Something like that. Probably? I really don't know. I just know it always comes when I call - it didn't really do that at home, otherwise I would've had a much less annoying past few months.

Anyway, fighting dinosaurs and dragons... it gets old after a while, especially if you don't have your gear on you. Then you have you do it by hand. Takes longer.

...

[MUFFLED JACKPOT BELLS IN BACKGROUND]

....did you say by hand?

Sure. You can't bring a Gear everywhere you go. Besides, even if it takes a little longer by hand than with a gear, sometimes it's faster to just do it by hand anyway since a Gear could take a while to reach you. Depending on where you go.

Anyway, I guess I haven't been doing a lot of fighting since I got here - mostly painting. But I still remember how! It's not something you forget.

[PAINTING get out of here with that garbage]

So you're rusty? Well, that's no problem. Everyone gets their dry spells.

How about it? You think you could take me?

I don't really get rusty, just less active.

[Not that he knows why. But fighting is so inherent to him, it's hard to imagine not knowing how.... even if sometimes he wishes he didn't know how.]

I dunno, are you more or less resilient than a big robot?

Hey, are you looking for a spar or something? Why does every 9 foot tall guy I meet want to fight me, anyway?

Don't insult me by comparing me to some robot. I wouldn't ask if I wasn't at least that tough.

...what are you talking about, though? Some other guy wanted to fight you?

[Is he here? Uvo can fight him too.]

That was at home. I was in prison, and he was the strongest-- it's kind of a long, story, really...

Anyway, I don't mind sparring with you! Probably shouldn't be anywhere populated, though, if you really want to go all out.

Hah, I like the sound of that! Don't worry, I know a good place.

But first, tell me what you and this other guy were doing in prison. Am I going to be fighting a criminal?

[......]

You really want to know? You might not want to fight me if I tell you.

[how precious]

Oh, I don't know about that. Let's hear it and see.

Sometimes I black out. And when I come to, the whole area's gone.

......no kidding?

That sounds serious. What do you think happens?

It's me. I'm not sure what I'm doing, but I know it's me. The first time - the first time I remember - there were a few survivors and they saw it. Everything else was gone, though - the buildings, the Gears. The town, really...

{his voice trails off, and he's rubbing the back of his neck and trying not to rant about how much he sucks. Not Uvo's problem.]

I'm not gonna pretend I know why. It's just, when I get too upset--

Anyway, so the prison thing started that way. I went to the border of Aveh and Kislev - that's the two major nations on my world - to cause a distraction so some friends could take out this jerk who usurped the rightful king. But the commander of the forces I was supposed to keep busy -- there's this guy called Grahf and he just shows up and boosts everyone's power just when I'm about to get rid of them. Anyway, he shows up and just starts taking everyone apart. All the people I came with. And that's the last thing I remember.

Next thing I know, I'm in the prison block of Kislev's capital. Seems like I did it again - the whole force I came with, and the enemy too, they were all torn apart. I don't even remember it. And to be honest, I have this bad feeling it's happened more than twice, it's just... I only remember the last few years.

...anyway, I try to stay calm now. So... painting.

....!

You mean to tell me you once knocked out a whole town and don't even remember it?

[He can relate! ...wait no, probably don't say that.]

If you get upset, huh? That's a hell of a temper... I wouldn't have expected it, just by looking at you. No wonder you haven't been fighting since you got here.

But you accepted my challenge. Does that mean you're not too worried about it?

I can't really be sure if it's a temper even. Anyway, that's why I said to stay away from populated areas. I'm not worried about it as long as it's just us.

[No endangered civilians = no danger of freakouts.]

Yeah. Don't worry about that... I don't want anyone else getting involved either.

[This one is aaaallll his.]

Maybe this way, I can forgive you for not telling me about that gear sooner.

Hey! You didn't tell me you can take a hit from a robot-leveling punch, so I feel like we're pretty even!

[He laughs at that, apparently good-naturedly.]

Maybe you would have found out if I knew there were any giant robots around! We don't have to worry about those where I'm from, so I didn't think about it.

Huh? No robots? Or just the big ones?

No, none of 'em. Maybe things would've been more interesting with them, but that kind of firepower would be hard to come by just relying on machines.

[sounds sad now, wishes they had big robots]

Ahh... It's pretty boring, thinking about it that way.

Eh... machines aren't that great, even if they're big. Sometimes they're just dangerous. They can be worse than monsters.

You think so? I never met a machine that could pose much of a threat to me, but the right kind of monster sure could.

Maybe it just depends on what you're used to.

Depends on the monsters and the machines. Yeah. It's one of those world variables. Plus, if a machine is advanced enough you get...

...something else. Well, I wouldn't call her a monster, but she's not really a human or a machine, either...

Plus, depends on who you are. Weltall can step on a person as easily as some dragon. Uh not that I step on people. Pretty much try to avoid that.

Uhhh, well, maybe some soldiers or sand raiders, but that's kind of...

'Her'?

[Come on Fei don't leave him hanging like that.]

Hey, if anyone gets caught under that robot's feet, it's their own fault. Most would be smart enough to run in the other direction.

...I was wondering, though. Think I could get a closer look at it?