investigation wrap...?

[cancrymods]

Well that all sure... uh, happened!

Despite the initial hostility, you've gotten a lot of important information to chew over: Esme, the one who holds Authority over Invidia has made it very clear that she opposes the Executors and their intended goal of repairing the Cogs of Renewal at the bottom of Purgatory. And thanks to that, and Esme's degree of control over Invidia, the gang are stuck here until they can find a way to bypass Esme and continue descending the layers of Purgatory.

Surely, everyone will be on the same page about how to handle that!

Either way, with discussions with Esme wrapped up and the Executors on their way, now's a good time to put your heads together and see if you can't work out where to proceed from here.

Or you know, just kick back and relax in Invidia for a bit. You've had a tough weekend!

Comments

[twibeast]

[ It's a few hours later, when Beast pulls himself away from his own reading, that he returns to check up on Rei. The TV is still on, so he knows she's still there, but it's getting late. ]

Lady Rei?

[ Oh hm, she's on the floor. Maybe she's already asleep? He steps closer to check on her, but starts to grow concerned with how... off, things look. ]

...Rei?

[phantasmagorial]

Mrgh.

[ That's her entire response! Just a wordless grumble. Eventually her attention slides away from the TV properly and over to Beast and she blinks at him a few times like she's surprised to even see him there. ]

... does somebody else need the TV...?

[ She's a little spacey. ]

[twibeast]

[ Okay she's responding at least but... maybe it's the years of parenting telling his instincts that SOMETHING is wrong here. ]

No, darling, no one does. But it is getting a little late and...

...Are you all right?

[phantasmagorial]

[ She doesn't respond right away – she just curls up a little tighter around her pillow, digging her chin into it as she does so.

But finally, in the half-grumble, half-whine of every kid who has ever been sick since the beginning of time; ]

... My stomach hurts. And I feel a little queasy.

[twibeast]

Hmm, that's no good... but you did eat an awful lot of those cakes earlier.

[ He's going to reach out to feel her forehead though before he brushes this off as just an upset tummy. ]

[phantasmagorial]

Mm... I guess.

[ Now that's weird. Rei tends to run on the chillier side, just as a rule of thumb, but she's definitely got a fever going on. ]

[twibeast]

[ Uh oh. That's no good. ]

...Rei, honey, you have a fever.

[ A pause ]

...Is that even possible for an Eidolon?

[ actually yeah what the fuck they're all dead how can you still get SICK ]

[phantasmagorial]

[ Rei frowns at him, visibly puzzled. ]

I... I don't think so? Um, I've never gotten sick before, but things can still hurt you... and you still need to eat and sleep, so I thought...

[ She wasn't overly concerned until she said it out loud, but now she's starting to look a little worried. ]

W–wait, do I really have a fever?

[twibeast]

You do, my dear.

[ He steps back from her for a sec and pulls out his phone, tapping around with the intent to either tell folks about this or ask for Medic on stand by in the case that Chiron can't help. ]

We should put you to bed. I'll see if one of the others can--

[ But then he sees Medic's post and goes dead quiet.

Poisoned

Without even realizing it the phone slips from his hand and drops to the ground. ]

[phantasmagorial]

[ ... okay, that's definitely not the sort of reaction she was expecting to see. With visible effort, she pushes herself up off her pillow so she can sit up a little. ]

What's wrong...? What's happening?

[ She might be a little spacey with a fever, but she sure as hell knows there's something the matter to get him to wig out that badly. ]

1/2

[twibeast]

[ He doesn't respond right away, but his eyes are icy cold as he stares off for a moment at nothing in particular. He thinks about how even though he didn't like Esme or the vibes she was giving off, he was still willing to give her a chance. Still willing to hear her out and talk to her. Even if just for the sake of the others who wanted to.

He thinks about how he didn't even second guess the food, and only a desire to be a responsible adult held him back.

There's a quiet rage inside him that starts to flare up. But it's not fiery and burning - it's cold and unsympathetic. It's a feeling he hasn't felt since waking up and he's not really sure how to describe. There's just one word that comes to his mind about the thing he feels.

Bestial.

Funny how after all that research, it only took getting angry for him to start to realize what a Beast might be. ]

[twibeast]

[ He takes a deep breath and shakes his head. No, it won't do to get upset now. If he freaks out then that will just freak Rei out. He just collects himself, then starts to collect her. ]

Something's come up. We need to get you to Lady Medic's immediately. Is there anything you wish to bring? If we cannot take it now I will come back and get it for you after.

[phantasmagorial]

Ah?

[ As he starts bundling her up again, Rei reacts very much like a gently scruffed kitten – extremely surprised but not really in a position to protest. It occurs to her this is the second time that he's just gone and picked her up without missing a beat and it makes her feel a little embarrassed. But his sudden change in demeanor has her alarmed enough that she's just going along with it. There's clearly something very wrong. ]

Um, s–some of my books, maybe? I was reading...

[ Not that she needs to tell him that given there's still five or six books spread out across the floor. ]

[twibeast]

[ He at least grabs a nearby blanket to wrap her in before picking her up, though once he's got her he's eyeing the books...

...Yeah that might be too much to bring in one go. ]

I shall return for them then. I have a few books of my own I've also been reading.

[ Because if you think he's not going to stay there with her once he gets this stuff HAH ]

[phantasmagorial]

Okay...

[ Rei eyes him... not suspiciously, exactly but with an uncharacteristically probing look. He's doing his best to stay calm, but the quiet urgency and the fact that she's having to be carried to Medic is making her stomach squirm unpleasantly. ]

W–what happened exactly? What's going on?

[twibeast]

[ He... pauses for a moment, wondering if he should say anything...

...But keeping it from her will only make it worse he realizes so he tries to explain as calmly as he can. ]

According to Lady Medic... that woman poisoned all the food she gave us.

Your current condition is likely a result of that. Lady Medic has set up a place to treat everyone, and it is imperative we get you there right away.

[ Another pause. ]

You will be fine once we get you there.

[phantasmagorial]

[ His response doesn't sink in right away. In fact, she just stares at him, like she's waiting for him to go "haha just kidding" and tell her it's just a prank. But then when it clicks that he's definitely not just messing with her, she stiffens up in shock. ]

Poisoned?! But that's– how would–

[ Okay, the how isn't that important right now, so she rushes ahead to the question she really wants to ask. ]

Is everybody else okay?!

[twibeast]

[ mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... ]

...I don't know yet.

But it sounds like Lady Medic recovered quite quickly and she is telling everyone who ate there to come see here immediately.

We will know more once we arrive.

[phantasmagorial]

[ That's... not reassuring in the slightest! It's not his fault but she still feels a cold pit of dread starting to form in her stomach, try as hard as she might to ignore it. ]

... Okay. I–if... if there was something really wrong, Medic would've told us, right?

[ Right? Totally. She's not worried. It's fine. ]

[twibeast]

Yes, I believe she would. It sounds like she was able to heal herself despite the number of cakes she ate, so it must not be lethal.

[ For whatever... lethal counts for here.

A pause. ]

I truly do promise you, Rei; it will be all right. I swear it.

[phantasmagorial]

... Right.

[ She nods once, twice to herself, like she's doing everything she can just to make herself believe it. ]

I just... can't believe it. I really thought maybe she might want to help...