WEEK 6

[strangerpeople]

WEEK 6



[Fifteen X-Passes. You've finally done it. You can now go free. However, the price has been steep. Too steep.




True, you can leave. Anyone can, now. But simply leaving may be a bad idea. After all, who knows what else Zero has up its sleeve? Who knows what's outside of the HMHS Gigantic? How will they survive? How will they eat? And those are the easy questions that need to be answered. After all, the mystery of Zero, the mystery of Zack, the mystery of who is the cause of all of this and why-those things are also seemingly impossible to answer without some preparation. There's also the new area that's opened up that may yet yield more for the survivors to mull over.


Rushing is surely a bad idea. It's time to prepare. Take the time to get ready for whatever is outside. Stock up on supplies. Write what needs to be written. Say what needs to be said. Get ready for the possibility that whatever is out there, whatever the answers are-they will not be easy, and they will not be quick.


More than that, but-where are all these cuts coming from on your body? Hm. Maybe you keep bumping into things or scratching too hard. Did everyone save Roland get super clumsy or something all of a sudden?


Well. Maybe the answers to all that are just around the corner. So. Let's get ready. The end is near.


There are 8 9 strangers currently on this ship.



Wait. Nine?]

Comments

[somuchshipping]

[You may hear footsteps of Hermes coming closer to the door, but he doesn't open it nor unlock it.]

I don't... think I did... I just... blasted randomly...

...Did I say I needed control?

[At least Hermes now sounds confused instead of grievingly sad.]

[exequte]

I thought you did....

[She sounds weaker, somehow, than she had earlier. Of course, she had been out here for a while. And she, herself, was physically weaker than the others here, not just in terms of strength but in terms of health.]

[somuchshipping]

[...Hermes... honestly doesn't remember if he said anything about controlling his fireballs. He honestly doesn't. But Hermes DOES notice that Akane sounds... weaker...?

A long moment passes by before Hermes unlocks the door and opens it, looking to make sure Akane is okay.]

[exequte]

H-hi again, Hermes....

[She is flushed slightly, eyes overbright, and she is too warm.]

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes reaches out, but stops and retracts his leg. He fidgets in place for a moment before finally deciding to pick her up and put her on the lowest bed after cleaning the items off from it.]

...

[exequte]

[She shivers weakly and sporatically, but smiles over at him, and that expression is soft and kind as always.]

Thanks for... letting me in here....

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes fidgets in place.]

...

Do you... need anything...?

[Akane's needs come before his own.]

[exequte]

[There's a pause before she answers, and she sounds slightly apologetic, uncomfortable.]

M-maybe some aspirin, I guess? If... if that's not too much trouble....

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes silently nods and nyooms off to get some. He returns shortly with the bottle and a glass of water, both of which he hands off to Akane.]

[exequte]

[She gives him a grateful smile and takes the offered medicine before lying back again and teasing gently.]

Nothing terrible even happened when you got this for me....

[somuchshipping]

But... you asked me to get it for you. Not me.

[exequte]

No I didn't.

[She smiles just a little, gently.]

You chose to bring me in here. You chose to ask me if I needed anything. I didn't even really ask for anything, I just answered you... and then you chose to go and get me the medicine.

And it was very kind of you. Thank you.

[somuchshipping]

I- I mean... Even though I like watching people die, it doesn't mean I wanted to see you die...

[This is perhaps Hermes's weakest objection to this type of thing yet. In fact, it's counterproductive to Hermes's argument.]

[exequte]

So you decided to do something about it.

[somuchshipping]

OkayFine! ButIStillFeelLikeEverything GoesWrongForMe...!

[exequte]

You helped me, right?

[She smiles softly.]

I think that's a good thing that you did, anyway.