LA: Aascam appears atop Cymoth's hive, beneath her first gate. He looks around and sees...
LA: -
AA: A c0llapsed, 0ne st0ry h0use sitting in the middle 0f a large b0wl-shaped depressi0n in the middle 0f the desert. At the edges 0f it are incredibly wide and deep cany0ns, restricting escape. Ab0ve the hive are a series 0f puzzling structures that pr0vide transp0rt t0 the gate with s0me difficulty.
AA: -
LA: "¢¥moth? Ar€ ¥ou th€r€ ¢¥moth?"
LA: Aascam shouts, looking around for her.
LA: -
AA: She is n0 where t0 be seen. H0wever, a black, slick, 0ily trail 0f f00tprints can be seen indented a full inch int0 vari0us places ar0und the area. They lead 0ff t0 a cany0n and begin again 0n the 0ther side
AA: -
LA: Aascam peers at the trail for a moment and follows it. He only realises now that he should have messaged Cymoth before entering.
LA: -
AA: The trail leads 0n f0r s0me distance, bef0re disappearing inside 0ne 0f the many crumbling hive-structures stabbing int0 the sky like jagged knives. There aren't any lights 0n inside, and 0dd whispering n0ises emanate fr0m the entrance
AA: -
LA: Aascam quickly presses himself to the wall outside the entrance at the sound of the whispers. Summoning up all his courage he takes a peek inside.
LA: -
AA: A few lamps turn 0ff and 0n at rand0m inside, pr0viding ragged but dim light. The f00tprints c0ntinue inside, g0ing d0wn a set 0f stairs.
AA: -
LA: Aascam refuses to advance any further. Instead he brings up his husktop and messages Cymoth.
LA: ¢¥moth? Wh€r€ ar€ ¥ou?
LA: -
AA: -0-h hell0 Aascam
AA: I'm d0wnstairs.
AA: 0
AA: -
LA: How do you know where I am?
LA: -
AA: I can smell y0u.
AA: -
LA: ¢ou£d ¥ou ¢om€ out p£€a$€?
LA: I'm r€a££¥ not in th€ mood to b€ going into dark bui£ding$ with €€r¥ whi$p€r$ €minating ƒrom th€m
LA: -
AA: After a few minutes, a shuffling, cracking n0ise can be heard emanating fr0m the staircase. M0cking laughter and whispered insults can be heard, and the pitter patter 0f liquid dripping 0nt0 the fl00r.
AA: -
LA: Aascam looks into the doorway.
LA: -
AA: Cym0th walks up the staircase, sniffling slightly and scratching at her neck. She l00ks...different. Paler, m0re ragged. Her cl0thing replaced by a suit t0rn t0 shreds by what appear t0 be claws. Her eyes are gnashing m0uths, and her fangs are sliding awkwardly fr0m between her lips, t00 large f0r her m0uth. She l00ks as if she's been crying f0r a while.
AA: -
LA: Aascam can do nothing but stare. His thoughts now consist soley of those that pass through the thinkpans of antlerbeasts shortly before they are hit by four-wheeled transportation devices piloted by a particularly intoxicated troll. After an uncomfortably long silence, he speaks.
LA: "$o how ar€ ¥ou?"
LA: -
AA: Cym0th tries t0 smile, but it appears h0ll0w and fake. She shuffles f0rward, 0ne 0f her legs dragging slightly behind her. It bec0mes apparent that the m0cking laughter is emanating fr0m her eye s0ckets. She st0ps a small distance fr0m Aascam, and she slumps against a wall, sliding int0 a seated p0siti0n.
AA: "N0t s0 great."
AA: -
LA: "I ¢an $€€ that. What happ€n€d to ¥ou?"
LA: -
-- apatheticAbuser [AA] turns to face him, and she folds her arms against herself. --
AA: "Just y0u kn0w...-0-gres. And uhm. Stuff."
AA: -
LA: "¢¥moth, I know ¥ou $aid ¥ou took out ¥our €¥€... But what th€ h€££?
LA: How did thi$ happ€n to ¥ou?"
LA: -
AA: "It was g0ing t0 happen anyway. That's h0w they said it g0es..."
AA: -
LA: "Ar€ ¥ou ta£king about th€ voi¢€$? ¥ou'r€ $a¥ing that voi¢€$ in ¥our h€ad did thi$ to ¥ou?"
LA: -
AA: Cym0th n0ds sl0wly.
AA: -
LA: "How?"
LA: -
AA: "I d0n't kn0w. They d0 it while I'm sleeping."
AA: -
LA: "I... What?"
LA: -
-- apatheticAbuser [AA] lolls her head back on her neck bonelessly. --
AA: "Yeah..."
AA: -
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] gags a bit in his mouth. --
LA: That'$... Ok I'm not going to €v€n a$k.
LA: What w€r€ ¥ou doing down th€r€?
LA: -
AA: "Just...getting things ready."
AA: -
LA: "¢¥moth, do I hav€ to," Aa$¢am pau$€$ h€r€, "go down th€r€ and £ook ƒor m€¥$€£ƒ?"
LA: -
AA: "If y0u like...There's n0thing dark 0r h0rrifying 0r anything like that d0wn there..."
AA: -
LA: "No, no... I'££ tak€ ¥our word ƒor it. Ju$t, t€££ m€ what ¥ou w€r€ doing."
LA: -
AA: "I was just...clearing s0me basilisks 0ut fr0m the w0rkr00m. I'm supp0sed t0 be making s0me stuff d0wn there."
AA: Cym0th twists her head back f0rward with a l0ud CRACK
AA: -
LA: Oh god.
-- loanedAllegiance [LA] dry retches. --
LA: $orr¥. Ju$t... P£€a$€ don't do that.
LA: -
AA: "S0rry."
AA: -
LA: "It'$ ƒin€, ¢¥mm¥. I ju$t hav€ a w€ak dig€$tion $a¢ i$ a££.
LA: Aascam clears his throat.
LA: $o, how ar€ ¥ou thi$ ƒin€... €v€ning I $uppo$€.
LA: -
AA: "I'm d0ing as well as I c0uld h0pe t0, I guess. Y0urself?"
AA: -
LA: Not w€££. I'v€ don€ $om€thing in¢r€dib£¥ $tupid and I don't r€a££¥ know what to do right now.
LA: I don't think I'v€ €v€r ƒ€£t thi$ d€j€¢t€d.
LA: -
AA: "-0-h? What happened?"
-- apatheticAbuser [AA] perks her head up, finally looking Aascam in the eyes. --
AA: -
LA: I... ƒoo£i$h£¥ tru$t€d Tau£a with $om€ v€r¥ $€n$itiv€ inƒormation, and $h€'$ $pr€ad it around.
LA: It'$ quit€ humi£iating.
LA: -
AA: "What?"
AA: There's an undercurrent 0f anger t0 her t0ne, and mild disbelief. She clenches her hands int0 fists.
AA: -
LA: Aascam is too absorbed in self-pity right now to notice Cymoth's anger.
LA: "And I ¢an't €v€n do an¥thing about it! I hav€ no pow€r ov€r h€r, no $€n$itiv€ inƒormation or important $€¢r€t$. I bar€£¥ hav€ an¥pow€r at a££!"
LA: If you look closely you see green tears forming at the edges of his eyes.
LA: "Oh god I'm path€ti¢."
LA: -
-- apatheticAbuser [AA] stands up from her slumped position on the wall, and walks over to Aascam. She puts a hand on his shoulder, quivering slightly. --
AA: "Aascam?"
AA: -
LA: Aascam doesn't look at her.
LA: "What? I'm ƒin€. I ju$t n€€d $om€ tim€ to think."
LA: -
-- apatheticAbuser [AA] wraps him in a bone-crushing hug, holding him close. --
AA: "Shut up. Y0u...y0u're n0t pathetic. I am."
AA: -
LA: "Oh god ¢¥mm¥, too tight!"
LA: Aascam tries to squirm out, but to no avail.
LA: -
-- apatheticAbuser [AA] lets go, and snaps her hands to her sides, clenching them so hard that her nails bite into her palms --
AA: "What did she d0."
AA: -
LA: "$h€... Do ¥ou $w€ar not to t€££ an¥on€?"
LA: -
AA: "-0-f c0urse."
AA: -
LA: "$h€..."
LA: Aascam stares at his feet.
LA: "R€¢ord€d m€ doing a dan¢€."
LA: "A bit oƒ a $€du¢tiv€ on€."
LA: -
-- apatheticAbuser [AA] gives Aascam an incredulous look, mouth agape. She couldn't believe this. She wouldn't believe this. --
AA: "WHAT?"
AA: -
LA: Aascam slumps to the ground, head in his hands.
LA: "I know, ab$o£ut€£¥ idioti¢."
LA: -
AA: "And after she..."
-- apatheticAbuser [AA] screams in frustration and buries her fist in a wall, quivering with barely constrained rage. --
AA: -
LA: Aascam is startled by Cymoth's display of force.
LA: Ar€ ¥ou OK ¢¥mm¥?
LA: -
AA: "N0, I'm n0t. I did s0mething...stupid. And...I d0n't kn0w what t0 d0, 0k?"
AA: -
LA: "What happ€n€d?"
LA: -
AA: "I just..."
AA: "I asked if Taula wanted t0..."
-- apatheticAbuser [AA] smashes her face against a wall, screaming in rage. --
AA: -
LA: Aascam gets up and puts his hand on Cymoth's shoulder.
LA: "¢¥moth? What happ€n€d? I $w€ar iƒ Tau£a did an¥thing..."
LA: -
AA: "She...she turned me d0wn is all."
AA: -
LA: "Turn€d ¥ou down ƒrom what?"
LA: "¢¥moth what did ¥ou do?"
LA: -
AA: "I asked her 0ut."
AA: -
LA: Aascam is stunned.
LA: "What?"
LA: -
AA: "I was being stupid and...b0ld and c0mpletely 0ut 0f my place. And I asked her 0ut. -0-n a date. And...she was h0rrified."
AA: -
LA: Aascam can do nothing but stare incredulously.
LA: Eventually, he manages to focus himself for long enough to ask:
LA: "R€d or B£a¢k?"
LA: -
AA: Cym0th averts her eyes, staring at the fl00r in shame, a dark blush c0l0uring her cheeks.
AA: "Red."
AA: -
LA: "¥ou £ov€ h€r?! What th€ ƒu¢k ¢¥moth?"
LA: -
AA: "D0n't FUCKING talk t0 me like that. I made a mistake, 0k? I th0ught I did. She was nice t0 me, and I th0ught I liked her. And y0u kn0w what? She was nice. While barely c0nstraining her DISGUST that I'd think t0 ask her 0ut, she was nice."
AA: -
LA: "I... $orr¥. I'm kind oƒ not m¥$€£ƒ right now and..."
LA: Aascam backs away a bit.
LA: "$orr¥. R€a££¥."
LA: -
AA: "It's 0k I...I sh0uldn't be yelling at y0u. It's n0t y0ur fault. It's mine."
AA: -
LA: "Oh god £ook at u$, wa££owing i$ $€£ƒ-pit¥. I ¢an't do thi$ right now, I'm too... tir€d."
LA: Aascam sighs.
LA: "H€¥, ¢an I tak€ $om€ r€$t ba¢k at ¥our hiv€? I n€€d to ¢£€ar m¥ h€ad ƒrom a££ thi$ $tupidit¥."
LA: -
AA: "That's...that's fine. I need t0 be d0ing s0mething anyway."
AA: -
LA: "A£right, thank$."
LA: Aascam turns back towards Cymoth's hive.
LA: "I'££ $€€ ¥ou £at€r th€n, I gu€$$."
LA: -
AA: "Bye."
AA: Cym0th g0es d0wn the stairs fr0m which she came.
AA: -
LA: Aascam waves goodbye at her and heads back silently towards Cymoth's hive.
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