imeeji_frontstage | Go Fish: Trauma Edition

Who: Naughty little fishes
Where: Game Tower
When: Day 527

[So there you are, minding your own business on a completely normal day.]

[Then you blink —

[— and find yourself, and many other idols, in an unfamiliar room.]

[The room is large and round and made of glass, like a globe. ...No, like a fish bowl.]

[On the other side of the glass walls, you can see indistinct shapes moving around, but the glass distorts the light so much that anything farther than arm’s length is just vague smears of colors and shadow blending with your own reflection. But something is there. Possibly a lot of somethings. ]

[Two formless shapes approach the glass, and as they do, their images resolve into the shapes of a pair of twins, one grinning while the other pointedly looks away from his brother. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the one who actually looks cheerful about being here is the first to speak up:]

Guess what~? You’ve been chosen to play in our very first game. Isn’t that exciting?

[He throws his arms out theatrically.]

Especially after soooo many boring games. The audience is looking for excitement and thrills here! Why not take the chance to really cement yourself as the fan favorite while you have the chance? Heck, it might even fix your little... “problem.”

[There’s a beat of silence, and he moves to elbow his brother who shoots him a “hey what the hell?” look before reluctantly facing the gathered idols.]

...Make sure you protect yourselves. Otherwise...

[He just lets the thought trail off before looking away again. His brother leans on him, resting an elbow on his shoulder as though waiting for him to continue before finally giving up and shaking his head with a sigh.]

You heard him! Give this game all you’ve got - got it?

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Rest is a strong word for it.

[ Lupine's smile is very wan. ]

It's fine. I'll rest when everyone's — you know. As okay as they're getting.

-I still have some sIV powers, it seems. I'll help.

[ Opens his mouth, pauses, then shuts it again. ]

I was gonna say you don't have to, but I think I've only got so much hypocrisy in me per day.

Besides, the more people who know how the powers work, the safer we are while this whole thing shakes out.

It does help to have some additional medical knowledge, yes? Then I can't possibly leave you to it when I have a chance to assist.

[Even if he's not in the Best Place.]

[ Sometimes being useful helps put us back in better places! Lupine watches Doc for a few long seconds though before murmuring, ]

I hear you guys had to watch us not-quite-die. Sorry about that.

For what should you apologize? You had no control over the matter, nor can watching a sped up version compare to actually experiencing an agonizingly slow process of wasting away.

It's a sympathy sorry, not an apology sorry.

[ but also he does not want to talk or think about starving to almost-death ]

—I was gonna say, long as we did our best, we've got nothing to apologize for... but I think, if a team decides they wanna go down, that's not something to apologize for, either.

Should you decide to sacrifice yourself, I would have quite strong words for you. Perhaps not immediately afterward, however.

[ —okay, he wasn't expecting that. ]

I mean.

[ Look he had a very rational argument but it's sort of gone out of his head. ]

You are quite precious to me. Your life, and your overall wellbeing, has value. I would be no happier to see you fall on your sword than to see Aliza do it.

[And they've already had that talk.]

[ Why is this happening to HIM, of all people. Doc your taste is terrible. ]

I'm — I never said I was gonna fall on any swords.

[have you considered that you're biased though]

Good. Don't.

[ TERRIBLE. TASTE. ]

...I just think, if a team decides they'd rather die than do whatever the latest horrible game asks of them, that's...

I wouldn't judge them for it.

A team in general, no. You specifically, I would be upset about doing so. Not wanting to compromise your morals is one thing, but deciding your pain is worth less than others' is very much another.

[And he suspects which side Lupine would fall on.]

[ wow fuck you too ]

—I didn't say anything like that.

Am I mistaken?

[look him in the eye and tell him he's wrong about you.]

[ didn't say that either ]

...Some people have a higher tolerance for pain. It's not the same thing.

Just because you can handle it doesn't mean you should have to.

I'm not looking to hurt more than anyone else.

[ Beat. Tries for a joke: ]

In this context, anyway.

[Siiiiiiigh.]

I do worry about you, you know.

I'd say "stop", but somehow I don't think you're accepting feedback at this time.

Not even remotely. Nor am I sorry.

[ Snorts softly. ]

Yeah, well. Not the sort of thing people usually apologize for.

[ He starts to stand up. ]

You're gonna be okay?

I will. You did a fine job.

[He means physically okay, right? Right.]

[ He definitely means physically, because his player wants him to walk away and start suffocating. ]

Heh. Thanks? I'm gonna go see if there's anyone else who needs—

[ and whoops that's the distance, choked off because choking ]

Re: Endgame // cannibalism mention

happydreamed - 2023-02-20 19:41 (UTC) - Expand

at_heart - 2023-02-20 20:27 (UTC) - Expand