Chapter description: Ruby and Gold search for Silver. But what they find leaves more questions than answers.
Extra Description: Gonzalo's crew gets caught up to speed on recent events.
Tags for this chapter:
being Grounded, threats of Violence, cryptic Message, mentions of Overexpectations, Neglect, and wholesome game Reunion
Tags for this extra:
discussions of WAR!, Squabbling, Longing
23. Better Than We Thought
The hut was empty, and by "empty", it was a husk - no furniture or sign that it was ever inhabited. Places that they knew the metallic giant frequented bore no sign of him. Still, Ruby and Gold stayed at that deserted house, with only their sleeping bags for bedding. It wasn't like they already weren't, of course, but the space felt even larger the way it was now.
Over there had been the kitchen and dining area. Gold had admitted that he felt like a Goddamn toddler in those chairs, having been designed for a being much larger than him. And over that way was his tall shelf of books, many slotted in and surprisingly normal-sized. Ruby counted all of them: 314. Even the houseplants in the hut were just about out of reach to the smaller minerals. So surreal, but in a way they couldn't help but feel endearment for.
And in the corner, Silver's massive bed used to lay. Perfect for jumping on, whenever he granted them permission. It was surprisingly often, but with a catch - once they're done, they must remake it. Well… That was fair. Especially when they started adding pillow fights.
But now, there was absolutely nothing in it at all.
Days passed, with Silver's absence growing more noticeable. Other mineral kids began wondering the same thing, as he stopped appearing for his escort duties. And as well, Dia hadn't seen him lately. "Damn, he still hasn't come back? I'd help look for him, but, uh… I'm afraid of leaving Spike and Dave alone for more than two seconds."
Yeah, that's right. He had his hands full as it was. "Though, I guess that's the one good thing about my new height - I can, like, physically separate them now, if I have to." It wasn't hard to imagine.
"Still adjusting?" Ruby asked lightly.
"Still adjusting," Dia repeated with a sigh. "But anyway, I'll tell you if I find Silver, okay?" It meant a lot.
"Also, if you ever need help with Spike," Gold offered with the roll of his malleable arm, "I know how to sort 'em out."
"Please don't." The clear diamond deadpanned.
Later, Ruby and Gold were at a loss, as they sat under their favorite tree in the park, not far from where the hut resided.
"… I think there's only one other place we could check." Ruby brought up, and Gold instantly groaned.
"But I haaate that guy!" Ah, he knew exactly where he was going with this.
"I know, I don't like him either, but… What else can we do? Go home?"
"Blech. Never." The soft metal's body wriggled from his cringing.
"Didn't think so."
"Could we at least do a snack run first?"
"Sure thing." It was suddenly a daily occurrence. On the other end of the street, was a convenient little 7/11. At least what they needed was free. It was a bit of a walk though, and while they could just use a bus, it didn't seem worth what would feel like fifteen seconds compared to a three minute stroll down the boardwalk.
On the way, they passed by… Uh. "Holy shit. Red. Look." When Ruby followed Gold's pointing, he noticed it too.
Didn't there used to be a purple house across the street? It was like the whole thing vanished out of thin air. Though, upon the land it used to occupy, was a Human player and… Billy, right? That guy who Silver almost knocked out a short while back?
"Indeed, I have considered how I would go about this," He was saying to the Human, "I have plenty of memories to base it off of. But then, I considered something else. What if… I just built something new? Something better?"
"I mean, yeah, you could do that if you want," She was replying. "But do you think four of you'll be enough?"
"What kind of question is that? Of course it'll suffice."
"I dunno… Just one took seventeen years… And this looks like it'll be closer to…" The player trailed off, trying not to lose composure. "Four and some change."
"That is not canon," The well-made robot retorted, arms crossed. It only served to break her. "Well. We'll see who's laughing once I'm finished. One week. And it'll look spectacular."
"Right, yeah, okay… But you'll need tools, won't you? And blueprints and shit?"
"Already covered, Sam. Dave's been kind enough to lend me those."
"You're in his attic right now, aren't you. Drawing up those plans."
He paused, then looked away. "… Perhaps."
For a bit there, it really looked like one of those "in-character" moments that was common in the Webspace. And then the Human's name was dropped. Sam. That sounded familiar. The two minerals were sure it was mentioned at least once or twice; and that she was Billy's player, way back when.
Such a circumstance felt so unique. Their copies certainly didn't have this attribute. Usually, they simply bade farewell to them, and went Online. And then, some would find the Webspace.
But being able to do so, with one's player able to visit… Wow.
At last, they got their snacks, and this time, opted for a quicker means of transport to their destination. Except, when they arrived…
"Goddamn, what?!" Gold squinted at the sight of Infinity School. "Nah. Nah. Nahhh. This is not supposed to be here."
"… Call me crazy, but maybe they've been swapped around?" Ruby suggested.
"I hope you're right," And he was. The second time around, they reached it. "Jesus Christ. How much you wanna bet some shit went down while we were gone?" The two made their way to the gates. "Anyway, we probably gotta stealth this."
The overcast sky helped hide their reflections and glints, but not entirely. Ruby tapped the poles, testing its durability. "Obsidian. Mohs five. Um… I don't think he knows anything about gemology."
Gold snorted. "Even I could take that! This'll be easier than I thought."
They snuck in from the back, Ruby lifting the soft metal over the fence, then climbing over himself. Even with the sharpened barbs, the red gem wasn't going to be the one left with marks, let alone cracks. Gold had decided to splat into a puddle on the astroturf, outfit embedded within, but Ruby just prodded him with his foot. "C'mon, get up. Be serious."
He wasn't sure if he was genuinely underestimating the first Dave's capabilities, or if he was simply trying to lighten the mood. Regardless…
For Ruby, it was hard to forget the general layout of 1's school, despite a part of him wishing he could: How futuristic it was, how unusual it appeared and functioned. That the second floor was for residential and/or office rooms. Each one had a balcony, so they wouldn't be hard to spot. In fact, what brought Gold's attention was a sky blue, translucent barrier that completely closed off one of them.
"Ohhhh ho ho, no fucking way," He was unable to suppress his reaction, "That's gotta be our guy. Launch me, Red! I gotta get a closer look!"
"What if it's a trap?" It wouldn't be unlike the first Dave. He planned from every angle. "We don't know what might…"
"I mean, yeah. But the more I think about it, the more I ask myself, 'What's 1 gonna do, anyway?'"
"Send you home?" Or worse, if they were considered that troublesome. At the blunt response, Gold shut down, walking back to the fence. "Wait, I don't mean we should give up!"
Then, to his surprise, his friend loosened an arm, wrapping it around one of the poles, and squeezed until it gave way. Then, he returned with half of it. "Oh Hell no, man! Let's see how Obsidi here takes to the… Whatever the fuck that is!"
Before Ruby could protest, Gold launched it. The barbed tip broke off in a few places on impact, but fell back to the ground. Now, the red gem didn't know what to say. "Cool! We won't get vaporized, or trapped, or nothing! My turn!"
With a double facepalm, Ruby allowed it.
Once the heavier mineral landed, he began to inspect the barrier more thoroughly. It was… Rather impenetrable. And yet, as already observed, this was the only balcony to have this feature.
From all the noise, the sliding doors to the room inside opened, and from them emerged
Silver. Silver!
Gold promptly fell forward, arms stretching around the barrier, as if to hug him. "Hey! Dude! There you are! We've been so worried about you!" Silver stared up at him, with sad eyes.
"YOU SHOULD NOT BE HERE" He replied.
"Yeah, well, an empty hut is a depressing hut," Gold didn't notice the expression. "What gives? I thought you were done with him!"
"I HAVE BEEN GROUNDED" A hint of bitterness in those words, "NOW PLEASE LEAVE"
"That doesn't make any sense! You don't even live here anymore!"
"IT IS COMPLICATED" He didn't want to explain. As much as Gold was hungry for details, the other metal wasn't willing to dish any out.
"Hey there, Gold 99," He froze, rising immediately and whirling around to face the speaker. 1, who floated above him with an unimpressed gaze. "I see you two have gone and made a bit of an… Entrance. How was your field trip?"
Gold refused to answer, backing away a few steps. But it was all he could do - the bravado he had moments ago had disappeared.
"go away dave" He had to look back to see what Silver was saying. "this does not concern you"
"It concerns me when they break my fence," 1 calmly refuted, pointing at it briefly. "As well as… Hm, were you and Ruby 77 hoping to pull off a rescue mission? I'd advise against that, if so." He paused, as the silver giant threw something at him. Of course, the barrier blocked it.
"if not for this asinine prison, i would tear you to pieces"
"And acting like that, Silver, won't change my mind. Now please, behave." This… Was a level of hostility that Gold didn't expect. And worse still, the first Dave was completely unfazed, making it apparent that this wasn't anything new. The soft metal was suddenly a lot more grateful for his own (metaphorical) upbringing.
Seriously, if it was either this or home, he'd go home. Immediately.
"GOLD" His attention snapped back to Silver. "THERE IS NO TIME, YOU MUST RUN"
"Oh, there's no need for that," 1 shook his head, tabbing to a device of some kind; metallic, rectangular, and with an antenna. "I've already dealt with Ruby, so it only makes sense to-" He was cut off by a piercing, mangled screech.
"dealt with, are you serious" Gold only barely managed to focus on the text. "do you even hear yourself" Meanwhile, 1 waited until the noise died down, still unwavering.
"Are you finished?" Another few moments passed before he continued, "Good. Anyway, it only makes sense to send you home, too. Your Daves have missed you greatly." He was pointing the item at Gold. Maybe it was a teleporter? "Just this once, I'll let this little escapade of yours slide. Don't take it lightly."
After Silver stopped heaving, he managed to calm. It was sudden. "BEFORE HE LEAVES, I WANT TO TELL HIM SOMETHING"
For a change, 1 grew confused, yet curious. And admittedly, so was Gold. 1 lowered his arm. "… Very well."
"THE MASKS ARE INSIDE THE WALLS" Gold had no idea what this meant, but in an instant, 1 lost composure.
"How do you know that?!" He yelled out in panic, but Silver ignored him.
"RUN, GOLD" He ordered a second time. Gold didn't hesitate, ducking underneath 1 and leaping off the balcony's barrier, landing with a roll. He didn't dare look back as he sprinted right for the damaged fence, using his malleable legs as a springboard. The concrete cracked beneath him, but he kept going.
A short while later, he had to stop to catch his breath, stamina expended. Oddly enough, he hadn't been followed, as he hurriedly glanced around him.
Given how he himself was safe, it was time to make sure Ruby was, too. He pulled out his phone, dialing his number. It took a bunch of rings, but eventually, his friend picked up.
"Gold! You okay?"
"Yeah, no worries!" It was a relief to hear him. "You're never gonna believe this, but I escaped! I'll, uh… Tell you and Dia about it soon."
"Thank God…"
"How about you, you good? I heard about what 1 did. God, I can imagine how awkward things must be right now."
"Uh, about that. My Dave was… So happy to see me. Tristan was crying; he missed me a ton." Ruby's voice lowered. "Everyone did."
He didn't need to go on, Gold knew exactly what he was talking about. Ruby never stopped feeling guilty for running away. Every day, Gold was sure that he considered going back. But then, so many went by that he thought it was too late - that they wouldn't want him anymore, that he'd done something unforgivable.
But the immense pressure that THRIVE wrought upon him had become too much to bear. Responsibilities handed to a seemingly mature character, despite the fact he wasn't much older than his peers. Expectations during certain meetings and gatherings that he never wanted to talk about. His usually robust grades began to slip, and that was when Gold finally noticed that something was wrong.
Even the sturdy Ruby would've broken to pieces under all that weight. So, on that night, from outside his bedroom window, Gold convinced him to bail. Regret replaced that pressure, but it had to be better than this.
"Shit, really?" At the present, though, he replied, "That's good! Even with the…?"
"Oh, right. That's… Not a thing anymore?" The red gem began to explain, "Dave told me that he was sorry that he made me help out." An understatement, but whatever. "Apparently, he and the others disbanded it. 1 is not to be trusted, he said, and if I ever see him again, tell him immediately." Whoa. That was actually surprising, but… It made sense. After a pause, Ruby continued, "I know you're reluctant, but… I think it's safe now."
To go home. Goddamnit.
"Ugh… Dude, I dunno. I'm not sure." If he would've been missed, but he didn't want to say that.
"It's not like you have very many options… Wait. Hold on." Then, the soft metal listened in on the background noise that followed - a conversation he couldn't distinguish, between Ruby and 77.
"What?! He's still out there?!" That, he did manage to catch; the alarm in the House Dave's tone.
"Yeah, but he escaped! He's fine!" Ruby was trying to assure.
"Still… May I talk to him?" He must've allowed it, because the voice became a lot more audible. "Gold, can you hear me? It's 77!"
Concern, plain and simple. Refreshingly familiar. "Yeah, I'm here…!"
"Where are you? We'll come pick you up, and you can stay with me as long as you like!" While Gold hadn't asked if he could, it wasn't like he was opposed to it. Considering what he'd just heard, he'd trust 77's word over 1's - and truth be told, this was better than another night spent in that lonely hut. He looked around a second time, to discern his whereabouts.
"Across the street from the hardware store?" He answered, though perplexed by the coincidence.
"Great! Go inside, and we'll meet you there! And Gold, most importantly, stay on the line; don't hang up. I know this all might sound strange, but I promise that it's to help keep you safe." He could hear the care that dripped from those statements. It almost made him tear up. He missed this version of their Daves so, so much.
Maybe… He could go home. Maybe. Not now, but maybe soon.
He did as he was told. "No, I, um… I believe you. Thanks for this. And…" He trailed off for a moment. "Please don't tell my Dave. I'm… Not ready to face him yet."
77 hesitated. "I understand. But he needs to know you're okay. I'm only just now learning things from your and Ruby's side, but he really has been fretting over you."
The soft metal took a breath, trying to keep it together. "I know."
He actually didn't. On that night, which felt like a lifetime ago, he'd been so convinced that his Dave would've come back eventually and not notice a thing. By that point, he was barely around as it was. Yes, the others were still there, but it wasn't the same. And soon, it became apparent that this abnormal behavior was all thanks to that stupid fucking Initiative.
Surely, Gold's absence would've gone ignored. And yet… It didn't? He wasn't sure what to think about that.
"Look, Gold. I'll tell him what you told me. I know how to get through to him. And when you want to talk, I'll let him know, alright?"
"… Yeah. Okay. That'll work." It took everything Gold had to fight the urge to cry. And, as if sensing that, 77 changed the subject, on a dime.
"Oh! By the way, we're almost there! Just one more block!"
Extra: Set A Course For War
"'So, who was that?'" Gonzalo asked Shy Worker, as soon as he'd hung up the corded telephone. With a slight flinch, he found him smiling in curiosity.
"'Bilis, Captain.'" The reply was curt, paired with a salute.
"'Oh, how nice! Did he bring news of the surface?'"
The crewmate began to falter, unsure of where to begin. "'Well, you see, there's a lot to mention, and so…'"
"'At ease, sailor. That was rhetorical,'" The captain sighed. Both questions were. "'I know exactly what happened.'"
There was a pause. "'If I may say… You're taking this… Very well.'" And despite the statement, the mood of the room was tense.
"'You must understand. I may appear composed,'" Gonzalo replied, with an ever so slight twinge of his gloved fingers, "'But inside, I'm screaming, with a fury that rivals Moby Dick.'" The only other noises outside of their voices was the hum of machinery, and the occasional ocean current. It made it easy to hear Shy Worker's gulp.
"'Aye. Understandable. I too feel… This wretched thirst. Among other aspects that I struggle to define.'" So much so, that apparently, very little was displaying itself.
"'Still, the others must be informed at once. But… My reaction is not the one you should worry about,'" Gonzalo allowed a smidge of dread. "'It's our beloved friend, the shipwright.'"
Before the crewmate could faint, Gonzalo steadied him. He emitted a nervous laugh, realizing how scary that must've sounded. "'Relax! I'll handle it.'"
With everyone gathered in the control room, he did as he promised. His listeners composed primarily of those from his game, as well as Denied's, and a once-seemingly random player going by the name of "Sidney", who'd somehow managed to make his way over to the vessel back in early April.
He had untamed black hair, rectangular glasses, a light skin tone, and really liked hot pink. He'd asked for work, and despite his lack of naval experience, Gonzalo welcomed him aboard as an intern, proceeding to throw a uniform at him. But to Sidney's credit, he learned the ropes pretty fast.
But anyway, that was the cast of sailors all accounted for.
After the captain broke the news (in English, due to the foreign Human on board), a long silence followed. Morale was sure to plummet. At last, Bob spoke up. "Then, I believe it's time to return to the surface."
"To see him?"
"Yes, but also, to avenge him." No hesitation. This was exactly what Gonzalo was referring to earlier. And while he wanted to do the same…
"I hear you, but we should be smart about this. Going back can easily lead to problems."
"But if we do nothing, 1 will only advance," Bob countered, "Do you believe that he would just stop at Denied, when we're still here? He's sent a Dave to us before, he will do it again. And this time, they won't be friendly."
"What makes you think that?" Around them, the crewmates were following the discussion, pondering the options.
"He could've spared him, because he'd already won. Viktor was defeated, Infinity School surrendered. But on that day, by murdering Denied, he made a statement - a declaration of war against our entire family." Well… All of that was possible, but not definite.
"And, as I know you know, Billy is still out there. How much longer are we going to forsake him, when he needs us most? Such as now?" Alright, but even without them, it wasn't like Billy was alone.
Meanwhile, the others were beginning to voice their opinions.
"Let's beat up a cyborg!"
"Put some holes in him!"
"Lock him up forever!"
"For Denied! For the Billter family!"
"And Viktor too?" That one was Sidney. He had a funny voice.
"Yeah, I guess."
"'Oh my God…'" Gonzalo muttered, volume so low that he almost couldn't hear it.
"So, Captain," Bob started again once their voices died down, arms crossed. "Do we need to hold a vote?"
"We're not going anywhere. Not blindly, at least." Under normal circumstances, that would've been enough of a rebuttal. But this wasn't such a case. Really, what part of "sure we'll go, but we need a strategy" did Bob fail to understand? Should've Gonzalo used that silly play on words, like "we should have a well-made plan"?
But instead, what he did go with came off as a refusal. And he was met with a disappointed glare, the shipwright's pupils adopting a certain red glow that was common among their games. It showed itself from intense anger, or "Rage mode" as they called it. Not to be confused with the concept of PURPOSEs; this was separate. More like a curse, really.
Frankly, Gonzalo's eyes should've been displaying it as well, but focused restraint gave him the privilege of hiding it. To be fair, that was no easy feat, not for them. And for as long as they've been in the Webspace, patching it out was considered; however, only their new adversary was skilled enough to do so.
Back to the point, unlike Bob's only remaining son, who would probably be threatening Gonzalo's life right now, the shipwright turned away and left without another word. What in the Hell was he up to?
Donned in an archaic diving suit, Bob left the hatch behind, a few new items in his inventory. He let himself sink to the underside of the submarine, until he was directly below. He opened a secret panel, exposing a holder for a chain. Selecting the relevant item, he connected one end to it, then the other to himself. Finally, he dropped to the ocean floor, ignoring the sand flying up in his wake.
He began walking, until the chain was at its most outstretched. He gripped it, then gave a tug. Against all types of logic and physics, the entire submarine was pulled forward as if it were a mere balloon attached to a string. It wasn't from outlandish strength, but by design - as its builder, only Bob was permitted in dragging it around.
Moments later, the internal walkie-talkie crackled to life. "'ROBERTAS LĖ, WHAT IN THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!'" Bob just smirked. It seems that he finally got Gonzalo to lose his temper.
"'Spiting you, Captain.'" Was his answer, unfazed.
"'Well, cut the shit and get back here! These are uncharted waters!'"
Bob whipped out a harpoon gun. It wasn't his, but he admired it all the same. "'I'm not helpless, Gonzalo. I can take care of myself.'"
"'Look, I wasn't trying to say 'no'! If you could just LISTEN to me and use that usually rational brain of yours, we can do something that'd make everyone happy!'"
"'He killed my son.'"
"'And more of us will die, if we don't THINK! What if that smug bastard is waiting for us? At least out here, we have time on our side!'" There was a pause. "'He lured Denied, just like he's luring us. We CANNOT take his bait, no matter how badly we want to make him pay. We'll avenge Denied, but we have to do this right.'"
Slowly, the anger was fading. Both of them had their points, but ultimately, such risks couldn't be taken. That, and it would be wrong to make Billy go through worse circumstances. They were supposed to be the role models; and yet here Bob was, acting so recklessly. How unbecoming. Shameful.
"'… Then, what are you proposing?'" He finally asked.
"'I'd be pleased to discuss it with you and the others, if you'd just. Come back.'" The last statement was in a plea. Peculiar, as Gonzalo was more known to be rather tight-lipped when it came to expressing that sort of thing. Perhaps he was alone.
"'Afraid not. You can catch me up. Besides, I've been meaning to go on a sea walk. The exercise would be good for me. After all, we're not getting any younger.'"
He heard a heavy, tired sigh. The captain was groaning, "'We don't age, Robertas. You're just too embarrassed, aren't you?'"
He knew Bob too well. He couldn't help but grin, a small one at that. "'A little.'"
"'Fine,'" Gonzalo's current demeanor hadn't changed, "'I'll keep the line open. I don't want to have to explain this over and over again.'"
"'Fair enough.'"
Really, Bob could've gone on a bit of a tangent about that whole age thing (as he's done at least a few times in the past, he remembered). If he'd been in his 30's in the 80's, roughly forty years would have passed, making him… 70-something, or close to it.
Yet, he was the only one of them to truly embrace seniority. Somehow, saying things like "Care to listen to an old man's story?" had a nice ring to it.
"Yes, that's right, I'm ancient," He used to tell players, on the off-chance they were on the mainland, "But still, I'm glad to be here. What a time to be alive." At their expected confusion, he'd then proceed to mention that it was all thanks to abolishing the previously canon endings, where they'd died in an engine explosion.
No, what they'd collectively decided was making it as far as the Mediterranean Sea, halfway to the Suez Canal, where they encountered a young, stray merman. And soon after that, they had to turn around and go back to Lithuania, due to similar engine reasons that didn't result in disaster. Billy would see his father again, and have a new brother, and blah blah blah…
But honestly, he could talk to those visitors for hours. Now that he thought about it, he kind of missed it. Sidney's presence gave a new twist on what was the norm for a long time, and Sam was always a delight whenever she stopped by, although - at no fault of the players - it wasn't quite enough to scratch that itch.
What if he stayed on the surface? Would the captain and the others fare well without him? While he was supposed to make sure his regulations were being followed, they were no longer confined to the context of their game. Therefore, was he still needed?
He pondered this as, after a million years of standing there, he climbed up the chain back to the submarine, this time making sure he wasn't flinging it around haphazardly.
The plan was far more simple than expected. The crew would make their way to the secret cave at the shoreline's dropoff, disembark, and follow it, leading them directly to Billy's house. The whole journey would take roughly two weeks. And while 1 might try to find them by scanning for their locations, it won't tell him much more than "undocumented" until they arrive.
Which, fortunately, made them completely inconspicuous. Once at their rendezvous point, however… They'd need to act fast.
Gonzalo had just finished up when he heard Bob re-enter through the hatch. Catching up to him, he asked, rather slyly, "'Enjoy your sea walk?'"
"'Immensely.'"
"'See anything interesting out there?'"
"'Not a thing.'"
"'That's too bad. Well, I assume you're aware of what must be done now, right?'" Bob unequipped the diving suit, not understanding what he meant. With that, Gonzalo dragged him over to the nearest telephone, pulled out the receiver, and handed it to him. "'You get to call him back!'"
"'… What.'"
"'I know you're not deaf, Shipwright. Captain's orders!'" Cheeky for sure, but very much intended. Without another word, he turned away and left.
More info:
- Out of the three of them, Ruby's learned the most about other gem types!
- And with enough effort, Gold can break through almost anything related to them. Stronger metals is where there's a problem
- Don't worry, Gold won't forget Silver's message…
- Lots of unsaid family drama, where Dia is concerned. Dave and Billy being noticeably less happy together, trying to get Spike to not antagonize Dave, and so on. Everything is hectic, it feels like
- Billy has not forgiven Dave, but does want to try making things work. The new Spike factor has allowed a bit more leniency, but overall he tries to stay out of it, unless he's needed in some way
- Of course he's in the attic! But Sam doesn't know that things between Billy and Dave are shaky. Billy's not ready to tell her on his own yet, but if asked, he will
- Considering that his previous house (minus the lab) was the only thing remaining from his original game, the shock has worn off, replaced with a silver lining. He can now make a home that's entirely his, and that's relatively exciting
- And now, with only five vessels total, despite the obvious drawback of greatly reduced multitasking, he can finally make changes to them. Before, like in chapter 9, he would've decided against such ideas due to tedium
- "asinine"… A clever means of dodging profanity
- Which 1 saw right through, but out of technicality…
- Maybe it's obvious why Silver is "grounded", but if not, it's because 1 knows he's too dangerous to let him roam freely (or namely, try to kill him). Both of these facts hurt terribly
- It's fairly common for Gonzalo and Bob to squabble. But for the most part, it's all in good fun
- Lithuanian names! I think. "Bilis" for Billy, "Robertas" for Bob, with the surname of "Lė". Probably the shortest one ever (and not at all realistic I'm sure), but I couldn't think of anything else more fitting for the two
- I just realized. Shy Worker… Shy John… Is Worker John's dad? Maybe I'm slow on the uptake
- I like to think that, if Viktor's and Alex/Aldurra's games had a "curse" that made them aggressive initially, perhaps those of Billy, Denied, and Gonzalo have their own variation. Rage mode is less powerful than an elevated PURPOSE, and acts as a violent, negative depiction of their base ones. But like elevations, it does not activate easily, and some characters are able to dampen the effects (or in Gonzalo's case, restrain it)
- Sidney! Who is he really? We'll find out one day (But you probably know already)
- I also think Bob, like Billy, is introverted, though not as much
- Being able to pull the submarine around is inspired by this one music video by Nightwish, "The Islander". Instead of it being a burden, however, it's more like a "if you won't use this responsibly, i'm going to take it away" thing