Day 201 [event post]

[bastionpc]

Who: Zahi and everyone who wants to go hunt down the cure
Open: Open
When: 201- onwards
Where: the monument, and then out on the Skyway
What: People in the Bastion are falling sick, and Zahi knows where a cure can be found. Unfortunately, it won't be easy to get to.
Format: action
Warnings: none

[On Day 201, after several people have fallen ill, another meeting is called. This time, however, it is not Nathaniel who has called for everyone. It's Zahi.]

Okay, I know everyone's been worried about the people in the hospital, and it looks like our fears weren't unfounded: some of the people who went on that last trip, they caught something.

I've been watching the symptoms, and I think I know what this is. A long time ago, back before Zayna was born, there was a terrible illness that claimed the lives of many Ura. Everyone who fell sick here, they had the same symptoms as those who caught the disease before.

On the plus side, this means that it can be cured. I know of a clinic, way out in the Terminals, where there should be some medicine stocked. Not only can we cure the sick, but we can give another kind of medicine to those who aren't sick yet, so they won't catch it at all.

The downside is that it's gonna take a while to get there. It'll be at least two days there, and possibly more to track down exactly where the clinic is, and then the same amount of time back. We're looking at a four-day minimum, which means we won't be much help to those who are sick right now. They'll either be dead or getting better by the time we get back.

Then there's the fact that it's really dangerous out there. Zayna and I were out on the Terminals before we came here, and let's just say that there's a reason we went looking for somewhere safer to stay.

If you'd rather stay here, I can understand that. The Bastion is an amazing place, and I wouldn't be surprised if someone here managed to save everyone. But I'm not a fan of putting all my eggs in one basket, so I figured it's worth a shot to go and try to get some of the medicine.

What do you guys think?

Comments

[bastionpc]

...Sweet merciful Mother, just how many of you can fly?

[Tobias he had been expecting. Roze and Alucard? Not so much.]

[bastionpc]

[Sorry, Zahi, Ahime might be laughing at you a bit.]

There's a girl who can light herself on fire and you're questioning how many of our numbers can take flight like it's something to be surprised over! You're funny, Zahi.

[amphibian]

[Aoi just kind of...purses her lips and shrugs. No sudden flying from her, at least?]

Then I'll help check the clinic!

[daughterofursa]

[Zuko doesn't see anything funny about this situation, especially when said girl Ahime mentions is one of the sick. Earthbound herself, she nods to Aoi.]

I'm with you.

[She doesn't draw her swords yet, but pushes ahead in the direction Zahi indicated.]

[bastionpc]

[Zahi will go ahead and go to the clinic with Aoi and Zuko. Someone has to be there to read the labels.

The inside of the clinic is dark, but surprisingly dry for being an underground building. Zahi is about to light a torch, but then he remembers: Zuko has fire things.]

Think you can give us a little light?

[bastionpc]

[Whoops. Sorry, Zuko. She wasn't trying to be callous, she's just holding out hope everyone will come out of this just fine.

She glances back at the group intending to scout outside, dropping a hand on Zahi's shoulder.]

I'm going to go with them and make sure they don't get in to too much trouble. Roze seems capable but the others seem a little... green.

[amphibian]

Don't let 'em get ahead of you just 'cause they can fly, Ahime! We'll let you know what's up once we've regrouped!

[daughterofursa]

[Zuko just nods to Ahime and then glances at Zahi. If this were back home, then sure, she could have provided a light, but...]

If you've got a torch, I'd rather save my firebending. I can't keep it up for long, and we don't know what we might run into.

[Look, she can totally think ahead.]

[bastionpc]

[He'll go ahead and pass the unlit torch to Zuko, then.]

Good point. I hope we won't need it, though.

[He's the only one who can read the bottles, to find the right medicine among the shelves, but there are things the others can get too.]

We're going to need syringes, iodine, and cotton balls. Those should be easy enough to find on their own, and iodine comes in huge bottles. Also, if you find any bandages, surgical masks, and other stuff like that, it would really help.

[Zahi is going to be going through the shelves, searching out the specific medicine they are there for.]

[amphibian]

Got it!

[Aoi immediately starts shuffling through the shelves, much more mindful of her movements than usual. Contemplatively humming as she squints through the darkness at each thing she picks up, she places the listed-off items in her bag, sets useless-looking miscellany on the nearest table-like surface, and puts bottles back for Zahi to look through.]

[daughterofursa]

[Frankly Zuko is not sure what all of those things Zahi listed are, but she does light the torch and stick close enough to help the both of them see. She picks up the things she recognizes, and once she has some idea what the rest are from what Aoi is grabbing, she starts collecting those, too.

Periodically she'll glance back at Zahi.]

Have you found it?

[bastionpc]

I found several different kinds of cough medicine, and painkillers strong enough to knock out an elephant.

[He's taking the painkillers, by the way. They might come in handy.

After a bit more searching, he finally finds what he's been looking for.]

Bingo!

[Unfortunately, that particular spot in the shelf is nearly empty. There's three small bottles there, each carrying exactly one dose.]

...well it's a good thing we can make more of this in the Bastion. Got those bandages? We should probably pack these for travel, the last thing we need is for the bottles to break in transit.

[amphibian]

Ah! You found it?! Really?! That's great! That's amazing!

[Beaming, Aoi starts to run over, stops short at the call for bandages, and starts rooting through her bag.] Yeah, I've got—oh! Oh, I almost forgot! I can't believe I almost forgot!

[She pulls a roll of bandages out of her bag, looks around for a place to put it before stuffing it in her sweatshirt pocket, steps to the side so she can plop the whole bag down on a nearby desk, and roots through it until she finds the sensor Nathaniel gave her. She cups her hands around it and holds it out in front of her.]

Is there enough to send a dose straight back, too?

[bastionpc]

That's the thing from the tower stuff, right?

[Zahi looks it over.]

It should be, if it works like it did last time. But I'd say send just one dose with it, just in case something goes wrong.

[He'll offer up one of the vials to Aoi.]

Think you can pack it with some of the syringes? Just in case there's none back at the Bastion.

People outside the clinic, assemble?

[kyotoprincess]

[While the other group goes in, Bon stays outside. He's sure those going in will be able to find the medicine, so for now he's going to focus on making sure they don't get ambushed. He climbs up to a high point (since he can't fly like the others) and starts to look around.]

You know, for how many obvious homes this place has, it's really empty. How come there's no ash statues?

[notachickenhawk]

[Tobias circles above, having ditched bat morph after it didn't show much, but he can still hear Bon pretty well.]

<Something has been here before, I bet. It's probably collapsed the statues. I don't know why though, or where it's gone.>

[bastionpc]

That would be the most logical conclusion, though that leaves me to wonder what that "something" is.

[And that would be Ahime, splitting off to come back with the group scouting outside. Clad in armor with a sword at her hip, she probably looked the most battle-ready out of everyone there.]

All the more reason to keep a close eye out.

[fullofthorns]

You want a lift? [ Roze asks after a short dive and sudden stop, buffeting Bon with her wings as she hovers in place, thumbing skyward. ] Better view up there; always helps to have multiple perspectives.

Anyways, it could still be occupied too, you know? I mean we ain't exactly knockin' on doors. People could still be alive out here in all of this shit. [ She remarks, gesturing around them vaguely to indicate the Skyway. ]

We all survived, and the critters that live out here do just fine on their lonesome. Who's to say there ain't little pocket colonies around?

And if it ain't that...well, maybe nobody was alive here when the big boom happened. Dead people can't leave fancy ash statues behind.

[bastionpc]

[Roze actually has a good point. With so many doors, there definitely could be someone out there somewhere. Underground homes would offer better protection from monsters than the above-ground homes of Caelondia, at least.

By the way, while searching, the group can find two things: a trail of footprints, leading further away from the clinic and out into the maze of homes, which ultimately lead to a door that looks much more cleaned-up than the rest around it. This home may possibly be lived in.

What do you do?]

[kyotoprincess]

Thanks for the offer, but I think I should stay down here. That way Ahime won't be caught by herself if something does happen.

[Even if Tobias and Roze are right nearby, it still would take them a moment to react to an attack. Plus Bon would prefer to keep his feet on the ground.]

[fullofthorns]

[ EXPLORE OF COURSE! Roze nods to Bon, shrugging the decline off with a smile. No scales off her back. ]

Good deal. I think I saw something over that way though, so I'm gonna check it out. If Suzaku over there sees anything on the other side, have him give a ca-caw or something. [ That said, the demoness flaps her wings hard and rolls back, heading for the footprints. ]

Hey, no one's been over this way yet, right? [ She calls back over her shoulder, puzzling over the marks and debating landing. Getting back in the air wasn't easy for her, but she's relatively sure she can deck anyone that tries to ambush her...]

Helloooooo? Hell~oooo? Hey, yo, anyone out here? ........Spooky ass mother fuckin' ghost town bullshit...I wanna go home. Tch. Stupid ass plague.

[bastionpc]

[Roze's call after she had departed to explore further caught Ahime's attention, prompting the armor-clad woman to move carefully in that direction, hand resting relaxed on the hilt of her sword.

Seeing the foot prints as she nears, she pauses to crouch down and examine them closely.]

These are most certainly recent, though how recent is difficult to determine.

[She rose after that, casting her gaze around with ears trained to anything on the wind, but for the moment all is silent outside of Roze's calling.]

... there is a door up there.

[Dare they try it?]

[fullofthorns]

[ Circling the air with lazy flaps of her four wings keeping her aloft, Roze shrugs, gesturing with both hands. ]

Hey lady, I can go in if you want me too, but I ain't exactly the poster child for diplomatic expression. In some countries I literally look like the goddamn boogeyman. You wanna go all girlscout and hit door to door, by all means. I encourage polite interventions when they matter.

[kyotoprincess]

[...yeah Roze's got a point there.]

I'll go check it out.

[He walks up to the door, knocks, and...no answer. Frowning, he knocks again, then waits. Still no answer.

He looks back to the others, and he shrugs.]

Nobody's answering.

[fullofthorns]

Are you for real right now? Dude, open the goddamn door or something. You don't just tap a couple of times and go about your merry way.

Holy balls, man.

[ The demoness hisses, pivoting in the air and setting her feet on the roof of the building, landing with a soft thump to crawl around on all fours as easily as a standard dragon might, tail slithering around behind her. Eventually she cranes her neck over the side, looking around for any windows she might be able to look into. ]

I'm tellin' you, those footprints ain't old. Somebody is creepin' around on us. If they're safe out here that's fine, but they might have some knowledge on this mess. That's kinda important, yeah? For fuck's sake, knock again and say something.