synopsychic | [video]

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[After some time has passed Levi's voice filters across the network, accompanied by the only visual he can provide at this point: a top-down view of his now only partially tattooed hand.

He'll keep this brief:]

Looks like my little stowaway from the Grid can clean this shit up too. It takes a minute, but it's painless-- [a pause as the aforementioned stowaway floats toward Levi's face for its close-up, glowing a faint white and puffed proudly in all its pokey glory until he shoos it off to the side with a huff] Knock it off-- ...The Bit doesn't care what they say, and neither do I.

I'm not hard to find-- [Here he gives the general location of the building he's created, which by now is a bit better suited for company- there will be a pot of ~~non-nourishing~~ tea waiting on an end table for anyone stopping by for Bit-laser tattoo removal.

And the public portion almost ends there, but before Levi changes his psychic filter:]

...Tell me where you are if you can't make it out here. I'll find you, I guess.

[The rest is private, directed to Erwin in particular and as neutral as Levi can manage given the circumstances:]

You too.

[[ooc: Handwave, chat, go to him, have him come to you... Anything is good by me, including newbies asking for info if they haven't gotten the welcome speech yet. Dat vet thing. He can probably do that now.]]

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I will be there momentarily, Levi-san. I do not need constant reminders of my failings at the moment.

No one does.

[There's no avoiding it when you're hard on yourself by nature and nurture both, but...

At least the visible flavour the Bit can take care of. Levi was a waste of space back in Purgatory but so help him he'll do what he can to be of use out now, even if it's just with morale.]

Quite. I will see you soon.

[It isn't long before there's a knock on Levi's door. Naoto is standing there, cloak on her shoulders, glowing a bit brighter golden than usual, possibly mirroring her emotions.

Under the cloak, is a sheer black top and linen pants from Melasurei, and there are Japanese characters all over her arms. She calls out, voice more tired and weaker than usual.]

Levi-san? Do I have the right place?

Levi isn't judging you, Naoto. He's seen better days himself, a truth that's obvious from his less-than-imposing stance when he comes to the door. He's slouching a bit and more than a little rumpled in the modern sweat pants he's conjured for himself; his shirt is draped over a chair in the corner of the room and the Bit's perched on his bare shoulder, nibbling (or whatever the fuck it's doing) at the Survey emblem inked into the skin- Levi's been taking care of his own in between visitors, and doesn't appear bothered by the few words still scattered across his exposed arms and chest, or the fact that they're out there for Naoto or anyone else to see.

He's over it. Blow him, Trumps.]

Hey. [Not surprisingly, Levi's eyes eventually find the words and names scribbled where they're visible to him... But as promised there isn't the slightest twitch of his brow at any of them. Bastards won't turn them against each other, not like this.

And he won't address theme if Naoto doesn't. shit, he has no room to talk anyway- they share at least a handful of transgressions, apparently.] Come on, this won't take long.

[Stepping out of her way he waves her inside to the comfortable waiting area-esque room and indicating the tea.] Help yourself.

[Naoto walks in with a small, thoughtful bow, and glances around the room. Taking off her cloak, folding it carefully, and putting it in her shoulder bag, she goes over to the tea pot and pours herself some.

Glancing at him only for a moment, she has a momentary curious look on her face.]

Please tell me if I am over-reaching, Levi-san, but what is that symbol that the bit is currently working on? You need not tell me much, I am simply curious. It is not one I have seen before.

[She considers for a moment, and removes the flowing top she was wearing to reveal a tight tank-top like garment. Oddly, she for once in her life does not feel too embarrassed. This is completely business, and the Bit likely could not do its work underneath a shirt.

On her right arm is her Trump Mark, a Sun-shape in a blue frame with XIX underneath it. The rest of her arms are covered in Japanese characters.]

[Way to make a liar out of him with that Trump Mark, Naoto. He does care about that one... Though he's withholding judgment for the time being and will answer her question instead of posing his own just yet.

(He notices the binder, too, with a slight pang of homesickness- Hange used to wear one. ...He's never seen one so clean before.)]

They're called the Wings of Freedom- the emblem's used to distinguish soldiers as members of the Survey Corps... [There's a pause, and while he considers leaving it at that:] ...Or to bring back to the families instead of bodies, if we can.

[It's not as good as a body to bury, but it's something; if there's nothing more pressing demanding his attention, Levi delivers them along with the cold and informal government issue killed in action letter himself.

Lifting and shaking his arm a little, he jostles the Bit into the air before waving it toward Naoto as he leans against the wall with his hands in his pockets.] It's her turn, go ahead--

Anyway, our survival rate is shit and the Trumps couldn't resist the reminder, I guess.

[Naoto winces. She knows that she's no soldier, but she has seen many families told that their loved ones are not coming home, and might not ever be found.]

I am sorry. [She looks down at her arms and rubs a name with her thumb.] It is not the same, but I have been present when people have been told their loved ones are dead, and their bodies might never be found. It is... a painful experience.

[Watching the Bit fly over, Naoto puts a hand over her Trump mark for a moment.]

Not the Sun, little Bit. All the rest, though.

Our government doesn't think highly enough that a visit is mandated... I don't agree.

[Levi's position doesn't allow for it as much as he'd like, unfortunately- even Humanity's Strongest doesn't get a free pass on the paperwork.

He does his best, though. He owes his people that.

The movement of Naoto's hand draws Levi's attention back to the Mark, and now that it's out in the open he can't not say anything:] When did it mark you?

...U, do as she says, [he adds, just in case the Bit's feeling delinquent today. It's never disobeyed... But now'd be a pretty annoying start, if it did.] Was it on the Grid?

[She'd been a presence there, that's for sure- what better time is there to get their attention?]

Survivors always deserve a personal visit, whether it is Procedure or not.

[There's an odd look on her face before she shakes it off with a shrug. She's done a couple visits herself, along with the police on the case, always feeling like an outsider, but for the tiniest moment, she remembers one particular day more than a decade ago, when she did not get a visit from anyone.

She straightens a bit as the Bit comes over, and starts working on one of her forearms.]

I have been Marked almost as long as I have been a Traveler. Sun marked me in the Orrery on my first Jaunt. He wasn't on the Grid at all, actually, from what I know at this point, the only Trump who has claimed Travelers who did not make some sort of appearance on the Grid. Then again, I was a bit pre-occupied, and at that point, I was his only claim.

That I can agree with.

[Visits are secondary, however; they are important but if Levi had to choose (as he so often does) between two important considerations, he will always choose to keep his promise to his people over what he knows isn't much comfort at all. His skills in dealing with grief pale in comparison to his skills on the battlefield.

Having said his bit on that, though, he turns his attention to the Mark completely, and to Naoto's explanation.

As he's come to expect by now, her answer is almost more thorough than he knows what to do with. ~~She and Hange would get along, he can't help thinking~~.]

Your first Jaunt? Must have made an impression...

[The Bit finally settles onto Naoto's arm, over one of the names; once it's landed it seems to melt into it's dish-towel like form, flattening against her skin and getting right to business with an electronic chirp. No telling what it will feel like for Naoto, but in Levi's experience the sensation was... Tingly. Tingly and cool.]

[She shrugs, watching the Bit work for a moment.]

From my observations, the Trumps have only appeared to Mark people on one Jaunt. If someone misses that Jaunt, then the particular Trump is not likely to return. The one exception to this was the telephone in the Casino Liminal Space. I believe both Fool and Sun ended up with additional Marked after speaking to people.

[She was mostly the reason that Sun got another, but she is not going to bring that up right now. It is not that she is ashamed of it, she is always worried about how others would react. Levi, however, she somehow believes that he would at least hear her out.]

So, while I did make an impression, I mostly put it down to good timing rather than an overwhelming impression.

[Levi makes a disgusted face at the mention of the phone.]

That filthy thing... Now I'm even happier I didn't go near it.

[Seriously, he'd taken one look at that mess and noped the fuck out of there back to his nice clean (and shiny new!!) room.

Fuck that noise.]

I've only talked to one of them, the Lovers when it was pretending to be that damn computer. Couldn't get anything out of it... But I'm not very good with questioning when I don't know what I'm looking for.

[Or when words are all he has to use. ...But he's not getting into that. Not all of his skills are worth being proud of and while they're probably listed in detail somewhere on his person right now, he hasn't seen them yet.

~~Has anyone checked the inside of his lip? All kinds of juicy 'ruthless violent animal' sins in there!! KICKS TEETH IN, if you wanna get really specific about it.~~]

There are days that I am not very good at questioning, and that is what I do. Everyone has their own strengths.

[She pauses for a moment, swallowing what might have been a bit of a giggle. The Roombit tickles.]

There are benefits to staying away, but I also think there are benefits to having a connection. I... am not known for my caution, so I am pleased with the way things worked out.

[She's pretty modest... Is that because the other him stole some of her Pride, or just because she has a good head on her shoulders?

ONLY TIME WILL TELL.]

...You're not angry about being marked?

[Still withholding judgment... But he's eager to hear what she has to say- she's the only one he knows who's been claimed who seems to have made some kind of peace with it. Mai's pretty close, but that's Mai- someone could break her leg and she'd apologize for not being able to run away fast enough.]

No. Sun asked me if I knew who he was before he Marked me. While I was not certain which Trump I was dealing with, I had enough information to know I was dealing with a Trump. In fact, I was sent to him by Moon. Sun told me that we would make good allies, and I believe that. I am still uncertain why we are being Marked, but I did go into it knowing. Perhaps if I was unaware, I would be a bit more angry, but as it is, I am not.

[To be perfectly fair, she is actually a bit proud of it, but that is a tiny bit of information that she is never comfortable enough to share.]

[Levi's eyes widen a bit.]

So the Moon passed up the opportunity to mark you and sent you to the Sun instead... And the Sun gave you a choice? Is that why you trust it?

[Personally Levi thinks it's a little reckless of her to trust a Trump so easily... But since she's already admitted to that, he won't beat a dead horse. It's not productive...

And in a way it could be right, what she said before- if the Sun really does see her as an ally... There's value to that.]

That, and the way he has treated me. The entire time, he has treated me as an ally, and has been up front with me about things. When I spoke to him on the phone, he greeted me with respect and enthusiasm. It is possible that I am simply used to just being a tool, or a means to an end, but it is something that is impactful to me. Also, the Sun card itself is one of honesty and forthrightness.

[She shrugs. It is difficult to truly explain, especially this far after the fact, how much it has meant to her, and how it, for once, pinged her emotions as well as her intellect.]

From what he has said, and from what I have heard from others, the Trumps need us. If they did not, why would they keep resurrecting us when we die? If all we were to them were pawns, they would not put so much into keeping us around. They would find new people to work with. I realize it is complicated and unpopular, but I do believe there is more to it than most people wish to see.

I remember that, from the class. [And he thought it was bullshit, too, but... Being incautious isn't the same as being stupid, and he actually sort of trusts Naoto's judgement, the same way he does Hange's back home. Even things like that that he doesn't necessarily like.

He sighs, watching the Bit chomp around the Sun's mark with a slight frown.]

And I don't know if I agree with it, but I don't understand why they do anything they do at all... So if you think this is a way to figure it out- [As uncomfortable as the idea makes him, his own method hasn't exactly been bearing much fruit, here. ~~And not just in dealing with the Trumps. BUT THAT'S DRAMA FOR ANOTHER TIME.]~~ Make something out of it. ...And be careful. None of us know what they're really after.

[Congrats on your adoption, Naoto.............]

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