[text/action]

[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

[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.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[She shakes his hand lightly, frowning at the cut, but frankly her hands would always look worse with their stitches and scars.]

Excellent. I guess the first order of business would be getting better. You need any help? Like getting to the infirmary?

[bashfulshifter]

[He scratches the back of his head with his free hand, rather embarrassed.]

I, ah...I-I've b-been. [Sertoria hounded him until he did. But that was two days ago, and by the next morning the bandages he'd gotten needed changing and...he lost track of time, apparently. At least it wasn't bleeding anymore.] ...I th--think it'll be o-okay. S-Some new w-wraps, maybe...

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Blink blink.

Reaching into her cloak, Veronica produced a small roll of medical gauze. One of the "gifts" from her trunk.]

Here, this should help a little.

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick blinks in mild surprise. Well, that's convenient. He hesitantly reaches out to accept it.]

...Th--Thank you.