etrayalogs | MISSION 004 WRAP-UP

Entry tags:

MISSION 004 WRAP-UP

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: August 9th and going forward
WHERE: Returning to Etraya
WHAT: End of Mission 004 Log
NOTES\WARNINGS: N/A

⏵ there's no place like home ⏴
On the morning of August 9th, every Etrayan’s earpiece receives a message from Eos: FAIL or PASS in big, bold letters with no further context. Players are free to choose which response their character gets; if they were able to go through Moorecroft without letting on that they were from Etraya, or another city bubble in general, they will receive a PASS. Those whose identities as Etrayans were spoiled, will get a FAIL. This response has no bearing on whether or not they participated in the midnight breakouts, nor what condition they’ve managed to get themselves into.

It wouldn’t be the first time some kids from Moorecroft tore up the town looking for answers, even if it is the first time in a while they’ve managed to get as far as they had and cause as much damage as they have.

Regardless, any responses sent to Eos will bounce right back to the original sender, with a RECEIVER UNAVAILABLE error: it seems that, shortly after sending through their results, all of those from Etraya have been disconnected from Eos’ network, and reconnected to Aurora’s by the friendly companion bots stepping through another portal in the middle of Moorecroft’s park. They’ll offer waves of their hands, and usher everyone back to Etraya proper. They’ll offer explanations similar to what Aurora would give to newcomers arriving to those who were dropped in with Eos, as well as offer to assist them in getting settled in Etraya.

The companion bots will allow Etrayans to step through the portal with items they can carry, minus the smaller android babies. If they insist, it will be explained to them that, much like the companion bots native to Etraya, these babies are meant to assist newcomers in settling, and they cannot take them from Eos.

Welcome home.

At the very least, everything looks normal on this side.

⏵ whispered secrets of the night ⏴
Or it seems normal enough. While previous excursions outside of Etraya have featured environmental changes, the city bubble now appears exactly as it had before everyone left. Buildings stand as pristine as ever, animals have been fed and cared for, and everyone is invited to return to their homes for a quick rest.

But as you meander through the familiar streets and over bridges, an unsettling stillness clings to the air. The usual sounds of Etraya–the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, and the chatter from the companion bots– feel slightly off. Shadows stretch a little too long, lingering in the corners of your vision, and the light, although warm, seems to cast an unnatural tint over everything. It’s as if the city itself had been holding its breath in everyone’s absence.

As days pass, the eerie stillness begins to ebb. The animals gradually resume their usual activities, and companion bots return to their routines, chatting with Etrayans as they wander the city and help set up new facilities.

Yet despite the return of normalcy, a sense of unease lingers. The city feels different as if it’s been touched by something while you were away. There are no curfews on Etraya, unlike Moorecroft, but those who wander in the dark may be unable to help but notice that it almost feels as if something is watching you, waiting for you to let your guard down. Etraya appears to be the same, but something has changed, shifted. And it’s only a matter of time before that change reveals itself.

Those who wander outside at night during their first several days back will feel like they are being watched, but will be unable to find what is watching them, regardless of the method they use to try and discern what it is.

⏵ sea la vie ⏴ The unsettling sensation of being watched gradually fades over the next few days. Etraya begins to feel more like the place you remember: slightly empty, but comfortably so. The weather shifts unpredictably, with cool breezes one day and almost stifling warmth the next.

The companion bots, seemingly oblivious to any lingering unease, appear to be in full vacation mode. They spend a significant amount of time on the two small, sandy islands that are just south of the hospital, setting up for what looks like the perfect beach day. Chairs are arranged in neat rows, colorful towels are spread out across the sand, and a small shack has been built just off the side of the bridge that offers swimsuits and any other beach-related item that they could need - or most of them! The narrow river means surfboards are out of the question; instead, the bots provide massive tube floaties, perfect for lazily drifting down the currents.

⏵ polaroid pandemonium ⏴ Everyone receives an invitation to Corrine’s Cafe, along with a table number. The invitation may arrive via a companion bot delivering it to them physically, or as a direct message from Aurora via their earpiece. The invitation instructs them to meet at the cafe at a specific time and sit at a designated table.

At each table, two envelopes sit in front of two chairs, each containing a collection of photos. These images capture significant moments from your history - events you may have forgotten or ones that have shaped who you are. On the back of each envelope, instructions for the task await: discuss the moment featured in the photo with your partner, and share what it means to you. Whether it’s a memory of a terrible ordeal, or one of your happiest times with your loved ones. The choice to participate is yours; however, Aurora and the companion bots make it clear that your place at the table is pre-reserved whether you show up or not - meaning, your photos may still be viewed by others, even if you decide not to show up.

⏵ NOTES ⏴

This log marks the end of their visit to Moorecroft! Characters return to Etraya on August 9th regardless of what shenanigans they were getting up to within the other city bubble. We'll be following up with the mission: breakout threads, as well as continuing to follow through with NPC threads and provide further information for those still participating in plotting.

For any questions relating to the contents of this log, please use the mod queries thread. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.

⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

1; sea la vie

[ Gorgug comes to the beach hang-out mainly at the encouragement of (read: demand of) his friends. It's not that he's got anything against beaches, or having fun! But his problem is the one that is obvious to those who spot the half-orc at this get-together, dressed in a short-sleeved hoodie and swimming trunks and hanging around on a towel: he wants to be a fucking nerd with books. Books and notebooks and strips of coloured paper to keep track of pages of interest, and none of it ever on one subject, from boring simple engineering fronts to colourful woodwork glossy covers.

They start out all nicely tucked away in his bag at first, but hiding away where he'd rather his mind be becomes a forgotten task by around the time he's talking fervently with a companion bot. It starts off as a simple exchange that leads to the bot sitting next to Gorgug, and then the hands come out, an excited discussion taking place, that only dies down about the time that Gorgug has one of the bot's hands in his, turning its wrist and having a quieter conversation about....something. (????)

We promise, it's all nerd shit. Nerd shit that has Gorgug sketching out some kind of dome in a notebook. It's scratchy, not very artistic, but there's notes on garage, power source? lower floor jotted at the sides as a... floor plan starts to take shape. ]

2; polaroid pandemonium

[ But enough of being a nerd.

Gorgug comes to the café more eagerly than he did the beach, even without knowing what they're here for. He enters inside with a puzzled expression that follows him to finding his seat-- which, if another person is at the table already, he gives a grimace of a smile, looking down at his designated table, and says to the other person: ] Hi. This is my table too.

[ Hello. There's your most awkward greeting.

But if Gorgug gets there first himself, he sits down and takes the envelope, reading the instructions, and... waits, to see if his company will arrive before he opens it.

Curiosity gets to this half-orc, however, and he can't help but to dig into the collection there, eyes widening with bewilderment at what's in there. And what others will see if they happen to be passing Gorgug's table while he's examing the different images, are...

What appears to be an orc baby in a metal cradle that's barely containing it, surrounded by two gnomes the same size as the baby.
A (perhaps familiar) elven boy gut-punching a younger Gorgug in the middle of a school corridor.
There is a forest, gnarly and twisted, dim and difficult to see much without a closer inspection. Blood drips from the trees like the splattering of rain, and it covers the ground where it dips down into a bog.
Gorgug is with a girl, a bass guitar in her hands and a microphone in front of her. She looks passionate, intoxicated in the music that can't be heard but seen in her energy, and there's a Gorgug there, in the back of the photo, on drums.
Gorgug is kneeling--now, with his white tuff of hair--on top of what looks like a van, or high enough where a horizon can be seen in the background, the sky coloured in reds. He's with what looks like a motorcycle, for the most part (and with less flames than in that image): trying to do something to the pipes, in the midst of what look like repairs
The interior of a gnomish workshop--and truly, there's gnomes everywhere. Gorgug is at a workshop table (bent over, his head inches from bumping into the ceiling), tools set out on the table and a slab of rectangular crystal sits in the centre and appears to be what they're working on.
Gorgug's face is usually one of bewilderment, but all of these are definitely scrunching up his brow.

Later on, for those Gorgug knows, he might stop them if he happens to catch them--outside the café, or perhaps at the apartments. He isn't flagging anyone down, but speaks up to them in that way that one does when bumping into one another. ]

Hey. [ Hi. ] You see those photos they left at the café?

[ Weird, right??? ]

[ ooc: HELLO sorry for the 1st option being very closed off/very 'pester gorgug'-ish!!! I hope the second one helps to be more open. 😌 if you would like to do anything with Gorgug outside of these prompts, he can also be found checking out the different building locations around Etraya on random days if ur character "owns" that spot or hangs around there much.... or if u want to plot with Gorgug in general, shoot me a private message!! I am happy to make starters. ]

Edited 2024-08-13 12:16 (UTC)

( in truth, ari hasn't decided whether he wants to cooperate with aurora and her objective for them. a part of him wonders why he was chosen to represent a world that hardly belonged to him in the first place. another part of him wonders if he can choose who to save from his universe.

it may motivate him to try harder.

in any case, he shows up at the cafe and sits across from a gangly green fella at his designated table. even with all six of his wings tucked away, ari is a spectacle to behold at the height of 7'2" and a left arm that's almost entirely pitch black. he picks up the envelope in front of him, a pair of silver eyes skimming over the instructions. )

I'm Ari. ( despite his gruff appearance, his voice is uncannily soothing and melodic, even as he rips the envelope open to extract its contents. ) What's your name?

[ Oh. He's tall.

That's what Gorgug clocks second--the first, that he doesn't know him. The wings may peek from where they're drawn in, and that's worthy of note, but Gorgug isn't one to closely inspect individuals, and his expression is somewhere between curious and thinking.

Though the latter falls when the other speaks, even while the sound the other opening his envelope has led Gorgug to consider the same. But, first, he guesses: ] Oh, hey, I'm Gorgug. Hi.

[ His own voice is youthful, matching his looks, except for where age seems to wrinkle around the sides of his eyes. Perhaps lost in the green of his skin, perhaps not. Regardless, Gorgug looks down at his own envelope, pulls it and tears the paper and making sure it comes apart horizontally. ]

I don't know what's in here, [ he says, even though they're on the cusp of finding out--it's rambling, trying to be accomodate to a stranger. Cheery, even in a quiet delivery. ] But I guess--oh.

[ That oh comes with the reveal of what it is there: photos, a small collection of them. A reason to blink and fall silent, and for Gorgug to take the moment to...look at what's there. ]

( what gall to freeze personal moments in time and put them into a collection of photos that were never meant to be taken, and then expect the recipient to discuss them with a stranger. absolute bullshit. he shoves the photos back into the envelope as soon as he sees what they are and read what they're meant to do with them.

tucking the envelope away into the pocket of his jacket, ari leans forward in his chair, his lips thinned in obvious displeasure. )

I don't know about you, but I'm not doing this. And you don't have to either. ( he isn't going to play ball. )

[ Gorgug is torn between the photo that has his attention, but also what Ari says, and a desire to look at the picture longer but not to be rude to the other guy. There might be some signal of surprise in there from what he says, but it's lost between the fumbling as Gorgug puts his hand over the envelope. ]

Oh? You don't have to... I wanted to see what was going on. [ That was his reason for coming here, initially, though there's a beat before: ] ...I don't wanna lose the photos.

[ Not that he's sure if they'll be taken if they don't do what's written on them, and he doesn't sound it. He's even thinking about it further, a complicated expression on his face. ]

A-actually, I can lose them if they try and make us. That's okay.

[ Nevermind, he's quickly changed his mind in 2-3 seconds. ]

Just keep 'em. ( no rule stating that they can't take the photos if they don't follow the instructions. even if there was one, well, fuck the rules. ) If those stupid little robots try to take them away from you, then smash 'em.

( he looks like a pretty sturdy guy. it shouldn't be hard. )

What're you anyway?

[ His lips part, but he decides not to speak against the idea (at least for himself), and instead he makes a non-committal sound as he picks up his envelope of photos to shove into the pocket of the hoodie. ]

A half-orc. [ The question is...not weird for once, coming from a guy with wings, and at least he can ask back: ] What about you?

A nephilim.

( he wasn't an angel though, unrelated to the celestial beings from various religions. )

Do you have others of your kind here?

[ Hmm, nephilim. He wonders if it's heard the word before, but nothing's popping to mind. But he shakes his head. ]

No, it's just me? I haven't seen anyone else 'cept when we went to the Moorecroft place, and I wasn't stuck with any half-orcs there. Or full orcs. Is it the same for you?

[ There's definitely a note of it's weird there. It's weird, right?? ]

[ Fabian has been desperate for some normalcy after that absolute disaster of a mission. Who cares that you get a pass in the end when you spent the first half in an absolutely dirty house, panicking because you don't know how to take care of a fake baby, and then spent the other half recovering from a secret sneaking mission that kicked your ass to hell and back?

So when he hears about a beach, of course Fabian is ready for it. And dragging his friends along. He knows that Gorgug has studying to do, and Fabian is alright with giving his friend some time for that while Fabian spends time out near the water and floating around on top of one of the tubes, but--

When he comes back to see how Gorgug is doing, he spots the other sitting there with.. one of the companion bots? Holding its hands?

It stirs a feeling in Fabian's stomach that he isn't quite certain of. It just feels nasty. Negative. There's something about the sight that feels like a punch in the gut. He gives his friend time to study, and then Fabian comes back only to see him getting all handsy with a robot? The ones here don't even seem real! ]

.. Hey, Gorgug.

[ Fabian doesn't exactly sound as excitable as he can usually sound, even though he's standing and looking like the perfect beach dude in his brightly coloured swimming trunks, the tube he was drifting on before now tucked underneath his arm. ]

[ By the time Fabian comes over, Gorgug's no longer touching the companion bot's hands, wrists, but has his own stuck out, switching the side that he's showing while talking about whatever it is they were already discussing.

(Joints, they're talking about joints and what joins together their bodies, as you do on a nice beach and on a very nice day.)

Whatever the subject, their talk peppers away when Fabian makes his presence known, as much by his greeting as he does by his form being there. Gorgug and the bot both look at him, but it's Gorgug whose expression changes (easier, when your face is not a screen), smiling in that small, fond way he does upon seeing a friend--upon seeing Fabian. ]

Hey. [ Hey. Fabian seems low energy, but it's been a second, and Gorgug isn't questioning it. Why would he, when instead: ] Was it good out there?

[ Did you have fun, bro? ]

Uh-huh. Yeah.

[ Wow, what a weird, uncharacteristic response from Fabian Seacaster of all people, huh. You'd think he would have been a little bit more happy to finally be able to have some beach fun in this place between all those intense, stressful missions.

And yet he's just standing there. So little energy going on. Water is slowly dripping down from his hair onto his shoulders, but he's just letting it happen, staring at Gorgug and the companion bot next to him. ]

Were you having fun here too?

[ With that bot? It's like Gorgug doesn't even realize that these things are part of the force that's making everything so hard for them here! And yet he's sitting here? Treating them like a friend? Touching their hands??? ]

[ Gorgug's looking at Fabian. And then he's looking at the companion bot, a quick glance as he's wondering if the reason Fabian seems--cagey? Is because of them. Fabian wouldn't like them the same way Gorgug does, right? He can understand that. He doesn't want to talk in front of them. ]

Yeah, [ he starts, because he was, but--he knows he needs to say more. And that small hope he'd had of introducing the bot to Fabian is sizzling out, but at the same time...he can't let it completely die away.

So he swallows, another look between the two, and Gorgug gestures to his company. ]

This is Deem. [ Hello, the bot speaks, with the same modulated voice that they all do: harmless, amicable. ] We've been talking... I've known them since we went to Nova City for the snakes. They build and repair a lot of the infrastructure.

[ He pauses, knowing Fabian probably won't...care about that? But he can't help but to continue, even to defend Deem's presence with him. ]

They were helping me with a lab design.

[ Aren't they helpful, Fabian? (Doesn't lab designing have a lot to do with touching hands?) ]

[ .. a lab design?

That sure didn't look like something that has anything to do with a lab design. What kind of lab design requires hand holding? Does that mean it's even worse than expected and not only is Gorgug holding hands with the robots right in front of him, but also trying to cover it up? To him? To his actual friend?

Fabian is definitely still looking sour. Hell, the way he doesn't respond with his name or anything to the companion bot is probably saying enough. He just nods his head a little, like that's all the acknowledgement of the introduction he's going to give them.

Instead he says, after a moment: ]

It sounds like you two have been hanging out a lot.

[ The accusation in that comment is loud and clear.

And Gorgug is conflicted--between the part of him that feels like he should be guilty, and the other part that wants to be indignant to the treatment Fabian's giving him. He knows Fabian's feelings about their situation, and Gorgug's aren't different, but does he think that Gorgug's forgotten that just because he treats the bots with some friendliness.

He's not giving away their secrets to them. Would Fabian suspect that for an instant? ]

We can hang out together. [ Gorgug tests the waters slowly, carefully; standing up for himself, while staying very much sitting. But he's not looking away from Fabian, and his hand near to the companion bot twitches, but doesn't move. ]

Is there a problem with that?

[ Deem swivels their head between the two, their screen emoting to a look of concern. For a companion bot, it seems they're picking up some Vibes here.... ]

[ Wait-- Is Gorgug getting defensive? Is that what this is?

Somehow that only makes it feel worse. It's not like Fabian can't give his friends time to themselves when they need it, but.. why is Gorgug opting to spend that time with one of the robots that's part of what's keeping them jailed here over coming out to the water to spend time with him? Fabian could have understood if it had been Riz or Adaine, or even one of the other friends they made in this place, but.. one of the companion bots? He's ignoring Fabian to hold hands with one of those? Besides, didn't Gorgug promise--

Fabian bites his tongue. It feels way too pathetic to remind Gorgug of that, no matter how petty a part of him feels here. He can't make himself look that pathetic by asking Gorgug to hang out with him. Especially when the other would clearly hang out with their enemy over having some fun with Fabian, even now he knows how Fabian feels about being abandoned.

It hurts. Somewhere in his chest he can feel that familiar stinging warmth growing that always precedes his tears, but he pushes it down, determined to not cry here like a total loser. ]

I thought you did not want to swim because you had something important to do.

[ It stings to hear, of course, but Gorgug knows that's the point. But the part of him that's willing to understand takes a hit with it, because why should he have to explain himself if this is the way Fabian's going to act? It stirs at the anger that lives in his stomach, rumbling at the slight directed at him, at what he finds important being dismissed. Nature trying to fight against nurture. Oh, he wants to do this?

His eyes on Fabian narrow first, and he doesn't speak immediately. But in that space, the bot beside him does. Gorgug, perhaps it would be better if I left... ]

No. [ His response manages to be quicker. But for the sharpness present in it, there's a flicker in the hold of his gaze after a few seconds--it breaks, becomes weaker. The anger loses some grip on his emotions from the worry beside him.

Gorgug doesn't want to argue about this. He doesn't want to get riled up. There's no point escalating this.

Calm, Gorgug. ]

I've been doing something important to me, even if you don't agree with it... we can talk about it later, Fabian. [ He's speaking with the same careful voice as before, taking out anything pointed this time. Instead, there's a pleading tone to it, if only as he continues. ]

But I haven't done anything wrong.

[ Maybe that's the wrong thing to say, but Fabian should know right? Fabian should be able to trust him. ]

[ Gorgug may as well have brought his axe down on Fabian's head. It probably would have hurt less than this does. Because.. this is what Gorgug finds important? More than hanging out with his friends, he wants to hang out with these robots and hold hands with them and probably straight up make out later? Fabian is pretty sure that's what this would have lead to if he hadn't walked in on it.

Especially since Gorgug isn't dismissing the bot. He's dismissing.. him. He wants the bot around, not Fabian.

He doesn't even know how to react to the sting. A part of him wants to cry, but the conscious part of Fabian's brain absolutely does not want to do that right here and now where everyone can see it, Gorgug included. Another part of him wants to get angry, but.. what the hell is that going to do at this point?

It's already too late. Abandoned again. Why does he even bother trying to tell anyone at all about his feelings when in the end no one truly understands?

So he does what he always does. What he should have done, even back in Moorecroft, rather than trying to talk about things like an idiot. He must've made a total fool of himself. First when talking about it, then for being glad when it seemed like Gorgug actually understood. Like he got it. So only now.. he swallows it all down. The hurt. The anger. ]

Okay.

[ There's none of Fabian's usual joy in that okay. No exuberance. Yet it doesn't sound fully petty either, like a moment ago.

Instead it just sounds devoid of anything at all, a stage with the curtains drawn. ]

See you later then.

[ Fabian doesn't wait for an answer. He has already turned around, running back to the water. ]

[ It's only due to speaking with Adaine that Gorgug sticks around for any longer length of time, but after that exchange--despite talking with Deem, reassuring him it's alright, things are tricky but fine, and they can chat another time--Gorgug doesn't have much interest being on the beach. Not to read his books, not to follow in the same direction Fabian's gone into the water.

He hadn't been in much mood to go swimming in the first place, and he gives up pretending that he wants to be out here: he goes back to the apartment with his books and the lab plans shoved away into his bag, where they stay for the rest of the day. The latter of those things, anyway; there isn't a lot better to do than to read through his artificer books, sulking inside his room with his headphones blasting so he doesn't have to hear any doors, or even his own brain.

Not that he's really sulking. Not like he's hiding, or anything.

(Not that he thinks about listening for the doors anyway, because what would he do then? Fabian thinks he's a traitor. Is he?

He's just tired of being told that he's wrong. Feeling like a dumbass.)

Enough time passes eventually that Gorgug lowers the volume on his music, and he hears the sounds of people in the other rooms. Riz, Fabian--and Gorgug doesn't want to be in the same room as Fabian with Riz around, doesn't want to deal with a tension that can't be addressed right then while dancing around it, ignoring it around their sleuth-minded friend. And it's probably a good thing to wait, so Gorgug waits, until the noises die down and he can step out from his room...

To look for Fabian, whether in that living room space or if he has to knock on his door.

Where will he find him? ]

[ It's not even until much later in the day that Fabian finally shows up back at the apartment. Just as Gorgug opted to immediately go back after that, Fabian instead opted to stay out there for as long as possible. Not even really talking to anyone, just-- swimming. When he can't talk about what's bothering him, it feels like the only way to try and deal with the feelings. Like if he just moves enough, he might be able to somehow get that weird, tight feeling out of his chest.

The only reason he even returns is because fatigue kicks in, and Fabian is - only barely - not enough of a dumbass to outright drown over something like this. He gets back to the apartment, actually manages to greet Riz like not much is up, even though it forces him to muster a whole lot of energy. Especially when Riz seems so weirdly perceptive to Fabian lately. They have a talk while Fabian grabs some food, probably about something Riz is investigating--

And then Riz leaves, and it's just Fabian, sitting there in their kitchen with a mostly-eaten meal that Riz had shoved at him. It's clear he hasn't been back for all that long, since water is still dripping down from his half-dried hair.

Fabian looks up though. He spots Gorgug there.

And though one might expect Fabian to speak up first - as ever - for this one.. he doesn't. He doesn't begin yapping right away, doesn't even snap at Gorgug.

Instead he just turns his gaze back downwards to his meal after a moment, a faint glimpse of hurt in his gaze before violently shoving another spoonful of it into his mouth. ]

[ He wishes he knew how they got here.

That's what sticks with Gorgug most, though there is some trail he can see from point A to B; but he can only envision it in his head, and he thinks there has to be more to this than Gorgug simply being too friendly with a companion bot to get the reaction he has. Yeah, they're part of the system holding them and the future of the universe hostage to the whims of some higher power--but it's a single fucking metal construct. It's a superficial friendship compared to what they have.

It makes it hard to know how to start when Gorgug stands there, visible in Fabian's sight that he takes away, and Gorgug's tongue empty in the face of such a small, simple action. Why?, he wants to ask. Why are you being like this?

He lets out an exhale, quiet, as he tries to start. ]

...I'm not making buddy-buddy with all of the companion bots here. They've just-- the one I was with, they've been nice to me. We talk about building, and that's it. There's nothing else.

[ He hesitates. ]

I know they can turn on us.

[ He knows that, even if--he's conflicted. ]

[ Fabian is self-aware enough by now - somehow! - that he can at least tell what part of his problem is here. Which is a start, since he could technically just voice it. He could just tell Gorgug. He could let him know that seeing him doing that stuff with the companion bots over doing stuff with Fabian makes him feel lonely.

Maybe having opened up once would have made that easier. Doing it the second time is never quite as scary as the first time, right? But the fact that he did open up, and then this happened regardless feels like it completely shut the lid right back onto the chest again. If opening up is hard and does nothing but give you a few things in the short term, then maybe Fabian doesn't want to do it anymore.

Baring your soul like that is too hard. Even worse when you know you're not wanted the way you wish you were. ]

If it's important to you, then you should do it. [ There's none of the earlier annoyance, but there's none of Fabian's usual smiles or exuberance either.

It's like there's no spirit at all in those words. As if - metaphorically speaking - Fabian Seacaster has left the building. Has left his own head. ]

[ He's walling him out. It would be as obvious as slamming a literal wall in front of him, which, the reaction it pulls out of Gorgug wouldn't be too different from that impact. Does he get it, or doesn't he? Gorgug flip-flops from knowing: he understands Fabian dislikes the companion bots, but to this extent? To icing him out? ]

But you're important to me too, [ he answers; some heat behind the words, an urgency that's there, yet that loses its momentum as he navigates a situation he can't quite understand. ] And I think that, even if you think I'm being stupid, you would give me a chance, too. We're friends. We... you know me better than most people.

We've always had each other's backs.

[ And this hurts, he wants to say, but bites his tongue. He doesn't want to immediately make this about hurt feelings, doesn't want to make it accusatory and flare up emotions like it could. He wants to know why; he wants Fabian to lay it out in front of him, just tell him what he's not seeing.

Is he really blind? Is he really being stupid? Over a small friendship that's more casual than anything; that isn't worth what's going on here between him and Fabian.

Even if it did hurt, back on the beach. And Fabian wouldn't hurt him deliberately for no reason. ]

[ But you're important to me too, Gorgug says, and it makes something bubble up inside of Fabian. There's so much he could say to that, so many things to protest. If he's truly so important, then why wasn't Gorgug out there having fun with him on the beach? Why did Fabian have to entertain himself, while Gorgug was sitting there and holding hands with that robot, giving all of himself to that thing instead?

Why does Fabian have to play second fiddle to someone he doesn't even know, to something that's working together with the entity that's keeping them here, that's fucking with them every single time?

It hurts, but it doesn't feel like getting angry would get him anywhere here. The one time he stood up against his father properly got both of them bloodied and beaten up in a jail cell, and it hadn't even felt good afterwards.

So he doesn't voice them, especially when it feels like his earlier words maybe did fall on deaf ears after all. Instead he scoops a few spoonfuls of his meal, before letting them drop back without putting anything at all in his mouth. Fabian is starting to look more uncomfortable, especially when he can practically feel his friend's gaze burning onto him. ]

I do not think you are stupid. [ He says, starts-- because it's just true.

Whatever he's feeling, all the complicated feelings.. It's not because he thinks Gorgug is dumb or anything.

...

Something connects in his brain, and he looks up from his meal. ]

Wait, you think that is the problem?

It's not?

[ The question comes after a pause, a near blue screen after Fabian says what he does. It's not the problem? How isn't it the problem? The idea that it can be anything else; it confuses Gorgug immediately, to the point of: ] Yeah it is. You think I'm stupid. I'm being stupid. I'm friendly with a companion bot.

[ Of course you think I'm stupid. How can it be anything else? Because Gorgug doesn't entirely blame Fabian's emotions to a degree, even if he doesn't like the shape they've taken and been directed at him.

So what other problem can there be? Is he just trying to be nice about Gorgug's feelings now because Fabian's aware he's always not felt very smart? Which, this isn't really the time for that, and he would like them to focus on how Fabian actually does think he's being dumb, thanks. ]

MISSION 004 WRAP-UP

gorgug thistlespring, d20: fantasy high. ota.

polaroid pandemonium—

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