"I could've," Dave agrees as he enters Rose's bedroom and sprawls across her bed, stretching out and taking all the space. Rose sits at her desk, laptop open in front of her. "What are you doing still using that?" he asks curiously. He hasn't used his own computer since alchemizing a whole bunch of new things including the iShades.
She doesn't look away from the screen. "Why shouldn't I?"
"Come on Rose, why would you when you've got a freaking headset. We're like high tech ninjas. Undercover spies who can talk to each other without barely moving a muscle or making a sound."
She spins around in her chair, finally facing Dave. "Meanwhile, you're here in my bedroom talking to me face to face instead of talking to me online like we've done for years."
Dave shrugs. "Fine you win this time. But what are you doing? Bored with ruining ruins? Are you writing fanfiction? Can I read it?"
"No."
Getting back up, Dave moves to look over Rose's shoulder and catches a quick glimpse of her screen before she snaps the laptop shut. She watches him closely for recognition to show on his face and for a moment he just stands there and stares at the spot where Rose's screen once was. "You're building up John's house."
She stands and walks out of the room. He follows. For over two months now they've been the only ones left, ever since John was killed and presumably Jade's island was hit by a meteor. It's impossible to win the game this way, just the two of them, and every day there's less and less they can do to learn more before resetting the clock. They've both gained many levels and gone through more gates, they have more grist than either of them know what to do with anymore, and they both know the time is coming soon.
Rose is standing by the waterfall that flows into the lake that surrounds her home when Dave steps up beside her. As always, it's raining, but neither mind. There's just the two of them, standing in the light and rain, stuck alone in a timeline that will need to be erased.
"Should I go back?" Dave asks.
"No," Rose replies immediately. The game and their progress is easier to talk about. It's facts and logic. "I think we can both climb our echeladders some more. Maybe make more weapons with the grist we have, you'll be able to take back whatever you make."
Dave's heard this all before, they've gone over the possibilities a hundred times, but he knows that going over it again makes Rose feel like she has more control of the situation, so he listens. He puts an arm around her shoulders and pulls her closer.
"We're going to make everything better," he says.
"You are," Rose corrects.
Dave shakes his head. "I would've gotten bored and gone back ages ago if you weren't here to be all smart about it. You know we'd be screwed either way without you."
At that, Rose smiles slightly. "Come on, let's go find some imps to destroy."
FILL: TEAM DIRK<>ROXY
"I could've," Dave agrees as he enters Rose's bedroom and sprawls across her bed, stretching out and taking all the space. Rose sits at her desk, laptop open in front of her. "What are you doing still using that?" he asks curiously. He hasn't used his own computer since alchemizing a whole bunch of new things including the iShades.
She doesn't look away from the screen. "Why shouldn't I?"
"Come on Rose, why would you when you've got a freaking headset. We're like high tech ninjas. Undercover spies who can talk to each other without barely moving a muscle or making a sound."
She spins around in her chair, finally facing Dave. "Meanwhile, you're here in my bedroom talking to me face to face instead of talking to me online like we've done for years."
Dave shrugs. "Fine you win this time. But what are you doing? Bored with ruining ruins? Are you writing fanfiction? Can I read it?"
"No."
Getting back up, Dave moves to look over Rose's shoulder and catches a quick glimpse of her screen before she snaps the laptop shut. She watches him closely for recognition to show on his face and for a moment he just stands there and stares at the spot where Rose's screen once was. "You're building up John's house."
She stands and walks out of the room. He follows. For over two months now they've been the only ones left, ever since John was killed and presumably Jade's island was hit by a meteor. It's impossible to win the game this way, just the two of them, and every day there's less and less they can do to learn more before resetting the clock. They've both gained many levels and gone through more gates, they have more grist than either of them know what to do with anymore, and they both know the time is coming soon.
Rose is standing by the waterfall that flows into the lake that surrounds her home when Dave steps up beside her. As always, it's raining, but neither mind. There's just the two of them, standing in the light and rain, stuck alone in a timeline that will need to be erased.
"Should I go back?" Dave asks.
"No," Rose replies immediately. The game and their progress is easier to talk about. It's facts and logic. "I think we can both climb our echeladders some more. Maybe make more weapons with the grist we have, you'll be able to take back whatever you make."
Dave's heard this all before, they've gone over the possibilities a hundred times, but he knows that going over it again makes Rose feel like she has more control of the situation, so he listens. He puts an arm around her shoulders and pulls her closer.
"We're going to make everything better," he says.
"You are," Rose corrects.
Dave shakes his head. "I would've gotten bored and gone back ages ago if you weren't here to be all smart about it. You know we'd be screwed either way without you."
At that, Rose smiles slightly. "Come on, let's go find some imps to destroy."