WEEK 5 MINGLE - AMARANTHUS

[foundationmods]

Another trial, another horrible outcome.

This time, it affected so many people...and yet, they still weren't done.
Who would be killed next?
Would they be able...to handle whatever happened?🗈

Still, things were just the same as they had been the past few weeks.

The goats and servants were still around, and so too were the witches.
It was all becoming routine at this point.
Was that a good thing, or a bad one...?
It was...too hard to tell, now...

...Either way, they were now closer to the end.
So, like always...they had to see it through.


MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

CALENDAR | LOCATIONS | PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS | NIRRTI PC POST | WATANUKI PC POST

Comments

[cryosurgeon]

[For the first time since his talk with Watanuki, Erhard flinches. Even without turning around, the voice is so familiar. It hurts more than he imagined it would. He can't ask why Natsuno told Anon about their deal, and he can't tell the teen what he remembered. The politeness of this person, the "doctor" rather than "sensei," reminds him this isn't Natsuno.

He has to take a deep breath and steady himself before glancing back.]

It's a learning process. I'm alright, really.

[sotoshini]

Are you sure? Well, I don't want to push you into anything. [ The voice is similar but the tone is all wrong. Too light yet lacking any real substance at all. ]

I thought doctors would be good with their hands. [ A beat. ] But I suppose cooking and medicine are different.

[cryosurgeon]

And both require practice. I haven't cooked in at least eight years, and I don't remember ever baking.

[He's trying to keep his conversation idle, but it hurts to hear that not-quite-right voice.]

If you needed surgery, you'd be in far less trouble than these cakes.

[sotoshini]

Hmn, I see. [ Peering closer. ]

Hopefully not, Doctor. I'm happy to say I have a pretty study constitution. [ Winning smile! ... even though he is pretty pale. ]

[cryosurgeon]

[God, that smile hurts. It looks so much at ease, so happy.

It's not Natsuno.]

I'm... glad for that. I hope one day, the world won't have a need for doctors.

[sotoshini]

[ Thinking, hand tapping against his cheek. ]

Wouldn't that be almost impossible?

[cryosurgeon]

Maybe. But part of what doctors do is strive to end all disease, all... all suffering....

[So many people here are suffering, have suffered, Nirrti and Watanuki included, and it's not something Erhard can cure with medicines or any of his medical knowledge. He couldn't give Natsuno enough strength to protect himself from Syaoran.

He picks up a knife to chop up more chocolate, only to nick his fingertip. He barely feels it, but the blood wells up. Funny, it was such a silly little error, why wasn't he more careful? It's like... some part of him wanted to bleed right at that moment, in this person's presence.]

[sotoshini]

[ Ah. He freezes, going impossibly still. ]

Doctor Erhard. You should- [ Taking a single step back. ] really be more careful.

[cryosurgeon]

... I know.

[His fingers shift, as if to put pressure on the cut... but instead he squeezes until a large, liquid bead wells up. The burning sting pulls half of his brain out of his daze, but not all of it.]

[sotoshini]

[ His retreat has turned into a full stumble and he's doubtlessly running into other things in the kitchen, but he doesn't seem to care. There's fangs visible too, if Erhard looks back. ]

I need. To leave.

[cryosurgeon]

[Erhard does look back, and the expression on his face....

It's a faint, sad smile.]

It's alright. Don't worry about me, I'm a doctor.

[sotoshini]

Right. Bye.

[ fucking zooming out of the kitchen. ]

[cryosurgeon]

....

[Erhard wraps his finger in a clean kitchen towel before he sinks heavily into a nearby chair, pressing his hands to his face. He's shaking.]