Noctium TDM Overflow

[sing_for_me]

Zoomies
[ Alex can run, and she can do so in heels, but thankfully the guild had lent her some boots because her usual shoes sure as hell weren’t made for booking it like this. Her knees are banged up and bloodied from how often she’s fallen over, though the bandages on her face were clearly placed prior to arriving here. It can’t be helped though, since every time she tries to move, she ends up running a lot faster than intended. At this moment, she might be charging right at you screaming for you to — ]

PLEASE MOVE!

[ Or maybe you see the odd woman frozen on all fours on the ground as she looks up at you pitifully. ]

Could...you give me a hand, please?

1-1
[ Still in a daze from everything, she follows the flow of people until she reaches the cafeteria. The pain she had felt was undeniably real, but her mind couldn’t wrap itself around everything going on around her. The GemSci were kind enough to change the bandages on her face and offer her the chance to clean up (though she insists on using her own clothes still), but Alex remained on edge. Tray of odd looking food in hand, she’s stiff as she approaches you at your table from behind. ]

Excuse me...is...is it okay if I sit here too? I won’t take long.

2-2

a) Alex wasn’t sure what was more shocking, that she was in a new world with gem people and futuristic technology, or that the government actually gave stipends to people. She turns to someone nearby who she recognizes from the sky station, assuming they received the same offer. ]

Do...you think it’s a scam? Would we need to pay them back with interest? Or would they order us to do something dangerous...?

[ If there was anything Alex had learned from Ergastulum, it was that there were always strings attached. ]

b) They even provided them with devices that Alex had never held before. Sure cellphones were a thing in Ergastulum, but she’d never used one herself. Tapping at pretty much everything, she selects the camera option, gasping as she takes a random shot of someone’s foot. Wanting to try again, she holds it up and uses it to scan around crowd until she finds a suitable target. She takes one shot after another, fighting with how blurry they always come out, the sounds of snapshots might catch your attention, or maybe the flash that suddenly goes off in your face when she gets too close. ]

Wildcard
[ I realize we are ab out two weeks into the TDM so f you’re interested in doing something else feel free to toss it in or hit me up at mightycheese ]

Comments

For Stiles:

[sing_for_me]

[ We. Something about that warmed her, a pleasant feeling that started from the center of her torso where her gem had been placed, a faint glow she wouldn’t be able to notice at this time. It was so peculiar how his words could be so concerning yet so comforting at the same time. Schizophrenia? Hearing that would have made her panic under normal circumstances. You could find all sorts in the back alleys of Ergastulum, those who suffered from a variety of disabilities, born with one developed. One could only hope to be less worse off than the next to survive.

But ‘we’ could figure something together. Maybe that was why the shock of finding out she survived a whole year subsided so quickly. ]

If the me of Aefenglom was able to last that long...I’m sure people like you were to thank for that. She was very lucky.

[ And maybe, she might be as well. Stiles seemed so knowledgeable and learned for someone so young. She didn’t doubt that he would be a strong ally and someone her other self would have found dear. Would it be okay for her to find out for herself? ]

Is there anything you need, Stiles? No matter what it is, if it’s something I can do for you...did you need someone to practice your powers with maybe?

[mensrea]

[ The suggestion that he was even vaguely responsible for the Alex of Aefenglom’s positive wellbeing is laughable; they barely knew each other, after all. But Stiles can’t think of a way to gently tell this version of Alex the truth without discouraging her. Right now, she needs reassurance and hope. And so the implicit lie remains. Guilt gnaws at his core, yet he recognizes that the choice is for the best. For now, at least. Maybe in the future, he can be honest with her – honest that he has no idea how her counterpart was able to survive so long.

Her idea of helping him practice with his powers has him immediately shaking his head, even before she’s finished speaking. The vines are too out of control. If he hurt her – well, if he hurt her again… Stiles doesn’t think he wants to risk it. ]

I’m kinda drained right now from using them before, [ he fibs, another lie that comes easily to his lips. ] Thanks for the offer, though. But just for the record, you don’t need to help me with anything. Like, you don’t owe me. Just wanna make sure that’s clear. We can be friends on even ground, if you’re cool with it.

[sing_for_me]

[ She couldn’t quite tell what he was thinking, not knowing him aside, but it felt like a lot was running through his mind. He was being careful of her, she thought, possibly out of consideration. Worrick had gotten her accustomed to such kind lies. Granted she did get hit, and he ended up listening to her unpleasant background. With all that in mind, it’s no surprise he wouldn’t feel inclined to rely on her. Maybe it was for the best that she had left out the other more extreme symptom of the withdrawals.

Really, what was she doing getting someone so young to worry about her? ]

Friends...offer help just because they want to, don’t they?

[ At least, that was her understanding, but her smile is resigned. ]

It doesn’t have to be right now, and I’m aware there isn’t much I can even offer at this moment. I just hope there’s something I can do for you in the future. I’m a lot sturdier than I look.

[ Alex didn’t want to regret holding back anymore, she had promised herself that. ]

Unless my understanding of friendship is wrong?

[mensrea]

[ Once again Stiles shakes his head, this time more vigorously than the last. ]

Nah, your understanding sounds pretty accurate. But maybe we could start with the basic stuff first, get to know each other the old-fashioned way.

[ A strained laugh. ]

I mean, you might be as sturdy as a brick wall, but I don’t want to take a chance, y’know? It’s not worth hurting you over. I’ll find someone I don’t really like to practice on, okay? [ A wink. ] For now, you can do me a favor and tell me what you like to do for fun. I met you – [ in a brothel, but he’s not going to admit that ] – during a festival, when you were singing on stage for a crowd. We danced after that. So, do you like to sing and dance, or was that specific to Aefenglom?

For Itachi:

[sing_for_me]

[ Normally cautious despite the instilled obedience, Alex finds herself following after him, drawn in in the same way her camera lens had turned towards him. Was it because he was familiar? Not in the sense that she remembered him, but his raven black hair and dark eyes reminded her of Nicolas. He was no where as gruff as Nic, but he felt sharp, a similar edge in a different form. Silent consideration was another trait they seemed to have in common, as it hadn’t escaped Alex that he was walking at a much slower pace, making it easier for her to keep up.

A strange question, she thinks. Was he really going to go so far as to pretend to know what Ergastulum was like? Then again, she hadn’t disclosed where she was from, which probably didn’t give him that opening. How long were they going to play this game?]

About that—

[ It hits her then, as she recalls her interaction back in the station. This wasn’t the first time she met someone who might know her. Except, it wasn’t her that they knew. Any boldness she built up shifted back into hesitation, blue eyes that were previously locked into his averting their gaze. ]

It’s...a lot cleaner here than in Ergastulum. The people feel a lot more carefree. Not that those are bad things, but...it’s something to get used to. Actually, there’s a lot to get used to. The technology, the buildings, this whole...thing with the gembonds.

Was there anything like this where you’re from?

[anbu]

[It's a unique relief when Alex follows him, as though he hadn't wanted the conversation to end but expected it would nonetheless - after all, what reason does she have to trust him? Would it be better or worse to tell the truth? In either situation, he holds the weight of the advantage: knowledge. Itachi knows her better than she knows him. It isn't power he intends to wield; still, he has it.

The street opens up to them, a tepid breeze on their faces as they begin the walk to the Embassy. He listens to her description of this other world and revisits the awful memory he'd experienced within it, mental picture of a run-down room tethering him to the imagery now.]

No, there wasn't. Not on this scale. We also lacked the technology and urban development, to say nothing of the gembonds. And… I suppose the people, too, were not so carefree.

[The Land of Fire is likely much closer to Ergastulum than Sumarlok.]

What are your thoughts on the power of these gems? On Synchrony?

[sing_for_me]

[ A vague response, but it’s a description that could be applied to any place, if she really thought about it. It occurred to her that she might be approaching this the wrong way, attaching herself too much to the thought of a past connection. What did it matter if she couldn’t recall it herself? How was that fair to Itachi?

Her focus shifts to his question on synchrony. Physical intimacy as a way to earn a living wasn’t a foreign concept to her, if anything it was like the cotton candy version of her previous occupation. ]

It’s pretty straightforward, as out of this world as it might be for me to really understand. But having powers and...connecting with someone emotionally, I’m not too confident about that. It might take some time for me to adapt to something I’ve never really had.

[ Both she had desired for years, and both she had given up on. More recently, she began to yearn for power to keep the connections she finally made versus the alternative of cutting them off, all to survive. ]

I’d like to think it would be nice to have both. But... it feels a bit greedy?

[ Her laugh is awkward, not trying to hide how new she was to all this. ]

[anbu]

[Alex feels the same to him as she did in Aefenglom—a kind, gentle undercurrent to her thoughts and responses, a hesitant consideration for her words and how much personal detail she shares. It isn’t difficult, then, to get used to the differences. Perhaps the most stark of all is only the absence of her previous Merrow characteristics.

As she mentions powers and emotional connections, Itachi moves to cross the street, staying in the lead without losing her in the crowd. His voice is carefully neutral when he responds.]

It is normal to be apprehensive in a new situation. Time for adjustment is necessary.

[He would be more concerned about someone who took confidently to unfamiliar powers; ego and avarice are a dangerous combination in untrained hands.]

Are you ashamed of the desire to feel powerful? To be close to someone else?

For Ardbert

[sing_for_me]

( ooc: continue from here )

[ There probably wasn’t much she could do considering she was still settling in herself, but he didn’t reject the offer completely either. She’ll be satisfied with this for now, nodding back and returning the smile. ]

Will you be going to the embassy then?

[floodbringer]

Aye, I will. They've got us marked already. May as well get free housing out of the deal.

[ He shrugs again. Not that he knows where it is... ]

Once we've better settled in, then we can see about what to do next.

[sing_for_me]

[ One step at a time, it sounds like. And it doesn’t sound bad at all. Wasn’t that what she was trying to do? ]

...Ardbert? Would it be okay...to approach you next time too?

[floodbringer]

[ Every journey begins with a single step, as they say. ]

Yes, of course. Please feel free. [ He smiles, like offering strangers help is the easiest thing in the world for him. Maybe it is. ] If you need anything at all, you may come to me for aid. In fact!

[ He pulls out his phone from one of his pouches. That's what phones are for, right? ]

I can keep your number in here. Then if you need anything, I'm only a whisper away.

For Cloud

[sing_for_me]

( ooc: continued from here

[ Alex takes note of his frown and the added criticism, though it’s not as if he was pleased with her to begin with, so she’ll bite back a retort for now. She follows him away from the crowd, peering from the side as his fingers navigate the screen effortlessly. He’s able to predict the questions before they come out of her mouth, but she keeps her mouth shut to focus on taking in his instructions until he hands the device back to her. Her eyes stay on the screen, going through the steps at the same time as thinking of what questions she can ask him for however much longer he’s willing to stay. ]

They mentioned a um...network? For sending messages and finding things? Is that something I have to “set up” for too?

[coraza]

...yeah. Basically anything that you look at for the first time will require you to set it up.

[he waits for her to finish up with the current setup, and leans in a little closer; this time, he won't be taking the phone from her, but rather just tapping at it slowly so she can see what does what, as he moves about the screen.]

All these squares you see on the screen, they're applications you can open up and use.

[pointing at one in particular, he leans back.]

That one's for the network. Tap on it and see what happens.

[the setup screen should pop up, and it should be easy enough to follow.]

Your username and password can be anything you want it to be, so long as the username isn't already taken.

[sing_for_me]

[ Did that mean each application had to be set up? Alex groans internally at the thought. Was it something she could figure out on her own or should she bother him while she could?

Username, she’s assuming is as obvious as the term, a name for the user. And if it’s how passwords worked in the darker corners of Ergastulum, it’s whatever is going to let her in, she assumes.

As she starts to type it out, she realizes that she didn’t know what his name was. They didn’t have the most proper of introductions. ]

I’m Alex, by the way. [ Thus the straightforward user name of Alex Benedetto ] Can I ask for your name?

[ With how guarded he’s been, she wonders if he would. ]

[coraza]

Cloud Strife.

[it's easy enough to be charitable with it. he's learned that the best way to get his foot in the trade and to gain recognition for his work is to be forthcoming about it. besides, any trouble he could possibly get into he can handle himself.]

—you can find other people on the network with their names, unless they've gone for something else.

[leaning back against the wall, he crosses his arms and tilts his head.]

Try searching mine.

For Gumshoe:

[sing_for_me]

( ooc: continued from here )

[ ‘Pal’, that was a new one, but somehow it made him seem all the more harmless. As he describes his own symptoms, she reaches up to press the back of her hand to his forehead. ]

You really are burning up...

[ She shouldn’t just lean on him, not while he was also going through it. ]

Yeah, I just...need to be careful. Are you able to? Where you were heading earlier—-do you think there’s people there?

For Asura:

[sing_for_me]

( ooc: continued from Here )

[ She’d almost felt bad when it seemed like she was rejecting his help because of what he was going through, but guilt quickly shifted into embarrassment when he changed the course of the insinuation. Her cheeks took on a warmer hue, her mouth agape at his gall. Why did he remind her so much of someone else? ]

Y-you can treat them! I’ll walk!

For Hizashi:

[sing_for_me]

( ooc: continued from here

[ Brave wasn’t a word used to describe her very often, if at all. She takes his hand, her grip light and careful. Cautious as she might be out of necessity, she couldn’t help but hope he might be someone she could befriend, the gem beneath her chest glowing softly. ]

Alex Benedetto. And...I think a full stomach would be better than an empty one right now.

[ Who knows when they might need the energy, no matter where it came from. ]

I’ve tasted worse and I’m still here.

[ Her tone is a joking one, maybe his vibe was contagious. ]

[vociferates]

[The faint glow of her gem isn't missed, but he chooses not to comment on it. That feels kinda rude, you know? Though its placement is curiously similar to his own, which raises its own questions.]

Alex Benedetto! Got it!

[He laughs though, releasing her hand carefully, offering a gentle fingergun in response to her joke.]

Buuut... Yeah, yeah. Okay!! Fair enough point. It's mostly edible probably, they don't seem to be in the business of poisoning people they yanked out of death's arms yeah? Still not keen on loosing my lunch in case it doesn't agree with me, so I might just wait until I'm sure I wont be revisiting it again after eating.

[He WILL however, investigate the possibility of coffee at some point.]

Other than the negatively delicious food, you hanging in there?

For Caesar:

[sing_for_me]

( ooc: Continued from here

[ The flirtatious attitude and friendly demeanor reminded her of Worrick, which may be why she’s not as reluctant to keep her distance. It takes a moment longer, but she does take her hand back, using the beginning of their walk as an excuse. ]

The depends. Would you also tell me about yourself?

[ Or was this going to be more one-sided? ]

Kaede

[sing_for_me]

( ooc: continued from Here

[ Alex’s eyes widen at the flames, then follow the fallen embers down to the ground as they died out.

Did she just—- ]

Oh my god is your throat okay?!

[ They really shouldn’t just stand here. They had to find someone—someone with water or something! Taking her hand, Alex starts to walk in the direction the other woman was originally heading. ]

You think there might be people this way right?

[recremation]

[Kanade clears her throat slightly, overall relatively unfazed despite the roughness of her throat.]

Yeah, it'll be fine-- [And then Alex starts walking them along again, so she goes along with it despite looking a bit bemused. She could dig her heels in if she wanted to, but she's not going to complain about getting moving.]

I dunno about people, this place seems kinda the wrong atmosphere for having living people. [Maybe something else, but given what the air quality is like, she doesn't feel like any humans would be able to survive on it for long.] But if we can get somewhere higher up, the air might be a bit less crappy.

[sing_for_me]

[ The expression on Alex’s face as she looks back at Kanade is one of a person who feels she is way in over her head. From what she’s understanding, the two of them might not last long even if they were to find ‘somebody’, right? ]

But will that be enough...?

Beatrix

[sing_for_me]

( ooc: Continue from here )

It’s......filling?

[ That counts as a descriptor doesn’t it? But as Alex looks at the reaction on the young girl’s face, she can’t help but laugh. ]

I was trying to be adventurous, but I did see some bread. Should we switch over to that instead?