[TLV] IC Inbox

[palissant]

[No response can be gained via comms. He isn't interested in making himself available that way.

If you want him, come find him.]

Comments

[superniceone]

[look, gustave is just here to fill the scrawny nerd quota.

but he follows the instructions before flicking his eyes back to the window.] You've got a knack for instruction.

[palissant]

I'm really old.

[So, you know, experience.]

You get used to giving instructions to people who don't know the things you know. Especially when it comes to trains.

[superniceone]

Right, right. Easy to forget. You don't look a day over sixty, for the record.

[gustave won't admit this under pain of death


but he's definitely gonna come back to drive more trains]

[palissant]

Oh, yeah, it's the white hair isn't it.

[He gives his hair a brief flick.]

I could tell you a secret.

[superniceone]

[and, when he's sure he doesn't need to immediately tend to the controls again, he twists in his seat to look at verso with his eyebrows up.]

Go ahead, then, you've got me curious.

[palissant]

[Leaning by the window, Verso thiiiiiinks about it.]

I dye my hair. It's entirely white.

[superniceone]

[gustave stares at him for a moment, deciding not to ask the first question that comes to mind: does he dye his beard too??]

So the streak—

[he sort of waves at his own hair, as if to indicate verso's.] This is— fashion?

[palissant]

[Best not to ask.]

Gestral fashion.

[He has to shoo them away from actual styling.]

They don't do too badly if they have strict instructions.

[superniceone]

[he can't help the way he actually looks horrified here.]

You let a gestral dye your hair?

[palissant]

[Verso laughs.]

They can manage simple tasks! You just can't give them creative freedom. They're like children.

[superniceone]

I've never met a child eager to rip my arm off for parts. [he's so!! beleaguered!!!!]

[palissant]

[Don't mind the glance he gives to your arm, Gustave.]

They wouldn't have actually done that. Probably.

[superniceone]

[gustave isn't self-conscious at all about the arm, so he really doesn't mind the glance. he will frown!! though!!!!]

Optimistic of you.

[palissant]

I've spent a long time with the gestrals. I like to think I know how they operate. Mostly.

[Look, he's not going to promise anything...]

[superniceone]

[gustave has spent... less time with gestrals, but still.]

And you've never once wound up with pink hair?

[palissant]

[The pause is telling.]

Maybe once.