audio; anonymous

[demon_brat]

[Good evening, Keeliai, have your first Damian-as-Robin post. And, yes, it is the slightly different Robin voice, too.]

Considering the level of technology here, there was an item I found on the Mainland that might, I suppose, belong to one of the foreigners. It certainly doesn't match anything native, especially with the organic component in the consoles.

It is a laptop with a glowing symbol on it, and if anyone has something like that, back home, let me know.

[Yes, the specifics of the symbol are left out on purpose. Damian has to have a way to check if the item really does belong to the person who might answer.]

Comments

audio; anonymous

[demon_brat]

Those apples don't glow.

audio;

[sophos]

Never had one to know for sure.

[Pause. He said symbol, not logo. It's a little thing, but it's telling, a careful word choice, combined with the fact that he didn't answer her 'what symbol' question. She doesn't want to get her hopes up, but -] It's not a Greek symbol by any chance, is it?

audio;

[demon_brat]

[He's cranky, but that question? Actually catches his attention. Suddenly, 95% batcrypted communication.]

Maybe.

[It could be a triangle... but, well. Greek makes a little bit more sense. Ahem.]

Which one? Because I'm not letting it go to the wrong person.

audio; 95% batcrypted

[sophos]

[!!!]

[Slightly more hope?? She tries to keep it out of her tone. And suddenly his wariness and secrecy makes more sense - withholding details means only the owner could actually know.]

Delta. A large blue delta. Is the rest of it white?

audio; 95% batcrypted, still (and backwards) anonymous on his side.

[demon_brat]

Good enough to begin with.

Place and time to meet?

audio; 95% batcrypted

[sophos]

There's a cafe just at the edge of the Metal Sector, near where it borders the Earth. [Insert name and description here.] 30 minutes?

audio; anonymous; 95% batcrypted

[demon_brat]

[Almost no pause. Guess who was calling from Metal?]

I can make that.

[Beat.]

Robin out.

[Because just in case she hasn't recognized his voice.]

->action?

[sophos]

[The fact that he didn't ask for a name is weird, but Annabeth heads over to said cafe about fifteen minutes early. She shows up invisible, in her Yankees cap, to scope out the place and look for potential people that may be carrying a laptop, but nothing strikes her.]

[Satisfied for now, she leaves the cafe and removes her hat about a block away outside, tucked into an alley and out of sight. Then she strolls back to the cafe right on time.]

[The voice sounded fairly young (and a little familiar), so she's keeping an eye out for people on the younger spectrum of age.]

->action.

[demon_brat]

[Damian? Has no worry whatsoever about recognizing her. At all.]

[He even actually comes in from the back (because kid), sneaking into the main area and taking a place beside her quietly almost as soon as she's sat down (because Robin). The laptop is safely attached to his back, under the cape. Yes, it is uncomfortable and he needs to be careful. No big. And, yes, he's with the uniform she ran into him wearing out in the mainland, except now it is carefully mended and meticulously clean.]

Annabeth.

action.

[sophos]

[She sees him coming quickly enough out of the corner of her eye, but doesn't turn to look at him, merely shakes her head when he sits.]

Robin. [There's a subtle emphasis on the name, because she knows who he is now, and she's almost rolling her eyes. Of course it was him.]

So you found something potentially mine, huh?

[demon_brat]

[... hey, he wasn't hiding being Robin during the post. Only - there are only so many boys that age on the network. And he's not going to go sloppy. Ferreal.]

Very highly likely.

[He watches her for a moment, judging her reactions. Then slowly reaches behind his cape to take the laptop out, eyes still on her.]

[sophos]

[Annabeth spots and recognizes the laptop immediately as soon as the tiniest part of it is revealed, and she has to resist the urge to reach across the table and snatch it away.]

Where was it? One of the cities?

[She taps her fingers on the table. Will it work here? It'll help, it'll definitely help, regardless of how.]

[demon_brat]

[Both the recognition and the fact that she contains herself are in her favor. Damian gives a small nod.]

Not far from where we parted, in fact. Any idea why it might have showed up here?

[because it is a little suspicious. Not the isolated case, either. But the fact that items that belong to people who've been brought in have showed up on the mainland. Not anywhere on Tu Vishan, but in the abandoned cities. It suggests that something else might be in play, and that... well. That makes things complicated. Also worrying, about his concept about this all being somebody's construct where his mind, or all their minds, are trapped. But he's not letting any worry show through. Only the question.]

[sophos]

[She scowls a little, at herself. Had she gone a little further, she would have found it. But then again, she might have missed Eva.]

[Annabeth shakes her head.] I have no idea. Not sure anyone knows why their stuff is showing. Has anything of yours appeared?

[Though she's starting to mull over potential whys with what she's learned, she's not sure what she's going to share about that just yet.]

[demon_brat]

[Clearly she got the best of the bargain, since she is getting the laptop itself, too.]

No. But I showed up with all my relevant equipment.

[And people don't count, right?]

[sophos]

I didn't have my laptop directly with me right before I was taken to this place. That might be part of it.

[She arrived with her cap and knife, arguably bigger priorities than a computer at the time.]

[demon_brat]

... to not having it with you when you came here, or to it showing up now? Though, I suppose, you should feel lucky it wasn't with you when you woke up.

[Because computers and seawater.]

[sophos]

To not having it when I arrived. Everything that came with me was something I had on my person.

But yeah, I'm glad it wasn't with me at the start.

[Yeeeeeah. Because computers and seawater.]

[demon_brat]

[That's where Robin's skills at 'normal conversation' kind of run out. So he. Orders a hot drink. Thick and spicy and very local.]

[And he fixes Annabeth with a look of the white-out lenses. Which... on this kid can look pretty serious.]

You will be careful with what's on it, won't you.

[It's not exactly a threat-- wait, no. It's exactly that.]

[sophos]

[She gives him a look in return. She's not even fazed by the threat - which yes she picked up on - in the slightest.]

No, I'm going to use everything on there to take over the turtle and kill everyone on it.

[So being a smartass is the best way to reply, right? Right.]

[Though that means he looked at it, and suddenly she just needs to have it in her possession, in her hands. It doesn't matter how much she might like the person. People touching her stuff always leaves a bad taste in her mouth.]

[demon_brat]

[Robin's mouth twists.]

That's not very likely to succeed. Even with this.

[But he understands that she is not serious.]

Though, if you try, going after this would be a reasonable move.

[Which is less a threat and more pondering. Leading to wondering what tools the figures of power here on the turtle might be using, with the need to protect the turtle, or at least isolate it...]

[Though he catches the way her gray eyes sharpen and raises and eyebrow at her. Then shakes his head, because he brought it here, he's clearly not going to just leave with it. He flattens his palms on its closed lid for a second, then carefully lifts it and places it in front of her.]

[sophos]

[The prior conversation is put on hold, and she's completely distracted by the laptop in front of her. Her hands reach out to take it, and she pulls it closer, protectively. She's near hugging it against her chest.]

[A piece of home. A new piece of home. After a moment, she looks up at him.] I'm glad you found it. And returned it.

[demon_brat]

[Robin's head is tilted sideways - quite like a curious bird's, in fact. The reaction is... very interesting. And Damian knows he should never allow his emotions thoughts to be that clearly discernible. Ever.]

I don't have interest in stealing things.

[sophos]

[There's a special place in Hades for people who mess with her stuff. Even her siblings won't touch her bunk.]

[Annabeth's usually good at hiding her own thoughts, but she doesn't care as much right now. She'll blame sentimentality, without telling her mother.]

Still. I'm not sure everyone would have sought out the owner.

[demon_brat]

[He's touched, but he hasn't changed anything? Because bats, and having to know, and ... having the skills to do it. It's made some things make better sense, actually.]

[But that statement confuses him a little.]

No? Why not?