[ it beats winn's experience the first time he flew a shuttle - he's only ever driven a car. heck, he doesn't even get on airplanes as a passenger back home, he's afraid of heights. ]
I'll wait in cargo hold! See you in a bit.
[ he smiles as he shuts the feed. he'll be leaning against the wall, waiting for luke's shuttle to come in. ]
[Luke gets there when promised. He doesn't dally like he might have when he began the journey. Though he's scared, he can't help but trust Winn and what he believes in. Guy would probably smack him for being so naive and trusting. It's dangerous, yeah, but he doesn't have anything to lose at this point.
Luke parks the shuttle without too much difficulty, mostly owing to the implant in his head and also Rheiard practice. He steps out and dusts himself off.]
That wasn't too bad. Oh, hey!
[He smiles at Winn like he's here to see a friend and not a doctor. At 5'7" he's not the tallest guy, but his warm presence makes him hard to ignore.]
[ he is actually here to see a friend and not a doctor -- winn knows how to cure machines, not people. but he's recently been acquainted with one, and he knows a geneticist, and he's pretty good at thinking things through. all in all, not the worst person he could be seeing about this.
he straightens up when he sees luke, and offers a smile and a wave. maybe it's naive of him to keep inviting people over and taking what they say at face value, but he wants to be the kind of person who sees the best in people, and he can't help but feel responsible for all these kids running around.
god this fleet makes him feel old. ]
Hi! Glad to hear it. You made really good time. Need some refreshments?
[He adjusts his gloves as he glances around. Not too much different from the Pathstone, really, just little details here and there. The structure of the ship appears to be different. but it's the same size. It's weird for Luke, who's used to ships being... the sailing kind.]
[ after his first shuttle ride he wanted nothing more that a whole bottle of scotch. what he got was a cola. it was better than nothing, but not by much. ]
Let's head to my room, then. [ he starts leading the way, not wanting to open up any sensitive topics before they close the door behind them. ] Do you have individual rooms on the Pathstone? [ as much as he likes the people on the blameless - he's so glad he didn't end up there, he's way past the point in his life where a communal living space is fun.
[He couldn't eat, he was too nervous, but it's just as well. Luke follows behind him, only lagging occasionally to glance at the difference in decor. He already misses the artwork along the Pathstone's halls.]
Yeah, we do. My room at home was way bigger, though, so I'm not sure how I feel about them.
Yeah, comparing it to home's never gonna make it look good - but they're not so bad once you get used to them.
[ he opens the door to his room and gestures for luke to come in before shutting the door behind them ]
Make yourself comfortable -- how're you feeling? [ finally, he allows himself to ask the question that's been on his mind since their first conversation. ]
[Winn's right, but some part of him will always be a little spoiled. Even in a different universe. Ah well. Luke comes in and finds a place to sit, though he's mindful not to sprawl.]
I'm okay. I don't think anything's gotten worse, but it's hard to tell.
[He glances down at his bell-shaped right sleeve, which is long enough to reach past his wrists, though not by more than an inch or two.]
I'll let you decide.
[First he unbuckles his fingerless gloves and sets them on the table beside him. Then he begins to slide off his white coat. At first there's nothing unusual (save for the tasteless black belly shirt he can't seem to get rid of, even with his brother screaming at him)-- but then his pale skin hits the light and it's clear this is more than just a rash.
His entire right arm, save for his hand, is covered in blue-green crystals. Just for good measure, he shrugs off his shirt, too; the strange scales reach all the way back to his shoulderblade.]
It's horrible, right? [He doesn't look at Winn, instead placing his face in his hands.] I'm turning into a monster... Jade said that first my skin will crystallize, and then my internal organs, and then I'll die.
[ he leans in close, but doesn't touch the crystals - eyes open wide with curiosity and horror - not at the sight - but at the implications. he has no idea how to even begin with a sickness like this - but this just moved way up in his project queue.
his heart clenches painfully; he knows this fear. his body may not be mutating, but he's spent way too much of his life being afraid of his mind betraying him, turning him into the monster that is his father. an actual monster, not just someone who looks like one. ]
You're not turning into a monster. Do you have any idea why this is happening? How long -- [ god, he can't bring himself to complete that sentence. he's just a kid! what's wrong with the multiverse. ]
[Father issues is something that Luke has in spades. Maybe they can feelings jam on that some other time.
Winn doesn't look away, which is a point in his favor. Luke glances at his arm even though he already knows what it looks like.]
It's because of my Cruxis Crystal. [He looks up so that Winn can have a better look at the red marble and gold setting on his collarbone. It's not a necklace-- it's literally stuck on.] My body's rejecting it or something.
[ they can feelings jam about that for years. which - if it's up to winn - luke will absolutely have. ]
Maybe it can be removed -- I just met a doctor the other day, we should go see her. And I know a geneticist - maybe he'd be able to figure something out, to slow down the effects and buy us some more time.
[ us, because he's already in too deep to leave luke alone with this. ]
[Luke just sits there for a moment, looking quite upset. It's nothing Winn's done, but he's sure the more Winn finds out, the more freaked out he'll get.]
On my world, some people use jewels called Exspheres to become stronger. When they're mounted, they're harmless. But if they're attached directly to the skin, they-- they draw in a person's soul and bond with them. That's how they're made. If the Exsphere is removed after that, all the mana in their body goes completely ballistic and they turn into a monster.
[He brushes the fingers of his left hand along the jewel on his collarbone.]
A Cruxis Crystal is just a stronger version. I have a Key Crest, but because it's my soul in there and not someone else's, I'm not sure what'll happen if I take it off.
[ he frowns as he listens, doing his best to keep up. he's a pretty smart guy, and he's watched a hell of a lot of fantasy everything in his life, but when it's real it gets hard to wrap his head around it. ]
So people usually use other people's souls to get stronger?
[ ok see now that sounds monstrous, not the being covered with crystals. ]
Yeah. We didn't know that, though. Most people don't.
[It is monstrous. Everyone had considered tossing their exspheres away, but the truth was, they needed them to survive. To fight. And after they were done saving the world, they would make sure no one would use or make exspheres ever again.]
Exspheres make you tougher, physically stronger, and faster. If you can cast magic, they'll boost that too.
[He laces his fingers across his lap.]
A Cruxis Crystal does all of that and-- makes someone into an angel.
[ so they're basically magical steroids, is he getting it right? ]
Angel? As in - wings, halo, messenger of god?
[ he'll believe in aliens, vampires, werewolves, zombies, whatever you want - no problem. don't ask him to believe his life is preordained by an omnipotent being. he won't be able to get out of bed in the morning. ]
[Magical steroids made from torturing people until they die. Wonderful.
Luke looks a little embarrassed. Okay, a lot embarrassed.] No halo.
I don't think the angels in stories are the people actually running everything. The angels we've met from Cruxis-- they're not angelic at all. They'll kill anyone who stands in their way even if they're innocent. [And they almost killed him, too.]
[ don't mind him, he's a little bitter about life. ]
Alright so -- this is a magical problem. We need a magical solution. Fortunately - I also met a witch who sounds like she really knows what she's talking about. [ when in doubt - call hermione granger. ]
That's what I'm figuring! My world is way more advanced than some people's, that means others' are way more advanced than mine. Some of us have superpowers, some of us have magic, some of us have smarts, put us all together - one of us or some combination's bound to find a solution for any problem. [ including getting home. he's never giving up on that. not ever. ]
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momijizukamori and
video;
Date: 2016-05-11 02:20 pm (UTC)Okay! [He doesn't mention he's never driven a shuttle before, but he has flown on a Rheiard, which is kind of almost the same thing... whatever.]
I'll be there in a few minutes.
video -> action;
Date: 2016-05-11 07:50 pm (UTC)I'll wait in cargo hold! See you in a bit.
[ he smiles as he shuts the feed. he'll be leaning against the wall, waiting for luke's shuttle to come in. ]
action;
Date: 2016-05-11 08:02 pm (UTC)Luke parks the shuttle without too much difficulty, mostly owing to the implant in his head and also Rheiard practice. He steps out and dusts himself off.]
That wasn't too bad. Oh, hey!
[He smiles at Winn like he's here to see a friend and not a doctor. At 5'7" he's not the tallest guy, but his warm presence makes him hard to ignore.]
action;
Date: 2016-05-11 08:08 pm (UTC)he straightens up when he sees luke, and offers a smile and a wave. maybe it's naive of him to keep inviting people over and taking what they say at face value, but he wants to be the kind of person who sees the best in people, and he can't help but feel responsible for all these kids running around.
god this fleet makes him feel old. ]
Hi! Glad to hear it. You made really good time. Need some refreshments?
action;
Date: 2016-05-11 08:12 pm (UTC)I'm okay. Thanks, though.
[He adjusts his gloves as he glances around. Not too much different from the Pathstone, really, just little details here and there. The structure of the ship appears to be different. but it's the same size. It's weird for Luke, who's used to ships being... the sailing kind.]
action;
Date: 2016-05-11 08:17 pm (UTC)[ after his first shuttle ride he wanted nothing more that a whole bottle of scotch. what he got was a cola. it was better than nothing, but not by much. ]
Let's head to my room, then. [ he starts leading the way, not wanting to open up any sensitive topics before they close the door behind them. ] Do you have individual rooms on the Pathstone? [ as much as he likes the people on the blameless - he's so glad he didn't end up there, he's way past the point in his life where a communal living space is fun.
especially now that he has a girlfriend. ]
action;
Date: 2016-05-11 08:32 pm (UTC)[He couldn't eat, he was too nervous, but it's just as well. Luke follows behind him, only lagging occasionally to glance at the difference in decor. He already misses the artwork along the Pathstone's halls.]
Yeah, we do. My room at home was way bigger, though, so I'm not sure how I feel about them.
action;
Date: 2016-05-13 05:21 pm (UTC)[ he opens the door to his room and gestures for luke to come in before shutting the door behind them ]
Make yourself comfortable -- how're you feeling? [ finally, he allows himself to ask the question that's been on his mind since their first conversation. ]
action;
Date: 2016-05-13 06:35 pm (UTC)I'm okay. I don't think anything's gotten worse, but it's hard to tell.
action;
Date: 2016-05-13 06:48 pm (UTC)he sits on his bed, lacing his fingers and leaning forward, to give luke his undivided attention. ]
How bad is it?
action;
Date: 2016-05-13 07:50 pm (UTC)I'll let you decide.
[First he unbuckles his fingerless gloves and sets them on the table beside him. Then he begins to slide off his white coat. At first there's nothing unusual (save for the tasteless black belly shirt he can't seem to get rid of, even with his brother screaming at him)-- but then his pale skin hits the light and it's clear this is more than just a rash.
His entire right arm, save for his hand, is covered in blue-green crystals. Just for good measure, he shrugs off his shirt, too; the strange scales reach all the way back to his shoulderblade.]
It's horrible, right? [He doesn't look at Winn, instead placing his face in his hands.] I'm turning into a monster... Jade said that first my skin will crystallize, and then my internal organs, and then I'll die.
action;
Date: 2016-05-13 08:20 pm (UTC)his heart clenches painfully; he knows this fear. his body may not be mutating, but he's spent way too much of his life being afraid of his mind betraying him, turning him into the monster that is his father. an actual monster, not just someone who looks like one. ]
You're not turning into a monster. Do you have any idea why this is happening? How long -- [ god, he can't bring himself to complete that sentence. he's just a kid! what's wrong with the multiverse. ]
action;
Date: 2016-05-14 04:30 pm (UTC)Winn doesn't look away, which is a point in his favor. Luke glances at his arm even though he already knows what it looks like.]
It's because of my Cruxis Crystal. [He looks up so that Winn can have a better look at the red marble and gold setting on his collarbone. It's not a necklace-- it's literally stuck on.] My body's rejecting it or something.
I only have a couple months.
action;
Date: 2016-05-16 10:27 am (UTC)Maybe it can be removed -- I just met a doctor the other day, we should go see her. And I know a geneticist - maybe he'd be able to figure something out, to slow down the effects and buy us some more time.
[ us, because he's already in too deep to leave luke alone with this. ]
action;
Date: 2016-05-16 02:08 pm (UTC)No! No... you can't remove it. It's too dangerous. For both of us.
[He bites his bottom lip.]
I-I'm sorry. You're trying so hard to help me and I'm not telling you everything. I can start from the beginning.
action;
Date: 2016-05-17 04:59 pm (UTC)[ and even then - he won't be the one touching it because he's not qualified to. ]
Yeah -- that'd be good.
action;
Date: 2016-05-17 06:55 pm (UTC)On my world, some people use jewels called Exspheres to become stronger. When they're mounted, they're harmless. But if they're attached directly to the skin, they-- they draw in a person's soul and bond with them. That's how they're made. If the Exsphere is removed after that, all the mana in their body goes completely ballistic and they turn into a monster.
[He brushes the fingers of his left hand along the jewel on his collarbone.]
A Cruxis Crystal is just a stronger version. I have a Key Crest, but because it's my soul in there and not someone else's, I'm not sure what'll happen if I take it off.
action;
Date: 2016-05-18 10:33 am (UTC)So people usually use other people's souls to get stronger?
[ ok see now that sounds monstrous, not the being covered with crystals. ]
What does it...do?
action;
Date: 2016-05-18 05:45 pm (UTC)Yeah. We didn't know that, though. Most people don't.
[It is monstrous. Everyone had considered tossing their exspheres away, but the truth was, they needed them to survive. To fight. And after they were done saving the world, they would make sure no one would use or make exspheres ever again.]
Exspheres make you tougher, physically stronger, and faster. If you can cast magic, they'll boost that too.
[He laces his fingers across his lap.]
A Cruxis Crystal does all of that and-- makes someone into an angel.
action;
Date: 2016-05-18 05:53 pm (UTC)Angel? As in - wings, halo, messenger of god?
[ he'll believe in aliens, vampires, werewolves, zombies, whatever you want - no problem. don't ask him to believe his life is preordained by an omnipotent being. he won't be able to get out of bed in the morning. ]
action;
Date: 2016-05-18 06:41 pm (UTC)Luke looks a little embarrassed. Okay, a lot embarrassed.] No halo.
I don't think the angels in stories are the people actually running everything. The angels we've met from Cruxis-- they're not angelic at all. They'll kill anyone who stands in their way even if they're innocent. [And they almost killed him, too.]
action;
Date: 2016-05-18 09:09 pm (UTC)[ don't mind him, he's a little bitter about life. ]
Alright so -- this is a magical problem. We need a magical solution. Fortunately - I also met a witch who sounds like she really knows what she's talking about. [ when in doubt - call hermione granger. ]
no subject
Date: 2016-05-19 09:12 pm (UTC)That-- that actually makes sense. Even our best healer couldn't do anything, but maybe someone from a different world could.
no subject
Date: 2016-05-22 07:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-05-22 08:11 pm (UTC)Yeah! Yeah... I won't die here. Not without trying.
[He clenches his fist. It's shaking a little, anyway, but he's trying to look brave.]
(no subject)
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