![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[This week, he might feel the stranger before he sees her. It starts as a prickle raked over skin. The scalp of the head, the neck, the waist, the upper arms and thighs. Then it's literal pricking. Scabbing, scraping, slicing, as if brushing past delicate razors. There's a sickening tug in the belly — an open wound but an old one, with something thick and unrelenting jutting out from within.
The pain disappears the minute the girl draws close with a cheery greeting.]
Good morning!
[She nods a head crowned with thorns at him before making to pass by. There's a nastier set wound around her middle.]
The pain disappears the minute the girl draws close with a cheery greeting.]
Good morning!
[She nods a head crowned with thorns at him before making to pass by. There's a nastier set wound around her middle.]
[ wow okay what the fuck is happening here because he sure doesn't love it??? ow???? he's definitely like, in a cold sweat by the time she passes him, even if the actual physical discomfort has already subsided. ]
H-huh? Uh, morning.
H-huh? Uh, morning.
[ shakes his head ]
Fine! Just felt a little off for a minute there, haha. This is what they meant about adjusting to those nano things, I guess!
[ looks at her... is she like, actively bleeding, what's happening here with this briar situation ]
Fine! Just felt a little off for a minute there, haha. This is what they meant about adjusting to those nano things, I guess!
[ looks at her... is she like, actively bleeding, what's happening here with this briar situation ]
[ ARE THEY DAMAGING HER BELLY BUTTON????
unfortunately he's actually probably thinking that with enough feeling that she might sense it. don't worry about it.
anyway. mentally clears throat. ]
Well, I don't think we're actually sick, I think it's just, like, a side effect of the little machine things that are doing all the translating and stuff for us?
unfortunately he's actually probably thinking that with enough feeling that she might sense it. don't worry about it.
anyway. mentally clears throat. ]
Well, I don't think we're actually sick, I think it's just, like, a side effect of the little machine things that are doing all the translating and stuff for us?
[ immediately ]
NOPE!!!
[ shit ]
I mean, um, not intentionally, but it seems like picking up other people's thoughts is a thing that's happening...
NOPE!!!
[ shit ]
I mean, um, not intentionally, but it seems like picking up other people's thoughts is a thing that's happening...
No no no, it's fine! I mean... it's fine for me, it's— are you okay?
[ looks... at thorns.... ]
Do you like, need help with those...
[ looks... at thorns.... ]
Do you like, need help with those...
[She stands outside the impenetrable simulation chambers, hand gripped on her thorn bow and glowering. Her head snaps to Todomatsu the second she hears his footsteps, reflexively drawing but not yet taking aim.]
They're locked. Don't bother.
They're locked. Don't bother.
[ well, he was already feeling very disoriented and on edge, and he tenses up pretty hard as he watches her hand on the bow, like he thinks it might end up pointing at him at any moment. ]
Ah. [ he swallows, his throat dry. ] Um, okay. Thanks.
Ah. [ he swallows, his throat dry. ] Um, okay. Thanks.
Edited 2024-03-02 01:37 (UTC)
[ he exhales at that, at least. ]
I mean, I definitely don't feel good. I just don't— I don't understand what happened. None of this should be happening now!
I mean, I definitely don't feel good. I just don't— I don't understand what happened. None of this should be happening now!
...Yeah. I just wish we knew that "somewhere" wasn't going to be even worse.
[ i mean, what the hell kind of genre shift is this already? weren't we just dealing with horny mold the other day?! ]
[ i mean, what the hell kind of genre shift is this already? weren't we just dealing with horny mold the other day?! ]
Huh?
[ he also blinks. ]
You know, like, categories for TV shows or movies or books or whatever. Like this one started out as kind of a scifi comedy when we were having stupid plumbing mishaps and playing party games, but it just seriously veered off course into horror territory with this.
[ he also blinks. ]
You know, like, categories for TV shows or movies or books or whatever. Like this one started out as kind of a scifi comedy when we were having stupid plumbing mishaps and playing party games, but it just seriously veered off course into horror territory with this.
[why aren't you in bed eric
Anyway Rosamund just stares at him. Some of the words are frankly, gibberish, but books makes the cut, as does the general sentiment.]
So... [She cocks her head.] Todomatsu. Is your life...
[How to put this prudently.]
You're aware of what we are. Is that it?
Anyway Rosamund just stares at him. Some of the words are frankly, gibberish, but books makes the cut, as does the general sentiment.]
So... [She cocks her head.] Todomatsu. Is your life...
[How to put this prudently.]
You're aware of what we are. Is that it?
[ i'm getting there!!
he nods. ]
Mm. I'm an anime character.
he nods. ]
Mm. I'm an anime character.
[cocks gun]
...Okay I don't know what that is. [Suddenly she's smiling, putting a hand to her chest.] But actually, I'm Sleeping Beauty!
Have you heard of that story? It's okay if you haven't, it's not all that exciting.
[Unlike this mysterious anime]
...Okay I don't know what that is. [Suddenly she's smiling, putting a hand to her chest.] But actually, I'm Sleeping Beauty!
Have you heard of that story? It's okay if you haven't, it's not all that exciting.
[Unlike this mysterious anime]
Oh!
[ ...well, that. makes a whole lot of sense, actually, looking at her, though he doesn't think they've ever personally encountered characters from a completely different (but familiar?) fictional universe before, so that's... kind of something else to wrap his head around. huh. ]
Yeah, I do know it. [ thinks... ] I don't think we ever parodied it like we did with Cinderella or Little Red Riding Hood, though.
[ ...well, that. makes a whole lot of sense, actually, looking at her, though he doesn't think they've ever personally encountered characters from a completely different (but familiar?) fictional universe before, so that's... kind of something else to wrap his head around. huh. ]
Yeah, I do know it. [ thinks... ] I don't think we ever parodied it like we did with Cinderella or Little Red Riding Hood, though.
[Her eyes widen.]
You parodied— oh. Hmm. [This is awkward. She's not sure how that would play out, whether the original stories get involved at all.] I think Little Red would get a kick out of it. I don't know what Cinderella might think. She can be very serious sometimes.
[Perhaps that is more owing to her most recent iterations, though.]
Anyway, I know how you feel. When your story goes wrong. I mean, look at me! [She gestures (needlessly) to the briars.] It's very easy to get discouraged, especially when something so dreadful happens. And then keeps happening, and gets worse, and...it can seem like there may not be hope.
But I promise you, there always is.
You parodied— oh. Hmm. [This is awkward. She's not sure how that would play out, whether the original stories get involved at all.] I think Little Red would get a kick out of it. I don't know what Cinderella might think. She can be very serious sometimes.
[Perhaps that is more owing to her most recent iterations, though.]
Anyway, I know how you feel. When your story goes wrong. I mean, look at me! [She gestures (needlessly) to the briars.] It's very easy to get discouraged, especially when something so dreadful happens. And then keeps happening, and gets worse, and...it can seem like there may not be hope.
But I promise you, there always is.
Page 1 of 5