[......]

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?

Uh yeah, there's this girl... eh, I don't know anything about it, but she's basically a pretty normal person except she's made of nanomachines and she's 4,000 years old. But she was sleeping most of that time, so it's like she's still a kid...

Anyway, sure, can't see why not. Weltall's pretty friendly. I mean, it doesn't fire energy beams unless I tell it to, so that's friendly enough for a Gear.

[...???]

What the hell are you talking about? How can someone be made of nanomachines, I thought those were-- ...ah, forget it. I don't get this technology stuff.

[WHERE IS SHALNARK WHEN YOU NEED HIM GDI.]

The point is, I don't get a lot of chances to see robots up close! I don't care if you fire energy beams, though. How bad can those be?

I don't really get it, myself. I don't know that much about science.

And hey the beams can get pretty bad. I'm not saying it would necessarily hurt you, but civilians would be vaporized.

Ahh, I just leave that stuff to the experts. I know my way around what I need to know, that's good enough for me. Who needs all this nano crap anyway.

[...give him a moment to think about vaporized civilians.]

Anyway, that won't matter if there's no one else around.

Nano crap...

[He laughs a little, gives a little shrug.]

Yeah, I guess that's one way to put it, at least here. There's no one who would really understand the nanomachine technology...

...anyway, yeah, better to keep beams away from civilians. Sometimes you can't, but... if there's a choice... uhh... right! When did you want to go a round, anyway?

[There's a really obvious silence here; he's thinking about Shalnark again, and damn he misses that guy.]

Maybe someone like that'll turn up.

[Hopefully.]

...Right! Let's see... we'll do it Saturday. And we'll leave at 1, sharp. If you make me wait, I'll have to find someone to take your place and beat them up instead.

Otherwise, I'll take you to the spot where we won't be bothered by anyone. Is that all right?

Sounds good! Except, that's kind of intense about the timing. I guess I better be on time.

[he'd be glaring so hard if they were face to face right now.]

Don't guess, just be on time. I'm even giving you enough time to have lunch first, so there's no excuse.

Wow, you take time pretty seriously.

Okay, I'll be there. Promise. I don't wanna get one the wrong side of your temper!