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[stand_unshaken]

 

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[dog_eat_dog]

Why? It's Earth. Half the people in this place are from some version of it. Could pick one where people aren't fighting to death over scraps from a time half of 'em never even knew.

[stand_unshaken]

Well, in that case. [He drums his fingers on the saddle.] You can forget all about it.

[Like that works. They both know it doesn't; he won't tell her to talk, since he wouldn't in her case.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[She shakes her head, smiles a little.]

Not saying it's easy, just that I've started life over before, and I can do it again. Hell, if I hadn't come in here like I did, I probably wouldn't have told anyone here about cordyceps, or the world changing, or any of it.

[stand_unshaken]

I think you'd've told someone eventually. [Because he has complete and utter faith in her. He knows she'd tell the right people.]

[dog_eat_dog]

Maybe. Back home there are people I've known for over a decade and I don't know their last names because nobody likes to talk about that shit.

[stand_unshaken]

That's back home, though, ain't it? Even if you'd come a year earlier, bein' away mighta just done the trick.

[dog_eat_dog]

And if that's the case, I'm better off here, or somewhere people give a shit about each other.

[stand_unshaken]

Think you could do it, long haul? Like Tiffany?

[dog_eat_dog]

Nope, that wouldn't fly either. I'd get bored, and I'd be stuck with Tiffany.

[stand_unshaken]

Hey - I like Tiffany.

[dog_eat_dog]

She's fine, but the whole "I used to be a criminal, so I don't judge" thing drives me nuts.

[stand_unshaken]

Don't I do that, too?

[Except he still is, but.]

[dog_eat_dog]

She wasn't a criminal the way we are. There's a pecking order to this. People below us should judge us.

[stand_unshaken]

I used to be comfortable with them fearin' us, actually.

[dog_eat_dog]

Me too. Feels wrong when you smuggle children or kill people just for disagreeing with you and they say "that's okay, we all have struggles" or some shit.

[stand_unshaken]

[He snorts and shakes his head.]

Alright, alright, I take your point.

[dog_eat_dog]

Mmhmm. Besides, if no one ever criticized me, I’d be a total nightmare.

[stand_unshaken]

I'll be sure to keep that in mind.

[dog_eat_dog]

[She gives a vaguely amused little huff.]

It’s true for everyone, isn’t it? If you didn’t have people reminding you that you were acting crazy, how would you know it was a problem?

[stand_unshaken]

I suppose you're right. [Begrudging, but how could he, of all people, say it isn't true?]

I don't know that it was criticism that did it for me, though.

[dog_eat_dog]

Mortal illness speeds that along handily, huh.

[stand_unshaken]

[He makes a face at her - but fuck, is she wrong? She damn well isn't.]

We oughta get back. You want a go at ridin'?

[dog_eat_dog]

[She shrugs at the face –– if he wants to change the subject, that's his prerogative, but she knows where she stands on it.]

Might as well try, you're going to get me on a horse of my own eventually.

[stand_unshaken]

You're damn right about that. You alright with me ridin' on the back? I can call up another horse, probably.

[dog_eat_dog]

That's fine. Might as well have you in reach in case I get off track.

[A very real possibility, given she has ridden right into the bushes with Misty watching her.]

It's not going to freak out because it's me driving instead of you, right?