[oh. then, just how short are their lives, in comparison? what about the people who choose to really let them end there, or who die before they get to make a choice-?
he probably shouldn't say this, but he doesn't recognize the places anyone has mentioned, so it has to be safe enough, right?]
We can still, um, keep living past that age-! S-so it's not so sad, maybe... but even a cloned body will only live for twenty-three years each time, and you'll always look the age you were when you had your genes and your memory backed up.
S-sort of... um, if you choose to have your genes and your memory backed up at the Institute, then so long as you have the funds for it when you die... you'll be revived as a Reliver. But you'll still only have the memories from the last time you updated your backup, so if you didn't manage to do that recently, you might be missing some of them...
[he fidgets with the fabric of his waistcoat, fingers clutching at it.]
And if you die without ever creating a backup at all, then... another person can't choose to have you cloned as a Reliver, either. You have to agree to it when you're alive.
[she doesn't seem to mind. once he's closer, he can hear the quiet chugging of a steam engine in her chest. she's also stupidly warm. not burny, but maybe a bit uncomfortable.]
Yeah. Infernal, actually, but close enough. Careful. Don't burn yourself.
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[oh. then, just how short are their lives, in comparison? what about the people who choose to really let them end there, or who die before they get to make a choice-?
he probably shouldn't say this, but he doesn't recognize the places anyone has mentioned, so it has to be safe enough, right?]
We can still, um, keep living past that age-! S-so it's not so sad, maybe... but even a cloned body will only live for twenty-three years each time, and you'll always look the age you were when you had your genes and your memory backed up.
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... Wait, really? [she's doing her best to not vibrate in place, but.] What do you mean? You just come back?
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[he fidgets with the fabric of his waistcoat, fingers clutching at it.]
And if you die without ever creating a backup at all, then... another person can't choose to have you cloned as a Reliver, either. You have to agree to it when you're alive.
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Are you one of those?
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[mathis is quiet, with a long pause of his own after that answer before he shakes his head again.]
I-I'm not a Reliver.
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I... I don't.
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but, it escapes her anyway, her expression faltering.]
You don't want more time?
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[he manages an awkward little smile, but it's somewhat shaky.]
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[a beat, and then:]
I'm asking too many personal questions, aren't I. Sorry.
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[he's just trying not to be rude, mostly.]
And it... keeps me distracted from asking personal questions too.
[otherwise he would have put his foot in his mouth already going HEY UM WHY DO YOU GLOW.]
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Hey, I didn't say you weren't allowed to ask me back. I got up in your business, you can ask me whatever you want.
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I-if I may, then... are you really... glowing?
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Engine...? The mechanical kind?
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Yeah. Infernal, actually, but close enough. Careful. Don't burn yourself.
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[it's a timely warning, because he was absolutely about to reach out; mathis quickly draws his hand back.]
May I ask... why? Were, um, were you made with one? Or is it more like a... a modification?
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Modification. [she says, finally.] I wasn't born with it.
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[well. he feels like the pause to work out her answer says something, giving his head a little shake.]
I-I'm sorry.
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It's alright. I'm still alive, right? So, not so bad.
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[then again, so is becoming a reliver, isn't it? and so many people do it, and are fine.]
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or maybe he does! either way, her tail waves slowly back and forth behind her.]
Worst part is it gives me the sweats something awful. [she jokes.] I've had ten years to figure it out.
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[that's a pretty long time, actually.]
Oh, b-but maybe you could, um... build a personal fan?
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What, for the engine? It'd melt clean off.
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[what if it just melted while she was carrying it!!]
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