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[droptheious]

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Varian

I'm busy creating life-changing inventions, you're welcome. Leave a message.

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION

FROM: SUBJECT: JUN & HARU Hey Var, do you got a moment? JUN Just so you know, I'm fine, but I might be harder to contact. EVE Hey Varian, are you on this train? JUN Hey honey, where are you? GIL The Cube 4 GIL The Cube 3 JUN Hey Var, is this a good time to run a rather personal ethical dilemma by you? JUN Oh hey, lumber! GIL The Cube 2 GIL The Cube 1 RATIO Some while back... JUN I'm fine, I went to my room. KNI I am sorry. RATIO I will be going back to teaching on Monday. NOCTIS you okay there? JUN Date BLADE Varian. How are you doing? NOCTIS hey, you’re an engineer. JUN birthday NOCTIS hey, it's noctis. from the park? BLADE A little bird told me... ZHONGLI Hello. This is Zhongli BLADE This is Blade. Jusis told me to find you... ROSE You’re Varian, right? AMAL Loser gets adopted FERN Heyyyy V, you busy? DANNY Birthday AMAL Happy nameday to the best scientist I know! JUN Are you busy? There's something I wanted to ask you. AMAL hey varian FERN hey i just realized something great DANNY Hey. I know you're probably busy with everything... ZODIAC Happy Holiday from Zodiac! CLAUDE Hey Varian. You there? ZELOS Heeeey Varian! I'm sure you're busy... FIVE I know you might be busy right now but... FERN heyyy, did you see that guy...

TO: SUBJECT: JUN Two questions. BLADE Hey, hey hey, Blade. JUN Birthday VASH I figure it's probably about time we talk, huh? JUN 愛してるよ ???!!! AMAL Dad? You home? JUN Forgt anyting nuice I said aboout space KNI Happy birthday, Kni! MIKLEO Hey, Mikleo. Jun said it'd be okay to message you... YUUKI So hey, do you think you could... JUN So. Uh. That happened. ELLIOT Hi, Elliot. Can I talk to you about something? AMAL Dad, something happened to Fern. DANNY Hey, Bud. I've got some bad?? news? EVE Hey, Eve. I wanted to make sure AMAL Happy birthday, Dad! AMAL Hey, could I get your opinion on something? VASH Hi there! Texting ahead of time like you asked. FERN Happy birthday, you. FERN Day of Hearts WILL Hey, Will. When are you free? I've got your... ELLIOT ...Hey, Elliot. Can I ask your advice on something? SNOW Hey, you available? ELLIOT Elliot? I'm- I'm really sorry to bother you... AUGUST Hey. Can I ask a follow-up question after my last one? DANNY Hey. There's something important I need to talk to you about. FIVE Hey, I was thinking we should probably talk MOANA Hey. Remember me saying we probably needed to talk... ELLIOT Um. Hey. I wondered if we could talk. AMAL Hey. Are you busy? Can we talk? HUNTER Just so you're aware... AUGUST Can I ask some advice? DANNY Hey, Danny! I think I've figured out something... KEN Hey! The figure you wanted is all finished.

code by cawaii

Comments

text; un: midnightfishing

[illucesco]

hey, it's noctis. from the park? the guy with the short-range teleport?

found out i can make healing potions recently, and the tower's clear, so.

wanna do some testing?

[droptheious]

Oh hey, Noctis! I remember you.

Really? That's fascinating! Sure, I'd love to test those out! How do you make them? Is it a certain chemical compound you use? Is it Salicylic Acid?

[illucesco]

i hold a gatorade in my hand and i turn it into a magic healing potion by wanting to feel better.

yeah i was a little underwhelmed.

[droptheious]

[...What.]

...

Wait. Seriously? It's not done with chemistry? You just make.

Magic healing potions. By thinking about it?

[Why is this world like this? He's been doing SO WELL in accepting magic and he doesn't get grouchy about it half as much as he used to but sometimes this place really pushes his limits.]

Okay, you know what, sure. Whatever. Makes about much sense as anything else here. We can still test it!

[illucesco]

yeah. it was kind of a letdown after years of figuring out how to make crafting in games engaging.

but yeah that’s what i was texting for. i have no idea what the limits to this are and i don’t want to get in a fight just to test it out, so.

meet me at the tower?

[droptheious]

I can imagine. It's a letdown for me, as someone who actually...does craft chemical compounds and...I guess for a lack of a better word "potions". Like in your games.

That's fair! I can set up some handy parameters- make sure we get a good idea of the limits in a secure, safe environment.

Sure thing! I'll make my way there!

[And as promised, he'll be waiting at the base of the tower, a backpack full of all kinds of scientific devices- just in case!]

[illucesco]

[The first sign of Noctis is the Engine Blade he's been carrying around thunking, point first, into the ground. The second is a flash of blue light, before the energy resolves into Noctis's form, a hand curled around the sword's hilt, a bag full of various different types of drinks hanging off one shoulder. Clearly he's been practicing lately.

A couple seconds later, a very unimpressed Oshawott waddles up behind him.]

Hey, Varian—this is Fluvius. Fluvius, this is Varian.

'Oshawott!' [The little otter waddles forward to stick a paw out for Varian to shake.]

So, uh, you're not expecting me to go all the way up to the top, right?

[droptheious]

[Okay, that is cool as HELL and Varian looks pretty impressed! More so than Fluvius anyway. ]

That's really neat! You've been practising!!

[With all the confidence of someone who lived around a Disney Princess, Varian doesn't miss a beat, stooping down to shake the little otter's paw. ]

It's nice to meet you, Fluvius. This is Ruddiger.

[He points to the fat-ass raccoon sitting on top of his shoulders. Ruddiger just watches with squinty, judgemental eyes as Varian straightens up.]

Aww, nah, it's not that high! We don't need to go all the way up.

[illucesco]

Yeah, it’s been useful. I’ve been figuring out how to get from my apartment to the nearest ramen bar in less than five minutes, and once I get more of a hang of this I can cut it all the way down to two.

[Leave it to Noctis to have figured out how to speedrun a 5AM ramen run.]

‘Oshawott, sha-wott.’ [Fluvius looks very pleased with both himself and Varian, and gives Ruddiger a formal, regal bow. Noctis chuckles, sliding the Engine Blade into its makeshift scabbard.]

He says it’s good to meet you too. [Then he scoops Fluvius up into his arms.] Oh, good, I wasn’t looking forward to doing all that climbing again.

So which room are we in?

[droptheious]

You've been using it to get... fast food.

[HIs tone might be a teeny tiny bit judgemental. Just a smidgen. Like, sir?? Please???]

So you can talk to him? That's pretty impressive! I've got a Zigazoon and a Pachirisu, too. But they're in their POKEBALLS- I'll let them out if we need them. They cause chaos if they're all out together.

[Ruddiger pushes them into CRIMES. All the time. ]

Me either- I figured we could try the one just before the puzzle room- there was a good space there- and it had windows for... y'know, ventilation.

[LET'S BE SAFE!!!]

[illucesco]

Not like I can find a monster to fight around here on a regular day.

[Nor would he want to.]

Sorta. He's an expressive guy, so I can make a guess what he wants off gestures and tone. Helps he's a lot smarter than the average dog. [Fluvius, in response, gives the tiniest little grin. You hear that? He's smart.] I think I saw a Zigzagoon before I caught Fluvius. They're the little raccoon-like things, right? Like Ruddiger except spikier.

[Pachirisu he hasn't seen.]

Yeah, that works for me. [He pauses, before frowning.] Those crystals aren't still there, are they?

[Because he's always felt just a little bit uncomfortable around them, for all that they came in useful while he was trekking through the tower.]

[droptheious]

...I mean, you could probably find some in Hyrule but that's fair, yeah.

[No one wants to fight monsters on the daily!]

Yeah, Pokemon are definitely much more intelligent than people give them credit for, and that's correct! They're very much like raccoons.

[He shakes his head.]

Nah I think they're gone now. They got grabbed really quickly. [He casts Noctis a worried glance.] Why, are they a...uh problem?

[illucesco]

Might be more than I could handle right now.

[An Engine Blade and an affinity for warping and making healing potions are just about the only things Noctis has going for him right now, combat-wise. He’s not stupid enough to try going up against monsters right out of the video games he helps develop with only that.

Well. Again, anyway.]

Yeah, for something that can really only say one word, Fluvius sure knows how to trick people into giving him extra treats.

[You have never seen an Oshawott so smug ever.]

No, they’re not. [It comes out too quick, and Noctis lets out a breath.] It’s…hard to explain. It’s not that I think they’re a problem, it’s just that—something about them stirs up, mm, complicated feelings, let’s say.

[droptheious]

Yeaaaaah, maybe don't push it. Baby steps, y'know?

[They don;t have to do everything immediately, after all. One thing Varian has learned is that they have a LOT of time here.]

That sounds about right, ha ha. Ruddiger normally just... uh steals treats- but I don't think he counts anyway, given he's just. Just a raccoon.

[Ruddiger chitters angrily from his shoulder at being called "JUST" anything, and Varian reaches out to pat his head in apology. Varian considers this.]

...Okay, I think I get it. [If the amber were here, he'd be very freaked out after all.] I'll keep my eyes open and if we come across any, I'll give you a heads-up, okay? We should be okay though. Hopefully.

[And inside they go, climbing the long stairway towards the room they need.]

[illucesco]

We have all the time in the world, yeah.

[He says this while, in the back of his head, he finds himself wondering about that Teresa on the network. He doesn't think he's a target, she'd been very dismissive of him, but he did himself no favors talking to her.]

Raccoons tend to do that. We used to have raccoons stealing shit right out of our cupboards when I was in college.

[Noctis's college days were a wild fuckin' time.]

...thanks. Appreciate it. [Noctis follows in Varian's footsteps, doing his best not to think about crystals, and what infinity lies inside them.]

[droptheious]

[Varian's certainly worried about her too- though more what it can mean for his mentor than anything else. She's viciously targeted Mikleo and while he has no doubt the guy can defend himself, but it's still a worry. ]

Hah, no kidding? Ruddiger does, at least, usually bring helpful trash I can use for my inventions. So I don't mind it so much. So long as he doesn't steal something actually important from someone, y'know?

[Varian doesn't wanna go to prison again!!!]

No problem. [As they get into the room, with plenty of space for them to work, Varian looks around.] Okay, I think we are super clear of gemstones. Pretty sure we're safe!

[illucesco]

Not at all. They're pretty smart, but boy was it a shock for me and my roommate. [His hand twitches toward Ruddiger as if to pet him, before he thinks better of it and lets it drop.]

Has that happened before?

[He would not be surprised.]

All right. [And he sets his bag and Fluvius down and starts taking out a variety of drinks from the bag: energy drinks, sodas, bottled waters, iced coffees, juice boxes, the works. There's even a single lonely beer can in there.] Just a sip should work. A lot of these are pretty caffeinated.

[droptheious]

Hah, yeah, I can bet. They're a shock if you don't expect them.

[No one expects the Raccoon Inquisition. Ruddiger definitely looks up as a Hand Of Potential Pets is offered and then cruelly taken away. He chitters annoyed, sliding off Varian;s shoulder to sit as close to Noctis as he can- planning to get as underfoot as possible until he gets the scratches so cruelly denied him. ]

I mean... back in Corona he stole some important stuff, but the person who held it was like. An actual threat to us so I think that's fair.

[That's totally fair game, right? He thinks so! He peers at the drinks as Noctis starts to pull them out. He pulls out a notepad and pen of his own. He is prepped for SO many notes!!]

Fantastic. I'll rank them from least caffeinated to most and then see which are most effective, how's that sound? We should get some solid data from that!

[illucesco]

[to Ruddiger, dryly:] You hear that? You're a shock. And a thief, but it's okay, if you thought the person you were stealing from would've been a threat. [He glances at Varian to ask:] He's fine with pets, right? Don't wanna get bitten by accident, that's, uh, happened before.

[Noctis starts scanning through the backs of the cans and bottles he's brought with them, arranging them in order from most caffeinated on the left to least caffeinated on the right.]

Yeah, that sounds fine to me. I know for a fact that it works on Coke and Pepsi and Gatorade.

[droptheious]

[Ruddiger tilts his head up at Notcis, chittering away as if he understands every word said to him. The question pulls a little chuckle out of Varian. ]

Honestly, he'd probably be more insulted if you uh... didn't pet him. He doesn't bite, you're safe.

[He nods, looking at the arranged drinks.]

Great! So, how do we wanna test it? I'm assuming someone's gonna have to get injured for this one.

[He sounds excited by the science of it all because there's something fundamentally wrong with this kid. ]

[illucesco]

[With permission granted, Noctis starts petting Ruddiger, scritching behind the ears like he would to Fluvius, who's taken the scallop off his chest and is tossing it up in the air and catching it.]

If someone's going to get injured it ought to be me. I can handle some pain. [He's been managing pain for most of his life, a little bit of bruising in the pursuit of science won't be too bad.] Anyway, someone needs to record it, and I'll leave that to the experienced scientist.

'Sides, [he adds, glancing to Fluvius,] the little guy here needs to practice his aim with that shell, anyway.

[droptheious]

[Ruddiger very clearly enjoys the attention, leaning into the petting and chittering softly. ]

I mean, I'm not gonna say no- not that I want you to get injured or anything, but I'm- hah- I'm trying to be a little safer these days. My dad'd kill me if I got hurt. But yeah! It's- it's probably better I'm conscious to record what's going on.

[That gets a little laugh out of him.]

I'm sure he's gonna have a blast with it.

[illucesco]

Yeah, we don’t want your dad killing you and then me for letting you get yourself hurt.

[Sadly Noctis must take away the hand so he can fully concentrate on infusing these drinks with healing energy, sorry, Ruddiger. It’s a subtle little light show, a brief glow of soft blue light as Noctis holds a drink in his hand before the energy dissipates. He does this for each drink he’s put out.

You’d think it’d be more obvious which is a working healing potion and which isn’t, but when he’s all done it all looks…pretty much the same as it did before.]

I did say it’s a little underwhelming.

[droptheious]

Hah, we do not want that. No one wants that.

[Amal would probably dance battle him or...something. Varian starts scribbling notes furiously as Noctis does his thing- poor Ruddiger well and truly forgotten. He skulks off to sit with Fluvius, plotting their doom. ]

I don't know, there was definitely a reaction when you activated your magic. A small reaction is still a reaction, after all.

[illucesco]

The little glowy thing? You've seen me warp, I think that's just how it manifests.

[It feels strange to wield this magic. It's unfamiliar to him, right now, as he is, a guy whose only contact with magic before the New Year was chiefly through video games. It's also familiar, in a way Noctis can't entirely fathom—like it's only been sleeping inside him, waiting for him to wake it back up, greeting him like an old friend when he did.]

Hey, uh. Feel free to tell me if I'm prying, but when did the app download itself into your phone?