driftfleet | TOXICOSIS PT. 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

Entry tags:

lloyd irving

TOXICOSIS PT. 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

Who: Lloyd Irving and YOU YES YOU
Broadcast: PROBABLY NONE…
Action: Waystation, possibly eventually to the Wonderduck
When: NOW

[ like the last flareup, it was only a matter of time before he went through this song and dance again. with so many things that happened all at once — Colette's and Sheena's (and Emil's, apparently) arrival, the attack, everything he did and felt at Mor — it's a wonder that Lloyd didn't have his flareup sooner. he had nearly gotten to the point of questioning it: whether it was over with, whether he would experience it again or wouldn't…

leave it to him to question it at the worst time.

like the last flareup, it hit him gradually but unexpectedly. like last time, it started with a slight fever and achiness — which made sense, since he was working near non-stop. he figured after this current supply run, he'd make his way to the VRD to create another simulation of Iselia Forest to help him clear his head. it was never the real deal, but the sound of the creek usually was enough to help him relax.

alas, he'd never make it. halfway to the Wonderduck, the toxicosis flares up in full and he falls over, in the middle of the way station, with food, parts, and whatever else was in those boxes strewn all around him. he's shaking, breathing heavily, and if anyone happens to notice, seems to be pale-- really pale, so pale his lips are turning blue.

well. this is certainly out of the norm, isn't it? ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Sheena's been out and about getting supplies and stuff again, but she's not expecting to see Lloyd collapsed in the middle of the station. There's already a crowd forming... She shoves through and kneels by his side.]

Lloyd! What happened?

[She'll worry about the boxes later. For now-- he's still breathing, but he's turning blue. That's...]

Oh, no.

[She's seen this before. She presses her hand to his forehead to see if he's running a fever.]

Where's Raine when you need her? Ugh, think, Sheena! Think! [Shit shit shit shit shit. They can't camp out here in the middle of the Waystation, so he has to be moved. Gently. To a ship. What ship is he on, again? And after that, it's... what, monitoring his fever and making sure he drinks water? It was always Raine and Kratos who took care of Colette after shit happened.

She is so not cut out for this. But she's going to try. She digs through her obi for her communicator.]

[ oh, he's running a fever, alright-- a really high one. his head is swimming so much and it hurts so bad, he doesn't even register Sheena's presence until he feels the hand on his head and hears her panicking. somewhere above him. wait-- above him...? ]

Sh-Sheena...?

[ how did Sheena end up above him? not only that, how did he end up horizontal--

oh. right. the toxicosis. he collapsed in the middle of the waystation. of course there was a chance that she'd pass by and find him like this. knowing this, it helps to ease his worries some-- if Sheena's here, then he knows he'll be alright. he has absolute faith in her.

if he wasn't in so much pain, he'd be letting out a sigh of relief. instead, he's going try to get on his knees, or at least flip himself over so that he's not kissing dirty metal. ]

D-don't worry. Nnh... S'not-- that bad...

Don't try to move!

[She moves too late to keep him from flipping over, but now Lloyd has the benefit of being in Sheena's arms. She peers down at him, obviously concerned.]

You're sick just like Colette was. We'll make sure you're safe, so focus on getting better!

[She turns on her communicator.]

[ yeah, moving was a bad idea-- it only made him feel sicker and thankful for the fact that Sheena grabbed him. he leans against her, eyes screwed shut as he tries to will away the nausea that came from that little bit of effort. ]

S-sorry...

[ whether he's apologizing over moving against her instruction, or for something else. he lets out a sharp breath of air, one that was probably meant to be a laugh. ]

Man... Talk about a bad welcome...

[after getting her call, Colette ran over here. As she turns the corner, cheeks flushed and eyes filled with worry she stops in dread. The way his skin is so pale, the pain of moving. Her stomach plunges and she pushes back those memories to run towards him]

Lloyd! [she glances from Sheena to Lloyd, then back and forth again. She sinks down on her knees on the opposite side from Sheena. Her hands hover above him in indecision. She knows how much pain he's in, but she just wants to hug him...]

Lloyd... [she pauses, feeling lost] W-We should bring you back to your ship!

[Kaneis isn't much longer behind Colette, since he started running too when he heard the news. Though when he comes across the scene, he slows some- uncertain what to do. Frankly, he barely knew what he was doing the last time an episode happened. And now that two people from his world were here, one of which had been through the illness just as he had]

[....Yep. Totally still wishing he had an instruction]

Y-Yeah, good idea- gotta be more comfortable than the ground.

Stop worrying about that... idiot.

[Sheena relaxes visibly when the others show up. Good, now they can... figure out what to do. Maybe.]

Thanks for coming, guys.

So, what, we bring him back to the ship and... do we give him water? Or just let him be? [She's doubtful about that last bit.] We need to be really careful lifting him, but if we all help, we can probably keep him level.

[ even if there's a chance she couldn't see it, Lloyd chances a smile on his face in response to her rough reassurance. it's just like being back home...

it isn't long before he hears Colette close to him, and then Kaneis not long after, and he can feel himself relax... well, relax as much as he can, anyway. he'll be fine, he knows it. all of his friends from home are here. he slowly reopens his eyes, bringing them to Colette as he gives her a pained but reassuring smile.

he'll be fine. he has his friends and his keycrest. he'll be fine, he knows it.

he slowly opens his eyes, looking over to Colette with a tired and pained but reassuring smile. ]

[Her heart jumps at that smile, and she shakes her head. No. No no no no, she knows that smile because she's given it a thousand times over. He was sick? This whole time? Suffering that horrible disease, all that pain and not-- not saying anything.]

I-It's okay Lloyd, we'll take care of you, we'll-- [but she bites her lip. She knows... she knows there's nothing they can really do. None of Raine's spells could push back the tide of pain, what could they do?

Do what Lloyd would do, try their very hardest. She wills her hands to stop shaking and looks at Sheena]

Y-You're right, Sheena. I can try to carry his weight. Maybe you two could support his head and feet? [They might all look silly in a conga line like that, but that's the farthest thought from Colette's mind right now]

[Honestly if Colette wasn't here, he'd probably smack Lloyd for that smile. It has him instantly annoyed, as he's seen that smile too many damn times- Lloyd should know better]

Quit with the pretending you're fine, we know it's shit and it's not helping. You might as well complain about how it hurts.

[The group healer, everyone.]

[But whatever, he'll head over to Lloyd's feet and get ready to pick him up if that's the plan they're going with]

Also? You're a real dumbass for not telling Colette and Sheena about this when they got here.

That sounds like a good idea. [She knows Colette can lift pretty well.] I'll take his head, I guess.

[She glances at Kaneis.]

Thank you.

Now let's get him back to his ship.

Edited 2015-04-28 01:37 (UTC)

[ he doesn't say anything to protest against being lifted; hell, flipping over like that exhausted most of whatever energy he had, and he's already in loads of pain that he can barely talk as is. maybe when he's more like himself he'll be embarrassed, but for now, he's being cooperatively still.

though not even the most painful of toxicosis could stop Lloyd from delivering a swift kick to Kaneis's chest. gosh man, you need to get those butterfingers checked. ]

[ah! Colette winces in sympathy as Zelos gets kicked, but she lifts Lloyd from underneath, and tries to focus on keeping him as comfortable as possible. It's a good thing that she's so focused on Lloyd, her clumsiness shouldn't be a problem.]

O-Okay. Kaneis, can you lead the way?

[she's not sure where exactly the Wonderduck is parked at the moment]

[The kick lands, but luckily it's not strong enough to do anything but make Kaneis wince a little. He was used to getting hit- and he'd take it over smiling. Besides, Sheena approved so there.]

Ow! There's the hothead!

[But right, giving directions. He glances in a certain direction and gives a nod]

That way. We're parked in Dock C.

[Sheena moves in time with the others, making sure to keep Lloyd level. She has to walk backwards to manage holding his shoulders and head, so she's careful, but she's also pretty light on her feet all things considered.

Just make sure there aren't any holes.]

What can we do when we get there? Just... watch him and wait for it to pass? [She doesn't like the sound of that.]

[ Lloyd's still, almost deathly still, as the others carefully move him back to the Wonderduck. he knows they're moving as quickly and carefully as they can manage, but right now, Lloyd wants to be on something solid. the movements are just making him feel sick on top of the pain, and he's literally forcing himself not to accidentally throw up on Sheena or Colette.

does manage to swallow down the bile long enough to throw a comment right back at Kaneis. ]

…'ll show you "hothead"…

[ that's all he can manage, though, before he falls quiet, letting the other carry him back to the ship. he'll try not to move too much but with the pain shooting through him, he makes no promises. ]

[Colette nods at Sheena's question, the saddness and worry evident on her face. While she glances up at the path ahead of them every once in a while, she just can't stop staring at Lloyd's face, feeling her heart ache with each spasm of his brow, or wrinkle in his forehead]

T-There's not much we can do. Healing artes help a little, but...

[it's like using a bucket to stem a tide of pain]

...Mostly he has to endure through it himself.

[There's a slight show of worry on his face as he finishes Colette's sentence, continuing to walk towards the ship. He hated this. Even if he's already been through this one before with Lloyd...he still wasn't used to it. In fact, he felt nothing but more fear and hatred towards this entire mess]

[Sheena looks and feels wretched, but she tries to put on a brave face.]

W-- well, he's pretty strong. I think he'll be okay.

[Step... step... step... She glances over her shoulder to make sure she's not about to trip. It keeps her from having to stare down into his face and give away her true feelings.]

Everyone believes in you, Lloyd. You'll make it through.

[ he's quiet and still for most of the trek back to the ship, but he's listening to their conversation as much as he can and wishing that he could chime in without another wave of pain passing through him. it may hurt to even talk, but he has to provide his response somehow.

slowly, he moves his hands — one goes to Sheena's arm; the other, Colette's shoulder — and gives them a weak but reassuring squeeze. he's terrified, definitely, but he knows he'll get through this. he knows he can, not just because his Key Crest has yet to fail him thus far, but because his friends are here with him, and they believe in him.

…sorry Kaneis, he only has two hands and you're too far from his reach. ]

[Ah... she bites her lip to fight back tears. Colette believes in crying, truly... There's nothing quite like being unable to cry to make you appreciate what it means-- expressing your overwhelming sadness or unspeakable joy was so important. But crying could wait, crying could come later. She can only imagine how much that gesture hurts, and she can't cry, not now while Lloyd isn't.

She leans her face to press her cheek against his hand. She would squeeze it back, but she doesn't want to jostle him even in the slightest. But she keeps the pressure light, and lets up quickly, not wanting to cause more pain]

Yeah. We'll stay with you Lloyd, for however long it takes until the pain passes. It will stop, eventually.

[she knows that he knows this, but she still wants to verbalize it. Both for him, and for her]

[It's alright, Kaneis is fine with being left out of the gesture. Emotions, gah. He is busy battling back any he's feeling right now really. He meanwhile keeps moving, picking up pace slightly when he sees the ship. They are almost there, almost to where they can get Lloyd to at least a place to rest.]

[Oh, Goddess, this is too much. Lloyd's hand on her arm makes her bottom lip tremble in a very telling way. Her eyes move to Zelos' in that moment, and then she looks back down at Lloyd. It's so hard not to spill everything right then, but like Colette, she's able to hold back.]

We're here for you.

[She feels a little relief as her feet hit the ramp leading to the ship.]

[ are you really though, Kaneis, ARE YOU REALLY...

Colette is right though: despite it being a gesture of reassurance, even moving his arms just to give them that squeeze hurt too much. it's why almost instantly after that squeeze, Lloyd drops his hands-- one goes back onto his chest, the other hangs next to Colette. the pull from his muscles makes the hanging hand hurt too, but he can't even ass himself to move it back to join his other hand.

through the pounding in his head and the delirium of his fever, he can hear the sounds of footsteps hitting metal and the feel of the angle shifting as Sheena ascends the ramp into the cargo bay. relief washes through him, though it's hard to tell ourwardly with how much grimacing he's doing. finally, soon he can be on a flat surface again... ]

[She hears the change, the thin metal ramp makes a different noise against Sheena's shoes. She puts extra focus into keeping her arms steady as she walks slowly up the ramp. The tilt could be uncomfortable, and she bites her lip as she tries to minimize that. When they begin to near the top she looks down the hall, then back at Kaneis]

Are the rooms that way? [she jerks her head ever so slightly in the direction that one would go if they were heading to the sleeping quarters in the Tourist]

[He looks at the direction she's indicating and he worries his lip a little]

Yeah...but you have to go down a ladder to get to his room. I don't know if he can...

[Maybe if someone carries him down...? Or should he just be put somewhere else? Kaneis isn't sure in the slightest here.]

Then we'll take him to the infirmary.

[It's a quick decision, but Sheena's starting to slide into leader mode. There is someone in great pain and possibly great danger. They can't afford to hesitate. (This is, after all, the same woman who grabbed a bomb and ran off with it in order to keep it from detonating and killing thousands of people.)]

Healing artes probably won't help much, but at least he'll be cared for. Where is it?

Edited 2015-05-07 03:44 (UTC)

[A glimmer of relief is in Colette's eyes as Sheena slips into leader mode. It's comforting, and bolsters her spirits a bit. She nods and looks in the other direction. It seems as if most of the ships are similar, and her augment has given her a feeling for the format of these ships.]

Yes! That's a good idea... it's this way, right?

[He also feels a bit of relief when Sheena takes over. It was easier for him to take charge when it was something he was detached from, but this? Not so much. Too many unwanted emotions and memories kept swimming around his head. Better for someone else to make the call.]

Right. The Infirmary.

[Good thinking. He nods at Colette's question]

Yeah. Just down the hall.

[She'll probably break down later, but for now, they have to move. This isn't quite the same as back then in the temple. She has Corrine's memory to guide her now... and a lot more training.]

All right.

[She begins edging toward the med bay. Each step feels like an eternity, but she keeps a brave face.]

[Colette nods and follows her lead. She wonders if there's a med officer here today. Does the Wonderduck have a medical officer? She hasn't acquainted herself with the entire crew, just seen some of them in passing... But if Raine couldn't do anything to stem the pain, could the medicine in this world do anything?

But she has to hope that maybe just being there for them, maybe that's the best they can do? Not leave his side, so he doesn't have to spend his painful night alone counting stars]

Has this-- [she glances at Kaneis, but then looks back down at Lloyd. She wants to ask how long this has been going on, what stage Lloyd is at. But it seems inappropriate to ask while they're still carrying him...] D-Does your ship have a medical healer? [she's still catching up on all the terminology]

[That question definitely...gets a bit of a deadpan look at Colette as they start reaching the doors of the medical bay. Sure maybe this is an inappropriate time for smartass remarks, but let's be real - snark is how Zelos Wilder copes. Even if it is Colette.]

...Yeah. Gee. I don't know. Is there a healer among us?

[Sheena knows Colette's in a delicate state of mind with regards to Zelos, so of course she sends Zelos a nasty look.]

Kaneis. The reason we took him to the Wonderduck is so that you can help watch over him. I know there's not much anyone can do, but I trust someone from our world over some stranger. No offense to your crewmate.

I-I... [uh oh, she winces a bit under Kaneis's look. She already knows and told them from her experience that Raine's healing artes did little to help with the pain. She was wondering about the medicine that can be provided from this new modern age, all of that kind of stuff is beyond her, so she was trying to think about someone who had been trained as a modern doctor, like the stuff that Allen had mentioned. But Sheena was right, it was more important that Lloyd be with someone that he knew, and it's doubtful that the modern medicine could do anything that the artes could not.

She meekly nods and continues onward. Normally she might try to make her point more clearly, but she's a bit out of sorts with Lloyd being in this state.] Yes, you're right. I'm sorry.

[Yep and there comes being reprimanded, which okay - maybe he does feel a bit bad for snarking and his shoulders slump a little. Not that he'll fully express the regret well]

Tch...

[The great communicator everyone. But at least they are getting in to the clinic now. There's even a medical bed there. He'll nod at them to bring Lloyd over there]

[Sheena maneuvers Lloyd over to the bed. She helps lay him down gently and slowly, as if he's made of glass and might break at the slightest bump. When he's solidly on the bed Sheena finally pulls away, but not before taking Colette's hand.]

Everything will be fine. We just have to wait it out.

[Sheena ;A; As Colette slides her arms out from underneath Lloyd she continues to look at him, eyebrows knit... Until she glances over at Sheena and accepts her hand, returning the hand-holding with a slight squeeze]

Mm hm... [it's just hard to see him in pain, but she doesn't say that out loud, everyone is likely thinking the same thing]

Should we... maybe get a wet rag? To put on his forehead?

[Kaneis meanwhile doesn't remark about the handholding, and instead moves to stand by the bedside, trying to figure out if healing artes would be any effective at this point, when Colette speaks up]

...Yeah, that's a good idea. Might keep the fever down a little.

[When he's not praying or singing or conjuring muffins or something, Adra does spend time around the Waystation, trying to get a better sense of the people he's been thrown in with. Adra's on one of these walkabouts when he notices somebody literally collapse to the ground.

Adra's step forward becomes a teleport, advancing him from his position to Lloyd's in a second.]

Shit, son.

[He kneels down; places a Light-limned palm against Lloyd's back.]

Can you talk?

[ before he even realizes it, Lloyd can feel the sensation of mana -- or at least , some source of magic -- flowing into his back. it does nothing to alleviate the pain, but it does feel a little soothing, and it's enough for Lloyd to answer back. ]

Y-yeah... [ barely anyway, but at least he's able to get a word out. he tries to move, tries to get on his knees at the very least. moving's not a good idea, but no one ever said Lloyd's ideas were all good ones. ]

Nn-- I-it's fine.. Don't-- [ don't worry about him, just let it run its course. ]

My friend, it's pretty clearly not fine. Just what the hell is wrong with you?

[He pulls a feather from somewhere up the sleeves of his robes; it burns to ash between his fingers as he mutters something over it. Lloyd's body becomes weightless once Adra finishes the incantation; he levitates just a foot or so above the ground. Adra can't carry him, but at least he doesn't have to walk.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TOXICOSIS PT. 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject