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Protecting it from everyone besides you, huh?
[ It's not meant accusingly. He admires it. He'd want to be able to do the same. ]
I might as well fit in. I'll go with Aazat.
[ It's not meant accusingly. He admires it. He'd want to be able to do the same. ]
I might as well fit in. I'll go with Aazat.
What happened--
[ Okay, Riz beats Gorgug in the volume department, but that still makes it a pitch of noise where the only word he can make out is snake. Snake?? SNAKE? ]
Snake?! Did Fabian get eaten by a snake? H-hold on, I need to find a ride!
[ There's no way he can run to the city in time! ]
[ Okay, Riz beats Gorgug in the volume department, but that still makes it a pitch of noise where the only word he can make out is snake. Snake?? SNAKE? ]
Snake?! Did Fabian get eaten by a snake? H-hold on, I need to find a ride!
[ There's no way he can run to the city in time! ]
What?! When did Fabian come into the equation? You were the one who sent me snake texts and then didn't pick up your phone!
[ Riz is yelling, which helps make it sound less like he's going to die of a heart attack. Which he is, probably. His legs are only so long, Gorgug. He needs a car desperately. ]
[ Riz is yelling, which helps make it sound less like he's going to die of a heart attack. Which he is, probably. His legs are only so long, Gorgug. He needs a car desperately. ]
[ Fabian gestures in Gorgug's direction with one hand. ]
That's it, yes. Or at least-- That is the reason she told me, that she did not want it to die slowly. Even though I was totally going to finish it off! [ There's a tiny bit of offense in that, but considering it's been so long since then and they've gone through quite a few wild things too, there's no real hurt in it at all.
It's just the usual Fabian whining, really. He may not be drinking or eating even remotely as much as these other two, but it seems that he's making up for it by just being entirely unable to close his mouth to talk. Everything is in balance. As it should be. ]
Of course she could have been lying to me. [ It's not like Riz's theory is impossible either. And Fabian doesn't know enough about Amy to be able to tell which is the truth.
So he just pulls his shoulders up into a shrug, grabbing a bit more popcorn. ] Anyway, that's not the important part-- We can go over people Gorgug should maybe learn about later!
[ Especially when that is an entire mountain of information by itself. Fabian has truly met too many people, sorry, he is just too sociable.. ]
The lion is the main first thing we encountered, really, and then a little while after that we were sent into the maze.
[ Okay, let him now shove some popcorn into his mouth. So Riz can tell Gorgug about the maze. C'mon, The Ball. ]
That's it, yes. Or at least-- That is the reason she told me, that she did not want it to die slowly. Even though I was totally going to finish it off! [ There's a tiny bit of offense in that, but considering it's been so long since then and they've gone through quite a few wild things too, there's no real hurt in it at all.
It's just the usual Fabian whining, really. He may not be drinking or eating even remotely as much as these other two, but it seems that he's making up for it by just being entirely unable to close his mouth to talk. Everything is in balance. As it should be. ]
Of course she could have been lying to me. [ It's not like Riz's theory is impossible either. And Fabian doesn't know enough about Amy to be able to tell which is the truth.
So he just pulls his shoulders up into a shrug, grabbing a bit more popcorn. ] Anyway, that's not the important part-- We can go over people Gorgug should maybe learn about later!
[ Especially when that is an entire mountain of information by itself. Fabian has truly met too many people, sorry, he is just too sociable.. ]
The lion is the main first thing we encountered, really, and then a little while after that we were sent into the maze.
[ Okay, let him now shove some popcorn into his mouth. So Riz can tell Gorgug about the maze. C'mon, The Ball. ]
--Oh.
[ That's an 'oh' that takes a moment to come through, since Gorgug needs to register everything that Riz just said, coming to a stop in his own running. ]
I thought-- [ Does it matter what he thought? No, explain the more important part here: ] uh, I was looking for an air bubble-- I thought we needed an air bubble for the snakes.
Wait, you're not in the city, are you?
[ Wait shit Riz are you okay!! ]
[ That's an 'oh' that takes a moment to come through, since Gorgug needs to register everything that Riz just said, coming to a stop in his own running. ]
I thought-- [ Does it matter what he thought? No, explain the more important part here: ] uh, I was looking for an air bubble-- I thought we needed an air bubble for the snakes.
Wait, you're not in the city, are you?
[ Wait shit Riz are you okay!! ]
[ Gorgug's had a rather heavy conversation with one of the Bad Kids, lately.
A rather heavy, personal one. One that doesn't need to make Gorgug think at all about the others, but he does, and the thing is: he's worried about them. Not in the sort of way where you're fretting over them internally or out, but the kind where you start to think about what your friends have been going through, and if you really know how they've been feeling, and-- maybe you want to check up on them. Maybe you want to know.
Maybe it's the most awkward, weird kind of worry to do anything about, especially in the middle of Important Investigating Missions (and Gorgug knows he can never overestimate how much Riz is throwing himself into it, even with what Riz readily supplies to him), but even though Riz is in his most Riz Mode, and Gorgug is never sure if you should get in the way of Riz being in his element, but he also thinks one night can't hurt, and so: ]
hey riz. can you be free tonight? i wanted to hang out
my place or somewhere quiet. or yours
or we can do another day
[ The 'can' is very important question in requesting availability from Riz, you see. ]
A rather heavy, personal one. One that doesn't need to make Gorgug think at all about the others, but he does, and the thing is: he's worried about them. Not in the sort of way where you're fretting over them internally or out, but the kind where you start to think about what your friends have been going through, and if you really know how they've been feeling, and-- maybe you want to check up on them. Maybe you want to know.
Maybe it's the most awkward, weird kind of worry to do anything about, especially in the middle of Important Investigating Missions (and Gorgug knows he can never overestimate how much Riz is throwing himself into it, even with what Riz readily supplies to him), but even though Riz is in his most Riz Mode, and Gorgug is never sure if you should get in the way of Riz being in his element, but he also thinks one night can't hurt, and so: ]
hey riz. can you be free tonight? i wanted to hang out
my place or somewhere quiet. or yours
or we can do another day
[ The 'can' is very important question in requesting availability from Riz, you see. ]
Right! The maze.
[ And then Riz just proceeds to kind of... stare at them both for a full thirty seconds without saying anything or looking as though he's about to say anything. Sorry fellas. Just give him a second to think about what to say. In actuality, he's just sifting through all the bullshit that they'd collectively experienced, sorting them into piles of Normal Amounts Of Detail and Extraneous Facts. He doesn't want to talk Gorgug's ear off about things that don't matter, after all.
And then, abruptly, as though he'd never stopped talking in the first place, he dives into it. ]
So, the first mission we were here for was to survive this big magic maze. They told us they were gonna suck all the oxygen out of the city, so basically? They have ways of forcing you to do whatever dumb stuff they want us to. We were stuck in the maze for -- what, a week?
[ He glances over at Fabian questioningly. There had been no obvious shifts between day and night, and Riz himself hadn't really slept much, so his entire sense of time was completely off. ]
The walls moved to make sure all of us were separated and had to work with a bunch of strangers. Basically, the rooms were either puzzles that you had to figure out, monsters you had to fight, or rest stops. I've never seen magic that impressive before. Fabian even ran into a dragon.
[ Dean had filled him in on it. ]
But eventually everyone got out. I don't think anyone died. None of us did, anyway.
[ He has decided to leave out the part where he'd dined on several monsters. A guy's gotta eat. ]
[ And then Riz just proceeds to kind of... stare at them both for a full thirty seconds without saying anything or looking as though he's about to say anything. Sorry fellas. Just give him a second to think about what to say. In actuality, he's just sifting through all the bullshit that they'd collectively experienced, sorting them into piles of Normal Amounts Of Detail and Extraneous Facts. He doesn't want to talk Gorgug's ear off about things that don't matter, after all.
And then, abruptly, as though he'd never stopped talking in the first place, he dives into it. ]
So, the first mission we were here for was to survive this big magic maze. They told us they were gonna suck all the oxygen out of the city, so basically? They have ways of forcing you to do whatever dumb stuff they want us to. We were stuck in the maze for -- what, a week?
[ He glances over at Fabian questioningly. There had been no obvious shifts between day and night, and Riz himself hadn't really slept much, so his entire sense of time was completely off. ]
The walls moved to make sure all of us were separated and had to work with a bunch of strangers. Basically, the rooms were either puzzles that you had to figure out, monsters you had to fight, or rest stops. I've never seen magic that impressive before. Fabian even ran into a dragon.
[ Dean had filled him in on it. ]
But eventually everyone got out. I don't think anyone died. None of us did, anyway.
[ He has decided to leave out the part where he'd dined on several monsters. A guy's gotta eat. ]
No, but I was heading there, 'cause I thought you were there and you were talking about snakes and then you stopped answering--
[ Okay. He's calming down now. He's cool. He's super cool. This is how cool people act. ]
But we're all good! We're okay. It's all good. Fabian's good too. So is Adaine. So it's all... yeah.
[ ... ]
Wait, why would you need an air bubble for the snakes?
[ Okay. He's calming down now. He's cool. He's super cool. This is how cool people act. ]
But we're all good! We're okay. It's all good. Fabian's good too. So is Adaine. So it's all... yeah.
[ ... ]
Wait, why would you need an air bubble for the snakes?
Sorry. [ He does manage to slip that in, small as it is before Riz's question, enough sheepishness in the face of Riz's previous frantic explaining.
But, why does he need an air bubble? Um. ]
You said they would die after a minute, so, that sounded like they needed air.
[ The thought process is really that simple, Riz! ]
But, why does he need an air bubble? Um. ]
You said they would die after a minute, so, that sounded like they needed air.
[ The thought process is really that simple, Riz! ]
[ Ah, Riz is doing... the thing. It still hypnotises Gorgug even now (after he should be more used to how this goes), watching him stay in that lagged-looking state where he might speak any second, staring at him in a bizarre form of suspense. Fortunately, while he does that, one of his hands is slowly going for another one of the snacks present: cookies.
His hand doesn't need to be reaching so slowly, but it is until the point he snatches the packet, and then leans back properly in triumph.
There are very tiny quiet crinkling sounds as Riz divulges on previous events, and Gorgug finally gets into his (his!!!) cookies. Nibble nibble nibble....
And by the time Riz comes to the end, there's...well, a frown Gorgug wears. Somehow, even while snacking on cookies. ]
It's a good way to test an individual person, [ he points out, which is fairly clear, ] but... are we meant to be doing something to save our own worlds? It doesn't sound like the kind of test you...
[ Wait, let him go back a step. ] Could you find drinks and foods? Were you pushed to choose between saving yourself or other people? --I'm just trying to see what this has to do with the big picture.
[ The universe saving picture. ]
His hand doesn't need to be reaching so slowly, but it is until the point he snatches the packet, and then leans back properly in triumph.
There are very tiny quiet crinkling sounds as Riz divulges on previous events, and Gorgug finally gets into his (his!!!) cookies. Nibble nibble nibble....
And by the time Riz comes to the end, there's...well, a frown Gorgug wears. Somehow, even while snacking on cookies. ]
It's a good way to test an individual person, [ he points out, which is fairly clear, ] but... are we meant to be doing something to save our own worlds? It doesn't sound like the kind of test you...
[ Wait, let him go back a step. ] Could you find drinks and foods? Were you pushed to choose between saving yourself or other people? --I'm just trying to see what this has to do with the big picture.
[ The universe saving picture. ]
[ It doesn't speak very well of Riz that he's thriving underneath the pressure of planning, feeling more clarity now than he has in what feels like months. The Bad Kids are finally back, acting instead of reacting, and as busy as he's been? It feels good just having something to focus on beyond aimless, paranoid speculation.
But it also means that he has a one track mind, which is to say, he completely misreads Gorgug's text message. Clearly, there's something else that they need to do, or something Gorgug needs to run by him. It can't just be a normal hang, right?
And so he responds: ]
I can do today. What's up, did you hear anything from Cammy?
[ Code for camera. Nobody has ever accused Riz of being a creative person.
And, because he's Riz: ]
You okay?
[ He always has to check. ]
But it also means that he has a one track mind, which is to say, he completely misreads Gorgug's text message. Clearly, there's something else that they need to do, or something Gorgug needs to run by him. It can't just be a normal hang, right?
And so he responds: ]
I can do today. What's up, did you hear anything from Cammy?
[ Code for camera. Nobody has ever accused Riz of being a creative person.
And, because he's Riz: ]
You okay?
[ He always has to check. ]
im okay. cammys okay
[ Should he make this sound like it's important in a way that isn't personal? Make it sound like a task?? It is true that personal hang-outs isn't a thing any of them ask for much.... ]
i just want to hang out [ No, he'll go for the honest answer (even if it might be the most confusing). ]
ill come over to your place then?
[ Should he make this sound like it's important in a way that isn't personal? Make it sound like a task?? It is true that personal hang-outs isn't a thing any of them ask for much.... ]
i just want to hang out [ No, he'll go for the honest answer (even if it might be the most confusing). ]
ill come over to your place then?
[ They're very used to Riz's thing at this point, honestly. Fabian is also just casually chewing on some snacks now, only occasionally glancing at Riz to see how long he's been stuck like that already. Mostly since he's readying himself to be able to nudge Riz with a foot in case the other sticks in that mode for too long..
But-- there he goes. No foot nudging necessary. Fabian shifts a little where he's sitting on the bed as he listens to his friends. ]
I think it was trying to make us work together. [ He points out after swallowing a mouthful of snacks. ] I, at least, ran into some challenges that no one would have been able to pull off on their own, forcing you to cooperate with whoever you got stuck with in that particular part of the maze.
[ Ah, right, since Riz didn't mention that part yet, he explains to Gorgug: ]
The maze kept shifting around us. Sometimes walls would appear between you and whoever you were with, forcing you to move on by yourself. That's actually the way we got separated. The two of us went in with Adaine, naturally, but soon enough the maze forced us to go off by ourselves. And-- [ He pauses, getting a little huffy in that dramatic way Fabian always gets huffy, and waves his hands. ] I get that it was likely about cooperating with new people and all that, but I think it's extremely stupid to not just let us stick with our party.
[ He looks from Gorgug over at Riz, pointing at him. ]
The Ball, you sent me at least thirty messages after that asking if I was okay! And I didn't even read those until it was about a day later! [ Because clearly that is Riz's fault, right. And not Fabian's. ]
But-- there he goes. No foot nudging necessary. Fabian shifts a little where he's sitting on the bed as he listens to his friends. ]
I think it was trying to make us work together. [ He points out after swallowing a mouthful of snacks. ] I, at least, ran into some challenges that no one would have been able to pull off on their own, forcing you to cooperate with whoever you got stuck with in that particular part of the maze.
[ Ah, right, since Riz didn't mention that part yet, he explains to Gorgug: ]
The maze kept shifting around us. Sometimes walls would appear between you and whoever you were with, forcing you to move on by yourself. That's actually the way we got separated. The two of us went in with Adaine, naturally, but soon enough the maze forced us to go off by ourselves. And-- [ He pauses, getting a little huffy in that dramatic way Fabian always gets huffy, and waves his hands. ] I get that it was likely about cooperating with new people and all that, but I think it's extremely stupid to not just let us stick with our party.
[ He looks from Gorgug over at Riz, pointing at him. ]
The Ball, you sent me at least thirty messages after that asking if I was okay! And I didn't even read those until it was about a day later! [ Because clearly that is Riz's fault, right. And not Fabian's. ]
No food and water, unless you got lucky and found some in the chests that were scattered around. [ Riz scratches his cheek. ] But there were monsters around for if you were in a pinch, so I just ate those.
[ Sorry, Fabian, this is absolutely the first you're hearing of it! But it's a little embarrassing how quickly he'd lost his rations, and the reactions from everyone who caught onto the fact that he was just chowing down on the monsters to keep going were less than positive. He jabs a finger at Fabian, accusingly. ]
And I wouldn't have had to send thirty of them if you'd just checked your crystal and responded to one of them! Something bad could've happened to you!
[ But Riz is, at all times, extremely concerned about something bad happening to everyone. It's okay. Gorgug gets it. He also seems very worried all the time about something happening. It's a reasonable concern. ]
Anyway, other than the criminal neglect of his crystal, Fabian's right. They clearly wanted us to cooperate with people other than those we already knew and trusted. I think they wanted to see how we'd act under pressure without our usual safety net. It's all very social experiment-y.
[ Sorry, Fabian, this is absolutely the first you're hearing of it! But it's a little embarrassing how quickly he'd lost his rations, and the reactions from everyone who caught onto the fact that he was just chowing down on the monsters to keep going were less than positive. He jabs a finger at Fabian, accusingly. ]
And I wouldn't have had to send thirty of them if you'd just checked your crystal and responded to one of them! Something bad could've happened to you!
[ But Riz is, at all times, extremely concerned about something bad happening to everyone. It's okay. Gorgug gets it. He also seems very worried all the time about something happening. It's a reasonable concern. ]
Anyway, other than the criminal neglect of his crystal, Fabian's right. They clearly wanted us to cooperate with people other than those we already knew and trusted. I think they wanted to see how we'd act under pressure without our usual safety net. It's all very social experiment-y.
Okay, actually, let's back up a little. Why do you want to transport the snakes in my briefcase in the first place? Are we not killing them?
[ Hypocrite! Wasn't he just appalled at Fabian for killing the lion? ]
[ Hypocrite! Wasn't he just appalled at Fabian for killing the lion? ]
You just want to hang out? Now?
[ If that reads as incredulous -- it's because it is. This seems like a really weird time to just want to hang out. They're busy! Gorgug's even busier than Riz is!
But... they reach out to each other like this so rarely. He's not gonna say no. ]
Okay, sure. Everyone else is out of the house for a bit, but even if they come back, we can hang in my room.
[ If that reads as incredulous -- it's because it is. This seems like a really weird time to just want to hang out. They're busy! Gorgug's even busier than Riz is!
But... they reach out to each other like this so rarely. He's not gonna say no. ]
Okay, sure. Everyone else is out of the house for a bit, but even if they come back, we can hang in my room.
I'm okay. Glad to be out of Moorecroft.
[ For a given value of okay -- he's definitely punched with more bullet holes than he'd been the last time they talked! ]
Long time no see! Did you handle that whole mess okay?
[ For a given value of okay -- he's definitely punched with more bullet holes than he'd been the last time they talked! ]
Long time no see! Did you handle that whole mess okay?
Oh, well, we can kill them, [ that's an option! ] but some of us were thinking- maybe, we don't need to kill them?
We can just move some of them and-- put them somewhere they can live and not eat everything. [ A pause. ] We might have to kill some of them. Most of them.
[ That part is still being worked out, Riz. ]
We can just move some of them and-- put them somewhere they can live and not eat everything. [ A pause. ] We might have to kill some of them. Most of them.
[ That part is still being worked out, Riz. ]
okay. ill bring snacks
and myself
[ And that's all you're getting from text, Riz, unless you text something back!!! One surely wouldn't think to bring snacks to their friend in their "home" where there is bound to be a lot of snacks, but this is Riz. He always needs back-up food (and a reminder that he has food on him), so Gorgug definitely brings along his backpack that is always filled with snacks as it is along with him.
It takes ten minutes or so for him to reach the house Riz is staying in, knocking on the front door, and following it with a "Riz, it's Gorgug"--because you should always try extra hard to get Riz's attention.
And he always prefers to know who is knocking next to not knowing--even when he's got planned company coming around.
Gorgug shall wait the customary minute for Riz to answer the door (any longer, and you would try to force your way in, probably). But he'll be standing there, waiting to look down at Riz with a warm (read: Gorgug) expression. ]
and myself
[ And that's all you're getting from text, Riz, unless you text something back!!! One surely wouldn't think to bring snacks to their friend in their "home" where there is bound to be a lot of snacks, but this is Riz. He always needs back-up food (and a reminder that he has food on him), so Gorgug definitely brings along his backpack that is always filled with snacks as it is along with him.
It takes ten minutes or so for him to reach the house Riz is staying in, knocking on the front door, and following it with a "Riz, it's Gorgug"--because you should always try extra hard to get Riz's attention.
And he always prefers to know who is knocking next to not knowing--even when he's got planned company coming around.
Gorgug shall wait the customary minute for Riz to answer the door (any longer, and you would try to force your way in, probably). But he'll be standing there, waiting to look down at Riz with a warm (read: Gorgug) expression. ]
[ Gorgug tips his head when Riz says about eating monsters--in that 'well, you might as well' way, the small wrinkle of the nose that isn't one of disgust, but agreement. Maybe they should get better at cooking and eating monsters and animals, really.
More important is: ]
You should check your messages. [ It's Gorgug backing Riz up, looking at Fabian as he says it. Sorry, bro. :( But this is an intervention and it's how you're bad at checking on very important things!! But Gorgug falls silent between that small part about his crystal, listening as Riz continues. Cooperation does sound like a key factor in this mission, working together... ]
And no one died, so there were enough resources for everyone. [ Even if they were in chests or they had to kill monsters--it seems worth noting, saying out loud. It wasn't about pushing people to make sacrifices, or so it doesn't sound like it.
...but this is Gorgug, so he's fine with saying that much, and allowing the other two to continue.
His hands will eventually reach for new snacks. ]
More important is: ]
You should check your messages. [ It's Gorgug backing Riz up, looking at Fabian as he says it. Sorry, bro. :( But this is an intervention and it's how you're bad at checking on very important things!! But Gorgug falls silent between that small part about his crystal, listening as Riz continues. Cooperation does sound like a key factor in this mission, working together... ]
And no one died, so there were enough resources for everyone. [ Even if they were in chests or they had to kill monsters--it seems worth noting, saying out loud. It wasn't about pushing people to make sacrifices, or so it doesn't sound like it.
...but this is Gorgug, so he's fine with saying that much, and allowing the other two to continue.
His hands will eventually reach for new snacks. ]
It was fine. I was alone so I didn't have to pretend happy families with anyone, very easy to play my part of reclusive writer.
Your fake family was good to you?
Your fake family was good to you?
For real? You didn't even get saddled with one of those robot babies? Lucky!
Not to sound ungrateful. The people who were assigned to me were all really nice. I just would have preferred to live alone than have to play out fake families. It was just weird, you know?
Not to sound ungrateful. The people who were assigned to me were all really nice. I just would have preferred to live alone than have to play out fake families. It was just weird, you know?
It was lonely after a while
You wouldn't have gotten bored?
You wouldn't have gotten bored?
[ Luckily for them, everyone else is out at the moment -- doing what, Riz doesn't rightly know, and hasn't felt as though it was appropriate for him to ask. He knows what he's been doing, but he has to imagine the rest of them are doing some investigation of their own... or just doting on that robot baby of theirs with an affection that Riz finds frankly bewildering. So when there's a knock on the door, it's Riz who throws it open.
He's been working tirelessly over the past week, but it doesn't show; despite the perpetual bags underneath them, his eyes are bright and clear, his posture straight and tall, a smudge of ink smeared across one cheek, a pen tucked behind one large ear, and a loop of string still tied around his finger, evidently ready to be strung to some conspiracy board or another. ]
Hey, man. How's it going?
He's been working tirelessly over the past week, but it doesn't show; despite the perpetual bags underneath them, his eyes are bright and clear, his posture straight and tall, a smudge of ink smeared across one cheek, a pen tucked behind one large ear, and a loop of string still tied around his finger, evidently ready to be strung to some conspiracy board or another. ]
Hey, man. How's it going?
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