"You've reached the inbox of Jeremiah Gottwald. I'm unavailable at the moment, but leave a message and I'll return your call as soon as possible. Thank you."
He takes it in stride well enough, so he at least feels a little better that most base explanations aren't any more accessible than Jeremiah found them himself, at first. By science or by magic, his machine runs, so that's good enough.
"Company sounds nice," he doesn't hesitate to answer, an easy smile warming his face. "Wise either way, but I'd like that."
The smile brings one to his own lips, unbidden, his features relaxing and softening as he looks up at Jeremiah, although it fades before he speaks again.
"This place does enough strange things, I'd be more comfortable knowing you weren't alone." Even if the other man is probably more than capable of handling himself. Although fighting in the robot isn't the same as fighting hand to hand, at least he'd assume.
It's there for just a moment, but Jeremiah doesn't let himself miss it, crinkling the corner of his eye. Not everyone smiles as easy as he himself does, and that's fine, but it's nice to see.
"I know what you mean. It's discomforting to leave people to their own devices here," he agrees, withholding his own judgment on whether he needs it. It's not the point, nor could he say how he'd truly fare.
A small part of him itches, suddenly, for the opportunity to test that. If they're fortunate, they won't have to.
"We can return at a later date. I don't think the hangar is going anywhere." Not unless this invasion suddenly, catastrophically ramps up. Yikes.
"It is." He agrees, half turning to look back towards the entrance for a moment as he waits for Jeremiah to join him.
Although he does glance back when Jeremiah speaks again.
"A later date would be best. Tonight has been excitement enough for one day, I think." Not that he couldn't fight for the rest of the night if he had to, and probably beyond, but there are limits to what others can do. And right now, some quiet sounds good.
He gives Siegfried a long parting look, as if promising it as much as anything that he'll return. Reunited for all of a few weeks and Jeremiah's found himself so fondly attached to this craft, it's a shame their time had been so short and... fraught. Compromised, maybe. It definitely wasn't as fun as it is now.
Following Zichen, he makes his way toward the entrance as well, peering out, It seems quiet around them, at least.
"More than enough, agreed." He holds as he is, not letting the gap grow too wide. "Was it particularly chaotic within the city? I couldn't come in while in Siegfried, just observe from a distance."
"They seemed to be targeting those metal...creatures and the hospital, to be honest, but that didn't mean they weren't a potential threat to the human residents as well." And a familiar foe, at least to some degree.
"It's not uncommon to deal with fierce corpses where I come from so it was at least something familiar for me." To a degree anyway. "I don't think it was that much more chaotic than usual, though." He shifts slightly, moves closer as they walk, although he's not touching Jeremiah.
"I don't think I asked where you're staying, either. Is it run down or did you find a nicer place?"
The more he hears the term, the more he wonders if it's some kind of undead that the other man typically combats. It certainly scans in similarity with organic creatures that seemed to persist no matter how damaged their forms became. A curiosity he'll want to delve into when he's not feeling as worn, perhaps. He's had enough thoughts of monsters for one day.
"Some of that's unavoidable on the battlefield, but I'm glad to hear it." Jeremiah keeps pace with him, perhaps the closest they've stood so far. It's comfortable, amicable in a warming way. "I've found a serviceable apartment complex, not too far from this side of town. There's electricity and running water, so I think it's decent."
"Running water is still odd to me." He admits after a moment."Electricity too. Neither of those exist where I'm from, at least not in the form I've found here. There are wells and things, of course but turning something and having hot water come out? It was rather unexpected."
He has to laugh at himself, mouth tucked behind a balled fist. "Yes, I'm sorry, it is. It's easy to overlook when it's a basic amenity back home."
In spite of the noise, nothing pops out and attacks. The coast all around them seems fairly clear of anything moving. Just the two of them, surrounded by a surprising calm after everything. It's nice.
"Though I actually lack hot water, now that you mention it. The boiler to heat it is currently broken."
"Where I'm from baths are usually filled by hand and carried from place to place so it's taken a little getting used to." Not that he's complaining and even the cold running water serves a purpose.
"Although I suppose the lack would make things difficult when you're used to it. Do you have a means of heating it without the boiler you mentioned?"
Jeremiah nods, the method sounding closer to something out of a history book. Not a wildly-unimaginable one, considering.
"Yes, I do have a gas stove," he begins, smile growing lopsided. "I actually tried drawing a bath the other day but I ran out of patience for heating enough water in the pots I've amassed, so I don't think it'll become habit."
It doesn't get much better, but he remains conversational in spite of the embarrassed tinge. "On the other hand, cold showers aren't the least welcome thing these days."
"I can imagine. The pot to heat the water would need to be large, after all, and given the size of the tub..." Zichen shakes his head slightly. before the comment about cold showers has him clearing his throat.
"They are useful, yes." Not that he's going into more detail than that, returning to the previous comment.
"I do have access to a shower you could use if you need the hot water, though, at some point."
He'll take that redirect in stride, his humor a deflection of his own discomfort. Completely understandable, Jeremiah muses, trying to make sure his train of thought cuts itself off there before it can go pondering further. Today's been more eventful than he'd care to think about at length, right now.
With company that doesn't seem at all keen on it, to boot. That in of itself hang in Jeremiah's mind too, but he shuffles his brain to another track.
"I most appreciate that offer, Zichen," his expression turns milder but warmer, too. "It sounds as if you've found yourself some good lodging."
"A sect leader from my world regained his home and we've moved in there for the time being." And while he's never wanted to be involved in sect business, at least it's somewhat secure.
"It has lights and water like the other places here, though and the furnishings are more in line with this place, but the overall structure is something familiar."
He nods. "Comforts like that can go a long way. What's more, it may still be safer to live in numbers here."
Even when one of the biggest threats here can be... other people. It remains true for the most part, though it's also something Jeremiah hasn't been practicing himself, but... one step at a time.
"I haven't really interacted with many of them. Sect Leader invited myself and Xingchen to stay and I know there are others there I recognize on sight, but I've never spoken to." He glances at Jeremiah before his gaze shifts back forward.
"We didn't really involve ourselves with the gentry sects and their business."
That earns a slight tilt of curiosity, though not for long.
"Fighting the same foes but from different angles," he muses aloud. "I presume, anyway. It would make sense that your paths might not cross otherwise, when your respective roles no doubt kept you busy."
Jeremiah clocks in on the extroverted end of the scale, of course, yet wanting to bridge those gaps isn't always the smoothest in practice, for him. He can't pretend to know all sides to Zichen, only what he's seen, but it doesn't seem his style. Growing closer to others could carry its own dangers here, too.
Something occurs to him. "Did you two live nomadically before coming here?"
"More or less, yes." Granted they'd planned on forming their own sect but still hadn't planned on it being bound to a bloodline like the others, at least in terms of who ranked where.
"We traveled yes, although we did...not see each other for a long while before we arrived here. I'd actually been searching for him to apologize when i found myself here."
This time, his curiosity is a bit more guarded. Hesitant, maybe.
"Ah," he murmurs, but it's an understanding sound. Another assumption, if made in good intent. It takes a moment for him to think of something that isn't just another wild guess.
"This is a strange place to reconnect with people... but I hope it's been for the better, if you were seeking it."
"There's guilt on both sides. I treated him badly when all he was trying to do was fix the damage another did to me. The person responsible is another matter entirely." And one he's not discussing, even if mentioning him has Zichen taking a slower breath, forcing his mind back on topic.
"He broke rules and asked his former master to undo the damage done to me and I drove him away with cruel words after he gave up his own eyes for me. When I'd had time to think, to recover properly, I realized my mistake but he'd been gone for a year by then.
So I started searching for him. I was close to finding him when I arrived here and it's been...complicated ever since."
Not too sensitive, then. Jeremiah listens and remains quiet for a while, absorbing it first.
"It sounds complicated altogether," Jeremiah acknowledges. A few things stand out, certainly, when it seems the sacrifice made was in the most literal sense of those words. Fascinating in one sense, horrific in another.
He speaks a little more slowly, cautiously. "Time to process and introspect is important, though. Even if you both wish to reconcile, that doesn't always happen quickly."
"I know. I've been keeping a bit of distance between us to try and make things less..complicated with the way this place affects people." Which is the best he can honestly do.
"I've actually been keeping my distance from most people, outside of incidents like tonight and the night we met. I do patrol and the like, but it's ...
"It's hard to establish normality when there's little of that to go around in the first place." Hapless, the weight in his gut sinks lower, curling unpleasantly into the silence. Jeremiah's eyes have found the ground by now, minding the cracks in the street, rubble left over from earlier.
"I've considered that tactic for myself, honestly." Whether or not he could handle isolation, who can say. But it has its merits.
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"Company sounds nice," he doesn't hesitate to answer, an easy smile warming his face. "Wise either way, but I'd like that."
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"This place does enough strange things, I'd be more comfortable knowing you weren't alone." Even if the other man is probably more than capable of handling himself. Although fighting in the robot isn't the same as fighting hand to hand, at least he'd assume.
"Maybe you can show me how it works later."
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"I know what you mean. It's discomforting to leave people to their own devices here," he agrees, withholding his own judgment on whether he needs it. It's not the point, nor could he say how he'd truly fare.
A small part of him itches, suddenly, for the opportunity to test that. If they're fortunate, they won't have to.
"We can return at a later date. I don't think the hangar is going anywhere." Not unless this invasion suddenly, catastrophically ramps up. Yikes.
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Although he does glance back when Jeremiah speaks again.
"A later date would be best. Tonight has been excitement enough for one day, I think." Not that he couldn't fight for the rest of the night if he had to, and probably beyond, but there are limits to what others can do. And right now, some quiet sounds good.
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Following Zichen, he makes his way toward the entrance as well, peering out, It seems quiet around them, at least.
"More than enough, agreed." He holds as he is, not letting the gap grow too wide. "Was it particularly chaotic within the city? I couldn't come in while in Siegfried, just observe from a distance."
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"It's not uncommon to deal with fierce corpses where I come from so it was at least something familiar for me." To a degree anyway. "I don't think it was that much more chaotic than usual, though." He shifts slightly, moves closer as they walk, although he's not touching Jeremiah.
"I don't think I asked where you're staying, either. Is it run down or did you find a nicer place?"
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"Some of that's unavoidable on the battlefield, but I'm glad to hear it." Jeremiah keeps pace with him, perhaps the closest they've stood so far. It's comfortable, amicable in a warming way. "I've found a serviceable apartment complex, not too far from this side of town. There's electricity and running water, so I think it's decent."
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But he does enjoy it, now that he's adjusted.
"It's normal for you, I take it?"
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In spite of the noise, nothing pops out and attacks. The coast all around them seems fairly clear of anything moving. Just the two of them, surrounded by a surprising calm after everything. It's nice.
"Though I actually lack hot water, now that you mention it. The boiler to heat it is currently broken."
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"Although I suppose the lack would make things difficult when you're used to it. Do you have a means of heating it without the boiler you mentioned?"
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"Yes, I do have a gas stove," he begins, smile growing lopsided. "I actually tried drawing a bath the other day but I ran out of patience for heating enough water in the pots I've amassed, so I don't think it'll become habit."
It doesn't get much better, but he remains conversational in spite of the embarrassed tinge. "On the other hand, cold showers aren't the least welcome thing these days."
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"They are useful, yes." Not that he's going into more detail than that, returning to the previous comment.
"I do have access to a shower you could use if you need the hot water, though, at some point."
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With company that doesn't seem at all keen on it, to boot. That in of itself hang in Jeremiah's mind too, but he shuffles his brain to another track.
"I most appreciate that offer, Zichen," his expression turns milder but warmer, too. "It sounds as if you've found yourself some good lodging."
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"It has lights and water like the other places here, though and the furnishings are more in line with this place, but the overall structure is something familiar."
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Even when one of the biggest threats here can be... other people. It remains true for the most part, though it's also something Jeremiah hasn't been practicing himself, but... one step at a time.
"Are you on good terms with your housemates?"
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"We didn't really involve ourselves with the gentry sects and their business."
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"Fighting the same foes but from different angles," he muses aloud. "I presume, anyway. It would make sense that your paths might not cross otherwise, when your respective roles no doubt kept you busy."
Jeremiah clocks in on the extroverted end of the scale, of course, yet wanting to bridge those gaps isn't always the smoothest in practice, for him. He can't pretend to know all sides to Zichen, only what he's seen, but it doesn't seem his style. Growing closer to others could carry its own dangers here, too.
Something occurs to him. "Did you two live nomadically before coming here?"
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"We traveled yes, although we did...not see each other for a long while before we arrived here. I'd actually been searching for him to apologize when i found myself here."
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"Ah," he murmurs, but it's an understanding sound. Another assumption, if made in good intent. It takes a moment for him to think of something that isn't just another wild guess.
"This is a strange place to reconnect with people... but I hope it's been for the better, if you were seeking it."
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"But, he's a good person and didn't deserve how I treated him."
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"Understandable that you might keep distance, if you feel guilty." If distance is the right thing. Jeremiah struggles to know that line, himself.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't pry unless you'd wish to discuss it further." He pauses. "I wouldn't mind, either way."
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"He broke rules and asked his former master to undo the damage done to me and I drove him away with cruel words after he gave up his own eyes for me. When I'd had time to think, to recover properly, I realized my mistake but he'd been gone for a year by then.
So I started searching for him. I was close to finding him when I arrived here and it's been...complicated ever since."
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"It sounds complicated altogether," Jeremiah acknowledges. A few things stand out, certainly, when it seems the sacrifice made was in the most literal sense of those words. Fascinating in one sense, horrific in another.
He speaks a little more slowly, cautiously. "Time to process and introspect is important, though. Even if you both wish to reconcile, that doesn't always happen quickly."
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"I've actually been keeping my distance from most people, outside of incidents like tonight and the night we met. I do patrol and the like, but it's ...
I don't like how this place affects people."
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"It's hard to establish normality when there's little of that to go around in the first place." Hapless, the weight in his gut sinks lower, curling unpleasantly into the silence. Jeremiah's eyes have found the ground by now, minding the cracks in the street, rubble left over from earlier.
"I've considered that tactic for myself, honestly." Whether or not he could handle isolation, who can say. But it has its merits.
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