revivalproject | With the bravery of being out of range

Entry tags:

yu-gi-oh: radley

With the bravery of being out of range

WHO: Connor and OPEN
WHERE: Watching the volcano, eventually going to the Warrens
WHAT: There's a volcano, yo
WHEN: Volcano event
WARNINGS: N/A

⭕ Three hours before the eruption:

The scroll from the Funfronds is tucked in Connor's pocket, but he hasn't made any attempts to heed the message just yet. His curiosity is too great to turn tail and take cover in the Warrens. He pats the pocket of his dusty jeans to make sure his device and quarter are still safely there along with the scroll. As horrible as it might sound, Connor's a bit of a loner and while he's half-heartedly keeping an eye out for anyone who might need some help getting to the Warrens, he's more concerned with satisfying his own curiosity about what's happening as he's never seen or experienced a volcanic eruption before. He's got a makeshift cloth mask wrapped around his mouth and nose to try to keep his ventilation units from becoming clogged as he watches the belching mountain while he slowly makes his way to the underground shelter. The flash of light from the shield catches him off-guard, and he hastens his steps just a little towards the rendezvous point. Maybe he'll meet a few last-minute strays like himself on the way.

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Radley, loaded down with food supplies, sees him and hurries over. "Hey! We need to get underground!"

Not his favorite thing to do by far, especially after he was a prisoner in a mine back home, but there's no choice.

He can't help the smile as he sees his friend, reaching out to take some of his burden.

"Curiosity got the best of me, I'm afraid. Let me help with that." Radley looks a little worse for wear, and it sparks a wave of concern that goes beyond the events happening around them.

"I've never seen a volcano before."

There will be time to ask Radley how he's doing once they're inside.

Radley is relieved to not have to keep carrying it all. "Thanks," he smiles.

He grimaces at the mountain. "I haven't either, at least not in real-life."

He could definitely be better. Going into a mine to get where they're going especially worries him. He's not sure at all how he'll handle it. He hadn't been back to the mine back home since being freed. He had only barely recovered physically and then he had been brought here.

"Of course. It's no problem, Radley." He gives him a half-smile as he follows his gaze to the mountain. Unlike Radley, Connor isn't bothered by it, his sense of curiosity overpowering any worry he might have about it. He's not stupid, though. He knows it's time to head for shelter.

"I wish there was a safe place to observe it. Watching it go off would be something."

He navigates the uneven terrain with Radley, but it's only as they are getting closer to the shelters that he begins to notice his reluctance to enter. Hadn't Radley mentioned to him about mining before? Could that have something to do with it?

"Hey. Are you okay?"

"... It's really that fascinating to you?" Radley says in surprise. He can't say he's ever liked them. Knowing all the destruction they cause makes it hard for him to appreciate them.

He shudders, looking ahead to what must be the entrance. But he puts on a smile, even though it's probably shaky. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just wondering how long we'll be stuck there ... or if it's even safe...."

No matter how afraid he is of going in, he knows he has to, somehow. He has to see that everyone gets in there, and his supplies, and then if he can't hack it, he'll quietly go off and melt down somewhere.

That pulls Connor up short. "Isn't it to you?" Sure, they cause massive destruction and casualties, but putting the negatives aside, there's something completely amazing about the idea of a mountain acting as a pressure valve for the internal stresses of a planet.

He tilts his head to one side, choosing to ignore Radley's obvious discomfort for the moment. "Why wouldn't it be safe? Do you think we'd be led deliberately to somewhere more dangerous than it is out here?" The vague worry from before is becoming more insistent. He'll have to keep an eye on Radley.

"It's hard for me to like them when I know how much destruction they cause.... I saw some on TV and even that was terrifying," Radley says with a weak smile.

He sighs. "Not deliberately, maybe ... but I just wonder why the lava won't reach us there. And if it doesn't kill us, it might seal us in at the very least. Maybe ... we'll never get out...."

He's starting to physically shake from fear at that thought. He wouldn't say it to most others, but with Connor being an android, he feels more comfortable showing these concerns. That, and he finds he can't keep these concerns completely bottled up.

"I've never seen any footage of volcanoes; I know what they can do thanks to the information programmed into my database. To witness such powerful natural forces must be awe-inspiring." He clears his throat, tempering his enthusiasm, "but of course we can't forget the toll they take on lives with their destruction."

Connor was about to speak, to say something to allay Radley's fears, but he frowns when he sees Radley is actually shaking. He reaches a hand out, his voice gentle and his eyes full of concern.

"Hey, hey now. It'll be alright, Radley. I promise. We'll be okay there. Let's get inside and I'll stick with you, okay? We'll be fine."

Radley nods slowly. He supposes maybe he can understand a little how Connor would be fascinated, not having seen anything like it.

"It sure makes you feel small compared to Mother Nature," he says.

He takes a deep, shaking breath. "Yeah.... There's not any choice.... I know we've gotta go down there or we're done for sure." He manages a smile. "Thanks."

Connor tilts his head, glancing over at Radley before looking back at the volcano. "There was a time I wouldn't have cared about anything like this." Because the most important thing to him was Cyberlife, and his mission. Petty concerns for a petty company.

Carefully, he rests his hand on Radley's bicep and squeezes gently. "Once we're safe, we can rest and talk about it, okay? Or just rest, if you don't want to talk."

"Yeah? What changed?" Radley curiously asks.

He nods, appreciating the kindness. "Thanks." He'll not sure if he'll want to, but he is pleased by the offer.

"I deviated and realized there was so much more to the world than Cyberlife." It's said matter-of-factly, but there's an undercurrent of bitter anger if Radley's paying attention.

"Of course." His hand moves to gently clap Radley on the back. "Come on, let's get to safety."

Radley thinks he hears it, but the answer is vague enough that he doesn't think he'll press the issue.

"I'm glad you did," he says. "You're a great friend."

He nods and starts to walk again. "We'd better hurry."

Probably a good call. All it would accomplish is sending Connor off on a rant about Cyberlife's evils.

That pulls him up short, and he stares at Radley for a moment. Radley thinks of him as a friend? The closest he'd come before was Hank, and that hadn't ended well. But Radley- they're friends? He shakes his head, getting his thoughts back on track.

"I think you are too," he murmurs, still uncertain that Radley means it. "Yeah, yeah, we should. I'm coming." He quickens his pace to follow, casting one last glance over his shoulder at the volcano.

Radley smiles. He's used to people being surprised if he expresses such feelings. He does mean it.

He seems in a much better mood as they reach the mines, although the thought of going in still scares him. But he takes a deep breath and slowly moves forward. "Okay. Here goes everything."

Connor's not used to the idea of having friends. No one's wanted to be his friend before, and even the androids here are more wary than friendly. Finding someone who accepts his artificial nature without judgment and likes being around him? It's unheard of in Connor's experience. He knew they got along, but characterizing him as a friend is entirely new.

"You can do it, I'm right behind you," Connor's voice is still low, and hopefully reassuring as they step inside. His eyes take a moment to adjust to the lower light levels, leaving him blinking as he looks around. "You doing okay?"

Radley slowly looks around. It's a mine, alright. But it's not like his rival's from home. It's not. He has to focus on that, maybe think of his own mine instead....

"Yeah," he says, managing a smile. "Let's keep going."

He tries not to let himself get frightened as they go deeper. It's definitely causing him to remember more and more.... Malcolm's guards' cruelty ... escaping from them ... desperately wandering and unable to get anyone to help him....

Connor gives him a warm smile in return. Unlike Radley, he's fascinated by the idea of being underground like this. He's been in the subterranean levels of Cyberlife, but they were just as bright and sterile as all the other floors, with nothing to indicate they were below the surface.

As they continue though, it's becoming more and more obvious to Connor that his friend- such a nice word -definitely doesn't feel the same way. He finally comes to a halt and reaches a hand out to place on Radley's shoulder, gently tugging him to a stop as well.

"Real talk. Tell me what's going on."

Radley starts but then relaxes at the nice touch. "I ..." He sighs. "It reminds me of back home.... Of horrible things that happened in my rival's mine.... His guards tortured all the workers ... including me when I ended up there.... They shocked everyone ... and whipped them.... There was no help when they were sick.... So many of them just died and no one cared...."

Connor listens, not saying anything, but his hand tightens around Radley's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Radley. No one should go through something like that. I don't understand why they would treat people that way."

He wants to know more, to hear about how Radley escaped and whether his rival was brought to justice, but for now he only remains silent, a steadying presence until Radley is ready to either move on or reveal more.

Radley appreciates his presence and comfort.

"I don't understand either. You'd think that even if they didn't care on a moral basis, they'd realize that torturing the workers would make them less productive, not more."

He sighs. ". . . I was just left behind when others got out. I don't know if they blamed me and thought I deserved it, or if they just didn't find me, or what. I tried so hard to make friends with one of them before we got sent there. It never worked. I never got to talk to him again before I ended up here."

Connor will keep it up for as long as Radley needs it.

"I was thinking that, too." He didn't want to say it; it might sound heartless coming from a being like him. An android.

He frowns deeply, staring hard at Radley. Not talking to that person didn't sound like much of a loss, in his opinion. "How did you manage to save yourself?"

Radley was told later that that person had been deep in depression and pretty much suicidal, so part of him hopes that explains his behavior. He also wonders if he did look for Radley, despite not finding him.

"I didn't," he says softly. "I was tortured until I lost all hope. I gave up and ... let myself die...."

He looks off into the distance. "But ... I came back.... I woke up with my friends there...."

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With the bravery of being out of range

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you got to me before i got to radley 😊

You're welcome to tag Radley's post too, unless multiple threads would be too confusing/exhausting!

i think i'll stick to this one for now just because my time is more limited now, :(

Understandable!

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CW: Mentions of torture

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CW: Suicidal mentions, tortured to death