trans_9 | Cascade [Open party time!]

Billy had just launched another portal in that maze of mazes, exhaustion setting in. Surely this time he would land on another moving platform of death?

Nope, just the exterior of the finished bathhouses. All polished, systems running, and just about ready to open! Given how sore and exhausted he was, that sounded like an excellent idea at the moment.

With a quick message to the rest of the crew, he set out the 'Open' sign for the first time and took advantage of his owner status---the prime waterfall spot could be his!

((ooc: The bathhouses are now open! Feel free to mingle around, relax, and have a party. Or cause trouble, but that might invite more trouble. Just start a subthread with your character's location and have fun. For reference there are individual showers in front, followed by hot tubs centrally located, saunas further back, and private baths along the side. The showers, tubs, and saunas have smaller sex-segregated units along with a central group unit that's larger.))

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The concern came back instantly. "Or never awaken again," Billy sighed. "I'm sorry, Sofia. I can only hope that I'm allowed to stay around and help."

"Oh no, it's all right, Billy. None of us can stop GLaDOS from taking us. At least here I know that everyone is alive even when they're gone. And that they didn't want to leave me." She paused. Being this cryptic was only hurting things. "About a year before I came to Stacy, most of my friends died, including Laurie. She's alive now, Stacy saved her like she saved me, so many of my other friends may still be alive too. But it is still something I struggle with."

Billy's face fell. He thought he knew of Laurie---she'd died? At least she had survived this time.

"I've only seen my friends struck down in my memory of the Ohm's attack," he started. "I don't know if any of them survived from another point in history, and I don't know if I'll ever know, but...I'm glad you got to reunite with yours. To see someone who had died again is such an impossible chance."

He was happy for her, he really was. "But then they're taken away from you. At the rate you all keep gaining and losing people, I wonder if my state of endless uncertainty isn't so bad."

Not wanting to end on such a low note, he reached out---could he touch her shoulder? It was a little awkward, but he'd try to offer silent comfort. This was the least he could do.

"I think I'm glad I can't remember the Ohm attacking even if I wanted to." Sofia leaned into the touch. "I think that even if you lose someone, as much as it may hurt- at least it was better to have known them. How lonely would life be if you never spent time with someone else? They might be gone now, I might never see them again, but nothing can take away the times we had together." At least she was slowly starting to realize that.

Billy leaned in a little too, blowing a trail over the water. "That's what I had to think about lately. A lonely life would be free of sharp pains, but one would be constant and joy would be absent." He let her go with a faint smile.

For instance, they would be bathing alone, and the loss of this pleasant company would be felt. "So I've resolved to start spending more time with all of you. Maybe get to know my excellent dance partner."

Come on, he's gonna pull a cute face now and everything. Can that cheer her up?

"I think that's a wonderful idea." Sofia smiled. "Maybe I could teach you more about dancing later?"

Wait- was she asking him on a date?

Maybe...

"It would be my pleasure," he smiled right back. It could be his exercise in between intense training days---yup, that's how he'd justify spending the time.

Billy reached out, grabbing one of his feet and bringing it up for 'critical inspection'. If it was a bit odd, he explained: "I'm confirming that I don't have two left feet. They're ready for training."

And the rest of him was too, if he could really have Sofia as an instructor.

Sofia grinned. "Remember, the most important thing is to have fun. But I'm sure I'll you'll be dancing with the best of them soon. You are a fast learner."

Billy looked quite pleased with that. "Having fun won't be a problem if it's with you. I'll definitely be looking forward to it."

He casually pressed another button, triggering a jet of water to tickle their feet. Totally innocently, of course.

Sofia practically beamed. "Great. I'll try not to disappoint you." She giggled at the sudden burst of water across her feet.

Cascade [Open party time!]

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