MMBN RP - and what good did sacrificing the lamb even do?

@Ijuuin Enzan & @snoruntpyro & @puppy_parade

Pen took a deep breath, and rocked back on her heels. She shook out her hands, standing at the front door to Triese’s home. All she had to do was talk the girl through this. Laika had done it for her… she had to return the favor. “Okay… let’s do this,” she whispered. “Ready, Rockman? Role?” Role appeared on Pen’s shoulder, nodding her head in one sharp motion. ”Ready!” Pen lifted her hand, drawing a finger down the back of Role’s hologram. Her soft voice would be very helpful here.

12:27 AM

@puppy_parade

Rockman was- in a word, anxious. Role was equipped for this sort of thing. Rockman, on the other hand, was a service-battle-companion-everyman Navi. He was a true jack of all trades- and even moreso with this. He could remember the wireframe of Enzan seizing, worrying, paranoia in his voice as Rockman's was still damaged. He wasn't much help then. He trusted in Netto, trusted he could help- but what really could they do? (What, really, could he do?) No time like the present. He also appeared as a little hologram on Pen's other shoulder, trying his best to look a bit confident about the whole thing. As they entered Triese's home, he first took in all of the...fish. He supposed the Aqua Needle Lover was apt. He hoped she could still hold onto herself, and her hobbies, once this was all over. @snoruntpyro

Lan's energy had been completely sapped by the tumultuous events of the days prior. The rescue was horrible enough - but the aftershocks of it all were just as, if not more exhausting to her. She took no pleasure in pinning Triese down whenever she had those awful freakouts, or those anxiety attacks, or those moments where she had that disturbing glassy stare. And that was topped with the chatroom still being filled with the same unpleasant scumbags that had put Triese in this state in the first place. The doorbell scared the absolute hell out of her - Mr. Abysa wasn't due to come home for another two days, so who else would be waiting for her? Another kidnapper? Well, her guard was up - and Lurerre insisted she check the door, so she might as well. She was taken aback when, at the door, there was a woman she didn't recognize - with two holograms of Navis on her shoulders. Lan immediately stepped backward and clutched her fists close to her chest, preparing to bolt. "Hey, who are-?!" "Lan, calm down!" Lurerre lectured, having jumped to Lan's PET to check the door. "I- I asked for help from the other Lan's world. To check on Triese's condition." Lan froze up. Her initial reaction was a sigh of relief - then a grimace in pain when she realized what Lurerre meant, then back to relief when she realized she was way too tired to care. "O-oh," she stammered. "Um. Hi. I'm Lan." Awkward silence. "I can, uh, take you to where Triese is resting, now."

11:52 PM

@Ijuuin Enzan

“Hello, Netto-kun,” Pen said, bowing her head to the young girl. This was an unusual circumstance— she had to make sure she didn’t treat her like a kid. “My name is Penelope Novella.” She extended a hand in greeting— she didn’t want to dive right in, not when this girl was taking such close care of her friend. She needed to show she was a safe person. “I’m not a nurse, but I’ve been treated for this… condition before, and I’ve helped others through it. Thank you for allowing me in.” Pen followed Lan’s lead, sticking a few steps behind her. Disturbing the routine or comfort of the space here was something she wanted to avoid at all costs. She offered Rockman that same comforting finger she’d given Role, a soothing up and down motion.

1:03 AM

@puppy_parade

Rockman looked extremely awkward in front of everyone. He adverted his eyes when Lan got scared of them, hoping Pen would just- smooth it right over. And did he even want to see Triese? Wasn't this all his fault? Didn't he send her to the slaughter, didn't he have a hand in her beheading? But he was starting to see why Netto sent him here. Lan was familiar in her own way. "Pen can help. She's trustworthy," he says, though he feels sort of stupid for it, as they follow Lan to Triese's room. "...for what it's worth, I guess." @snoruntpyro

"U-um. Hi," Lan stuttered, waving her hand back at Pen. She did seem nice, at least - she was particularly thankful that this was no one she recognized. That- that other Megaman was here, too - oh no, I upset him the other day, I- Getting them to Triese was more important. They- they probably did need help, like Lurerre said. Lan led Pen up the stairs of the spacious Abysa household, their steps echoing around the tall ceilings as they turned the corner to Triese's room. It was a relatively spacious room, lined with a blue wallpaper dotted with fish; there was a fishtank in the corner of the room, and a large collection of Battle Chips strewn about the desk on the far side. (Lan had taken the liberty of picking them off the floor for her own sanity.) Triese was situated in a bed that was maybe a little too big for a teenager - she was wrapped up in heavy sheets and pillows, laying on her side. She perked up a little when Lan returned - with a polite-looking stranger in tow. "Oh! Oh! Hi," she said, her voice a little weak. Her face was visibly a little paler than normal. "Triese, this is Ms. Novella. She's... she'll help with your sickness, I'm sure," Lurerre said. Triese was still trying - and failing - to convince herself that her kidnapping wasn't real, so simply acknowledging her state as a "sickness" was the safest bet. Pen would simply be a "doctor" to her, and hopefully she wouldn't freak out.

“Hi Triese, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” Pen said, with all the warmth of someone accustomed to working with children and the elderly. Kind, without judgement or condescension. “Thank you for your help, Lan, Lurerre,” Pen said, as she sat down on the ground beside Triese’s bed. “Is there any way we could get a treat in here? Do you have a favorite sweet, Triese?” Something sweet was always a good start.

8:30 PM

@puppy_parade

"Um! Thank you," Triese replied. She scooted around and sat herself up to get a better look at Pen - ugh, the blood's rushing to my head- and genuinely had to ponder her question. She liked a lot of candies, so it was kind of hard to pick a favorite. What was she hungry for right now? What was she- NO NO NO I NEED- a little bit of saliva dripped from her lips as she shuddered. "Um! There should be some candy downstairs. My favorite's like... those big gummy shark things! Do you know what those look like?" She was trying her best to look cheerful, but there was a feeling stained on her heart that was attempting to pull her somewhere else. She- she couldn't, right now. There was. A guest. She had. To be. Normal. "Oh, yes. The candy should be in the cabinet in the kitchen," Lurerre recounted. "Lan could go get it, if you'd like...?" (Lan was a little incredulous at being volunteered for this.)

“Lan-chan~ would that be okay? I think it’d be helpful right now,” Pen hummed, smiling over the face Lan made. She folded her hands in her lap, already practicing a slow, steady breathing technique. “Then while Lan’s doing that, I’d just like to talk with you a bit, yeah? So I can help you best,” Pen said, looking right at Triese. She saw the uncontrolled reaction from her mouth— recognized it, even. Her own reaction had been a little like that, before being dosed. The darkness sang such a sweet tune, drawing you in… Pen’s fingers flexed and twisted and tapped against each other, a nonsense rhythm to keep herself grounded. “First, Rock and I would like to know how you’re feeling,” Pen murmured. “We’ve been sick like this before, and we know how awful it can feel.” (edited)

"...Sure," Lan relented, grabbing her PET and heading downstairs. That left Triese alone, which spiked her anxiety ever-so-slightly. "Oh. You've... also been sick?" Triese questioned. Of course other people had been sick - everyone got sick, that's why she was sick. But she was sick in a specific way, and it probably had something to do with that awful dream she had. She didn't want to think about that - but she also really wanted to feel better. How was she going to be honest? She averted her eyes and shuffled under her sheets. "Um. I'm... okay," she explained. "I've been... really tired today. I have a bit of a headache... and sometimes, uh, my vision gets a little dark. Is that bad...?"

“What happened to get you sick is bad,” Pen said gently. She stilled her hands, trying to focus entirely on Triese. “But those symptoms are normal, with recovery. I… couldn’t see at all for a while at first, and it came back slowly over time. Back when I was sick, I had a friend sit by me too. I’d like to do that for you— to help your friend Lan out. I know she’s been sticking by your side, right?” Pen brightened at that. Sweets, and good company— those were such important first steps. No one should have to wander the dark alone. “Just you talking to me like this is a really good sign,” Pen added.

"U-um. Yeah. She has," Triese responded. Her voice- her presence, it was so nice and soothing. It reminded her of how Lurerre spoke to her when she was little - when she needed guidance like this. Lurerre noticed Triese's apprehension, and chimed in to elaborate. "Lan has been staying the nights while we wait for Lady Triese's recovery," she explained. "Her father is currently on a business trip, and..." She paused, holding her head low. "...We're hoping the symptoms can be under control before he comes back. So... he never has to know," she continued, speaking much more quietly, as if she didn't want Triese to hear it. "I'm. Um, glad," Triese continued. At least there were good signs. "How... long were you sick?"

“Well… it’s a little hard to answer that…” Pen looked to Role for help. ”The major symptoms only lasted a day or two. Another friend of ours they lasted weeks, but he was… much more vulnerable,” Role said. Her voice was lower than Pen’s, a rolling ocean of sound. “It impacted my mindset for a while longer afterwards, but that was something I could still function with,” Pen said. “It sucks, but you’re not gonna feel like this forever.” Pen took a deep breath, waiting for the other two to take that in. “When your vision goes dark… do you feel anything else, Triese? It’s okay to tell me, whatever it is. This is a no judgement zone.”

"Oh. That's good!" Triese exclaimed - the prognosis was rather optimistic! Thank goodness this wouldn't be forever, and Pen's Navi was so polite about it. She'd be back to normal in no time, and Dad- Dad would never have to know. ...What did she feel? When those dark blotches returned to her vision, and took her back to that awful dream. There was... the shadow of a warmth, intense fear, intense satisfaction, an intense desire for power- "I- um. It depends," she explained. "Sometimes, I get... really scared. Like there's something that'll... reach out and grab me. But then, there's other times when it feels nice, and I just... want... something, and I don't know what it is..." She needed it. She NEEDED it. The lovely allure of that dark liquid going down her throat, filling her heart, and- -a drip of saliva fell from her mouth and onto her bedsheets.

“It’s a bad dream, right?” Pen asked, her tone shifting to more wistful and sad. She understood it... she remembered the hands on her throat. Pen closed her eyes as it came back to her. “A nightmare that you can’t leave, or a hunger you can’t fill?” Pen hummed, trying to formulate exactly the right words for this. She sat with her own feelings, turning over those moments within herself. “Have you ever felt it grab you?” Pen asked. It might not. Laika had thought that shorter exposure meant it might not have a voice yet. Her eyes opened… Triese’s lack of control was growing more obvious. Was this fully her—? The biggest disadvantage Pen had right now was her unfamiliarity with Triese’s personality. Lan would have to help. “I had to… listen really closely to that dream. It requires being really brave, but you won’t have to do it alone. I’m gonna stay right here, and Lan is gonna be nearby too.”

10:30 PM

@snoruntpyro

"I... have to listen to it? What do you mean?" Triese inquired. That seemed like... such a bad idea. The dream wanted something out of her, wanted to drag her down and convince her that everything she hated could hurt her all over again. She- she knew that wasn't true, she didn't want to believe it. "I- I know that, um," she stammered. "When I was dreaming the first time, something grabbed me. It... tore into me, like I was... a gel, or a cake, or something. Easy and... soft. And that feeling hasn't really... left me." Her eyes were empty - she was obviously remembering something more specific, but she couldn't put it into words. The- the visions, the memories- were way too intense. Lan was here, too. Lan would be here. Lan would protect her. They- they would be- friends. forever. (Her breathing intensified.)

She was entering it, as Pen knew she would. Pen took a slow, deep breath to counter Triese’s fervor. “Try to keep it slow with me. These details are really helpful,” Pen murmured. That was a small difference, but it had been different for Laika too. Pen’s void black versus Laika’s stark white verses Enzan’s blinding red. “These scary feelings… they are a part of us,” Pen explained slowly. “They came from somewhere, deep within… and that means we need to listen, and move through the feelings. Listen, refute… and control. I can’t tell you exactly how to do that… but the more mysterious it is, the more power it holds. The more we tamp it down, the stronger it gets.”

10:51 PM

@snoruntpyro

Rockman didn't like it. Rockman didn't want to be here and he didn't want to comfort this girl, not because he didn't- not- His head hurt. But he forced himself to keep staring at Triese anyway, perched on Pen's shoulder, anxiety muffled for his thousand-yard stare. Something grabbed me and tore into me, like gel or cake - or data, Rockman thought, her words echoing, And that feeling hasn't left me, and it'll never leave you, it'll never leave all of us, he's marked all of us forever and ever and- No. Rockman was perscribing meaning where there wasn't. She was describing the process of getting dosed with REDACTED . Not what he had gone through. It wasn't the same. Couldn't be the same. @snoruntpyro

"Slow. Okay," Triese breathed. In and out. Lurerre kept a close eye on her, watching her pace - each breath was laborious, but she was... stable, at least. She wasn't freaking out- not yet. She just had to keep breathing at a steady pace. She wasn't quite sure where to start with following Pen's advice - she guessed that she had to listen to those scary feelings to conquer them, then. She... couldn't ignore them forever. Otherwise, she'd just keep being sick forever. Triese remembered that fear. She had to listen to it - not ignore it. The fear welled in her heart - she was scared of being some place that she shouldn't be. Ah, right - the dream had taken her to the Net, where... someone was waiting for her. Her friend. Her friend wanted to reach out to her- and- hug her, comfort her, be one with her, make her his vessel- Her breathing was speeding up. Not good. Lurerre immediately panicked. "Triese. Deep breaths," she said softly. "You're safe here. No one will hurt you." They would be friends forever- "Forever. Forever, forever, forever," Triese murmured, her anxiety rising like hot air. Her expression was becoming so glassy. "He- he was there." Lurerre raised an eyebrow. "Who was... he...?" "M-Megaman," she stammered. She was sinking into her sheets. "No, wait." There was another name. Another- thing. That imitated her friend. She- she was one with it, she had heard its name because for the briefest moment it WAS her- "My- dream. There was someone. He- he attacked me," Triese continued. She was practically hyperventilating by now. "S-Savior?"

Rockman's thoughts came screeching to a halt all at once. If anything else was said, it wasn't heard. It wasn't felt. It wasn't there, it wasn't real- Focus. Focus on now because if you don't you're going to get lost again, and then what? Then who will you save? Then, how will you ATONE? Rockman disappears from Pen's shoulder. Rockman disappears from the PET and finds whatever open connection he can. Regal still had it, of course he did. And Regal was using it because of course he was. But how with a human? How could it- BECAUSE IT WAS HUMAN. Because it was him, and he was human in some way, in some horrible twisted way, in some sick fantasy there was Regal and there was Savior and there was Rockman and they were all human, they were all immortal, forever, FOREVER- Rockman stumbles into a security system? He thinks that's what it is. He looks around and finds it mostly empty, save for what he thinks is the sound of rushing water. It's almost soothing. It's...nice, even. He's close to the kitchen...? Maybe Lan is here. He remembers that's why he was here. You look like her, I guess, Netto had told him, quietly, dozing off in his hospital bed, as the heart monitor slowly beeped away. He searches for a connection, and- yeah, there's her PET. "Lan?" He asks, through whatever mechanism he can project his voice. He isn't sure what he's talking through. "Are you out t-there?" He can't shake a tremble in his voice, though he tries. He really tries.

Lan had checked the cabinet up and down and still hadn't found the gummies - this was so annoying, she only really knew where everything was at her house, but-whatever. And then, she jumped at hearing the voice- she was followed? Why had she been followed-? The voice was familiar, weaker and less confident than the one she remembered but one that she couldn't bring herself to be afraid of, or defensive against, no matter how hard she tried. It was the other Lan's Megaman- the one she had upset in the chatroom. Where was he speaking from? "Oh- oh, it's... it's you," she mumbled, looking around for the source of the voice. "Um. Yes. I'm here. Is something wrong?"

"Um," Rockman says it kind of stupidly, because he has no idea what he should say to Lan, and what he shouldn't. THERE'S A MONSTER IN YOUR WALLS AND HE'S ME, HE'S ALWAYS BEEN ME, AND NOW YOU LOOK LIKE ME AND NOW YOU'RE IN DANGER His thoughts are so fucking loud. He wishes he could turn himself off for a few hours just to enjoy the silence. He's glad he thinks that Lan can't see him, because he probably looks more like a ghost than ever. "Sorry- um...to be honest with you, I've been through what Triese has been through." It was a sort of truth, some middle ground. "Seeing her struggling is- a little difficult. I- sorry. I had to step out. I didn't know you were still here."

Lan's heart sank - now she felt even worse. She had been so suspicious of him before, but now she knew - he suffered the same way Triese was suffering, that's why he was so skittish. The pieces clicked, and she felt so guilty for it. "I- oh," she stammered. "I... um. Yeah. I was just about to... go back upstairs. You've... also been through this?" Rock sat quietly in Lan's PET, apprehensive of the disembodied voice. The voice of someone she'd heard so much about - though clearly having been through much different trials. It bothered her. She twiddled her thumbs.

Rock's hands tremored. He had to hold it in, hold it close to his chest, keep them all away from it. But there were visions in the corners of his vision. He couldn't deny that. Why did Netto send him here? She reminds me of you. "...Yes. Um." How to say this? What was okay to say? "I was...his...first victim." How much did this Lan know? He hardly knew her! He hardly knew this world! How could Netto put him through this, why didn't he understand, why didn't he C4R3- Rockman forces himself to take breaths he doesn't need. "...So I know what she's going through. On some level. Of course, I'm- a Navi, ha. Not a human. S-So it's not the same. Sorry," he says, apologizing again. He feels like he could apologize to all of them for years and it wouldn't be enough.

...Not a human? But- well, she supposed maybe things could have been different for this Megaman. She probably shouldn't bring it up, then - it was a sensitive subject. "Oh. I'm sorry," Lan said. A victim, just like Triese had become. "I- I mean, I'm sure it wasn't that different. We don't really know anything, so... anything helps." Her expression sank - she wished she could look this Megaman in the eye. (Well, maybe she could...?) "Um. Where are you? Do you want to come to my PET?" she asked quietly. This- this was probably safe, especially if they wanted to talk. Rock tensed up, not incredibly appreciative of the company, but she knew it was good company. At least, that's what she was told he was.

Was that safe? Was that okay? Could he go to her PET? Was he going to hurt her? Was he going to- "Oh- um, that would be nice, actually. Thank you." Rockman arrived in the PET with a slight tremor in his hands, still. He worried at his gloves, and laid eyes on the other Navi in here- Her name was Rock, that's right. Rockman went to try and wave, but then- then there was...something. He felt his skin vibrate in a way he couldn't describe- he hadn't felt something like this in a long time. His parts conflict- some system alerts him to THAT MONSTER and that everything was right, he was right, and he was about to lunge out and kill this Navi. But there was another part of him that found it...familiar. And that couldn't be right because he'd only met her once before. Once, in that facility, with... "H-Hi," he says, a bit awkwardly. A bit lamely. "Um, we met before. But under weird circumstances. I'm- Rockman."

Rock raised an eyebrow - she saw that tension. Was the real deal this skittish? Well, she had to deal with Lan every day, so it wasn't that crazy to believe. "Yo. I'm Rock. This the first time we've met?" Rock greeted, extending an arm. "Yeah, I'd probably call the rescue mission a 'weird circumstance'." "She's- um, my bodyguard Navi. I've had her for... a month," Lan explained. Her eyes darted back and forth. "You can. Stay in here for... as long as you need. I guess." Awkward silence. She needed to say something- "-Um. And. I'm. Really sorry. For the other day."

Rockman hesitated to touch Rock. But he did, he finally forced it. He reached out and shook her hand, offering a weak smile. The touch felt- wrong. Bad. There was something wrong with Rock. He forced himself, again, to look up at Lan. "Oh...U-Um. Yeah." Wait! No! Stupid! Say something better than that! "You had, good reason to be suspicious. I h-hope that I can, um. M-Make it better, um. Show you that...we can be trustworthy." He paused for a while too, staring at her. "...my operator says that you remind him, of me." He feels really awkward saying it, and he doesn't want to push or pressure her. "I- I really, um. I don't know what that means yet. But, I know- I know that...y-you, you care a lot about your friends. I'm- I'm sorry that they were put in danger, in our world. I-I- I trust my operator. I hope that- that y-you..." Rock breathed in. Sighed, looked all embarrassed. He wasn't a very good communicator, not in this moment. "I hope we can make it up to you. T-That's what I mean."

Rock raised an eyebrow. Man, this guy was stuttering more than Lan ever did. Is this how she sounded before? "Rrriiiiight," she said, giving Megaman a befuddled look. "Pleasure to meet ya." (Was it really a pleasure, with how much he hated that handshake?) Lan, too, hated how unconfident this other Megaman sounded - a pit in her stomach formed over it. Part of her wanted to be angry that the other Lan would do something like compare her - he didn't know a thing about her - but hearing Megaman talk kind of... explained that for her. It was so, so upsetting. "I- um. It's okay," she stammered. "I- I think it's fine. I don't want to be pushy, either. I just... um, I didn't really understand because I was... afraid. Of another incident happening again. It's fine." She paused, and bit her lip. "What... happened... to you? Is that... okay to ask?"

Rockman looked between them, felt really awkward and nervous- god, stupid virus ruining his mind, ruining his voice, ruining everything- "Regal kidnapped Enzan and I," he said, trying his best to paint the best picture without also dumping his trauma on her. "He did experiments on me. And he- made a virus, of...me. Called Savior. Used it to hurt me. And- I think he used it, somehow, to hurt Triese too." That was as best as he could get out without getting too graphic, he felt. Because there was more. There was isolation and the rotting from the inside out, the rebellion of the self, the game and the torture and- Rockman tried to strengthen his resolve, taking more false breaths. "It hurt me so badly because I was missing my friends. Things were happening that kept them away from me when I needed them. But you're here. That's what matters the most." He thought of Pen upstairs. Thought of Laika, briefly, then Enzan, then Blues, Search- he thought of everyone touched by tragedy in their own ways. "We should head back up- um, did you find what you were looking for?"

"...That's... I'm sorry," Lan mumbled. The footage of Triese thrasing in the Pulse Transmission chair, her screams and her tears, they all came to mind and it was all too easy to imagine the same happening to this Navi. "W-wait, Savior?" Ah. Savior. That was the user who had impersonated her - almost ruined everything, created another person to endlessly apologize for. Savior had messaged her - and Rock - and its words bothered her so much, but Rock wouldn't let it bother her, so that was the end of that. "Savior impersonated me..." she mumbled, averting her eyes. She had the feeling that this was a touchy subject, so she didn't want to press further. "Um...yeah. I... get how you feel. The feeling of... missing the people you care about, and that feeling just... eating at you." She blinked. Oh, right. She still hadn't found those stupid gummy sharks yet. She returned to shuffling through the pantry.

Netto knew what he was talking about. Lan had no idea what she was talking about, not really, but she was right. He could remember screaming for anyone in the dark of Scilabs, in the server that would never die, in the isolation that felt like eternity. And- and she- He suppressed any reaction to that. Instead, he focused on her reaction to Savior. "I'm...sorry that happened. The moderator told me. He was trying to track what was going on, and- I'm sorry. It can pretend to be you because it had contact with Triese. It's pretending to be the you from Triese's memories." Information could help, right? That's what she said. He watched her search for the supposed treats. Mindlessly, Rockman mumbled, "it pretends to be anyone it thinks it can hurt."

Ripping information out of memories - of course a being like that would exist. People loved to toy with each others' memories, treat them like curiosities to cling onto forever. "That's... horrible," Lan exhaled, averting her eyes. "Is... is there any way we can stop it?" "There better be," Rock added quietly, glaring at no one in particular. "I'm not letting that thing fuck with us. Not happening." (Lan continued shuffling around in the pantry, and- oh, thank God. Finally, the gummy sharks. Why was that so hard to find??)

Rockman knew for a fact that Rock was a major target. He could feel it- not just the nauseating presence he couldn't quite figure out, but the way she seemed to underestimate its threat. He thought about saying something, but...she was really, really foreboding. He had to do the right thing. He looked at Rock, leveled a confident look, and said, "don't...underestimate it. It's not like a normal virus. I'm- working on hunting it." It was a fight that was endless. He knew that the savior of now wasn't as powerful as the one that he'd slain, the one that destroyed his mind and lived in the edges of his visions. "Just- the best way to avoid being hurt by it, is to stay away, as best as you can."

"...You're working on it already? Good," Rock responded, gripping her arm. "If you ever need an extra hand... or sawblade, then I'd be happy to help. Just sayin'." She knew that Megaman was stronger than her, so she could trust this guy, as skittish as she seemed. (Not that she really had to like the truth, though.) "...Yeah. I got that impression," Lan said. She had gathered up most of the gummies in the pantry and started making her way back upstairs. "I... know how this stuff goes. The kind of... thing that just says a bunch of crap to get under your skin, but it never really means anything."

It meant something. It always meant something, inside of his head, inside of his systems, paging away and slowing him down, slowing time down, tirelessly wondering inside of that server in Scilabs- Rockman took a deep breath and sighed softly, nodding his assent. "Thank you," he said to Rock, though the offer for help would never be taken. He would not involve anyone else in this, not if he could help it. "...It is meaningless, yeah. What it says." And up they went, back to Triese. Back into that room.

Pen’s mouth had dropped open, frozen for the moment before she could school it down. She imagined she had Enzan’s skill to hold the cards close to his chest— but, even this might make him break his poker face. “Sav-i-or…” she articulated slowly. That should have been impossible, right? All she knew was that this was the name of a virus… Role had helped Rockman with residual effects a few times… “That— is a little new, uhm… let me just consult my friend real quick—? I’m sure it’s something we can still help with. Remember to keep breathing, dear.” Rockman had disappeared… hopefully he’d be back soon though, and they’d have sweets to break the tension with. God, Pen didn’t want to scare this girl, but Regal had found a new way to get his claws in— Pen brought up her PET and started typing a message out. @snoruntpyro

A few silent, ice-cold minutes passed - though it felt way longer than that to Triese, whose heart only raced further knowing that this was "new". Would they really be able to help her-? In, out, in, out... The memories were boiling in her head, of that awful mirror tearing into her- deep breaths, deep breaths- enough of it was blotted out and censored that it wasn't impossible to push it away, but that phantom pain in her chest did not go away as she closed her eyes and leaned back on her pillow, trying to remind herself that none of it was real and it was just made up to hurt her. But the feeling of being torn apart was so lovely. The feeling of melding, becoming one with that dark- -her thoughts were interrupted by Lan returning with gummy sharks in hand. Triese promptly snatched them up the second Lan approached - maybe a little too fast, but she was feeling pretty ravenous - and stuffed one in her mouth. That calmed her slightly. Chewing was distracting enough. "Um. Hi," Lan greeted Pen. "Did I miss anything, or...?"

“Triese is just telling me about her symptoms,” Pen said, her voice just a little tighter than it had been before. She set down her PET. She could manage this while she waited for a response. Pen was much bigger than either girl. Even if she couldn’t summon a dimensional area here, she could subdue them if she needed to. “The key thing to understand is that the main issue this sickness causes is acting upon the worst impulses within you. The ones you would normally shut down faster than you can recognize,” Pen said softly. “Would you sit with us? You should understand all this too.”

"...Worst impulses," Lan repeated somberly. "Uh, yeah. I can sit with you." She didn't really want to ask what was going on, because this felt private, and she was a little worried that she wouldn't fully understand what was going on. Between whatever Regal had made her drink, and having to deal with that Savior virus, Lan felt like she was in over her head. "So... you're saying... when I'm thinking of doing something, I probably shouldn't do it?" Triese questioned, uncomfortably shuffling around underneath her sheets. "I don't really... understand. This is a weird sickness." (Probably the understatement of the century.) Rock, however, wasn't content to be silent like Lan was. "...Understanding would be good," she commented. "It's a freakshow whenever the kid shoots out of bed, and I don't know a damn thing about how to stop it."

“Well…” Pen rubbed the back of her neck. She hadn’t gotten a response back yet. She could handle this for now… “I wouldn’t say you shouldn’t do it. More that you should… meditate on it. You’re on the mend, and the healthier you feel, the clearer your mind should get.” Pen took a deep breath. Yeah, that sounded good. She had to keep these kids calm while they figure it out. Pen dug into her pockets, and withdrew a small bottle from it. She set it down on the rug in front of her. “At the hospital… if the symptoms got too bad, we’d take a little of this, to sleep it off,” Pen said softly. “I— hopefully you’re past needing it, but I want to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, dear.”

Rockman couldn't help but glance at Rock. Freakshow. That didn't necessarily feel good. He wondered if that's what people would have said about him, when he was alone, dealing with Savior living inside of him. Triese had contact, from the sound of things. Not infection. Rockman jumped to Pen's PET, so he could project into the room again. "You may have thoughts that don't feel like your own for a little while, is what Pen is trying to say. Um. And when this happens, it's good to tell your friends." Rockman glanced at Lan, then back at Triese. "You have really good friends. You're lucky."

2:48 AM

@snoruntpyro

Triese slumped down, pondering her emotions for a moment. The gravity of knowing that she couldn't trust what felt like "herself" was sickening, but Megaman was right. "Y... yeah! You're right," she mumbled, tapping her fingers together. "Lan's here. She's been keeping me safe. And I've got other friends, too!" Her expression perked up, but there was a strain to it, like she was forcing herself to be happy, fighting against the latent terror that was still visible in her eyes. A shadow danced in her vision, taunting her. "Do you understand, Triese? You shouldn't keep these things to yourself," Lurerre lectured, eyeing the bottle that Pen had left on the rug. "Next time you're feeling... odd, you should take this medicine and talk to us." Lan was feeling a little awkward, but at least she was being called a "good friend". It felt odd to hear that, but then again, she was the one who'd been squatting in Triese's house to make sure she was okay. "I'm still not going anywhere," she said, fiercly glancing at Triese. "So. Uh, what they said." She pouted and glanced at the hologram of Megaman. That look in her eyes screamed "I'll get back at whoever did this".

“Good, you understand,” Pen said softly. “As time passes, you should hear those thoughts less and less. I can’t monitor your blood content, but I’m sure it’s gone down.” That might be too much outside of Triese’s accepted reality right now, but Pen had to be honest with them. “And you… as Triese’s friends. You have to understand she might say some strange or hurtful things, if she hasn’t already. As long as everyone knows that will happen, no one has to be too worked up about it,” Role said. ”Triese can feel more comfortable saying whatever comes to mind, if everyone is patient and understanding.” (edited)

10:16 AM

@puppy_parade

Rockman wanted to say, you can't get back at whoever did this, not ever, we have to let it die, someone else has to do it, it can't be you. But he bites his tongue and tries to focus on the task at hand. He knew that look. That strain to look happy in the face of some untold horror. Carefully, a bit nervously, he asks, "are you seeing anything right now, Triese?" @snoruntpyro

Triese slumped further into her sheets, now forced to focus more on those thoughts that she didn't like acknowledging - it wasn't right to. There were, of course, those blotches of darkness in her vision that popped up from time to time. Shadows out of the corner of her eye, or underneath furniture, or in the distance, looking at her, judging her. They wanted something out of her. "I- um," she gulped, the tension in her body rising the more she lingered on them. "There's. Shadows. Sometimes. Like, when you rub your eyes and you see stars, almost." Lan idly wondered why that was what the body decided you'd see in darkness. Then- one of the shadows moved. It was totally looking at her. Triese squeaked, and clutched her sheet tightly. A little bit of saliva dripped down her lips. "D-daaaancing," she mumbled, her voice getting... oddly sing-songy. Her eyelids drooped - it was obvious she was... focusing on something. She continued speaking with an oddly calm demeanor. "They'll kill us, they'll kill us. For not dancing with them."

@Ijuuin Enzan

Pen took a steadying breath. This was good progress, as unnerving as it was. “Thank you for telling us that,” Pen said softly. “It’s important to know the whole story. Have another gummy, dear.” Pen nudged the packet gently, trying to draw Triese’s attention. “As long as you’re with your friends, no one is going to hurt you. If you start to feel like you’re in danger, you should go back to the hospital, okay? They might need to take another look at you because of this… savior thing.” And, the fact that someone in the group had seen another Triese. If that was the work of Savior, then maybe it wouldn’t impact her recovery. If it was the dark aura… Triese could be missing a piece of herself. She couldn’t tell the poor girl that. (edited)

10:38 AM

@puppy_parade

Rockman couldn't help but shift and worry about her response. It made him feel strange, like he knew what she was going through, like they had some strange kinship between them now that the same virus had torn into their chests and pulled out their hearts. Savior thing rings in his mind longer than it should. Thing, thing, thing. They are just things, now, aren't they? Less than people, because they're missing parts, and-- "S-She'll be fine. The hospital isn't going to do anything else for her," Rockman mumbles, half talking to Pen and half to Triese. "H-Have another snack, yeah. You- the visions aren't...it's not going to hurt you. You're not feeling good, so- you can't dance."

Triese was a bit zoned out until Lan shoved the gummy shark in her face, whereupon she snatched it up with no hesitation and gobbled it down. That did slow her breathing and calm her down, thankfully. What- what Megaman and Pen was saying made sense. It was fake, they couldn't hurt her, she was just tired. No one was going to hurt her. "R-right. Thank you," she mumbled politely, the moment she finished munching on her gummy. "They're- just scary. And it sounds like they're trying to talk to me. But I know they're not real." With Triese calmed down, Lan felt more comfortable butting in. "I- know that hospitals won't help us. With... whatever this stuff is," she asserted. "So, I'll just have to keep an eye on her. Me, or. Other friends. If I get tired. And we hope she doesn't freak out again." "She's getting a major workout keeping the kid in check," Rock added, half-jokingly and half-forlornly. Lurerre glanced at her Operator sadly - at least they had the other medicine to help, now. And- she was coming down. She was afraid that Triese would freak out again, but it was only a brief scare, it would seem. Her mind wandered, and with the way Triese looked so desperate, and so shaken and as if a shadow was cast over her face, it reminded her of that duplicate Triese they had encountered on the mission. The one that had attacked their group with no remorse. She- couldn't tell Pen. Maybe later. Not in front of Triese- the thought of her Operator learning about such an event would make her sick. She was already so desperately trying to convince herself that such a horrific trial was just a bad dream. All that she could hope for, now, was that Triese wouldn't drown herself in her own fear and take her with her.

@Ijuuin Enzan

“Lurerre? Can I speak with you for a moment, while Pen finishes up here?” Role asked, responding to a small gesture from her operator. She flitted over to the bedside. “My PET has an open connection.” Pen waited for her navi to finish, and looked to the others. She didn’t love that she had been contradicted— but she had been given the sedatives for a reason. Laika didn’t think hospitals were a good idea at this point either, thanks to the possibility of drawing blood. “I’m gonna give you a list of symptoms, and how long they last, okay? If anything outside of this happens, email one of us. We’ll find an answer,” Pen said, lifting her face from her hand. She’d started to rub her temple without realizing it.

Lurerre's glowing eyes blinked - she couldn't help but worry over being called like this. "Oh, yes- one moment," she answered, locking onto the other PET's connection and vanishing. Triese could at least take comfort in dates being put to her symptoms - with any luck, she'd start counting the days and be better in no time! But- Pen looked worried, more than she did when she first began talking. Well- maybe she was just tired. Once Lurerre materialized inside the other PET - wow, it was a good bit more spacious and... new-feeling than Triese's - she apprehensively glanced at Role. "Is... there something you need to tell me?" she asked, attempting to break the ice. @Ijuuin Enzan

Role gestured for Lurerre to join her on a block that was intended to mimic furniture. She’d had it since before anyone had bothered to make actual furniture for navis like her bookshelf, and it was nostalgic. “Yes… I need to ask you some things, and then tell you a theory that me and my operator share. The first question is personal, and I apologize for that.” Role paused, waiting for Lurerre to settle. “First, how high is your synchro rate with Triese?”

Lurerre was a little surprised by the gesture, but she made herself comfortable as best as she could - sort of awkwardly hovering just above the block. She tensed a bit as Role began to speak with such a… almost grim tone - but at least the first question was…. semi-normal. “Ah, hmmm. Not particularly high,” she explained. “For all of Lady Triese’s talking, we do not actually Netbattle nearly as often as Lan does.” She briefly paused her recount and tilted her head. “And when we do, she’s…. a little hard to keep up with. Though I wouldn’t have it any other way, of course.” Another pause, her glowing eyes shifting back and forth - this wasn’t something she thought about often. “If you needed a percent… maybe 60 to 70? I do not have relevant precise data.”

“That’s something you’ll want to give special attention in the next few weeks,” Role said. “I would document your synchro rate along with her symptoms.” Role let out a soft sigh. Those numbers weren’t bad, but they weren’t ideal either. She smiled anyways. This navi clearly cared a lot, and not every operator could be Enzan. “You are the one that is with her the most. You have that small window into her mind. You’re the only one who will be able to tell… if Triese is missing something. This “Savior,” it always takes something. And the rescue team thinks that they saw a mirror copy of her. That may just be the virus… but, we can’t discount the possibility.”

Ah. The mirror copy. She had tried not to think about it too much - just a trick of the mind, or some sort of thing Regal created just to mess with her - but it was very much real, and very much still out there, most likely. And Savior was a name she knew- the knife icon that had harassed her in the chatroom, the one who had so gleefully admitted to torturing Triese like she was a fucking toy and not a human- "I... understand," Lurerre responded slowly. "I will pay attention as best as I can. Though, I'm unsure how much we will get to Netbattle any time soon." She gulped - now, she was forced to address the elephant in the room. "I'm... aware of the mirror copy. We did run into her. Who told you...?"

“One of the young men on the rescue team, Reg. As well as a couple of others,” Role said. She folded her hands in her lap. She couldn’t give away too much, but these girls deserved to know as much as she could say. “Pen and I gathered as much information as we could after the incident.” Role opened up her inventory, and started to copy over her scanner for things like this. “The data we’re looking for should be accessible outside of battle. Your idle synchro rates actually matter more right now. I don’t expect you two to be fighting.”

"...Ah, yes. Reg was with us when we encountered that mirror," Lurerre recalled. Of course- it made sense that they'd gathered so much information, because they also knew about how this strange sickness worked. They were actually in control of the situation. Unlike her. "I remember she... described herself as Lady Triese's 'real desires'," she continued, shivering a bit at the thought. "But if that mirror is... something Savior took from her, like you said, they may have just been trying to get under our skin." That was a comforting enough explanation. She didn't want to think about what Triese's "real desires" meant, and especially didn't want to think about Triese having a part of herself ripped out. Surely there was something more to the whole ordeal- surely it was all just a trick. Luckily, there was another subject to distract her. "Idle synchro rates...?" she wondered aloud. "I... Somehow I've never heard of this. Synchro is not a well-documented phenomenon here... I thought it was only relevant in battles."

“We’re only just discovering the effects, and the benefits,” Role explained. She held out the copy of data she had made. “I don’t know how compatible our technology is, but hopefully this will help measure it. The basics is this: with your closeness to Triese, you will be the only one able to sense if something is missing. Be it an emotion she can’t properly feel, or a memory she lost… please try to identify such a thing. And if you do, contact us immediately.” Role smiled then, and set her hand on Lurerre’s shoulder. “You will all get through this. I can see how strong you are,” Role said.

The asterisk of just discovering made Lurerre feel a little less bad about the whole ordeal - if it was a mystery for them, too, then it wasn't a point against her or her awareness. Instead, this would... just be part of the healing process. Something she had to learn, to ensure she could do her job better. "Understood," Lurerre responded, carefully stashing the data that Role was giving her. "I won't leave her side, so if there is any odd behavior... I'll know. I will let you know." She took a deep breath - there was a vague thought in her mind that she wished this was all some nightmare, or an error or an oversight, but this was just what her responsibility entailed, against all odds. "Thank you," she said quietly, her expression an unreadable mix of emotions.

“You’re welcome, little one,” Role said. Even sitting, she towered over the smaller navi. Everyone needed a little gentleness right now. Role shifted again in her inventory, this time withdrawing a digital blanket. She duplicated that too, and passed it to Lurerre. “Alright… I think that’s everything, dear,” Role said. “Do something nice for you all tonight, okay?” Pen said similarly, after passing off a note with an estimation of timeline and symptoms, with the help of Laika’s consultation.

Being called "little one" was rather... amusing. Lurerre knew that it wasn't supposed to be patronizing, so she simply accepted the compliment and moved on. A blanket was an interesting gesture, as well - Triese had occasionally brought up cyber trinkets like this and how rare they were in the past, but had yet to look into them in favor of expanding her aquarium-styled virus pens. To have something for... comfort, to cling onto during a time like this, was a nice thought, if a little childish. "Yes, we will. If we can manage," she responded, giving Role a bow. "Again. Thank you so much for all of your help." Lan was the one who ended up taking the note, given Triese was too dizzy to get out of bed. Rock quickly got to work on making a digital copy of said note - they'd surely need the info to send off to Jasmine, and... probably Iris, too, and whoever else they could scrounge up to help. But not her dad. He... couldn't know, and no one else that would tell him could know, either. It was all this huge mistake, a cavalcade of errors they had to pick up the pieces of, and Lan was caught in the middle of it. Didn't they all have enough going on? Why are they a target? Lurerre was the bigger person. She knew she had to be a caretaker first and foremost, and nursing Triese back to health was her top priority. But what did that mean for Lan, who had to sit and watch and make sure her friend didn't hurt herself because she went through something she never should have gone through in the first place? Because some stupid oversight let her get kidnapped by some freak? Thus, all that she was left with was the idle wondering of who she could blame this all on.