Infighting Week One

[animusmods]

Characters: any character participating in the Infighting event
Setting: pods, week one of the event
Format: any
Summary: All week one Infighting event threads should go in here, to keep things organized.
Warnings: horror, trauma, experiment results, impossible geometry, cabin fever

[Group Information]
Dax's Pod
Riki's Pod
Jason's Pod
End of Week One

Comments

[happygolucky]

I don't know if it is better, if they're putting us in some kind of competition.

[Not that he isn't glad to have regular food again.

He nods and plops himself down on the floor, curling his tail out of the way as he leans back against the wall.]

I hope everyone back in the Tower's okay. Is this like that other time you told me about? I don't wanna kill anybody.

[fallen_stage]

But if we win, we might keep the Tower like this. You heard what that woman said. You probably weren't here when he was answering questions, but that Jason fellow is not one to keep in charge.

[Not if that little interview was anything to go by. Getting rid of trauma by forced amnesia? 'Twas foolishness. Kuja smiled slightly as he resumed filing his nails. If all were so easy, why, none would suffer in this world! Hehe.]

Similar only that we are gathered up for some purpose. I don't think we'll be killing each other, but I really couldn't say.

[happygolucky]

Yeah, that's a good point. I'd rather not have things get worse. But if we have to do something awful to win, I don't know... I just hope we don't have to.

No, I wasn't here, then. What kinds of stuff does he do?

[If Kuja thought he shouldn't be in charge, then he probably shouldn't be. Anyone who made the Tower worse than it already was would be really bad.]

I really hope we can get out of here sooner rather than later. [Not just here, but the Tower altogether.]

[fallen_stage]

Jason has very little regard for our autonomy or dignity. He mentioned to me that if any of us had trauma from his experiments? He's forcibly wipe our memories. I can only imagine what his group is like right now.

[He says it calmly enough, but really he's glad he doesn't have to deal with that man and his machinations. Kuja examines his nail as Zidane speaks.]

A sentiment we all share, I'm sure. I hope to choose my point of exit, myself.

[happygolucky]

Taking memories out of people's heads? Ugh, that's awful! I didn't even know they could do that. [He frowns.] I wish there was some way we could help the people in there with him. But this place is sealed up tight.

[He'd used all his thief skills to subtly try and find an exit of some kind, but no luck.]

Once we find a way back home, we can help everyone else get out, too. [He pauses.] Uh, oh-- speaking of that, I met up with some group trying to figure out this place and help everybody. Maybe you'd like to join it, too?

[fallen_stage]

That's what he said, and if those nightmares were any indication, I believe he can back up that boast. Right now we can help the others in the long term by winning.

[Kuja was sure as hell not going through those nightmares again if he could very well damn help it, Zidane's scruples or no. He could be complacent for the possibility of this reward, but he would kill for it, too. They all would come back in the end, anyway.]

No reason not to, I suppose. ...What group would that be? The other people in this pod?

[happygolucky]

You're right, if he can do that...

[He sets his jaw, resolute.]

If he can do that, and he will, he shouldn't be in charge. We should do what we can to stop him.

[He nods, agreeing with Kuja in this. As long as it's not anything truly horrible that they have to do, that is.

The memory removal does remind him of his experience with Garland an awful lot, which troubles him for various reasons.]

Nope, a pretty girl named Zelda told me about it, before all this happened. I said you might want to join, and she said it'd be okay, so--! How bout it? [He still (stubbornly) thinks it would be better for Kuja to join a more positive group than the Evil Alliance or whatever it is.]

[fallen_stage]

Exactly, so we should all try to do our best in whatever tasks they set for us. Even if it involves killing.

[Okay this part is really hard, for many reasons, but if Kuja can work "undercover" for years, he can easily look at the big picture for this.]

If I need to die for that, then I want you to kill me. No hesitations, understand?

[Yeah, it's a good idea Zidane... But this is the most you're getting.]

Zelda, hm? I'll look into it.

[happygolucky]

Kill you?! No, I'm not gonna kill you, Kuja. If someone's gotta die, it'll be me. I'm not letting anyone else die for my sake.

I don't care if we come back. It's still dying, and it still matters.

[Kuja isn't the only stubborn one around here.]

Yeah, you should. [Though now might not be the best time to talk about it. He'll ask again later.] I'll tell you more about it when I know more. With your powers, you could do a lot of good. [It would be a good change, too.] What've you been up to?

[fallen_stage]

...If you say so.

[Well that was easy. Zidane's better nature was very reliable, and would be useful in this situation. Kuja would rather avoid dying as much as he could.]

I've been talking with others and familiarizing myself with the new technology in the Tower. It seems many of the others are more advantage than Gaia on that front, especially in terms of transportation and communication.

[happygolucky]

[Wow, Kuja, it's great you agreed to kill him so easily. Even though he did mean what he said. He sighs. Well, he's not that surprised.]

Yeah, I say so.

[He nods.]

Me too! I'd never seen anything like those "computer" things before. Some people helped me figure them out. They're pretty neat. What else did you find out about?

[fallen_stage]

[Sorry dude: a lifelong vendetta plus impermanent death? Kinda takes the dilemma down a few notches. At least he'd try to make it quick?

...Let's change the topic.]

There are some similar interfaces on Terra, but they aren't as sophisticated. I've also been reading up on non-magical medicine. It seems we have the advantage there, since some worlds don't have so much as a potion or antidote. As a result, chemical pharmaceuticals are used on other worlds.

[Kuja's excited by the subject, and he wishes he could have brought some of those medical texts with him.]

[happygolucky]

[He gets it, but STILL. From his perspective, it does nothing to help lessen his still-existing doubts about Kuja.

Well, he's gonna be a bro and look out for Kuja regardless.]

Being able to send video and letters to people all at once is great.

Chemical farma-what? Cuticles? If magic is better, why read up on the other kind? You've got magic, you can just heal people.

[fallen_stage]

Very efficient.

[Oh c'mon bro, really? Use your head. Siiigh.]

Because, Zidane, this Tower can nullify my magic, and the infirmary stocks the chemical medicines as well. A system with redundancies has less weaknesses, surely you know that much.

[See, he's giving you some credit! ...Sort of. Also Kuja finds this shit fascinating but he doesn't expect Zidane to care about that.]

[happygolucky]

It's fun, too--when it's working, that is.

[Hey, he was raised in a troupe of acting thieves, he's no scientist! However, he can see what Kuja's saying.]

Oh, I get it. So it's something even I could use, huh?

[Since he's not some kind of super magician.]

Maybe I should learn that stuff too, then.

[fallen_stage]

[Kuja takes a moment to blow off the dust from his nails. Actually, that isn't a bad idea. It'd be one less reason for Zidane to pester him.]

There's no special skill involved, just knowledge. It's only getting to surgery that steady hands are needed, and that should be right up your alley.

[Thieves had to have a delicate touch to do their job.]

[happygolucky]

It's true, I'm great with my hands--I get that a lot.

[He smiles briefly.]

Surgery... It doesn't sound like the kind of thing you can pick up in a few days. Still, I'd give learning it a shot! Anything that can help. I'll have to look up the medicines and things too, once we get back.

Anything else useful you find out about?

Oh I bet you do, Zidane *wonk*

[fallen_stage]

I suggest you start familiarizing yourself with anatomy first. When we get back, I'll lend you a few books.

[Big ol' thick ones, Ziddy, hope you're prepared for a lot of study.]

What about you, Zidane? Surely you've sniffed out something interesting.

[happygolucky]

Familiarize myself with anatomy. Oh yeah, I can do that.

[He's just going to avoid making an obvious joke about being familiar with anatomy--he and Kuja aren't exactly on those terms. But he thinks it.]

Books, huh? [Hmm. He's not looking forward to reading a lot of books. He'd prefer a more hands-on approach.]

There's that group I told you about. It seems big. And I learned how to use the computer, and there's the free pancakes guy, and I met some nice girls. [That's important, right?] Other than that, I was just checking out the Tower before the power went out.

[fallen_stage]

[Kuja just rolls his eyes. Not his kind of humor, but ultimately harmless. He's about to make a quip about Queen Garnet overhearing, but that would just distract from the subject. Kuja will save that for when he really wants to twist the knife.]

Not as much on the information side. Quite the social butterfly, as always... in fact, there is someone I think you'd like to know. A young man named Yu is worth befriending.

[happygolucky]

[Kuja, there's no need for twisting any knives. Zidane is trying to be friendly here. :| ]

I get around, I guess. I like meeting new people. I'm most interested in helping them out, if I can. Yu? Haven't heard of him. Who's he?

[fallen_stage]

[Perfect~ With Zidane's charm, perhaps he could mitigate that.... unpleasantness Yu's still upset about.]

Yu's a young man with gray hair - about your age, but taller. He's friends with many others here and personable like yourself. Since you like to meet new people, I'd suggest finding him after this is over.

[happygolucky]

[Well, he's not adverse, as the guy sounds nice, but he has to wonder...]

Why?

I'm happy to meet and talk to anyone, but there are a lot of nice people here, so why do you want me to talk to him in particular?

[fallen_stage]

[Kuja shrugs, putting away his nail file (where'd he find that, anyway..?) and pulling out a bottle of nail polish.]

He seems to have the most connections, that's all. I'm not forcing your hand or anything.

[happygolucky]

I didn't think you were. Just wondering. [He's not suspicious, just curious, as this is the first person Kuja's really told him about.

Kuja doesn't always like answering his questions directly, he's noticed.] But you guys know each other or something?

[Zidane leans forward to examine the nail polish.]

Ha, you found everything already? I guess you don't waste any time. [Not that Zidane does either, having cased the joint. Not that he's actually going to steal anything, but it's good to know where everything is.]

Hey, if there's gonna be a beauty contest, looks like you already got it covered.