Regains and Such

[bashfulshifter]

Characters: Rick and anyone else!
Setting: All day on October 2nd; prompts are floor 100, floor 26 (morgue), then floor 27 (laboratory).
Format: Starting action-spam, will match though!
Summary: Rick has feels about his regain, then goes about his usual jobs in the Tower.
Warnings: Rick has feels.

Floor 100

[The park was always most pleasant in the early fall. Its trees' bright orange and yellow leaves basked the fountain square in a perpetual glow of warmth despite the crisp weather, shielded from the main street and lakeside venues like a grotto within a wild forest--the cut stone path would be the uneven pebbles by the shore of a creek, and the fountain its burbling currents.]

[Pumpkin tea would not have been Rick's first choice of beverage to consume whilst resting in this clearing. But then again, he wouldn't have chosen to sit on the ground, either, since the bench shaded by the old oak wouldn't have been a hologram. The warm drink might've held more weight if he could feel the occasional gust of wind that very clearly rustled the loose leaves around him.]

[All of this is well and fine. Rick doesn't need the physical feedback of floor 100 to remember sitting in this park and all the feelings associated with that. It does help, though, now that he's found his wallet in his trunk--which in itself wasn't terribly important, and neither was the money, cards, receipts or other random scraps and notes and identification found within.]

[The small picture in the front pocket seems to have done a much better job at catching his eye.]

[He sits at the end of the room facing the holographic fountain, alternating between staring at the photograph and nursing his tea in listless silence.]

Morgue/Laboratory

[Of course, Rick can't stay in the park forever. It isn't until well into the afternoon when he finally gets around to his other tasks, namely cleaning the morgue and his usual collar fluid-related duties, and he'll be oddly distracted when he does. His mind is obviously somewhere else.]

[Someone should probably snap him out of it before he gets stuck in a cold locker or drops a beaker in the sink or something.]

Comments

Floor 100; it was only a matter of time before he ran into you

[notsogrimreaper]

[Ryoji tends to barely give this room much of a once-over when exploring the upper floors of the Tower. While most found it somewhat comforting, Ryoji just found it unsettling. He'd seen so little of his world, and the place that was most important to him was his high school, if only so he could spend time with his friends... friends that were eerily absent in the hallways of this illusion. Seeing his school like this, so similar to how it had looked when he had returned to his destroyed world, was enough to make him turn and run almost immediately upon entering.

When he spots a familiar figure sitting on the floor, however, Ryoji convinces himself to stay a bit longer. He can't recall the man's name, but he had been meaning to talk to him after the infiltration, and ask him what had happened... More importantly, it was clear to him that something was on the man's mind, and he'd like to help him out if it was possible.

He takes a few steps forward and clears his throat, a bit awkwardly.]

Um, excuse me... Are you all right?

yes very good

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick glances upward without moving his head, recognizes Ryoji, looks back down at the picture in his hand--]

[--sharply jerks his head upright in a full double-take and stares, expression blank but vaguely startled. This...isn't the first time he's seen someone after they've died. Almost everyone else in the infiltration group they were in died, too, and Rick talked to them after the fact and they were fine, and he was fine, and everything was fine.]

[But somehow, he never really expected to see Ryoji again. It's very unsettling and he has no idea what to do about it.]

[After a few moments of silent gaping, Rick eventually decides that he should at least stop staring at him, so he looks at the floor instead.]

:3

[notsogrimreaper]

[For a moment, Ryoji has no idea why his interruption has been met with such shock. He didn't look threatening at all, and he wasn't really one for hurting people when he was in his right mind. And besides, Rick knows hardly anything about him. They just met during the infiltration...

Ah. Ryoji can see why that bothered him. Death is a regular part of living in the Tower, but it had taken a long time for Ryoji to get used to it. He'd been so convinced death was something that marked the end to a story, that was something unavoidable and something that made life unattainable. Yet here, people returned from the dead the very next day. Perhaps it was only fair with the dangers of this place, but there was still a small part of him that couldn't accept it. Perhaps Rick had the same problem.

Ryoji keeps standing awkwardly, but he doesn't look away.]

I... I'm sorry, I didn't realize I would surprise you. I didn't mean to upset you...

[bashfulshifter]

[Oh no, now he's gone and made things worse by being awkward, as he usually does. Rick stammers incoherently for a bit before he's able to collect his nerves.]

--N-N-No, it's--I'm--

[He realizes what he's about to say with a concerned frown.]

...i-it's n-n-not your f-f-fault.

[Apply meaning to that as you like, Ryoji.]

[notsogrimreaper]

[Man, they're both just bundles of awkward, aren't they? In any case, Ryoji kind of appreciates the reassurance, no matter what he actually meant when he said that.]

I understand. But it's not your fault either. So there's really no need to be so nervous. I'm not angry or anything...

[He's just a weird little teenager that has terrible luck. Nothing to do with Rick at all.]

So, um, are you okay?

Morgue

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Whoa!

[Veronica reached out and grabs the locker door that was about to close on Rick. His rag-stick-thing seemingly forgotten.]

Careful.

[bashfulshifter]

--Heh?

[Rick hops backwards as soon as he realizes what mess he's nearly gotten himself into, looking simultaneously startled and very confused.]

Oh! Uh--s-sorry. [He shakes his head and drags a hand through his hair.] M-Must've...ah...d-dozed off, there...thanks.

[Rick's response lacks conviction; he frowns at the floor for a few minutes without moving, as if looking for something. The aforementioned rag-stick-thing in the bucket behind him, maybe?]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Your uh, stick thing is over there.

[She points to the item, still sitting in its bucket where Rick had left it. Had he used it at all?

It doesn't take a genius to see that something was wrong with Rick. Veronica could tell.]

Uh... are you doing okay?

[bashfulshifter]

--R-Right. Yes.

[He nods vigorously and snatches up the cleaning stick, though he seems somewhat confused about what to do with it at first. Rick has a good ponder about this before Veronica presses him.]

...O-Oh, um...y-yeah, I'm j-just... [There's a pause as he absently begins scrubbing the inside of the cold locker in front of him.] ...thinking, is a-all.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Thinking.

[That's certainly one explanation. She wasn't really for it though. Something seemed to be wrong. Her co-worker didn't act like this, except for that time they met.

Something was probably wrong.]

Y-you sure? Nothing's wrong?

Laboratory

[notagiraffe]

Oh... um... [He's just going to grab that beaker and put it on the side, blinking worriedly at Rick. He understands though, the last week has been hard and Taiki is jumpy himself.] Are you alright?

[bashfulshifter]

--Oh!

[Rick abruptly shakes himself out of whatever trance he was in, looking with some confusion between Taiki and the beaker--then at the faucet, which he's left running this entire time. He turns off the water with a clumsy flourish.]

...Ah...y-yeah. Yeah, I'm... [The blonde man bites his lip and leans heavily on the counter.] ...a-a little d-d-distracted, I guess. Uh...th--thanks for...

[He pulls a face.]

...Y-You're w-working with o-our g-g-group, now?

[notagiraffe]

It's okay... [He blinks at him worriedly] You... um you should come and sit down... [He shook his head] No... sorry... I'm a mover though...

[bashfulshifter]

[He nods with a scratch of the chin. That...kind of makes sense. A mover could bring materials from one group to the other, right? Yeah.]

--I-I'm--I'm f-fine. [Rick gives Taiki as reassuring a smile as he can pull off, which is to say, not very.] Really.

[notagiraffe]

I'm glad... um... [He smiled nervously back] You should still rest though... sorry...

Floor 100 DON'T BE SAD RICK Ion is coming Ion is here

[fragileprophet]

[To Ion, it looked as if Rick was sitting in front of the Daathic Cathedral's great, beautiful alter. If the blonde hadn't been looking at something in his hands, or sitting so informally, the boy would've suspected that he was, indeed, praying. Perhaps Rick had his own Gods; Ion had never thought to ask.

As he approached his friend with quiet footsteps, Ion wondered exactly what it was that Rick was seeing around him. The closer he got though, the more worry knitted his brow, and he knew the question would be inappropriate. Granted, the man always seemed to look some shade of troubled...but Ion noted the difference between the normal tension in his shoulders compared to they way he was slumped, now.]

May I sit with you?

[Ion's voice is always gentle, but he makes a valiant attempt to sound even more so, hoping not to startle his friend. He gives a sad, understanding smile.]

Unless...you'd rather be alone?

MY HERO

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick sharply turns his head. His expression is predictably startled to begin with, but it doesn't take him very long to recognize the one addressing him and replace it with a more appropriate sad smile.]

...Hey! [He passes a quick look between Ion and the small picture in his hand; he decides not to hide it.] N-No, it's...f-fine, really. Just, ah...you know. Th--Thinking.

[The blonde man turns back to photograph.]

u v u <3

[fragileprophet]

[Yes. Ion did know. But that wasn't an admission that really needed to be stated. With his usual calm quiet, Ion lowers himself beside his friend until they're seated.

It felt rude to pry, but as Rick didn't make any move to shy it away, Ion eventually nodded toward the photograph.]

She's someone you care about very much.

[It was a statement, not a question. Ion could tell easily that the woman in the photograph with Rick was someone dear to him. The way he stared down at it so thoughtfully and so sadly was confirmation enough.]

[bashfulshifter]

[Understatement of the year, Ion. Rick flashes an amused grin and chuckle, but it fades quickly into a deep, prolonged sigh.]

...Her n-name is D-Dakota P-Perkins. We've b-been m-married for f-five years.

morgue

[humility]

[up to her slow and methodical exploration as usual, Aqua pokes her head into a floor she hasn't seen yet.

...even if it's not a particularly pleasant floor, it must be a necessary one. and it seems safe enough, judging by the other person calmly cleaning and tending to the equipment.

she walks inside slowly, looking around. she tries to quell the question that pops in her head of how many of the Tower's residents go through here a day, on average. or how many times each person has been through here individually, on average.

no no stop that. those aren't really questions she wants the answers to.

drawing level with an autopsy table, she touches the shining, sterilized metal with a fingertip before smiling at the person working there.]

Hello. Sorry to intrude.

[bashfulshifter]

--Huh?

[It's true--Rick really has gotten a lot more comfortable about working in the morgue than he has any right to be. Must come with three months of repetition and quite a lot of mental conditioning. And by "conditioning," I mean experiencing things infinitely more traumatic than finding a tin full of blood and entrails sitting on the counter and having to wash it out. It happens!]

[This doesn't really explain why Rick's been scrubbing said container in the sink for the past ten minutes, despite it being perfectly clean five minutes prior. In a more reasonable response, he is surprised by Aqua's presence; when he heard someone enter, Rick naturally assumed it would be Veronica. He passes a quick, wide-eyed glance over his shoulder.]

--Oh! Uh--h-hello.

[Rick turns off the faucet and absently hopes that the place isn't too much of a sty. Then he realizes how ridiculous that sounds and flushes pink; what is this, his house?]

N-No, it's--i-it's no t-trouble. [If he didn't look nervous before, Rick most certainly does now. But this is normal.] ...C-Can I h-help you?

[humility]

[Aqua just smiles politely and clasps her hands in front of her.]

I sort of wandered here by accident, but while I'm here - would it be much trouble to ask how the morgue works?

[she's momentarily distracted by the lockers where corpses are typically kept. her smile falters until she lokos at him again.] Do you deal with anyone who is later revived, what the procedure is between their death and revival...

[she waves a hand vaguely] Things like that. [then she laughs a little, embarrassed] I'm sorry for all the questions. I'm pretty new here and I just want to understand as much as I can. My name's Aqua.

[bashfulshifter]

[Aqua's questions hit oddly close to home--there was that whole business at the end of July, when he was sorting through the bodies of the dead in the administrative levels. It was not an especially pleasant experience for him and he hasn't talked about it in a while; it shows in how the color drains from his face. But he does want to be helpful. She's new. Nothing wrong with that.]

--I-It's no p-problem, r-r-really. Uh... [Stammer stammer. Rick scratches the back of his head as he winds up a response.] ...w-well I...I d-don't really d-deal with the, um...b-bodies, n-n-necessarily. I don't th--think a-anyone does, they just...kind of sh--show up. I just c-clean the p-place.

[He pauses as the blush rapidly returns to his cheeks. Then he remembers his manners and quickly offers a hand.]

--A-Aqua. Sorry, I--I-I'm Rick.

hey remember that thing i said i'd do over a week ago - floor 100

[unkindnessof]

Found this place, did you.

[ He's still not using the elevator, so passing this floor is only an inevitability as he makes his usual Tower rounds. He's gotten better at ignoring it as he passes, but this time he pauses on the stairwell, distracted by someone already on the otherwise empty floor.

His own gift from Riki hangs innocuously on his chest, but at this distance most likely it could go unnoticed were it not for the play of light off the plain wrought silver cross. ]

... What does it look like for you?

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick nods silently; it takes him a few moments to recognize Raven's voice and pass him the smile he deserves, quick but sufficiently warm, before returning to staring at the picture in his hands. It seems he might have missed his question, too--but he's only searching for the right words. Rick responds eventually.]

...Th--The p-park...from m-my h-home town. I-I-In the f-fall, it--w-well the w-weather's g-getting colder, and--I g-guess it only m-makes sense...

[A beat; he sniffs a quiet chuckle and shakes his head.]

...the l-l-leaves m-match her h-hair...