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pluviooc2024-03-18 02:45 pm
pluviosamods) wrote in pluviooc2024-03-18 02:45 pm
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TEST DRIVE 02
TEST DRIVE
Hello, and welcome to the second Pluviosa Test Drive!
This Test Drive corresponds to Days 4-12 in the ship calendar, and will run until around the game's next major event. You can get a better idea what's going on in the most recent Game Update which covers Days 5-8. Currently, character IC housing is not in operation yet; it is expected to open on Day 9 (part of the way through the Test Drive period). Otherwise, the ship is largely in the state described on the Setting page and in other game information.
Test Drive threads involving characters who are accepted are considered canon to the events of the game unless otherwise agreed by players/mods. Pluviosa does not do welcome mingle logs nor does it have any kind of in-character welcome information, making your test drive threads your character's arrival to the game setting. That said, mod-run interactions such as formal exploration and/or interactions with the Ship as an NPC are not available on the Test Drive.
It is advised that potential players familiarize themselves with the Premise page, the Rules/Session Zero page, and at least the first few paragraphs of the Setting page. As Pluviosa is a horror game, we especially encourage players to be aware of the content warnings that will be major themes of the game. If you have any further questions, you can ask them on the QUESTIONS header in the comments!
If you're test driving a character, you're welcome to join the game Discord and hang out and meet your fellow players!
You wake up. You remember waking up, right? In another place, another time...
There's blood running down your fingers. Outside, the rain isn't pounding, yet, just a gentle patter...
Or is it?
As characters gain fuller awareness of their surroundings, they will realize that there is, in fact, no blood on their hands (save any that might have already been there). It feels as though they lost focus for a moment and hallucinated, but the hallucination ended with them somewhere else entirely.
There is not actually the sound of rain. If characters are near enough to a window, balcony, or even a hole in the ceiling, they will find that it is cloudless, beaming sunlight outside. The emptiness in the distance rolls on and on, completely absent any signs of life.
That being, of course, because the signs of life are all in here. Characters might wake up on any of the decks on the upper side of the ship - anywhere that isn't the cafeteria or lounge where previous arrivals spend most of their time is free game. This also means, of course, that they have the jungle of plants to contend with...
Most areas in the ship are dark when characters arrive. That doesn't mean that they stay dark. Occasionally, lights overhead flicker on and off for a few minutes at a time.
The problem with this isn't the lights themselves (cool white and kind of industrial). It's the reaction that the addition of the extra light causes the plants in the dark areas of the ship that's cause for alarm. To describe the growth as explosive isn't an understatement - vines, saplings, and even thicker branches surge with growth, pushing outwards towards the distant sunlight and upwards towards the flickering bulbs.
The growth is sudden enough to take all but the most aware characters by surprise, and if they're in the wrong corner of the room, it's very easy to get tangled up, wedged in by a tree trunk, or otherwise trapped against some corner or wall. If you're lucky and skilled, you might be able to cut yourself out from there (or break down the wall you're shoved up against), but otherwise, there's only one solution left.
Yell like your life depends on it, and hope somebody out there can hear you. And that whoever hears is someone who is inclined to help, rather than leaving you there. Or worse.
Oh, and the lights flicker back off after a few minutes, of course. Hopefully you're not waiting for rescue in the dark (with the smell of mold and the general faint dampness of the forest) for too long.
Occasionally, the whole ship tilts.
This is not simply the side to side motion of a ship on the water (or the equivalent motion brought on by the way this particular ship moves); it's an extremely forward or backward tilt that sends things sliding across the floor if they aren't secured by roots or something else. Unlike storm-tossed ships, the tilt is somewhat prolonged - rather than everything sliding back and forth a couple times a minute, the tilt lasts for five, ten, maybe as much as twenty minutes.
Although it's not enough to knock a well-balanced character off their feet, it's quite likely that new arrivals will not be particularly on-balance. And attempting to traverse the ship with the tilt is a tall order... especially when the ship's angle does unexpectedly change... to the exact opposite direction. All that goes up the mountain must go back down, and a glance out the windows reveals that that's exactly what's going on, as the ship progresses across a mountainous landscape without real regard for the concept of mountain passes.
And for characters who have managed to make their way to the "civilized" parts of the ship, namely the cafeteria and the lounge above it... None of the furniture in these areas is secured. The cafeteria carts under the direct control of the Ship don't seem as inclined to go anywhere, but the tables and chairs in the cafeteria and the couches and armchairs upstairs... Well, it's a good thing both spaces are surrounded by railings. Large chunks of tree trunk also still littler the lounge, sliding back and forth and occasionally rolling with great force across the floor.
Better hold on tight.
While wandering around the ship's interior, characters might occasionally hear a person whistling.
The sound always seems to be coming from just around the corner, but it sounds alive in a way that other sounds don't. Maybe more alive, even, than the rustle of leaves, the occasional drip of water, and the sounds of things sliding back and forth across the grimy, leaf-covered floors. The whistler, whoever they are, doesn't actively respond if called out to - but the whistling does pause, as though indicating that the call was heard, before starting up again.
If characters choose to follow the whistling, they're inevitably led to the same place - somewhere overlooking the great gap down the middle of the ship, whether an internal suite's balcony, one of the bridges crossing between the two halves, or one of the hallways that runs alongside it. Once they're there, there's no whistler in sight; however, characters will be filled with the overwhelming urge to look over the edge of the railing and down into the lower parts of the ship.
Exactly what they experience after looking down varies. Some will hallucinate that they've fallen over the side, feeling their balance go haywire and seeing the floor rushing up to them right up until the moment of "impact," at which everything returns to normal. Some will feel a stranger's hands on their shoulders, threatening to push them over with a great shove that goes through them with incorporeal fingers. Some will just hear unidentifiable laughter right up close to their ears, and experience the distinct sensation that there's someone laughing at them, in a haha-made-you-look kind of way.
But whatever happens, when they look up, there's no one there - or at least not anyone that physically close to them. The one good thing about being drawn to the middle section of the ship by whatever prankster this is is that it makes it a lot easier to run into people if you're all drawn to the same, highly visible place.
And at least the other person is flesh and blood, right? Probably.
This Test Drive corresponds to Days 4-12 in the ship calendar, and will run until around the game's next major event. You can get a better idea what's going on in the most recent Game Update which covers Days 5-8. Currently, character IC housing is not in operation yet; it is expected to open on Day 9 (part of the way through the Test Drive period). Otherwise, the ship is largely in the state described on the Setting page and in other game information.
Test Drive threads involving characters who are accepted are considered canon to the events of the game unless otherwise agreed by players/mods. Pluviosa does not do welcome mingle logs nor does it have any kind of in-character welcome information, making your test drive threads your character's arrival to the game setting. That said, mod-run interactions such as formal exploration and/or interactions with the Ship as an NPC are not available on the Test Drive.
It is advised that potential players familiarize themselves with the Premise page, the Rules/Session Zero page, and at least the first few paragraphs of the Setting page. As Pluviosa is a horror game, we especially encourage players to be aware of the content warnings that will be major themes of the game. If you have any further questions, you can ask them on the QUESTIONS header in the comments!
If you're test driving a character, you're welcome to join the game Discord and hang out and meet your fellow players!
ARRIVAL - LIKE THE RAIN
You wake up. You remember waking up, right? In another place, another time...
There's blood running down your fingers. Outside, the rain isn't pounding, yet, just a gentle patter...
Or is it?
As characters gain fuller awareness of their surroundings, they will realize that there is, in fact, no blood on their hands (save any that might have already been there). It feels as though they lost focus for a moment and hallucinated, but the hallucination ended with them somewhere else entirely.
There is not actually the sound of rain. If characters are near enough to a window, balcony, or even a hole in the ceiling, they will find that it is cloudless, beaming sunlight outside. The emptiness in the distance rolls on and on, completely absent any signs of life.
That being, of course, because the signs of life are all in here. Characters might wake up on any of the decks on the upper side of the ship - anywhere that isn't the cafeteria or lounge where previous arrivals spend most of their time is free game. This also means, of course, that they have the jungle of plants to contend with...
LIGHTS ON, SHOW START
Most areas in the ship are dark when characters arrive. That doesn't mean that they stay dark. Occasionally, lights overhead flicker on and off for a few minutes at a time.
The problem with this isn't the lights themselves (cool white and kind of industrial). It's the reaction that the addition of the extra light causes the plants in the dark areas of the ship that's cause for alarm. To describe the growth as explosive isn't an understatement - vines, saplings, and even thicker branches surge with growth, pushing outwards towards the distant sunlight and upwards towards the flickering bulbs.
The growth is sudden enough to take all but the most aware characters by surprise, and if they're in the wrong corner of the room, it's very easy to get tangled up, wedged in by a tree trunk, or otherwise trapped against some corner or wall. If you're lucky and skilled, you might be able to cut yourself out from there (or break down the wall you're shoved up against), but otherwise, there's only one solution left.
Yell like your life depends on it, and hope somebody out there can hear you. And that whoever hears is someone who is inclined to help, rather than leaving you there. Or worse.
Oh, and the lights flicker back off after a few minutes, of course. Hopefully you're not waiting for rescue in the dark (with the smell of mold and the general faint dampness of the forest) for too long.
TILT-A-WORLD
Occasionally, the whole ship tilts.
This is not simply the side to side motion of a ship on the water (or the equivalent motion brought on by the way this particular ship moves); it's an extremely forward or backward tilt that sends things sliding across the floor if they aren't secured by roots or something else. Unlike storm-tossed ships, the tilt is somewhat prolonged - rather than everything sliding back and forth a couple times a minute, the tilt lasts for five, ten, maybe as much as twenty minutes.
Although it's not enough to knock a well-balanced character off their feet, it's quite likely that new arrivals will not be particularly on-balance. And attempting to traverse the ship with the tilt is a tall order... especially when the ship's angle does unexpectedly change... to the exact opposite direction. All that goes up the mountain must go back down, and a glance out the windows reveals that that's exactly what's going on, as the ship progresses across a mountainous landscape without real regard for the concept of mountain passes.
And for characters who have managed to make their way to the "civilized" parts of the ship, namely the cafeteria and the lounge above it... None of the furniture in these areas is secured. The cafeteria carts under the direct control of the Ship don't seem as inclined to go anywhere, but the tables and chairs in the cafeteria and the couches and armchairs upstairs... Well, it's a good thing both spaces are surrounded by railings. Large chunks of tree trunk also still littler the lounge, sliding back and forth and occasionally rolling with great force across the floor.
Better hold on tight.
SOMETHING WHISTLING
While wandering around the ship's interior, characters might occasionally hear a person whistling.
The sound always seems to be coming from just around the corner, but it sounds alive in a way that other sounds don't. Maybe more alive, even, than the rustle of leaves, the occasional drip of water, and the sounds of things sliding back and forth across the grimy, leaf-covered floors. The whistler, whoever they are, doesn't actively respond if called out to - but the whistling does pause, as though indicating that the call was heard, before starting up again.
If characters choose to follow the whistling, they're inevitably led to the same place - somewhere overlooking the great gap down the middle of the ship, whether an internal suite's balcony, one of the bridges crossing between the two halves, or one of the hallways that runs alongside it. Once they're there, there's no whistler in sight; however, characters will be filled with the overwhelming urge to look over the edge of the railing and down into the lower parts of the ship.
Exactly what they experience after looking down varies. Some will hallucinate that they've fallen over the side, feeling their balance go haywire and seeing the floor rushing up to them right up until the moment of "impact," at which everything returns to normal. Some will feel a stranger's hands on their shoulders, threatening to push them over with a great shove that goes through them with incorporeal fingers. Some will just hear unidentifiable laughter right up close to their ears, and experience the distinct sensation that there's someone laughing at them, in a haha-made-you-look kind of way.
But whatever happens, when they look up, there's no one there - or at least not anyone that physically close to them. The one good thing about being drawn to the middle section of the ship by whatever prankster this is is that it makes it a lot easier to run into people if you're all drawn to the same, highly visible place.
And at least the other person is flesh and blood, right? Probably.
Aven does not believe this man ever knew what a planet is
"Do I look like an engineer? Me? A gambler? Now that's a thought," he laughs, which...devolves into a coughing fit he has to hunch over for to contain. Oh the risks he could take on building construction. Ratio would kill him probably. Topaz definitely would. "Besides, it's kind of...sentient? The ship, I mean. It can speak for itself when we get to the lounge or something," he breathes.
The guy looks uneasy at the offered handshake. Maybe it's a hangup of his--but then Kaeya takes it. Proper, firm handshake, nothing strange about it. Huh. Maybe he was just imagining things...the guy's hand is nice and cool, too. They release hands, a possible good alliance in store. The guy looks a little less tense, which is good.
The hall tilts more and more, making it...difficult to maintain his footing, even with the support of the bar and the wall. He ends up stumbling and bumping into Kaeya's side accidentally, and does what he can to pull away but ugh. Gravity. It's a bit too warm in here, anyway, and the guy seems to be giving off a cool aura not unlike pathstriders who commanded ice as their element. It was...interesting. Not unpleasant. Just probably a bit awkward since they just met, but what can you do when the boat you're on just keeps tilting?
"Sorry about this. It'll even out eventually, it always does," Aventurine rasps, running low on energy trying to just right his balance. Not good. Not good at all.
"Yeah...there are a bunch of people showing up here and there. I'm newer...but I can still help find them..." he mutters, eyes closing for a moment. "We have some people from my galaxy I think...and from. Teyvat? The Iudex said he was from Teyvat....Fontaine?" He hums in response about the plants. "Yeah they're a bit strange. If they catch some sunlight they can grow insanely fast to reach it. Which is....fine unless you're in the way. So heads up about that--"
He stiffens when a hand lands on his shoulder, eyes snapping open- since when did they stay closed??, realizing that he'd kind of...flopped against Kaeya's side again, supported by him and the metal wall, and now his hand on his shoulder. Shields flicker into being, and he quickly forces them down, his head aching from the effort.
The contact doesn't hurt. It even feels kinda nice, with the cool temperatures of both supports. But he can't help his breathing speeding up a bit. His hand shakes, and he quickly shoves it behind his back.
This man could overpower him like this. Easily.
But if he scrambles away now, he risks using up all his energy, which could be used to escape at a better time if he needed to.
Might as well bet on...leaning into the wounded animal shtick for now. Decent people pity wounded animals. They usually don't hurt them, and the guy seemed. Decent enough. Probably. He can still salvage this. He remains rather stiff under Kaeya's hand, but doesn't work to shrug it off. The support is helping.
And Kaeya's interested in the prospect of food. Aventurine can use that. He still has...a winning chance... "Right then. Sorry about...your personal space," he says sheepishly, playing on the inherent awkwardness to offset possible danger. "The ship should even out soon, based on...how it's done....before. I'll take you to the cafeteria when it does. It's great, really," He has to stop for a brief coughing fit. Those are starting to sound a bit worse...great. "There's just...food. Available. It's pretty good too...lots of options." That you don't have to pay for. Finding lost souls in the halls helps settle that need for payment, however.
It's not his fault his world's sky is fake. (He appreciates not being told Aven doesn't believe him)
“Well at least your well enough to stomach some humor,’ Kaeya adds. He does mean it, between the coughing and the unusual warmth, the fact this ‘gambler’ could actually probably converse right now was at least a good sign. He grimaces on the idea of a sentient boat, “That seems.... more unsettling than anything else.”
Kaeya finds the man bumping into him. He doesn’t comment on it for now, at first assuming its just thanks to the roots and vines at their feet. It reminds him during more peaceful times, just for a moment. Camping out on knight trips in tents, stuck close by just in case. Those times were... pleasant, and also not the thing to be focusing on.
He’s almost thankful for the apology out of the sole excuse to exit his mind. “It’s fine... It’s better than one of us finding ourselves in a completely different room... or a concussion,” Kaeya adds and lets Aventurine ramble on again. It’s a good habit when someone is letting their guard down.
He straightens immediately, eyes wide with alarm at the fact. There were others from Teyvat? Several thoughts go through his head, who exactly? Does he know any of them? Are they from Mondstadt too? He keeps his lips tight but he does retort, “We really have a bunch of people from all over, it seems.” He ignores the fact that galaxy is also not something he completely understands, is that bigger than ‘outer space’?
Kaeya glances at the plants, freezing as if to check. Upon closer inspection, the ones by the windows too tend to move. He thought it was just because of the fact the entire place was moving. “Good to know,” Kaeya pipes up, “Is there-”
He stops when he feels the man tense under his grasp, so much so Kaeya nearly pulls back completely. He makes his hand lighter, as if to draw it back the second it calls for it. Kaeya looks over Aventurine to realize exactly what is going on, the flickering of something causes him to tense up a little bit as well.
The more important thing is Aventurine seems too weak to actually pull anything at the moment. The man has been leaning on him intermittently and now his body seems fully committed to the bit.
He really can’t have Aventurine passing out or dying or... whatever is going on with him.
“You think you can stay awake long enough for that?” Kaeya asks. He thought about how tense the man still feels under his hold. “Speaking of personal space, if you need to save your energy, I can probably carry you.... as long as you can direct me once the ship evens out. You look.... pretty exhausted is all.”
The man seems small enough he can manage, of course it may put him in a bit of a spot with his arms full... but it may be worth it for the sake of securing an ally.
In which Aven's constitutions saves remain hilariously average (13)
He sighs, head drooping as he catches his breath, fighting to not start coughing again. "And don't worry too much about it. The ship has some ghosts--don't follow the disembodied whistling by the way, trust me on that, just don't-- but the ship itself is...sentient as far as an artificial intelligence can be." He squints at a middle distance, eyes flicking up to Kaeya's one good eye. "You guys...do you have computers where you're from? I may be assuming again, apologies-" more coughing. He knows he's rambling. He knows it. He just can't seem to stop...filling the silence comforts him. Distracts him from how it might be only this near stranger holding him up soon...
Plus, if he offers information, that might help secure his safety....
As out of it as Aventiurine is getting, he doesn't miss how Kaeya's posture shifts when he mentions Teyvat. Hm. Interesting. He'll offer a bit more..."Yeah...even from that Teyvat world, Neuv...illette...he said there are people from everywhere even there. Um...Fontaine. Sumeru...?" He squints again, trying to recall the names through the growing brain fog. "Um. Sneeze-naya?" He sighs. "Sorry, I might be saying these wrong. I may have been a planetary ambassador, but those are still rather foreign to me..."
He gets the feeling that Kaeya knows something about that. He doesn't want to provoke the guy that's basically holding his weight up right now, though. Between the overheating room (starting to think it's not the room...), the exhausted ache in his bones, and the new guy acting as one big cold compress, not to mention gravity, he really can't stand up straight. Annoying.
Terrifying.He really should have just stayed in his room."You wanna carry me...?" Aventurine laughs, unable to clamp down on how it makes his voice shake. Whether it's from fear or exhaustion is up to interpretation. He looks up at Kaeya's face...composed, one eye covered, but seeming serious. Then again. He doesn't know this person, doesn't know his tells. Hm...all things considered, though, it's not a bad idea. He could even feel the boat start to even out the angle of its floors, rotting furniture rolling around in the back.
Well...all or nothing.
"Sure. I can stay awake." I have to. He swallows down the growing fear. "Just...if you're gonna be my legs...Kaeya..." he adds, gripping the man's sleeve in his steadier hand. The ship continues to list back to its natural inclined state. "You...promise to only go where I say to...okay?"
Kaeya can tell this mans is not doing so good...
It’s weird to think that ghosts would sound the most normal . Aventurine had stated he was a newer passenger on the ship.
He shoots a surprised glance, Ildex Neuvilette, the leader of the Marechausse Phantom, of all people being here is quite the shock. Granted, he’s the quartermaster of Mondstadt and also here... it was still a surprise that caught him offguard. Also concerning, since that would mean there’s at least people from four nations around. Mondstadt, Sumeru, Fontaine, and-
He snickers a little bit at how the man says ‘Snezhnaya’. Oh, he is very sure Diluc would’ve paid money to hear that mispronunciation. Kaeya decides immediately not to correct that pronunciation at all.
Well... cat is pretty much out of the bag there. He just hopes the illness messed with this guy’s brain enough not to catch it.
“It’s better than you passing out,” Kaeya admits. It’s true that he doesn’t need a man on the floor at the moment and it is the reason why he offered. Potentially getting an ally or at least a favor wouldn’t be bad either.
There is a bit of silence, and the boat- if it is sentient at all- seems to be at least a little merciful at the moment. He doesn’t blame the gambler either for the hesitation. He would personally rather risk passing out than be carried by some strange in an equally strange situation. Kaeya can at least get an idea give the man some props for the trust... or stupidity. Aventurine really is a gambler...
The boat at least evens out a little more before Aventurine grabs his arm. He flinches a tad but responds by holding onto Aventurine’s shoulder a little more, not quite a squeeze but at least not as lightly.
“We have a deal then,” Kaeya pipes up. “I wouldn’t want to get lost anyway. So I’ll be your legs, and you’ll be the navigator. As long as you don’t pass out and I keep to the path.” He recites it for clarity as well as to ensure Aventurine is aware he knows the rules.
Once the boat finally is on evened out, Kaeya adds, “We better get going before the ship goes over another mountain.”
He estimates that Aventurine is at least small enough to carry. He puts a hand behind Aventurine’s back and then hooks another arm under the Aventurine’s legs. He does his best to quickly lift him up while dealing with the more mild rocking of the ship, but finds a way to maintain the new weight and balance.
At least this way he can keep an eye on the gambler, even if he can’t use his hands at the moment. “Where to first?” he asks.
Sickie GPS is a GO
And...yeah. Kaeya definitely gives reactions about Teyvat. Either he's from there or knows it...good to know. He'll file the information away for later to ask about in a less...compromising situation.
"Won't pass out...m'fine." Says the guy that totally looks about to pass out. Great. He forces his eyes open as if to prove a point.
The boat evens out, and Kaeya goes so far to state the terms of their agreement, clear and concise. Huh. Wow. That...did make him feel a little better, actually. Took some of the risk out of it but that's fine...still up to both of them to uphold the deal. "Yeah. Deal. Let's...let's go."
He takes a deep breath as Kaeya works to scoop him up, biting back a groan as the change in position makes the room seem to spin for a bit. Great. He's fine. He's got this. He can handle it. Just...he squeezes his eyes closed, not realizing he's clutching at Kaeya's shirt for stability.
The other man asked something. Right. Navigator. Directions. He cracks his eyes open, feeling a little less lightheaded. "Right," he breathes, pointing. "Go to the end of this hall and turn right. We'll...we'll go fr'm there..."
Hey google, anything else I need to know about this boat?
“Sure you are~” Kaeya muses. “Let’s see how well you keep your end of the bargain.”
Kaeya feels a tug on his top as Kaeya gets himself stable. Seems they both needed a minute to adjust to things. Kaeya normally runs pretty cold, but the feeling of the heat on Aventurine definitely is a concern. He makes a mental point to see exactly what’s wrong with this man.
“Alright then,” Kaeya responds and does what he is told. It’s a little amusing that he’s a captain taking orders from a (most likely) feverish man. Kaeya is hoping that Aventurine’s brain, if it is a fever, isn’t cooked enough to send them on a wild goose chase. He keeps fast enough pace to make it to the end of the hall and turn right, taking a minute to look over the place.
The roots are still thick, several had punctured into the wall, and the roots on the floor shuffle a bit. He feels himself tense up at the idea of if these plants are moving on their own accord or if its just the boat’s rocking. He tries not to think about it. He takes a deep breath and asks, “Where to next?”
He decides to pipe up and add, “So... other than the ghosts, sentient boat, and vines, am I missing anything else when it comes to anything noteworthy on the boat? Anything you’ve noticed?”
Google maps says RUN
"Right...well. Lucky me you're not one of those worse things, hm?" Aventurine mutters, giving a weak laugh.
He sucks in a shaky breath. "Don't call me out for bluffing just yet, alright? We'll-" He coughs-"We'll see where the chips fall."
And aeons were they falling. Now off his feet, his headache pounds against his skull with a vengeance. He hisses at a fresh wave of pain, subconsciously pressing his forehead against the literal cold shoulder nearby. The guy must be some sort of pathstrider to give off this kind of frigid temperature....it helps, whatever it is.
He's asked where to go next. Right. Right. Focus. He looks up and around, knowing Kaeya did go where he was told. Good. "Okay. So you need to go to the end of this hall and take a left. I th'nk ther're some stairs..."
He squints as he considers Kaeya's next question. "Well...there're like...farms? Alot f'different ones. Th'ship maintains them...been d'serted for...c'turies..." His words are getting a bit more slurred the tireder he gets. Wonderful. Great. He huffs. "Desert wasteland outside. Inhospit'ble. Barrier 'round the ship to...to protect..." He trails off looking up as light flickers-
Right above their position. The quiet rustling sounds grow louder.
"GO-MOVE--" Aventurine shouts, throwing his shoulder to jolt Kaeya forward, who seems to avoid the plants from below cutting them clean in half. But there are more lights flicking in in the hall, one by one-
Aventurine hisses in frustration. Great. Just great. "Keep going, don't- don't stop- stairs-run--" he all but wheezes, forcing his way through the pain and brain fog to muster up some shields to block the sharp ferns coming at them from the side. He flinches as the preservation energy catches them in time.
((Kaeya, to you it may look like a geo construct of some sort. You wouldnt be far off really.))
The impact echoes through his mind with a sort of agony that never happened when his stoneheart was functional. Dammit. He pulls on the buzzing shards in his pocket, ignoring how dizzy this makes him. He has...he has to make this work. "RUN-"
In which Aventurine's horribly average rolls become MY average rolls (11 and 12)
The entire hallway isn’t exactly one he wants to traverse, but... a deal is a deal. Kaeya grimaces a little bit at the idea of I think... That’s the last thing he wants to the person who’s the only source of actual information here.
Kaeya notes the slurring, something that he would usually be the one to pry information out of a person if he was in a much better position. He doesn’t admit he’s shuffling things around and plucking up some information out of Aventurine’s brain. It’s not like the man is very functional right now. Kaeya does have some standards at the very least to not dig deeper, to push further than what their delicate arrangement allows.
He’d rather not set off Aventurine like a pyro barrel.... Not like he disliked this rather clinical back and forth. It made it easier for whatever would happen in the future.
He nods and says, “Interesting...” His mind grasps at the idea of how long that exactly has been. Aventurine looks around his age, so this ship has been long since on the road beyond their existences. He files away all the information. It’s grim and he can’t help but feel unsettled that this place is the best shot any of them have at survival, but survival is better than an assured death. “To protect from what?” he dares to ask.
That question will have to be saved for later.
The entirety of the foliage moves like one big beast, both in the same way a regisvine flails its body. Kaeya responds quick enough to the call from the man in his arms, ducking to the side to avoid the barrage of plants.
He was stuck to the side as they receded a bit, as if to draw back for another swing. The lights flicker on and off like candlelight. Kaeya recalls the information a little too late. He can feel his vision make the temperature drop around him just a little bit-
The ferns lash out too quick for him to move properly out of the way.
He watches as a geo constructed shield appears around them, sending the ferns off-course before Kaeya can properly react. “A vision holder?” Kaeya can’t help but mutter out, stunned for a second.
Aventurine’s call immediately gets Kaeya moving. He races as fast as he can as the entire hallway comes alive in the worst way possible.
Kaeya doesn’t have the same mobility he normally does, which causes him to have to make more conscious efforts of his footing in a less than stellar situation. He just focuses on running to the best of his abilities, hoping this shield will at least hold up from the moments that the foliage comes for them like a guillotine.
Just keep running-
He sees the end eventually through the jungle, trying to get his legs to move as fast as he can. He manages to duck into the dark section that is the stairs. The plant life seems to dull their ferocity now that it’s prey has left out of sight. It’s a bit of reprieve that leaves Kaeya taking in gulps of air; Kaeya isn’t unfamiliar with running... but not with an entire person in his arms. He glances at the flickering shield around him and then back at the man in his arms. “Hey, that was good thinking, you alright?” he asks.
Sorry he likes to win even in losing (nat 1 con save. 2)
But maybe even luck has its costs, and this may be one such situation.
Kaeya’s running as he told him to, which is-it’s good. It jostles him around, and he knows the man is trying his best, but Aeons it hurts it hurts-his head feels like it might explode with all the hits he’s taking with the shields, making dark spots scatter across his vision.
He has to hold out. He has to. Aventurine groans, squeezing his eyes shut. He flings his arms around the man's neck as he runs, trying to hold steady by pressing his face into Kaeya’s shoulder, breathing labored and unsteady. He doesn’t- have to see the plants- he just needs to hold them steady-safe- run—
He hears a question about…vision? No…no he can’t see, he doesn’t--doesn’t need to…overusing Imaginary energy in this state…he can feel the Imprisonment setting in. He hates it. But they need to…
Someone asks if…he’s alright…? They’re not moving anymore...oh...
He loosens his grip, letting himself slip and fall against what...he thinks is an arm. Whoever's asking about his health is...so far away, like through a tunnel...
"M'fine...sist'r..." It's dark...they should be well hidden now...they're...safe...
Aventurine's eyes close, body going limp as his tenuous grasp on consciousness slips away, his shields flickering one more time before disappearing into gold dust.
Annnnnnd the GPS needs more batteries....
Sister?
And like that the man closes his eyes and passes out, leaving Kaeya to process exactly what is going on. The last flicker of the shield confirms its not a rouse. Kaeya first looks around, partially annoyed the only one who knew where to go was passed out, but mostly concerned about their present safety.
Aventurine had broken his side of the bargain.... However, he had also been the reason Kaeya himself got out unscathed and Kaeya needed an ally like that around.
He tries to ignore this man also probably has family back where he’s from.Kaeya breathes a sigh.Kaeya makes his own deal: Something dangerous comes out, he moves them both out of harm’s way. For now, he’ll stay by the man on the staircase.
It’s enough for Kaeya’s instincts to quickly put him down and assess any and all damage the plants could’ve caused. With a once over, he can’t see anything so much as a rip or tear in the expensive clothes Aventurine is wearing. It appears he wasn’t in any worse condition than he was when Kaeya met him, at least physcially.
He then moves to heart rate, by pressing a hand against his neck to check. That’s when he notices how warm his skin feels and the sheen of sweat. Kaeya runs a little colder than most people, not enough to be inhuman, but enough that his perception of a fever can be a tad bit off. However, his own vision couldn’t make up the fact that his man’s forehead felt pretty warm for a person, confirming a fever and potentially concerning one at that. He goes over the other vitals to ensure the man is at least stable. He may not be Barbara but he does have some knowledge of First Aid.
Kaeya sighs and takes off his jacket to at least provide a proper cushion for the head, since they might be there for a bit. He lays a hand on his forehead. He may not be Barbara, but he can at least check to ensure that he can check this man’s heart rate and vitals a little more easier, as well as if he needs to defend both of them in case something else wants to pay them a visit.
Sorry your GPS is overheating and experiencing technical difficulties
It's also too hot. And too cold. Both...and that's confusing. Shouldn't nihility be nothingness...? His limbs are weighted down, his thoughts sluggish....feels like...Imprisonment.
Which isn't good...he should fight that. There was danger, wasn't there...?
Aventurine stirs under Kaeya's hand. Not awake, but working on it, it seems. His breathing hitches.
Imprisonment...shackles...enslaved. No. No...someone's holding him down now. Someone's-- it's too hot. It burns-- the metals coming closer to his neck and they're holding his head down--
Aventurine whimpers as he comes to thrashing. "NO- nonnno pl'se-" he rasps, weakly reaching up, hands heavy and clumsy to cover...a certain mark on his neck. "St'p it- hurts-I--"
He opens his eyes, and everything's blurry. He sees...a smudge of blue and white...dark hair...oh. Oh. He stops moving and lays back on...something soft. Oh.
"D'ct'r...m'sorry, did I fall asl'p?" He chuckles weekly. Ratio's probably annoyed with him for nodding off during another lecture. But that's...normal... And the Doctor may dislike him but he'd never let mast- that man brand him again. The cool hand on his head is safe...comforting even. Feels good. He bumps against it without thinking, like a lonely kitten. "S'rry...did y'ask me...s'mething...? M'listening now..."
I'll get the ice cubes
He flinched when he notices someone move under his hand quite soon after he passed out. He watches the man shuffle and move. Kaeya takes a look around, keeping an eye on any dangers before suddenly he hears the man’s return to the land of the living.
It isn’t a very warm welcome apparently. Kaeya snaps back to look at Aventurine as the man mutters something. He pulls away for a moment only to realize the man reaches out and... reaches for his neck. That black mark on his neck.... a strange pattern Kaeya hasn’t seen before, and its quite hard to see considering Aventurine's hands are trying to cover it, however how Aventurine is acting.... Kaeya can give a few random guesses, ones that weren’t exactly pleasant. He lays the hand back onto Aventurine’s forehead to continue trying to calm the fever down.
The confusion seems to slip away after a minute, foggy, glassy eyes finally realizing he exists despite being his ice pack.
“You did,” Kaeya takes it upon himself to both respond and snake a hand behind Aventurine’s neck. He tries to create a small bit of cryo just to try to at least cool off two important parts to try to cool him off. Kaeya pauses before lifting one hand away from Aventurine’s forehead and showing 3 fingers, “How many fingers am I holding up?”
Cooling systems starting up again, rebooting...
The hand moves to the back of his neck, which makes him flinch a little, but then he immediately relaxes against it. It's refreshingly cool. He's...too tired to figure out the voice thing...Ratio should have things handled, right...? He sighs, eyes fluttering closed, letting the coldness ground him...
But then he's asked about...fingers? He groans, eyes squinting at even the dim lights. Hurts...he looks blearily up at the doctor's hand...
"Three...why the dumb...question, Doc...? Y'ok...?" His brows furrow, foggy memories of yelling, of fast moving plants drifting up. "Whh...what...what h'ppned..."
Currently running a lot of processes on the CPU... maybe that's why it malfunctioned
The man settles under his hand, relaxing a little. At least Kaeya can cool down the blood and hopefully controlling the fever enough to not have the man boiling his brain like a fried egg if they have to move.
“Just bare with me,” Kaeya has to urge him. Sure, the question is right, but everything else.... Apparently this ‘doctor’ he keeps talking about is similar to himself in appearance? “You passed out just now... you’re running a pretty bad fever,” Kaeya starts with the important knowledge. “You got us out of a tricky spot concerning some rather angry plants.”
“And.... Do you have an idea where you are?” It’s an important question at the moment. Sure, Kaeya could correct him that he wasn’t his doctor friend. Maybe he should. There was plenty of good reasons for either option. Not now though. The first part was more important in case of emergencies, as well as the fact Aventurine was apparently having details slip through his fingers like sand.
Kaeya waits for a bit before pressing his hand on Aventurine’s forehead again, rotating between the two locations to try to not irritate the skin.
CPU requires more memory :V
Aventurine hums in response, sleepy and limp. It’s so hot in here, but the…compress? Moving to his face and neck is incredibly soothing…he can’t help giggling, logic getting a little more distant.
“Y’sound funny, Doc…y’worried…? Ha, ‘course not, I always…get better…” he murmurs. “I h’ve to…”
His face scrunches up, forcing his eyes back open. “S’rry for passin’ out…broken cornerstone m’kes power…hard lately…and c’n’t sleep ‘fter nihility sea…” He waves a hand, weak and uncoordinated. “N’ghtmares. Sucks…” Fever would explain all the wild temperatures. Great. Thankfully Ratio has these nice cold compresses…they’re easing the headache too.
“Plants…? Wh’t sorta n’ghtmare…” Were they exploring a different hour in Penacony? He feels like he’s forgetting…something. A light, plants lunging for it, him and…someone being in the way…he had to keep them safe…
He groans. “P’nacony…right? I drowned…and end’d up in the…the real dream…” His bleary eyes sweep over the blurred, overgrown surroundings. “Pr’tty shabby, not gonna lie. No w’nder Sunday didn’ want people knowin’ ‘bout it…” His head aches. Something’s wrong with this conclusion. He can’t…
He looks over at where he thinks Ratio’s face is. His vision is so blurry, his thoughts and limbs heavy. All key symptoms of Imprisonment. He’s vaguely surprised he’s not being chewed out for being stupid yet, since this is likely his own doing. His brow furrows. “Ratio…did I…die for real…? This place…doesn’t look l’ke wh’t we were…lookin for…”
Re: CPU requires more memory :V
“Yes you do have to,” Kaeya repeats. And in a lot of ways he means it. The last thing he wants is getting lost, and this man’s baked brain is the only thing he has to work with right now. The name “doctor” keeps popping up and honestly, Kaeya wishes the man would just appear if only for the reason to help him out.
Kaeya breathes a sigh, knowing that isn’t going to happen. Unless he’s lucky.... and he’s never THAT lucky.
Considering all of the senseless talk about a sea, and a.... cornerstone, none of which he can only drawe small comparisons. Maybe this ‘Penacony’ is where he is from and there’s a Sea of Nihility; maybe its a coastal city? It would make sense the man who’s been through a sea that can cause nightmares didn’t really mind this ship all that much.
“Who knows, maybe you’re actually asleep,” Kaeya mutters, half joking. He wishes this was a dream at the very least. His eyes widen at the idea of any funny business happening regarding the man closing his eyes and adds, “Don’t close your eyes.”
“Considering you probably feel awful and the look of this place, I’m not expert on the afterlife but that probably means you aren’t dead,” Kaeya tells him.
“Listen, you’re not in a condition to be lying on a stairwell floor,” Kaeya states. “You’re on a boat, you took a wrong turn somewhere. And...” Kaeya knows this is important even if Aventurine would be ten times more cooperative. “I’m not your Doctor friend. I don’t know what you’re looking for. But I need you to work with me here, cause we can’t just sit in this stairwell forever. We need to get somewhere a little more safer than this.”
You GPS has rebooted and is now embarrassed!!!
Aventurine grins, clearly not with it, but finding humor all the same. “Yeah, pretty cr’ppy place f’r dead people to rest at. Weird Hell, even.” And someone like Doctor Ratio doesn’t belong in Hell with him, anyway. He grimaces as his pounding head makes itself known again.
“Boat…?” He hums, hazy memories flowing forward. Rocking floors, tipping so severely to send them sliding…someone picking him up when he couldn’t stand any longer, arms too wirey and thin to be Ratio’s-
Aventurine lurches into sitting upright, and isn’t that a bad move. Still, he can see the stairs, the dilapidated metal halls, the damn plants…they all swirl sickeningly, and he groans, falling back against…against…
“Kaeya. Kaeya, right…?” He mutters, his face heating up for reasons unrelated to his apparent fever. That’s…so embarrassing. He’d… Aeons… “Sorry…I broke ‘ur deal…fell ‘sleep…” He’s…in much worse shape than he’d thought. Dammit. Dammit.
And yet he can’t help noticing that this near stranger…remained where he’d told him to go. He’s even…helping? With some sort of ice power that does a great job of breaking through the overbearing heat… That’s not nesicarily…part of the deal…but Aventurine’s the one with directions…he lets out a shuddering breath.
“Right. Th’ship. You stayed at th’ stairs…I kn’w y’don’t know where t’go but…still. Thanks.” Because Aventurine’s been helpless in the presence of some…much less savory folk. He’s rather relieved the person holding his life in his hands seems so keen to do what he says he will. He doesn’t get it, but he appreciates it, crappy as the situation is.
“ ‘Kay. S’rry, I know where w’are. Up th’stairs…left. Almost there…” He huffs, then, knowing full well he can’t stand on his own right now. “Could I…do I dare…ask for y’re help again…after bein’ such a terrible guide…?”
What a mess.
Travel is a go~
He only comments on the idea of this place being for dead people, remembering his own feeling of blood running down his face. He shakes his head and humours the comment, “I hope we aren’t dead.... that would be quite unfortunate. Can’t say I’ve thought of the idea.” It brings up thoughts of what would happen to a sinner like him, if he were to die suddenly. He closes his eye and shakes his head.
Finally it seems that he gets some concept of idea where he is. Kaeya sighs and lets out a small chuckle, “Quick trip... Welcome back to the land of the living, or should I say conscious.” He corrects himself just in case this man really did think he died.
The man sits up quickly than he expects, earning a flinch out of Kaeya before he grabs onto his shoulder to steady him. “Slow down, we don’t need you passing out a second time... or at least wait until the cafeteria.”
Kaeya nods, “That’s correct, Mr. Aventurine.” Kaeya takes it all with stride, even if this alliance is short lived, a deal for the future was something good at least. He also thinks about reliability, hoping to at least to show off something of a good ally. “That’s fine.... let’s just say you owe me one and we consider the matter finished.”
It seemed that waiting had at least paid off rather than plucking him up off the ground and moving him. “Your welcome. I wouldn’t exactly like being dragged off somewhere unconsciously myself. We already have a world of problems, do we not?” That’s... not entirely the truth, but he keeps up the smile. Would he have moved if he needed to? Yes. Would he add more factors onto the table if it suited him? He knows he would.
He nods and says, “It’s no problem. I’m just glad we know where we are going so if anything else occurs, we are somewhere safer....” He pauses and adds, “I assume it’s safer at the very least.”
“One moment,” Kaeya adds as he uses a free hand to grab the jacket he was using as a pillow for Aventurine’s head, putting it back on before warning him. “Going to pick you up now.” He takes a minute to ease the muscles from his legs due to sitting uncomfortably on the stairwell before picking the man up again. He stumbles at first again, but manages to keep standing, and laughs, “Sorry... still getting my.... boat legs.”
Enjoy more random information from your loopy GPS, Kaeya
Kaeya's scolding to slow down is a bit like Ratio, so he does kinda see why he made the mistake...still. Embarrassing.. It is a relief to lay back down, and the coolness against his heated skin is a bonus...
He does tense a bit about owing the guy one. Being in debt...he supposes it's fair in this case. He doesn't have to like it. "Yeah...'kay. Owe ya one...don' keep me hangin' too long, kay?" he slurs, his smirk going crooked.
Well...he's been dragged off unconscious before. Drugged, beaten, chained...and met with some not so fun outcomes. He always came out on top, but....he'd like to avoid it when possible...and Kaeya seemed to understand on some level...that drained the tension from him, just a bit. "More like worlds 'f problems, yeah..." he mumbles as Kaeya works to stand with him in tow. He feels the unsteadiness, and the room spins around him. He groans, raising his hand to cling to the man's shirt again. "Y...yeah. Boat legs take...a b't...you'll get it...jus' don' drop me, heh..."
As Kaeya starts moving, Aventurine thinks over his other words. He nods, eyes heavy. "Yeah...c'f'ter'a has like...rolling tree trunks...? But they're easy t' avoid...good food there too..." He sighs, tired, pressing his cheek against the man's shoulder. It really is...blessedly cool...
"Ques'ion...are ya like...hm. Ya got ice pow'rs 'r somethin'...? I could be overheatin'...but y'r like 'n icepack...s'nice..." He's got enough brain power for directions. He has that. But if he were healthy and fully lucid he would not be saying all this. But then he wouldn't need a cold compress if he was healthy, would he...?
...he should stop talking. But then he might nod off. Not a great situation. He's really lucky Kaeya has been so hospitable.
Im checking the memory and relogging the information in the databanks of Google searches
Kaeya nods, relaxing at the so called deal. “The sounds like a fine deal to me,” he agrees in a chipper tone. Having this man owe him a little bit is quite the nice bonus after all. A stepping stone in terms of survival.
“I won’t drop you, I’ve at least kept a record of that,” he chuckles as he heads up the stairs and around the corner. He’s thankful that Aventurine’s mind has come back enough to at least be sensible enough to get him the rest of the directions. He makes his way there with a semi unstable gait, but the progress is at least better than before.
“Worlds does sound more accurate.” Kaeya tenses a little at the question. Although he’d like to keep it himself, the cat was already out of the bag. “You are overheating... but you’re intuition isn’t wrong. I have ice powers. Where I’m from... we call it Cryo,” he states. Either Aventurine will forget due to the fever, or he gains a small bit of information that’s about somewhere worlds away, he figures tossing the gambler a crumb about himself is a good enough compromise to trust.
“What about you? What was that gold shield?” he asks. “You spoke about some kind of cornerstone?”
Your queries keep gps from going into sleep mode, good job
He huffs a weak laugh at the man's easy acceptance of a deal. At least someone's happy about it.
"Good...thanks f'r...the care..." he murmurs. Really did seem like Kaeya was trying. He watches their progress through half lidded eyes. "Ther're less...plants closer to th' cafeteria...almost there..." He considers their location. "Down thi' hall...take a right...elevator...um..." His eyes flutter closed with thought, and stay there. "R0...button..."
Ice powers. Makes sense. "Like...pathstrid'r...." he says, forcing his eyes back open at the info and questions. "Nice...hel'ful." He considers how to explain his shields in his state. "Com'licated...I can use...imag'nary energy. With pow'r from the Pre...servation aeon. Like a god...you have those...?" he asks, remembering that even if this guy is from his cosmos, he might not know. "I had a...focus. Cornerstone..." He fumbles in his coat pocket, searching for a piece to show, since that'd be easier than talking. Are there...less pieces than he thought? Oh no, here's one.
He holds up a shard of the Aventurine of Strategems, blue-green in color. "Used t'...make me str'nger...I broke it though, haha..." He laughs, exhausted, and not just physically now. "Pr'bly part of why m' like this now...s'rry."
Re: Your queries keep gps from going into sleep mode, good job
"It's fine, aside from the deal, you've done well enough to pull your weight," Kaeya hums. "I'm afraid until I get my bearings on everything, I am limited in what I can do. I'll take being the walking human ice pack for now."
He nods and adds, "Alright, sir." He takes going down the hall as instructed. As predicted, the plants do begin to lessen as he walks. At least he's still semi-accurate.
"Sure... We don't have a term for them where I am from like that, vision holders is probably one of the most common though," Kaeya mentions. "A tad more rare where I am from it seems."
His interest is peaked when he hears about the strange kind of power Aventurine has. "Imaginary, like... make-believe? Creative type maybe?" The kind of power doesn't really make sense to him, he ponders it and adds, "We don't have anything like that where I am from."
"We do have those, we call them archons where I am from, our powers are given to us by the gods as well," Kaeya pipes up. Considering Aventurine's headspace, giving a little bit of information wouldn't be terrible. "So it amplifies these 'imaginary' abilities of yours?"
He takes a right finding himself by a set of doors quite quickly. It takes a moment to find the button, thankfully. He adjusts Aventurine in his grip to try to push the button. However, keen not to drop the man that's looks very much ready to have a second nap, he adds, "May you do the honors?"
Sleepy yapper is yappin
"Oh...'kay. Good...hate bein'...useless..." he mutters. "Ship isn't so bad...'side the ghos's an' plants...which you saw th' plants..." Aventurine's face scrunches up, as he tries to remember a very specific term Ratio said. "Photo...tropism? Crazy stuff...grow real fast n' matter what's in the way...when there's light." If Kaeya didn't understand what was happening before, he should. He needs to know.
"Hmmm...visions..." Someone talked about that recently...oh yeah. "Yeah...ok. Childe said somethin' bout those...makes sense." He should probably not talk about Childe when his tongue is so loose. Redirecting. "I dunno 'bout more rare, I think our universe jus' has more...vague requirements..."
"Yeah, uh-" he stifles a cough in his elbow. "Bit more removed...m'boss is an Emenator of Preservation, and he gave me this...he's gon' be so mad I broke it...if I ever make it back. Problem for f'ture 'venturine!" he chuckles weakly, tucking the cornerstone piece way again. "Made me stronger, makin' my life dif'cult now though..."
"Mmm?" he hums, his eyes indeed closed again when he didn't mean to. Oops. "S'rry, yeah...yeah one sec..." He turns his head from Kaeya's shoulder, missing the chill but...ok. Button. His vision is pretty blurry but....with some fumbling, he hits the right one. The elevator opens with a ding. "All ab'rd, friend."
Listen Hindsight is 20-2o as I play Kaeya knowing how future Kaeya is doing
"I'd hate to see the ghosts," he jokes, not exactly worried about that prospect. He's heard (and told) some scary tales about them before. It'll be fine if he runs into one or two. Kaeya pauses at the word and says, "No idea what the photo is other than photographs... which I doubt is what you are talking about."
Kaeya shrugs, "If anything, I wish they were stricter." He means it, because the weight on his side sometimes is much too heavy. Enough to remind him of exactly what happened and what he can never do: the truth will try to kill him... No matter what he does. Before he freezes in that cruel cold truth, he can at least try to bare through the storm with a small fire and hope he can make it through the eternal winter alive.
Kaeya chuckles, the man's near drunken antics really making him think a night drinking would be a generally interesting time with this man. Kaeya steps in and mumbles, "Alright... let's go then..."
An apple a day...makes the Doctor less likely to kill you. Probably.
"You're not s'possed to see the ghosts, Kaeya. Th's the point," Aventurine hums, laughing lowly, his eyes closing with dizziness as the elevator rises with them in it. Ugh. Ratio's gonna kill him if this headache doesn't. "No no no phototrop-whate'er has like...light. Somethin' abou' light."
Wishing they were stricter? Where's the fun in that though..."T'each their own..."
Aventurine knows he's nodding off, and he knows he's babbling near deliriously. But it's...not like the IPC is on the boat. He doesn't have enemies he knows about here, and Kaeya has been pleasant enough. It's probably fine. Still, his head hurts, and he's pretty sure his fever is just getting worse. When they reach the right floor and Kaeya exits, Aventurine blinks at the brighter lights, his head swaying as he goes to bury his face against the other's shoulder.
"Ugh...um. Go down this hallway n' take a right. Then a ways, th'n any door 'n the left. Caf'teria's big..." He pauses for a moment, then deflates a bit with a huff. "N' as much as I'd love to share a meal, y'might...have t'drop me off at the uh...clinic inst'd...don' feel good..." Which is a massive understatement, but it's something. He blinks slowly, thoughts moving as if through honey. "Try 'n bring...I dunno...let's bring an apple or two, maybe Rotio'll be...less mad."
Buddy they say feed a fever
But I'm not hungry (Says the guy who set out for a snack in the first place)
If I had a nickel for every time I needed the cafeteria meal list I'd have two nickels- its my curse
It is an extensive menu, you gotta know the options!! (the end~)
Off to the doctor! (END)