matter. One was a Psiioniic, a fucking badass alt of your ancestor, who just told you he thought of you like his descendant. Fuck. How were you supposed to go meet him in person? At least online you can pretend not to be a disappointment.

You focus on getting ready, changing to clean clothes, washing your hands and face just to make sure you're clean and not gore covered, remembing that you don't actually need to take anything, sending a note to Calo to say where you're going. By the time you're finished, the violent blush from earlier has calmed its spheres and vanished, and your nerves are mostly under control. No more stalling, time to find the transportalizer pad and get on your way, god help you.
[11/22/2016 12:08:20 AM] Kam: > Ding. It beeps and you freeze for a moment, withdrawing your head into your room. Deep breaths. Deeeep fucking breaths, holy shit. Your knuckles crack, and you exhale a breath, poking your head back out again.

Your home is simple. It’s mostly a square, with a box at the front with a transportalizer in a small welcoming room, a footmat, shoe rack, coat rack, etc. From there, it lead through double doors into a hallway, with doors on both sides. All the doors on the left are bedrooms, all the ones on the right are- office/workroom, stairwell room (To a spiral staircase up and down) and kitchen. Below all this is the library, above you is the observatory and weather center. All hand built or at least, 98% hand built.

The hallway is decorated simply. There’s blue buttons by the baseboards of every door, and theres some display stands. Flowers on a small table, arrowheads displayed on another. A big red bow is on the door farthest on to the right (The kitchen) and on your door, which is open, a big gold plaque, with your favorite joke illuminated on it.
You wonder briefly if Pal will recognize it.

Today your hair is pulled back into a ponytail- god you need to cut it again - but some stray hairs flop into your face when you lean out the doorway again to peer down the hall to the entrance.

DP: 1 heard a d1ng.
[11/22/2016 12:18:24 AM] DAoG: ...huh.

The flash fades and reveals the homey and surprisingly empty block, leaving you to blink at its contents and idly wonder where Sal was. You're used to showing up with your host right there to meet you, and you're not sure this is better or worse in this particular case. Probably worse, delaying the inevitable and all that.

Between looking around this block and your hesitation, it's just long enough for your phone to go off, chirping for your attention. You pull it out of your 'dex and earperk at the message waiting for you to respond.

DP: yeah that'2 probably me
DP: unle22 ii've been wii2ked away two 2ome other hiively trap or 2/t
DP: 2hould ii come fiind you or are you on your way?
[11/22/2016 12:28:02 AM] Kam: DP: 1 l1ke t0... c0nf1rm wh0 12 here bef0re 1 greet, n0w. That wh0le th1ng where 1 van12hed f0r l1ke a week and g0t a m1221ng leg and bru121ng and the arm and the wh0le n1ne yard2...
DP: 1 am n0t pr0ud t0 2ay 1t t0uched 0n my paran01a.

DP: But yeah, 1’m c0m1ng 0ut n0w. c=E

> And you do! You stand in the hallway now, and stride down to the double doors... And open them to gaze on this... Wait, how tall is Pal again? Your gaze starts out level and then goes down. And you grin, crookedly to match your crooked nose, and wave your good arm.

> All fears aside once you actually got to meet the guy, you’ve forgotten how he might look on seeing your face- you’re sure he’s seen it a thousand times before, helming scars- Though you are slightly worried on how he’ll take your eyes, which shine brightly but are just the tiniest bit... dull. He’s studying to be a docterror. He might... No, no, you tell yourself. It’ll be fine. He’s not here to give you a full exam. You keep up the wave.

“Eyyy. Good to have you here, Pal.” Your rich baritone/tenor mix speaks for itself. You have a pretty voice... The barest hint of rasp, but otherwise... You’re excited to meet them.
[11/22/2016 12:40:11 AM] DAoG: DP: ii can't really blame you eheh
DP: ii'll be here then

You tuck your phone away again and step off the pad, nibbling at one of the silver rings that wrap around your bottom lip. Waiting for him isn't the worst thing you've ever done, not by a long shot, but your ears perk in both interest and relief when the doors open.

He's right, you're used to helming scars at this point, and that everyone was taller than you, chin tilting up to look at Sal's face with a matching grin. God, look how excited he is, how the fuck were you ever nervous? No one answer that. He's also right that you do notice the dullness, tucking the infomation away with a slight internal frown. Later, greetings first.

"Good ta be here." Your own alto has an accent, one a human might describe as a German and Russian mix as spoken by a tiger, but it's cheerful enough, matching your grin.
[11/22/2016 12:45:02 AM] Kam: > Oooh noo, look how cute he is. Look at that grin, look at him... You extend a hand, but then hold out both your arms. Hug? Your eyes are saying.

“Good to have you, Pal.” You over enunciate your words- Like when you relearned how to speak, you didn’t quite do it right... Or like you’d had centuries of working around your lisp, which is quite heavy.

“Welcome to my humble abode. Took me four month’th to build it, and I’m th’till puttin’ thing’th in’thide. Wanna take a look around? You like librarie’th, right? Book’th and thing’th... Or do you wanna th’ee the garden’th? Oh! Oh! The th’uth’tained eco’thy’thtem. I KNOW you wanna th’ee that.” Now you’re grinning and stumbling over your words, oh dear.
[11/22/2016 8:39:23 PM] DAoG: You hesitate again, mentally debating if you trust him enough for physical contact, before deciding that yeah, you're okay with hugs. Boots stride right over to him until you're in proper hugging range and wrap your arms around him, leaning your cheek on his chest. It won't last long, but you're not stiff while it happens, as relaxed as you can be in new surroundings.

"Yeah, def give me a tour, if the retht lookth ath nithe ath thith doeth I wanna thee it."
[11/22/2016 9:02:48 PM] Kam: > The clunk of boots takes your attention- Footwear fascinates you, since you only just began wearing it again - But then you look up because hell yes, hugs? they’re hugging you. This is some good shit.

> Hug them back. The arm you can reach around them is long and warm- the other is a bit awkward, but you try and that’s the point.

> is their cheek on your chest yes it is holy shit you can feel your face turning completely yellow

> Right. Tour. You give their hair a staticy ruffle with your good arm and smile warmly at them. “Alright! Tour time. Th’o thi’th ith my hallway. It’th the main hub of the hive. All the room’th are connected by thi’th one th’trip. We’ll tht’art in my kitchen.”

And you float, just inches off the floor, your toes skimming the carpeting, towards and into the door with the red ribbon.

> Your kitchen is black and white with yellow accents. It’s black tiled, with black walls (where you can see them, which isn’t much) and white cupboards, yellow handles, and bee-print curtains over a window over the sink. There’s a small white table and three chairs over on the wall to the right of the door. It’s nothing much to look at. You stride right to the fridge and draw your fingers across the interface on the door, putting up your grocery list and a calender year with various fluctuating weights on it.

Then you turn back to Pal. “Th’o. Thi’th i’th the kitchen.”
[11/22/2016 9:15:11 PM] DAoG: Your boots are pretty heavy duty things, steel toed and clearly designed to withstand abuse, like dropping sharp edged computer parts on your feet. One is black and one is white, though the white is dulling somewhat since you've owned them for a sweep or so.

That awkward arm gets your attention, your free ear perking at it, but you don't draw attention to it. Tour first, get that out of the way before getting down to business. He's a friend, you can socialize for a bit first, relax.

The ruffles get your grin widening and you chirp at him, following after him and looking around at the little decorations in the hall, impressed with the construction since he made it himself. Same with the kitchen, though he'll get to watch your examinations this time since you're not behind him anymore, eyes travelling from one focal point to the next with a little half grin.

"It lookth pretty good, very you really. I like the colorth."
[11/22/2016 9:28:53 PM] Kam: > Oh no!! They have chirped at you! Trolls don’t just chirp at you. It’s an olden thing, an old form of body language that you’re all too used to. Words are complicated- You follow the mantra, actions speak louder than words, fairly closely. And chirps mean all sorts of things. In this case, happy thoughts and a want to be close.

 You try to contain your wide grin from the chirping.

There’s little bee salt and pepper shakers on the table, and fish magnets? on the fridge.

“Yeah? Thank’th. My kitchen ith... I like it. And look!” You move to your window, where two yellow ropes hang from the ceiling. “If you pull on these, the roof open’th up to show the th’tarth, cau’th the ob’thervatory it’th up top.”

You grin widely. You like that a lot, your observatory and the stars and... “... It’th good, but a bit... bitter’th’weet at time’th, y’know?”