[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]

[ 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.]