00X. Action/Fourth Wall

[nullorvoid]

[So this place just went insane over the last couple of days.

While it'd normally be enough to send Ginti back to the network, wanting to know exactly what's going on and perhaps more importantly why we all have weirdass powers bestowed on us by the powers that be this weekend, the fact that he's also feeling kind of different lately is more than enough to make him pause before he does it; beyond that, it's a matter of verifying that his eyes are back to the way they should be and time doesn't feel like it's passing for him physically anymore because it quite simply isn't (and that's one of the weirdest things he's experienced here, it's just not something he's wanted to put into words for anyone) and, well.

He's always carrying some sort of water supply on him, even here, because old habits die hard; it's been a while since he's gotten to use it; it isn't long before he's found a route and Prima's sent out and he's trading blows with her at very high speed – not physically, but rather through his own particular brand of slightly less-broken waterbending bullshit. It's fairly obvious that they're not aiming to do any actual damage – Prima is a little slip of a Horsea still but she'd probably manage to ruin a human's day if she really felt the need to do it, and Ginti can very definitely ruin people's days if he really feels the need to do it, but as it is this is looking to be one of the few things Ginti has enjoyed doing since he got here.

Because god, humanization sucks.

So if you want to talk to him...well, he's probably going to be soaked as fuck by the time he's done messing with his Pokémon over there but at the very least he won't mind the sudden approach half as much as he usually does, and sometimes that's about as much as anyone can ask for.]

Comments

[nullorvoid]

[there were so many i mean they were really cute but what do you even do with that many poodlecats]

Some people breed them, so I kind of get why there isn't.

[novemdux]

[She scuffs a foot against the ground, her brows knitting.]

As entertaining as that must be, you and I have jobs to get back to. Important ones.

So tell me what happens when someone tries to leave this place, assuming it's even possible.

[nullorvoid]

[Yes, yes, he knows...]

It's not possible, as far as we know. I was kind of thinking you'd probably be able to figure it out.

[You know everything, right.]

[novemdux]

[AGAIN, THAT'S REALLY FLATTERING, BUT...]

Aw. You really think that highly of me, Ginti?

[She's not saying she can't, but she's certainly not saying she can.]

[nullorvoid]

Nah, I just think the challenge is going to piss you off until you figure something out.

[MAYBE A BIT LESS FLATTERING THAN YOU THOUGHT]

[novemdux]

[Well, he's not wrong.]

That bad?

Well, if that's the case, then I'll have something worked out eventually. I don't mind a good challenge every now and then.

[I mean good lord, how many times has she kicked Oculus' ass at pool. ...not that she considers that a challenge to begin with.]

[nullorvoid]

[See, you are totally the best...whatever you call someone who created you that isn't "mom" because that's not totally accurate also making it weird.]

Well, hopefully it's something you're a natural at, because this place isn't usually nice to us like this.

[...hopefully you remember what he said about there being a lot of weird because there's still more weird, um]

[novemdux]

Isn't that what makes a challenge challenging?

[Well she's already encountered dragons so how much worse can it get...?]

Even if I'm not, I'll keep trying until I figure it out. And even if things aren't being left to their own devices back at the Tower, I don't want to just assume that to be true.

[Not only that, but she doesn't like the thought of leaving Decim back there by himself to...do as Decim does. But he'll be fine for a while, hopefully. Ginti's the real one she would have been concerned about, but here she can keep a proper eye on him.]

[nullorvoid]

...Okay, but I need to tell you that I've got no idea what broke here over the last couple of days but usually everything that isn't human is made that way when they show up.

[SO HOPEFULLY YOUR WHATEVER-IT-IS-YOU-DO DOESN'T RELY ON BEING AN ARBITER FOR YOU TO DO IT, IS WHAT HE'S SAYING.]

[novemdux]

[.....excuse me, what.]

....Usually? ...you've been living as a human?

[Ginti wouldn't lie about something like that, not with how he feels about humans but nO THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN??]

[nullorvoid]

What, you think I'd make something like that up?!

[HUMANS ARE SO DUMB THOUGH NONA IF HE WAS GOING TO MAKE SOMETHING UP HE'D AT LEAST MAKE IT LESS INSULTING]

[novemdux]

No! But that doesn't happen. It can't happen.

[She looks up at him sharply, pulling her arms from behind her suspenders to let them hang at her sides. There's a pause before she says anything else, if only to be sure that nobody is around in their immediate vicinity that could be eavesdropping.]

Even in a world where time doesn't flow as it should and people can't die. Arbiters cannot be human.

[Her eyes search his face for a moment, as if trying to find some evidence that he's just doing an insanely good job somehow of pulling the wool over her eyes, but she can't see it. He's telling the truth, and it's...

She leans back, taking a breath. Arbiters can be taught about humanity. They can go through the motions. (Even so far as emotions, in Decim's case) But...

All at once she reaches back up, grabbing Ginti's shoulder by the sleeve so she can yank him down to eye level with her.]

And you're no longer human now due to forces you can't explain. How long do you think that's going to last?

[nullorvoid]

[And yank him down she does; he was kind of expecting it but that doesn't make the motion any less jarring, and his words are quick and agitated when he speaks.]

I don't know! I don't know, okay?!

[He shifts a bit, not...exactly trying to pull away from her because he damn well knows better, but at the same time making it abundantly clear that he'd like it.]

You think it hasn't been stressing me out?! We can't be alive, we can't have feelings, we can't do anything but serve our purpose because that's why we were created, I get it and I don't know what's going on or if this is going to fuck things up when I go back, I...I get it, and if I had any answers for you I'd be giving them to you right now, but I don't, okay?

[novemdux]

[Nona holds Ginti fast for another second or two before letting him go, straightening back up again. Yelling at Ginti for things he can't control isn't going to make the problem magically resolve itself, and she knows it.

She's not sure how to ask this without it being awkward, so she just goes on with it.]

Have you been handling it alright?

[Not being able to die here probably helps, but honestly she can't even imagine what sort of hell it's been for Ginti to have to endure the past month or so.]

[nullorvoid]

[Thank you, damn. He straightens up a bit abruptly, but at least he's refraining from sounding too pissed off about all that - not like he's magically calmed down, but at least the agitation levels are back where they usually are.]

I haven't told any of the humans here what I am. Dragon girl knows but she doesn't really care, seeing as she's, you know, a dragon. But I don't feel like giving answers to all the mysteries of the afterlife for idiotic humans who are too impatient to wait until they die to find out, so I'm pretty sure they think I'm weird or something, but they don't know anything for sure.

Other than that? I don't like it. Their bodies are too slow, you can feel time dragging down on them, and their reflexes are so bad it's a wonder they don't just fall over every time they have to change direction. Apparently if I were a human normally my eyes would be really ugly. And they sleep all the time.

But I'm handling it. Haven't "died," as much as anyone can here. Haven't done anything stupid. Talked to a few people, that's been about it.

[novemdux]

[She almost seems relieved by his answer, both glad to hear he hasn't done anything stupid and that his answer is exactly what she was expecting so it's not like much is alarming her there.]

Good. I didn't think you would be dumb enough to just go telling humans about the afterlife.

[That's less angry and more chiding than anything else as she sighs, folding her arms again.]

As long as we're here, you- ...we will just have to continue to deal with it as best we can. Keep an eye out for the others and find them as quickly as possible, should they arrive.

[She was more concerned about the human thing for him than anything else. For her...well, she's certain it's not going to be a pleasant experience, but there's that morbid curiosity of hers that still wants to know. To know what it's like to really...feel. Maybe she'll absolutely hate it and the world and everything afterwords, but she'll be able to say she's experienced it. Which...still shouldn't be happening, but.]

[nullorvoid]

[...Nona, you are such a damn weirdo. Why would you want any of that, it sucks.]

Got it. I can get you in contact with a guy who seems to know pretty much everyone here, he goes by Jaeger. He's decent, as humans go, and he's been here a long time, he knows a lot about this place.

[novemdux]

[Oh, she's sure it does. But if this is going to be a thing that she can't avoid, it might as well happen.

She gives a soft hum in the back of her throat, allowing her posture to return to something less tense and up in Ginti's face.]

How long?

[nullorvoid]

[HEY you know how he's been giving you a lot of answers you're not going to like here because you're not going to like this one either]

I think he's one of the guys who's been here for years.

[novemdux]

[...well, so much for not being tense.]

If that is the case, then he should be able to provide me with all the information I'll need.

[For his sake he better be able to, anyway. Because there is no way she's going to allow the both of them to remain in this place for years, much less a few months.]