thebastion | Day 201 [event post]

Day 201 [event post]

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?

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It's an interesting experiment, actually. When words seem important, carrying a meaning that seems to transcend language, they don't automatically translate. I suspect that's why we don't understand Paarthurnax's dragon-speak.

[He studies Zulf for a moment, before finally asking the question that seems obvious to him.]

So was that a good name, or a bad name?

My people live underground. Anything that would weaken the stone used to shelter us was rarely considered a good thing.

[Along with being connected with areas often associated with some manner of death... No, not a particularly good name at all.]

Sometimes, you could use it as a source of pride if you were that kind of stubborn person. "At least I'm not dead", et cetera.

Ah, but in some instances, weakening a stone can be helpful. It's all a measure of how you look at things, from the outside.

From the inside, though. That makes sense.

[He just watches Zulf with a gentle expression.]

You were the only one to survive in your family, how about after the plague passed? What then?

I survived. There isn't really much more to say about it until I was taken in some years later.

I think there is, actually.

You wouldn't be so eager to get off the topic if there weren't something there that you didn't want to face. Something getting you right in the depths of your soul.

A bit dramatic, don't you think?

[A way of saying that he doesn't like how perceptive Colin is being.]

...The plague made it so that the dead were too much for the living to handle, at least effectively. Some bodies couldn't be dispersed, souls released, for days. For a few, it was simply a matter of finding them. For others... As I said, many people died.

[His expressin starts to twist a bit, brows furrowing and mouth scrunching up. His voice has been steadily getting a bit tighter. Telling people about the plague- that's always been easy in general terms.]

I didn't want them to be stuck like that.

So what did you do?

[Colin steps to Zulf's side, still looking at him. If he's perceptive, he may be able to tell that there's a hug coming. Colin suspects that's a big "If" at the moment.]

..Someone had to send them to the Lorn Mother.

[Zulf is a bit lost in his own thoughts to notice anything, but Cubone is different. The small bone starts getting waved about again at Colin, this time a bit more aggressively. The little Pokemon may not really understand what's going on, but it knows enough to guess that Colin is the reason why Parental Figure 1 is upset.]

It's okay, little one. You can give me a whack with it if you want.

[He puts an arm around Zulf then.]

I would offer you my sympathy, if you wanted it. I suspect it would do nothing for you, though. How long were you alone, after that?

[What, no, you're supposed to be incredibly intimidated by this display, Colin. Why are you doing everything wrong? Cubone looks dismayed that didn't work and just starts making some Growl noises. They are, unfortunately, probably less intimidating than the bone waving was.]

They've been long dead. There's nothing more to say. [Even if his eyes are a bit watery right now. Pay them no mind. He seems to stiffen up at the arm.]

...I wasn't the only sole survivor of a family. I couldn't really call myself 'alone'.

And I'm looking out for everyone sick here, so I couldn't really call myself a pain in the ass. Come on, Zulf. Don't feed me that...

[Stiffen up all you want, Zulf. You're only gonna get hugged harder.]

[But why, no, he never asked for this hug. Cubone just continues to Growl, for all the good that is doing right now. Why isn't it weakening Colin's hug attack]

What do you want? [His voice gets a little higher towards the end.]

[Colin is unaware, Cubone. He is unaffected by stat changes.]

I want to get everyone through this in one piece.

And since you're getting pulled back to the last time this happened, I want you to not be alone this time. And you're doing a damn good job of fighting it.

Seriously, everyone else may be too freaked out and sick to notice, but I'm not.

[Words are apparently going right back to failing this time, now replaced by hiccups and Zulf trying to wipe at his eyes. Cubone's Growling is now also going to this because it's starting to pick up on his distress.]

[Good job, Colin, you've made two separate individuals start to cry.]

[Colin tightens his arm a little around Zulf, hugging him still. And he's managed to catch Cubone in the blast radius of the feels, that's great.]

Sorry, kiddo. Sorry, Zulf. I'm... look, I'm trying here. I want to get everyone through, however I can. You guys can hate me all you want, but if you're all okay when all is said and done, I've done what I set out to do...

What else can I do for you, Zulf? Little guy?

[It takes a few more hiccups and maybe a strangled sob before Zulf can get the words out.]

Everyone's going to die again. [A statement said with a despairing kind of certainty.] Just like before.

[Ghaleon hadn't really meant to eavesdrop, but sometimes his ears just make it a tad difficult not to overhear conversations. The plan had been just to go about his business - patients to attend to and all - and yet the sound of crying... Dammit, he can't help but interfere.]

Perhaps some may, but I have found that people are quite a bit more resilient than they are generally given credit for.

[Hoping to run at least a bit of damage control, he moves over to the small creature wearing the skull and crouches down in front of it, giving a small smile that he reserves for children.]

Hello little one. Is your father having a rough time?

[Colin smiles gratefully at Ghaleon, though again, Helmet in the way.]

Thank you. I... am not much of a comforting presence to the young in this getup.

[Colin rubs Zulf's back.]

Right now, everyone's alive. And I intend to keep everyone alive. We've got good people out there looking for a cure, and good people here working to keep everyone in one piece. That includes you.

There's no guarantee of that.

[It's a bit mumbled as he tries to shift away, shoulders hunching up in shame now that there are two people who've got him trapped like this. The Cubone just clings to him tighter, waving its bone club at Ghaleon and making yet another attempt at Growl. If it does this enough, then it has to work on someone, right?]

[...Cubone's attempts to be threatening are actually adorable.]

There is also no guarantee that those who die will remain dead. My very existence is a testament to that.

[Surprise.]

If you want guarantees for anything, you're in trouble. Nothing, anywhere, ever, is guaranteed. Even the laws of the universe are mutable, if someone knows what they're doing.

We're all doing everything we can for them, Zulf. Have a little hope?

[He gives Ghaleon another curious expression, but he can poke the apparently dead guy later.]

[When it evolves into a Marowak, y'all are fucked, it swears. For now, however, Cubone just seems to be getting more upset that it's impressive intimidation techniques aren't working. It seems to calm down a bit, however, as Zulf pets along its head.]

That's different. [And for the love of the Pantheon, please do not mention necromancy.]

And how? It took ages to come up with a cure for it back in the Terminals, and the plague acts so quickly to being with! They might not find anything there, it might not survive the trip, they might be too late, anything could happen!

[It might be a bit obvious now why he's been relentlessly working himself to the bone. With nothing else to keep his hands and mind busy, his thoughts immediately turn to the worst case scenarios. He's outright crying now, unable to wipe it away with one hand cradling the Cubone and the other swatting at Colin to try and get him to stop hugging him. The insistent waving of a club bone ineffectively adds to this.]

How you have hope is irrelevant. It only matters that you do, for the sake of your sanity and for the sake of those that are fighting for their lives as we speak. Hope with as much strength as you can muster so that they might borrow from that.

If nothing else, do not allow them to see that you have given them up for dead. People find it more difficult to live if the ones caring for them clearly don't believe they can.

[Listen to the dead man, Zulf. He knows how this whole hope and despair thing works really well.]

Besides, Zulf. If you remember nothing else, remember this.

When the universe plays rough, I cheat.

I know you don't think much of me, but I'm still not gonna let anyone die while I've still got things I can try to keep people alive.

You've got a kid here that wants to protect you. A kid that I'm gonna have to make a show of scrambling away from here in a minute. I'm not asking you to think everything's gonna be sunshine and rainbows, but have a little faith that the people you're with are gonna see things through to the best conclusion possible.

[Sorry, Cubone. Your growling is very intimidating, but your papa needs to be reassured and pulled back from the brink first. Some things you just gotta face fears for. :3]

Not speaking to Rin again for that reason...

[There's no other comment to that, beyond a questioning wide eyed stare. At least Colin's comments drag out more... Although admittedly not for the reasons listed. There's just a very confused glance.]

Kid...? [He's thinking of someone entirely different, at least until Cubone waves its club about again. Zulf makes a small noise of understanding and holds the baby Pokemon closer.] Just worrying to hear you say that...

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Day 201 [event post]

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