003: Coldstuck

[wweh]

Characters: Eridan Ampora & YOU
Setting: Dorm Room 3-06, Dorm Halls, Media Room
Format: action brackets
Summary: Eridan's got a case of the eventfluenza, and trying to fight it how he can. by doing nothing and complaining about it.
Warnings: language.

DORM ROOM-
[Eridan's been having a rougher time sleeping than usual. Waking up at random times during the day, either due to fits of coughing or gasping for air. Occasionally he'll make some sort of weird noise coming out of his gills, trying to remove whatever he feels is stuck in there. The door's been open, so you may walk by to see him huddled up in his blanket, cape, and scarf. He's been stealing the blankets from his roommates whenever they're not in the room, and is constantly shifting to try and get comfortable.]

DORM HALLS-

[You might want to nudge Eridan back to his room. He probably isn't going to listen, but... never hurts to try. He looks pretty terrible. Eyes are dark and sunken in, he's hunched over, completely covered in his cape. He really doesn't look like he wants to be bothered, which is the exact reason why you should]

MEDIA ROOM-

[Eridan's plopped down in front of a TV, playing some really crappy RPG knockoff. It's not FLARP, but he's too sick for that he'd get killed in an instant and he knows it. But he's having a bad time, in fact, the worst time. He's really stuck on a boss and complaining quite loudly at that. He's got a stuffy head and his accent sounds funnier than usual. ]

OH, HE JUST KEEPS USIN' THE SAME BROKEN FUCKIN' SPELL. WHAT A BUNCH A' GARBAGE. WHY DO PEOPLE EVEN THINK THIS SHIT'S FUCKIN' "FUN?"

Comments

Media room.

[chronomancer]

Dunno, you tell me, Fins.

[Enjoy your annoying jadeblood self leaning on the couch's backrest, watching you play with a small smirk. Behold the fact the asshole isn't wearing sunglasses for once, so you can see his smug expression in full.]

Never been much of a gamer, myself.

[wweh]

[He grumbles. He's not really appreaciating the commentary.]

Ugh, as if this day couldn't get any worse.

[He looks back, and actually realizes he looks different. God damn that expression pissed him off more than usual. Was that how HE looked without glasses?]

Wait... somethin's off.

[chronomancer]

[Eridan smiles lazily at the seadweller, before he vaults over the couch so he can go curl up in a corner of it.]

Yup, I think you just died.

Dorm Halls

[pushedaround]

[ Usually, he would think twice before approaching Eridan, but he just looked so horrible he couldn't help but to feel ... sorry for him? Maybe?

Anyway, here's Tavros staring at you and looking a bit worried. ]

... Are you okay, Eridan?

Dorm Halls

[iron_infidel]

[What was that about nudging someone back to rest! Trying to get them to look out for their better welfare? I think the guardian of all young trolls is calling. Signless had recently been exploring the tower on account of the recent epidemic. It doesn't take him long to notice the troll hunched and bundled in the halls and it tears at his heart. He feels the need to offer any support he can and in such does exactly that.]

It is rather unfortunate seeing all of you young ones catching this virus.

TWO PARALLEL UNIVERSE BROS PLAY WHATEVER

[wweh]

[and Eridan grumbles at Jadeeri's comments some more.]

I meant to do that. Totally fuckin' intentional I've already picked up on some nuances.

[wweh]

[He's not really concered with who he is at the moment, and is more concerned with how clogged his gills are feeling. His breathing's a bit heavier but he's still able to complain and complain.]

Well that's obvious...
Do you have anything to fuckin' help or are you just going to comment on it?

That's the premise of the best worst sitcom in the history of paradox space.

[chronomancer]

Given that I know jackshit about this, I'm going to take your word for it.

[He's just gonna sit in this corner, hoarding warmth and watching Eridan play.]

But if you feel like sharing those nuances, I won't complain.

[wweh]

[Eridan sighs. At least this cold is giving him what he craves: attention.] Tav, honestly, what does it look like? My gills are fuckin' clogged an' I'm pretty sure that's the farthest thing from bein' okay.

[wweh]

When you die in this you keep all the items and money you got. It's a valid tactic to send your guys straight into the fuckin' abyss over an' over again while they kill everythin' they can for some easy money.

This is the first time I've even played somethin' like this.

[and he resumes playing, only to throw the controller down shortly after.]

Did you just see that fuckin' bullshit? I hit the boss with everythin' I got and he still survived with one health! Do you know how many times I've been dyin' on this stage just to take him down?

[chronomancer]

[...whoa, Eridan, watch it with the gaming rage. Eridan scoots a little further into the couch, just in case the other starts flailing.]

...maybe there's like a trick or a specific thing you need to do?

[Yeah, you're not getting very good insight from this one. He's a bit of a derp when it comes to games.]

Though if you do it enough times you'll probably memorize it. So why don't you try doing something different each time?

[That is not him projecting his Time powers into a game at all. Of course not.]

[pushedaround]

[ He blinks slowly. Why is everyone getting sick all of a sudden? ]

You should get back to your room and, uh, rest. Do you need any help getting there?

[iron_infidel]

[He offers a sigh and takes in a slow deep breath before he responds. Obviously this one had a short temper. Who raised these trolls and why were they so... ill-mannered.]

I am willing to help, if you require assistance. Eridan right? I spoke some time ago with your jaded blooded counterpart.

dorm halls

[cullscuttlefish]

[There's one little problem - okay, more than a few little problems with Feferi being out of bed. One, she's still sick herself. Two: she's not exactly looking okay, on top of being ill. She looks a little surprised to see Eridan, because as far as she's aware, it's sometime in July, and he wasn't there in July. So pardon her as she blinks.]

...

[wweh]

[That's rather weird.]

What? Is there somethin' on my face? Oh glub please tell me somethin's not on my face, cause I can feel like somethin' totally is...

[cullscuttlefish]

[It takes her a minute to snap out of it. She's still a little dazed when she finally responds.]

Huh? No. Nothing's on your face. Why would there be?

[wweh]

My gills... they're feelin'...

drippy. Like stuff's comin' out a' them. I can see it... I can fuckin' feel it.

[cullscuttlefish]

...you mean like blood? Come here, let me take a look at you.

[She steps forward, intending to check for anything unusual staining his shirt, but then stops. Her eyes widen, and she freezes in place. She's not seeing the hallway, and she's certainly not seeing Eridan.

Feferi's seeing through him, back to another place in the Tower. Another place, another troll entirely, this one mad over - what in this place wouldn't drive a troll mad? But that didn't matter; what did was the fact that in that moment, Gamzee's intent and actions had all been focused on killing her. Her hands instinctively move up, trying to protect herself, and she steps back.]

[wweh]

[Eridan shrugs.]

Yeah, at this point I'm wonderin' if I'm even supposed to be runnin' after him. Probably wiser to just beat the level an' move on. You don't have to kill him apparently....

....but it's braggin' rights. An' probably extra stuff.

[wweh]

Shouldn't you be the one askin' for help gettin' places?

I mean I could use the help I guess but really I've got things to do I can't be lettin' my gills keep gettin' clogged. Gotta do somethin' about it...

[chronomancer]

[Excuse him while his mind boggles a little. He blinks.]

...why is there a battle there if you're not required to fight it?

[What is videogame logic.]

[wweh]

Well, now you're speakin' with the reel deal Ampora. Real deal, I mean.

Well, I suppose if you've got some way to fight off this sickness I wouldn't be opposed to it.

[pushedaround]

Uh, Eridan.

[ Oh my god, how to even convince this guy to listen? ]

You really need to get some proper rest. You look awful and I seriously doubt that exhausting yourself will do you any good.

[wweh]

No not blood... it's more like....Fef? You okay?

[Fef's freezing in place also sets off something in his mind...]

OH GLUB! IT'S DOING IT, ISN'T IT. I CAN FEEL IT ON MY FACE... Don't let it get on my fins please don't let it get on my fins!

[cullscuttlefish]

[If there's anything, Feferi still doesn't see it. She doesn't see anything but a smile that's too twisted (this place, always this place) to be anything close to okay, a set of hands reaching for her neck. She goes pale, too focused on the all-too-real sensation of Gamzee's claws at her neck, digging into her skin. There's that twisting feeling -

and then it's over, and Feferi blinks at Eridan. His words finally register, and she runs a hand over his forehead to check.]

I. I - I don't know what happened there. But I'm fine now. And so are you.

You're sweating, but that's probubbly because you're running a fever...

[wweh]

Like I said, braggin' rights.

I'm all about feelin' superior in any way possible.

[wweh]

I don't care that I'm sweatin' I just want whatever's on my face off a' it! It's probably gonna' dissolve everythin' on there...
[Well, he certainly blushes a little when she puts her hand on his face. Old crushes die hard.]
Don't let it get on you...

[cullscuttlefish]

Um, nothing's there besides a little bit of sweat. I mean, I can check again...

[And she does, but she shrugs when she pulls her hand back, palm-up.]

Sea? Nofin's there. Maybe you need to head back to bed for a while...

[chronomancer]

That much is obvious, yea.

[He's seriously contemplating throwing a cushion at your head, Eridan.]

So wait, there's like entire parts of the game that are just optional?

[This is going to be like trying to explain WoW to a Bejeweled player.]

[iron_infidel]

[He manages a short laugh.]

It is unfortunate but I do not know of such a cure. It might be the best decision to hole up with warmth, a hot beverage and the company of someone you trust.

[wweh]

Even in FLARPin' there's always the safe route an' the fuckin' bullshit route. The latter is totally optional most a' the time, but always seems to have the better loot.

[wweh]

Proper rest?

Show me a fuckin' recuperacoon then. I haven't gotten a good rest since I arrived at this place.

[wweh]

I've been doin' that an' it hasn't been workin'!

[It's not a cure, Eridan.]

[iron_infidel]

Yes, well it isn't supposed to work. It is only meant to help ease the suffering, but you may choose to suffer alone of course. Though I am very certain it is not very productive.

[Tactless Signless...at your service.]

[chronomancer]

Oh. So, it's a difficulty level thing?

[He's trying to understand, but you're gonna have to use small words here, bro.]

[wweh]

A' course it is. I always go for hard mode. Only way to keep competitive when FLARPIN'

[Would explain a LOT about you, Eridan]

[wweh]

[He sighs, crying.]

Somethin here's tryin' to get rid a' my fins. Tryin' to turn me into somethin' I'm not.

[chronomancer]

...huh. I always thought FLARP looked a little boring, to be honest.

[Shrug.]