[Open] Some Rats Don't Go Into Mazes

[work_wife]

WHO: Robin, Open
WHERE: Warrens Common Areas
WHAT: Anxiously Waiting For Results, Learning To Own A Dog
WHEN: November
WARNINGS: None

1. Back In The Same Maze

The Warrens. The last time they had ended up here Robin had still been new on Agra-10. Now here she is in the underground, looking worn around the edges, bruises around her throat existing as the faintest ghost of a memory, and hoenstly, looking annoyed. This time she doesn't have her things. She doesn't have all of her friends because some of them went and disappeared into the depths to explore (seriously, Eddie, why?).

Still doesn't make her feel any less worried. People are scattered and separated again. There's still a threat out there. In here. With them. Probably.

To say that Robin's jumpy is a serious understatement. While she's coming out of the shower area she jumps almost half a foot when she hears someone approaching. Well, more like when she hears Little Bear's excited boof over hearing someone approaching. At least the dog serves as an early warning system.

"Who's there?"

2. Exploring The Side Passages

At least there were ways to distract herself without her friends around. Sure, going off on her own had already made trouble for her in the past. In the recent past at that. But staying still in a single place had never been her style. Sure she hadn't been popular in Hawkins, but she had been used to wandering around town and biking places she wanted to go.

Being cooped up was never her style.

Thankfully she wasn't wandering completely alone. She had Little Bear on a makeshift leash at her side, the dog's tail wagging excitedly as Robin stopped them at an intersection off of the main Warren's area. She pauses, runs her fingers over a scratched in name on the wall. Something Billy Hargrove left here last time, when he named corridors based on streets he remembered from California. It made her feel closer to her absent friend.

"So, what do you say, Little Bear, left or right? I mean, we should probably double back, but you're clearly still excited to stretch your legs."

The dog just does a tappy little dance of excitement.

"Such a conversationalist," she sighs. "If only we could teach you english."

She needed someone to talk to before she went crazy.

Comments

[work_wife]

"I could," she agrees, "but where would I find them in town? I can't exactly get them from the store?"

Though most stores back in her time still used mostly paper bags.

"Oh man, yeah. Steve couldn't handle cleaning it up, so it was always me."

[crystalmaster]

"There's the replicator, when we go back up," Radley suggests. "It should be able to do it."

A sympathetic smirk. "I can't blame Steve, but it's still gotta be done. Sometimes my friends would play Rock Paper Scissors or weirder things to see who'd havta clean stuff up."

[work_wife]

There is that. He's not wrong. Though she doesn't know how to give it instructions for that.

"I've honestly just been using that to make cookies," she admits with a smile. What, she liked cookies? "Oh, and reeds for my french horn."

Why was she still practicing? Who knew. But she was.

"That's a fair way to do it. I've seen the kids do it some."

[crystalmaster]

Radley would be happy to help.

“Cookies are a lot more fun,” he smirks. “And that’s cool you play. I play the piano and guitar. Too bad we can’t get an orchestra going.”

He nods. “My friends are pretty good about working in the diner. Even when stuff like that happens.”

[work_wife]

"They really are," she chuckles. And the news that her and Eddie aren't the only musically inclined here is nice to hear.

"I mean, if you can get a piano, we'd have... Well, a really messed up arrangement of instruments, but it would be something. And I'm glad the diner keeps running. That place keeps me fed for sure."

[crystalmaster]

Radley laughs. “Yeah, it might sound kinda screwy. But who knows, maybe we’d make it sound pretty good.”

He smiles. “Well, I’ve been talking about my diner back home, but I’m happy I can help keep this one running too.”

[work_wife]

"A new type of music. Call it Temba fusion," she chuckles. Metal plus orchestra? Could be interesting.

"Oh. You had one back home too? That's pretty interesting. Glad we have you here then."

[crystalmaster]

Radley laughs. “Sounds cool.”

He nods. “My place was the only family-friendly eatery in town. Other than that, it was a couple of saloons.”

[work_wife]

Only family-friendly? Robin's eyebrows go up into her hair line.

"How does a town only have one family friendly place?"

[crystalmaster]

“When it’s a modern Old West town founded on greed and the other game in town is a bunch of wild guys who’ll do anything to get what they want,” Radley says, sobering a bit.

[work_wife]

Okay, that's definitely widening her eyes further.

"That sounds pretty destructive. Geez, people just do weird shit, don't they?"

[crystalmaster]

"Ha, yeah, that's one way to put it," Radley agrees. "The town's finally safe from them, but it took a lot."

[work_wife]

'Took a lot' makes Robin frown.

"Listen, this is probably an invasive question or something. I'm sorry if it is. I'm not always the best at social things. But... by 'took a lot' do you mean... do you mean lives?"

[crystalmaster]

Radley sighed but nodded. “Yeah … I do,” he admitted quietly. “Everything was a real mess for ages.”

[work_wife]

Robin shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. Which of course got Little Bear whimpering and moving to sit closer to her. To be a rock to lean against.

"That's horrible. I'm so sorry."

[crystalmaster]

He nods somberly. He still thinks about it every day, wondering if it was right to handle it the way he did or if he only made it worse. People told him he held off Malcolm’s takeover for years and that the town fell apart in one day once he did get it, but Radley still worries. Still wonders.

“It’s over now, at least,” he says. “The town is rebuilding.”

It doesn’t take away what happened or make up for it, but at least Malcolm can’t do any further damage.

[work_wife]

"That's got to be a hard step. But maybe rewarding. Good for you guys."

Though she wonders what he'll have to go back to when they're done with this.

[crystalmaster]

Radley wonders that every day.

"Yeah, everybody's pretty determined to get it back on its feet. They started putting it back up hours after Lawton blew it up."

[work_wife]

"Blew it... holy shit," Robin whispers. That's pretty extreme.

[crystalmaster]

“Yeah. That guy … he’s the worst sore loser I’ve ever seen,” Radley says grimly. “Once he knew he’d lost, he blew up Main Street as a cover to get away. And he must have already planned on doing that since the explosives were all already set.”

[work_wife]

Robin's mouth drops open in horror. Like, that's Vecna bad. What the hell?

"That's horrible. Oh god. I'm so sorry."

[crystalmaster]

"Thanks. Yeah, it was a real bad scene."

One he hadn't even personally witnessed from his prison in the mines, but he had heard plenty later.

"The town was just lucky it had people able to stop him. Not me, but others."

[work_wife]

Not him? Damn, that had to hurt too. She reaches out to awkwardly pat his arm.

"Bu when you get back you'll help them. It'll be fine."

[crystalmaster]

Radley smiles sadly a bit. It definitely does hurt. But he appreciates the attempt at comfort.

"Yeah. There'll probably still be a lot to do putting it all back together."

[work_wife]

"That means you've still got something to look forward to?" she suggests. "Building it better. Stronger."