snowblindrpg | [log] The Cat Came Back [closed]

[ Jade isn't going to bed anytime soon, either. Time to make friends! ]

Um, hi! [ She says it a little quietly, trying not to startle him. ]

Are you looking for something to drink? You have been coughing for a while.

[ That's not creepy at all, no-siree-bob. ]

*He looks up from peeking into a kitty hidey hole on a cat tree when he's spoken to and cants his head.*

No. I am fine.

*That statement is followed up by another cough, though, but at least it doesn't seem too serious ~~yet~~.*

[ She grimaces sympathetically as he talks; the hoarseness and coughing lead her to believe that he is not fine. ]

I don't mind sharing, here--

[ She rifles through her backpack and produces a little bottle with a twist-off cap. It's filled with strawberry-flavored milk! ]

Ah! I picked that up yesterday -- at a convenience store, I think -- because I thought it would be good wiiiith--

[ Another dig through her backpack; this time, she pulls out a glazed doughnut, protectively wrapped in a handkerchief. Parts of it still got kind of squished, though. ]

This! It is a doughnut; wanna split it?

*He doesn't seem to notice the food quite yet, since instead he's noticed and seems to be focused on her ears.*

That is...dog? Ja de?

[ You know that thing where a confused dog tilts its head with its ears raised? Perhaps makes a Scooby-Doo noise? That's what Jade is doing. ]

Um... what? I- I don't--

[ Wait a gosh-darn second. That meme-like phrasing. That odd cadence, as if the speaker would use the spacebar with little regard for grammar. She's heard -- or rather, read -- something like this before... ]

Oh! It's you-- totheark, right? Hehe, nice to meet you in person. [ Her grin is so cheesy it's downright curdled. ]

*He nods.*

Yes, that is me.

Uh....hel lo?

[ Seeing friends in person is great! This is so great. The weird mask isn't even that off-putting; who knows, maybe it's an inventive way to keep warm. She kind of wonders how he can see out of it, but they can talk about that later if his throat feels better. ]

Hello-- ah, I don't think I ever got your name? I would introduce myself first, but it seems you already know who I am.

*The mask does help with the cold and the wind. And its not so bad to see out of once you get used to it.*

I don't have--they call me "Brian." Or "totheark" is fine.

Hm. [ That's an odd response. She kind of does the confused dog thing again. ]

It sounds like you are not very comfortable with being called "Brian". Do you, uh, have a preference?

It is...

*He pauses for a moment, not really sure how to explain the whole name issue.*

...itis fine. It does not matter what you call me.

Well, if it's okay... [ She really does not want to be a jerk! ]

I will just call you Brian, then, because it is shorter. Hello, Brian!

[ You're supposed to wave when you greet someone, right? Right. She'll do that. ]

Found any cats yet? [ She laughs a little, then remembers who she's talking to. ]

Um, that was a joke; I know there are no animals here.

Hello?

*Didn't he say that already? Greetings were weird.
He shakes his head.*

No cats, no thing use ful. Most of this town is ....junk.

Yeah, I've noticed... but at least it's not all useless!

[ She waves the swaddled doughnut, then partially unwraps it to offer a look at the pastry. ]

Are you hungry? Like I said, we can split it; you can have the milk to yourself if you're worried about germs.

May be...but we cannot know what is use ful.

*Except for the obvious, like food and water and warmth. But that should go without saying ~~thankfully it does~~.
He shakes his head to the question.*

I ate.

*He did earlier, but if she was paying attention it wasn't really much.*

...germs?

[ She would ask how someone could know about video games but not what a germ is, but this is Brian she's talking to. Maybe he used to be an AI; that would also explain why he does weird shit like decline free food. ]

Okay, but I do not think you ate enough. [ C'mon, look at that doughnut. You know you want some. ] And, uh... germs are things that can make you sick. [ It pains her to give such an inexact explanation; it's important to distinguish viral infections from bacterial ones! ]

I ate enough. I am not hungry.

*He's not, actually, because he hasn't been eating well for years before being in snowhell. If anything he eats more regularly here than he did back 'home.'*

I am not sick. I donot have germs.

Well... [ You're tripping every possible alarm, pal; Jade's keeping an eye on you. ] Will you drink something, at least?

[ She holds out the bottle of milk and puts the doughnut away. A lengthy discussion of pathogens is clearly imminent. ]

Anyway, everything has germs! You only get sick if they get inside of you.

*He peers at the bottle for a few moments before taking it. He saw her open it and she hasn't had time to do anything weird to it, so its probably safe. He doesn't drink yet, though, just peers at it for a moment before looking back to her.*

Then I donot have them in side me.

*He's not sick, alright :| Its a touchy subject.*

[ She fidgets excitedly as he accepts the milk, glowing with satisfaction. She's helping! Nice!! ]

Oh, I didn't think you were sick-- it's just easy for diseases to spread when you share utensils. I was offering the whole bottle in case you thought I had germs in me!

[ God, can you even imagine trying to teach this guy that germs don't turn you into a weird hobo, or how mental and physical illness are different things? What a grueling task that she is probably going to attempt at some point. ]

You are sick?

*He does understand the difference between mental and physical illnesses. He just insists he doesn't have any mental illnesses. Germs are still gonna be hard to explain, though.*

No, but most people would rather not share a drink just to be safe. I probably haven't been around people enough to catch any viruses, but it's easy to get a bacterial infection if, for example, you don't wash your hands frequently. I think it's safe to say everyone's hygiene standards have lowered a little.

*He stares at her for a few moments as he turns that over in his head.*

Oh...kay?
I donot think I have heard of peo ple sick here be fore. Except when admin causes it and every one gets some thing.

Hm. From what I can tell, it sounds like the administrator hasn't made people sick so much as delusional.

[ She'd ask more about these mystery illnesses, but... ]

Does your throat feel any better?

*He nods.*

Yes, that too.

He sighs and shakes his head.

No. Talk ing hurts. I am not supposed to talk.

[ Okay, she's starting to put two and two together. He's usually very... tight-lipped, but he feels compelled to talk. The administrator does weird stuff like that all the time, but like he said, it affects everyone. Except, didn't one of the guides describe something similar happening when...

Oh.

[ Her doggy ears slowly droop as she begins to suspect that he, well... died. How awful! :( ]

Jeez, I'm sorry-- has the pain gotten better since you started talking? Like, is your throat 'used' to it yet?

B!

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