{ text } forward dated to April 30th and the event

[frostedplum]

[ Seeing how Mei lives on Chioni with all of four other people, when her dreams have her running to her balcony to be sick over the edge, she doesn't organize a block party afterwards to discuss it. Instead, she goes back inside and creates a cocoon out of the blankets on her bed. She tries to read, but there's a listlessness to her now. A gnawing in her stomach and an odd feeling that feels very... isolating. She shivers and opens up her TAB. There are different kinds of isolation, but the kind that reminds Mei of a cryogenic tube and being the last left alive is the kind that frightens her. She needs to know she isn't alone. ]

Is anyone else awake? Would you like to keep each other company? I woke up not feeling very well and I don't think I could fall asleep right now.

Comments

text;

[shadowblends]

[Irony seems to strike in the most peculiar ways.

In this case, Mei had been one of the people to comfort him when he was sick and now, Kurt's been given a chance to return the favor. He takes far too long pondering if he should reply with a video instead of text, but once he's settled, he finally responds:]

i'm sorry you aren't feeling well, but i'm awake right now! i wouldn't mind chatting with you.

[frostedplum]

Oh, thank you, Kurt! How have you been? And what sort of things have you been doing?

[shadowblends]

you're welcome, mei! i've been doing all right. what about you?
most of my time has been spent volunteering at the hospital and working on school things for the mansion.
whenever i have the time, i try to get out and do less stressful activities.

[frostedplum]

Very well until tonight. I work for the scientists on Chioni taking samples of the rocks and soil. I also look at data collected on precipitation and temperatures here. I know that probably sounds boring, but it's actually really fun for me! I love analyzing data!

Volunteering is a great thing to do, but what are some less stressful activities you do, if you don't mind me asking?

[shadowblends]

to be honest, that doesn't sound boring at all!
it sounds like a job that you enjoy and if that's so, it's never time wasted to do something you take pleasure in.
how is the weather over there, by the way? aside from 'erratic.'

not at all. i help doctor arbuckal and miss angela with their orchards, go for coffee, check out the shops ... anything that i might find relaxing at the time.

[frostedplum]

Oh, it varies between burning hot and bitterly cold. But I'm used to extreme conditions! You just have to take the proper precautions and have the right supplies.

I do wish Chioni had some shops and things! But then again, if it did, I probably wouldn't come visit Kauto as often as I do. I like this one shop in Region 5. It sells things that are artistically Chinese. The owner said that generations ago, their Chinese ancestors came here. I've bought some nice lanterns there.

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[mylawn]

What happened?

[frostedplum]

[ Hoo boy, where to start? ]

I woke up from a really bad dream and I was sick, but then it turns out I wasn't? Like I thought I was, except there wasn't anything.

Let me start over.

[ Being delicate about the matter isn't making things clear. ]

I woke up, thought I threw up, but it turns out I didn't. Like I hallucinated that I did? And now I just feel weird inside and can't get back to sleep.

[mylawn]

[Yeah so. All of that is pretty disconcerting.]

You want to see the Doc?

[frostedplum]

Not really. I don't feel like I'll be sick again. It's just a weird feeling.

[warandpeace]

I'm up if you want to talk about anything.

[Not that he's a cheery conversationalist when he's sober.]

Or if you just want to talk to me. I'm fine with that, too.

[mylawn]

It doesn't sound right, that's for sure.

[frostedplum]

[ Oh, well, she had to find this out some time, right? ]

Thanks so much! Is there anything you'd like to talk about?

[frostedplum]

I guess not. It's probably weird that I feel hungry now, isn't it?

[warandpeace]

You could tell me some more about your job now, or if your recent wars back home have had any effect on your climate.

[See, those are interesting things that aren't terrible weird nightmares.]

[mylawn]

Disconcerting.

text to voice

[frostedplum]

Lately I've been studying layers of dirt here to see what sort of microscopic plant matter might be left behind. It gets harder when it's down to such a small level, but I have some clues so far. Though it might be that I'll have to switch focus from the ground to the sky.

[ At this point she stops typing and switches to voice. ]

You know, cloud cover, wind conditions, that sort of thing. I have a theory that the Ingress might be involved with the climate here, but I'm not sure why it wouldn't affect Kauto in the same way. Is it okay that I switched to voice? It was just so much to type!

As for back home, we don't know yet. People like to blame the omnics for the climate shift because they're an easy scapegoat, but it could be possible. Their omniums are huge factories to construct omnics and I'm not sure what sort of byproducts might be released.

[frostedplum]

Yeah, that's a good word for it.

[ She doesn't mention the other feeling she has: loneliness. It feels a little too personal at the moment. ]

I guess maybe I felt sick at first because of the dream I had. It was scary. There was a lot of blood.

[warandpeace]

Do they use fossil fuels or nuclear energy?

[He's a little gravelly and there might be the sound of something boiling (tea) in the background. Forgive him. He's up late for some reason or another.]

That's not a bad theory. The Ingress on the Moira malfunctioned once. Merged two ships. On another planet it produced a sort of organic substance. Sort of damp.

It's not my field but it might help you check out your theory. [If there's any evidence left.]

[frostedplum]

Nuclear. I think in Australia, the humans blew up the factory by attacking the reactor. It's left that area irradiated.

[ Hmm, she's a little curious about that noise and wonders why he's awake too. It's not like they're all having bad dreams, right? Right? ]

Oh, that's fascinating! I'll have to talk with some of the Ingress technicians to see if they can tell me more about it.

[warandpeace]

[Fortunately there's no bad dreams for him, but that means he gets to keep an eye out for some of the people he feels responsible for. Or apparently ones he gets along with.]

[But an irradiated area, huh? Isn't that a little unpleasant reminder of home.]

Not a bad idea. The Moira's Ingress was damaged. Have you found anything interesting about what used to grow there?

[He'll get back to this unsettling Australia thing soon, because he still has a morbid curiosity.]

[frostedplum]

Honestly, so far, it looks like what grows here now already, which are hardy grasses and bushes. I'm hoping to discover something different, but it may be that this planet has always been influenced by the Ingress.

[mylawn]

It's possible. Keep me posted.

[frostedplum]

I will. Thanks for checking in on me, Jack. I appreciate it.

[desynched]

i'm sorry you're feeling sick. :( seems to be going around.

what do you want to chat about?