limacharlie | Public Channel

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Public Channel - Night 158

Right, is anyone else's 'new friend' huge?

That confusion aside, please remember if you are going to be exploring unknown worlds to do so with a buddy. And no, your newfound animal companion does not count.

Labor crew, mandatory check in. Find me before I find you. That is a threat, not a suggestion.

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Nope, huh? Sounds like an interesting place.

Anywhere near Greysol?

[Ha. Ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Something in Foster just... snaps.]

I don't know, okay?

I don't know! I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know!!!

[Uh.]

Okay, well you only need to say it once.

Is there any kind of tall buildings near you?

[Only need to--

......

I.... uh, I was at the harbour not too long ago.... but right now I only see... some houses and... a pharmacy.....?

[He sounds audibly frayed. He doesn't know how he got here. He doesn't know if he meant to be here. He can't even remember if he was going anywhere to begin with...!]

Okay. So somewhere within walking distance of the harbor, with a pharmacy near by.

[He's glad they don't have to hide their alien appearance from these locals, otherwise he wouldn't be able to fly around the city and find his lost worker. His wings buzz to life as he lifts into the air. His whale swimming up behind him. Swimming through the air. God this was weird.]

We're on our way dear!

[His daemon sings into the radio in some attempt to reassure Foster.]

Just sit tight.

[Foster doesn't need or even want reassurance.

What he wants is--

Well. What he wants and needs is, probably, a brain that isn't riddled with rot and holes, but that has not and never will be his reality.

Which is unfortunate, because Psi has just asked him to do the impossible.

Foster's inability to remember and follow a direction like that is the first and oldest symptom he ever displayed, stretching all the way back to his childhood. By the time he was ten years old, he was getting lost or wandering off on the way to the bus stop and back again, or even just to and from the bathroom at school.

In this case, it's a combination of boredom, time, and the easy distraction of a storefront, one from which the place he's supposed to be waiting is easily visible.

And by the time Psi gets to any pharmacies even remotely near the harbour, Foster is nowhere to be found.]

[It's lucky then that the pharmacy is the first place Psi checks when he can't actually find Foster outside anywhere. Unfortunately even the natives of Greysol find the largeness of the Psionic's daemon to be a bit surprising. The try and give his whale space, but it's definitely difficult for the Psionic to maneuver through a store at any kind of normal speed.]

Foster? Are you in here?

[It's not like several hundred pound bears are really made for small spaces, either. Which is good, in this case--it means Foster is hard to miss, and harder still to mistake.

The sound of Psi's voice catches his attention immediately--followed, inevitably, by the vague recollection of the fact that he fucked up.

Feels ^bad_good.]

....oh, haha!

You actually found me.

[His whale floats higher, trying not to knock anyone over as Psi makes his way towards Foster]

Sorry it took a while.

Were you actually interested in something in here?

[Foster had actually spaced out after a few seconds of staring at the shelves, but Psi's... absurd question gets a response, if nothing else.]

....oh, I thought I'd try some band-aids over the holes in my brain.

[He glances back at the troll.]

Or do you think I'd be better off just stuffing them with gauze?

[He sort of, flinches at the response, before looking away. His daemon hovers lower, trying to get closer to him. Strangely enough, she responds before Psi has time to come up with any appropriate answer.]

We were just wondering if you wanted to buy something before we returned.

But if you really think bandages will help...

[It's such a ridiculously naive question. What would he want to buy? What use would he possibly have for a single thing in this building?

But Foster can barely identify the source of that feeling, let alone articulate it; he's getting more animated, if still simple--even bright. Almost cheery.]

Sure! I just have to find someone who'll crack my head open for me!

[The Psionic sighs before steeling himself for more of Foster's bullshit. His whale just looks confused, as much as a whale can.]

Okay, we're going home.

[Unfortunately, walking away from Foster--or even threatening to--only gives him an opening.

He takes a step forward, planting one heavy bear paw on the tiled floor.]

What's wrong? Isn't this what you wanted?

[Oh Foster, how you misunderstand.]

Yep.

[And then he lifts Foster into the air, telekinetically, and turns around to leave the store.]

[Holy fuck.

Foster is, rather reasonably, caught completely off guard by this.

Well, not as completely--Taako did more or less the tame thing to him, months ago, only in that case it was to prevent him from leaving.

Then, as now, he discovers almost immediately that fighting it accomplishes nothing, so he doesn't even try.

What is he supposed to do?

It doesn't matter what he does.

So he does nothing.]

Now am I going to have to carry you the whole way there? Or will you actually walk with me?

....

[Foster regards him for a moment.]

The whole way where?

The carnival.

[--all the way back to the Carnival?

That gets Foster's notice, and quickly.

He has no intention of going all the way back there. He has something he needs to do here.

For once, though--perhaps because he has no choice but to contain himself--he curates his response guardedly.]

Why?

Because you need a buddy.

[No.]

Why.

To call for help if something happens to you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Public Channel - Night 158

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