text; @majimagoro

[hikae]

Following up on Stargirl's question, here's the answer. The Embera are edible, taste like burnt chicken, kind of chewy— not much different from how reptiles usually do. That's not on itself the biggest revelation tho. Remember how they're warned about their fire-hot venom? How lethal they are?

It's just plain wrong. These sad noodles don't even have venom sacks or anything of that sort! Their bite is just that, a bite. Also, I'm pretty sure I don't have any secret resistances to poison, I'm as a regular human as I can get.

So here is a helpful guide for yer own snake dinner: Burn down something and bait them with ash, they'll slither over. They're pretty docile, but they will bite and stab if threatened, so it's better to hunt them from at least a little distance. Right, it's their tail that's their main weapon, there's a sharp blade-like bone at the end of it.

If ya wanna hints on how to prepare them on yer own in a variety of ways, just ask Zhao. Snake on the stick is possibly the easiest, tho. Making a snake soup could feed more people at once. Tho we can't all just gather for one big picnic, that could blow our cover— still, we got a few done, and ready, just let us know where you are and we can arrange a snack delivery.

—I can't stop wondering why they have such a bad reputation among the locals. If they experience Embera's bites like they describe them, then— everything is just making less and less sense.

Comments

[hikae]

Huh. Alright. Mission log updated: find a sturdy basket.

[firstroar]

Is there somewhere I should meet you to be a bit more discreet? Since these creatures frighten the people.

[hikae]

I could sneak into yer room at night. Even if someone notices just play it off as an affair.

[firstroar]

[like a what?

...

oh.]

Very well. I will forewarn Yzak.

text > action

[hikae]

o7

[ That's a salute emoji, right?

And TRUE TO HIS WORD, Majima does the whole performance of sneaking, climbing, with a basket. Very pro. Much on the roof. And then— ]

Yo, which window is yers? [ He sends the audio message directed to Blue. ]

[firstroar]

Majima...?

[the answer, of course, comes by way of telepathy. Blue stirs, getting out of bed and moving over to the window, sliding it open to stick his head out and look around...

and up...? his presence is coming from above?]

Are you...on the roof?

[hikae]

That's right— oh I think I gotchya

[ The sound of the opening window, the brief sight of mop of hair? Yep, that's it. Majima slinks to the edge nearby and makes a shh sound— which is pointless since they're talking in their minds anyway. Either via communicators or Blue's powers. ]

Incoming'

[ He adds on that line, before he starts to climb down to the window ]

[firstroar]

[Blue backs away, giving Majima the room he needs to climb down and inside, his worry quelled mostly by how confident he seems in doing this while carrying a live snake in a basket.]

Majima... What were you doing on the roof?

[hikae]

[ The basket is roped shut! Besides, snake doesn't weigh much. It's all good 👌👌👌 he's totally not channelling his inner monkey ]

Forgot to ask where exactly is yer room— plus, if someone was to notice, it's easy to excuse as being a secret visit

[ He lowers himself to the window and enters the room— briefly hitting the edge of the window with the basket, which causes him to make a squeaky, panicked sound. But fortunately, it's secured well enough and doesn't fall out. The Embera inside it slithers audibly in panic, upon being woken up in closed space ]

Oops— everythin's under control.

[firstroar]

[the panic runoff keeps Blue tense and wide-eyed, and he can't help but doubt that everything is, in fact, under control. moreover...]

It's...frightened...

[panic turns to genuine surprise and fascination as his eyes move toward the basket.]

I can sense it. The consciousness in there...!

[hikae]

[ Majima freezes, just for a few seconds! When he shakes that off he puts the basket, so carefully onto the floor, and squats next to it. Making no move to open it just yet. ]

Woah, that's great! Means all yer powers are in order! [ He beams. Of course, there's another thing, aka, what does it mean in the context of— well, the locals. But celebrations first. ]

[firstroar]

[that conclusion gives Blue almost as much pause as acknowledging the snake at all. for him, the reason was to confirm if there was anything else that felt real, but...the matter of whether or not it was him addled and out of sorts was secondary in his mind.

but when Majima says it...]

...That's true. I could've simply...been functioning with what I understood already, not...what was right in front of me. [after all, the only ones he can sense are the people he'd been spending weeks with on a station.

slowly, he settles on his knees opposite Majima and the basket.]

Either way, this means there really is something amiss with these townsfolk subconsciously. They may not actually be real at all. Even their domesticated creatures feel vacant...

[hikae]

It's eerie ain't it? The more we interact with 'em the weirder it gets. [ They're off. Question them too much, delve into some topics and even someone with no powers and magic whatsoever can see that.

He taps the basket absentmindedly ]

Did ya know these fellows are apparently makin' trips to town?

[firstroar]

[Blue's eyes wince a little after the tap, feeling a fresh wave of agitation from the creature inside. careful, Majima...]

Trips...? What do you mean?

[hikae]

[ Ooopps... ]

Marks were found indicating they were headin' to town. [ He's just going to forward what was recently linked to him, after a brief moment of focus. He's getting hang of this! ] Back when we still thought them to be, ya know, venomous.

[firstroar]

...

[Blue quietly mulls on this new information given, gaze downcast on the basket. unfortunately, the animal within, while perceptible, doesn't think as a person would, doesn't have that language for Blue to understand, so he can't simply ask the beast what would draw it here.]

But they are...hazardous to these townspeople... [he looks back to Majima to confirm.] Yes?

[hikae]

Yeah— The Doc confirmed that just enough. I looked for the affected Miner and turns out not only did he die, but his body was also gone—

[ Everyone is made of ash and snakes are eating them imagery returns. It's like a horror movie. Not the fun kind though. ]

Makes imagination run wild, eh?

[firstroar]

Running toward...unpleasant conclusions, yes. [Blue brings a hand to his face, covering his mouth as he thinks a bit on this.

after a beat, with his hand settling under his chin:] I wonder if these creatures are as trapped as we are? Or...are able to pierce that peculiar veil shrouding this town from the rest of the world.

[hikae]

I wouldn't be surprised if they were— it's all too easy to bait ones in the mines with food.

[ Which means they haven't been eating well, and yet they're still there. ]

[firstroar]

[in that vein...Blue pities the beasts. they likely have no blame in the circumstances of this happening, merely victims in the wrong place and wrong time.

ain't that just the way.]

...If these people...truly aren't people... Then it wouldn't be wrong to let this snake find sustenance among them. [...] But the notion...is horrid.

[hikae]

[ Because what if they are people, and they just don't understand what changed them? So many things could go wrong—

Majima chuckles as he shoved these thoughts away. It's been grim enough so instead he voices what caused that chuckle— ]

Well, I bet if we let out even just this one lil' baby on the street there would be chaos to behold.

[firstroar]

[frowning:] Indeed... But I don't know...if the disruption would be in our favor or not. [despite that...he's kind of anxious to see a drastic change in this simulation.]

[hikae]

It's not like anythin' happens here.

[ Majima's been itching to do something, anything, to shake the status quo. But he wasn't stupid enough to just fly off with it. (Maybe he damn should, he ponders sometimes)

He shakes his head ]

Whatever— Do ya want to keep the noodle?

[firstroar]

No. [he looks back to the basket.] I don't know...anything about animal care as it is. Best it returns to its kin...unless others have an idea...of how to use them.

[hikae]

Well, we've started eatin' them—

[ He grimaces ]

But by yer merciful decree, I'm gonna let this one back into the wilds. [ Then addresses the Embera ] See? A scary ride but lady luck smiles at ya.