10/29 --- Δ Haggard Traveler’s Reprieve?????

[gluttoning]

Who: ??? & you!
What: Something's starting...
Where: Δ Haggard Traveler’s Reprieve (Twilight Shoreline)
When: Sunday, 10/29
Warnings: Will be added as needed.

( Perhaps intrigued by the mail allegedly sent by CC Corp, perhaps visiting the Shoreline by chance, gating into the Area goes as it always does, until the music stays cut for longer than it should, and the black, liminal transition screen lingers for a little too long. The seconds tick on. They near turn to minutes. You can't struggle, you can't argue— you can only simply be, and it occurs to you that maybe you'll be trapped midway here, conscious, for maybe forever.

And then you hear static. Your vision warps; pixels strain into words, blurred and unstable. You see them combat for your attention; you see— )



( And then you load in. )

( POST NAVIGATION )
( Sign-in Comment (Mandatory) • How to Play • Mechanics

Phase 1 • Round 1 • Round 2 • Round 3 • Round 4 • Round 5 • Round 6

Phase 2 • Round 7 • Round 8 • Round 9 • Round 10 •
Round 11 • Round 12

Epilogue )

Comments

/2

[gluttoning]

[It's not too long of a moment, nothing more than a gesture among gestures. But it's not one Morgan has ever really initiated before - not so suddenly, so firmly, with conviction still steady in his tone. It leaves him a little breathless, the statement well and strongly made as he slowly nods.]

I'd like that.

...I wish I could be there to help you. Or... to tell you to stay. [It's selfish, and from how he can't meet Morgan's eyes, he is very aware of how selfish that desire is.] But I know this is something you need to do. For closure, and for everybody else. So...

[Both hands slip to rest up against either side of Morgan's jawline - a bare touch, cherishing.]

I want to make sure you have what you need. Whatever it is I can do to help... I'll do it.

[tablescraps]

... Hani.

( He's known it before, and it's what he's best known them by, but he says it with particular care this time, like someone come up to him dressed in something nice and new. )

Thanks for visiting me, before. ( When he went by Macha. ) ... Does your head hurt?

( All that distress, and all those tears... literal or metaphorical, depending on how well icons can be believed. He and Barrett really put them through the emotional ringer, as has Cubia getting his little fingers into the people Hani cares for. )

[tylorific]

Totally sure.

[ Tylor says it breezily, giving his wingman a thumbs up. He's still a little pale for the energy he's exuding right now. ]

Besides, I'll only slow everyone down like this, don't you think? So I'll just rest here a little while.

[deto]

[ misteaks’ name just makes him hungrier, famished ]

Can you stay awake while we eat?

[justonezero]

I think so? ...I should probably eat, too.

[tablescraps]

( He shakes his head - it wasn't about that for him, necessarily. )

Even if we're in the same country, or the same state... I didn't think there was anything but Fragment binding us.

( It helped that he lost his memories of reality, but. It was a worry he had before Cubia tampered with his head, too. )

It was hard to believe that eventually, these relationships wouldn't taper off.

[tablescraps]

( Mithrun allows it. It's - strange and confusing, but he thinks... he doesn't hate it. Gestures of care; a language he's slowly learning how to speak.

A beat, after Leo asks. )

... I did. I didn't realize I meant that much to you.

( But also, he feels like he's taken by surprise every time someone's expressed he means something them, whether romantic or platonic. He doesn't think much about himself at all, and he's just barely fumbling through simple feelings, basic preferences. The idea that people do feel strongly about him - that Leo felt so strongly about him, and now he's here - is something he's still learning his way around.

Even so, he's come to understand it has weight and meaning. )

Did you want an answer? Or... did you just want me to know?

( It sounds like a stupid question, maybe insensitive, but it's Mithrun trying to be conscientious. He's not good at understanding people's feelings, so he needs to ask, and asking is a sign he cares enough to try. Not perfect, but it's an effort. )

[bleatingedge]

The latter.

[There's a small exhale, a mixture of a laugh and a sigh. Then Leo speaks, keeping his voice low:]

The words we've exchanged, the things we've done over the past few weeks... keep them in here... [He reaches up slightly and ruffles Mithrun's hair.] ...but don't let them get in the way of you and Misteaks. I'm rooting for the two of you.

[tablescraps]

( It is selfish, but it's a good selfish. He likes hearing it, even though it's not really pragmatic, even if it serves no particular purpose; or— maybe it does. He wonders if these small, vestigial statements are ways people tell each other they care.

Unrequited love, in some way, is pretty easy. There's not so much you can do about a failure to connect but lament. Making things work, learning to understand a language not your own and forming a pidgin between the two of you— that's a lot harder. )

... Okay. I'll tell you what I need. So... talk to me.

( What he'd asked of Barrett when all of everything with Cubia was getting worse, but also— what he'd told Barrett at the hospital. There are things he can and will ask of Barrett to better brace the both of them for the coming danger, but— what does Mithrun need, besides the things necessary to survive? Not very much. Not much at all.

He just likes talking to him. He missed that. )

... I'm not leaving you alone, though. ( Legs aside, there's— ) Especially not if there's a chance Cubia might approach you again. I'm not letting him harass you.

[tablescraps]

( The hair ruffle catches him by surprise. " !! " face!! But he doesn't mind it, or protest.

He considers what Leo says. (Tangentially, he considers that the whole Tarvos-Macha narrative really aired some of that dirty laundry out for the players, huh...) )

... I won't forget it.

( No one has to care. Remembering everything that he does now, he knows this very well. So... )

And if you need it, I'll fight for you, too. Whether as a guildmate, or a friend.

( He's not good at articulating sentiment, but he is very good at acts of service and action. His attempt to be reciprocal, in some way. )

[deto]

So our list is eat, shower, sleep. Sounds doable. [ although yoshi looks about ready to drop ] How about you wait at the guild and I’ll grab us some food? Unless you really wanna go together?

[dissimulative]

[ It's so funny to see Mithrun mad for some reason... he looks so peeved, but it also makes him seem so full of life. Oria can appreciate that right now, considering how he thought Mithrun was dead not even an hour ago.

He waves his hand though. ]

I "killed" more people than I got hurt, so I think they'll probably need some more compensation that I do. I just got nicked in the leg.

[ Oria lifts his left leg, the fabric of the pants torn with blood, but it isn't deep. He also shook off the mental attack on his mind, so really. Oria is one of the people who got off easy.

He's still soaked though. ]

[dissimulative]

I mean, the battle is over, so there's really nothing to slow down...

[ But then Oria catches a glimpse of Sinclair and Michel over yonder. Hm. He doesn't like that. ]

But alright. I'll call someone over. Don't get hurt more while I'm gone!

[ And Oria runs off. He's got a score to settle. ]

[justonezero]

...I don't really want to be away from you right now.

[He's alive, obviously he is, but...

That moment of terror and grief is still fresh.]

I'll be alright.

[tylorific]

You got it! Good luck!

[ He calls out breezily with a wave. They fall after, fingers digging in the sand. At least he is probably about to get splinted by Leo and Hector anyway. Tylor doesn't look concerned in the slighest at being left, even when his chest hurts a little. Feelings are feelings. But he accepts that he won't be helping catch anyone like this from the moment he realizes it. It isn't for a lack of wanting.

Tylor's grateful that Michel has people that care about him so much. That love him too. Tylor would've asked him for a game, if he hadn't run off like that. Unprompted, he also remembers how grateful he is that he was able to help win the fight, that everyone is alive. That he still has ears to listen to the beach.

He trusts them all completely anyway. They'd do their best with or without him. Oria would care for Em. At a glance, he sees Hani care for Ramiel. They would always return to him after the important things get sorted. Despite his leg, the pain, Tylor's smile is content in his optimism from the moment Oria steps away. ]

[bleatingedge]

Alright! Here... we... go.

[Leo takes the padding for the splint and gently slides it into place underneath Tylor's leg, then tightly ties the top half with the included rope.]

[bleatingedge]

[Leo finally lets go of Mithrun and flashes him a grin.]

I appreciate that. I've got your back too. If you need anything, anything, please let me know, and I'll be right there for you.

[justonezero]

That's true. Relationships can start and end quickly over all kinds of things.

[legendofthelion]

Would unbreak you leg if I could, but we didn't really know what was going to happen when we tried to data drain you. You should be resting, but... maybe we can get some crutches for you later.

[If it's still necessary. If they're still all trapped here.]

[legendofthelion]

[Dehya looks at her wrist. The bracelet isn't visible at the moment, but it's probably clear what she's thinking about.] Maybe that's what special about what Zelkova gave us. But I think I want to make sure we stop Cubia before we start turning it on each other. Uh, outside of anyone who turns into a wave.

[You know, just in case they fuck it up.]

[secondthoughts]

[ Ah, he lets Leo take the lead here, quietly gauging Tylor's expression while the splint goes into place. ]

After this, go home and rest. Keep your weight off it as much as you can. No Area runs, no more combat if you can help it.

[ He glances down at the leg, then back up again. ]

Got it?

[deto]

[ if it’s something yoshi wants… deto nuzzles him a little before getting to his feet. he holds out both hands to yoshi ]

Is that your wish for today?

[tylorific]

[ If setting a splint like this hurts the way it seems like it should hurt-- Tylor is not quiet about it. But underneath the muffled jolt of pain and the brief screwing up of his expression, Tylor clenches his jaw and manages to keep his legs still. The broken one is easily positioned by their combined efforts and strength. His hands dig deeper in the sand.

After the worst is over, he releases a shaky, heavy sigh of relief. He nods to Hector's commands, a little paler yet just as energetic. The strain to his voice is back, cracking his sentence in parts that make it sound like his voice is changing again. ]

Got it! You guys sure are good at that. Thanks a lot for all the help.

But I think I'll rest here a little while first, so don't worry about me.

[justonezero]

Yeah.

That's my wish.

[deto]

Alright. Up you go.

[ he helps yoshi up to his feet. if he needs more help than that, deto will offer his back. piggyback offer still stands ]

I’m thinking something vegetarian.

[ too much meat today ]