Pool's Open

[soundsinsilence]

Who: Engineers and merpires and anyone curious
When: Day 126, afternoon
Where: 4th floor, east side—the abandoned swimming pool
What: The marvelous marvels of technology

[With the solar panels fully up and running, and the building's functions picking up (looks guys we have elevators!! don't get stuck) there's finally enough power flowing through the walls to siphon just a little off for a side project.

Those on the fourth floor might hear the definite put put put put vrrroooOOOOM of a motor starting up.

More surprising, though comparatively softer, is the hisssssss of moving water, the splash of it hitting dry, cleaned concrete. The smell of salted water, ever so faint, fills the empty pool room.]


Heeeeh . . . there really is enough pressure to get it all the way from outside.

I wonder what they'll think . . .

Comments

[soundsinsilence]

But you're . . .

[Tries to find a better way to say this, tries . . . ]

. . . old.

[no_hero]

[okay, can't help but to laugh a bit after sighing]

I'm only thirty-four, and I'll take honorifics if it makes you feel comfortable.

[soundsinsilence]

If it's really okay . . .

Thirty-four isn't really an 'only' though, Kiritsugu-ojisan.

[no_hero]

[try saying that when you're thirty-four...]

Formalities and the like are really a waste, I feel.

[soundsinsilence]

[You say that like I didn't die at fifteen.]

It's not just formalities though. It's respect, isn't it?

Your life's been longer, and I'm sure there's lots of things you know that I don't. Lots of experiences you've had that I haven't, or that I never will. That means something, doesn't it?

[no_hero]

[. . . okay, fair point.]

No, that's wrong.

Respecting someone simply based off of their age and assuming their experience may be the proper way of things back in Japan or other cultures, but that is not something I'll accept.

This place is full of people your age, some even younger. Most of whom died in ways and for reasons most people back home will never experience.

Am I supposed to treat you or your peers with less respect simply because of numbers?

[soundsinsilence]

Why would how I treat you change how you want to treat me?

[no_hero]

[mental facepalm]

It doesn't.

My point was that the logic behind that reasoning is flawed.

If you want to call me one thing to set the differentiation because I am older, that's one thing. But do not bring respect into it. Just because a person is older doesn't mean they deserve that respect.

[soundsinsilence]

. . . you don't really like yourself much at all, do you . . .

Mm, I'm sure there's something here that will be good for you, though. If not gardening, or electronics . . . do you like exploring? Or cartography, or surveillance and cataloging . . . there's a lot you can see from the dome, and even more if you had binoculars, or a telescope.

[no_hero]

[we need something like the American 5th Amendment here]

... it's something to consider. Mostly, I do want to be sure whatever project I pick up will be something that won't actively put me at risk. I have family here, and they go through a lot of effort to try to make sure I'm in one piece.

[soundsinsilence]

[You could always just stop being so obvious with everything all the time.]

If staying out of trouble isn't something you're very good at, you probably want to stay inside. And maybe try becoming friends with the dragons, slowly. Just in case.

[no_hero]

[that would make me a robot and I fail at being a robot]

It's a thought... though it's probably also worth it to check on the fifth level...

[soundsinsilence]

Inside the dome is still inside.

[no_hero]

Fair enough.