It felt very unusual for Reach to be standing there and conversing with another person, especially considering everything that had happened lately. She had clasped her gloved hands firmly in front of her, as though keeping them imprisoned. She remembered very clearly the incident with Brain yesterday when they had touched while she read Reach's identification tattoo, and now she knew for certain that the redhead remembered as well. The memory made her feel rather self-conscious and she found herself gazing at the ground, wondering if this had been a horrible idea and she should just walk away. That was when Thor grabbed her attention as he climbed onto Brain's shoulder.
"He is very cute," she said, the tiniest hint of a giggle in her voice and a small smile on her face as she nodded toward the badger, "Does he have a name?"
Reach glanced fondly over at her barn owl, Mr. Darcy, and realized just how content she felt about her situation. She knew there were dangers here, downfalls that were potentially quite severe, but having at least one friend besides her familiar was enough to make her feel as though things could be okay for a time. There was even the possibility of making more friends, something she would have never thought possible for herself. Brain seemed a very reserved person, which made her quite different than Wire, but no less attractive as a friend to Reach.
"Interesting," she mused quietly as Brain explained the library, "I'm definitely more of a fan of classic books, though I dabble a little in historical biographies. I also can read German very well, and sometimes I can fudge my way through very small amounts of Latin if I try hard enough."
Creativity
Level 72
Cutely Creative
Joined: 3/4/2013
Threads: 255
Posts: 5,902
Posted: 8/5/2018 at 1:26 PM
Post #52
Something in what Reach said caught Brain's attention. German? That was certainly...a twist. A wrench in the works. She felt her heart speed up ever so slightly, but kept her face forward and hand steadying Thor on her shoulder regardless. "Thor," she admitted, stroking him lightly and feeling her ears burn in embarrassment.
Of course, she ought to show off how much of a comic nerd she used to be. But she didn't regret naming her badger after the Norse god.
Once she felt the heat begin to leave her ears once again and she was cooled down enough, she shot Reach another sideways glance. She scrutinized the girl out of the corner of her eye. German... Who would have thought? What pure luck? Brain shook her head a little bit in amazement.
"I know a few other languages, don't get me wrong. But I wish I had spent more time trying to learn more, German included. I suppose my resources were just very limited up to a certain point," she revealed, taking her hand from Thor and lightly rubbing the back of her neck. It was true; her father had to evaluate every little book she acquired. It was up to him whether or not she'd be able to keep it, depending on if he deemed it holy enough to be opened in his house. Nine times out of ten, it would be burned in the fire pit in the backyard, but there were times she was able to sneak some past him.
Her gaze returned to the library, which they were slowly approaching. "Our library has this one book, though," she started speaking again, though her voice had raised a few pitches in anxiety. "It's a copy of Sigmund Freud's original Theory of Everything. I've read translations and I've noticed a few flaws. I'm working on my own. But I wish I had taken the time to learn German, so that I may read his unaltered words and perhaps make a breakthrough in my own work. Unfortunately not, though."
Britters
Level 72
The Eggstraordinaire
Joined: 8/25/2014
Threads: 167
Posts: 2,041
Posted: 8/5/2018 at 1:56 PM
Post #53
Reach's level of anxiety was definitely increasing the more she stood there, but she felt determined not to run away. This was her home now, these people were...well, not her family, but they were to be a part of her world now. It was better to get over her fear of anything new quickly, or else she'd find herself in more uncomfortable situations like yesterday with the guy she bumped into. With this thought in mind she mustered her courage and gave Brain another small smile.
"Ah," she said with in an approving nod, "The Norse god of thunder, thats a good one. I fear I was less creative with Mr. Darcy." She again glanced over at the owl, who was perched on a stack of crates, waiting patiently. "Though he seemed to approve."
With rapt attention Reach listened to Brain as she discussed her desires to have been able to learn more languages. She wished she could tell the redhead that it wasn't all it was cracked up to be, but perhaps that was only her own opinion. Her parents had insisted that she take as many extra classes in school as possible, which is where she had ended up learning German and dabble in a few others. It was where she discovered her passion for drawing, and her though her parents realized their mistake far too late they still often tried to tell her to get her head out of the clouds and focus on something much more serious and useful than art.
"Ah, yes, Freud," she said, nodding again, "We read some of his work at university before I...well, anyway, I'd be happy to help with some translating if you were needing it. I'm a little rusty, but I'm sure I can get back into the swing of it rather quickly." She hoped Brain hadn't noticed her falter, or at least would decide not to comment on it.
Yes, Reach had gone to university, to study art. That was before she had been drafted into being a nurse during the civil war which had nearly torn Britain apart. That was before she had discovered just how awful her ability could be...and before Ronald. She often wish she could simply return to being the person she had been before all of that, but it was nothing short of foolish. There was no going back, what had happened had happened, and that was the reality.
Edited By Britters on 8/5/2018 at 1:56 PM.
Creativity
Level 72
Cutely Creative
Joined: 3/4/2013
Threads: 255
Posts: 5,902
Posted: 8/6/2018 at 1:07 AM
Post #54
"I think that your owl's name is r-rather cute, personally," Brain admitted, glancing over at the barn creature's majesty. He really was gorgeous, with his mottled feather wings folded comfortably around himself and watchful eyes observing them with more patience than Brain had ever seen in a familiar before.
When Reach offered to translate Freud's work, though, Brain felt her steps slow slightly and her suddenly-wide eyes quickly moved to the ground in front of her. Swallowing hard, she slid her hands into her pockets and tried to figure how she should respond.
'You want help with your homework? Why on earth would I help the devil's spawn? Don't you already have the answers in that inhuman mind of yours? Disgusting creatures don't need help, now do they? Admit it; those who favor the devil over the Heavenly Father are doomed to fail anyway. Don't you ever forget that, Mneme.'
Stupid highly-accessible memory...
Brain found, though, that in the meantime of her re-experiencing one of the many times her father cast her aside, her muscles had released some of their tension and she had calmed from her initial shock of hearing Reach's proposition. So, she inhaled deeply and exhaled just as slowly, steadying herself to respond to an actual offer of help.
"I would v-very much appreciate that, actually," she cocked her head to the right side slightly in thought, gaze still tracing the grass on the ground before her. They were only about 30 yards from the library now. "Forgive me if my delay seemed rude, though. I was just caught unaware, I suppose. It's very rare that I am offered help."
Edited By Creativity on 8/6/2018 at 1:08 AM.
Britters
Level 72
The Eggstraordinaire
Joined: 8/25/2014
Threads: 167
Posts: 2,041
Posted: 8/6/2018 at 2:20 PM
Post #55
This place was hell. Thats what Tox was thinking to himself as he was released through a tunnel back into the compound. Fang hissed comfortingly at him, but he barely took notice of the cobra. His mind was going a thousand miles a minute trying think of all the things that had happened and were going to happen today. He frowned heavily at the thought of more question, but he knew as soon as the new arrivals were released from their own examinations (the first one always took longer), he would be mobbed.
Check-up Day, as those here called it, was not as light-hearted as it sounded. Those who had been here longest had come to accept them in a resigned way, but there was nothing pleasant about them. White rooms, cold tables, doctors and scientists treating you less as humans and more as test subjects, which was really all they were to them. It made Tox's blood boil, but after trying to resist multiple times during his first year here, and being punished rather severely for it, he had become just like everyone else; he kept his mouth shut and his head down. However, there was another reason why today's check-ups had him even more on edge.
Stepping into the court, Tox looked around with his hands on his hips, scrutinizing the crowd closely. There were people standing in little cliques everywhere, some looking a little worse for wear from the examinations, but otherwise quite whole. He was trying to do a headcount, trying to determine if anyone was missing, but before he could even finish his eyes landed on a vacant table...Brain's table. For a moment, he wasn't even sure he was still himself as his heart began to pound and he felt his eyes go wide.
"Brain!" he called out, the panic he felt thankfully not coloring his tone as he strode quickly forward trying to find the redhead amongst the others.
-----
To say that Reach was shaken would be an understatement, but she was in one piece and she actually felt a flow of relief when she saw the compound ahead of her. The guards on either side of her shoved her through a doorway into the courtyard, and she took a very deep breath. It seemed odd for her to already look on this place as home, but after the last several hours in that examination room, perhaps it was not so surprising. At least this place felt more comfortable.
The flapped of wings and a soft hoot announced Mr. Darcy's arrival and Reach held out her arm for him to perch on. She stroked his soft, mottled feathers lovingly and gave him a smile. Yes, it felt good to have a friend...which made her realize she was desperate to find Wire and so she began walking towards the crowd, trying to spot the dark-skinned woman. Thankfully, the new arrivals were all just now straggling in and so her friend was not hard to spot.
"Wire!" she called out, her voice raised above its normal soft murmur as she moved quickly towards the other woman, "Oh, I'm so glad to see you. How did you fare?"
Creativity
Level 72
Cutely Creative
Joined: 3/4/2013
Threads: 255
Posts: 5,902
Posted: 8/6/2018 at 4:52 PM
Post #56
It was true that Brain had never thought much of Check-Up Day. It was what it was, and there was really nothing she or anyone else could do about it. Granted, it was never fun for anyone to be poked and prodded at, but again, she understood that she was merely one person amidst this giant operation, though it was nice to have a friend in Dr. Jezschaououghen. He was always present during her check-ups and made sure that the other doctor examining her was one of the less ruthless ones.
After her appointment ended, she had returned to her room in the third dorm building. It was rare that she spent any time of the day in there, but she hated seeing the others of the prison leaving the doctors' building. The looks of discomfort and disgruntled words had grown irritating over time, and she had had enough.
When the check-ups were almost over, though, she had slipped back out, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone. She knew that, by now, Dr. Jezschaououghen would be free; he never worked with the newer ones. So, she snuck back into the building, most of the guards occupied with trying to avoid fights amongst the newest batch who were none too happy about their appointments.
Brain entered the office of Dr. Jezscaououghen and closed the door behind her. He looked up from his paperwork, met her gaze, and, recognizing the question there, nodded once. "14518235," was all he said.
She swallowed hard and, without saying a word, wove her way back out of the building. She scanned the crowd for a flash of bright green hair. Upon spotting it, she approached Tox from behind and leaned in, not bothering to announce her presence. "Nerve's gone."
-
Okay. Wire would admit it; she was bubbling with anger. At the doctors. At Tox. At that smug redhead. At the guards. At the other people. Perhaps even at Reach; she didn't know. All she knew was that she felt completely and utterly betrayed by the place that she had come to call a paradise.
Maybe it was her own foolishness. After all, she had been warned a few days ago by Tox and the other girl, but... Wire had always had a difficult time admitting to being wrong. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest when Reach found her and begun speaking.
Taking a deep breath, Wire forced herself to become steady again. She felt so strongly, though, about everything - she always had - that all she wanted to do was punch someone, or something. Hearing Reach's relieved voice certainly helped, though, and Wire was able to turn to her friend with a confident air about her once again. She gave her new friend an encouraging smile, hands folded neatly in front of her.
"I do not think they like me very much in those doctor offices anymore," she admitted, tilting her head forward a couple degrees in sheepishness. "I landed a kick of revenge with expert aim, might I say, when the first male doctor tried to stick a needle in me."
It was true; she had left the first doctor lying prone on the ground, clutching himself where the sun did not shine. But did Wire regret it? Did she feel bad about it? Not at all. He had it coming. She had never been a very big fan of needles - just a natural, innate dislike, she supposed - and he was getting far too smug.
-
Upon finally exiting the doctors' building, having been in the third to last batch to be brought in, and the third to last batch that had been taken to this terrible prison to begin with, Necro wasted no time in heading straight to the wall surrounding the courtyard. He gave a three-note whistle, the first one low, second high, and last in the middle.
As if out of nowhere, a ratty old cat appeared on the top of the wall. She gave a croaky meow and leaped down onto his shoulder, purring brokenly. He wasn't quite sure why his familiar was so decrepit, with missing tufts of fur, her left ear torn, scratches all over her face and body, a concave stomach, a crooked tail, a twisted back paw that she dragged around behind her, and a blind left eye, but he had learned long ago that she had far more life in her than she looked.
"What did you discover, Grizzy?" he murmured, eyes bright, as he looked up at the wall. He backed away after a few moments, though, to dissuade any suspicion. His cat, Grizabella, merely gave her old meow again and rubbed her head against his cheek. She was already leaving fur all over his shoulder.
Necro glanced around the compound, watching with curiosity as the newbies slowly trickled out of the doctors' building and began ranting to anyone who would listen about how awful the whole ordeal had been. He shook his head and began walking - in which his direction, or towards where, he didn't know. Perhaps it was more wandering than walking. "I promise you, amour, we will not be stuck in here much longer."
Grizabella pulled back and looked him straight in the eyes, a deadpan expression on her face, as if to say, 'You've been promising me that for a year now'.
He laughed and rubbed her ears. "I know, I know. But this time I mean it!"
Britters
Level 72
The Eggstraordinaire
Joined: 8/25/2014
Threads: 167
Posts: 2,041
Posted: 8/6/2018 at 10:39 PM
Post #57
Panic and fear were not things which Tox was accustomed to, and he came to the hasty realization that he didn't like them. He was also having a hard time understanding what had brought them about. There had never been any feelings of concern for his fellow inmates, or any feelings of any kind besides anger, and yet he felt like if he couldn't find Brain he wasn't sure what he would do. He was so focused on trying to locate her in the crowd that the sudden sound of her voice behind him made him jump considerably.
"Don't do that," he said to her, somewhat scoldingly, knowing she'd have next to no idea what he was even talking about (and he had no intention of explaining), and then he took in what she had said with a deep sigh, "Lets get this over with, then." It was what he had been dreading, the part of his role as leader that he knew he'd have to face eventually.
"Hey! New arrivals follow me!" Simple instructions, given very sternly, and for the most part no one questioned them.
Nerve...it seemed poetic in a tragic way, Tox thought as he walked over to the memorial wall. He remembered her from the other day as one of the women who had been bugging Brain at her table. This didn't mean he had wished this fate on her, and he wondered how Brain was taking the news. He didn't have much time to dwell on it though as he turned around to face the crowd, looking around at all of them.
"You all found out something new about this place today," he began, the same way Kicker had always started this speech, "You all went through your first of many examinations. Now I'm going to show you something else about your new lives that you need to be aware of. Someone died to day, we don't know specifically why and we likely never will. It happens sometimes, and almost always during the first check-ups after a new batch arrives, like they're trying to thin the herd so to speak." He turned and looked at the wall behind him, at all the names carved there. "Nerve's name will be put up onto this wall, as the names of all those who have perished here have been before. This is a reminder to everyone in this compound that we are not here on vacation, this is not a tropical getaway. We are seen only as objects, property of the doctors and scientists who run this place and our lives do not matter to them." He let that last bit hang in the air for a bit, and then he gave firm nod, dismissing them all so he could get to work.
-----
Reach was momentarily put off by Wire's demeanor, for she seemed quite tense when Reach approached her, but she shook it off and greeted her dark-skinned friend with a light smile. She had a suspicion she knew what had effect Wire so badly. The other woman had been so determined to see this place as a paradise, despite Tox's warnings, and now she had very clearly seen the compound's dark side. It was hard to know what to say to her right now.
"Sounds like you make an impression," she agreed, shaking her head slightly, "Did they do anything to you for it?" The concern in her voice was evident as she peered at Wire through her glasses, trying to detect any outward signs of injury. She couldn't see any, but that did not mean she was unscathed. "I suppose my examination was largely uneventful in comparison, though certainly very unpleasant." She shuddered a little at the recollection.
As she waited for her friend to answer, however, Reach heard a loud voice sound from the distance. She winced slightly and then gazed in Tox's direction as he was telling all of the "new arrival" people to follow over to a vast section of all not covered in vines. She glanced at Wire and then made the decision to follow his instructions and walked with the rest of the group, hanging back slightly.
When they approached the wall, Tox didn't even have to start his explanation and Reach's heart sank. There in the grey stone were carved dozens of names, some clearly older than others. She remembered him mention a memorial wall yesterday, and by the serious look on his face, she didn't need to hear him say it to know that someone had died. She listened to him, feeling only half there as the heavy realization of how tenuous their existence was here hit her full force. She leaned ever so slightly into Wire and blinked away a few tears.
-----
Nothing pleasant could be said about Check-Up Day, Flora supposed, but she had always managed to get through them with little fuss. She was perhaps a bit sore and such afterwards from the needles and other procedures, but she was always very mellow about all of it. She had always been that way all her life, very easy going.
"Pele," she called out in her melodic voice as she made her way to one of the many tables strewn about, glancing around her at the bustle of activity.
From behind a stack of wooden crates came the sound of snuffling and soft grunts. Flora smiled as her armadillo familiar came ambling into view, wiggling excitedly as she made her way over to the table. She scooped the creature up and scratched the top of Pele's head. Such an odd little critter, and very much the surprise after her first night here a year ago, but she couldn't imagine life without the armadillo now. Pele made things so much more bearable.
There was a shout, and Flora recognized Tox as he directed those who had only arrived here a few days ago to follow him to the memorial wall. She pursed her lips as she realized what had happened. Someone had also perished during an examination after her group had arrived, and she remembered their previous leader doing the same thing that Tox was now doing. Her heart ached for the person who had died, for it didn't matter who it was, no one deserved that.
"Why must such terrible things happen?" she murmured, hugging Pele tightly to her chest, "Why must they do this to us?" She was speaking to no one in particular, of course, because she knew there were no answers.
Edited By Britters on 8/7/2018 at 1:58 PM.
Creativity
Level 72
Cutely Creative
Joined: 3/4/2013
Threads: 255
Posts: 5,902
Posted: 8/7/2018 at 1:49 AM
Post #58
Okay, Brain would admit it, she was mildly amused by Tox's sudden jumping in reaction to her not announcing herself. She hadn't meant to sneak up on him, but his reaction was funny enough that she knew she'd have to do it more often. It was almost cute, seeing the usually-so-calm-and-collected Tox leap nearly a foot in the air, and she had to suppress a giggle that was threatening to bubble in her chest.
But she kept a straight face regardless. In all honesty, she wasn't quite sure how she felt about Nerve's death. She had learned long ago that death was death, and everybody was doomed to meet it at one point or another. Sure, Nerve had never been super kind to her, but Brain was not the type of person to hold grudges. She would not hate someone for how they treated her.
And she would certainly not wish death upon them.
A familiar image flashed in the front of her mind, and it was almost like she could feel the weight of her father in her arms again and feel the tears streaking down her cheeks. A shiver ran down her spine and she dragged herself out of her memory.
Tox had begun to give his speech to the newbies, and Brain backed up a few steps before turning. She headed to a tree, a dozen or so yards away from the memorial wall, and sat down at the base of it. She wrapped her arms around her and leaned her head back in rest. No one liked Check-Up Day.
-
Upon hearing Tox call out for all of the newbies, Wire's jaw clenched in another sudden flash of anger. It wouldn't be good news, she knew. And what's worse, she was beginning to come to terms with the fact that she had been wrong about this place. She so hated being wrong - making a fool of herself. Though admitting to being wrong was still not something she would ever do.
She heard the concern in her friend's question, but after taking a full minute or two to answer - having been distracted by Tox - she just forced a grin and shook her head. "Guess I got lucky," she shrugged. Numbly, she walked with her friend over to where Tox had gathered the rest of the new arrivals.
His speech only confirmed her fears that she had been unable to speak. This place was more of a purgatory than a heaven. Though, she was still grateful that her brother was not here. If he were, then that would be rubbing salt into the wound. Twisting the knife. Completely and utterly dooming her sanity.
Reach leaning towards her ever so slightly did not go unnoticed by Wire, and she found herself resting a gentle hand on the English girl's clothed shoulder, to comfort her, she told herself. But some part of Wire knew that the touch was for as much to comfort herself as it was for comforting Reach.
After the speech finished, Wire gave herself a small shake. "Come now, precious girl," she murmured to her friend. "Let us go help unload the new shipment of potatoes I saw on the way to the check-up. We might as well make ourselves useful."
-
"Another death, my Grizzy," Necro said to his familiar in an almost sing-song voice as she curled up on his chest, head on his shoulder, and he held her, stroking her lovingly. "Why does no one realize that death is not a bad thing? I mean, look at you. Look at me. We are as dead as anyone else, aren't we, my pretty girl?" he grinned. "Oh, for a soul to be free! And not trapped in these pathetic bags of bones and blood."
He nodded solemnly to his cat as she meowed again. He continued to wander, feeling the light reverberations of her purring. He didn't get far before he was abruptly stopped by Wasp planting herself directly in his path.
Her eyes were streaming with tears as she sobbed, but she still glared at him. "Is it true, freak? I-is she... Is she gone...?" Her voice had begun harsh, but had slowly became more gentle, more heartbroken by the end of it.
Necro rolled his dark eyes. "I don't know, let me check," he retorted, and then turned his face up to the sky. With one hand, he cupped one side of his mouth. "Nerve? Oh, Nerve, can you hear me? Are you dead?" He looked back at Wasp and gave a defeated shrug. "I don't hear her answering back! How can I know?"
But then his joking was interrupted by her hand slapping him in the face. Necro pouted out his lower lip in mock hurt and rubbed at his cheek. "Rude." He closed his eyes and focused for a moment, feeling his soul reaching out to those closest. "Ja. She's dead," he opened his eyes again.
Edited By Creativity on 8/7/2018 at 9:27 AM.
Britters
Level 72
The Eggstraordinaire
Joined: 8/25/2014
Threads: 167
Posts: 2,041
Posted: 8/7/2018 at 1:53 PM
Post #59
Tox was having a hard time figuring out his emotions right now. He really wasn't that used to feeling so much, but things had been slowly changing since Kicker's death, since he had grudgingly assumed the role of leader. He hadn't liked Nerve, he didn't really like anyone here much with the possible exception of Brain, but his body felt heavy as he got to work chiseling the poor girl's name into the wall. It felt like the weight of everything was settling onto his shoulders all at once, all of the duties of leadership that he hadn't ever wanted.
Behind him, Tox could hear the crowd disperse as people headed off to their own morning chores and it made him feel somewhat better. At least the rest of the compound was continuing to run smoothly. Just as he was finishing up carving the name, however, a voice sounded next to him that made his muscles tense.
"Tox, I'm so glad to see you," Crypt said, and when he looked at her she had the most over-the-top looking of melancholy on her face Tox had ever seen, "Its just so horrible, isn't it? I feel so sad that we lost..." At this point she actually glanced up at the memorial wall where he had been carving, clearly trying to be discreet about it and failing. "...Nerve. She was so nice. I feel just absolutely awful...would you please hold me?"
Without even waiting for an answer, Crypt pressed herself up against Tox's chest. It was so fast and so entirely unexpected, that for a moment he froze and didn't know what to do. This girl was a piece of work! She was using a person's death as a way to try and seduce him and he could feel himself starting to get angry. He had had a very rough morning so far, and as he stared down at the blonde head of this bimbo his blood started to boil. Who did she think she was? What kind of person treated a situation like this with such mockery? Yes, he was getting very angry indeed...
"Listen," he said abruptly, stepping away from her, his brown eyes aflame as he tried to choose his next words with care.
-----
Yes, death was inevitable for everyone. Reach had seen plenty of it during her time as a nurse. Knowing that never made it easier to deal with, at least not for her. She remembered mourning every soldier who perished in the hospital, because they deserved that much. She had not known Nerve, had seen her only in passing the last two days, but she would mourn the other women. That was how she made her peace with death, by respecting it and those who had met their fate.
"Yes," she said to Wire, taking a moment to dry her eyes, "I think that sounds like a good plan."
As she followed the other woman, Reach made no mention of the close contact, or the endearment her friend had just used on her, there seemed no need. It had all felt entirely natural and comfortable, which was unexpected but welcome to her in this instance. This place was not a paradise, but at least she was able to have a friend in Wire. Even Brain had been accommodating and pleasant the other day when they had been in the library reading Freud.
"I wish there was more we could do," Reach said as they began grabbing crates, "I confess I still feel rather useless. I don't possess many skills that would be useful in this place." She glanced around at the others who were also hard at work, absently pushing her glasses back up as the began to slide down her nose.
-----
It was a pleasant day, as they mostly were here. Island weather was nothing new to Flora, who had grown up in Hawaii. Her thick black hair which shined a deep blue in the sunlight, was always in a long braid so that the humidity didn't get to it as bad. She inhaled deeply from her seat at the table, taking in all the fresh, earthy smells that surrounded them. With the sun on her skin she felt energized, just a plant did in the light. She felt very peaceful sitting there with Pele enjoying the day.
Of course, Flora should have known it wouldn't last long, not here. Too many people, too many personalities, and too much tension half the time created a melting pot that was liable to explode at random. There was a bit of commotion off in the distance and she immediately recognized Necro and rolled her eyes. What was that boy up to now? It was hard to say, but she got up anyway to go an investigate. As she got closer, the situation became clearer and she frowned heavily at him.
Flora recognized Wasp, having made a point of introducing herself to each and every person at the compound, with the exception of the newest group, and she knew that Wasp and Nerve had been extremely close. She hung back slightly next to a tree and gave Necro a stern look she hoped he saw. The boy was too childish by half, and it was clear that Wasp was looking for some closure, which Necro was capable of providing. She just wished he could do so without cracking jokes.
"That boy is going to get himself in serious trouble one of these days," she muttered to herself, glancing down at Pele and nodding.
Creativity
Level 72
Cutely Creative
Joined: 3/4/2013
Threads: 255
Posts: 5,902
Posted: 8/7/2018 at 11:22 PM
Post #60
It was true that Brain had millions of questions about death and the afterlife - and not a single one did she ever forget! Of course. It was a subject that she had absolutely no personal interest in, but more an existential one of what comes after. Which religion is correct, if any at all? Due to her having grown up with a highly religious father, religion had integrated itself as an important piece of curiosity in her mind.
Though she had always denied being a curious person. Although she did produce questions as quickly as anyone else seemed to, they were never all that pressing, or not pressing enough, at least, to prompt true investigation by her. Rather, she was content to sit back and continue learning what she was able, ignoring philosophies with the mild exception of her Theory or Everything, which, she reasoned, was not as much philosophy as it was patterns and links and tangible fact that was waiting to be discovered.
She was drawn out of her thoughts by the sound of Crypt's dramatically melancholy voice. She opened her eyes, which she had closed a few minutes prior without conscious thought of doing so, but memory nonetheless. Crypt was over by Tox, hanging on him and leaning into him. Extremely cheesy.
But a flash of something hot burned in Brain's chest and she realized that her friend must be so incredibly uncomfortable. Yes, that is what she felt. Sympathy for his discomfort.
And so she wasted no time in standing and approaching them. Tox had stepped aside and began to speak, but Brain heard the ever-so-slight tremble in his voice. She pushed up her glasses on her nose and then affected an air of energy, bounding towards them. "Tox, are you going to show me your favorite spot in the compound like you promised you would?" she asked him, allowing a hint of impatience into her voice as she pressed up against him - ignoring the way that it made her heart beat - and linked her arm with his while giving him a look of adoration.
-
Wire was silent for the entirety of their trip over to the shipping containers. A few others had also decided to try to escape the grief by consuming themselves in the hefty work. Tox had stressed since day one that everyone had to do their part to help out around the place, and Wire figured that now was as good a time as any.
Over the walk, though, Wire's slightly-improved mood had diminished again as she remembered the fact that they were all still mourning. She hadn't even known the person who had died - Nerve, that was the name - and yet, she had always been the type of person to mourn all deaths, and she felt the person's passing deeply.
Death was never something she had believed to be toyed around with. It was an unnecessary end, and she wished that it were not an end. Though, she did understand the illogicality behind her wish, she still would outrule death from the world if the world could survive without it.
But there was a balance of life that needed to be respected.
"Nor do I," she said to Reach, trying to be comforting in similarities. She then gestured to the others before lifting a box of potatoes and carrying it out of the container. "Nor do many of them, I would think. That redhead, who has the gift of memory - what part does she play in the heavy lifting? I suppose the point of the matter is that we are all capable of hard work." It was nice, taking her mind off Nerve. She had always been good at rambling.
-
Wasp's reaction was so heartbreaking. Her facial expression was one of vulnerability and deep agony rather than the aggressive, cocky, and suave front she would offer to the compound - to the world, more like - in times prior to this. Tears continued to stream down her face and she wrapped her arms around her torso and let out the most pitiful sobbing noise ever heard.
Yes, it was truly crushing. Or, it would be, for one far more sensitive to others and their emotions than Necro fancied himself to be.
He truly hated this aspect of his Ability. Those mourning their loved ones, grieving, crying - oh, how he loathed the tears! He himself had not wept in many, many years. What reason was there to shed a tear when one could instead laugh? Through his sadness, however rare, he had taken to humor. After all, that always did lift his mood.
The woman's familiar - a yellowjacket, how surprising - flitted about her for a minute before landing on her arm and crawling up it in an act of comfort. She glanced down at it but paid little attention otherwise. "C-could you g-give her a message, for m-me?" Wasp suddenly met his vibrant eyes again. "Could you... J-just tell her I l-love her... P-please?"
Necro swallowed hard. Why must she look at him like that? His eyes drifted aside and he noticed one of the other prisoners, one who had been in his batch, giving him a hard look. He raised one eyebrow in question before returning to Wasp. A witty remark danced on the tip of his tongue, perhaps something claiming her cliche. But that pathetic, withering look in her eyes was ineffably piercing, and his sarcasm fizzled out for a brief minute.
He took a deep breath, and with a mighty exhale through his slightly-parted lips, he let his eyes roll back into his head, arms dropping to his sides but feet supporting him still as he left his body. Grizabella hissed in protest as she struggled to remain on his shoulder and eventually gave up, leaping to the ground.
In the Other World, Necro sought out the soul he required. He sought her, delivered the message, and promptly returned. His eyes returned to their normal placement and he cleared his throat. "She returns the sentiments."
Go to Page:
1, 2, 3... 5, 6, 7... 52, 53, 54
Confirm Action
Are you sure you wish to delete this post?
Confirm Action
Are you sure you wish to restore this post?
Confirm Action
Are you sure you wish to report this post?
Go to Top
This Page loaded in 0.017 seconds.
Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Credits | Job Opportunities
