acatalepsy_logs | Don't Skip Your Flu Shot

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Don't Skip Your Flu Shot

Who: Everyone! It's a mingle post for the first week of Struxta sickness!!
Where: All around the temple
When: During the first week of the sickness
Rating PG?? At most??
What: Curry, blankets and pillow forts, and other assorted sick things

[With the Struxta illness sweeping through the temple like a wildfire, and with so many new arrivals trying to get adjusted to temple living, it's probably no surprise that things around the Astoria's little pocket of space have gotten a little hectic. Feeling under the weather? Looking for something warm to soothe that scratchy throat? Just want to curl up underneath a pile of blankets and not move for like, seven hours or so? Never fear! A Mysterious Helper (TM) has you covered]

A. Curry in the Kitchen

[The kitchen smells extremely nice during lunchtime this week, the only meal of the day that isn't pre-prepared by the misty servants. Like the scent of coffee intermingled with complementary spices. Those who take the initiative to investigate will find something pleasant waiting for them. A few pots of fresh made curry and steamed rice; a few pots of miso soup (a. . . little on the salty side, sorry); and some freshly brewed coffee already poured into individual mugs, along with cream and sugar and whatever additives your heart desires. It's all strewn out across the counter tops with a handwritten note pinned against the wall above the stove:]

Help yourself, and get well soon.

[There isn't any sign of the mysterious chef when you enter the kitchen, and if you arrive near the end of lunch hour, some of the food and coffee miiiiight be a bit cold. But hey! This might be a good chance to mingle with some of your new coworkers who are also seeking out a warm meal to help quell some of their cold symptoms. Just please don't sneeze into the curry pot, thanks. . .]

[Lunch will be laid out in the kitchen every day at lunchtime for the entire first week of the sickness. Help yourselves!]

B. The Temple Hallways

[THERE ARE BLANKETS AND PILLOWS EVERYWHERE]

[. . . no, seriously. For some reason, it's like you can't even walk down a hallway without tripping over a bundled up blanket or a pillow. What's up with that! For the most part, they're normal bedtime accessories, although you may find a bundle of pillows and blankets stacked up into an ENTIRE PILLOW FORT if you're lucky.]

[Pinned to the walls of the hallways (not every hallway, but enough of them that it should be easy to find one of the signs without wandering for too long) are more handwritten signs:]

Whoever can build the tallest pillow fort will receive one (1) high five as a grand prize. Good luck. Blanket provider is not responsible for anyone accidentally falling asleep in the hallways and blocking your route back to your bedroom.

[Hm. Well, that's weird. Anyway! You can build a pillow fort if you want, grab some blankets to take back to your room, or. . . nap in the hallways. Or do whatever! They're all free for the taking. Maybe you could even team up with another Circle member to try and win that extremely coveted high five??]

C. Wildcard

[Don't feel like interacting with any of the above? That's okay! Make your own prompt based on the event stuff over here, or just use this post for. . . whatever you want! It's totally and completely open for mingling for new and old characters alike, so. HAVE FUN ♥]

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[ look

irrelevant!!! ]

Oh -

[ he plucks the leaf from her hair, and alisaie gives a great yawn, blinking hard after rubbing the sleep from her eyes. she's still groggy, and her back feels stiff - it's been some time since she hasn't slept on a proper bed. her Roughing It skills are degrading. ]

In the forest.

[He gives her a flat look for her response. Well yes he assumed that much, Alisaie... please.......

Anyway he hasn't nagged her yet today so she's overdue.]

You should be careful to not tax yourself overmuch. The weaker you are the more likely it is that you will get sick. [It's bad enough that Arenvald has it. He isn't sure he could take Alisaie catching it too.

He's being a hypocrite though what with how hard he has been working himself to create medicine to help the sick. Though if she was in the forest....]

Did you find anything of note while you were there?

[ UGH this nagging is the last thing she wants, okay!! to think, they were so peaceful a moment ago. the only time they're cute is when they're unconscious..

her petulant scowl says enough, but alphinaud is, at least, quick to change the subject, so she doesn't need to come up with some snappy rejoinder, which she's secretly thankful for - alisaie is far too tired to be effortlessly witty. also please, he was sleeping in the hallway too, don't think he can hide the hypocrisy from her ever critical gaze.. ]

I gathered a few new leaves, and a handful of strange looking caterpillars, though I've no idea whether they will yield anything of use.

[ but she'll be happy to hand over what she's found, nonetheless - she can do the tromping about in the wilds part to gather the goods, he can cover the r&d. divide and conquer. ]

[Does.... Does that imply she's had live caterpillars in her pockets this whole time or.....?

.... Okay, well... at this point they probably escaped while they were asleep but regardless it's best not to dwell on that horror and focus here. He did have a reason for his inquiry.]

If you are feeling awake enough for it, could you show me where you found them? [If he knows Alisaie, and he is pretty confident he does, he bets she was much more likely to have ventured further into the woods than he has. If she can show him her path then he can travel there on his own later.

She's definitely better at the hard labor so they make a good team. But considering how many herbs he needs and the amount of trips it will take he needs to do a lot of this on his own time too. He can't expect her to collect everything.]

[ she sure has!! a bunch of cute woolly bear caterpillars, and a couple random green ones, too. some might have escaped.. but she kept her pocked buttoned so there are probably still some! and wow there's no horror, caterpillars are cute!! she probably put many of them in his bed when they were young.. ]

Aye, I can.

[ a wide yawn, and alisaie stretches her arms high over her head, her back giving several gratifying pops. ]

'Tis not so far that we would not make it back by sundown.

[The horror probably comes from the fact that she did that.......

He climbs to his feet as she stretches although balancing on all these blankets and pillows is precarious. He offers her his hand to help her up.]

Then I will trust you to lead the way. I've been using the wildlife to determine what plants may be safe for consumption for medicines and which ones may be immune entirely. I'd be curious to see where these caterpillars have found food.

[Of course it's still just guess work since animals may have unique immunities to poisons in a plant that they do not but... well, he hasn't died yet from anything he's made and then tasted so hey.]

[ look, she was only trying to share her interests.. caterpillars are cute, alphinaud!! ]

Seems a fair enough lead to follow.

[ they have no idea what may or may not help, no real knowledge to work off of, so it is as good an idea as any. taking hold of his hand, alisaie hauls herself back to her feet with a heavy sigh, and turns to pick her way down the corridor again. ]

'Tis relatively deep into the forest, you may want to bring a snack.

[She calls it "sharing" but he calls it "terrorizing"......

He follows her lead with some amusement at her words. Does she say that for herself or for him?]

If you think that beneficial then I shall do so. [When they swing by the kitchen on the way out he definitely gathers food more suited for her though. He's pretty confident he'll be fine but she eats like someone twice her size half the time.

But at least she confirmed he was right about how far she wondered in so he'll expect some good results.]

Out of curiosity do you ever travel into the forest as one of the many beasts you can become?

[ ... look!!

yeah she definitely wants the snacks. she's a growing, active girl okay, she needs the calories. nevermind that she is apparently canonically the fat twin. they're hardly far into the forest before she's already tearing off a hunk of bread and some cheese to munch on while they work. ]

I -- no, actually.

[ she had begun to sound defensive, because she's still very much embarrassed by her ability, but now that he's mentioned it, it would behoove of her to take advantage of it. covering such distance would be much more quick were she a chocobo, and sniffing out useful flora might be easier with the nose of a wolf or a rabbit.

..... it doesn't escape her, either, that she could very easily shift and carry alphinaud right now, and it would cut their journey in half, like as not. but she's not gonna be the one to say that out loud!! ]

[He actually had the same thought about her ability to carry others.... but not specifically him. Instead his thoughts stray more of her ability to transport supplies in larger quantities rather than a person. She'd need only bring baskets or something that could be strapped onto... whatever animal she decided to become for it. Probably a chocobo would make the most sense.

He smiles with some amusement.] Think of the number of caterpillars you could have brought back had you done so. [All of which would have ended up in his bed, I guess........]

You seem quite flustered by it but I find it to be an impressive ability. The ways in which you can utilize this power is endlessly useful. [He can't really think of a downside... especially if she can shift back and forth with such ease.]

[ whoa is that a.. compliment? it's not as if he's never given them before, but it's a rare enough occurrence that she's taken aback for a few moments, color rising in her cheeks. ]

Do you.. think so?

[ well.. okay, yes, he's probably right. she's already used it to break out of a prison cell like 3+ times, and there is no limit (at least none that she has found) to which beast she chooses to be, large or small. alisaie has been a bit too embarrassed by it to fully appreciate its value. ]

I.. yes, I suppose you are right.

[He's not tsundere like she is about giving compliments to her face.]

I usually am. [He says this solely to annoy her though.]

Honestly, I am actually quite surprised that taking to the skies as some type of cloudkin was not the first thing you tried. [That sounds just like the kind of horribly reckless thing she'd do. He may regret saying that because the thought stresses him out and it's hard enough to keep track of her when she isn't running around as an animal.

But... to be completely honest if it were his power that would be the first thing he'd want to try...]

[ oh that is a dangerous way to annoy her, alphie-boy, because all she need say to counter is is crystal braves..

but she'll hold that savagery back, and level him instead with a searing glance; never let it be said that she is unkind to him!! ]

What makes you think I haven't?

[ she's spent a lot of time in secret.. trying out all kinds of things.. ]

[Wow don't be cruel about it!!]

Your embarrassment over it, for one. [But he supposes it's true, he has no idea what she might be doing in her spare time when they're apart. If she has he'd have many questions about it though. Did she reach the end of the forest? Is there even an end? Does it just endlessly loop you back to the Temple in the air like it does if you walk too far? These are important questions.

But he doesn't get to finish his train of thought when he nearly walks face first into a caterpillar nest attached to a low hanging branch. Thankfully he's spared but has to take a few hasty steps backwards. When he looks up he realizes the entire tree is practically covered with their cocoons.]

Is it safe to presume this is where you found them? [Ha...]

[ oh man.. he was so close to getting a face full of cocoon!! the gods frown upon her this day.. ]

Oh! Indeed.

[ with a bright smile, she cranes her neck to peer up into the sprawling branches of the tree, shielding her eyes with one hand. ]

Tenacious little monsters, aren't they?

[ and so cute.. look how fuzzy they are!! ]

[He almost makes a remark about how that's probably why she likes them so much because she is also one but he chooses to keep living instead.

He follows her gaze. The ones not in cocoons yet crawl along the branches and feast on the leaves. He recognizes a vine of leaves traveling up the tree's trunk as the herbs he has been collecting. It's as he thought after all.]

Very. They often kill trees entirely with their nests. For them to all gather on this particular tree bodes ill for it but fruitful for us. [He'll approach and start plucking said leaves from the vine. The ones he can reach anyway. The ones higher up are lost unless he has Arenvald here to haul him up like last time. Considering Arenvald's state right now he will have to make do with what he can reach.

He uses the bag he had brought the food in. She pretty much devoured all of it by now so there's plenty of space for the herbs...]

[ look she would take that as a compliment. tenacious, and also hungry. these describe her well.

anyway, while he's busy yapping and picking leaves, alisaie makes friends with a nearby caterpillar, watching it crawl onto her finger, its wiggly body undulating. look how hairy it is.. how can people not find these cute?? but soon enough she glances back to him. ]

Do you need assistance gathering the higher vines?

[ it's like she's a mindreader or something ]

[Or something. It's just their wonder twin powers at work, probably.

He pauses at the suggestion. He glances toward the tree to examine it. It does look pretty climbable with the thick branches and how they're spaced. Most of the leaves are growing higher on the vine too. Aside from the caterpillar nests everywhere that would have to b avoided it's easy enough. And stable looking enough that he isn't too worried about her falling.

He glances back to her and nods.]

If you think you can climb it then I've no objections to the help. The more that we can take back now the less trips I will have to make later.

[ ah, alphinaud...

alisaie shakes her head. ]

I've a better idea.

[ she shuts her eyes, focuses for a moment and.. poof! in a flurry of light she becomes................ a dhalmel.

with a red bow on one ear. ]

[He honestly didn't think she'd take his words to heart so this definitely surprises him. Then again proving that he is indeed not always right is her favorite hobby so maybe he should have seen this coming. He cranes his neck back to look up at her. Waaaay up.

... The red bow on her ear is endearing. Did her other animal forms have that? He can't recall. Is that the source of her power?? Probably not but it's a thought that amuses him.]

'Twas indeed a better idea. Hopefully you are not tempted to eat them? [Do Dhalmels even eat leaves? He doesn't know.......

He also doesn't know how she plans to get them down beyond plucking them herself with her mouth. Or pulling the vine down? Unless she intends for him to get on her back or something but he might object to that.....]

[ truly the power was in her hair ribbon all along. alphinaud's hair ribbon actually possesses the ability to turn him into inanimate objects. time to become a bucket of water!!

anyway, alisaie gives him a withering look with her dhalmel face, then lifts her head up into the canopy to break off like.... an enormous branch with her mouth, which she sets down at his feet. seriously, it's huge. ]

[He objects!!

Wow, that's an unnecessarily large branch. He's somewhat amused she managed to find one that didn't have caterpillar cocoons on it. So considerate. He takes a step back to look at it. Even so it has what he needs on it as the vine wraps around this branch. There are definitely more leaves on it since most animals can't get this high for them.

He approaches it to pick them all off. It's a process that takes a bit of time because not all the leaves are in good shape and he has to check this. Still, it is more than enough and when he's finished the bag he's using is more than half full.]

I think that will suffice for now. [But he charted the path here in his head and knows he can find it again tomorrow on his own if need be.

[ look it would probably be super useful!! not as cool as her power, sure, but he will never be as cool as her, that is his curse.

anyway she's quick to shift back, because this form is even less dignified than most of the others she's taken. ]

I think I shall venture a bit further, if you feel confident enough making your way back on your own?

[Look we can't all be red mages that backflip into AOEs like her.

As fascinating a power as it is it's still pretty amusing to see her shift into creatures like that. He nods.]

Of course. Try to return before it gets dark. [He isn't too concerned about it though. These woods aren't dangerous and he's pretty sure it loops back to the Temple if one strays too far.]

Should you find anything else you feel would be useful I'd be glad to take a look should you bring it back. [Don't bring back anymore caterpillars though.]

[ that sounds like jealousy to me.. at least she doesn't stand out in the middle of nowhere never paying attention to mechanics and always being out of range!! besides she's an npc, she has like 4 billion health. ]

Aye, I shall. Be careful on your way back.

[ 300 caterpillars coming right up ]

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spellweave - 2018-10-10 22:59 (UTC) - Expand

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