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[ Thank you for not dismissing an old man's opinion, Robby. It's something Daniel actively realises too - just how insane the things he's saying here sound. If it wasn't for his own experiences, he wouldn't believe it either. But somewhere between the people who plainly seem to come from different times and don't even know what cars are and his odd healing experience..

There has to be something more going on here, even if he's not sure how or what.

Or why. Like the point Robby is addressing here. ]

How long has it been for you, Robby? [ Daniel only now realised he never asked - instead just assumed Robby had been here just as long as him, that they only missed each other for that amount of time somehow. ] A little over a month, right?

[ He'll wait for a moment for the answer, but it also seems to be a thoughtful pause, the man's eyebrows knitting together as he admits to his thoughts. ]

If they had a purpose they wanted to share with us, surely they would already have told us in that amount of time, right?

[ It's a bit of a pessimistic thought, and Daniel looks appropriate guilty to say it, never wanting to drag down a kid's spirit.

(Though, let's be real - Robby is a lot more cynical than him in some ways to begin with, even if Daniel has such a rose-coloured view of the boy.) ]

[ A little over a month. Robby nods with that question ~~since we both knew what would be the answer~~, a small 'yeah' to accompany it. But it's true that Mister LaRusso's conclusion doesn't really ruin Robby's spirits, since even with that said: ]

This's been going on going three months now. They're not gonna say 'til they're ready. If it's a test, they don't wanna botch the results that easy.

[ Don't tell people something is a test if you want their natural reaction--even if some of them are making choices believing this is all a test, or that they're being watched. Robby can understand that, even if he's uselessly griping.

He pokes at the pasta with his fork, not in a disinterested manner, but distracted before he figures to share: ] Really, the problem isn't them not talking... it's not knowing how to get out. People can do magic, but they're saying it's not as strong as it should be. And this place can make us forget things, or turn us around?

[ ...but now Robby feels bad, sharing that. He looks down at his pasta before stabbing into some of it, looking back over at Mister LaRusso sheepishly. ]

Bummer topic.

[ Sorry, sensei. ]

[ Daniel easily shakes his head. ]

It's fine. [ There's even a smile on his lips as he says those words. He understands the sentiment Robby is expressing there at the end, after all - especially when a lot of Daniel's own thoughts about this have felt so useless, like going around in circles and not finding out a single new thing.

But that's why he wants to show Robby it's okay. Robby's still so young - it's good if there's an adult to show him that it's okay to talk about things, to try and share feelings. ]

I know there's not much we can do about this place. [ UNFORTUNATELY.. Though Daniel sure wishes that was different too, since he's still very worried about Amanda and the kids - maybe even hoping they don't find out he's missing so soon, hoping that they're still away from the Valley on their trip. It might be the one upside to the argument he and Amanda had, if it's keeping her safe and away from Silver while he's stuck here. ]

But.. at least we've got each other while we're stuck here. All we can do is make the best of it. [ There's a slight edge to his expression, as if to suggest 'I know it's not necessarily easy or comfortable', but then he faintly shrugs. ] Have you had anything to focus on here that makes you feel a little better?

[ Something to focus... he tugs his lips aside, thinking about it. Nothing really feels like much (in reality, finding Mister LaRusso and having him around is what's made a big impact in his life here), but-- ]

I go to the gym with Mob, [ he answers...unenthusiastically, though he's sure to add: ] He was training to get stronger back home, and he's pretty committed to keeping it up here.

[ ...really, that guy just...manages to seem so content. Easygoing. What a guy. ]

And, uh... I mess around with the network? [ It's a weak follow-up, and again, he looks sheepish again, for entirely different reasons than the bummer topic previous. ] I dunno, what about you? There isn't a lot to do in this place. It's not even fun having free access to all the stores.

[ And by free access, he means free goods. ]

[ Robby, please don't say stealing isn't fun when you can just take stuff this easily--

Daniel understands the sentiment, though. Basically everything Robby expresses here. It's already really devoid of activities in this place for Daniel, so he can only imagine how much worse it must be for younger people, who are used to being even more active. ]

I've been helping out some kids. [ Daniel admits - something in the way he smiles faintly seeming to imply you know me, considering that's exactly what he did back home with Robby, unable to resist the call of a child who needs a responsible adult in their lives. ] It's pretty concerning to me that so many are here without their parents.

[ Robby included, though Daniel is - now he and Robby have made up - very much willing to consider himself as Robby's Designated Responsible Adult, which is more than most kids here have. ]

So I've just.. been doing this. Cooking for them, bringing meals over, checking in on them to make sure everything is alright.

[ Robby tries to think about it, how many younger people has he seen compared to older, and it seems enough of a mix. Maybe the ratio doesn't matter more than Mister LaRusso's character coming through -- you know me, indeed.

It's that latter reason that stops Robby from questioning it, even just curiously. But he does scoff lightly, waving his fork up. ] Not a fan of the magical restaurants?

[ Imagine, being able to get whatever-you-want-food....and being thwarted by a dad man.

(Not that Robby's eager for the restaurant food, either.) ]

[ Daniel glances up from his food, staring over at Robby with an expression that perhaps isn't full on shocked or terrified, but there's definitely something about the man's widened eyes that indicates surprise. ]

.. have you been eating there, Robby?

[ On the one hand.. Even if Daniel didn't think about it yet, it would have been logical. Robby is still young, and it's not exactly like he found the boy cooking his own meals when he picked him up from his mother's apartment.. (Though it would've been hard to cook there anyway, considering the circumstances.)

But still, to eat odd magically appearing food--

Daniel doesn't really trust those restaurants, hence why there's the faint threat of upcoming fussing in his tone. ]

No. [ The answer is immediate--not hurried, but by the way Robby's nose wrinkles with his reply, yeah, he doesn't think much about that idea. ] I stuck with ready meals. It creeps me out.

[ The restaurant thing, he means--which, clearly, he isn't a fan of it either. The way he doesn't even really like to think about it, his voice dipping. Brief, and while it doesn't really help anything to point out: ]

...everything else could be showing the same way.

[ He looks down at his bowl, and though Mister LaRusso obviously cooked it himself, there's still the ingredients involved. Though, clearly both of them have a preference next to a meal appearing right in front of them.

...it's still a possibility. ]

[ The man's lips tightly press together for a moment. There's relief in the fact that he and Robby seem to be on the same wavelength when it comes to the meals in the restaurants - it's nice in a way that makes you feel normal, that makes you feel connected to something, even here - but there is the other point Robby is putting forward here.

One Daniel can't fully deny. ]

At least this way there's a human touch to it. [ Even if it changes nothing about the ingredients. But it did make the difference as to a meal Daniel can't even touch because it gives him the creeps and meals he at least feels a little more comfortable eating, when it all passed through his own hands.

He pokes with a fork at a piece of pasta before putting it in his mouth, chewing and swallowing it. ]

I helped a boy who was trying to stake out one of the stores to see how they were being resupplied, but it was no good. Nothing actually restocked or reappeared while we were watching.

[ Robby doesn't argue Mister LaRusso's point--even internally, it's one of those helpless facts about the place. There's no alternative than to rely on the resources, even if they're kept to a minimum. Food is essential, and if he was eating anything, he'd rather it be Mister LaRusso's cooking.

...even if he doesn't really feel put off by the frozen foods, either. Both options are way better than the restaurants.

The information the older man shares is interesting though--mainly, the idea of him staking out one of the stores. He's not surprised by the actual key part about it, since: ]

I heard that's normal. No one catches anything--things just happen, even to people. You heard about someone getting cuffs put on them? [ Robby doesn't know the details too well (what was the 'crime', even?), but it's a better option to bring up than...well....the murder thing.

He sticks his fork in, down to the last few pieces of pasta, almost dismissive in his tone as he admits, ] I thought they had to do something to our heads to make us miss how anything happens--restocking stuff, making food appear?

[ Ah, he can also share, pointing his pasta-skewed fork at Mister LaRusso: ] Me and some guys went down into the tunnels. That thing happened, where we got turned around.

[ There's a slight nod at the cuffs thing, though no verbal reply. Mostly since.. well, there's the murder thing kind of hanging over it, right, since that's what all those people were discussing on the network..

And that's definitely not a topic Daniel wants to bring up during what's supposed to be a fun dinner together with Robby. Even if the rest of it is kind of heavy too, sure - but at least it's not the sort of thing where he has to contemplate death, or the risk of the death of the person he cares about most in this place.

.. though it seems that the last thing Robby mentions gives Daniel some concern all the same. Not the same level of concern he'd have over Robby dying, obviously, but the emotion is still very visible in the man's eyes as he stares at the boy across the table. ]

You did..?

[ Not like he's going to tell Robby not to do that when it's already happened, and when Daniel gets that Robby would just want to investigate, that it's part of what he's like..

But there's definitely Worried Adult energy hanging around him as he looks at the other. ]

You didn't get hurt in any way, did you? Just turned around? [ Fussy.. FUSSY..!!!

Haven't you missed this, Robby. During the month you thought you were here alone. Or when you were dealing with the war criminal senseis. You can't get this level of fussiness anywhere other than with Daniel LaRusso, the man who looks like he might put a helmet on kids just for going outside. ]

Yeah. There wasn't a train coming.

[ ...which Mister LaRusso didn't ask, and what Robby realises a second after the man didn't mean, which: ] We thought we were still walking that way, then we weren't. We were standing still close to where it happened-- every time. You don't get moved.

[ Which Robby sounds pretty sure of, and has reason to. They were going in there with some kind of plan.

Not that Robby realises the extent of this man's fussy adult worrying currently going on, because he's focusing on what people might be the biggest point of what he's sharing: ]

Strange, right?

[ You know. The magical forcefield thing, Mister LaRusso. ]

.. yeah. Strange.

[ Sorry if the answer comes out slowly, Robby. Daniel is kind of still distracted by the idea of his student being down there in the tunnels, and all possible dangers there..

Sure, they haven't encountered anything actually dangerous here just yet, but who knows. This place feels so eerie that it does feel like something could be lurking somewhere, even if Daniel doesn't know what kind of danger.

He shakes his head though, managing to shake it off.

(A little.

Honestly, he's more just pushing it down for now. As Daniel does with everything.) ]

I'm surprised they're even letting us try that in the first place. [ Considering how controlled everything else about this place seems to be. ] .. but maybe they wanted to send us a message that way.

[ That trying to escape isn't going to work. The idea makes Daniel frown slightly - though, let's be real, he never really was assuming the best of whoever trapped them here anyway. ]

It's a good message.

[ Robby has to concede to that. Just...turning you around, and making you barely aware you're doing it--it was a lot. It was freaky, and even remembering it now... Robby wasn't really certain of there being much they could do about their situation (not in terms of brute force), but that only confirmed for him how powerless they were.

It does make Robby quiet himself for a moment, as he feels that same response to the position they're in now--and if there's anything they can do, than sit around and wait. ]

Do you think we should keep trying to find out more? There's people trying to collect info and leave it around in case something happens to it--hiding it in places, [ he means. ] ...but I don't know what there is to find out.

[ Would them doing anything really help anyone out...? ]

[ It's a good question. And that - despite the fact that the topic is relatively heavy - makes Daniel smile at Robby across the dinner table. Not because of what they're talking about, but Robby probably knows the man well enough to recognize the approval in that smile. It's approval just for Robby, because it's good to see the boy willing to think about all of this in the first place.

Atta, boy. ]

I think it's good to keep trying to find out more, but you also shouldn't push yourself when there's not much to find out. [ Like Robby said - he doesn't know what there is left to find out, and Daniel isn't either. When people are moving on to experimenting with death, of course he'd rather not have his student involved in that. ] Instead it might be a good plan to just keep your ears and eyes open to find out more if anything new appears. Maybe more of the city will open up.

[ Like what happened with the bank, apparently. ]

And if you ever worry about a situation potentially being too dangerous, you can always ask me to come with you.

[ Quite possibly the lamest possible thing you could offer a teen, Daniel.. Heck yes, adult supervision, so cool and fun. ]

[ Wow, asking his sensei to come with him to dangerous places? ...honestly, despite the serious topic between them--and Robby hasn't forgotten that--the offer does make Robby chuckle, lowering his head for a second. ]

We sound like we're some kind of Scooby Doo gang.

[ It's not really 'some kind' of Scooby Doo gang when there's only one, but... you get the idea, Mister LaRusso!! Everything about this place, even investigating it, is entirely outside their wheelhouse.

Though, apparently, Mister LaRusso had been investigating Silver, so--maybe not for him. ]

[ Robby, you should probably just be glad that you're making a cultural reference that Daniel actually recognizes.

(Though he's at least a little bit more up to date on modern times than Robby's own father ever was..) ]

I mean, it's still entirely possible that there's some evil person with way too much money behind all this. [ He dryly remarks.

Like most Scooby Doo villains. They're all Terry Silvers.

It wouldn't explain some of the seemingly more supernatural things Daniel has seen already-- but he'd still believe in that outcome, as ridiculous as it sounds. ]

You know, like the guy behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz. [ Daniel was halfway through bringing another piece of pasta to his mouth, but then seems to faintly freeze with a realisation, adding: ] .. too old of a reference for you?

[ Look, he doesn't know entirely what's hip and happening with the kids, okay!! ]

[ Please, Daniel, Scooby Doo is a dated reference to Robby. Of course you know what Scooby Doo is.

But even so? Robby does get Mister LaRusso the most baffled expression when he asks about the Wizard of Oz. Like he just said something so Dad. ]

Everyone knows the Wizard of Oz. [ Like, please. (Anyone who doesn't is an outlier, and probably an alien.) ] What next, are we in the modern version of Wonderland? Not enough queens and cats for there, though.

[ But if they're going to make dated references, Robby's gotta reach for somewhere. ]

[ Please don't tell him that Scooby Doo is dated. You will absolutely break this old man's heart. Besides, if kids still know the Wizard of Oz, then Daniel is clearly still hip. No, he's not taking questions at the moment. ]

Wow, Robby, you really do like reading!

[ Daniel--

D-Daniel, no, that's definitely not the way people pick up Alice in Wonderland references in this day and age..

And yet.. can you break that to this man. When he looks so happy as he says it? When he looks so proud of his student? It's like finding his Okinawan history book all over again, but with a less sad angle to it this time, considering the different circumstances.. ]

Maybe we'll find a way to get you some books in this place. There have to be some out there that aren't completely empty.

[ ?????????????

excuse us what kind of revelation is that, Mister LaRusso??? Robby's expression is just baffled, and it stays that way even as the man goes on. What did he say, how did he sound like he's some kind of library guy suddenly-- ]

Am I missing something here?

[ Like, he could point out about a thing called movies existing, but Mister LaRusso's sudden investment in getting him books is....confusing?? Is he trying to get him hobbies? ]

[ Yes, Robby, that last thought is pretty close to it. This is just what a ~~dad~~ sensei does. You might not be used to it, but look at it.

Look at this very genuine dorky energy from Daniel's end. The look in his eyes is so terribly honest. ]

Well, I didn't know you had read all those books!

[ Again: genuine dorkiness over the last remainders of pasta over here. ]

And being in this place probably gets awfully boring, right? I was already trying to think of more things for you to do.

[ Narrator's voice: Robby has not read all those books.

But is Robby going to focus on that and not on Mister LaRusso's apparent mission here involving him? Oh no. ]

Wait, are you trying to find me hobbies? Shouldn't you be finding you more hobbies? I know plenty people around my age. [ He makes a circular motion with his fork with that plenty, before pointing it at Mister LaRusso. ] What about you? What's your schedule look like? Is this your idea of fun?

[ Is this how you're keeping yourself entertained, dad man? ]

[ Listen to this sound. Yes, indeed, it is Daniel actually sputtering.

At least he isn't choking on his food. That's the one upside to all of this. But the sputtering? Oh, that's definitely happening. Instinctively. ]

Am I not allowed to find eating together with my student fun?

[ R-Robby?

Are you saying you don't find dinner with sensei fun? :( ]

[ Robby scoffs, finding the misinterpretation at least funny. ]

I mean finding your student hobbies. We're keeping up the dinner dates - I like them.

[ Said in the voice of 'I like the food', with a ~~cheeky~~ innocent smile to match. ]

...

[ Daniel looks a touch more embarrassed. Who's to say what the specific cause is, though? Is it the call out about what he is very much doing here? Is it Robby saying he likes the dinner dates? Is it his misunderstanding?

Honestly - it's probably all of the above that makes Daniel look embarrassed as he idly picks at his food. ]

I just want to make sure you're happy here. [ Missing the point a little bit, but.. on the other hand, he's also being honest here.

Trying to make other people happy has been his main distraction from thinking about how miserable he himself has been in a whole lot of ways. ]

As happy as anyone can be here, anyway.

Edited 2023-09-17 18:31 (UTC)

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