tabularasa_rp | Let me Crawl Inside Your Veins (Wide Open)

Wait, so she didn't know?!? Well, it wasn't like people were doing PSA's, and they were still probably figuring it out. She'd been more than a little self-absorbed about this entire affair, so she hadn't even thought to explain other than to those who she me personally who managed to get her to open up a little. There was a fidget and then Rinoa was up close, with her hand on her shoulder. She winced, though not from physical pain, and this close it was almost impossible to miss looking at her. If it was a regular disease, she'd be putting herself in danger right now.

"T...Told people talked to 'bout it." Why did she say that? Because it was true, even if she might have shouted it at one or two. She just didn't want her mad at her. Her eyes fixed on Rinoa and then her head tried to swivel away, worrying at her lip. "You really don't know... Don't...Don't make promises you can't keep."

She shifted some, squirming as she looked out of the corner of he eye at Rinoa, swallowing hard. "H..Hanahaki," she finally admitted with a cough. "M...magic disease. Happens when people are hiding feelings, or not addressing them. Y...It's ... Gah... I'm sick because if... If I say what's inside me, I know what you'll say. And for now I can almost pretend you'll say yes."

"ACK! Nothing!" Fuck, she hadn't been paying attention and a stranger had managed to show up behind her. He probably hadn't even snuck with how pre-occupied she was with staring at the bar. The youkai fidgeted, and started to calm down a little before turning. "It's... it's fine. I just was away for a while. Wasn't sure if I was still welcome at the bar is all."

Because soooo much had changed in the last week, right Parsee?

[Tifa sighs, watching Parsee shift in her seat until she's almost staring at her back. Feels a little odd to be so distant, but it's for the best, right? Tifa, however, slides on the bench so that she's a touch closer than before. Close enough that she can speak a little softer.]

Well... This sickness feels like it came outta nowhere... No one really knows what to do about it, right? [The worry echoes loud in her uncharacteristically empty voice.] Wish there was something I could do to help.

It's almost certainly something the Void's doing. So, it might be figuring out what being sick means for a lark?

[She managed a little laugh, even if it made her wince and looked over at Tifa when she slid in close. For a moment she thought about scooting again, but no. She could let her friend get a little closer. It was a pity that she probably couldn't help in this one case, if only because Tifa wasn't the girl that Parsee was falling for, not that she'd quite figured that out yet.]

You sure you want to be this close? I'm thinking it's not catching, but don't want to share it.

Why would an inhabitant of the void not be welcome at the bar...? Unless Parsee has done some property destruction that Zhongli is not aware of, he doesn't think she would be rejected. Perhaps he could help make her feel more at ease.

"I see. I am sure you would not be turned down as a customer. Shall we go in?"

In this one's case, it was all in her head. She was actually on pretty decent terms with both Ren and Tifa, so she was certainly welcomed in. She just had gotten back and was, as always, struggling with wrapping her mind around the fact that people still wanted her around. It was an old habit that was hard for her to break.

His request made her blink and got a quick nod. If he was asking her in, she could follow at least. "Uh sure. Probably wouldn't get turned down, no. Why don't you lead the way. Name's Parsee. I'm at the shrine with Viridi down the path, by the bridge."

After hearing the shout, Bowser moves to the area, stopping at the abandoned berry. He picks it up and takes it with him as he moves to the river. At the moment, he's wearing the doctor outfit he recently recieved, as well as the top hat that has his emblem, rather than the stethoscope or head mirror.

Despite the fact that the fruit was partially eaten and on the ground, Bowser simply eats it himself, showing no reaction to the intense spiciness. Then, he turns to Parsee and crosses his arms.

"So, you're back."

"Regardless, we would prefer that you are not 'ground down'."

They have seen enough of that: too many of their allies have been hurt in similar ways.

"This location is not lacking in booze." It's just the effects that are lacking. "An ally?"

Viridi... was the one who started a fight with Zhongli over ley lines, but he doesn't evaluate people entirely based off the company they keep, so he doesn't show any reaction.

"I am Zhongli. It is a pleasure to meet you."

He opens the door to Heavenly Blanc - there's no one inside right now, but the lights are on and the jukebox is playing. They could probably sit down for awhile until the owners return.

I'll be fine.

[So far, out of all the times that she's been around those who have fallen ill, she hasn't managed to catch it, thankfully. In any normal circumstance, she should have been sick ages ago, but she'll take what she can get, even if it's a small victory.]

You had me worried, you know... [It's Tifa's turn to laugh now, short and breathless, tinged with a little fear.] When you disappeared? Wasn't sure what to make of it.

"I... I know. Thanks," she said, managing a little smile over at Legion before blinking at the comment. That got a laugh. "No... there's definitely not enough booze with an oni around, hah. Yuugi would be drinking near constantly. That's how they are. They drink like fishes, if fishes only drank alcohol. The bar would never survive."

Pause... what were she and Yuugi? Hmmm. "You know, I suppose she's a friend. She patrols the streets near the bridge. Checks on me pretty regularly."

Yeah, she wouldn't have disagreed about a lot of nasty things one could say about Viridi. She didn't mind sharing the company of people who annoyed the crap out of her, mostly because she privately annoyed returning the favor. Viridi was absolutely in that odd territory.

Making her way towards one of the booths after nodding to him, she relaxed into it as best she was able. "How long you been here? You don't act like you're completely new, but I don't always get out much." She was the sort who could easily just focus herself on whatever work she was doing so she didn't have to think too much about social interactions, so it didn't surprise her to miss newcomers.

"Uuuuuugh," she was about half a pint into drinking river water when she flopped like a dead fish onto a rock, looking over at the big guy as he emerged into her field of vision. Oh hey, it was the guy she'd been discussing fire with. She should really warn him that she'd been trying to convince fire to burn properly before it burned him.

That could wait for a moment, though.

"Yeah. Apparently it thought I needed a vacation from sitting by my bridge here so it sent me to sit under my bridge there. Positively scenic." She snorted and laughed once. "Haven't been back long, but someone said it's been... about a week?" It'd been years for her, so that was weird.

[That got a blink from her. Sure, she was finally getting to the point when she could call these people who kept showing up in her life friends. And she'd seen a fair bit of Tifa's life at points, so maybe it was normal, but it was so strange to know that someone was actually worried about her when she disappeared, besides Legion and Cole. She kind of had to expect that of them.

Her cheeks heated up and turned a shade of red when she looked back at Tifa.]

From what Legion says... I think we kind of have to get used to it happening once in a while. I'm not good with it, but I guess I'm not the only one. Sorry... I'm so not used to people worrying about me like that, Tifa. I... Uh... [Pause.]

Thanks. You n Cloud been ok? I haven't seen him around as much, but that feels normal. He seems like a 'keep to himself' sort.

"You went home?" From what he's heard, Ren also went home, so the fact that he so far seems to be the only one who didn't makes his disappearance even more concerning.

"I disappeared for a couple months, but I have no idea where I was. It was like nothing happened."

Kaiba had been riding on a bit of a high ever since he had seen one of his longterm goals come to fruition ~~and he got little more than a slap on the wrist for it~~. Sure, he'd gotten an earful later but nothing could erase the look of an enemy's face when the trap had been set and revealed, not from his memory and not from cleverly hidden recording device he'd planted for such purpose. Aside from that a few of his other projects had gotten off the ground as well.

He was taking a break that he didn't necessary want, but he had to maintain the regular inspections if he wanted to keep abreast of any new developments. Hearing the incessant coughing initially, Kaiba frowned and halted his footsteps trying to get a sense on the direction of the source. The shouting soon followed, tensing he pivoted to turn the other way in time to see the blur running towards him.

"What isn't happening?!" Barking the question with some intensity to try and snap her out of her panic. When he looked past her to see if she was being pursued he saw nothing.

Edited 2021-02-18 08:34 (UTC)

"Hmmm. Ok. So, going to chalk that up for another way that this could happen, where there's no memories of home. Need to file that way while we try to understand here... but yes. Home." She grunted and folded her arms. "Back to being under the bridge leading into old hell. Actually remember a few years passing before I came back here."

Fuck. Kaiba. Not exactly who she wanted to talk about this with. But the order slapped her right out of her initial freak out session into mild irritation which was at least something. She could have gone on like that for hours, so it was better to be annoyed and calm than the alternative.

She coughed again, flowers going everywhere, having to spit the petals out of her mouth while she leaned against a tree and glared at him like this was his fault. "I'm coughing up rose petals. That's what's not supposed to be happening, duh." She grumbled it. "This place is trying to force my hand and I don't like it."

They look down at their leg, the way the plant twists and pierces their synthetic muscle as it grows through them, causing pain and limiting movement. They try to sit, but they can't really bend it, and so just kind of flop down to the ground instead.

"The Overgrowth is localized to this location. Attempts at treatment are unsuccessful."

They look over at her, headflaps lifting at the sight of the petals. "You are also afflicted?"

Kaiba wasn't known for being patient or having an overly sympathetic ear so there was little wonder why Parsee wasn't so enthused to see him during her crisis. Personally, he would have agreed with that unspoken sentiment as well. He often used anger or irritation to keep himself focused and it was preferable to less desirable emotions.

At the expelling of additional flowers, he took a step back as if he was afraid of getting something on him. Truthfully, he was. Having expected something more grotesque than foliage he both felt relieved and confused. He said the first thing that came to mind. "Normally I wouldn't question your eating habits, but now that sufficient alternatives are available I don't know why you keep experimenting..."

Look- it was an honest mistake. Parsee did like to test the peculiarities of this world, and he just... kinda... assumed it was related. From context, it wasn't.

"Force your hand? What do you mean?"

"About two months. I tend to travel between places here, so it is rare for me to encounter another person."

It seems like Parsee has gotten over most of her apprehension, so Zhongli wouldn't bring that up anymore. He's come here enough times with Venti to know the layout of the bar well, so he pauses to look around before following Parsee.

"Would you like something to drink?" Is he going to just make some... maybe...

"Whiskey, neat." Yeah, she wasn't actually going to tell him not to make her a drink. It wasn't like there was a working economy and there seemed to be a never ending supply of alcohol that would only be tested if an Oni was present in this town, so why not help themselves? Besides, if there was any settling up, she'd handle that when Ren or Tifa got in.

"Yeah, if you're spending your time wandering in the wrong parts of this place, you won't have seen me. I keep to specific areas a lot of the time. I don't like leaving the bridge for long periods if I can help it. Viridi likes to redecorate." Which was so very very annoying. She couldn't begin to describe how annoying that was.

"You're a laugh a minute, mister comedian," she muttered acridly right before she realized that he didn't know. Well, she'd heard it was a recent urban rumor, not like some of the older ones like spontaneous combustion. No surprise that the crazy immortal had taken that one up. None at all. "I didn't eat anything weird."

Frowning, she brought her hand up to block the next petaled cough, finding a tree to rest against for some support. Did she tell him? Did she pretend it wasn't happening? It wasn't like confessing to him would do a lick of good. He'd know exactly why this was happening real quickly. He wasn't that stupid.

"It's a magic disease. Don't worry... it's not catching. Damnit..." She tried shaking her head before she winced. Nope, nope, that hurt. "Hanahaki... It's hitting because I'm keeping feelings botted up. And I don't like being forced to deal with my feelings. You should know that."

"Overgrowth?!? The heck you taking about? It looks like Hanahaki, but you should be coughing it up. Maybe it's because you're a Geth?" She wasn't actually sure he breathed normally so that, yeah that would make sense.

...

"Uh... I guess I probably am, yes." Said the girl who was currently sprouting flowers at this point around the seams of her clothes. She was definitely afflicted. "But it's fine. I'll be fine." No she wouldn't.

"Why'd you call it Overgrowth?"

"Hypothesis: it is possible the world will respond to such overconsumption by providing additional booze."

Legion still doesn't think that Parsee's Oni friend would be particularly deprived. This world seems to do a pretty good job of providing for its inhabitants... once it understands what they need, at least.

"Acknowledged." They're glad she has at least one friend at home. They look over at the entrance to the Heavenly Blanc.

"Drinks?"

Let me Crawl Inside Your Veins (Wide Open)

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