IZUTSUMI.

[tactic]

I'M A PLACEHOLDER

Comments

w0, monday.

[tactic]

[ WE ARE BARNMATES NOW. Fated... to barn...

Aventurine is not happy about it, but he's trying his best. There's also the number "34" on his cheek. ]

So... did you pick the barn?

[nyas]

[ aventurine your barn life.... entering your cowboys era. she is pointedly staring at that number on his cheek. ]

I've slept in worse so didn't care where I ended up. Tried for cabin first for an actual bed but was too full.

[ the words "CAGED" are etched in inky black along her fur neck, before she pushes her red scarf up to cover it. ]

[tactic]

[ OKAY well he is not going to pay attention to the words that show up on her because he would like that same courtesy!!!

Ignores that she is staring. ]

Everyone's first priority was probably a place with an actual bed. [ Stares at their barn in Depression. ] Well... I suppose it could be worse.

[nyas]

[ what a respectable kind man... unfortunately she has no manners, so she stares but she seems distracted enough by the conversation at least. ]

Could be outside in the cemetery. [ it REALLY COULD BE WORSE... ] Got some hay piles to lay on in here so.

[ she says, as some rats scurry from under it into the wooden walls. ]

[tactic]

[ Oh hell, he hates those rats so much.

Glances over at where the rats disappear to, then looks at Izutsumi.

And her cat ears. ]

Do you hunt rats, by any chance?

[nyas]

[ listen here motherfucker ]

[nyas]

I've already killed a few of them. They've retaliated by chewing holes in my clothes.

[ the red scarf around her neck does have a notable small hole in it at the ends of it. ]

[tactic]

[ HELP ]

... Thank you for trying. [ Look at least he can show his appreciation. ] Maybe the loft won't see as many rats.

[nyas]

[ hmphs, don't appreciate it that's weird!!! ]

I'll just deal with 'em if they try to pile in again. [ looks up ] You staying up there?

WEEK 5, MONDAY.

[nyas]

[ hello to the other part of my functional family that lives at the penthouse ]

Weird that all the other places from the other side show up here.

[tactic]

[ Are we just chilling in the penthouse we might just be chilling in the penthouse.

Aventurine's probably flopped on the couch flipping through a magazine. ]

I wonder if this dimension just takes whatever's being discarded from the other dimension. Like us.

[nyas]

[ we are now chilling in the penthouse

izutsumi flops on because she's annoying like that, though she's toying around with their newly weird ass cell phones?? what the FUCK ARE THESSEEE ]

And yet the village from the start is still there.

[tactic]

[ There's just a small oof when she flops on him, but he's gotten used to this and doesn't look up from his magazine. ]

I guess it's because it was always meant to be there? And you know, this town's layout was similar to the village when I arrived. A lot's changed since then.

[nyas]

[ holds the cell phone upside down now, before slowly chewing on it. ew. stops doing that ]

Keeps changing like the dungeons back where I'm from. [ or something. ] Maybe eventually it'll all piece back together then, if it's got a similar layout.

[tactic]

[ OKAY he's finally going to look up from his magazine and try to pluck that phone from her hands. ]

You're from a dungeon?

[nyas]

[ HELLO? HER RAZOR FLIP PHONE. well she wasn't getting anywhere with it so she just watches to see what he'll do with it. ]

No. From the Eastern Archipelago. Dungeons are just.. weird ancient ruins dimensions that are below the surface. They have various floors that are just always changing, mostly because of the dungeon master or something.

[tactic]

[ He's going to ignore the gross spit on it and flip it open so he can take a few selfies of himself with it, yaaay. ]

That sounds like an interesting life to lead. I hope you get plenty of breaks. Staying in dungeons for long periods of time can't be good for you.

w5, thursday.

[tactic]

[ Well, they're at the hospital now.

Just like he'd said he would, Aventurine is staying. He's seated by Izutsumi's hospital bed, hands clasps together and elbows resting on his knees as he leans forward in his chair and stares at the wall opposite of him. The fact that he'd also been sequestered to a hospital room feels like ages ago, when it's only been about a week now.

He's just kind of zoning out while waiting for her to wake up, and there's quiet distress and resignation coming off of him. ]

[nyas]

[ aventurine back at it again with the krispy kreme hospital

eventually, she stirs, though it's with muted complaining. she's bandaged up where needed, stitched in a few places, and has an ugly shoulder sprint that she will very much not enjoy when she's more awake. but right now she's trying to rub at her eyes which is a mistake when she has healing electrical burns on her face.

her emotions seem a bit foggy this time around, like a mental spaciness and she kinda just stares absently one way. they can zone out together... ]

[tactic]

[ Just kidding, he stirs to attention when she starts moving, and he sits up in his seat. ]

You're awake.

[ STOP RUBBING AT YOUR FACE he's going to lightly put a hand on her arm. ]

How do you feel?

[nyas]

[ she scrunches up her face a little, but allows his hand on her arm even as she squints at nothing ]

Like I died and revived. Everything hurts. [ she looks unsteady, shivering with some strong coming chills. there's a wave of confusion as she shakes her head. she looks like she's about to throw up. ] Where are we? Cerneveaul..? Coene? Chedis?

[ hm. ]

[tactic]

[ He pulls the sheets up closer to her chin, concern growing as he studies her eyes. ]

You're in a hospital room. Back in our foggy, little town. You're back.

[nyas]

[ holds this sheet close, even as she blinks with a glassy stare. ]

Foggy town? How? [ more confusion. ] We spent all... whole lives there, how did-? Ugh, my head.

[tactic]

Hey, take it easy. What you experienced there wasn't real.

[ It helps that his own cyoa had only been a week before. It helps him better understand this. ]

That place messed with your mind, gave you memories that aren't really yours. It probably made you forget about the town, too.

[nyas]

It felt real, like that was my life--

[ deep intake of breath, ears pinning with a lash of her tail. she's not necessarily angry at him but rather she was fooled to the point of believing it. ]

..This whole thing is stupid. [ grumbling ] People we knew living there too, and then at the end Nehan died and... What's the point of it all??