Activity

Misu:

“Where’s the bathroom?”  Basil shifted somewhere behind Misu.  Niarok glanced up from the fire.  “Bathroom’s over there.”

“Thanks.”  Basil started off into the shadows.

“Wait, you’re going the wrong way!  I said it’s over there!”  Niarok pointed back into the darkness.

“I know.  I want my bathroom to be in the opposite direction from yours.”

Someone in the group snorted.  “You need your own bathroom?”  Basil stopped short.

“Of course I do,” he hissed.  “You all probably carry all sorts of pathogens and probably even parasites.  I’m not looking down on you or anything.  I just really don’t want to catch whatever bugs you have, that’s all.”  Misu raised his eyebrows as Basil stormed into the shadows.  He sighed.

“That was in extremely poor taste, but he has a point.  We all come from different worlds – that much is clear by now,” he paused.  This is so awkward.  “Anyways, any pathogens that any one of you carry could be completely foreign to Basil and I – and vice-versa.  I do agree that we should make a point of being extra careful with our hygiene, although I can’t say I’m nearly as worried as Basil.  Any sickness is going to be absolutely miserable in a place like this, regardless of where it comes fro- ”

“You’re talking about me, aren’t you.”  Misu suppressed another sigh.

“Oh, there you are!  I was, actually.  I was agreeing with your ideas on hygiene.”  He smiled at him warmly.  “Anyways, I don’t think we should worry too much.  We’ll probably all have caught each others germs by then.  Besides, if anyone here has parasites, there’s not much any of us can do about it.  We’ll all catch them if they’re in the water source.”  Misu frowned.  What am I even saying?  That’s a horribly pessimistic thing to say!  I don’t even know if-

“What did you just say?”  Basil glanced at him sharply.  Misu sighed.

“I’m sorry.  That was rather pessimistic of me.  If there’s parasites in the water source – which there very well could be – we’ll all end up getting them.  We might as well not worry about it too much.  There’s no harm done as long as no one gets seriously ill, I suppose.”  Misu bit his lip.  I’ve done all I can to be optimistic here.  Seriously, this really is a bad situation.  I guess there’s nothing wrong with a dose of reality.  I mean, it’s not going to do us any good to keep hiding from it.  He sighed.  Like I’ve done for the past two weeks…months?  Who knows.  Why am I so depressed all of a sudden?  That’s it – I’m hungry!  Maybe someone here has some rations.  Basil sniffed somewhere behind him.  I bet he’s still caught up about the parasite thing.  Oh well.  We’re not in Spire anymore, that’s for sure.  Maybe some food will help him forget about it.  Misu turned around.  “Hey Basil, do you want some food?”  Basil slowly looked up at him, his black eyes sparkling in the orange glow.  Misu tilted his head as Basil averted his gaze.  The flames danced on his face, reflecting two gleaming streaks down his delicate features…

Wait, is he…

Basil closed his eyes, tears slowly streaming from under his lashes.  Misu bit his lip.  Oh no.  “I…”  he sighed.  “I’m sorry.”  He hesitantly patted his shoulder, wincing as his back shivered with barely restrained sobs.

“I hate it here.”  Basil’s voice quivered in a choked whisper.  “I just want to go to bed.  I just want to go home!”  His voice suddenly cracked.  “I miss Spire,” he whispered.  “I want to go home.  Why can’t I go home?”  Misu gently wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close as broken sobs racked his body.  Tears pricked at the back of his own eyes.

“I don’t know,” he whispered.

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@denali-christianson @emily-waldorf @rose-colored-fancy

Well that sure took a turn.  I started this off with the intention that Basil would have a funny mental breakdown, but it just turned out kind of sad instead (also this may have turned out rather melodramatic cause I never write emotional scenes.  I mean, I never write outside of this castle, but that’s besides the point lol).  I’m sure all of your characters have a ton of unresolved emotional trauma from this whole ordeal, so you can give them emotional breakdowns too if you want.  As always, change anything you want!

Also Basil’s been excessively blunt and prickly and generally difficult, so you all feel free to take him down a notch if you want, and by that I mean you can absolutely laugh at him or torment him with bugs and bacteria and the like (yeah that sounds rather awful but we’re all writers in here, so…)

@denali-christianson looks like Niarok and his thousands of medicinal herbs might have a moment soon, now that the water quality is being called into question 😉