001. overture

[dragonbard]

Characters: Nils & Open
Setting: Room 2-04, Cafeteria
Format: Any, though beginning in brackets
Summary: Newcomer Nils is trying to wrap his head around everything that's been happening. It's a lot to take in for the thirteen-year-old. He misses his older sister already.
Warnings: Aside from a sobbing Nils, none really. Memories of a character death as well.

Room 2-04

[He isn't numb when he comes to in his room. His eyes glance over the puzzling message as he sits on the edge of his bed. His world, destroyed? Nils is hit by a second wave of grief, the first one swamping him after seeing his sister dead on the floor. Perhaps, in the past, he would have been secretly pleased that the world was purged from existence. The number of people who had been unkind to him far exceeded the number of souls who were willing to take the siblings under their wings. On the other hand, after becoming familiar with the Lycian League's kindness, he finds that tears swim in his eyes at the thought of their elimination.

He begins to weep uncontrollably with the letter in his lap.]

Cafeteria

[After swallowing his tears, Nils slips down to the cafeteria. There are a few people, creatures, what-have-yous milling about. Some of them are sitting with bowls of oatmeal. He retrieves his own bowl and stares at it quietly. He's... never seen anything like it before. On the other hand, it somewhat resembled the gruel that Lyndis would cook up with Rebecca when there was nothing else to eat. Another part of him is also busy wondering if his stomach is even capable of digesting the brown mixture. Nils prods the food with a spoon and his stomach sinks when the oatmeal wobbles a bit.]

Comments

[dragonbard]

[Nils can cook with... a fire. He's never seen an oven or a stove before, and he'd heard someone talking about a refrigerator?] I saw some things in the kitchen. [He doesn't really know what to call them.] Do you, um, use those? For cooking?

[geometry]

Yeah, that's what they're used for. [He shrugs.] Um... they're not really user-friendly, though. And they break down kind of a lot. I mean, I can fix them if that happens, but. [Casually trying to avoid anything that might indicate that he has skills other people do not.] ...Yeah.

[dragonbard]

That's good. [Nils gives him a thoughtful nod. He then took another bite from the dry oatmeal.] I... don't know if I could do anything useful here. [And in his past experiences, the ones first to go disappeared because they could not contribute anything useful.]

[geometry]

Well, it shouldn't be too hard to learn from someone... I mean, you know, if you ask. Some people might teach you to do some things. [For example, if you want to learn how to cook in the world's deadliest kitchen, Equius would be happy to help out! Not like teaching people in that kitchen is a new experience for him, anyway.]

[dragonbard]

[Naivety is a wonderful thing. Nils thinks that it's a great idea! His eyes light up at the prospect of Equius teaching him something new.] Yes, could you? Could you teach me how to cook? [He's been eating while speaking in between to Equius and hasn't even noticed that his bowl is nearly empty.]

[geometry]

...Uh, yeah! Sure. But you'll need to be really paying attention, 'cause sometimes things tend to... uh, malfunction back there.

And no matter what you do, never ever go in the freezer without someone else standing outside.

[dragonbard]

[Nils nods as he commits this to memory.] I will, yes. Don't go into the freezer without someone else standing outside, right. [He tilts his head at Equius.] What's... a freezer?

[geometry]

Oh. Um... it's a machine? Kind of like an icebox. You keep food in there and it stays cold. [Equius was trying so hard to be smiley and helpful -- but then he got to the second part of the explanation.] But, um, ours is large. You can walk in it. So you can store more meat, but, uh... sometimes... the door kind of shuts. And locks. With you inside.

So you need someone else out there to get you out.

[dragonbard]

[Well, he knows what ice is and he knows what a box is, so Nils imagines a... box of ice. Close enough.]

It... must be very large. [Especially if you can walk in it. His eyes widen a bit as Equius mentions its tendency to shut and lock on itself.]

I... see. But as long as one is with another, it is safe? [Or at least, as safe as you can get in this tower.]

[geometry]

Well, the other person can open it for you. Or just force it open with a crowbar or something. Or get someone else.

Just, yeah. Don't go in by yourself.

[dragonbard]

A crowbar...? [Well, he knows a crow is a bird and he knows what a metal bar looks like. He combines the two images in his head.]

All right, I'll remember not to.

[geometry]

Okay.

...But, uh, if you wanted to start learning now, then since it's me and you together it wouldn't be a problem...

[dragonbard]

Yes, could we?

What do you know how to make, Equius? [He rises from his seat, ready to learn.]

[geometry]

Um.

A lot of things.

Let's... let's see what's back there. The ingredients change every month.

[dragonbard]

[He gives Equius a small nod.]

Is it good that it makes for a variety of food?

[geometry]

Uh, I guess. Except for the times where there... isn't a variety.

Some months all that's back here is rice and minerals, because the only food is nutrition bars.