[OPEN] How much of it's genetics? How much of it is fate?

[chronomancer]

Characters: jade!Eridan & YOU! 
Setting: Workshop
Format: Starting with action, but I'll match you.
Summary: Eridan emerges from his self-imposed exile for a while to clean his rifles.
Warnings: Eridan's deadpan. Potential violence if he gets pissed; lots and lots of rifles. Gamzee. Gory, ironic death via Gamzee. Goddammit, Gamzee.

[He started off with one. And then he doomed himself a few times. And well. It wasn't like he could just let them go to waste, when they started piling up.

Laser rifles need a different type of maintenance than the usual kind, but it's still maintenance in the end.

So there's a sullen troll, half hidden behind a pile of guns, carefully cleaning one by one. It's a methodical and repetitive process, but it's not like Eridan seems to mind too terribly. He's just minding his business, but hey. Maybe if you ask very nicely, he'll give you one.

Maybe.]

Comments

[chronomancer]

[...insert mental keysmash here. Outwardly, he just shrugs again.]

Not really? I don't think so. It's just practice. Anyone can do it.

[heavenscorpse]

If I had any guns to clean, I'd ask you to teach me how. But I don't, so it'd be silly.

[chronomancer]

Oh.

[Eridan blinks, a little unsure what to answer to that.]

Yeah, uh. If you ever get a gun, I'll be glad to teach you how to clean it?

[heavenscorpse]

Okay! Thank you, Mr...?

[She trails off, waiting for the helpful person's name.]

[chronomancer]

...oh. Oh. Sorry.

[He seems to get himself together at that. Introductions. He knows how to do those!]

Eridan, Eridan Ampora. Just. You know, the jadeblood one.

[He awkwardly points to the stripe on his hair.]

Yeah. Hi.

[heavenscorpse]

Oh! I'm V/V. You helped me when I was in a troll's body, right?

[She hasn't met the other Eridan anyway.]

[chronomancer]

Oh! Yes, you were in Karkat's right?

[He smiles a little, brightening up just smidgen.]

I'm glad to see you're alright.

[heavenscorpse]

I don't think so, that sounds like a name that wouldn't belong to a pretty girl.

[Like you're one to talk, Type-Venus.]

But close enough. I'm glad you're okay too.

[chronomancer]

Oh, maybe not.

[Eridan shrugs, looking sheepish.]

Sorry, those days seem a bit like a blurr by now. Can I do anything for you?

[Can he help, oh let him help...]

[heavenscorpse]

I was just looking for somebody to talk to. But if you're busy I'll leave you alone.

[chronomancer]

No, no, it's okay.

[There's a small pause.]

I mean, I can clean and talk, if you don't mind me moving my hands. I promise I'll pay attention.

[heavenscorpse]

I don't mind at all.

So, you told me a little about what your world is like. Do you want to hear more about mine?

[chronomancer]

Sure.

[He smiles at her.]

What would you like to tell me about it?

[heavenscorpse]

I was born on Venus, but I came here from the Land of Steel. It's what they call Earth now. Have you heard of it?

[chronomancer]

I have.

[He nods.]

That's the human's planet, right? Some of my friends are from there.

[heavenscorpse]

There are a lot of humans here, it's very strange. But not a bad thing. Oh, but I like trolls too.

[chronomancer]

Heh.

[He smiles at her, lopsided.]

I don't know, I guess there must be a lot more human worlds than expected. Maybe it's just statistical.

[He cocks the rifle a little, checking it's back in place.]

Does your world look like Earth?

[heavenscorpse]

Not very much. No plants grow on it and there are no animals. The planet died a while back and humans live on only through technology.

[chronomancer]

Oh. That sounds... rather harsh to survive in.

[He's sympathetic, though. He doesn't come from a flourishing jungle, himself.]

So the humans from your world are a space race?

[heavenscorpse]

No. Travel to other planets was never invented. Humans are probably going to die out soon, because they're under assault.

[She brightens up just a little.] They're... doing really well so far, though?

[chronomancer]

Oh, that's too bad.

[He shrugs a little though.]

It's just the way things go though. I mean, universes eventually end and all. But yeah, at least here they seem to be doing alright.

[He snorts.]

Better than most trolls I know that's for sure.

[heavenscorpse]

It's natural. Humans aren't supposed to outlive their planets. But, I'm sad for them anyway. They're such a beautiful species.

[chronomancer]

...in my world they're technically supposed to, but I guess those rules don't apply everywhere else.

[Eridan shrugs a little.]

They're... alright. A little weird, but I guess that makes them interesting.

[heavenscorpse]

Well, the planet didn't think so. And that's why it asked for help from the other planets, and that's how the whole war got started. I guess you'd call it a war, is it a war if one half is made up of eight creatures who don't have the ability to think?

I'm not very good at using every word yet. It's all so complicated.

[chronomancer]

[That did not make a whole lot of sense, just for the record. But he's not sure if he should ask more, so he shrugs.]

You're doing pretty well so far. At least I think so.