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<span class="mu-i">"A bit too literal, I must say. It is like if SHADOWMAN's codename was SHADOW, no?"</span>
"Drat. Yeah, that's fair, that's fair." You snap your fingers as an idea flashes through you. "Oh!!! Asclepius! See, I have these healing sandwiches I can make, so a god of medicine would be cool!"
Nine actually humors this one for a moment. They mull it over in their head before, sadly, rejecting it. <span class="mu-i">"It may fit you, yes, but a good codename is snappy. Asclepius is a good codename for a military project, not for a person."</span>
"Aww. Shucks, oh well, can't say I didn't try. Can't really beat 'nine.'"
<span class="mu-i">"That, you can not."</span> You can almost hear the smirk in their voice. <span class="mu-i">"I will admit, I could have picked a better name for myself, but only a coward frets over perfection."</span>
"Ah, because they use it as an excuse to never do anything?"
<span class="mu-i">"Exactly, my dear friend. See, real men and women must learn from their mistakes. I have made my own fair share, and so has my dear friend Shadow, but we continue regardless."</span>
"You're speaking my language now. I'm not the best at what I do, but I get up every day, you know, another day at the shit factory."
Nine nods in agreement. <span class="mu-i">"Indeed. I must be truthful with you, I have overheard some of our antics over the last week. You certainly are trying to get out of your comfort zone, no?"</span>
"Yeahhh. I guess I have to, given this whole situation, yeah?" You half-heartedly shrug. "I bet you have to do some questionable things too, no?"
<span class="mu-i">"Indeed I do. If you are trying to pry information out of my maw, though, do not expect me to be forthcoming with it."</span>
"I hear you, I hear you. You don't know when someone's listening in, right?"
<span class="mu-i">"Indeed."</span>
You'd rather not push your luck by directly mentioning BLACKWELL, but the two of you seem to be on the same page. "Eh. You're probably doing a better job than I ever could. I'm mostly winging it these days."
<span class="mu-i">"I cannot fault you for that. A single man is only capable of so much. Even I needed a friend to connect to, even if I prefer to..."</span> For the first time since you met them, they seem to be hesitating. Unsure of what to say.
<span class="mu-i">"Disappear. As it were."</span> A brief crack in their metaphorical mask forms. <span class="mu-i">"To fade away. It is a pleasant thing."</span>
<span class="mu-i">"Oh. I apologize for the sentimentality. I am supposed to be a professional."</span> They loudly clear their throat. <span class="mu-i">"Again. I do apologize."</span>
"Pft. Trust me, I don't really care. I can't really rat you out over one little thing. It's fine; I don't like talking about myself either."
<span class="mu-i">"Indeed. I think our relationship would be better that way."</span> Nine holds their hand out to you. <span class="mu-i">"I must say. I must commend you for facing your fears.</span>"
You grab their hand. "Fear?"
<span class="mu-i">"People like me, like SHADOW, are scary, are they not? Yet, you are willing to socialize with freaks like me and my dear associate. That is quite commendable.</span>" Nine firmly shakes your hand.
