[open] if you could only see

[exsoldier]

Who: Zack & YOU, plus some closed prompts!
When: Throughout Aguril
Where: Throughout Aefenglom and the Wilde
What: August catch-all: quests, Zack going feral, red string spell stuff
Warnings: Violence due to going feral

[ prompts are in the comments below! if you want a specific starter for anything, you can pm me or hit me up over at demonology! ]

Comments

[exsoldier]

[ It is an odd thought, and Zack doesn't mind going off the rails with it either. Do they race these things? Or do they eventually eat them? He can't say he loves the idea of eating a wormipede steak, but maybe they actually taste super good, who knows?

Even with his thoughts running wild, though, Zack doesn't miss the way that Styx pats the wormipede and praises it. Not that he has any issue with that -- some positive reinforcement is probably a good thing, right? The wormipede makes another set of clicking noises and Zack can't be sure if it's pleased or confused or annoyed or what, but...

It doesn't seem angry, at least. ]

Maybe once we can get back we can find out what this guy's name is. I'm pretty sure it's safe to say we've made a new friend.

[ As Styx gathers the algae, the wormipede instantly starts to move forward and Zack shifts his weight to adjust to the sudden change. All things considered? This is going pretty well. ]

[tothemetal]

[not angry is probably the best that Styx can hope for, realistically, especially when they were both thinking about things like wormipede burgers. thank god that 'psychic abilities' weren't one of the strange traits that this weird livestock counterpart possessed or this wouldn't be going half as well as it was now.]

You think they name them? Or is it like, uh, those big farms 'nd stuff where they've got a ton hanging out at once?

[he'd remembered, as a very young child, seeing pictures of those large scale farms in a textbook and asking how they kept track of all the cows' names. the teacher's despairing look alongside the laughter of his classmates had clearly stuck around in his memory, stupid as such a trivial thing was.

either way, Zack was definitely right - this was a new friend, whether he'd need to have a name invented or not. it makes the big guy pretty happy to contemplate as they begin steadily backtracking towards the city...which ultimately leads to the undoing of this peaceful caravan.

Styx is so wrapped up in his own cheerful thoughts that he's no longer really paying attention to where his feet are going, and while the walls are certainly the most heavily coated with algae it isn't as if the tunnel floors are exactly free and clear themselves. all it takes is one slip and he's going down, algae in his hands splattering all over his face and front.]

Ah, shit-!

[normally this would be embarrassing but easily recovered from, with the big guy up on his feet in short order. however...the wormipede can easily see that its meal has been more or less spread out for it to consume all at once rather than in the tiny nibbles it's been getting up until now, and surges forward with excited chittering to 'clean up' the mess that's been unintentionally made. oh boy.]

[exsoldier]

[ Styx makes a good point. If the wormipedes are basically raised as livestock, then they might not have names at all. Just numbers, as part of a cataloging system. Is that how they did it with chocobos? Zack doesn't actually know, but he'd always named the ones that he got saddled with, those rare times that he'd ridden one for the sake of a mission. ]

Guess we'll have to ask when we get him back. [ In truth, Zack doesn't even know if their new friend is a he or a she. Not that it matters too much. ] And if not, we'll make one up ourselves!

[ Zack continues forward with confident strides, intent on finishing up their task and getting their payout. He's pretty sure they're home-free at this point, up until Styx yelps behind him and there's a loud crash as he slips off and falls to the tunnel floor, scattering algae everywhere.

Whoops.

It's not the end of the world, but the wormipede wastes no time in taking advantage of this development. Zack sighs, crossing his arms over his chest as he chides the giant bug. ]

Hey, no need to be greedy! If you overeat, it's gonna take even longer to get you back!

[ Zack isn't foolish enough to try and snatch any of the algae away, but he does close his fist around what he's still holding in reserve. After a pause, he steps over to Styx and offers him his free hand to help him up. ]

You all right?

[tothemetal]

[Styx can't really tell what's going on around him, let alone what Zack's doing in response to his own colossal fuckup thanks to his view consisting of nothing but the wormipede's hungry mandibles. his startled cry quickly morphs into unintentional laughter, because while these things aren't hurting him they really tickle. it's kind of a merciful turn of events, really; even if he wasn't laughing on purpose, the sound helps ease some of his guilt over being a liability again.

their insectoid charge is an extremely thorough eater despite one of its tenders' chastisement and soon enough there simply isn't any part of Styx that it finds appealing any longer. if nothing else it proves that these things are relatively harmless unless provoked...useful information for the future, probably.]

Um...yeah, 'm fine.

[it takes the drummer a second to sort of return to a world that isn't just giant bug face, but when he does the reassurance comes readily. the wormipede is heavy, even just kind of half looming as it was, but he's tough. not smart, clearly, but tough.

taking the offered hand and hoisting himself up onto his feet again, his expression becomes contrite.]

Sorry, man. Kinda fucked up a pretty good thing there, huh?

[exsoldier]

[ As far as Zack's concerned, this is something that they can laugh about, shrug off, and then move on with little else said about it. Styx doesn't seem to feel the same way, judging by the genuine apology that he offers as if he just made some terrible mistake.

Zack scoffs and waves him off. ] No big deal. These things happen. [ It could have just as easily been Zack who tumbled off the wormipede's back, as far as he's concerned, and so there's little reason to dwell on it.

Their new friend is still munching on as much algae as it can easily access, and Zack shakes his head in dismay before giving the large bug a light smack on the flank. ]

All right, all right, you've had your fill! Come on, we gotta keep moving.

[ He glances back to Styx. ] You wanna give it another go? Or should I take a turn? [ Zack doesn't see a point in discouraging Styx when his fall had been an accident, but he also doesn't want to push him if he doesn't feel like hopping up on the bug's back a second time. ]

[tothemetal]

[do they, though? maybe to Styx...but he's pretty sure that the same couldn't be said for anyone else. still, it seems like his apology's been accepted, and that's really all it takes to put the big guy back into a better mood.

...the cute chittering the bug makes at being smacked doesn't hurt either.]

Uh, you think it'd be ok? Was kinda fun before...uh, you know.

[the swan dive. or, worm dive, as it were.]