It's a step in the right direction. I'll take that. Oh that's great! Honestly Emerald, I'm just really glad we're not at each others throats.
It works for me. I just kind of go with the flow and try to make things a little better the next day. It works out most of the time.
I think so? Yeah. He makes me happy and I hope I do the same for him. We've managed to dork and work on projects and stuff too. So I'd say we're friends.
There have been some bumps in the road. ...Last month being the worst of it but I know that was the town bringing pulling at a darkness that he doesn't want a part of anymore.
And I did what I had to help him through that as best I could.
Anything else has just been life, I guess.
[Or well a plant man that wanted to murder her because he also had feelings for Varian, but Ruby isn't ready to explain that Emerald yet.]
Yeah. That's just... how you are. It always comes back to that. And you did the same thing for Varian, right? You got him thinking about doing a little better every day until he can be more like you? And it wasn't hard for you two? I mean, obviously you two struggle sometimes, you have problems, people have problems with each other, but... he didn't hate you for trying to take that big of a chance? With him, I mean. Just making a choice and going for it?
I guess? I am who I am and that's all that I am. I saw that in a cartoon here. It was super cute.
I can't take all the credit for that. He was already looking go down that road. I just give him a little bump of encouragement if he needs it.
No. I don't think so. I never really considered it all, honestly? We both wanted to give it a shot. We were super nervous about it but we've made it work. We made like an agreement. Between the both of us. It was never one of us plowing forward without the other one being okay with it.
Keep that up and you'll be encouraging more people than you realize.
So you do get nervous about things. And you went through with it anyway. Did it just feel like the right thing to do after a while? Like you spent a while thinking about it and you realized it was what both of you wanted and you decided to just... go for it. Yeah, that's what an agreement is, I guess. Ugh, never mind. You were friends for two months, you decided to start dating, you were both afraid of it, and you did it anyway. And it's working out for you. That's about it, huh? It's that easy?
I don't know, Ruby, maybe it's been on my mind lately. Maybe I don't have anything else to do right now but sit at home alone and think about everything. Think about why you get to have all these things that you want that make you happy and why I'm here just
[and she's in the process of finishing that thought on a new line when she reconsiders it. there's a pause.]
Well... I like staying at home as much as the next person, but you aren't going to find what makes you happy if you just sit at home and wait for it to come. Sometimes you have to take the first step.
Okay, okay. I'm just checking. But like if you suddenly got like feelings for Varian and want to kill me because of that you'd let me know, right? Because I've already gone down this road once and it wasn't super fun. I don't want to do anything that awkward again.
I am NOT interested in either of those, Ruby. Not in killing you and definitely not in Varian. You're just the only person I know who actually has a relationship that she's actually happy in. Gods, I can't believe I'm this close to spelling it out for you. Don't... worry about it. Ugh. If you can't think hard enough to read between the lines here then I'm just gonna stop.
Oh. My gods. Are you out of your MIND? I do NOT have a crush on your SISTER, Red! What are you even thinking? You think this whole thing was just some way to fish for information so I could ask out YANG "I BRAKE FOR FAUNUS" XIAO LONG? You've lost it. You never had it.
Oh my gosh! This is so cute! You're in denial just like I was with Varian~! And yeah, probably. You've always been super round about with how you do things. So it tracks. She actually just got a "Honk If You're Kitty" bumper sticker the other day. It's pretty adorable.
Listen. Ruby. I am not even the tiniest bit interested in getting between whatever cat and mouse game your sister and the Belladonna girl are playing. I don't want to date her. I don't even want to THINK about kissing her. Me and Yang are going to spar, and that's all. That's it! That's everything there is to say about it.
Relax, Emerald. I'm just teasing. I'd have to drag you into a hardware store to talk about shovels if I thought you actually wanted to date Yang. But you're right. She does miss Blake a whole lot.
[Except she's already texting Yang to keep this going.]
Sorry, are you saying you'd make me dig my own grave if I did want to date your sister? Someone's protective. What, you think I wouldn't be good for her? You think I couldn't be a great girlfriend for someone? You know, if she were an option. I do a lot of messed up things, but I'm not about to get between her and Blake even when Blake's not here.
No. I wouldn't make you dig your own grave! We just have to have the shovel talk. It's a thing that happens sometimes when you go to get in a relationship with someone.
I think you'd be a-okay. Which is way better than what I thought before you come here. It's been fun getting to REALLY know you, Emerald.
Well, let's get one thing straight before I ask you what exactly the shovel talk is about. You don't really know me. You know more about me than a lot of people do, don't get me wrong. But there's only one person who really knows me and it's the one I've been talking about this whole time. So put on your detective hat and figure it out if you need to. But before you do, tell me about this shovel talk.
Hey. Hey. HEY. Maybe I should rephrase that. I just meant it's nice getting to see a you that isn't a total lie like back then. I'll admit I don't know you all that well. But I'm learning more, and I like what I see so far.
Uh....
I don't really get the point of it to be honest. I heard it's something that happens when like a family member or friend finds out you want to go out with someone. So you take them out and you talk about shovels for awhile. That's what I did with Clover anyways. He seemed to get it.
That was what the job needed. And now I'm not on a job and you're just getting... me. Emerald Sustrai. Raw and uncut, I guess. If that even means anything. And that Emerald Sustrai doesn't have time to mess with you when she could be trying to figure out how to get back at bigger fish. With you.
Anyway. I think the point of it is to threaten the other person and say that you're going to put them in the ground if they hurt whoever. That's kind of what shovels mean. It shows tough love.
I know, I know. Evil plots and such. I'm just saying it's to have the version that hasn't been released to the public. We'll get there. I promise. It's good to have you on the team.
Huh? Really? I never would have guessed. I never really thought of a shovel as very tough or lovey dovey. I just thought they picked up dirt. Or snow. Or dog poop.
Hmmmmm...! Okay. I think I can work with that. ...Well you're hanging out with me, Varian and Yang now... What about Team REVY? Revy means Golden Heart so it works!
...Oh. Wow. I didn't think about that at all. And someone like literally tried to do that to me one time here. Yeeeeeeesh. You know what. I think I prefer my version way better.
[She wasn't really in a position where she wanted name Neo by name at the moment. So a vague hint would have to do.]
I've never heard "revy" before, but I don't know if I want you making any assumptions about my heart like that. Tell you what. Let's hold off on coming up with a new team name until things start stabilizing again. And I can actually make a decision about turning to your side when I'm thinking a little more clearly. And you can decide whether you want me.
As long as you're not going around telling anyone that you're gonna go talk about shovels. I mean, outside of this conversation. It's probably fine. And I'm not about to stop you from using the wrong one.
It's more for the gold than anyone's heart. Varian would probably have an issue with the whole heart thing if I brought it up to him.
Fine, fine. But I think if you keep going the way you're going right now. You just might end up barnacled to us one way or another. Might as well just give in.
Well as long as I can remember what it's actually about I should be good. Clover knows too so there are loose ends out there to clean up.
Yeah, well. Maybe I will. Who knows? It'd probably be better for everyone to have me actually on the deck of your ship instead of clinging to the side of it where you'll have to scrape me off. But I've got a ship of my own, too, and we need to see if it wrecks anything first.
Hopefully that made sense. I know more about weapons than I do about seafaring. Which reminds me. I'm gonna come over sometime next month. I think you've earned a look at Thief's Respite.
We'd be more than happy to have you along. Well I hope the S.S.Emerald manages to stay afloat until you make that decision.
Same here, the only ship term I can say with confidence that I actually know is what the poop deck is. And that's because it's not what it sounds like.
OOOOOOOOH! YES PLEASE. I WOULD LOVE THAT. WE COULD START WITH JUST A LITTLE TUNE UP TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE IN TIP TOP SHAPE~!
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Oh that's great!
Honestly Emerald, I'm just really glad we're not at each others throats.
It works for me. I just kind of go with the flow and try to make things a little better the next day. It works out most of the time.
I think so? Yeah. He makes me happy and I hope I do the same for him. We've managed to dork and work on projects and stuff too. So I'd say we're friends.
There have been some bumps in the road. ...Last month being the worst of it but I know that was the town bringing pulling at a darkness that he doesn't want a part of anymore.
And I did what I had to help him through that as best I could.
Anything else has just been life, I guess.
[Or well a plant man that wanted to murder her because he also had feelings for Varian, but Ruby isn't ready to explain that Emerald yet.]
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And you did the same thing for Varian, right? You got him thinking about doing a little better every day until he can be more like you?
And it wasn't hard for you two? I mean, obviously you two struggle sometimes, you have problems, people have problems with each other, but... he didn't hate you for trying to take that big of a chance?
With him, I mean. Just making a choice and going for it?
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I saw that in a cartoon here. It was super cute.
I can't take all the credit for that. He was already looking go down that road. I just give him a little bump of encouragement if he needs it.
No. I don't think so. I never really considered it all, honestly? We both wanted to give it a shot. We were super nervous about it but we've made it work. We made like an agreement. Between the both of us. It was never one of us plowing forward without the other one being okay with it.
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So you do get nervous about things. And you went through with it anyway.
Did it just feel like the right thing to do after a while?
Like you spent a while thinking about it and you realized it was what both of you wanted and you decided to just... go for it.
Yeah, that's what an agreement is, I guess. Ugh, never mind.
You were friends for two months, you decided to start dating, you were both afraid of it, and you did it anyway. And it's working out for you.
That's about it, huh? It's that easy?
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Yeah. So I ended up spitting out the gummy bears and I found it way easier to breath after that. It felt much better.
You summed it up pretty good right there. It was a little nerve wracking at first but it's gotten better with time.
Why are you so curious about this anyways?
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Maybe I don't have anything else to do right now but sit at home alone and think about everything.
Think about why you get to have all these things that you want that make you happy and why I'm here just
[and she's in the process of finishing that thought on a new line when she reconsiders it. there's a pause.]
I'm just thinking about it.
That's all.
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Okay, okay. I'm just checking.
But like if you suddenly got like feelings for Varian and want to kill me because of that you'd let me know, right?
Because I've already gone down this road once and it wasn't super fun.
I don't want to do anything that awkward again.
[The point.
Ruby's head.]
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Not in killing you and definitely not in Varian.
You're just the only person I know who actually has a relationship that she's actually happy in.
Gods, I can't believe I'm this close to spelling it out for you.
Don't... worry about it. Ugh.
If you can't think hard enough to read between the lines here then I'm just gonna stop.
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Just checking.
I know we have a truce and we're on our way to besties and all.
It's just gotta be careful around here is all.
Well... I guess that's a good point. There are a few people here in good relationships, so I can always point you in their direction too.
Well! I don't know who you've been hanging out with. I don't keep tabs on you 24/7 like Neo had been doing with me.
I know you've been hanging out with her and I guess you talked with Yang.
Wait... Do you have a crush Yang!?
Is that it!?
Did you go from wanting to deck her to wanting to smooch my sister just like that!?
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My gods.
Are you out of your MIND?
I do NOT have a crush on your SISTER, Red!
What are you even thinking? You think this whole thing was just some way to fish for information so I could ask out YANG "I BRAKE FOR FAUNUS" XIAO LONG?
You've lost it. You never had it.
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This is so cute!
You're in denial just like I was with Varian~!
And yeah, probably. You've always been super round about with how you do things. So it tracks.
She actually just got a "Honk If You're Kitty" bumper sticker the other day.
It's pretty adorable.
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Ruby.
I am not even the tiniest bit interested in getting between whatever cat and mouse game your sister and the Belladonna girl are playing.
I don't want to date her. I don't even want to THINK about kissing her. Me and Yang are going to spar, and that's all. That's it!
That's everything there is to say about it.
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I'm just teasing.
I'd have to drag you into a hardware store to talk about shovels if I thought you actually wanted to date Yang.
But you're right. She does miss Blake a whole lot.
[Except she's already texting Yang to keep this going.]
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Someone's protective. What, you think I wouldn't be good for her? You think I couldn't be a great girlfriend for someone?
You know, if she were an option.
I do a lot of messed up things, but I'm not about to get between her and Blake even when Blake's not here.
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We just have to have the shovel talk. It's a thing that happens sometimes when you go to get in a relationship with someone.
I think you'd be a-okay. Which is way better than what I thought before you come here. It's been fun getting to REALLY know you, Emerald.
I'm sure Yang would appreciate that.
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You don't really know me. You know more about me than a lot of people do, don't get me wrong.
But there's only one person who really knows me and it's the one I've been talking about this whole time.
So put on your detective hat and figure it out if you need to.
But before you do, tell me about this shovel talk.
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Maybe I should rephrase that.
I just meant it's nice getting to see a you that isn't a total lie like back then.
I'll admit I don't know you all that well.
But I'm learning more, and I like what I see so far.
Uh....
I don't really get the point of it to be honest.
I heard it's something that happens when like a family member or friend finds out you want to go out with someone.
So you take them out and you talk about shovels for awhile.
That's what I did with Clover anyways. He seemed to get it.
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Emerald Sustrai. Raw and uncut, I guess. If that even means anything.
And that Emerald Sustrai doesn't have time to mess with you when she could be trying to figure out how to get back at bigger fish. With you.
Anyway. I think the point of it is to threaten the other person and say that you're going to put them in the ground if they hurt whoever.
That's kind of what shovels mean.
It shows tough love.
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I'm just saying it's to have the version that hasn't been released to the public.
We'll get there. I promise. It's good to have you on the team.
Huh? Really?
I never would have guessed.
I never really thought of a shovel as very tough or lovey dovey.
I just thought they picked up dirt. Or snow. Or dog poop.
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Well.
You'll have to find a better team name if you're considering adding me to it.
I'll take E or M. Not picky.
They do pick up dirt, Ruby. Out of holes. That you put bodies into.
The shovel talk is, like, most of the time a threat. Probably.
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...Well you're hanging out with me, Varian and Yang now...
What about Team REVY? Revy means Golden Heart so it works!
...Oh. Wow.
I didn't think about that at all.
And someone like literally tried to do that to me one time here.
Yeeeeeeesh.
You know what. I think I prefer my version way better.
[She wasn't really in a position where she wanted name Neo by name at the moment. So a vague hint would have to do.]
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Tell you what. Let's hold off on coming up with a new team name until things start stabilizing again.
And I can actually make a decision about turning to your side when I'm thinking a little more clearly.
And you can decide whether you want me.
As long as you're not going around telling anyone that you're gonna go talk about shovels.
I mean, outside of this conversation.
It's probably fine. And I'm not about to stop you from using the wrong one.
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Fine, fine. But I think if you keep going the way you're going right now. You just might end up barnacled to us one way or another. Might as well just give in.
Well as long as I can remember what it's actually about I should be good. Clover knows too so there are loose ends out there to clean up.
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It'd probably be better for everyone to have me actually on the deck of your ship instead of clinging to the side of it where you'll have to scrape me off.
But I've got a ship of my own, too, and we need to see if it wrecks anything first.
Hopefully that made sense. I know more about weapons than I do about seafaring.
Which reminds me. I'm gonna come over sometime next month.
I think you've earned a look at Thief's Respite.
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Well I hope the S.S.Emerald manages to stay afloat until you make that decision.
Same here, the only ship term I can say with confidence that I actually know is what the poop deck is. And that's because it's not what it sounds like.
OOOOOOOOH! YES PLEASE. I WOULD LOVE THAT.
WE COULD START WITH JUST A LITTLE TUNE UP TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE IN TIP TOP SHAPE~!
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