002, the afternoon of the 18th

[devilofohara]

[When Robin had first received her wanted poster in the mail, she had been mortified. When she started receiving messages about it from other people, that emotion changed into one of fear, suspicion and paranoia. The first thing she'd done in response was to head down into the prison planet, away from the Moira and the crew she no longer felt safe around.

It had been more than twenty four hours since then, though , and she's since come to terms with the fact that this isn't a permanent solution. She won't be able to stay on the prison planet forever, and even if she could she certainly didn't want to. Besides the obvious fact that it's a prison, things were starting to get strange down there.

It didn't take long to realize that this isn't the sort of problem she's going to be able to run from - not yet, at least. Even if she isn't ready to board the Moira again, she needs to get out ahead of this problem. ]

This is Nico Robin.

I know some of you got my posters in the mail. I was hoping to know, how many?

[ The first step of dealing with a problem is figuring out how much of one she's dealing with, after all. Maybe if it's just one or two people, she can bribe or threaten them into keeping their mouths shut. Maybe, if she's lucky, she can prevent her face from being associated with that name.]

Comments

[kidjoy]

[She'll ignore that that sound of tears in Robin's voice. It's not her being callous, it's a kindess so as not to embarrass her. Emotion has it's place in her home world, the ability to feel at all is something to be protected. But it's only polite, by zone standards, to look over another's tears and let them save face against their pain.]

I'm not mad, ya don't gotta apologize. I can't get upset that you were tryin' to stay safe.

[She keeps her tone matter-of-fact. It is what it is and she's got no hard feelings over it.]

I'm glad ya told me though. Robin's a nice name.

[Animal names were always in style in the desert. It's not as flashy as what she's used to, but it has potential.]

Sine? Is that what you're gonna call me?

[devilofohara]

[She doesn't say as much, but Robin appreciates her not mentioning it. It's nice to have a kid close to her own age who seems like she might understand - unlike Chara, who only mocked and chastised Robin for her fears.]

Thanks.

[She says it again, a little less tremble in her voice this time. The tears are still there, but they're in less of a hurry to get down her face. She's honestly relieved that this girl wasn't upset with her - she'd made a pretty big point about the importance of names.

Speaking of which, Robin perks up a bit when she mentions Robin's name for her.]

D-do you like it? It's short for Sine Nomine.

[kidjoy]

[There's a bit of a pause. Usually a conversation like this would be met with a careful nudge or shoulder clap, a physical sign of companionship or a nonverbal way of letting the other know gratitude didn't need to be said. She was used to this sort of communication happening face to face, in a world were meaning was found in how people used their space as much as there words.]

Welcome.

[It feels paltry to say it here, when she should be wherever the other is to show her defense of Robin's position but it's what she can do now. She'll let it drop for another time.]

I don't know what that means, but it sounds nice. All fancy like.

[devilofohara]

[Robin smiles a little bit at that. She wipes at the tears, their tide slowing down to barely a trickle.]

It's from a dead language, where I come from. It means "Without A Name."

[A pause.]

I know you have names - and that lots of people call you different things. But I've never had to give anyone a name before, so it felt... fitting.

[kidjoy]

It fits. I mean, lots of people give me nicknames but I still ain't got a real one.

I like it. You put a lotta though into it.

[devilofohara]

[ Robin blushes at that, glad that the Girl liked her name choice and also that she can't see Robin's face right now - both because of the blush, and the fact that her to face is still wet from tears (even if, for the moment, they seem to have stopped flowing).]

I'm glad you like it - I wanted to make sure I picked a good one.

[ Of course, those good feelings aren't there for long before the insecurities and abandonment issues start to kick in.]

Do you still want to be friends after all this? I know I lied about who I was, but I hope you still like me. You were sort of my first friend i made that was my own age...

[ It's a dumb question - or, at least, she hopes it's a dumb question - but she needs to hear the answer herself. ]

[kidjoy]

It is a good one. But I woulda liked anythin', ya know? Long as someone was tryin'. What someone calls ya tells a lot about 'em.

[Robin putting so much thought into the name told the Girl how clever, and caring, the other child was.]

Yeah. Why wouldn't we be? I already told ya I got why ya lied about your name. [She sounds genuinely confused Robin is asking the question, like it hadn't occurred to her to drop the friendship at all.] Ya still think I'm mad?