[network] @guardian; Afternoon 77; [open]

[phaseshifter]

[ After a day and a half of complete radio silence, Angel and Rhys are back. If anyone was worried about a potential repeat of the whole kidnapping incident, it looks like those worries were unfounded - they both look happy, healthy (ish), and maybe even a little smug. Angel's wearing a flower crown, man, that's about as un-distressed as it's possible to get.

And, you know. Rhys is singing and dancing in the background with Dumpy. That's also a pretty good indicator that they're doing okay. Angel beams at the feed before speaking, clearly EXCITED AS ALL HECKIE: ]

She's a woman! The administrator spoke to us, with her voice, and she's a woman! She didn't even sound robotic - which doesn't mean she isn't an AI, of course, but ones that can imitate human cadence and tone in their speech tend to be more human in other ways, too. As in they tend to have feelings and emotions! So even if she isn't human, she's definitely a person. And a woman! We called it!

[ She pauses, shooting an excited look back at Rhys. Her brief silence makes it a lot easier to hear what he's singing - this, for anyone who might recognise it. He sings pretty well! It just sucks that Dumpy's enthusiastic screaming is drowning out a lot of it. Angel snorts, looking back at the tablet. ]

Um, yes. What... what they said. And now we know she's a person, I think... I mean, I'm pretty sure that she needs rescuing even more than we do. Right?

Comments

[phaseshifter]

[ Oh no. Oh Ginger honey no. No. What have you done. No. No. Angel's eyes light up (LITERALLY BECAUSE THEY GLOW, I'M HILARIOUS) and she bites her lip in an attempt to restrain her glee. GUESS WHAT TIME IT IS! ]

Oh, um. I'm pretty sure Beckett would rather puke up his internal organs than wear a flower crown. But you really think Clayton would do it?

You guys are really cute together, by the way. Supercute.

[lacecase]

Maybe he'd think that but then he'd do it and it would be like a whole new world opening up, you know? And then he'll want to wear flowers forever!

[Yes. This is exactly how it would play out. Ginger laughs happily, both flattered and a bit embarrassed by the compliment.]

Of course I think so! He's so chipper and sweet. I'm sure he'd think it's fun! [Her smile spreads wider across her face...just not as much as her blushing does.] Oh no, no, he's so much more cuter than me! He's, like, a cute two-for-one deal!

[She's totally forgotten about that time she (basically) kissed him on live camera.]

[phaseshifter]

[ Angel is on the verge of gurgling and hugging herself like a giant nerd because this is so cute oh gosh look look it's too sweet everything is adorable. She might never be able to experience this stuff firsthand, but it can't be much better than getting to coo over people who do get all lovey-dovey. Right? ]

Noooo, you're equally cute! And extra cute as a pair. Are you okay with talking about this stuff? Because I have so many questions. How did you get together? Who kissed who first? Have you said I love you yet?

[ aNGEL PLS, ]

[lacecase]

I don't mind talking about it! I think it's fun!

[In public, this is in public. She totally isn't even thinking about the fact that this is on a public network but hey, why sweat the small stuff? Or ever think about the small stuff to begin with?]

Um...I'm, like, not totally sure! I mean, he was super nice to me since, like, the first day I got here and I posted to the Network. And we started cuddling together like, right away after we met! I mean, it just kind of feels like we've been together since the beginning? [She'd actually never thought about it that way but...she guesses this is the closest thing to dating that you can get here.] He kissed me first, and, ah...no, we haven't done that yet!

[Is that a thing that's actually going to happen? Another thing Ginger hadn't thought about! Not that it doesn't feel like it would be so totally easy to say to him...but she's always been so bad at keeping boyfriends, she's kind of nervous to take that leap.]

[phaseshifter]

[ Oh geez. Oh geez, if that isn't the sweetest thing. And that means... ]

Wow, so he wasn't exaggerating when he said he - you know, that he had feelings for you the moment he saw you? I didn't think that was even a thing that really happened. You know, outside stories and bad movies I've streamed off the ECHOnet.

[ Siiigh ~ ♥ ]

So. Freaking. Cute.

[lacecase]

He said that?

[Her smile fades a little, just for a few seconds--but just so delighted surprise can fill in that space. Clayton said that about her? To someone else? Then it has to be true! Her sister always said that men would lie to you about how they felt if it got them what they wanted or if they were a coward, but Ginger just knew that Clayton couldn't be either of those things. And why would he make that kinda thing up to somebody else?]

Before I left about a week or so ago, maybe a bit longer, he said...he's never been happier since when he met me, but...

[The smile comes back tenfold, she's so happy!]

I don't know, that's even, like, better than I ever could've thought, you know? Oh no, I miss him so so so much!

[phaseshifter]

How do you two keep getting cuter.

[ As far as Angel is concerned, that's a legitimate question. HOW. HOW. ]

You need to get back to him as soon as possible! And have a romantic reunion and - oof. You guys are so lucky!!

[ And so is Angel because she gets to popcorn at all of this ]

[lacecase]

I know right? I, like, feel like the luckiest girl ever!

[Dreamy sigh. Honeybun's gonna get some lovin for his honeybuns if you catch her drift.]

I try to remember to send him goodnight messages before I go to bed every night!

[So hard to sleep soundly without her big man cushion.]

[phaseshifter]

Oh my gosh, you do? That's so sweet! The closest you can get to a goodnight hug without being physically there, right?

[ URGRHGRhgrgh it must be so lovely hrurhjghgr. It sure is getting diabetestastic in here. ]

It seems pretty silly to think of being stuck here as being lucky, but I don't think you're wrong. For the record.

[lacecase]

I think it's important...to find happiness everywhere you can, no matter what!

[But the thought does cause all that cheer she's radiating to fade just a little bit.]

I never would have met him if we hadn't been put here. And, like, whenever we figure out how to go home...

[Well, that's an obvious conclusion she doesn't want to say out loud. They'll never see each other again. It's not like either of them are going to throw away their lives and their families and their worlds to stay together in Norfinbury. That would be silly.]

I don't know if I'll ever be this happy again, so I need to make the most of it as long as I can!

[phaseshifter]

Mmmmmh.

[ It's not a happy thought for Angel, either. She can't go back home herself at all, and having her new friends all leave her is something she's been worrying about a lot lately. But maybe... ]

Perhaps when we find a way back, those of us who are staying behind will be able to do whatever was done to bring us all here in the first place? So we can bring people back for visits. You know, pull everyone back every weekend or something?

[ That would be ideal. Something to ask the admin about when they free her, maybe. ]

[lacecase]

You think that could really work?

[Oh no, look at how excited she's getting! There's hope!]

Goodness gracious that would be so lovely! We could all still be friends forever! And...and Clayton and I can just be, like, long distance or something!

[He'd totally be down for that, right? He'd totally be faithful! Yep, absolutely. No doubt about it.]

[phaseshifter]

It'd be perfect, right? Or - or as close to it as we can get, in the circumstances. It'd make the thought of staying here a lot less hopeless, anyway.

[ It would mean Rhys could go back, become Hyperion president, and still come back to visit. And maybe he could bring his friends, too? She could meet all the cute robots and everything!! ]

[lacecase]

Yeah! Totally!

[Ginger gasps, getting a great idea! She claps her hands together in delight.]

And, like, when we all come and visit we can bring so many nice things back with us! So if Norfinbury's still all snowy and stuff, we can make sure everyone's comfortable! Like, since I have my sewing supplies and fabrics, I could make everyone total snow outfits! Like, really cute ones! In the right sizes! And colors!

[phaseshifter]

I'm going to hold you to that. Dibs on a yellow one.

[ Wait wait IMPORTANT CAVEAT ]

Uh - but do me a favour? No matter how much he begs you, don't make Rhys a tie.

[ Sure, if he goes home he can get another one, but maybe secret ai Jack will veto that and lOOK JUST NO MORE TIES OKAY ]

[lacecase]

Oh! Is yellow your favorite color? I'd love to make you something in yellow! Aw, you'll look like...like a super cute little bumblebee!

[Ginger has to pause at Angel's quick addition.]

Why would he want a tie? Ties don't keep you warm! They're all business-y and kind of, like, stuffy.

[phaseshifter]

He's all businessy. Until we-- until, um, the thing with my dad, he had this gross red tie that was so long he tucked it into his pants. Just this long thin strip, I - I'm pretty sure I'm having trauma flashbacks.

[ THE TIE WAS THAT BAD OKAY

THAT BAD ]

[lacecase]

That's pretty bad. [Kind of a fashion nightmare, honestly.] But, like...What if it was just a normal sized tie?

[She's trying to find a way to make a compromise, here. She just wants everyone to be happy, okay?]

[phaseshifter]

He'd find a way to ruin it. Look at him. He does - he - he has this thing, where everything is half pinstripes? And his shoes, they're - I don't even know.

Red doesn't even match anything on his stupid corporate butthole outfit.

[lacecase]

That sounds like...a super fashion emergency!

[But...he kind of has that dorky embarrassing thing going for him? In, like, a weird way. And...his uniquieness! It's an important new piece of information in the tie war--and Ginger doesn't like to put people down! Like, ever! It's so mean and sad! It's okay when Angel does it cause they totally have that, like, sibling vibe.]

Wait! I have a theory! What if, it's like, the mismatched tie totally brings it all together? Like...all the things are wrong, but then you put them together and suddenly they're right?

[No, no, hear her out, okay?]

Like, could you even imagine him dressed normally? Wouldn't it be so weird because it's totally lacking in weirdness? It's, like, aesthetic!

[phaseshifter]

What? No way! It's just terrib--

...Oh my god. He got to you, didn't he.

[ Another casualty in this terrble, terrible war. ANGEL IS SORRY SHE WAS TOO LATE TO SAVE YOU, GINGER ]

[lacecase]

[...okay, it was worth a shot.]

He just, like, looked so sad, and his voice wavered and everything! I feel so bad!

[There was a lip quiver, Angel. Does Ginger look like the kind of woman who can resist it when any man quivers their lower lip?]