|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 7:49 pm
She had walked pass the Nurses office many times, each time someone was always floating around Riley, she understood why of course. It was always Maladore, Jericho, sometimes Chris, so she would simply walk by and leave them be. It seemed rude to bother the few of them, especially when the conversation that likely would result would be anything but positive.
Today was different though, she was heading to have lunch and happened to be passing by, for once it seemed everyone was out and about with other things leaving the poor Mindflayer to herself for once, so Sammy slipped inside.
Carefully she dragged a chair over to sit down beside the other ghouls cot tilting her head, "Sup talk dark and purple. Welcome to the 'Insanity Blows' club," she said with a wave of her black left hand. "Hows your body doing?"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 9:00 pm
Riley was asleep when Sammy walked in. The voice had her eyes opening suddenly, and turning to focus on the ghoul. Sammy was a face she did not expect to see.. for several reasons.
Hello. She murmured cautiously. She didn't answer Sammy's question, because her body was quite clearly the same as it was the first day she'd lied there. There remained a large, chewed out hole in the middle of her midsection, rendering her incapable of moving or getting up in any direction.
I was incapacitated once before. This situation is reminding me of the one thing that bothered me the most then, as well. The pain? No. I hate staying still.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 9:10 pm
Sammy wasn't mad, maybe a little, but it was hard to get upset at Riley at this moment for anything; she had a gaping hole in her chest. She glanced down along Riley's body eyes lingering on the wound before falling back to Riley's own.
She frowned, "I can agree with that. Though nothing that's happened to me has left me well... like this." She took a moment to stare at her arm flexing the fingers before looking at Riley again, "It put's things in perspective doesn't it? Seeing him that close? Trying to fight him..." her eyes dropped, "Just how utterly screwed we might all be."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 10:21 pm
That's quite pessimistic of you. Said the ghoul with the hole through her body. I don't think of us as screwed. We are merely students, in a learning facility. Perhaps you should think of these events as.. lessons.
She sounded entirely disconnected, as if speaking, or thinking, came at a price. Any word from the Horsemen yet? I expect them back any day now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 10:56 pm
She shrugged, "It is, but considering I've tried to kill that thing twice, and both times he has crushed us, even without his Weapon he was able to fend us off with daggers and flasks of burning liquid."
Eyes where rolled, "A lesson, sure, maybe. Minus the part where failure results in whats happened to both of us, Insanity devouring your stomach and scarring up my arm. How long till we just don't back Riley? How long till we either win or completely screw it up?"
She wasn't angry when she spoke, she was actually rather calm and collected.
"The horsemen haven't come back as far as I know. What ever you expect, don't get excited. Odds are they won't be happy with us for chasing Caelius like we did."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 11:06 pm
Time is a not a valid measure of success or failure. Riley's eyes were foggy, unfocused, as she stared up at the ceiling. Whether or not we drive them back today, or in a year, or in a thousand years, will not change the fact that we will drive them back. Whether or not you or I return from a battle is irrelevent, as well. As long as there are those left to fight, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
Typical Illithid hivemind philosophy. If I do not die in battle with a hunter, I will die at the hands of my own kind. Or perhaps I will die from a rival. It means little.
Her eyes closed.
The fight will still go on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 11:12 pm
"It is valid Riley, it's desperately valid. They have so much knowledge, their numbers seem to be growing. You've seen what they can do. It is a race against time, and we're falling short." She paused staring at Riley quietly.
"Is it really irrelevent Riley? Would it have been worth it to die out there and leave Maladore alone? To leave Jericho?" She watched as those unfocused eyes slowly slipped shut.
"It might go on, but is it worth it to die now as broken little pawns? Would you have been okay to die then, been turned into a weapon or absorbed into his weapon. To be used against the people you cared about?"
She became very quiet for a moment letting it linger, "I was ready Riley, I thought we would die out there, that you would be the first followed by the rest till the Horsemen stepped up...."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 11:25 pm
Yes. A very eerily comfortable answer was returned for all of Sammy's questions, and Riley's eyes opened to look at the ceiling again.
It is, and I was.
There was a pause, where Sammy might have expected her to explain herself, but Riley left things cold, quiet, and still.
Then, as if she'd woken up from a dream (which she had), her eyes focused and she looked down at Sammy for the second time since she'd been here. Sammy? You look upset. What's wrong?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 4:49 pm
Her face was pale to begin with. She would be surprised to learn it could become paler. Her words so calm and easily given drove a knife deep into Sammy's gut, her left arm started to itch, she didn't even fully realize she was grabbing it nervously as how Riley was speaking.
The pause was an eternity, lingering heavy and vile in the air around them.
And it was gone, just like that, the cold edge in Riley's voice replaced with the faint press of concern. She could only shake her head slowly, "You Riley, what you just said that is whats wrong right now." She leveled her eyes at Riley's resting her chin on her fists. "Do you really think that way? That you would have been willing to die, then and there. For nothing and to lose everything?"
She sounded tired, worried, and but mostly upset.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 6:43 pm
Riley let Sammy's words digest. This took several seconds, all of which were spent in silence. When she finally spoke, her eyes crinkled in dismay.
Of course I don't want to lose everything, Sammy. I'm sorry if I made you think that. Don't fret so, it's stressful. The last thing I can afford right now is stress.
Her eyes closed, and she let out a shallow, careful breath. Just forget everything I said. We'll work things out, in the end. All right?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 7:51 pm
Sammy could only shake her head slightly, "You were just... so sure." She shivered then, "I've never heard you that set on something before and that doesn't seem like you, at least not the Riley I know."
They continued to sit and talk, but it did little to still the worry in her chest. "I can't Riley, I can't forget it." She leaned over tapping the mindflayer very gently on the forehead, "You've seen how the Horsemen act, you've heard what happened to Red. That dagger... we don't need you making rash decisions like the Horsemen and flipping at the drop of a hat."
Sitting back she looked at her arm curiously, lazily, "I don't want to say it, but what if the Insanity is in there somewhere still, in you, even me maybe. Just like the horsemen."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 8:12 pm
Riley's gaze at Sammy turned guilty. It wasn't something anyone saw very often.
Sammy.. She sighed her eyes slit thin. The Insanity still runs through my veins. That much is certain. But it is not affecting me the way you think - and it certainly is not why you heard the things you did when you spoke to me as I was sleeping.
Her hands twitched, as an instinct made her want to raise them up to rub her temples, but her body quickly reminded her at the slightest movement that she was incapable of even that. It's not something I really want to talk about. It has to do with being an Illithid - with being a mindflayer. I have to go do something in a few months - something I would rather not do. And.. just.. you know, really, I don't want to talk about it. But rest assured, it is not the Insanity that has me begging for death. All right?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 8:33 pm
Something about that look of guilt was like listening to Red admit defeat again. It was depressing and unnerving to see.
"Well, I suppose that might be a bit of a relief." At least she wouldn't go total melt down like the Horsemen had, she still recalled being hip checked into the barrier by one of them for no reason.
What came next was the explination she would have wanted from the start, but it did little to ease her worries for the other ghoul. What in all the world could have Riley this distressed, and so dark beyond what was already happening.
"Don't beg for it, don't seek it." She placed a hand over Riley's own, "We can't afford to lose you, or anyone else for any reason," she smiled weakly, "We might not be much more then pawns in everything, but if any of us die now we'll never make it across the board." She squeezed gently on the hand.
"Just promise me you won't go dying on us with what ever this thing you have to do is, okay? The mess that would leave..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:24 pm
Riley returned the squeeze, and then patted Sammy's hand before letting it go.
All right. Riley murmured easily. I promise.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:32 pm
The little squeeze, the slight bit of effort to do that made things better, not a lot, but it gave some hope.
"Just rest and get better for now okay?" She glanced around again, "I Guess I should probably get going, unless you'd like company for a bit longer?" She shrugged, "Can't be too enjoyable sitting here alone."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
