(no subject)

[a1enzo]

Bob and Dot are overdue to return from their vacation. Hopefully, this just means they're having a good time. Enzo and Dani are having a nice time too, since they finally started sneaking her out for invisible looks 'round the city.

Still, there are some things that need to be done. Like packing. He'll be heading to the Academy pretty soon after she leaves. He can't bring an awful lot of stuff, which actually makes packing harder than if he were bringing everything he might want. And, of course, there are some things he really can't bring.

He examines an MPEG and a bunch of action figures. "Uh-uh. It's nothing like our Tron stories and half of it's in Userspace. My roommates would ask questions." He places them on the discard stack.

Comments

[ami_imperfect]

Dani's sitting, cross-legged...well, wherever there's an open spot really. She's not saying anything as she watches Enzo pack, seeing what's getting put into the discard stack and what's not.

She's really hoping the picture she did doesn't wind up in "discard".

[a1enzo]

Enzo grabs another item at random. It turns out to be Tyler's arm-mounted grappling unit. "Ooh, I can bring this! It'll be megauseful." Into the box it goes. "AndrAIa said she used to have a harpoon thing she wore like this."

He holds out his hand for another object.

[ami_imperfect]

"Bet that was really cool," comments Dani as she searches for another object. Her eyes light up as she spies something, and she shoots Enzo an evil grin.

"What about him?" she asks, holding out the (non-Guardian) teddy bear.

[a1enzo]

Enzo blushes very slightly - he hasn't forgotten about the photo - but he takes the 'civilian bear' and examines it critically.

"I dunno," he says finally. "It's nothing we don't have here, but it's too fancy. I mean, it's furry. That costs a lot here. I'd need a story or something." On the other hand, they wouldn't tease him about it like they might for a plain old Guardian bear.

He puts it in an empty space next to the discards. "I'll take it if there's room after the main stuff," he decides. "What's next?"

[ami_imperfect]

"It's...a bucket." There's no hiding the confused Look on Dani's face as she passes him the Bucket o'Nothing.

[a1enzo]

"Yeah, that was from Mike. I could bring that, but c'mon." Discard.

[ami_imperfect]

"Didn't think so," she giggles.

The next thing she hands him is her drawing.

[a1enzo]

Enzo looks at the picture, and at Dani, and blushes, and smiles, and puts the picture in the box. Seriously, how could he possibly... not... take...

Oh, no.

He reaches into the box and pulls the picture back out. Staring at it miserably, he whispers, "I can't."

[ami_imperfect]

"Huh?" She looks at him in surprise. "Why not?"

[a1enzo]

He looks up at her. "You're the wrong colour."

[ami_imperfect]

Dani gives him a puzzled look, then blinks in understanding. "I look like a User," she says. "In the picture."

[a1enzo]

"Kinda," Enzo nods. "I mean, sprites can be User colours. But you're not, when you're a sprite. And, I mean," he falters, looking down, "if you wanna visit..."

[ami_imperfect]

She nods. "Guess it'll have to stay here, huh?"

[nofileext]

There's a knocking at Phong's office door. "Enter, my child," he says without looking up from his paperwork. (Who it is doesn't really matter to the greeting.)

[a1enzo]

"Hi, Phong," says Enzo as the door slides open.

[nofileext]

"Ah, young Guardian. Come to keep an old sprite company? Or is this not a social call?"

[a1enzo]

"Not really," Enzo admits.

[nofileext]

"I see. Is it system or personal business that brings you here?" Phong asks with a gleam in his eye.

[a1enzo]

"Personal," says Enzo, who knows where this is going, "but it's..."

[nofileext]

"Ah! Come, then," Phong says, rolling toward the door and already opening his drawer to retrieve the P.O.N.G. equipment. He needed a break.

[a1enzo]

"No, Phong, it's not..."

[nofileext]

"You know my rule, Enzo," Phong chides. "Wisdom must be earned before it can be accessed, by one means or another."

[a1enzo]

"But I'm not here for advice!" Enzo cries. "We just want you to take our picture!"

[nofileext]

Phong stops near the door and looks back at Enzo. "We?"

[ami_imperfect]

"Um, yeah." The voice that answers is not Enzo's, but comes from somewhere at his right. A nano later Dani fades into view beside him, and greets Phong with a little wave.