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[betterthangarlond]

[ It was one of those times where NOAH was still figuring out their way past the Labyrinth of the Ancients, and Nero was still lingering.

Today, though, he had found himself by the side of G'raha, when G'raha was taking a break. Not that Nero had been watching for it, of course not.

With a soft grunt, he flopped down next to him, holding a few of the tomestones that they'd been tasked to decyther. (Nero, honestly, had been asked not to join in this, but. Nero had waited until Rammbroes wasn't paying attention and stolen these ones.) ]

...You're all struggling with these?

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[betterthangarlond]

[ Hm. Nero rolls his eyes, as they sit down. ]

This pile - do you see the small red marking on the corner? That means they're official buisness of Allag.

[aneyeonthepast]

Oh- [he squints.] Just about! That's very handy- good to know. Which means- most likely to contain what we want, right?

[betterthangarlond]

Exactly. You - take those ones there. I'll analyze the higher pile.

[ yes hes calling you slow ]

[aneyeonthepast]

[well, that was only to be expected, really. but still: rude.]

All right, all right… But just give me a little time and I'll be just as quick!

[maybe that's exaggerating it a bit, but hey. he grabs his notes, and settles down to start working.]

[betterthangarlond]

Hah. If you say so.

[ As Nero begins to analyze some, he decides to continue talking. He touches them so very precisely. ]

...I've always been able to read these like books. It's one of the reasons Gaius promoted me very quickly. [ but yet, he preferred cid. why? ]

[aneyeonthepast]

[Huh. G'raha's careful about how he handles them, of course; you never know what might happen otherwise.

…probably not an explosion, at least.]

Really? That makes sense… It's quite a talent. What sorts of things did you find then?

[betterthangarlond]

At first, [ he says - not meaning to but looking at that red eye - ] they were the sample ones used in the Akademy. We were meant to take a semester to decode them.

[aneyeonthepast]

[he tilts his head- hair falling away from that eye a little.]

Huh… Sample ones? Ones they'd already decoded? How long did you take?

[betterthangarlond]

Yes - to help us learn the language.

[ They gotta do it somehow, right? ]

...I did it instantly. Of course, they thought I cheated, so I was given another. And again, it was instant.

...Even so, they saw Garlond as the genius, not I.

[aneyeonthepast]

It makes a good starting point, doesn't it?

[he whistles.]

That's incredible. With no preparation?

[he scratches an ear.] … I wonder. Maybe… if he was struggling? [look he doesn't wanna say bad things about either of them]

[betterthangarlond]

With none! As soon as I touch these... it's almost like I know what they say, in here.

[ He does gesture to his head.
But the one he's palming over right now... he seems to be frowning a little. Is it corrupt...? No, it's... the data doesn't make sense. His voice seems to grow lower, as he bites his lip. ]

Of course, as I rose up the ranks, these talents didn't go un-noticed. It wasn't just tomes - any machine presented to me was far too easy to repair. Recreate.

[aneyeonthepast]

Like- well, it can't be magic, but- that's amazing.

[he tilts his head again, tail curling, curious.]

Any machine? A valuable skill indeed! How do you know…?

[betterthangarlond]

If I knew how I knew, I wouldn't be doing this. He then explains. No, that's what led me to the Crystal Tower. Maybe it holds answers?

[ ...But he frowns, grabbing for another tomestone - a set, he can tell. And his brows furrow. ] ...But, yes. Any Allagan machine, at the very least. Not the failures you savages call machines.

[aneyeonthepast]

Hm… Well, at the very least, I'd think we should manage to find some sort of clue.

[oh, right- he's still got to get somewhere on these. though he keeps glancing up at Nero, too, wondering.]

Well- we've got to start building somehow.

[betterthangarlond]

Yes, yes.

[ But he seems... distracted, his voice wavering a little. ] This can't be right. [ He then whipsers. ]

[aneyeonthepast]

[no argument? That's… unexpected.

He straightens, looking concerned.]

What can't? Nero?

[betterthangarlond]

[ For a while, he's silent, seeming not to respond. But then, his head snaps to look at G'raha - eyes wide - before... he reaches into his pocket to slip on sunglasses. ]

This was a mistake.

[aneyeonthepast]

[??? the hell now he's very concerned. If he's hiding his eyes…]

What was? Nero… what did you find?

[betterthangarlond]

...The first line. Read it, G'raha. If you can.

[ He hands over one of them, hands trembling. Though it might take a little - it's still ancient tomestones after all, what it says is clear.

Scaeva Model 6376 Owner's Guide ]

[aneyeonthepast]

-I can.

[he's not that bad!! even if it does take him a bit- and his ears flatten when he does.]

That's- not funny. Not in the least- [but it's genuine, isn't it? shit.] But- what kind of guide…? [please let it be kinder than treating him like a possession.]

[betterthangarlond]

[ Nero doesn't respond. But if he were to read on - the words still taking some effort - he would find it was similar to guides on other Allagan automatons.

It'd make sense, wouldn't it - the strange skin and the glow. Eventually, Nero speaks again. ]

...It's hilarious.

[aneyeonthepast]

[He's thought it would be neat, if some of those were around, and adapted to their current needs. Not that they don't have their own creations to help, of course. But this is… well. He doesn't like it as much as he thought he would. Even if it does seem to put those into place.

He gives a slow nod- somewhat dubious, but if that's how Nero wants to say…]

And funnier in hindsight, I hope. You'd never… come across anything before?

[betterthangarlond]

No.

[ Every word Nero said - for once in his life, he didn't want to speak, really. Something had clicked in his head. (Literally? How was he meant to know if it was literal? Everything he knew was a lie, wasn't it.) ]

...But I should have known from the injuries, shouldn't have I? [ If G'raha had read enough, he would have seen the Scaeva-class automation were designed to repair machines, with more repair protocol being easily installed. ] I should have known.

[aneyeonthepast]

[……fngh. He likes Nero- for as much as Nero lets people, really, and this is… distressing. He sets the tomestone aside for the moment- he's gotten as much as he thinks he's going to get for now.]

They were… mm. It's… strange, that they didn't seem to bother you. Why…?

[betterthangarlond]

...I suppose... it would have been too much effort to install pain.

[ But he seems rather hurt right now. If not in body, then in mind. His body has stilled, and he's just staring at the ground - his glasses not slipping.

He adds, though: ] Who would want their machines complaining?