Chapter Text
New Group Chat
Tuesday September 13th 3:47PM
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Aloy started the chat
Aloy shared google doc: Untitled Ecology Project
New Group Chat
Tuesday Sep 13th 4:12PM
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Kotallo: You started this during class? Professor Gaia just assigned it.
Aloy: Yeah, so?
Varl: shes just “efficient” that way
Aloy: Shut up, Varl.
Alva: This is going to be so much fun! I love research projects, and this is definitely the best group in the class!
Kotallo: It certainly could be worse.
Aloy: Yeah, we could have been stuck with Sylens.
Alva: Oh, Sylens isn’t that bad.
Kotallo: Didn’t he make you cry the other day?
Alva: I’m sure he didn’t mean what he said.
Varl: right…
Aloy: The guy is a duck.
Aloy: A duck.
Aloy: Whatever.
Zo changed the group name to GAIA Gang
Zo: We’re going to kill this project.
Aloy: Are we all here? We should assign parts.
Aloy: @Erend, you here?
Alva: Assign parts? You don’t want to just work together?
Varl: thats less “efficient”
Aloy: Shut up, Varl.
Alva: Oh, but I thought we could all meet up in the library and work together. It would be fun.
Zo: I’m down to meet up and work together, it definitely sounds better than doing the work in my dorm.
Aloy: Right, because that’s what you do in the dorm. That’s why I seem to be kicked out of our room more and more often nowadays.
Private Message: Aloy and Erend
Tuesday Sep 13th 4:29PM
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Aloy: Hey, did you see the new group chat? We’re going to divide the project and if you don’t say anything you’re going to get stuck with the worst part.
GAIA Gang
Tuesday Sep 13th 4:30PM
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Varl: shut up aloy
Varl: well thats three votes for working together in the library and since aloy forfeited her vote due to attempting to embarrass my girlfriend its decided
Aloy: Use punctuation, Varl. Your sentences don’t make any sense.
Varl: you sound like my mother
Aloy: Uncalled for.
Private Message: Aloy and Erend
Tuesday Sep 13th 4:32PM
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Aloy: Are you seeing this in the group chat? I need you there to defend my honor, or whatever you’re always saying you do.
GAIA Gang
Tuesday Sep 13th 4:33PM
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Kotallo: I’m starting to get the feeling some of you know each other from more than just Eco Lab.
Aloy: Yeah.
Zo: You’re not going to explain?
Aloy: Did I need to?
Kotallo: No, I get it.
Alva: Um, I don’t!
Private Message: Aloy and Erend
Tuesday Sep 13th 4:35PM
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Erend: Sorry, was on the phone with Ersa. She only gets so many minutes with the phone at base camp, so I was busy.
Erend: I’m off to defend your honor now, I promise.
Erend: Although I thought you hate it when I say that.
Erend: Never mind. I’m taking the win.
Erend: See, I do listen to you sometimes.
GAIA Gang
Tuesday Sep 13th 4:36PM
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Erend: In order:
Erend: She only told you to be more efficient once in freshman year, Varl, you have to let that go.
Erend: This is definitely the best group, and I claim favoritism on the part of Prof Gaia liking Aloy more than anyone else.
Erend: Sylens definitely meant what he said, but he was wrong, Alva.
Erend: I vote to assign parts, although I guess that doesn’t matter at this point.
Erend: Having also faced being kicked out of my room, I agree with Aloy.
Varl: you agree with aloy? what a surprise
Erend: And to explain, Varl and Aloy grew up together, Varl’s my roommate and Zo is Aloy’s.
Aloy: I noticed you didn’t comment on Varl comparing me to Sona.
Erend: I plead the fifth.
Varl: HA
Private Message: Aloy and Erend
Tuesday Sep 13th 4:38PM
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Aloy: How is she?
Erend: Fine, leading her troops and loving every minute of it.
Erend: She’s thriving in the military lifestyle.
Aloy: What about you?
Erend: Sure, I like to think I’m thriving too.
Aloy: I meant, do you miss that?
Erend: I miss her. But I’d rather be here, less red tape, more action.
Aloy: You’re in the business school, isn’t that all red tape?
Aloy: Famously, I think being in the army is more action than being in school.
Erend: Military rules and regulations weren’t the place for me. Not like they are for Ersa.
Gaia Gang
Tuesday Sep 13th 4:41PM
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Aloy: Fine, keep making fun of me. I won’t tell you which room in the library I just booked for us.
Varl: ill just book another one and not tell you
Aloy: I didn’t want to work with you in person anyway, I’ll take being excluded.
Varl: fair. you win
Aloy: Obviously.
Alva: So, uh, which room?
Aloy: 317. I booked it at 5.
Alva: So soon? That’s impressive!
Aloy: I have connections.
Alva: Besides me?
Aloy: No. I dropped your name.
Alva: Oh, nice!
Aloy: So, when we get there, we can discuss who will do which parts.
Kotallo: It’s good we are starting right away; it would surprise me if we were in the majority.
Zo: Yeah, well. This is a gen ed eco class and the project isn’t due until finals week. It’s not going to be a priority for most people.
Varl: what she means is that we are just better than most people
Zo: Sure, that’s what I meant.
*******
Private Message: Aloy and Erend
Thursday Sep 15th 9:12PM
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Aloy: Hey, sock on my door. Can I come by?
Erend: And if I said no?
Aloy: Honestly, I’ve never thought about it. You won’t say no.
Erend: Fair enough. I’ve had to crash at yours often enough anyway.
Erend: I’m home, come by anytime.
Aloy: OMW
*******
Private Message: Aloy and Erend
Friday Sep 16th 9:34AM
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Erend: Really, Aloy?
Aloy: I have no idea what you’re talking about.
Erend: I set it out for myself to wear today.
Erend: You have your own clothes filling one of the drawers of my dresser.
Aloy: Your point?
Erend: You don’t have to keep stealing my flannels.
Aloy: Have to? no. Get to? Absolutely.
Erend: I’d be happy to get you some of your own.
Aloy: No thanks. I don’t need flannels; I have a secret source.
Erend: Yeah, my wardrobe.
Aloy: I can neither confirm nor deny my source.
Aloy: gtg, prof is about to have us split up into pairs, and if I don’t pay attention, I might end up with Sylens.
Erend: Good luck.
*******
Private Message: Petra and Erend
Saturday Sep 17th 7:53PM
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Petra: Hey, cover for me? I’m gonna be like 10 minutes late to my shift.
Erend: Sure, but you know if you keep coming in late the Ealdorman is bound to notice eventually.
Petra: nah, I’m too good of a bartender for them to care.
Erend: you dropped a bottle of bourbon last week.
Petra: Yeah, yeah.
Petra: I can make fun of you too, you know.
Erend: Oh?
Petra: Absolutely. That flame-haired friend of yours going to be coming by tonight?
Erend: Alright, truce.
Petra: Thank you, thank you. I accept my winnings.
Erend: I’ll clock in for you, but you owe me.
Petra: I’m sure there will come a time when I’ll return the favor.
*******
Private Message: Alva and Aloy
Wednesday Sep 21st 12:36PM
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Alva: Hey Aloy, did you want to partner together for Samina’s first essay?
Aloy: Figured we would.
Alva: Perfect!
Alva shared google doc: Cultural Implications of Music Through History Essay 1
Aloy: Meet in the library? I have an hour free at 2.
Alva: You want to work together in person?
Aloy: You’ve convinced me.
Aloy: Besides, the library has better access to historical documents than either of us can find on our own.
Alva: Oh, did you see the email from the library? They just got a contract with the Quen database! Whole new series of docs to skim through!
Aloy: Just don’t go dark on me again like you did after you found out we had access to Thebes.
Alva: lol, promise.
*********
New Group Chat
Friday Sep 23rd 8:25AM
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Aloy: Hey. So, this isn’t really my strength, so I thought I’d put it out there for one of you to handle. Tomorrow is Alva’s birthday.
Kotallo: Alva seems to be the type who would appreciate a celebration of some sort.
Aloy: Yeah, like I said, not my strength.
Varl: this is absurdly early why are you texting me
Aloy: I’m in class. Avoiding looking at my professor. Seemed like the perfect time.
Varl: your art history professor?
Aloy: Yeah.
Private Message: Varl and Aloy
Friday Sep 23rd 8:32AM
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Varl: is everything ok?
Aloy: I’m fine.
Varl: its the same prof you had for art history last year right?
Aloy: Dr. Tilda van der Meer, yeah.
Varl: shes still… kinda creepy?
Aloy: It’s just more of the same, it’s no big deal. Nothing I can’t handle.
Varl: you know if you want to talk through it or if you need any help dealing with her im here
Aloy: I know. I’m fine.
New Group Chat
Friday Sep 23rd 8:38AM
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Zo changed the name of the group to SHHH it’s Alva’s Surprise
Zo: Okay.
Zo: Aloy and I will host tomorrow at 7.
Zo: @Varl, you are in charge of food. Probably pizza, definitely a lot of snacks.
Zo: @Erend, you are in charge of drinks. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Zo: @Aloy, you are in charge of entertainment. You’ve known Alva the longest, what do you think she’d want to do for a small gathering on her birthday?
Aloy: Probably Trivial Pursuit. Maybe some other board games.
Zo: Perfect. You are in charge of getting those.
Zo: @Kotallo. You are in charge of decorations. You can have full access to our room for as long as you need tomorrow.
Zo: And I will procure gifts. If anyone has anything specific they want to get her, tell me now, otherwise, I will pick something for each of you.
Aloy: I’m covered on the gift front, Zo. Thanks though.
*******
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*******
SHHH it’s Alva’s Surprise
Friday Sep 23rd 9:02AM
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Aloy: Who’s gonna get Alva to the party?
Zo: You?
Aloy: Yeah, ok.
Kotallo: She isn’t busy tomorrow?
Aloy: No, some of her history friends are taking her to dinner on Monday, but she said she was just having a video call with her family tomorrow afternoon.
Varl: well not anymore now shes doing this too
Varl: thanks for letting us know aloy
Aloy: np
Private Message: Aloy and Alva
Saturday Sep 24th 6:54PM
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Aloy: SOS
Alva: What’s going on?
Aloy: Can you come over? It’s important.
Alva: Sure, I’m on my way.
Gaia Gang
Sunday Sep 25th 1:13AM
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Alva: Made it home safe! I just wanted to say thank you again. This was really the perfect way to spend my birthday!
Varl: were happy to spend this time with you alva
Varl: even with erend coming out of nowhere with that win in trivial pursuit
Varl: we like you enough to make living with that worth it
*******
Gaia Gang
Thursday Sep 29th 8:46PM
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Alva: Hey, Aloy, are you ok? I just tried to say hi to you in the student center, but you kind of just stormed past.
Aloy: Been a day.
Zo: What happened?
Aloy: Archery voted me president.
Alva: I’m sorry?
Aloy: I didn’t even run. Apparently, I was a unanimous write-in candidate.
Alva: Oh. Well that’s nice of them.
Aloy: I didn’t ask for it. I didn’t work for it. I don’t want it.
Alva: Ah. Could your coach step in and help?
Aloy: Rost doesn’t talk much.
Varl: dont you kinda carry that group? who else would even be president?
Aloy: There are other good shooters.
Varl: not as good as you
Erend: Isn’t your sister on the Archery Team?
Aloy: She’s good.
Varl: valas only a freshman she cant be president
Alva: Your sister comes here?
Varl: yeah were legacies my whole family has come here for practically ever
Erend: Did anyone run for the job?
Aloy: Yeah, Bast ran uncontested.
Zo: That guy came in 12th at your last comp. And he’s full of himself. He can’t be president.
Erend: Probably why Rost is upholding the write-in votes.
Zo: That and he very obviously favors Aloy.
Varl: because she carries the team
Varl: also because everyone favors aloy
Aloy: Gross.
Kotallo: I think, if you truly are the best archer on the team, you have earned the Presidential seat.
Kotallo: In fact, personally, I think being the best shot is a better determiner of ranking than something as silly and inconsequential as a vote.
Aloy: Makes sense.
Alva: Yay, President Aloy!
Aloy: Again. Gross.
Varl: we should celebrate
Varl: forge anyone? drinks on erend
Erend: Sure, why not.
Aloy: Yeah, I could go for a drink.
Zo: Meet there in 10?
Alva: Absolutely, @Kotallo, can I get a ride with you?
Kotallo: Sure, I’ll swing by and grab you in a few.