[h3][i][center][b]R H A M S E S[/b]
& N D
[img]https://i.imgur.com/unQ2imY.png[/img][/center]
Location || Warehouse District
Timeline || October 25th, 2130; 7:00PM +[/i][/h3][hr]

Sometimes, his human emotions were annoying. A self reflection brought from a moment of standing in one place for seemingly too long. His path was impeded by a wooden door that normally stood no chance against him. Anxiety kept him on the outside of it, and he wasn’t sure where it came from. He did not feel it when he saw what the media considered a tragedy simply two days prior to this one. 

A variant had attained to some sort of insanity or something similar, as it went on a rampage through New Haven. It was along the way to the meeting with his fellow Undergrounders, his seeker eye caught view of shadowy creature. It killed indiscriminately, and killed many. Brought destruction with it too. NOVA Agents and Soldiers made their way on the scene to chase the creature down and contain it. 

The task took them longer than The Watcher calculated. It even managed to take some of their lives as well. It looked dangerous, and even tapped into Rhamses compassion for the surface. He would have stepped in to try his hand at containing the creature, but they managed to corner it. Volts of electricity weakened it enough to be drawn away from the area. 

His seeker eye saw this, recorded it to memory. Soon after, when he met with the others, he shared the recording as a projection. The reports that followed did not present variants in a favorable light, and was only going to prove to increase tensions between human and variant kind moving forward. It was advised to keep a low profile for some time, even lower than they normally did. This was concerning...Baba was taken by humans, for a purpose unknown to him. 

Rha’s brain recollected this information, and used it as motivation. To summon up the courage to knock on Connor’s door. It was strange, that he felt dread pass through his system. His heart’s pace quickened, and the slight breeze decreased in temperature, causing his skin follicles to clump together; goosebumps. It was odd to feel this considering the boy was much smaller than he, however he felt the need to be more direct this time.

For one, he was delaying a little longer than The Watcher anticipated that it’d take for him to walk out with the canine creature. For the second...Rha was overthinking the simple task of knocking on a door. In order to prevent any further delay, he raised his hand to the wooden prism, and…

[i]Knock, knock, knock[/i]
[hr]
It wasn’t long after Connor had lowered the phone that he heard a knock on the door. Calling these series of scenarios an eventful evening was an understatement, by far. For a brief moment, a split second one might say, Connor froze. Was it the police? Did they want to take him into custody as a precaution? No, that was ridiculous, a result of the boy spiraling into a downhill series of thoughts. [b][color=254f28]”Pull yourself together,”[/color][/b] the Variant mumbled, his petite frame moving in tune with annoyingly recurring distress.

[b][color=254f28]”I am sorry for all the distractions, Cerberus,”[/color][/b] the teen forced a smile down at his beloved companion, [b][color=254f28]”we’ll head out, soon,”[/color][/b] he finished, attaching a leash which maintained itself as a formality. Cerberus overpowered his owner with ease, and a leash managed little in regards to control. However, one ought to keep up appearances.

The click of claws tapped against a metallic door handle as Connor pushed it down, and dispelled the barrier between himself and a crashing wave of emotional chaos. 

So different, but yet, so alike. Memories made flesh, longing and sadness personified beneath dark, brown skin. An onlooker would likely find it odd, the Variant once more freezing, but this repeated reaction lingering due to justification. Legs grew weak, a body trembling, and obsidian eyes watering from the sight. Connor’s fingers fell limp, the leash soundlessly meeting with a carpet by his feet. A single step back made him feel a thud against his backside from Cerberus’ wagging tail, curious grey eyes gazing at the lengthy figure towering above the beast’s master. There was a distinct presence Connor knew all too well, a flash from years now long gone, and a wound only somewhat healed, though slightly torn every time he held onto cherished headphones. 

With a shaky breath, the Variant attempted to grip his senses as to not completely lose control of an already damaged equilibrium. [b][color=254f28]”R-Rashie..?”[/color][/b] The name was one which had remained unsaid for ages, Connor’s pale cheeks now wet with streaks of glistening tears teasing at his throat, all the while. A trembling hand extended towards an old, vanished friend, as if the image was hard to believe, only for salty pearls to grow more prominent as Connor’s dainty appendage came in contact with a dear memory.
[hr]

At first, there was an unfamiliar sense of tension in the air that Rha can say that he never felt before. Something strange, as though excited and afraid at once, and this feeling only extended upon the door opening. His human eye gleamed its once natural color, trying to understand what Connor’s reaction was. In that way, they both seemed frozen, the door’s archway a barrier. 

The sudden thickness of the air was filled when the name was said. One that panged a piece of his memory. He heard it before, from this voice, and the feeling was something that words could only barely describe. Many images came of this boy’s face, albeit, he was smaller. They were often smiling, and varying piano tones played in his head. An inner warmth that brought a small smile to his face, after many days that he didn’t. There was never a reason before this moment. 

“Felice di vederti, Connor.” Were his words, consumed by a form of nostalgia that he could only liken as being…childlike? The phrase felt familiar to his tongue, and yet so foreign to his memory. The words he said were italian...inherently, yet, from seemingly nowhere. Yet, it felt nice to say them, as his emotions could confirm in this moment; it was ‘nice to see him’, again.
[hr]

Swallowing his tears, the Variant moved a hand towards his eyes before a futile attempt to dry those pale cheeks followed. There was no use in seeking stability, anymore. Without another word, Connor stepped forth, his slender arms wrapping themselves around the taller individual, tightly gripping him in a desperate embrace. [b][color=254f28]”I thought you were dead..,”[/color][/b] came a weak string of words, Connor’s attempt at clinging to his friend ending only once the hug reached a natural, if reluctant conclusion. [b][color=254f28]”Everyone..,”[/color][/b] the Variant continued, shaking his head softly, [b][color=254f28]”thought you were dead.”[/color][/b]

Rha’s disappearance and presumed death had been reported on several times, and once the investigation was abandoned, Connor’s heart sank into a pit in his stomach. He could recall it, still. A best friend, an only friend, lost and gone from this world without anything to come from it. [b][color=254f28]”What.., what happened to you, Rashie?”[/color][/b] Connor continued, his dark gaze rising towards Rashawn’s features. This was not the same person from all those years back, clearly.
[hr]

The hug was an abnormal gesture to him. Something that his brain could logically define, yes, an affectionate embrace that usually involves one being looping their arms around another. But the emotion in the moment transcended the definition entirely. Those were real tears that Connor was releasing, and to be honest, he could feel the stinging behind his eye as well. He tried to process what Connor was saying as he pulled at least one arm up to his back. His dreads drooped down from where they were under the hood and rested around the smaller boy’s head. 

Rha tried to process his words, taking in what was already new information. Connor apparently thought that he was dead. When he extended the phrase to ‘everyone’, it seemed, this past person his bare memory could only somewhat piece together was very important to Connor, as well as the people they interacted with. Furthermore, his absence, being the catalyst for the belief of his passing.

His thoughts carried him out of the moment for a second, coming back only when their hug ended. Rha blinked back, and his seeker eye glowed brightly, as if it had momentarily went to sleep. Connor’s question became one that hit his psyche perhaps a little harder than he thought it would. His arms shook a little and his expression defaulted to dumbfoundedness. He couldn’t even cry, and the look of desperation was a little more obvious than he may have wanted to let on.

“I...I don’t know.” He admitted, voice cracking a little, sounding like an audio recording glitching. He looked over his shoulder to peer down the street. Paranoia set in as he wasn’t sure who was listening, despite there being only sparse foot traffic on the block at the moment.

“I don’t know anything…” He confirmed his earlier statement, turning his head back to Connor. By now he noticed his slight tremble, and stopped himself consciously. 

“All I know is you.”
[hr]

Reaching past his friend, Connor pushed the door to a close. Sadly, Cerberus would need to wait for a fair bit longer before that promised walk. [b][color=254f28]”So you disappear..,”[/color][/b] the Variant spoke, a small sigh making its way past his lips, [b][color=254f28]”and return a.., cyborg..? And you don’t remember anything,”[/color][/b] he continued, more a statement than a question. Letting his arms fall to his sides, Connor stepped back and dropped onto the same armrest he had considered ever so comfortable only a few moments earlier. 

Unable to stifle a chuckle, the pale Variant raised his hand, wiping what remained of those tears, even though they were soon replaced. [b][color=254f28]”Today’s been so fucked up..,”[/color][/b] he grumbled, though paused soon after Rha’s final statement. Clenching his teeth, the boy raised his dark eyes to meet the taller figure, [b][color=254f28]”I’m pretty hard to forget..,”[/color][/b] came a small joke, desperately forcing itself through the sadness in an attempt at humor in this emotional hour. [b][color=254f28]”I guess I could ask you a million questions.., but honestly..,”[/color][/b] Connor started, his clawed digits moving together where he sat, [b][color=254f28]”it doesn’t seem like you can answer them, so.., all I can ask is..,”[/color][/b] the teen paused, considering the notion before eventually speaking, [b][color=254f28]”you’re here now, that’s what’s important, right? What.., do you plan on doing now?”[/color][/b]
[hr]

As the emotional high seemed to be evening out, Rha’s logical mentality slowly began to trickle back in. Honestly, he was a little surprised that Connor believed and recognized him so quickly. Regardless of that though, he took in his question. He felt the urge to look around again, but didn’t give in to his paranoia this time.

“I have to find Baba. Men with suits took him away, and I can’t determine where. My mind tells me it was the same people that took us…” Rha’s eye aimed toward the ground. “Though, I remember what that place is, and how it looks...I can’t pinpoint where. Memory indicators are foggy.” His Seeker eye started blinking, and Rha felt the past couple of days weigh on him.

“Life Support Systems, forty percent…” He said quietly, again with an android’s echo. There was a moment of silence as he thought, face aimed toward the floor. 40 wasn’t great and he definitely needed some time to recharge, but Rha significantly cared less about that in the current moment with Connor.

“My hope in finding you again is if you have any information about what happened to me. Hopefully that could lead me back to free Baba…” Rha explained, aiming his eyes back up. 

“Please...I must find him.”
[hr]

Attempting to compute with everything a long lost friend had been saying, Connor raised his hands, gently rubbing at his forehead. The worst thing this Variant had been expecting when waking that morning was more prejudice. However, what he got by far surpassed the fears brewing within. Despite the short span of time which had passed between each, and every event, Connor was barely able to link them together, anymore. It felt like days, even weeks, had managed to pass across the period of a few moments. 

[b][color=254f28]”I..,”[/color][/b] Connor tried, lowering his dark gaze to the floor, [b][color=254f28]”I don’t know anything, Rashie,”[/color][/b] the boy spoke, his senses back to what could be considered normal. [b][color=254f28]”And, wait.., forty what? Are you hurt?”[/color][/b] A moment’s lapse in composure caused the young Variant to stand from where he had been sitting, [b][color=254f28]”maybe we should go to the hospital, Rashie, I mean.., no, we definitely should but I’ve watched enough movies to know that the people who are after you..,”[/color][/b] he stopped. Trailing off was not ideal, right now. With a deep breath, Connor shook his head. He needed to stay calm. No good decisions were made in panic. [b][color=254f28]”I’ll.., I’ll help you find him.., I mean.., of course I will,”[/color][/b] the Variant stated. It was obvious, and there was no other path to take in this scenario. [b][color=254f28]”But.., I don’t even know where to start.”[/color][/b]
[hr]

A sharp pang hit Rha in the chest when Connor came to the revelation of not knowing anything. The stinging behind his eyes got worse, and his skin flashed white only very briefly before he quickly regained his composure. It was as though his world had come to a startling crash around him, as this was his sole lead. Connor was a key piece to his memory, and even him not knowing what happened was disheartening.

It was in these moments of doubt that he missed what Connor had said partially, but picked up when he mentioned a hospital. He quietly blinked but slowly nodded at his friend redirecting his interests away from a physical facility. It wasn’t what he needed, but he could tell the information was overwhelming Connor to an extent. A comforting warmth radiated from within as, even though having no idea what was going on, he promised to help Rha anyway. The bionic being smiled.

“I only require access to a common electrical outlet...There I can recharge my energy...It’s been several days.” Rha explained to answer Connor’s concerns about his health earlier. 

“A place we can begin is perhaps discovering what happened the last you saw or heard from me, or Baba perhaps.”
[hr]