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[bashfulshifter]

[It's too quiet.]

[Rick's been wandering the Tower since Thursday, trying to help whoever he can with their shadows, checking up on them every few hours when he can catch his breath. But after yesterday, he's lost track of nearly all of them...and earlier today, he watched yet another die. After making a full circuit of all the safer floors and the stairwell, he's only now beginning to realize that perhaps Sertoria's death was just a continuation on a pattern that he's somehow missed.]

[It's evening, now, and around him the Tower has become eerily silent. Rick's staggered his way to the top floor dorms; his collar is almost as clear as it was Wednesday. He knows that the network hasn't been working well, but he's so alone, so terrified that he's failed all the people that he's tried so hard to help, and this is the only other way he can think of to try and contact them. The message he sends is short...]

Is anyone still up and around? There's so few people left...if you're still alive, I'm on the first floor of the dorms. We should stick together. Don't let the shadows win this.

[...but the message that comes out is glitched, nearly unreadable in spots. Rick paces between terminals, reloading his post to see if the problem fixes itself--and then, appropriately enough, he gives one of the computers a solid, frustrated kick, and collapses on the opposite side of the hall.]

[It's doubtful that anyone will be lucky or persistent enough to decipher Rick's message. If they do, though, he'll be curled up by the wall where he left himself. A shadow rubs his back.]

[You tried, honey...but you can't save everyone, you know. I told you it wasn't worth the effort and you just didn't listen...]

Comments

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[bashfulshifter]

[He lacks the motivation to keep scrolling through messages and post dozens of his own, so Rick only gives one reply this time. Hopefully the network doesn't garble it up too much.]

Yes...dorms, first floor.

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[stitchedupbodyguard]

[The word "dorms" got through, which was more than enough for her. She leaves a simple Stay there message before darting off and it's not long before she arrives at the dorms. The halls are basically empty for the most part so she's quickly searching through them.]

Hello? Rick?

[bashfulshifter]

[If Veronica thought Rick looked like a wreck when she first met him, she'll be pleasantly surprised this evening. The shuddering body on the floor barely reacts to her presence, and only barely to her voice--although, given the circumstances, it's a relatively happy reaction at least.]

...Oh! Y-You're...alive! [Someone he's seen within the past week...living? How strange and delightful! The fact that she mentioned her name over the network just a few minutes ago doesn't even occur to him.] A-Are you...holding u-up o-okay?

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Veronica almost recoils in surprise at how Rick looks. She barely knew him but she was sure he had seen better days.]

I, uh.... yeah, I'm alive. [She moves closer and inspects him for wounds, coming up strangely empty.] I should be asking if you're okay. You look worse than I do!

[bashfulshifter]

[She might notice the angry-looking but mostly-healed cut on one of his palms, but apart from that and general self-neglect Rick is physically unharmed. His blue collar is, however, alarmingly clear.]

[When Veronica draws near, the shadow leaning over Rick's body snaps upright and backs away, as if startled. She watches their interactions in weary silence.]

It's...b-been a r-r-rough w-week. [Rick thinks about rolling onto his elbows to address her on an even level, but the notion strikes him as very unnecessary--not when he has this solid, pleasantly cool floor to rest on instead. It's so nice to finally be able to lie down again...he'll just stay here for a bit.]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[She doesn't notice it for now. Right now, Veronica's worried about someone she just met seemingly dying before her eyes.

When the shadow moves Veronica glares daggers at it. Her own shadows weren't there anymore. In a way they knew they couldn't affect her anymore.]

Tell me about it. [If he doesn't mind she's just going to find a spot next to him and sit down, cross-legged. Her own, very pale yellow, collar bouncing slightly at the motion.] I just arrived here and people are disappearing and getting weird packages. You didn't get a package, did you?

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick doesn't mind the company. Even if he did, he's in no position to refuse her.]

[His side heaves with a labored sigh. Explaining all the unpleasant events that have gone on this past week doesn't appeal to him, especially to someone that only just arrived. Speaking of which...]

...I-I'm s-s-sorry...that y-you w-were brought i-into this. [Obligatory apology: check. In other news, Rick has dodged the question.]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Leaning back against the wall, Veronica just shakes her head, letting out a little, tired sigh of her own.]

It's alright. It's certainly not your fault I'm here and I'm okay with dealing with it anyways. After all, I've dealt with bad stuff like this all my life.

[bashfulshifter]

...You sh--shouldn't h-have to... [It's an instinct for Rick to apologize for things that aren't his fault. Sorry for apologizing so much.] I...w-wish I-I c-c-could have...g-given you a w-warmer w-w-welcome.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Again, she shakes her head. Keep this up and she'll have a sore neck by the end of the week.]

Actually this is a better greeting than I usually get. Speaking of which, you look really bad. You alright?

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick's mouth twitches into a drained smile.] ...I'll l-live, I-I hope. I'm just...r-really s-s-sleepy.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Honestly? So am I.

[She points to her collar that's almost completely white, and points to Ricks own.] I think it has something to do with these. Do they normally do this?

[bashfulshifter]

[He frowns, more out of worry than anything.]

...No. [Rick glances at the shadow, still standing nearby; it seems that she's backed away further, though she shows no intent of leaving.] The sh--shadows, I think...

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[She glances angrily at the shadow. She couldn't hear it, she couldn't hear anyone else's, but she knew they were always talking.]

You're probably right. Everyone that has died had shadows around them.

It talks to you right? Is the voice someone you know?

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick nods, slowly. Then his chest shudders with a sob, and the only way he can hold it back is to pretend that it's a laugh, sudden and harsh. His mouth twists into a pained smile.]

...M-My w-w-wife.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Yeah, she sees through that.]

....I-I'm so sorry. My shadows are my sisters.

[She lets out a pained laugh of her own, a small sob making its way out in the process.]

They keep saying that they wish I disappeared along with our father.

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick quickly realizes his mistake--great help he's being, reminding her of all the pain she's been through this week. He gathers his resolve and lifts himself on his elbows so he can look her directly in the eyes; his own are sharply defined with anguish and red rims.]

--Th--They're lying.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

...I know that.

[Veronica's own eyes showed an exhaustion that was different from the one the tower residents were experiencing. She wasn't just tired.]

They would never say that to me, not even Gavril would. In a way I hope they're still out there, looking for me. Maybe your wife is somewhere out there too.

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick holds her gaze for only a moment before he's forced to look away. He's in enough pain as it is.]

...She h-has t-to be. I-I mean, they a-all h-have to be.

[A moment's pause. Then Rick lifts himself sitting with a quiet groan, leaning his head back against the wall. He stares blankly through the ceiling.]

...I-If w-we're here to...t-to s-save our w-worlds, then...they have t-to be out there. O-O-Otherwise...

[...what would they even be doing here?]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Otherwise they'd be here, which would probably be worse.

[Veronica looks over at Rick, though she turns her attention to the floor a moment later. ]

If we're going to save our worlds and get back to our families, I guess our first order of business is to not die, right?

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick nods and, oddly, sniffs with muffled laughter. What else could he do? He's cried so much the past few weeks, for his own pain and the pain of others, in sadness and regret...he can't bring himself to cry anymore. It's ceased to hold meaning.]

[...Also he's thought of something amusing. Both descriptions are applicable.]

...I-It's...i-i-ironic, k-kind of. I, um...when I a-arrived h-here...the f-first thing I d-did was ch--check to s-see if my w-wife c-came with me.

[Rick pulls off his glasses with his injured hand, holding them with limp fingers while he uses his other hand to thoroughly rub at his bloodshot eyes.]

E-Everyone t-told me she was b-better off n-not b-being here...but the thought of b-being a-a-alone, I...I c-couldn't...

[He trails off and frowns, slumping over his knees.]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Veronica took a moment to remove her fedora, running her fingers through her messy hair. In truth she felt like crying too, but now probably wasn't a good time.]

Y-yeah, and I spent some time looking for my sisters. Which you probably know. I couldn't find them anywhere, and I guess with the shadows here...

[She paused, shuddering slightly at the memories of things said.]

But I'm okay with being alone. There's many different people to meet too. So, I'll be okay.

[Which is a half-lie. It makes her feel better though.]

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick regains his composure somewhat and shakes his head, making a concerted effort to look back at Veronica and keep her attention.]

--B-But that's the thing...you d-don't have to b-be a-alone. E-Everyone here i-is l-looking for s-someone f-from home. And that's f-fine...w-we'll s-save them. We h-have to.

[Then, pensively: ] ...but w-we g-get so w-wrapped up in s-saving our o-own w-worlds...that we f-forget to s-save e-each other.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

...You're right. We're not really focusing on ourselves, are we?

[A small sigh escapes Veronica. She never really did focus on herself. It has always been her that laid down her life for others.]

I guess before we try to save our homes... we should probably try to save each other from the shadows and things.

[A moment of silence. Then her hand is stretched out to Rick, more than likely to shake. She never knew what exactly to do in these moments, but this seemed like a start.]

How about it then?

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick smiles warmly and extends his own hand--the right one, which has a nasty cut on the inside of the palm, with fingers that seem twitchy and slightly unresponsive, but shaking with his left wouldn't exactly match up so his options are limited here.]

[...Whatever, they shake hands.]

I'd be...m-more than h-happy.