[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]

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.

[fionnuisce]

You worry too much. We should be trying to take things one step at a time--determine whether there is any information to be found before we start beating the hell out of each other for it.

[Setting his own bottle aside for the moment, Waver's hand was brought to rest on Diarmuid's arm.]

For now, just let me handle things.

[oathshackledbird]

There is. Of that I am sure.

[Diarmuid turns his head so that he is looking at Waver.]

Jason wouldn't have been so upset otherwise. There is something and it's big. We just have to find it.

[He smiles at Waver for a moment before his expression falls again.]

I know you will find the answer. I just wish I could do more to help. There are so many guards. What you really need are people who can think scientifically. I wish I could, but I can't... I don't understand any of it and it frustrates me.

[fionnuisce]

It's alright.

[He stretched out next to Diarmuid with a tired smile, head resting on folded arms.]

This is what I'm most suited for. What I need more than anything are people to keep our materials and everything safe. You don't have to help me with the intellectual aspect of matters, just give me one less thing to worry about.

[oathshackledbird]

That is one thing you don't have to worry about. I will die to keep you and the materials safe.

[He gives Waver a stern look.]

Do notice that keeping you safe in an important part of this whole thing.

[fionnuisce]

...I know, Diarmuid. Just try to remember--we'll likely come back, but what we're working with doesn't.

['I'm not saying science is more important than our lives, but that's exactly what I'm saying.']

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid frowns. This is the exact thing he'd talked with his brother about at the meeting when everyone had gotten together to start this thing.]

You can't work if you are dead, Waver. Twenty-four hours is a long time when your time is limited.

[So, it's okay if the rest of us die, but you need to stay alive...idiot.]

[fionnuisce]

...Just be careful and that won't be an issue.

[Dammit, he's not drunk enough for this. Waver would just be reaching for that bottle of wine and taking another drink.]

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid takes another drink of his own before tilting his bottle at Waver.]

Promise to take your own advice? It will make me doing it a lot easier...

[fionnuisce]

I'll do the best that I can. I can't promise any more than that.

[oathshackledbird]

You know I won't ask for more from you than your best.

[He sighs, resting his head on his arm and staring blankly at his mostly empty bottle.]

I'm the only person I expect to do more than his best...

[fionnuisce]

You shouldn't, you know. It's hypocritical of me to say, but you can't expect more than that.

[oathshackledbird]

Blame it on the drink.

[Diarmuid gestures at Waver with his bottle before emptying it, and carefully setting it on the floor.]

Besides, it does me good to hear it. I know it's true. Unfortunately, it is one of those things that I am still trying to beat into me so that my heart and my head are on the same page.

[fionnuisce]

I'm sure you'll get the idea eventually. You're smarter than you give yourself credit for.

[oathshackledbird]

It's not the smarts I'm worried about so much...

[Diarmuid looks at Waver out of the corners of his eyes before rolling to his side so he can tap his chest over his heart.]

It's this troublesome thing. It doesn't listen as well as my brain does.

[He sighs and rises to grab another bottle. Servant constitution be damned. He should be at least tipsy by now instead of completely sober.

Though, being Irish probably has something to do with that too...]