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sticksandbones2023-05-02 05:07 pm
MINI EVENT: SORE LOSER
Content Warning: Lightning strikes, electrocution. In the first half of the mini event, characters will be under siege by targeted lightning strikes until they attain shelter within the store or inn. Lightning strikes are nonlethal, but painful.
!VICTORY!
... But not without cost. As the handful of you scatter through the arena, tagging out prisoners or holding your ground against the jailer, some may notice the increasing pain inflicted by an unknown source the better the group does. Eventually, as time runs out, there's a frustrated screech echoing through the air and reverberating in your mind:
Needless to say, trouble's coming. (Though, what had the Woods expected when the game was so easy? Perhaps it didn't realize how many proficient fighters it had captured.) The air is electric, crackling, before the night sky darkens considerably. There's lightning flashing- and then lightning coming down. All throughout the way home and even into the Grove, lightning strikes with loud cracks and sparks, almost like spears hurtling down with a vengeance.
The strikes, should they land, are nonlethal. But it hurts a lot- and leaves a terribly numbing sensation behind. There's enough time between strikes that you can flee, and both the general store and the inn offer salvation. Rusty stands within the doorway of the inn itself, snarling angrily at the sky, while the shopkeeper... is actually among you, carrying Caoimhe so she can avoid the forest's embrace. Now's not a great time to chat though, honestly.
Better run.
!AFTERMATH
Hey, you got home safe! Good for you. As the last of you claims shelter, the lightning storm outside devolves into a pure thunderstorm. Rusty has joined you for shelter. Though your body is heavy and numb, there's a feeling that you still have something to do. Thankfully, a few in your number are medics, and another few can cook. Any punishments for playing too well as an individual also linger, much to your dismay. But the first night is over.
Despite the tantrum, the Woods is making do on it's promise, at least: Within every inhabited inn room is a charm made from animal bone or antler. Those who can detect magic will be able to tell: these are lucky charms, and powerful ones at that. But they can only be used once. These charms will allow one instance of changing an undesirable outcome in an event. They can only be used once, and only one character can use one per thread or mission.
laby vc: lee-on lee-on lee-on
the oversized cat crawling onto his lap and shoving all his screens out of the way definitely isn't helping, though it's too late to escape by the time Leon is upon him]
Leon— Leon, no! Get off! Leon— [leon is not listening] Elsword! Elsword, where are you?! You need to control your artifact! Elsword!
[struggling uselessly under the big cat....... this is only making him hotter, help, he's dying (he's not dying)]
i heard this soundbyte so clearly
Leon is convinced he's a housecat, so obviously he can sit here. No one has tried to move him off their lap before (because there's hardly a single person strong enough to move A Fucking Lion). No, he's not listening to Add's pleas, Add is clearly stressed and needs to listen to the gentle chuffs of a magical creature to calm down. Therapy or something.
Luckily... Elsword is not very far off, only in his own room next door and absolutely Not monitoring his artifact thanks. Add's calls are heard, and a half-minute later, Elsword comes into the room without any sense of urgency at All, beholding this scene with what he Thinks is actual emotion on his face but is really just his usual blank features.
Meanwhile, Leon is licking Add's face.]
I was just in my room. He only wants to cuddle. [Regardless, Elsword whistles and Leon comes over, abandoning Add to his fate of overheating.] ...what are you doing anyway? It's cold outside.
[where are your Clothes]
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This isn't a time for cuddling. He's being a nuisance... [even if add doesn't sound that upset about it because lbr, he enjoys the big cat floofing on him he just won't admit it out loud]
Cold outside... hmmm, possible that it would help, but hypothermia and lightning strikes are also a problem to consider. Can't be too careless. Internal temperature has remained consistent for the past few hours so it's better to stay in a controlled environment for now...
[he might still be mumbling to himself, squinting at his own stat screen like that'll make the number go down faster. obviously Elsword was suggesting he stand outside in the middle of a storm to cool down instead of asking why he's stripped down to his underclothes.]
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Unbothered, Elsword pulls up a chair and sits on it backwards, resting his chin on the back of it. He's here to help.]
It's dangerous right now, yeah. I got struck by lightning earlier. [He says this in the same tone someone would use if they were saying "filed my taxes today", not that either of them have ever done that.] Are you too hot? Is that why you're just sitting here? ...do you want to open the window?
[You know, some AIR without risk of electrocution might be cool.]
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[if the storm gets any worse the wind could pick up and cause damage, but Add no longer cares about that. he is Uncomfortable and that needs to stop. maybe a storm blowing quite literally through his room would be even more helpful? one can only hope.
if it wasn't clear he is, uh, not moving. excessive movement produces heat which means the most effective strategy is to stay completely still and let Elsword solve the problem for him. it sure is nice having such a loyal pawn around...]
... I'll have to postpone your operation until later. [let's not forget about the freaky wrist parasite his friend picked up. it's really not something he should put off, but] Sorry. The situation appears to be stable, so please keep an eye on it for now. If there are any unusual developments, let me know immediately and I'll take care of it.
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[There's the barest hint of sass to his voice if Add wants to pretend it's there. Elsword stands and strays to the window to open it, noting that it's so run-down that the frame tends to get stuck in the track. Were he not a main character, that might cause problems for him. Alas, it doesn't, and the window is opened, and Elsword sits again.
Cue watching, and then Elsword gets that look on his face he gets when he's half-hiding something and debating voicing it. It's dulled now for obvious reasons, but it manages to reach his eyes and slightly curve his lips.]
...actually, [yeah hi there's Been An Update.] I was exploring with Nines before the storm, and we found something in the bottom of the well. I don't know what it was, but I lost control of my arm. [He lifts it up; no exterior damage, functioning fine now when he flexes his fingers. Scarred, because he's Elsword and of course it is, but otherwise there's nothing new beyond what's being shared.] It wanted to crush the thing in the box, so I told Nines to keep it away from me. I don't know why, though. It was like a muscle spasm. But... violent.
[Eloquent as ever.]
surprise bitch
... then, without a word of complaint, he sits himself back up. Two Dynamos wobble into the air, making a beeline for Elsword's personal space. Several new holoscreens appear. Dying from heat exhaustion will have to wait until later.]
What was in the box? Also, when did this reaction stop? Was it after the box was a certain distance away from you, or after something had been done to it? Did the reaction cause any physical pain or discomfort? Any visible external growths or vines?
I'll speak with 9S later for a full report, so it's fine if you don't remember all the details. Anything you can provide now would be useful, though.
squeezes you
[Aren't you like, cooking in your own flesh right now, don't you want to lay down and bask in the cold air? Elsword reaches out to try to push Add back down, but he knows better than anyone that once Add gets going, he won't stop. Sigh.
His hand slides from his friend's shoulder, and he steals a sidelong glance at the two Dynamos. There are too many questions at once for someone who is ordinarily stupid and made stupider by the El-rotted hunk of meat in his skull he calls a brain.]
...It was a shard of something. I think. I don't remember clearly, but Nines has it in the Pod. It stopped when he took the shard away from me, but we weren't that far apart. It was uncomfortable, more so than usual, but I always have pain in my arm when I reach for my sword anyway. [Hey that's new, did you wanna share that sooner or] I didn't see any vines.
[Whew. Did he get all of that?]
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[why did you not already REPORT THIS?? He's glaring, this is a stern and disapproving doctor glare. Four more Dynamos wobble their way over encircle the knight, this is all-bots on deck.]
How would you rate this pain on a scale from 1 to 10? Of course, we both know your high pain tolerance makes such a scale difficult to work with, but I'm perfectly willing to provide examples for you to draw comparisons from. [yes that is a threat, there are six needles pointed at him already don't think Add won't whip out a knife too]
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All Elsword does is slouch forward in the chair, still with his chin on the back of it. His pain tolerance is unusually high, yeah... that's fair.]
It started after that vine got me in the forest. The one you cut off. Every time I move my arm toward my sword, it hurts a bit. About a... two? [So a four or five in normal people standards.] It was maybe a four when I was resisting crushing that thing in the box. I don't need examples of a normal pain scale to compare with.
[Looks at the needles like >:| he knows his body okay you don't need to jab him.]
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[It's a reasonable theory... but as much as he'd like to call a plant sensing intent or danger "impossible", they already dealt with Alterasia once. His expression is strained right now, to say the least.]
What happens if the injury gets worse and you lose the ability to swing your sword at all? You need to tell me when these things happen, Elsword. Pushing through pain is never a good solution on its own. I would hope you'd know better by now.
[He's mad... but even if he takes it out on Elsword, he's more mad at himself. It never should've gotten this bad in the first place. Add should've acted sooner, been more careful, more attentive... he never should've let Elsword out of his sight. What if he doesn't recover? Add doesn't have all his equipment here, and if the parasite keep digging deeper...]
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It won't get worse. [And yet, the stubbornness continues!] You were injured that day, too.
[Remember his hands up your shirt while he was looking for injuries? It's not gay if you're just checking his health and wellbeing, after all. But Elsword shakes his head; there's no point in arguing with Add. Everyone knows that, even people who have only known him for a little while thus far.
So, he sits up, and does as asked — moves his arm back toward where his sword normally rests. No matter what angle he does it at, flexing his shoulder and contorting in odd ways just to test it, there's no pain. Elsword does it again while standing just to double-check. He doesn't often draw his sword when he's sitting down, after all.]
No pain. [He's obviously unarmed right now. But Add gets front row seats to the gun show, apparently.]
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He stares while Elsword flexes, searching for any visible abnormalities. Bulging, dislocation, muscle spasms, anything at all...
Nothing seems to happen with Elsword, but... strangely, Add's personal readings start to experience a change? Increasing temperature, light-headedness, an odd clenching in his abdomen... he lifts a hand to his own forehead. Still sweaty. No reaction in Dynamo, which doesn't match previous testing. Yet his attention feels strangely drawn to Elsword's physique. Is it unrelated, or...]
... plant that produces spores or pheromones, perhaps? Hrmm...
Elsword, please repeat the experiment with the other arm. [you know... for science. he has to watch it again, just to be sure.]
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That one isn't affected, but okay.
[Who is he to question his dear friend Add, who is a medical professional? It's very possible the parasite (source needed) can move about, so what if it really has swapped to the other arm even though all the symptoms are contained in his right one specifically? You never know. Elsword sure does not.
Oblivious to Add's disrespectful staring, Elsword does the same routine — moving his arm back, to the side, flexing, generally testing the range of movement he has available to him. If his shirt pulls up a bit when he's moving about, oops.]
...yeah, there's no pain there, either.
[But hey, stretching feels good right now, since it's so cold out and he's been a bit lazy since the lightning incident, so. Elsword will just stretch his arms over his head a bit, then hook an arm behind the back of his head and grab his elbow and pull, alternating to the other arm thereafter.]
I feel pretty good, [he concludes, as he shakes his arms out thereafter. The blood is flowing, it's nice.] Did Dynamo pick up anything weird?
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But this can't be from gay thoughts he doesn't have, so he has no choice but to consider the worst case scenario. Something is aggravating his condition, and Elsword may be the source... He tears his gaze away to stare at a holoscreen.]
Good. [...wait,] No— actually, that's not good. If it's reacting to your weapon then it's displaying intelligence. It may resist further attempts to remove it. We can't act carelessly...
[what if... Add is also infected now?? but he didn't detect anything in himself... is it something Dynamo can't detect? maybe it's not Elsword, but an independent infection in Add related to his current state and amplified by Elsword's presence due to his own infection. maybe it's still too small to be detected by his scanners but his genetically-upgraded body is trying to force it out? can he do that? maybe—]
I... need to lay down. I don't feel well.
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[Yeah, and that's definitely because of the fever he previously had, and also the biological link between Elsword's forest parasite and Add's theoretical infection, and not because Add is out here having a crisis. That would never happen. Addward Dimitri "Ted" Kim is extremely composed at all times.
Anyway, Elsword is pushing Add down into bed by the shoulders, don't think about that too hard.]
Let me get you some cold water. Stay there. I'll be fine until you feel better.
[Does the fact that Elsword wears open-backed shirts make this better or worse for you, Add? Either way, he'll be back in a few minutes with a glass of ice water, and holding a cold cloth. No, he's not leaving his friend alone now, friends don't abandon friends when they're sick and dying.]
Here. I can take care of you, for once.
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One brave Dynamo accompanies Elsword to the kitchen, though, sticking to his side like a dutiful observer should. It'll even offer to help carry things! Please appreciate them for trying their best in these difficult times.
Add still isn't making eye contact when Elsword returns, having spent their little break pouring over his data a second (third?) time. He's making a detailed graph comparing his body temperature to time passed since the incident in the forest. Alas, that includes the moment where Elsword carried him back to the inn. The evidence keeps piling up...
but for now, he can't let Elsword think something could be seriously wrong with him. Add forces on his winning smile, trying to maneuver Dynamo to take the cloth and water.]
Thank you, but I should be fine on my own! I just need a little more rest, that's all. Your condition, on the other hand... I'll need to come up with a treatment before it develops further, so please tell me anything that happens from now on, okay?
I can work from bed, so there's no need to worry about me. Dynamo can fetch whatever I need. [dynamo is still struggling to stay airborne, ignore the flashing overheat warnings he keeps shoving to the back of his screen]
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Either way, Elsword isn't allowing Dynamo to have the cloth. He keeps it tightly gripped in his hand, so there's a zero chance of getting it from him without extreme measures, and his free hand pushes aside the holoscreens.]
Add. [Now it's Add's turn to be in trouble.] You're always working, and now you're sick. You don't get to say "I need rest" in the same breath as "I can work from bed".
[Elsword is Not taking no for an answer, and sits down on the edge of Add's bed. Immediately, he dabs the doctor's forehead with the cold cloth, keeping a hand on his shoulder in case he tries to jerk away.]
Why don't you ever take breaks?
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Add flinches, but doesn't put up a resistance. So far, he's still not detecting any spores or airborne infectants, nor any change in Elsword's parasite... so, this much contact shouldn't be a problem, right? This is just another step of the experiment. He lets out a soft chuckle, pulling one of his screens closer again.]
A doctor's work never ends. If I take a break, who will take care of everyone's health? You can't always rely on magic to solve things for you.
Besides, this is the life I chose for myself. If the workload bothered me, I would've pursued something else, don't you think? [like, i dont know, VR or cybernetics or time travel]
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[His disgruntled gaze is likely worsened by his usually-flat expression, red eyes set into a stone-cold stare at Add's face. Throughout every emotion he's ever had unwinding like a spool of thread, lost to the aether, he's never quite declined in his ability to care. It's the only thing holding him together, making him himself.
At the same time, Elsword being Elsword means that childish acts are well within his means still, and he will physically sit on Add like Leon had done earlier if the man refuses to rest. Try working when there's 150 pounds of 100% Elrian Beef on you.
(The lion himself, meanwhile, is rolled onto his back on the floor bapping at Karte with his big paws.)]
...we used to take little breaks on the road. [He says softly, expression shifting into an idle look of reminiscence.] I don't remember a lot of them, but I remember... in Sander, we were camping out, and you kept complaining about the sand getting in your hair and shoes. You weren't doing doctor things then.
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[Whatever counterargument he had prepared is thrown off, because Elsword isn't the type to reminisce. He steals a glance, violet meeting red. What does it mean, to remember something like that now, of all times?
Ah, he should add this to Elsword's personal file...]
... that's different. Anyway, it's a problem if sand gets into my equipment. Contaminated medicine is no good, it could get into wounds and cause an infection.
[but it's a little embarrassing to think about. He was still pretty careful back then, but every now and then... he wasn't used to traveling with others, so he let himself slip up too often. It's an error he'd prefer to be forgotten, if possible. He's supposed to be kind, selfless, endlessly patient—not the type of person who complains about sand in his shoes.]
If I'd been more thorough the first time, you wouldn't still be infested. This is hardly a time for me to be resting... I appreciate your concern, but I can't compromise any further on this. As a doctor, the health of my patients has to come first.
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[It's a declaration he makes easily, bluntly, like he's talking about the weather. Something so obvious to Elsword despite the hardship, the struggle to get to where they are, and then showing up here — just the two of them and their goofy animals lazing about on the floor. His hand moves, now to dab the cold cloth on Add's shoulder, unbothered by the feverish tinge to his skin, the accumulation of sweat.]
It's the forest's fault that this happened, not yours. If anything, I should have been more careful. I was the one who rushed in without thinking.
[It's typical of him. No thoughts, all action.]
If you're not gonna rest, then fine, maybe I can't stop you. But at least let me get your hair off of your back. It's probably not helping the fever, right?
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He shivers at the cold touch, averting his gaze again. The holoscreen is more a distraction, something to keep his eyes occupied so he's not staring back at Elsword. All this talk is putting another knot in his chest... is it his fever again, or is this from embarrassment? Shame? No matter what Elsword says, Add knows the truth of the situation. He had his chance to act, but he chose too much caution. Now Elsword has to pay the price.
Add sighs, reaching an arm back to pull his hair forward. There are still a few knots and sticks caught in there, and he needs to find a new hair tie...]
Shifting blame won't change the results. We need to focus on what happens next—and for you, that means dealing with the parasite as soon as possible.
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[He's not dealing with it. He's ignoring it and hoping he can just shrug it off like any other injury he gets. It's a concerning thing, that parasite; so is everything else in Elsword's life. Right now, his concern is Add.
He scoots forward, more into Add's space now. The cloth gets swapped to the opposite shoulder and left there to do as Add pleases, and Elsword's scarred fingers start to work, weaving through the white strands with delicate precision. He's done this a million times before, pulled sticks out of hair and worked his way through little knots with his fingers. To his sister, to Aisha, to Rena...
But he did say he was going to help get Add's hair off of his back, where it's likely trapping all that extra heat, thick as it is. When he's done removing the entire forest from it, he starts braiding it up. This, at least, will hold without a hair tie. Probably.]
You should drink your water, [he suggests, still hard at work,] I can get you more when I'm done.
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[You know, the other guy with a plant in his arm... actually, he'd probably have some good tips for something like this. Where's an undead plant-cyborg when you need him?]
I'll deal with it, so behave yourself until I'm done with my treatment plan. Something that can neutralize the parasite long enough for it to be fully extracted... I have a few ideas, but it might be risky. Would be easier with a lab rat...
[mumble mumble don't worry about it
anyway, all of this is a fine excuse to not think too hard about Elsword's fingers in his hair. Not that he should be. It's no different from Dynamo helping him detangle, which is perfectly normal and uninteresting, so this behavior should have no effect on him... yes, in fact, he should ask for Elsword's help more often. Especially at times like this when Dynamo is low on energy. He's just being practical. Elsword can do whatever he wants with Add's hair right now.]
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