[open] // do what we must because we can

[fionnuisce]

Characters: Waver and open
Setting: Floor 27, cafeteria, dorm floors
Format: Either
Summary: Tea, science, and sleep are Waver's priorities. In that order.
Warnings: None yet.

[floor 27]

[Waver had spent the majority of his time in the laboratory; being the leader of the group researching the clear collar fluid, he might have felt obligated even if it didn't fascinate him. Luckily (for some value of the word), he was a researcher that often became utterly absorbed in his work to the point of forgetting everything else. 'Minor' things like sleeping and eating, for example.]

[Though he hid it the best he could, if the ponytail-wearing magus looked exhausted that was likely no one's imagination. Today he was looking over his own hastily-written notes and narrowing his eyes at the container of fluid itself as though it had perhaps insulted his mother, thin cloud of cigarette smoke hanging in the air in front of him.]

[cafeteria]

[It was a remarkably simple thing, tea. Last time it was available, Waver had taken quite a bit of it to store in his trunk (along with a whole lot of alcohol.)]

[Then, glamour failure. If asked for one petty thing Waver would never forgive the administrators for, he would always answer with that.]

[Needless to say, he'd finally dragged himself away from his work long enough to enjoy the shift in provisions. Today in the cafeteria one could find a magus in a black and green suit sitting by himself, looking over near-incomprehensible notes with a cup of tea in his hand.]

[And if one happens upon him in the evening, it's likely he's minding his own business and leaving with a bottle of wine or two, liquid mercury maid trailing a step behind him.]

[dorm floors]

[Only at some ungodly hour did Waver finally give up for the night and leave the laboratory, Volumen Hydragyrum behind him carrying two bottles of wine. If he was willing to stop at all, it was likely he'd reached his physical limit or damn near to it. Sure enough, it had been several days since he slept a full night--or slept, period. As a result Waver was pale and walking just a little unsteadily, but at least he didn't seem ready to drop dead.]

[Drop into a coma when he got to his room, sure. But not drop dead.]

Comments

[oathshackledbird]

Aww...you won't even share a few drops with your hardworking Servant? You're too cruel.

[fionnuisce]

Of course I would. But seeing as you can easily outdrink me, this wouldn't last us long, now would it?

[oathshackledbird]

Only if I am trying to get drunk, my friend. I'm not trying that tonight, so your stash will be safe.

[He falls silent a moment before adding in a soft voice.]

Drinking won't bring her back anyway. Not drinking alcohol anyway. Maybe tea... She liked her tea.

[fionnuisce]

...Whichever you prefer. [He wasn't about to ask Diarmuid to elaborate; he'd most likely do so whenever he felt it appropriate.] If you want to head back to the cafeteria and get something, you'd be much faster doing so than I would. I can meet you back at my room if you like.

[oathshackledbird]

I shouldn't... I need to be alert, but...

[He sighs and then gives Waver a look.]

Would you mind?

[It's a silly question, but he asks it all the same.]

[fionnuisce]

We have other bodyguards available. One night is very unlikely to ruin everything. Besides, you at a level of 'slightly less alert' is still better than some at their best.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid nods. Of course, Waver is right. If nothing else, both his brother and Kain are there. They are quite capable of keeping people safe for a night.]

I will meet you there shortly.

[He's gone without waiting for an answer. As Waver mentioned, it doesn't take him long to run to the cafeteria, grab what he wants, and return. Diarmuid knocks on the door to Waver's room, but doesn't wait for an answer before entering...

..and it's certainly not tea he has brought back with him despite his earlier words.]

[fionnuisce]

That wasn't as fast as I'd expected, I'm disappointed.

[Although the light tone he used and laugh that followed suggested Diarmuid returned just as quickly as Waver had anticipated.]

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid grins and tilts one of the bottles in his arms as he sits the others down.]

Maybe I stopped to have a drink on the way? I'm allowed, right?

[fionnuisce]

Without me? I'm wounded that you wouldn't insist upon my company.

[oathshackledbird]

Perhaps I am merely tasting the wine to make sure it's good enough to share with you?

After all, good company deserves equally good wine, doesn't it?

[fionnuisce]

My standards are certainly not so high as to be concerned about that. I'll take what I can get here.

[oathshackledbird]

You have a point considering where we are, but then again I think you underestimate yourself.

[Diarmuid sits on the bed for a moment before falling backwards onto it, one hand holding onto the open wine bottle while the other gets folded behind his head so he can prop it up and look at Waver.]

How do you think it's going?

[He means the research, of course.]

[fionnuisce]

...hard to say. [Waver sat down on the edge of the bed, taking a drink from a bottle of his own with a less than thrilled expression.]

This isn't like anything I've ever seen before. It's unclear where I could even begin, much less what we could set out to accomplish.

[oathshackledbird]

I suppose starting at the beginning is too easy of an answer?

[Diarmuid pauses to take a drink of his own.]

I would guess breaking it down into parts would be where I would start, but how do you do that when you don't know what the parts are?

[fionnuisce]

Far too easy, I'm afraid. While starting from the basics is never really a bad idea in these matters, the problem is more that even the basics are like nothing I ever could have imagined. And I can't exactly use magecraft on it, since it's the only real blasted thing in the room.

[oathshackledbird]

What about the other scientists? Did any of them say anything about where they were going to start?

[Diarmuid falls quiet a moment and then speaks again.]

Why can't you use magic on just a little bit of it and see what happens? The microscopes and slides...don't they let you pull out little bits without it getting contaminated by the air and such?

[He can't help but think of how the yellow fluid had lost its coloring once exposed to the air.]

[fionnuisce]

I hadn't asked. Though I should talk to a few of them soon--I want to compare the structure on different colors and see if there are any notable differences between them.

And anyway, even if I did...I wouldn't be doing anything, in reality. My magecraft's all just glamour and illusion here, so of course it won't affect something real.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid swears under his breath and takes a drink. How could he have forgotten that? No matter how real their powers feel they are just as fake as everything else is.]

And this is why I don't do science.

[He takes another drink.]

If nothing else, there is a young man on the blue team named Shion. He is a friend of mine and has already agreed to share whatever information his team gathers for that very purpose. I expect his friend Xion is on that team as well. She's the one who told me about Jason's real form.

[fionnuisce]

I think I met him earlier today, actually. [Waver idly tapped his fingers on the wine bottle, seeming restless at the idea of just how little he was accomplishing.]

Hopefully at least one team will have some kind of breakthrough and the rest can follow suit.

[oathshackledbird]

A curious and polite boy with white hair?

[Diarmuid motions toward the pocket where Waver generally keeps the vial with his mystic code in it.]

And a million questions about a certain maid? If so, yes, that's him. He's a good kid. He's one of the ones who my friend Hei asked me to watch over should he be taken from here.

I think most of the teams will be perfectly willing to share information...except for one or two. I worry about the team Sephiroth is leading. I would have preferred he not be involved in something like this.

[He sighs and takes a long drink from his bottle.]

I suppose all things considered we can't be too picky about who is involved. I just hope we don't end up regretting it.

[fionnuisce]

That would be him. Seemed quite pleasant, really.

[He sighed, taking a considerable drink himself.]

Worst case, that troublesome bastard actively sabotages us. Unlikely, considering he'd have as much to lose as anyone. Barring that, I'd say the worst scenario would be us having to beat whatever information he gets out of him.

[oathshackledbird]

Good. I am glad he took the chance to talk to you. He seems a little shy, but not too bad. Certainly not as shy as Rick, for example.

[Diarmuid shakes his head. He really wishes he knew more how to set their nervous teammate more at ease, but some people are just like that he's coming to understand.

As Waver continues speaking about Sephiroth, Diarmuid's expression darkens.]

I don't think he would try sabotage. As you say, he has as much riding on this as the rest of us. What I do worry about is him keeping information from us or only giving it to those who can help him in some way.

I think it goes without saying that if he needs to have some information beaten out of him, I will be glad to help...

[fionnuisce]

If he does take that particular road, we'll figure something out. For now, let's try not to worry about it so much.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid laughs sadly and takes another drink, before rolling over onto his stomach and burying his head against his arm.]

Yes, I'm borrowing trouble, I know. I am far too good at it.