HALO 183: The Not Remotely Gritty Reboot

[billtodamax]

Science Labs

Oh, well, good. I mean, bummer, but should help you against the disease. Nigel says, his left eye lighting up out of curiousity and taking a quick medical scan of Honeysuckle. It's not good enough to pick up on if she's infected with the meme disease (yet, he's working on something) but it should tell him if she has any mundane diseases, any problems with the physical structure of her body, and give him a vague overview of her overall health. While the scan runs he keeps talking.

Yeah, most of the blood stuff is just... like a reflection of what the thoughts are doing. Might be some sort of brain magic you could do to ward it off. Psychics are real here, right? Like mind reading, telekinesis style ones, not flipping cards and seeing the future ones. The guys in the genetics lab told him that telekinesis was a possibility but those guys didn't know their ass from their elbows so he's not about to trust them on that.

[Recaiden]

Honeysuckle giggles at that.

As for the scan, she seems to have some lung damage cause by often breathing in dust. Her balance is a little off which puts extra strain on her tails. Doesn't get enough Vitamin D. Some parts aren't acidic enough, others are too acidic. And her eyes are constantly melting and regenerating. But more or less healthy.

"Yeah, psychics are. I know a guy who sees the future too. She shrugs. "Don't know anything about brain magic myself. I'm a power engineer. Do wires, gears. But people who aren't going to get sick and go crazy are in short supply."

[Reinholdt]

Hallway

Nigel is frustratingly close to lining up a shot on Reinholdt, but every time he tries the damn cat skitters away just in time. Quit moving you damn thing... He says under his breath as Reinholdt skitters away one final time, before he notices Felandria. Ah, hello! Oh gosh... He says, looking up at her. God she's tall. Probably... - his heart sinks - probably not human. Sorry miss, do you mind awfully picking that cat up? Nigel says, holding his gun low. He used to be sapient, I'm trying to cure him.

Fel looks down to see Rein mewing at her, she giggles.

Hey, Rein.

I see we’re playing kitty today, you want food, huh?

Then she sees Nigel.

Sure, c’mere, Rein.

Fel will reach down to scoop up Rein as she hears Nigel mention the “used to be sapient, I’m trying to cure him” thing

Wait, what?

Don’t tell me he’s infected.

Uh oh.

[Hallway]

Reinholdt is excessively cute and snuggly when Fel picks him up. Lots of purrs and mews. Very loud, insistent mews and he sells his adorableness for food. He'll go right back to ignoring them all once he has food. But until then, Felandria gets meows and purrs to make up for days of aloofness. Because food. Why is there no food yet? Liquid meowing cat demands food. MEOW. FOOOOD.

[billtodamax]

Hallway

Yes, now please hold him still, I need to tranquillise him. Nigel says, lifting his gun, taking aim at Rein and - as long as the cat doesn't move and Fel doesn't get in the way - shooting him with a syringe full of a potent tranquillising agent. Also, you're not human right? He'll ask. Please be something nice like a... uh... well something nice while still being absolutely massive. There's surely something. An ent maybe. She didn't look leafy enough but you never know.

Science Labs

Jesus you're telling me. It seems like everyone in this base is some sort of animal person. They sent out the cat-guy to get the samples for god's sake! Nigel says, currently occupying a slightly confusing timeline. It's... probably after the scene in the hallway? Whatever I'll work it out later. If we can't find a human who knows about psychic junk I'll have to see if there's some alchemy that can mimic it. I'm still... pretty bad at it. He says, frowning. Plus all his textbooks seem to be operating off of ludicrous assumptions like all his crucibles need to be bronze without even telling him what the alloy percentages should be. He's determined to figure that out later.

[Recaiden]

All bronze is the same Nigel don't be ridiculous.

"Basically everyone everywhere is 'some kind of animal person'. Which is so dumb, right? I've gotta be 99.99% human, or whatever. How could it possibly pick up on that difference? Actual entire cat? Sure." Honeysuckle swishes her tails around. "But we're like, identical. Ish."
A sigh.
"Anyway, I don't think there's any psychic members here."
"Hey, what if people thought they were human? Like, even they didn't know? I don't know how we'd find them, but...Probably something interesting there, yeah?"

[billtodamax]

Science Labs

It's like... magic's more philosophy than actual science. Nigel says, clearly frustrated with it. So if you think you're human then like... you're included in the spectrum of human. Even if you're like Mirai and you got weird eyes and he's probably further from homo sapiens than you are, he still considers himself human so he counts. Hopefully Honeysuckle's met Mirai so she knows what Nigel's talking about. But like, ears and tail? That rules some stuff out. You're definitely like a... cat person, or something, not a human. Fox person? He says, momentarily derailed. Tail's floofier than a cat. That means fox, right? He should get some veterinarian textbooks in case he needs to work on them. It's worth seeing if we could mutate the disease so it worked on humans but not on like... I dunno fox people, say. Interacting with this thing is just such a pain in the ass.

[Purple Eagle]

"A... hazmat vehicle? So, like, able to roll through a nuclear wasteland inhabited by flesh-melting diseases and pools of toxic sludge without harming its occupants in any way at all? I mean... I'm good, don't get me wrong, but... I have never made anything like that before, and I'm not sure I can. It'd have to be airtight, and coated in some rare and expensive material I've not worked with to prevent it rusting. And there'd be air filtration, and probably tracks because metal's more hard wearing than rubber for tyres, filters on the engine's air intake to prevent dust clogging it, and... Lots of very complex stuff." Now she talks about it, the challenge is perking her up- but she still thinks it's at best at the very tip of her ability to create, and quite possibly beyond her.

"What, like training? I'm not a big fan of combat, Mirai. I'll fight if there's no other choice, but I'm a builder, an engineer. Not a soldier, or assassin." Which is one reason she favours a rifle; it's less personal, and she's using a piece of engineering.

Mirai & Zither's Book

"Well, that's a challenge we can tackle together." Mirai says, once she's done explaining what would be needed, unconsciously getting quite perked up as she speaks, even as she talks about how hard it'd be.

"In that case, use turrets or traps... but I understand you, babe. Now, let's clock out for the day, unless of course I'm needed here." He says, pulling her for a cuddle while they lay on the bed, perhaps until they drift off or something.

((Scene end... for now))

[Felandria]

[Hallway]

Reinholdt is excessively cute and snuggly when Fel picks him up. Lots of purrs and mews. Very loud, insistent mews and he sells his adorableness for food. He'll go right back to ignoring them all once he has food. But until then, Felandria gets meows and purrs to make up for days of aloofness. Because food. Why is there no food yet? Liquid meowing cat demands food. MEOW. FOOOOD.

Hallway

Yes, now please hold him still, I need to tranquillise him. Nigel says, lifting his gun, taking aim at Rein and - as long as the cat doesn't move and Fel doesn't get in the way - shooting him with a syringe full of a potent tranquillising agent. Also, you're not human right? He'll ask. Please be something nice like a... uh... well something nice while still being absolutely massive. There's surely something. An ent maybe. She didn't look leafy enough but you never know.

Fel will give Rein a snuggle while holding him as still as possible to give Nigel a good shot.

Nope, not human.

Half elf, half god.

Why?

[Reinholdt]

[Hallway]

Of course Reinholdt moves when Nigel approaches! Or tries to. His squirming is defeated by squishing and Felandria holds him in place. Stop squishing the cat!

Reinholdt meows his displeasure and thoroughly hiss growls at Nigel. For a while. Whoo boy, he sure is feeling sleepy all of a sudden. Guess he'll just... Close his eyes.... Zzzzzzz.

[billtodamax]

Hallway

Nigel breathes out slowly, moving toward Fel to take Reinholdt from her. Alright, one problem down. Is that um... friendly Jesus god or blood sacrifices Nahuatl sorta god. Nigel says, running some possibilities through his head. How quickly could he get a chicken if he really needed to? Oh hell she was an elf too right? And presumably that's not the Santa sorta elf right? He asks, frowning. Just cause Reinholdt here's infected and he's probably infected you given that he was meowing up a storm there. Only takes seeing or hearing one of the infected. So it's just, y'know, one more problem to deal with. No offence. He adds quickly.

[Felandria]

Hallway

Fel very reluctantly gives Reinholdt over to Nigel, he so cute right now.

Then she sighs.

Neither.

Zeus is my father.

And no, not Santa elf, Arwen elf.

Not gonna lie, me getting infected is not ideal.

Does this mean you are as well?

[billtodamax]

Hallway - Brain Scan

Nigel manoeuvres Rein so that he's resting on one of his arms, pulling a medical scanner from his pocket and double-checking that the sedative isn't processing too fast. He'll top up the dose if necessary before addressing Fel. Ok so aloof forest person or offerings, animal sacrifice, and olympics. Nigel says, thinking to himself. Uh, no, humans can't get infected. It was made by a bunch of humans apparently. Sorry can you come with me to the labs? He says, starting to move that way. Maybe we can turn one of the spare viro labs into a temple real quick - If I locked you in you couldn't like teleport out or anything right? He asks, turning around and walking backwards.

[Felandria]

Hallway - Brain Scan

Nigel manoeuvres Rein so that he's resting on one of his arms, pulling a medical scanner from his pocket and double-checking that the sedative isn't processing too fast. He'll top up the dose if necessary before addressing Fel. Ok so aloof forest person or offerings, animal sacrifice, and olympics. Nigel says, thinking to himself. Uh, no, humans can't get infected. It was made by a bunch of humans apparently. Sorry can you come with me to the labs? He says, starting to move that way. Maybe we can turn one of the spare viro labs into a temple real quick - If I locked you in you couldn't like teleport out or anything right? He asks, turning around and walking backwards.

Fel considers the question for a moment as she follows Nigel.

No, I couldn’t teleport out.

[billtodamax]

Brain Scan

Nigel cracks the door to the labs once they get there, leading the way over to an mri machine as he keeps talking. Good, we'll keep you in... oh, you mean you'll just smash out huh. Nigel says, his brain catching up with his mouth. Better just keep the door open then. He says, looking around the room for his alchemical supplies. He should still have some of that ink somewhere...

[Felandria]

Brain Scan

Nigel cracks the door to the labs once they get there, leading the way over to an mri machine as he keeps talking. Good, we'll keep you in... oh, you mean you'll just smash out huh. Nigel says, his brain catching up with his mouth. Better just keep the door open then. He says, looking around the room for his alchemical supplies. He should still have some of that ink somewhere...

Fel takes a seat near the mri.

Where do you need me, Doc?

[billtodamax]

Brain Scan

I guess there's fine for now? Nigel says, picking up a vial of ink and a headband and beginning to scrawl alchemical runes around the perimeter. If fel has studied much alchemy she'll see they're fairly basic runes of stasis and trapping. Just gimme a yell if you see Reinholdt start twitching or waking up. I'll get him in the mri then we can see about getting you a temple set up. Oh actually is there like a pot plant somewhere? I dunno if that'll help your elf side much but it's hard underwater, y'know? Hopefully Nigel has enough time to finish the headband, slip it on rein, and start running the mri before Fel starts hallucinating or getting paranoid. The disease has taken a frustratingly variable amount of time to progress from all the reports he's received so far.

[Felandria]

Brain Scan

I guess there's fine for now? Nigel says, picking up a vial of ink and a headband and beginning to scrawl alchemical runes around the perimeter. If fel has studied much alchemy she'll see they're fairly basic runes of stasis and trapping. Just gimme a yell if you see Reinholdt start twitching or waking up. I'll get him in the mri then we can see about getting you a temple set up. Oh actually is there like a pot plant somewhere? I dunno if that'll help your elf side much but it's hard underwater, y'know? Hopefully Nigel has enough time to finish the headband, slip it on rein, and start running the mri before Fel starts hallucinating or getting paranoid. The disease has taken a frustratingly variable amount of time to progress from all the reports he's received so far.

A temple?

Whats a temple for?

Worshippers?

[billtodamax]

Brain Scan

Nigel finishes hurrying around the lab, getting Rein ready for the mri, making sure there's still enough sedative in him. Then he fires up the machine while he responds to Fel. It'll take a while to get the results. Uh, yeah, hopefully if you're in a temple you'll be happy enough not to breach quarantine. We'll get a picture of you or something in there for me to pray to I guess. Right, there was uh... that issue. Nigel seems a bit taken aback by what he's saying, letting out a slow sigh as he double checks the computer, before dragging a chair in front of Fel and sitting down. So, you're not messing with me or anything, right? You really are a god? He's struck by a thought, derailing him slightly. Or um, you really believe yourself to be a god? Like you've seen enough evidence for yourself? Cause if you're actually like a half-ogre or something - no offence, you look great - that's my life on the line, right? I don't wanna be setting up a makeshift temple one second then getting my arm torn out of my socket the next, ok? He's staring her dead in the eyes as he talks, trying to convey how serious this could be. It's all fun and games when a kitty's infected, not so much when it's someone like Felandria.

[Recaiden]

It's like... magic's more philosophy than actual science. Nigel says, clearly frustrated with it. So if you think you're human then like... you're included in the spectrum of human. Even if you're like Mirai and you got weird eyes and he's probably further from homo sapiens than you are, he still considers himself human so he counts. Hopefully Honeysuckle's met Mirai so she knows what Nigel's talking about. But like, ears and tail? That rules some stuff out. You're definitely like a... cat person, or something, not a human. Fox person? He says, momentarily derailed. Tail's floofier than a cat. That means fox, right? He should get some veterinarian textbooks in case he needs to work on them. It's worth seeing if we could mutate the disease so it worked on humans but not on like... I dunno fox people, say. Interacting with this thing is just such a pain in the ass.

Honeysuckle doesn't know who or what that person is, but I think the point still comes across.
Cat? CAT?!
Well, she can just correct him by continuing on. This is too serious to get mad. He probably doesn't meet a lot of animals, this Nigel. And she's heard that most foxes are brighter-colored.
"Ain't no rule that a fox can't be a human. 's all imaginary, those philosophical differences. So if I say... say I'm a fox human... Everyone's got their differences, right?" Honeysuckle nods to herself.

"Should try thinking different things about it and see if it changes. Doesn't just infect psychics, right? Normal thinking's gotta affect it too."
She thinks about humans. Ugh. If only this disease paid attention to chemistry like things should.

[Felandria]

Brain Scan

Nigel finishes hurrying around the lab, getting Rein ready for the mri, making sure there's still enough sedative in him. Then he fires up the machine while he responds to Fel. It'll take a while to get the results. Uh, yeah, hopefully if you're in a temple you'll be happy enough not to breach quarantine. We'll get a picture of you or something in there for me to pray to I guess. Right, there was uh... that issue. Nigel seems a bit taken aback by what he's saying, letting out a slow sigh as he double checks the computer, before dragging a chair in front of Fel and sitting down. So, you're not messing with me or anything, right? You really are a god? He's struck by a thought, derailing him slightly. Or um, you really believe yourself to be a god? Like you've seen enough evidence for yourself? Cause if you're actually like a half-ogre or something - no offence, you look great - that's my life on the line, right? I don't wanna be setting up a makeshift temple one second then getting my arm torn out of my socket the next, ok? He's staring her dead in the eyes as he talks, trying to convey how serious this could be. It's all fun and games when a kitty's infected, not so much when it's someone like Felandria.

Fel crouches down to meet Nigel’s eyes.

I am not messing with you.

My mother is an elf, my father is Zeus, he told me himself, believe me, he’s not one to lay claim to fathering any children he did not father.

You need to find a cure.

Because if I go haywire, you will not be able to stop me without a cure.

If what you say about this disease is true, it may be the very thing to ascend me to true godhood, and this is definitely not the way I would want that to happen.

And I am going to do everything In my power to keep myself in check, and if you think setting up a temple is going to help, then do so.

Trust me, I am more worried about me than you are, I know that I am benevolent, but I really don’t know if this disease will keep me that way.

[billtodamax]

Science Labs

Well I mean there's like an actual biological definition, but I'm pretty sure this disease doesn't care about that either? I mean this is speculation at this point, but if it works like how alchemy does then all the uh... the thinking differently isn't gonna help, it's more like your internal subconscious interpretation of yourself. Nigel shrugs. Magic. It's basically nonsense. He pauses, looking back at the sugar cube. So if you're blind what do those goggles actually uh.. do?

Brain Scan

Great! Same page then. Nigel says, standing up and looking around. Probably should hammer this all out now then - how do you wanna be worshipped? Offerings, nightly prayers, what? That room'd do. He heads over to an unused lab, opening up the airlock and stepping inside, waiting for Fel. I dunno if I'm gonna be able to do statues or anything any time soon but we can get like... a picture. Do you have any commandments? Oh, god, sorry where are my manners. I'm Nigel, by the way. Nigel does not know Felandria's name! If he's gonna worship someone he probably should get that.

[Recaiden]

"Definitely doesn't care about that either." The normal biological definition of human includes Honeysuckle. But that definition surely breaks down a lot in a fantasy land of magical crossbreeds. "Changing subconscious sounds harder. Maybe possible for people with less severe symptoms to subconscious their way out of being sick, though. That's why we should test it, so-"

Honesuckle brightens up a good bit when asked about her goggles with their gears and springs and overlapping plates. Better than how stupid magic is (which is a lot).
"These? Well. Stop things from being in front of my eyes, but also lets me put things in front of them really precisely. Could show you sometime less busy."

[billtodamax]

Science Labs

...things? Nigel asks. Like... what, lenses? Wait, you're blind... What on earth would you need to keep in front of your eyes... Is it like... medical? Sorry, sorry getting distracted. He says, pre-empting her answers. Did you need any other help with equipment, or anything?

[Recaiden]

"Huh? No, it's to protect stuff. From-you're right, not the time. Let's see..."

Honeysuckle grabs a microscope slide with a smear of blood on it and offers it to Nigel.
"Hold this and think about, uh, lizards. For a good minute or so."
"And what are you doing when you're done here?"

[billtodamax]

Science Labs

Sure thing. Nigel says, taking the slide and remembering a fun gif he saw where a lizard chased after a ball like a dog. It makes it kinda hard to also remember what he wanted to do after he was finished up at HALO but he tries. Uh... There was a uh... Scampering his little lizard legs on the hardwood hahahaha. A bar called the Dancing Fox Inn? I was gonna see if their drinks were any better than the den's. He says, imagining the lizard trying a wine in whatever an inn looks like. The Inn part just refers to the rooms upstairs right? It's probably just a regular bar on the ground floor that works. Maybe a happy fox on the sign outside.

[Recaiden]

Nigel, you're getting distracted. Think of a lizard-themed pub!

"Hmm. I'm not getting any change at all. Probably you're right about the subconscious of the infected person."
"Keep up with the lizard thoughts for a few minutes!" Honeysuckle instructs.

"Dancing Fox? Yeah, it's pretty okay."

[billtodamax]

Science Labs

Right, right, more lizard thoughts. Uh... being cold blooded, eating flies. Are chameleons lizards? Yeah probably right? Changing colours. Laying eggs? Does it matter that that's only girl lizards? Lying in the sun getting warm. That actually sounds dope now that he thinks about it. Is this enough lizard thinking? Honeysuckle isn't looking at him but I guess she wouldn't, right?

Hopefully they do a good G&T Nigel says distractedly. Honeysuckle this is hard! Getting anything?

[Felandria]

Brain Scan

Great! Same page then. Nigel says, standing up and looking around. Probably should hammer this all out now then - how do you wanna be worshipped? Offerings, nightly prayers, what? That room'd do. He heads over to an unused lab, opening up the airlock and stepping inside, waiting for Fel. I dunno if I'm gonna be able to do statues or anything any time soon but we can get like... a picture. Do you have any commandments? Oh, god, sorry where are my manners. I'm Nigel, by the way. Nigel does not know Felandria's name! If he's gonna worship someone he probably should get that.

Well, offerings sound nice, I do like to be pampered.

Mostly I would just want people to know in their heart that I love them and for that love to be reciprocated.

.....

I’m Felandria, kinda in charge around here.

Honestly a little bummed you didn’t know that.

- - - Updated - - -

[Felandria's Office]

"So you're part-deity because your father is a deity," Dorota summarizes. "I've heard about divinity being hereditary before. I don't know if it's ever happened in my homeland. Officially, it's not supposed to. But it's not just hereditary, because you had to be aware of it. That's curious."

Yeah, I know it sounds weird, but I guess it’s because divinity knows to wait until someone is ready before presenting itself.

And if you don’t know you’re a demigod, probably best for it not to manifest beforehand.

Any other questions I can help with?

[billtodamax]

Brain Scan

Sorry! New here. Nigel throws his hands up to protest his innocence. Mirai told me the cat was in charge. He says, jerking his thumb back towards the mri machine. Anyway, offerings I can do. Reciprocal love might not be the sort of thing we can cultivate over a day but I'll see what I can do. Anything your dad wanted from worship that might get passed onto you when the disease starts progressing? He asks, cycling the airlock and heading into the lab. I dunno what a temple looks like. He says, taking a permanent marker out of his bag and looking around. He sits a chair in the middle of the room, writes Felandria on it, and sits it down. Man this is... not a great start.

[Recaiden]

It's hard to tell if chameleons are really lizards or just in disguise as them.

"No change, but that's probably enough. Probably just the thoughts of the infected person have an effect."
Honeysuckle frowns, but she really didn't expect this to work. It just had to be ruled out.
She'll reach over and take the slide back, throwing it in a heap to be cleaned off later.

"Yeah. Not too heavy on the tonic like some places."