seasonsrpg | Event #3: Can't Defeat the Temple

Event #3: Can't Defeat the Temple

Can't Defeat the Temple
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Game Start

Part 1

A new message appears on everyone's smartphones. There's been a change in the Temple of Life: the door has finally opened! No one knows how or why, but the sensors left by quest goers alerted them to it suddenly being open. Preparations are made in each guild to finally explore what's inside it.

Those interested in helping are greeted by researchers in the guilds that will provide everyone with one single use item: Escape Rope: an item they found out about while investigating the temple. Should the Temple really prove to be a place "no one can return from" they should be able to use this rope to escape. It should teleport the person using it (just one) outside of the place they're in (can only be used indoors). Of course the rope can be saved for later use if it becomes unnecessary. Everyone also gets basic climbing and survival items, just in case. They have no idea what to expect inside, but better safe than sorry, right?

The new Teleport Crystal system will get you to the Temple of Life in a minute, but no one is forbidden to use a longer route if they want to travel rather than take the easy route. Once they get to the Temple (the teleport stones take them to the surroundings of the fountain in the courtyard) they will notice a lot of natives collecting various tropical fruits as the area is safe and the fruit are nice and nutritious. Anyone eating a fruit will notice a boost in stamina, too.

All that's left now is to climb the stairs and enter the Temple of Life.

Part 2

Inside the Temple of Life is a "lobby". It's actually just an empty room made with the same stone as the temple, but it has four different doors, each with a different symbol: lightning strike, snowflake, fire and a hurricane of sand.

Characters inside will notice that the door they walked in from is now gone (of course) and they may feel different as the temple has stripped them off of all their powers, including Seasonal ones. Instead they may feel like they're lighter (their jumping ability has increased to triple their normal one) and that they have three holographic hearts on top of their heads.

There's a holographic display near the doors and a shelf for laser guns. The display says the following:

This is the Gigaman simulator. Welcome, players. Each of you have been given three extra lives. Once all of your total of four lives have been used inside the levels you will get a Game Over. For native participants this unfortunately means you Die.

However, otherworlders! You are in luck. If you die four times inside the simulator you will be thrown out of the simulator, into the courtyard of the temple and you can try again! Dying is painless. Getting hit, unfortunately, is not. You have ten regular hits before you lose a life. Your lives are indicated by the hearts on top of your heads.

Things that will instantly kill you include: lava, falling into an endless pit and spikes.

Please take a laser gun and enter the level. You may bring any other items as well, but your powers will be gone and so will the special effects of the items. Except for the legendary "Escape Rope". That is something that can bypass our system. Keep the rope at hand if you get scared. If you lose your other items inside the levels, do not worry, they will appear outside. However, if you lose your laser gun it will reappear next to you.

Oh and you may keep the laser gun afterwards.

The question is: cAN yOu deFEAt [redacted]?

Well, the choice is yours. Do you enter one of the doors or use the escape rope to get out of the temple?

Part 3

All of the levels start with a normal room of just the environment of the level. But there, in the starting point of the place, there are natives of Ellipsa sitting around with a look of defeat and desperation on their faces. They're physically fine as the simulator grants you the ability to just ignore hunger and other basic needs, but they're also stuck here. It seems the simulator is just too hard for them to get past. Most of them have no holographic hearts over their head or just one: they're close to dying and don't want to take the risk.

Escape ropes are their only hope of getting out of the place and they promise anything if you give them the item and help them escape.

If you give away your Escape Rope, the only way to leave is to either Game Over or Finish the Level. Good luck, players.

(There are also some natives in various other parts of the game, too scared to go further or go back. They can also be saved by taking them with you to the end and defeating the boss monster together but if they die, they die, so there is a risk in that method.)

The Levels [ Click to Expand ]

All basic monsters and boss monsters are weak to the laser gun. Some can even be jumped on to decrease their health.

Electricity
Design: A factory with plenty of platforms and conveyor belts over bottomless pits (or spikes) that change directions occasionally. The main hazard of the level is the beams of electricity that will damage players. They can be switched around with buttons, but deactivating one beam will activate another.
Instant Deaths: Bottomless Pits, Spikes

Basic Monsters: Ufo Catcher (a claw with googly eyes that will try to drop characters into a pit or spikes), Small Robot (small robots that throw wrenches at players), Slinky (slinkys with googly eyes that won't stop for anything)

Final Boss: Squirmle: A slinky minion mass-producing machine (looks like one of those Worms on String with googly eyes, but mechanical). Occasionally fires electric shocks that stun players for 5 seconds while the minions attack them. Weak to Smokescreen as the sand jams its machinery and makes it temporarily lose the ability to produce minions.
Boss Loot: Laser Gun Upgrade: Electric Shock (damages and has a chance to stun the opponent)

Snowflake
Design: A snowy mountain cave with active waterfalls. The ground is slippery (ice physics!) and some of the platforms have a limit as to how many times you can jump/walk on them (they reappear after a time). Occasionally, while on a normal platform, a strong stream of water will fall on it, intending to push players into a bottomless pit (it can be predicted by a few drops of water before it).
Instant Deaths: Bottomless pits

Basic Monsters: Snowmen (throw very sharp carrots at players), Skeletal Fish (fish that appear from the waterfalls and spit out lasers), Yeti (a monster that will try to stomp on players)

Final Boss: Frosty: A bipedal monster made of spiky ice (doesn't have a distinct form to refer to, just looks like a giant block of animated ice) that breathes a frosty breathe that both damages and makes players go slower. Tries to stomp players by jumping high in the air. Weak to Fire Bullets, as they will melt it little by little.
Boss Loot: Laser Gun Upgrade: Ice Beam (damages and has a chance to slow down an opponent)

Flame
Design: Inside of a volcano where all bottomless pits are lava pits. Platforms are mostly normal, until a notorious section where the only way to get over a lava pit is to jump on disappearing blocks. Learn the pattern and follow it. Occasionally lava rocks will fall from the ceiling (but luckily not during the disappearing block section).
Instant Deaths: Lava

Basic Monsters: Demonic Fireballs (fireballs that jump around from spot a to spot b and hurt a lot when they hit), Lava Bomb (occasional lava rock with googly eyes that can move towards players like a homing missile), Fireman robot (a robot that will try to douse fires with scorching hot water).

Final Boss: Lavadoom: A volcano headed monster (a volcano with eyes, mouth, arms and legs) that shoots fire bullets and lava rocks at players. Occasionally makes part of the floor be literal lava that burns players health little by little. Weak to Electric Shock as it will stun the monster for long enough to turn off the volcano on its head and then you can jump on it.
Boss Loot: Laser Gun Upgrade: Fire Bullets (damages and has a chance to cause burn damage over time)

Sandstorm
Design: A desert area full of bottomless pits and rocks with spikes. The floor is mostly quicksand that can only be crossed if you stay constantly in movement. Late in the level massive sandstorms will block players' view and push them towards the pits and spiked rocks, making movement during it very dangerous.
Instant Deaths: Bottomless Pits, Spikes

Basic Monsters: Walking Cacti (cactus that shoot spikes at players), Angry Missiles (ride the sandstorms and try to hit players), Sandworms (appear from the sand and try to bite the player)

Final Boss: Hurrisand: A bipedal sand monster (looks a bit like a it could be a human, but at the same time has animal features, not to be mixed with a certain Looney Tunes character) that will turn into a literal sandy hurricane that makes it hard to see anything and makes bullets miss. Weak to Ice Beam because it slows it down so that it can't turn into a hurricane.
Boss Loot: Laser Gun Upgrade: Smokescreen (enables easier escape from situations)

You're free to challenge all of the levels and gain all of the upgrades to the laser gun, which you can then use outside the temple as a weapon. Even after all of the natives are rescued or all of the levels have been beaten, you can re-enter the levels and do them again. You won't get the boss loot again, however.

When Your Heart's Not Open

Part 1

Back in the city, the weather is strangely cold in every district (except the central one that's safe due to the artificial weather there). Even the hottest of them, Solarpeak, is advising people to wear long-sleeved shirts, just in case, even if the temperature only drops to +10 Celsius/50 degrees Fahrenheit at worst.

The reason for the unexpectedly cold weather is simple: a cold breeze travels through the whole city. Sometimes the wind even appears white, as if it's laced with snow and ice. It's easy to tell that this is not a normal sort of wind, but a very magical one.

The wind indeed has a special effect: there's a chance of the wind freezing someone's heart. This doesn't instantly kill anyone, but instead it starts to freeze people from inside out. This effect especially targets people who either have secrets or have feelings that they hide. The freezing is a slow and painful process, taking two weeks to completely encase someone in ice. Once that happen they will end up breaking into pieces and die.

Somehow this wind doesn't affect the plant life or animals at all.

Part 2

Scientists are quick at work to work on a cure. They have found that there are certain ingredients in all four of the Segments that when mixed together into a potion will undo a frozen heart. So, to help those affected, there are some options that you can do.

Stay in the City to take care of the affected. The key to healing a frozen heart is not only the potion that they will make but also affection. So those brave enough to touch someone who feels cold as ice to touch are encouraged to hug and cuddle, tell them positive things about them and making sure they're comfortable. This will ease the pain and slow the spreading down.

Head to one of the Segments to find the ingredients. The guilds are helping with the preparations to go outside and providing anyone interested clear instructions and maps on where to find them:

• Winter Segment: Bottom of the Unfrozen Lake, a coral that can survive in cold temperatures
• Spring Segment: Breeze Hills, the eggs of a monstrous Firebird (a bird that has wings made of fire that spits out fireballs, not to be confused with a phoenix)
• Summer Segment: Deserter's Desert, a special cactus flower that only blooms during a sandstorm
• Autumn Segment: Mushroom Sanctuary, a special mushroom that only grows on top of the mushrooms that are a size of a house

Once all the necessary ingredients have been found and delivered, people can also participate in potion making. The more people helping with making potions, the quicker everyone affected can get their potions and be cured. The potion is successful if it smell like a warm fireplace during a winter night.

The Towering Jenga Heights

Part 1

The VR Arcade of the Underground is holding a special event: they have managed to come up with a technology where you can minimize yourself and enter board games! They're looking for volunteers to test this new way of gaming.

For example, there are games like Jenga, Monopoly, Chess, Hungry Hungry Hippo, Checkers, Scrabble and many, many more! The games are made to fit the tiny people, but are also very realistic. Oh and Monopoly has an actual jail, but the money is as fake as can be.

It seems Jenga in particular is at its regular size and people will have to climb to push pieces out. That definitely seems like a fun challenge? Everyone gets a safety rope that's attached to poles around the Jenga towers, that will act as sort of a safety bungee jump rope.

Usually the minimized effect wears off once you end the game and leave the game board, but occasionally the technology glitches and leaves players small. The unexpected side effect wears off between 2 to 12 hours.

Anyone who did participate in the experiment will either get a month of free VR gaming time or a handheld gaming console with classic 8-bit games like Tetris.

Part 2

Those stuck in a tiny form longer than expected may discover jumping platforms to the fairy mall. It's located in the ceiling of the Underground Mall and is fit for small people like fairies. Here the fairies are all visible as they go about shopping and relaxing. They're all friendly and will make sure you have a lovely time relaxing in this small fairy oasis. Be warned, however, that the food here is strictly for fairies so if you eat it, you might end up sprouting fairy wings for a week. And not necessarily on your back.

Don't worry, you can't turn back to your regular size in the middle of the fairy mall. The magic there prevents that for the duration. Once you return by jumping onto one of the cushions left below the mall, you will return to regular size.

For souvenirs, why not buy a little bit of fairy dust? It's useful for potions, as it gives them stronger magical capabilities but used as is will make anyone be able to fly for 24 hours. The problem is you cannot use it on yourself or else it will horribly backfire and turn you into a talking frog for 24 hours.

OOC TIPS

• Ask event related questions here.

• Smut is not allowed on the event post, so if your thread is heading that way, please move it to a private entry of your own (your own entry or a new locked post on the comms).

• Remember to content and spoiler warn as necessary!

• All of the prompts happen around the same time but you can get affected by the frozen wind after visiting the Temple of Life or the other way around.

• All natives will be rescued by the end of the month, but the Temple can be accessed later just for fun.

• The frozen hearts potion will be done by the end of the month as well.

Temple of Life
• More Escape ropes can be picked up from the guilds to save more natives, but there's no way to tell there's someone trapped inside until someone goes in, so they'd have to get back after the first visit.
• Smartphones do not work inside the Temple of Life.
• You are very much allowed to work together inside the temple.
• The boss door will only open once the previous group of players has defeated it and have been transported out of the Temple. Then the boss will respawn.
• No one will have basic human needs inside the temple. It's basically a simulator so it doesn't matter how long you spend in there. Once you get out you might need to refuel on touch energy and food as soon as possible, but other than that all one needs to worry is surviving the temple.
• We admit the inspiration for this came from "I can't defeat Airman" without shame.

Frozen Hearts
• The event can affect anyone, not just those with secrets and hidden feelings.
• At the same time, the event can completely miss people as well.
• Samples of the wind can be collected and analyzed but it will turn out as a classic "it's magic" explanation.

• Reminder that this month is Activity Check-in month and check-in ends on July 31st, at 23:59 PST.

code bases by tricklet

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[A - The Temple (OTA)]

[He hasn't taken on the boss yet. Not just yet. As much as Chipp would like to burst through that door and mess up whatever's on the other side, he's too busy with something else that's far more important to him -
He's managed to completely memorize the level beforehand, able to make his way from the starting door, to the boss door, and back again. And for what?
Mostly helping out others who want to take the boss. But also to help anyone who shows up with a native Ellipsan in tow.
Chipp's out of Escape Ropes, himself. He'd started with three - asked for extras just in case - and gave them all up before he even made it halfway through the starting area.
He may be a Grim Reaper, but that doesn't mean he wants to see these folks die.

So, even if your character doesn't have a native beside them - but especially if they do - Chipp waves at them as he approaches the door at the start of the level again, intending to meet up with them.
Waving at them with just the one arm, of course. His prosthetic's kept on with magic, so that got left at the very start of the Temple when powers shut off.]

Hey. You lookin' to take on the big guy at the end of all this?
Ain't gotta look at'im yet, myself, but I can help ya get to the end if you want.

[Which level are they in? Up to you!
Chipp's taking on all four at some point - he'll be doing this in each one.]

[B - Frozen Hearts (OTA)]

[Welp. Nen told him to stay home the moment they realized he'd been affected by the chill, but Chipp's never been too good at listening to orders...
That doesn't mean he's out in a Segment fighting for ingredients, however. Instead, his risk is a lot more close to home -
Specifically, he's doing his best to get some shopping done, purely so he can cook a hot meal for the others back at the house who are also frozen to the core.

But he's struggling a bit with it. Even with his higher-than-natural body temperature, he can't keep himself from shivering as he tries to read labels and packages... and more than once, his numb fingers fumble and drop whatever it was he was attempting to get in his basket with what's perhaps his twentieth curse word since entering the store altogether.
At some point, he just gives up altogether and looks for someone who seems at least partially more capable than he is, in this state.]

Pardonnez-moi; c-could ya help me with a lil somethin'? Tryin' to get shit for dinner tonight, but this cold's givin' me a real time of it...
I feel real stupid havin' to ask for help with groceries, but everyone's gotta ask for help sometime, right?

[C - Frozen Hearts (Closed to softehouse)]

[This freeze may be completely kicking his ass, but at least no one can say he isn't working himself to the bone for his loved ones regardless - a large stewpot is gently simmering on the stove, filling the air with the smell of chicken and spices, and he's even done his best to clean the kitchen up after himself as it cooks.
But now that it needs to be left alone to finish cooking... he finally takes a moment to rest.

Which apparently means sitting down on a sofa in the main room and almost immediately falling asleep. It's hard to blame him, really, but someone might wanna get him to move his ass to a bed... or at least to take off his dumb helmet and lay down.
He's fallen asleep sitting up, and it looks like he's gonna end up with a painfully stiff neck if he stays where he is.]

[OOC: As always, y'all are free to mess with the above prompts however you need, and I'm open to wildcards as well! And please no prose, dyslexia is mean, etc ❤]

[Oryou's floating around, looking largely the same as she always does.]

Oh, Oryou remembers you. Of course she'll help one of Nen's husbands.

[She scoops the dropped food off the ground and drops it in Chipp's grocery basket.]

[Oh... the floating girl that brought them all the frog plushies. He's got a vague recollection of her too, even if he wasn't all too outgoing at the house party ~~because i suck and forgot to tag it~~.
He won't admit that plush has a spot on his workbench in his shed... but it's definitely got a spot on his workbench in his shed.

It's probably why he approached her for help in the first place. Oryou seems to be a good friend of Nen's, and any friend of Nen is someone he can probably at least sort of trust. Maybe.]

Ain't just a "husband" - I'm Nenett's beau. They c-comin' home with me after we all done fixin' up Ellipsa's problems.

[He sure sounds proud of that fact, too.]

... Also, thanks. [For picking up his thing. And also agreeing to help.] Think you can follow me?
Got more on the list, y'know how it is...

Oryou's happy for you two. Take good care of them.

[Nenonen deserves all the happiness in the world. On this they're agreed.]

Oryou can get everything. You just read the list.

[ The ice-cold feeling has gotten progressively worse over the course of a few days. Shigeru knows this isn't a normal illness, how could it be, since he and Chipp can heal instantly from anything they do get? So this whole cold business is really not working for him!! Shigeru has admittedly not been staying home and will actually come home from work when he finds Chipp asleep like that on the couch??? CHIPP?? He smells that delicious food sitting on the stove but spares no time in savoring it and immediately goes to the other man's side.

He might pause before he lightly touches Chipp's arm, his voice in Chipp's head soft and quiet so as to not startle him. ] Chipp?

[ Shigeru's own touch is frozen admittedly but that's not the point!! His expression is a little worried but it's kind of drowned out by the fact that Shigeru looks exhausted and not so hot himself. Honestly who let him stay at work?? ]

[ Kenta...................... isn't doing so great. Which shouldn't be a surprise, given how his heart and health are both questionable to begin with, but that's exactly why he's being open about how bad he's feeling.

Unlike two other people living under the same roof as him. Don't get him wrong, he really appreciates how much Shigeru and Chipp care about him, but they're worrying him and Nenonen so much!! And with Nenonen out questing for their sakes, it's up to Kenta to make sure the rest of the house takes care of themselves. Even if Nen didn't give him this Very Important Task™, Kenta would've done so anyway.

So when he sees Chipp passed out on the couch, Kenta's quick to shuffle to his side. ... "Shuffle", because he's got a good number of blankets wrapped around himself in an effort to keep warm, but he unbundles himself enough to drape the top one over Chipp.

Though, yes, he probably shouldn't sleep like that. So he touches his shoulder too. ] Chipp?

[ Saya is only in the store grabbing a few supplies for her next trip out for potion ingredients, but Chipp is hard to miss. And she can see that he's shivering. Damn. ]

[ She doesn't let her concern show as she approaches and plucks whatever he's holding out of his hand, gently. They haven't seen each other since she was killed in her dumb experimental treatment, so hopefully this won't be too awkward. Especially since Saya knows she made Nenonen very upset with the whole dying thing. ]

Absolutely I can. [ We're all French(ish) here, so French it is. ] It's never stupid to ask for help. This place comes for all of us eventually.

[Is there awkwardness, here? Chipp doesn't think so. It's normal in Grim Reaper society to kill someone or watch them die, only to speak to them the next day like nothing ever happened - that's what he means when he mentions being pseudo-immortal.
Hell, he and Duval romped around in a meadow for a quest after he ruthlessly murdered the other man.

This is all to say that Saya's met with a big, dumb smile on that screen of his. No awkwardness in the slightest - just cheer at seeing a friend and getting a little help.]

I know it isn't stupid, but it feels like it is, you know? Groceries should be easy for someone like me!

... B-but I just need help, y'know... looking for stuff on the list. Wanna make sure I get stuff Nenett can eat.
Non-dairy and soft. Stuff like that.

[The list is only partially written by himself, of course. Shigeru has a large hand in deciding Nen's diet, being their physician (and, in a sense, caretaker).]

This place put a temporary damper on your skills, is all. It's kinder than my last place of residence, but still has its little eccentricities.

[ Saya takes a peek at the list. ]

I'll help you make sure they have all they need. And your other housemates, too.

-- May I touch you? It helps. You might as well be more comfortable while we do this.

[ Against all odds (considering their previous track record with explorations and expeditions), everything...turns out fine. Nen's able to not only help gather the ingredients needed for a cure, but they get to help with the brewing. It's for purely selfish reasons of course--they want to make sure they get enough of the cure for everyone they care about--but that's fine. Nen's not worried about being altruistic in the first place.

They care about their husbands, first and foremost. The minute Nen's given their share, they secure it safely in their bag and run all the way back to softehouse. And while their 'run' isn't exactly impressive, Nen does in fact run-jog all the way home. They're panting, sweating, their heart's racing inside their chest and their face is flushed an ugly grey...but they make it.

Their first stop is with Kenta. He got sick first, and he doesn't have the same healing powers as Shigeru and Chipp. Shigeru's next on account of when his symptoms started, and then finally--finally--Nen hurries to their beau. ]

[And just where is their beau? Not in the house, of course.
He's cooped up in his shed as always, probably intending to work on something... except it's eerily silent, despite it all. Save for the sound of a little electric motor running quietly somewhere within the little shop.
The motor's powering a heater, of course. Set up next to the cot that usually remains folded away when he's working, but is now stretched out and in use.
On top of it is Chipp himself, curled up under his cloak like a blanket, with patches of frost having formed across his skin and clinging to his hair. Nothing huge, just soft frost like on a winter morning - but certainly a bad sign, especially when paired with the fact that he's actually, y'know.
Asleep for once in his unlife.]

[ Considering that when they left, Chipp had proudly declared he would look after Kenta and Shigeru while they were gone and had been inside the house? Not finding him there first sparks a bit of panic in Nen. They check everywhere--every room, every closet, even the crawlspace just in case he decided to go there for whatever reason and perhaps collapsed.

But he isn't

there.

Desperation starts creeping its way into the back of Nen's mind, but that's when it occurs to them: the last time Chipp had gone missing, he'd left a note. Not inside the house, but his shed.

The realization has Nen wheezing as they hurrying down the steps as fast as their legs will carry them, bursting out the back door to fling open the shed with more force than they've ever mustered in their life. It's not even enough to make the door slam.

The smell of exhaust makes them cough, but thankfully a window's been left open so the air isn't too thick with it. Nen still covers their mouth with a sleeve as they look around and--thankfully--spot him. Except it's not-so-relieving when they see that he's asleep--Chipp's never asleep, not unless he runs himself ragged for days on end and passes out on the floor.

To say they rush over is an understatement. ]

Chipp? Chipp??

[ He's dead so there's no point in checking him for a pulse, but they do wait to see his chest rise and fall--before quickly checking that the orange and red cloak he's wear does, indeed, have purple on the inside of it. ]

[He's breathing, yes, and his cloak has its violet inner lining as always - he's just... asleep.
Covered in frost, his cloak a bit stiff in places from it, but asleep.

At least until their voice gets him to stir.]

M-mm... mmuh??

[It's just a dumb little noise made as his eyes crack open, blinking up at the wall in front of him, then up to the ceiling... then he turns over and sees Nen standing over him, which, in turn, also earns a tired blink.
But he's quick to smile at the sight of them, too - even turning over fully so he can start to try and get up, movements sluggish with illness, cold, and sleep.]

Mornin', Nenett - sorry, I sleep that long...?

[ Relief so powerful it nearly drains the strength from Nen's legs washes over them when he stirs. When he talks and acts just like he would if it were any other day, albeit with far more fatigue than he'd ever feel under normal circumstances. The air all but whooshes out of Nen's lungs as they close their eyes briefly--then open then again, and move to help him sit up.

He's cold to the touch. ]

I am glad you were able to rest. How do you feel...?

Like shit.

[But at least it's said with humor in his voice!
Once he's sitting up fully, he's quick to do as he always does - opening his arms for them and waving them in for a hug.
C'mon, greet your beau properly.]

... Where you been again? I forget. Been focused real hard on takin' care o' the others, y'know...

[ The humour is very important to settling Nen's poor nerves. Kenta and Shigeru were so much worse off when Nenonen checked on them, they'd started to worry that Chipp was going to be just like that, too.

He might not be a veritable furnace anymore, but that won't stop Nen from crawling into his lap for comfort, wrapping their arms around his shoulders and tucking themself in against him. ]

I went to get you help. For the cure.

[Aw, do they really think Chipp wouldn't be the healthiest motherfucker this side of the city? Give him more credit!
(What they don't know is how much ice he chipped off before he laid down, though...)

He's more than happy to gather them up, though, arms wrapped around their waist and his forehead - frost and all - pressed against theirs.
Until they mention the cure, of course. That gets him pulling back again for a second.]

The cure! Right - you finished it up? Made sure Kenta 'n Shigeru got they helpin's of it, right?

[ Nen hums and affirmative, reluctant to lean back when he pulls away, but nodding all the same as they keep their hands rested on his shoulders. ]

I prioritized by onset of symptoms... I gave it to Kenta first, then Shigeru. You are next, and then I will drink some of the leftovers under supervision as a preventative measure.

[ What Nen's leaving out is that they went and helped to gather nearly every ingredient here--so it wouldn't be strange for anyone to assume they just helped with assembling the cure or delivering it. ]

Lots of people got sick. I made enough for everyone.

Oh, you went out and helped make it 'n everything? Look atcha, workin' hard for the folks you care about...!

...

[He can't help but feel that might not be all, though. They were gone way longer than just mixing a potion should take.
So, while it's on his mind, he may as well ask -]

How much work you put in? I wanna make sure I get you all the praise you deserve.

Mm...

[ The sound is thoughtful as Nen ponders for a moment. And of course, that's when they remember that they really need to give Chipp the cure, and they pause for just a second to rummage through their bag and pull out a vial. They uncork it and hold it up for him. ]

Drink this, it will make you better. [ and with that handed off-- ] A lot of people helped me because I couldn't do it by myself. But I got some eggs, and a mushroom, and a friend I met at the research centre went swimming so I made her some hot water...

[ It all sounds normal, but the eggs: protected by a giant angry fire bird. The mushrooms: several stories high. The water: a frozen lake with coral at the very bottom, a.k.a a serious hypothermia risk. ]

I got to see it rain sand, too.

[ Sandstorm. ]

I'm very tired.

Edited 2023-07-21 04:30 (UTC)

[He'll go ahead and take that vial from them, giving it a look over as they tell him what all they've gone through...
And then he drinks down the whole thing in one mouthful, making a little face at how it tastes.]

... Rain sand? Like, what - a sandstorm?
You went out through a sandstorm? That shit is dangerous, y'know - how'd you manage it?

[The empty vial gets tossed elsewhere for now - sorry if Nen needed it back - but it's mostly so he'll have his hands free to hold onto Nen again.
Another hug around their waist, pulling them close.]

[ It may not be the best-tasting thing, but it's fast-acting if nothing else! He should start to feel better in a matter of minutes, from what Nen's heard. It's also fine if he tosses the vial. More than anything, Nen is just glad he drank it. ]

Oh--yes. Sandstorm. [ Nen nods ] I used by Safety Pin, and Oryou helped me. She can fly, so we were able to go through the storm and find the flower they needed to make the sure.

I wore a mask.

[ one of them fancy N-95's that shigeru sometimes has hidden away in his clinic for emergencies ]

Okay... 'long as you had someone with ya. 'N some precautions, 'course.
Musta been rough after how easy the others went, though... just gettin' some eggs 'n mushrooms, but then ya had to deal with a whole entire sandstorm.

[He can't even imagine, considering how much work Nen is still putting in just to have the same stamina as a regular person - it must have been hard!!
(Little does he know, of course.)]

Wonder why one of'em was so different compared to the rest?

[ Little does he know. Just wait until he and the others realize what exactly Nen did just to get those ingredients, HEHEHE.

They wrap their arms around him again and lie their head on his shoulder, suppressing a yawn. ]

It was not too difficult with Oryou... She is very strong. And I was very careful.

[ Nen remembers all-too-well their last foray into the desert, and how that ended. They were determined not to make the same mistake twice. ]

I thought the mushroom would be the hardest because they were so tall, but it was rather simple.

[ On account of Yuuto just, you know. floating his way up there. ]

[Well, if they're gonna cuddle up like that, far be it from him to tuck them in and lay back on that cot again!! It's still toasty warm after all...
Though, he's gonna turn off that motor with his magic real quick. No reason to keep that running for now.]

... How tall we talkin' here? I mean, even you could carry a mushroom only a couple feet tall...

[Because clearly it'd have to be rather small for them to go for it, right??]

Event #3: Can't Defeat the Temple

Chipp | Original | Winter

B

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C!!!

C is for CUDDLES

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OPTION D heheh

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