[Day 2, Night - Back at the Inns]

[nyanotech]

[ In ones and twos and groups of a few more, the cheerily victorious and the creature's not so cheery victims make it back to the central square and the inns there.

A few in particular are well-splashed with black slime. ]

Baths, baths~ ♪

So, whose place are we going to?

Comments

[direstnews]

[Lets her, tracking the movement with a slightly quizzical look.]

Does it afflict only those who were touched directly?

I must admit, I was not at my most observational when we made our return.

[nyanotech]

Only those touched directly, and only while there was life still in it.

In all cases, it was a short period of heavy, direct, personal trauma, followed by withdrawal, severe drop in energy, and a lingering feeling of loss. As if in sorting through your memories, it pulled something out.

I don't know if any humans were affected, but regardless of species or composition, it seemed to hit all the rest equally.

[direstnews]

[Sssstills when you mention it sifting through memories and pulling something out.]

Did you mark any physical differences?

[nyanotech]

[Sorts through drawers until she finds a tea towel, draping it over his head.]

Aside from the energy drain? None.

How are you feeling about that now?

[direstnews]

[Reaches up with one hand and begins rubbing his hair dry.]

Peculiar. It's not an entirely pleasant sensation.

[nyanotech]

Any pains? Lingering sense of weakness, or loss? Does your chest hurt at all?

[direstnews]

There's no pain to speak of, though a nagging sense of displacement remains. Of loss.

[He touches his free hand absently to his chest.]

[nyanotech]

[Takes over drying his hair, squeezing the water out in small, bunched handfuls.]

That's better and worse than I thought.

[direstnews]

What was it that you expected?

[Is it the same thing I'm expecting?]

[nyanotech]

Better because it's not Astral drain.

Worse because if it's not that, I don't know what it is.

[direstnews]

What manner of thing is Astral drain?

[nyanotech]

Astral is the energy inherent in life. it's what makes up your 'soul'.

Loss of astral leads to periods of increased physical weakness, and eventually, if it's severe, premature death.

[direstnews]

[Checks his hair and discovers it only damp, then reaches to take the towel back.]

Is it common, this affliction?

[nyanotech]

Only when dealing with things in summoning circles.

[direstnews]

[Going to use the damp towel to wipe off most of the rest of the gloop.]

...I didn't mean any harm. Truly.

[nyanotech]

I know you didn't.

You're worried, and impatient, and relying on other people—trusting them—it's hard for you, isn't it?

[direstnews]

Generally, it's the other way around.

[nyanotech]

Does a place like this really fit under 'generally'?

[direstnews]

I suppose it doesn't, at that.

[nyanotech]

Then we're back to it being hard for you, and not the other way around.

[direstnews]

Words come easily, but you can scarce speak for every person here.

[nyanotech]

That's true.

But neither can you.

[direstnews]

[Towels off the rest of the large clumps of gloop and folds up the towel so that the gloop's in the middle.]

Best to see what what comes from the mouths of those who would say anything at all, then.

[nyanotech]

[Ewwwww.

Takes the towel, dumping it in the sink with the rest of the laundry and running water over the lot.]

Ad in the meantime, bathtime!

[direstnews]

It can wait a moment longer.

[I want to be here for the puppet discussion. >.>]