drove to Chicago, all things know, all things know

[cherryblooded]

[This is getting so routine.

Cherryblod had thought about napping the rest of the day, like he'd said, but there are people to take care of, people who'd been closer to Aiden and Shirazu than he had been. So after about an hour in his room to decompress, he'd headed to the kitchen and started cooking. At some point Stan and Bruce had both joined him.

Almost everyone seems to want to take care of those who are remaining. Almost everyone.

The food this time is mostly soup and sandwiches - nothing fancy, nobody's in the mood to appreciate it - but it's there set up in the dining room by the time everyone (alive) receives notes under their doors. ...He slips an extra one for Sigrun under Mettaton's door, just in case.]

[name],
If you want to spend this time by yourself, that's fine.
If you'd rather have some company, there's food in the dining room, and you're all welcome there.
If you want to take some food and go, that's fine, too.
Take care of yourself.
-Cherryblod, Stan, Bruce

Comments

[goodforsomething]

Seems like we're finding more interesting stuff the higher we get.

[He means ghosts and books and things, obviously, but he can't quite help but add:] It'd be nice if we could get a pool!

[penduli]

[ DON'T DO THAT TO HARU. ]

I'm sure he'd thank you if he could. [ ...he's gonna fold this letter up, very gently. ] Do you mind if I hold onto this until then?

[captainobnoxious]

Go ahead, honey. You're the one who found it after all.

[And she trusts him not to die with it.]

[penduli]

Not a bad idea. I think people've been meaning to decorate this place too, but... [ ...they didn't, despite the fact there's tons of time to.

Maybe it's because there's so much time? "I can do it later" again and again until there isn't any left. ] I don't know how much help I can be, but if you need any, let me know.

[pokexplorer]

[When Bruce asks that question, Colress' expression turns from one of excited curiosity to like...serious as fuck. Because it reminds him of a note he had made a few weeks ago. A very important note.]

A very good question. And I can do you one better.

[He takes a deep breath as he flips to the appropriate page.

...Please forgive him for this, Tarrlok.]

The... [Ugh...give him a second.] The night before Tarrlok passed, he told me about the dreams he had been having- his memories of what was going on back in his world.

Mr. Banner, if his dreams were true, and he truly believed that they were, he lost his ability to bend before he even awoke here. And yet, in that pit...he was doing just that.

[He winces a little bit, thinking back on it. He knows how much Tarrlok disliked bloodbending, so. It's difficult.]

How is that possible?

[pokexplorer]

[Colress smiles. He's pretty pleased that Sigrun actually agreed to it. He just wants to show her how great science can be!]

I promise that it will be worth your time. And as I said, it will be completely harmless fun.

[Not explosions. He's actually had enough of those for now.]

[amygdalae]

[...you didn't have to talk about it, Colress, honestly, but Bruce does appreciate it all the same. Having more information is useful and this is... pretty useful indeed.

He frowns as he hears this, attempting to process this as quickly as he can. He's going to need more time later to properly go through this, but at least from his own inital thoughts--]

I'm not sure how his abilities actually work, but I assume that at least its something that occurs from a genetic level. In that case, it wouldn't matter what happened to him - its not as if genetics will change even if something on the outside happens.

[This, at least, is something Bruce knows to be certain... from personal experience.]

And if that is the case, then it seems that whatever those copies are, they arguably must have our DNA somehow.

[cherryblooded]

That's what I'm good for. Support.

[As always.]

[amygdalae]

You're very good at that.

[goodforsomething]

Sure, sure. I've talked about it with a few different folks, but I guess there's just always somethin' else going on.

[Like murder. Mostly murder, then recovery, maybe a day or two of feeling normal, and then BAM! Murder.]

You don't gotta be any good at painting. Anything's better than concrete all day.

[goodforsomething]

Heh, yeah. [You're a better person than him, Bruce.]

I've done some shit in my day, but not like that. Ain't like any of us are to blame for this.

[The Kingmaker is a valid target.]

[pokexplorer]

A pool? I suppose that could be nice. Not entirely useful for getting out of here, but it truly has been a while since we have been able to submerge ourselves in water, hasn't it?

[He never really thought he'd miss something like that, but they've been deprived of a lot of basic things for so long...]

[goodforsomething]

Yeah, no kiddin'. I'd really like a hot tub, but I'm guessin' he doesn't take requests.

[Stan sighs, looking up at the ceiling.]

...could go for a window, too.

[pokexplorer]

[He's finding solace in the fact that this is hopefully going to give them some good ideas as to what is going on. It'll...be fine.

Colress nods slowly in response to Bruce's thought that it's a genetic thing, because he actually does know that it is for the most part. But...that's an interesting viewpoint about it.]

Admittedly, I am not exactly sure how the technique that removed his bending operates. But if it was some sort of seal, then indeed...I suppose the Kingmaker could get around it somehow.

Him having our DNA goes without saying though, doesn't it? If he is able to make copies in the first place.

[amygdalae]

[He's really not better. He just has enough 'red in his ledger', to quote a certain somebody.

Still, a nod.] The Kingmaker... he needs to answer for what he's done. What he's forced people here to do.

[All these lives lost - they're on the Kingmaker's head. They might have done it but ultimately its more or less because the Kingmaker forced their hand.]

[amygdalae]

[Bruce sort of... makes a shrug here. He sure wishes he could know as well, but its not like they can just go up and ask Tarrlok - especially with what Colress said.]

I don't have much of a clue myself, but for now that's the best theory I can come up with, based on my own experience. [Every power needs to have some sort of basis behind it, right...??

Anyway.]

Yes, but... if we look the other way and don't think that all powers we have here originated from the genetic level, then the question is how does he manage to get those?

[penduli]

[ It's almost like they're in a murdergame or something. ]

I'm a little on the short side, that's all. [ ...Sigrun keeps teasing him about it. He knows he's like, the shortest person still alive too. ...pretty sure. ] I don't know think I could reach the higher places, and I'm sure everyone'll have anything lower down covered, too.

[goodforsomething]

[Well, as far as Stan knows he may as well be a fucking saint.]

He's the one who should've been executed all those times. Even by his own damn rules - where's his responsibility?

[goodforsomething]

Heh, don't worry about that. Saves us havin' to bend down!

[amygdalae]

[A soft hum of agreement from Bruce.]

Just because he's in charge doesn't mean he's got nothing to speak for. [If anything, he has the most to answer for. For setting this up, for forcing this upon them... for even letting this happen at all. There's a lot the Kingmaker has to talk about, that's for sure.]

[goodforsomething]

Means he's got the most to speak for, the hypocrite. Especially if he did get here by winning another game like this.

[cherryblooded]

...Sometimes it seems like I'm not good enough.

[isafraid]

[That's one power they're both capable of.]

Fine by me, absolutely. [nod!]

In the meantime, how are you holding up then?

[pokexplorer]

If he can supposedly materialize floors from nothing, then I don't see why hot tubs would be out of the question. Then again, it's him. So, who knows.

[He sure doesn't feel like making any conversation with the Kingmaker to find out.]

A window would indeed be nice... A few weeks ago, Miss Sigrun was painting sunrises and sunsets. I still miss those parts of everyday life.

[pokexplorer]

[He looks like he's giving that some good consideration.]

As I've also said in the past, there are abilities out there that are also useful for copying the forms and abilities of others, be it organic or inorganic.

I obviously cannot confirm if something like that is in play, of course, but it could very well be the work of another ability that we are not aware of.