ic contact

[14thcommander]

It's Hange, Hange, Hange! Were you looking for me? I'll get back to you posthaste. Or when it's convenient.

[ communicator & actionspam it's all good ]

Comments

[14thcommander]

Ah, hello Tiffany!

[Hange sounds surprised, but actually, she's also a little touched. People don't approach her for random hangouts that often. Unless...? Ulterior motives?

Whatever, she respects Tiffany.]

Sure! I like movies, the beach, the mountains, making things out of clay, swimming, rock climbing, horseriding, and lots of other things! What kind of hang out do you want?

[tucky]

Which sounds most relaxing to you? Or... distracting. Whichever one you need.

[14thcommander]

Do you know how to ride? I always like the beach too! We can bring a picnic basket!

[Movies are very fun, but not really "hanging out" in Hange's estimation... mostly because she hyperfixates on whatever she's watching.]

[tucky]

I've never been riding, but Callisto's into it so I'd kind of like to learn. You okay with teaching me?

[14thcommander]

Yeah, of course! We can go to the Enclosure, I'll take us to scout grounds. They're good horses who know how to work with humans. When are you free?

[tucky]

Now? Or this evening.

[14thcommander]

Uhh, better be now. We're performing this evening in the show! You should come!

[tucky]

[Excellent; she is heading to the Enclosure right now.]

Is it okay to come and not perform? I don't know any instruments or anything.

[14thcommander]

Haha, it's no fun performing without an audience, so just bring your hands and clap and yell!

Give me fifteen - I'll put a basket together -

[tucky]

Is this gonna be the same scout grounds you showed me before?

[14thcommander]

Yup! Think you can find the stable? You can go say hi and make a friend.

Make sure you specify the time period. We don't want to wind up in titan-infested territory.

[tucky]

If I say "a time period without titans", is that good enough? Or just "the same time period as last time"?

[14thcommander]

"Same as last time!" A time period without titans could take us to the far, far future, or long into the past, which might be interesting now that I think about it buuuuut... if we just want to ride horses let's not open that can of worms!

[tucky]

Okay. I'll have it ready when you get here.

[And she won't have any trouble finding the stables, considering that she's also going to specify "near the stables, please". When she arrives, Hange will find her in front of one of the stalls, regarding a horse with clear ambivalence.]

idk what i did with quotation marks up there lol... prose?

[14thcommander]

"Halloooooo!" Hange calls into the back. The front of the stables has a wood stove, tack available for use, bins of feed and apples. Hange tucks the basket she brought along over one arm and opens the bin to grab a few of these slightly wrinkly and old fruits in one hand.

lmao i assumed you were having her quote what she wanted Tiffany to say!

[tucky]

"Hey," she says, giving Hange a quick glance before turning her attention back to the horse. It had shown some interest when she'd first arrived, but after determining that a treat was not forthcoming, had turned back to munching on the hay already in its stall.

"You know-- I've ridden motorcycles, and I'm pretty good with, like, dogs. And rabbits. But I have never thought, 'Hey, you know what I wanna do today? Get on the back of a living animal and ride it'."

... oh you're right that is what i did where is my brain today

[14thcommander]

There is no picnic basket now; Hange left it up front, and joins Tiffany with a bounty of apples that don't look super appetizing. She greets the horse with an affectionate coo and lifts up an apple: see!

"We love horses," she explains, as the big beast snuffles the apple out of her hand. "They're the scouts' most loyal friends. Our horses ride into battle with us, return to us when we call for them, and give their lives in the course of their duty, just like us."

This should be spoken in the past tense but fighting titans out on the field sometimes feels like the most vibrant and real part of her life.

"If you win their loyalty, it's hard to find a better friend."

[tucky]

"There was a breach where I used to ride wild mustangs," she stretches out a tentative hand, patting the horse's nose when it's in reach. "But a lot of the time that was just seeing how long I could stay on before I got bucked off."

[14thcommander]

Hange nods, and offers Tiffany an apple, taking care to keep it out of the horse's reach.

"Palm flat. This guy won't bite you on purpose, but you don't want your finger getting caught when he goes for that anyway."

[tucky]

She takes a peek at Hange's hand, copies her, and holds the apple out.

"Like that?"

She loses no fingers, so apparently yes.

[14thcommander]

"Good! Keep em' going." She hands Tiffany another apple. "A wild horse... I've never ridden one. These guys are specially bred. A scout horse costs more money than a lot of civilians might ever see in their lives. But they're a superior breed, and easy to get along with. We're gonna sweeten the relationship up by making some good things come from you!"

[tucky]

"I don't know, this apple doesn't look that good." But the horse seems to like it, and she smiles a little, going to pat its velvety nose again.

"So how come you rode horses instead of-- I don't know, tanks?"

[14thcommander]

"Heh. Well, I first saw a car when I was about thirty-seven - tanks were far beyond us for most of my life. Innovation was suppressed for a long time... besides, I still prefer a horse. A tank won't follow you on its own when you have to leave it and engage a titan."

Another apple. Three will be enough, Hange judges.

[tucky]

"Why are they called titans?" she asks, holding the second apple out in the same way. Chomp.

[14thcommander]

"Because... they are titanic!"

Hange giggles at her own joke, and strokes the softly-furred cheek available to her since the horse's head hangs over the lower gate now.