Week 42: Dusty gets an email

Hey Dusty.

Sorry I haven't been in contact for so long, but would you like to come out with me for lunch and things this week? There's someone I'd like you to meet...

Auntie Darya.

AUNTIE DARYA!!!!

YES YES YES YES. Can we go to the comic shop too? I haven't been recently and some of the displaced Shi Yukiro artists are producing again. OH WHO AM I GONNA MEET? Do you have kids now too??? DO I HAVE COUSINS???? LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU ARE COMING SO I CAN MEET YOU!!!

We'll be up around Wednesday, so shall we meet you at about 12?

As for who you'll be meeting...that's a secret.

Look foward to seeing you then!
Darya.


At the appointed time, a car rolled up to a street near Seoul Waste Away. There was a brief bit of movement inside, before Darya got out and headed to the building. She looked like she hadn't slept too well recently, but she still seemed happy, humming to herself as she pressed the door button.

There was a crackle on the intercom at the outer door, but there was no reply. Still, the gate into the inner courtyard opened to reveal.. The vines and white gravel Darya was used to seeing outside SWA. There were a few new small plants growing at the feet of the vines, with pale green leaves and buds that had not opened yet.

Another change was the pawing at the gravel. There was an invisible something there, who huffed a breathy sigh before moving to slowly circle about 40 feet away. Darya didn't have long to reflect on this, though, as the door to the inside opened and Dusty jumped out. He was wearing his pressed suit, and it looked freshly cleaned and mended. He jumped on his aunt and hugged her aggressively, his massive strength threatening to hurt her. "AUNTIE DARYA!!! I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN FOREVER!!"

"Hey Dusty" Said Darya, thankful for her enhanced lungs that let her breath in Dusty's hug. "Sorry. Things just started happening and I had to get things sorted out. How have you been?" she asked, hugging him to the best of her ability with her arms pinned to her sides.

"Good! Busy." Dusty was beaming, and after a moment, put his aunt gently back on the ground, releasing her. "I haven't seen you in FOREVER! I miss you!" He looked utterly delighted, and fixed his plasticy dark suit. "What are we gonna do? Who are we meeting??"

From across the court yard, whatever was watching them snorted and walked off, apparently circling around the building.

Darya smiled and adjusted Dusty's suit slightly. "Well, we've got some time, so I thought we'd go shopping...including the comic shop" she added, grinning, "Then perhaps get a meal somewhere, and after that, possibly bowling?"

"As for who you're meeting...you'll meet her soon." she said, pointing at the gate. "She's waiting in the car, she didn't feel like coming out. Be gentle with her Dusty."

Leading Dusty down the street, they came to a large, comfortable looking car, large enough for Dusty to sit in without banging his head on the ceiling. Darya opened a door, and Dusty could see a shorter woman, who he recognized from the pictures in Darya's room.

"Hello, Dusty. Darya's told me a lot about you. I'm her sister, Natasha."

Dusty nodded, smiling, half bouncing. "I've never been bowling! And who's she? Who? Whoooo?"

When he got to the car, he stared at Natasha for a minute, his mouth forming a tiny little "o" of shock. Dusty eased into the seat next to her, looking her over up and down, his face still a plasticky expression of surprise. He reached out with a large, soft, and very strong feeling hand and touched her arm. No, she was really there. After staring for one more moment, he threw his arms around her neck, remembering JUST before he squeezed to be gentle. "Auntie Natasha!! I'm Dusty!"

Natasha laughed and put her thin arms around Dusty, patting his shoulder as her sister slid into the driver's seat of the car. "So I guessed" she replied, smiling gently. "I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. I have been indisposed for a while."

Darya looked over her shoulder. "Something like that, yes." she said, before patting Dusty's shoulder herself. Natasha pulled back from the hug slightly, and looked Dusty up and down. She herself looked thin and still slightly more pale than the pictures that Darya had shown Dusty, taken before the incident, but her eyes moved quickly around, and she was obviously fairly alert. Reaching forward, she adjusted Dusty's tie slightly, before nodding. "So, Dusty. I trust you've been well?"

Dusty grinned widely, and seemed to enjoy being gently fussed over. He was bouncing with excitement, but trying to keep it contained. You could almost hear him thinking "Gentle, gentle".

"Oh yeah, things have been good since.." He blinked and shrugged, letting his voice trailed off. "Good, but different! Busy. But I've been doing very well." He looked around the car excitedly, still grinning hugely. He caught Darya's eyes in the rear view mirror. Dusty seemed.. a lot more focused than he had a few weeks ago, more aware. He looked around too, casually, but obviously checking for danger. "What did Auntie Darya tell you about me, Auntie Natasha? Did you know I'm a replicant?"

Darya smiled as she saw Dusty looking around. She...was nervous about this visit, bringing her sister all this way, but Dusty checking for danger reassured her a bit, and it was what Natasha wanted to do. Also, once they got to the interchange, the security there should be able to handle any problems...hopefully. She leaned backwards and said "Dusty, don't forget to strap yourself in dear."
She didn't want him to get hurt, even through if Dusty was thrown forward, the car would likely come off worse.

Natasha nodded. "Indeed she did. She also said you were a gentleman and a scholar...although perhaps not in those exact words." her tone continued to be light and fairly jovial.

Dusty grinned even broader, beaming pride. He buckled himself in, keeping his eyes on the road. His mannerisms were similar, but he really did seems more focused. "Auntie Darya taught me about morality and the importance of Right and Wrong when I was only this~ high." He stretched his hand to the ground, leaving it exactly one foot and eight inches above the carpet. "And since then I have tried very hard to keep up with moralistic philosophy, though.. I also read comics!" He looked excited, smiling a little more. "And I am increasingly well trained in the use of tactical weapons! But I don't think that counts as being a scholar."

He checked the mirrors again, and added rather more gently, "And how have you been? Both of you, Auntie Darya too!"

Natasha smiled. "I'm very good. It's nice to get out of the hospital and see the world again."

Darya didn't look around, not taking her eyes from the road, but through the mirror Dusty could see that she looked happy, if slightly tense. "I've been a bit busy sorting out the house and some other things..."

Natasha chimed in. "We're setting up a charity to help people in old cities. Darya's money helps..." she grinned.

Dusty nodded aggressively. "Oracle pays very very well. It allowed Mom to make me!" He was still beaming, and just now started to relaxed into his seat. His whole matter was chipper. "What kind of charity are you planning to do? Help poor people? Or help depersonalized people? Or stop crime? That's a good one, there are lots of bad people out there... Or, or maybe feed hungry people? Or help sick people, since, you know, you.. ..have experience with hospitals!" He looked a little unsure of those words, but continued on regardless, making nervous eye contact in the mirror with Darya.

Both the sister's stiffen a bit, but neither of them snapped at Dusty. "I think I'll leave the hospitals to Parvati" said Darya. "She's the biokine, after all." Natasha nodded.

"What we are trying to do is encourage training and jobs for people in old cities, a bit like the system Comoros uses in their area." said Natasha, changing the subject from hospitals. "Hopefully, we can get people before gangs do."

Darya glanced in the mirror, and smiled reassuringly to Dusty that he was okay. The words she wanted to say "or cult" were left hanging in the air.

Dusty made eye contact with Darya a smiled again, visibly comforted. He bounced with the subject change, eager to get past his momentary mistake. "Oh, that's good! People need jobs. Gangs are an attractive prospect for youths!" There was a way that he enunciated his words that sounded like he had heard them off a PSA or something, chirpy and sharp. "Mom might have been able to use a service like that when she was young."

He looked out the window again, protectively, and asked, "By the way, where are we going first, Auntie Darya?"

They were heading into the more built up part of the city, towards where the interchange was based. "Well, I thought we might park up by there" Darya waved at the interchange "And browse the shops for a bit."

Natasha nodded. "I've never been up here. I wanna see what it's like..." she said this facing away from Dusty, looking out of the window at the sights they passed, but in the reflection of the glass Dusty could see she was grinning.

"Unless you have a particular shop you want to go to Dusty?" asked Darya, glancing backwards. "We can stop off along the way at places if you want."

"Comic shop!!" Dusty chirped... before looking around a little sheepishly. "But we don't need to go now. I can wait until after shopping!" He smiled, and gave a look around before focusing on Natasha. "Besides, they have a REALLY big place just outside of the Interchange. All kinds of books and drawings and art and figures and toys..." He cleared his throat. "But I don't need too many toys. Are you shopping for something specific, Auntie Natasha?"

Darya laughed. "If you have a specific shop in mind, we don't mind going with you Dusty." She reached back with one hand and patted his huge knee.

Natasha nodded, before shrugging to Dusty's question. "Not really. I'd like some new clothes, at least. And whatever I see and like...and can afford."

"Just the one in the interchange! But we're going there anyway, so it's fine. And Auntie Natasha, You can afford whatever you want. I will buy you something! As a coming to Seoul present!" He nodded aggressively. "I have lots of money."

Dusty continued to beam, though he did seem a little more self-conscious, now that they were talking and driving.

Natasha laughed lightly. "You too huh? I might be the only one without loads of money in the car." she said, patting Darya on the shoulder, who mumbled something about being perfectly willing to share. Outside, the streets were becoming nicer as the car entered the Interchange neighbourhood.

"Do you go out often, Dusty?" she asked, turning to face the replicant, still smiling broadly.

"Oh yeah! All the time! I don't like being cooped up too much. Mostly on my own though. I am getting to know the city! I have a lot of fun." He smiled a bit, revealing his perfectly white and even teeth. He glanced outside the car, looking along the streets with a practiced eye. "And don't feel bad about having a lot of money. Bell shares hers and I have some too! But it's all from Mom or Auntie Darya or Pinkie. Oracle gives everyone enough money to share!" He smiled wider. "I only try to buy important things, or little things. It's nice to own things, though. Little or big or important or not."

"Yes, I rather gathered that Oracle pays well." said Natasha, nodding. "If it didn't, I wouldn't be here." Darya smiled in response, and her sister continued. "I'm sure you're very good at managing your money, Dusty." She looked out of the window again. "I used to be trained by Comoros. We were taught to not rely on things. But it is nice to own them."

Nodding in agreement, Dusty looked back at his Auntie Natasha. The replicant touched his heavy hand to the window. "Some things are okay to rely on, because.. Some things are more than things! The UIG thinks I am a thing." He shrugged and looked at the world pass between his fingertips. "And I've seen people hurt other people for other things, less expensive things. Sometimes they kill. But it would be hard to have no things, too. Without thingness I wouldn't be me." This was deep philosophical thinking, eloquence of his normal discussions of ancient and long dead philosphers gone now that he was discussing something more intimate. "So that's something else that's part of this, too. Nothing wrong with wanting things, as long as you know you don't need most things."