Floor 39~

[uzuki]

Characters: Shion Uzuki and anyone who wants to brave the gym
Setting: Floor 39/Gymnasium
Format: Starting in prose, but I'll match
Summary: Shion is on a magical restaurant quest
Warnings: Physical violence!



When she had awoken that morning, she knew immediately that she was coming down with something. She just didn't feel right. Thinking it might be a cold, she had gone to the restaurant. No matter how many times she had insisted it was untrue in the past, she knew Jin had always been right. Proper nutrition is key to staying healthy. So one little trip to keep her immune system up wouldn't hurt, right?

Unfortunately though, by the time she had chosen something, all she could stomach was orange juice. It wasn't all bad though, a little vitamin C would still help... Probably. The only problem was that task. She had been sent to find a specific weight from the gym. One that had been painted blue.

It was easy enough to find, it was the only blue dumbbell on the rack. And she was happy to see that it was also one of the smallest. Though, upon picking it up, she realized it weighed a lot more than it appeared to. Probably 30 pounds, or close to it. Not that she wasn't in shape... But she was also feeling fatigued. Not to mention nauseated and cold. So on she went, struggling and straining to carry the weight back to the stairs, stopping every few moments to lower it to the floor and catch her breath.

Comments

[temptestament]

Allen had caught Shion leaving the restaurant, but wasn't sure what they'd sent her after. At first, he decided to let her hunt for a while on her own, since the restaurant tasks weren't always difficult. But a few minutes into her struggle with the weight, it was pretty obvious that it was too much for her.

During one of her breaks, he walked up behind her in his civilian clothes and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, do you need some help?"

[uzuki]

She jumped just slightly before turning.

"Ah, Allen..."

She paused, looking up at him for a moment. It was painful to think that Jr. could be right. That this whole thing could be some plan of Wilhelm's. That Allen could be in on it.

She didn't know what to think. Or what to do. To keep trusting Allen the same way she had trusted Kevin? She wanted to cry. She wanted to demand the truth. But instead she smiled. A smile that seemed completely sincere, thanks to all those years of forcing them.

"It's alright. I think I can do it on my own."

[temptestament]

Allen, for his part, was completely unaware of her doubts. Her insistence that she was fine didn't surprise him, but he still raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure? It looks like that thing is giving you a lot of trouble."

[uzuki]

"It's really not that heavy. I've just been feeling a little tired. That's all."

With a sharp intake of breath, she lifted it again to illustrate her point.

[temptestament]

"Then you shouldn't be pushing yourself too much. There's nothing wrong with accepting a little help when you're tired."

[littlelifeforms]

Data had been in the gymnasium as well, not out of pleasure of course (as if he could feel happiness in the first place) but to fulfill his duties as security officer in the tower. He was inputting a code on the security box by the door to signify the area was as safe as it could get, when he spotted Shion carrying back a weight to the stairs.

Well that made quite a few people that Data had caught in poor health condition by now. Further proof that there was probably an epidemic of some sort running throughout the tower. After observing her for a while (with his most intrigued face on), he approached her as she got nearer

"Greetings." he said in his normal tone "Are you in need of assistance? I believe lifting weights in your current state would be most unwise."

Because androids have the natural gift of being Captain Obvious.

[uzuki]

"Oh thank you, but..."

She paused, squinting just a bit at his face. He seemed artificial, but... She didn't know for sure. A realian, perhaps? Maybe... It took her a few seconds to snap out of her thoughts, and realize she was staring rudely.

"It's not that heavy. I wouldn't want to trouble you."

[littlelifeforms]

"This would not trouble me. Actually, the way you struggle and stop quite regularly to carry these weights appear to indicate the contrary."

He did not mind when she squinted and stared. Many people actually do that. He raised and eyebrow then titled his head to the side.

"However I more likely suspect you may have caught the strain of influenza that spreads throughout the tower, consequently diminishing your physical strength and endurance."

[uzuki]

Well, he is certainly a little reminiscent of KOS-MOS, though perhaps more polite. It's actually a bit endearing for some reason.

"You caught me, I guess I am coming down with something."

[littlelifeforms]

"I would say this is a correct assumption. Given the tendency of this place to put its residents in tragic predicament, I would advice avoiding unnecessary effort."

He goes to the weights and is about to take them, but he looks at her before.

"May I?"

[lightofhumanity]

While walking up the stairs, chaos noticed Shion struggling with a blue weight. She had probably come down with the illness as well, and while he wasn't sure why exactly she was carrying a blue weight, she probably needed it for a friend or something. However, she was in no condition to be carrying that, or to be out of bed. He quickly approached her.

"Shion..that weight is too heavy for you. If you do not mind, I could carry it for you."

[uzuki]

"Oh, chaos, hello. It's okay."

She smiled, lugging it along and visibly perspiring.

"I can handle it."

[lightofhumanity]

chaos smiled at Shion and helped her lift it up. He didn't take it from her though.

"Shion, you aren't well. There is nothing wrong with accepting a little help every now and then, especially when you need it. Please, allow me to help. Where do you need this weight delivered?"

[uzuki]

"You're right..."

She smiled. It was difficult to say no to chaos, especially when he was right (like he always was).

"I have to take it to the restaurant on the 21st floor."

[lightofhumanity]

chaos nodded. "Alright then. That isn't far from here. Let me help you carry it until we arrive there."

[warriorscribe]

No one was trying hard enough. The most anyone ever did was petty workarounds or unorganized excuses for a riot. It was annoying Enoch - he couldn't think of anything they could do, but that didn't mean no one should! Surely, with this many minds, there were some sharper than him. Some who had been here longer. Some more observant.

"No one tries- ...ah?" He cut himself off from voicing those thoughts at the first sound of movement from the floor, when he saw it was someone struggling with a weight.

"Are you all right?"

[uzuki]

"Hm?"

She looked over to him, and gave a quick nod.

"Oh yes, I'm-- Hnngh!"

She picked the weight up again, and holding it at waist level was waddling toward the stairs again

"--fine!"

And she dropped it again.

[warriorscribe]

"I can help you carry that. Are you taking it elsewhere?" Enoch shuffled his own way over, weakened from the disease, himself.

He tried to pick up the small weight...and could immediately see why the woman was having trouble.

"Perhaps if we each held an end..."

[uzuki]

"Oh, are you sure?"

She took up an end but looked back at him, concerned.

"You don't seem well either..."

[warriorscribe]

"That's why we should share the weight. Where are you taking it?"

[facedthetruth]

Yes, Margulis was beginning to feel sick. The flu going around had finally managed to catch up to him, and he was finding himself sore from more than just his cold afflicted scars and suffered through the occasional harsh coughing fit. But that didn't mean he was going to rest. He probably shouldn't have been in the gym right now, but he'd always hated admitting to weakness.

When Shion had first come into the room, he had ignored her. They weren't enemies here, but they hadn't exactly hit it off either, so he saw no appeal in speaking to her. But the repeated clunks of someone putting a heavy metal object on the floor drew his attention. It was obvious she was determined to move that weight for some reason and was struggling with it...fine.

During one of her breaks, he walked over and picked the weight up off the floor, hefting it casually in one hand.

"Hmph...and here I was expecting something with actual weight."

[uzuki]

.................


..........................


...............................


She stared at him flatly, and reached for the dumbbell, her voice full of aggravation.

"Give that back!"

[facedthetruth]

He lifted it out of her reach, very clearly not impressed.

"Why? So you can struggle hopelessly with it until your arms finally give out entirely?"

[uzuki]

She placed her hands on her hips, and glared up at him. She wasn't going to hop around trying to get the dumbbell back, but she was considering a lightning Ether...

"No... Because I have to take it somewhere."

[facedthetruth]

"You weren't doing a very impressive job of that."