Further Questions

[thelightontheedgeofsleep]

 *A man, or at least a humanoid shape in a robe, is people-watching from a dark corner. That only holds its interest for a few minutes even here, however, so before long it comes up with a few questions.*

What do you hunger for most, and what is the most hungry you have ever been? What are the best and worst things you have eaten, be it in morals or simply taste?

Comments

[vengeancechild]

This fellow with the abnormally long blond hair and the miniature suede-skinned green dragon on his shoulder has to think about those a bit.

"Whichever way you mean it, I don't think I have an answer for the first. Though without this place that might have been different." If he'd remembered enough for it to matter. Most of the alternates he'd met when young seemed to have lost their memories along with everything else.

"The second... it depends on if you just mean food, or something else. Food, pick any of several foxholes during the Ragnarok War. When the supply lines would get cut off for a few days and all you get are what e-tanks can be dropped in by fire-lizard, even the Pantheons start looking tasty. And they're not edible. Other than food..." that way lay thing that still gave him nightmares, most of his siblings in pieces and Wily's blood on his hands. "That's something I don't talk about with someone I just met."

"As for the last," and there's an amused snerk, "from my siblings' reactions, that would still be the mincas - in terms of things I shouldn't eat in their opinion and things I think are too tasty not to eat. They're fist-sized grubs, not bad fried, nutty and good with chocolate." A bunch of Wilybots going 'eww, bugs' could be a very funny sight. "Worst thing in terms of taste was when I tried some of that Mystery Goop I heard about. I definitely agree it's probably pureed cardboard."

[thelightontheedgeofsleep]

Fair enough, I suppose. Hunger is not a happy thing.

*It laughs, sort of.* Very fair, very fair. Cardboard should not be used as food.

[vengeancechild]

"No, it's not. Either kind." Whether it's hunger for food or a slave child who just wanted his master to stop hurting his brothers... hungry for freedom when he didn't yet even know what it meant.

He just nods at the rest, and then is at a loss for what to say. Zero's not the most social when it comes to strangers. Though all the talk of food... "Fried chicken would be better, right about now," and he thinks of ordering some. The green fire lizard chirps agreement with this. "Do you want some?" Because he at least knows it would be rude not to share.

[thelightontheedgeofsleep]

I would be most appreciative of any morsel you'd like to share.

[vengeancechild]

So he ends up using his internal comm system to order two buckets of extra crispy fried chicken from the Smiley Diner on Mars. He'll hold one out to Mr. Eaten as soon as Elec delivers them. It might be noticed he doesn't pay for the food... being immediate family of the people running the place has its advantages, as long as he doesn't blatantly abuse the privilege.

https://www.tavern-keeper.com

[thelightontheedgeofsleep]

*They are devoured without a thought.* You are appreciated, young one.

[vengeancechild]

This does get a bit of surprise from Zero, who is only on his second piece of chicken at that point - third if you count the leg his fire lizard Emerald is happily tearing into. He has the feeling this is someone who is more of a 'bottomless pit' when it comes to food than he has ever been, no matter what his brothers say about that.

"I used to like it when people brought food into the Nexus, back when there was more of a crowd here," he says with a shrug. "The least I can do is bring some chicken for a new arrival."

[thelightontheedgeofsleep]

Not so new as all that, but thank you.

[vengeancechild]

"New's relative... my family's been here for years. And you're welcome."

[thelightontheedgeofsleep]

Good to meet you, then.

[vengeancechild]

"My name's Zero. Zero Wily. And that's Emerald." He indicates the miniature dragonlet wrestling the rest of her chicken leg into submission. She chirps, but stays a little more wary than usual... she hasn't seen any indication yet that this person would be good for soliciting pets. Besides, she still has a chicken leg to devour.

[thelightontheedgeofsleep]

I am Mr. Eaten. I was Mr. Candles once.

[vengeancechild]

Zero nods. Names that possibly mean something more than just a convenient label for a person isn't an unfamiliar concept to him. Not with a small army of older siblings who Dr. Wily kept naming to match their weapon designs. Although, being named Mr. Eaten...

"Sounds like there might be an unpleasant story behind that change."

[thelightontheedgeofsleep]

The light on the edge of sleep was mine. Now I’m but a dark and hungry horror.

[vengeancechild]

This doesn't phase Zero that much. But then he's been visiting the Nexus since a few days after he was activated - his perspectives on some things can be a little skewed. "Most of my family can best be described as semi-retired weapons of mass destruction," he says, after a moment. "This place has helped make that... not as bad as it sounds. Maybe it'll help you, too."

[thelightontheedgeofsleep]

That would be nice. Just a place to rest, even, would be nice.

[vengeancechild]

Zero nods. That one he can understand, though it reminds him of his siblings in the time just after Wily's death. It was why they'd come here. Somewhere out of reach. Somewhere to rest, and hide, and try to understand what to do now that they still existed while their master did not.

They'd come a long way since then, and he doubts most of it would have ever been possible if not for this place. "This place is good for that," is all he actually says, and then chuckles, "I guess being here is literally 'taking a break from reality'."

[thelightontheedgeofsleep]

*This is met with cracked iron laughter.* I could use that very much.

[vengeancechild]

"I don't want to say this place has any kind of pattern - it's too weird for that - but I've noticed a lot of the people who end up here have at least that in common, for one reason or another."

[thelightontheedgeofsleep]

Hopefully none are quite like me.

[vengeancechild]

"Even with alternates, no two people are ever exactly alike. I wanted to beat the crap out of enough of my alts to be sure of that..."

[thelightontheedgeofsleep]

Well, then, close enough to me.

[vengeancechild]

"I never even met one that was really that close," Zero says. "Though that's probably because my family was coming here before I was made. This place can change things."

The closest he'd met was a young Zero who didn't consider Wily's other creations to be his siblings - which for this Zero is still a huge difference. And most of the rest had been Maverick Hunters or complete amnesiacs wearing armor that looked like a thong... Zero makes a face at the memories. "It definitely changed things for the better, for us."

[thelightontheedgeofsleep]

May it do the same for me. At least for what little time I stay here. *He gives one of his cracked-iron laughs.* I have promises to keep, after all. Vake-The-Betrayer has lingered long, but I will see to him before I'm through.

[vengeancechild]

Zero just nods to that. He knows some things about having... problems that need dealt with. "If nothing else, this place can be a tactical advantage, if your enemies don't know about it too."