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You should celebrate by spending a day with her.

I mean, what.

Dear fans,

We love your tears so much, we decided to show how much we love you by trolling you on Valentine's Day.

Love,
Gabe Newell <3

✖ Meet up. Brian ain't gonna get no hand slapped by that Madeline mhmmmmmm *snaps fingers*

✖ YUNA YOU THIEF.
✖ Abby is adorable.
✖ Madeline and Quin are dutifully engaged in discussion with Brian's Boyz (ft. Aileen), who try and get the tsundere and kuudere yuri pairing to stay, but the universe works against them because ...
✖ Oh maledictions! Quin spots Evil Niccolo Paganini lurking in the shadows stalking her because her violin playing is too beautiful. Damn groupies. Quin rushes off in a manner befitting a flustered Queen Elizabeth I.
✖ Temperance and Cherno produce so much sexual tension that it makes Madeline and Quin look like Altair and Damn Old Man.
✖ "S-she followed me after all ..." Quin says, as the anime cherry blossoms blow dramatically in the air and M and Quin share a yuri kiss and then steamy bath together at the hot springs run by Crestatia.

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7​

HOUSES ARE FLOODING!!​

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...

Fuck.

That voice. Was that Anthony? Goddamnit.

"Anthony!" Cherno yelled into the phone. "How-- how did you, get my number?!"

Wait. Did he say he was stuck in water? Oh. Oh shit. The water levels in the house actually were rising? Goddamnit. Ugh what would he do what could Cherno. He couldn't go off saving Anthony and leave Temperance even if his house was close. That also meant the school would probably, probably flood soon ...

Cherno took deep breaths. No panicking Cherno. No panicking.

He heard the familiar noise of a text message. Johnathan? Briefly pausing the call, he looked at his screen. Meet at the auditorium. Perfect. But ... Temperance ...

Right. First, he had to deal with the kid.

"Anthony," he said, in the calmest voice he could muster, which was still shaky with fear. "Anthony. Listen to me. Get-- get to the highest part of your house." He breathed in deeply. This could mean life and death for the kid. And -- and as much as Cherno disliked him, he really, really did not want to see the poor kid die. He wasn't that bad. "You've got choices. Signal for the police. And-- and head for the auditorium in the school. It's a shelter right now. If you don't get anyone ..."

Cherno thought about options. "Be quick. You're a small kid. Break off some wood from your -- from your house, somewhere, or even roofing shingles -- something that'll float. If you're low on time, hold onto that like your life depended on it. If you've got more time, make a raft ... somehow. Use rope. Something! Get here quickly, dammit. It sounds unrealistic, but -- but trust me on this, brother. The current ... if, if it hasn't changed, it should take you all the way to the house." Cherno looked out towards the window. The winds seemed to be rushing along the pane -- that looked west enough. "You'll cut the school close. If you can find something on the way that can take you there easier, do so."

Cherno paused for a moment. It was Anthony, after all. He then added:

"Alright, kid. I believe in you. You're smart. You've probably defeated all kinds of monsters before, right? This is going to be a really, really hard level, and you have no continues, no extra lives. You've gotta hold onto your raft, or flotation device, or whatever, like your final life depending on it. If you need to, use your best jumping level skills to jump from wherever to wherever. If you see any officers, make sure they come to you. They have power ups. To reach the end of the level, you have to get to the auditorium of Bellhurst High. You dig everything there, brother?"

Cherno looked back at the window. He was breathing heavily. Another life was in his hands, and he was the worst person to be handling things like this. Crack. Another flash of lightning lit the room, and the sky had turned a strange violet-red colour.

He wondered if Crestatia had anything to do with this.

...

"Anthony."

...

Cherno's hand was shaking.

"Anthony. It's ... it's entirely possible, in the school, you may face a boss. A boss you've probably seen before. So ... be prepared, kid. I'm counting on you."

Honestly? Honestly, Cherno was happy on the inside that Anthony had his number. But he would never show it.

He cut the call. Please, please, Anthony should be safe. Ugh. This was all terrible. Another crack of thunder. Cherno turned towards the gracefully sleeping Temperance. How in the world would he carry her? He peered around for anything -- anything ... hm! At the far end of the room, he spotted a stretcher. Leaping off the bed, he almost slipped on the wet floor. Goddamnit. He needed to be quick. He grabbed the stretcher and wheeled it to the bed, where Temperance sat, sleeping.

Careful now.

Cherno slowly brought his arm below Temperance's knees and held her back tightly with his other, and lifted her up, bridal style. Aaaaack. This was -- this was ... At least, at least there was nobody to see him blushing. Good. P-perfect. She was surprisingly light, especially considering how Cherno barely had any strength to speak of. He gently rested her sleeping figure onto the stretcher. He placed her things next to her, as the stretcher was big enough --- or rather, she was simply just a bit small. Everything was set. Time to get to the auditorium.

He burst through the door of the infirmary, wheeling the stretcher with the sleeping Temperance throughout the damp hallways, the wheels almost slipping with how the school seemed to be getting more and more wet. Turn left. Right. Keep going ... keep going. He passed familiar lockers. Nobody here to disturb or bump into him at least. Left. Straight, straight, now finally a left--

SHIT.

He almost slammed the stretcher into a white-haired man with a cane, aimlessly leaning on it, as if waiting for someone.

"YOU DAMN OLD MAN!" Cherno yelled, albeit a bit meekly.

Wait.

He knew him. That white hair. Crisp gaze and eyes. His posture seemed to imply he was wise beyond his years. But he was definitely not an old man, let alone a damned one. He was at Lacey's! He was ... he was one of them. A young and nice-looking man.

Oops. Smooth, Cherno. Real smooth.

And yet, he ... he barely knew this person. He was not sure if he remembered many tumblr interactions with him, let alone his name. Alaric? Auditore? Amaury? Pah. But he was at ... Lacey's as well.


...

Oh no. Johnathan, and this dude. Cherno shot a glance at him as he realized how suspicious things were turning. Thunder shook the entire school, and the lockers rattled very slightly, giving the entire hallway a snakelike impression.

"Hey, brother." He said, calmly. "S-sorry about that! This place makes me jumpy, I didn't mean it. P-please forgive me, brother. I'm in a bit of a rush, as you can see with sleeping beauty over here." He pointed at Temperance. "I don't think we really met on personal terms, but I know you're involved with this basic horse-popping hootenanny shit. You were at Lacey's too. I-- right. Yeah." Cherno looked down at the serene girl in the stretcher. To him, she looked undisturbed, but who knows what she was thinking about. He turned his head back towards the white-haired boy.

"I need to get there in a rush, but, I know that John-- uh," He probably didn't know about Johnathan much. "Uh, the religious nutcase, is in here and heading to the auditorium. I hope you've met some others too, but I'm going there right now. Please come when you can."

And with that, Cherno quickly moved past the young man and rushed off to the auditorium. Johnathan was going there. He wondered if the young man and Anthony could survive a few moments with him. Everyone else thought of him as insufferable. It was a bit of a shame too. Cherno looked down at Temperance. Oh lord, could she stand even a few seconds with him?

Cherno's feet tapped -- no, splashed against the wet floor of the school. The lights were no help here, as if they originally were trying to lead him and Temperance away from the auditorium. Everything around him was a blur, but finally, he saw the lit double doorway of the auditorium. Thank god!

Bursting in with the stretcher, he found it sparsely populated. Johnathan was there, and he let off a sly smirk. Looking around, he saw that a few others were sleeping -- oh, was that Brian and Aileen? And a third person he did not know the name of as well. Chevy Chase? That is all that came to his mind.

And it was only them right now, it appeared. Only the ones who were mentioned in the e-mail.

...

Cherno looked down at Temperance as he wheeled her stretcher next to Johnathan. What a fucking ridiculous slip-up to call her sleeping beauty. Even if she was. He-- he wasn't supposed to let his emotions show like that!

10
HOUSES ARE FLOODING!!
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It looks like poor Temperance fell asleep. Cherno sighed.

He jumped off the bed and went over to cabinet again. Opening it, there was a small pile of blankets, right below the hung suits. Perfect. He grabbed one, and returned to the bed. Carefully moving close to Temperance, he gently draped the blanket around her shoulders. He hoped she would feel warmer like this. Hah. She looked kind of cute when sleeping. Innocent and almost like she was a young child again.

Brrrrrrr.


Ack! Was that his phone? Cherno quickly grabbed it from his coat pocket and turned it on. Another crack of lightning brightly lit the room for a moment. It was a text from Johnathan -- oh goddamnit. He seemed really pissed. Cherno quickly replied that he had ... been trying to get to the school. Sounds good. Get to the school with a friend, because the houses were flooding. Sorry that he couldn't save any of their things. He then said he was in the infirmary. Beep. He sent the text, and hoped it could be sent in the storm.

He placed his phone in the breast pocket of the medical suit and looked at his bad hand. He moved it around, spreading out and waving his fingers, and then clenching his fist. Maybe it was a bad idea to tell her about the story.

Brrrrrrrring.

Goddamnit! Was that Johnathan calling him now? Nobody else could, or would call him at this moment. He retrieved his phone again.

Unknown ... number?

He slowly and carefully accepted the call, and brought the phone to his ear.

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15​

HOUSES ARE FLOODING!! ​

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◤ tumblr ▣ logic ▣ mood: tired ▣ interaction: temperance ▣ ooc: ◢​

As Temperance sat on the cot, Cherno shuffled around the infirmary for what he needed. He opened a cabinet and grabbed one of the suits hanging in the closet. He then moved to the desk. Conveniently, there were a few bottles of painkillers there. Cherno sighed in contentment. He stuffed two of the bottles in the pockets of his coat -- more a formless piece of cloth with many rips, having lost its sleeves. It had almost completely dried, at least. Looking through the desk, he opened drawer after drawer. Shoot. What was that in the fourth drawer?

It looked like ... bloody scissors?

...

Ugh! How unsanitary! He quickly slammed the drawer shut. Opening the final drawer, he found extra bandages. Grabbing the roll, he turned to Temperance.

"Well then." He said.

"I won't peek. Change quickly. I want ... I want to know the real Cherno."

What? Why does she word things like that! He was not sure to what extent this girl knew how to be coy. He looked around the room and spotted the medical curtain. Moving quickly, due to the little time they had, he moved it between himself and Temperance, and, satisfied with the privacy, he changed in the farthest corner of the room as possible. He dropped his former coat in a pile to the floor and began unbuttoning his shirt. It was a relief to Cherno to get rid of the wet clothing.

He would have to tell her about his hand, huh? He didn't really like talking about himself very much.

The thunder let out a sharp crack. Cherno turned to the window of the infirmary in the darkness. In the flash of lightning, he saw that the sky was a dreary, dull dark pink. It seemed almost dreamlike and hellish. Winds threw around droplets of rain and whipped leaves and twigs. He wondered if there was anyone else outside here.

Cherno, snug in the baggy blue medical pants, looked down at his feet.

...

Was that water? Shit. Was it -- was it coming from the floor? The ceiling? Where was it coming from?

As he glanced around, he realized that the floor of the infirmary was very slightly wet -- as if it were the solid floor of a pool side. His bare feet made embossed prints in the thin watery film. He had barely noticed this. Was the water rising? Were they really safe here?

Cherno slid the shirt onto his torso and picked up his formless coat. He definitely could not wear it normally in its current state. Hmm. What to do, what to do with it? He brought it around his shoulders. It seemed to fit well enough, a bit like a cape or a robe, albeit dirty. Good enough.

He slid the curtain away, all dressed and feeling much cleaner. This put him in a positive state.

Temperance looked fairly tired. The day must have taken all of her strength. Cherno walked slowly over to the bed and sat down next to Temperance. Story time.

"Temperance, we need to be careful." Cherno said. "When I said the school wouldn't hold out forever," He indicated the film of water on the floor with his gaze, "I meant it."

He let out a long sigh. The rain battered the window with the force of a tempestuous machine gun. "Are you feeling sleepy, Temperance? I can tell you this story tomorrow." He glanced at his wounded hand. He would change the bandage when she was asleep.

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22​

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◤ tumblr ▣ logic ▣ mood: tired | content▣ interaction: temperance ▣ ooc: ◢
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It seemed Temperance was not going to budge. That was okay enough. Cherno wanted her to be comfortable after all ... well, as much as she could be with whatever was bothering her being so troublesome. They walked towards the infirmary. Fingers of soft silence seem to grab at them from the empty, darkened hallways of the school. These cavelike passages of hell were connected only to reality by the few flickering ceiling lights that seemed to guide their way to the infirmary, and the constant rain outside. It was growing worse and worse.

"You're not...you're that unattractive...by the way."

Cherno swiftly turned his head to her with a suspicious and surprised look. She seemed too busy with her own thoughts and reflections to notice him. He did not say anything in reply. Psh. At least Temperance could tell good jokes.

They were close to the infirmary. Only another hallway or so. Cherno heard Temperance's voice in the darkness.
"What happened to your hand? It's not my fault is it? I didn't expect anyone to come after me. It felt...felt like I was definitely going to be next."
...

Cherno looked at his hand. He had a few painkillers left ... but.

Shit.

He should probably get some painkillers from the infirmary as well.

Should he tell her? He supposed it would not really hurt. She was ... nearby, after all. And only she had seen -- something that Cherno would make sure would stay that way.

"It's not your fault. It happened a bit earlier."

The door to the infirmary was ahead. The bright red sign flickered in the distance.

"I'll tell you if we can get some place to chill in the infirmary. I guess you deserve to know. And let's make sure you don't need to get the feeling of being next again, anytime soon."

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27​

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◤ tumblr ▣ logic ▣ mood: tired | content ▣ interaction: temperance ▣ ooc: ◢
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There was another rumble of thunder around them. Was it simply Cherno, or did he hear the lockers rattle?

Goddamnit. It looks like this rain was getting worse. A safe point here could only do so much. The school was close to the lake. The levees had breached, and this place also had the potential to flood if the rain kept going and going. The connection here was spotty, but he could get some time to check up on news updates. The problem was that there seemed to be absolutely nobody else here. What-- what happened to everyone?

Temperance seemed to be on the verge of tears again. These few days must have been terrible for her. And what is more, he-- he could barely do anything to comfort her right now. A brief idea of giving her a hug crossed through his mind-- no, Cherno. Stop it, you dog. You were wet and dirty anyway. He sighed, and she looked back up at him, with an attempt at a fairly brave face.

"I'm fine, just a little bit under the weather."

Nope. It was something serious, wasn't it?

"Come on. You really need dry clothes. No arguing or distracting." Cherno winced a bit as she tapped his nose lightly. Not-- not because he was getting flustered, o--or anything. Enough distractions indeed! Cherno stared directly into the girl's green eyes.

"Look, sister," He began, placing his fingers close to his forehead, shooting off another sigh.

"You and I have been through some of the most high-trippin', home-flyin', twisted things so far today. I'm not sure if anyone else has been -- or where anyone else even is right now. But this only means that we've got each other right now. And you know what that means?"

He let off an intense stare. It was the type of stare that he used to give those he analyzed intently.

"It means I'm not going to leave you regardless of any problem you may have. Please remember this. We're in this together. And to be honest, I'm much happier that I can at least share my experiences with someone. Humans ... humans are social creatures, you dig? We need each other. This place feels unsafe to me. Call it a ... logical hunch, maybe? The school isn't going to hold up forever. I'm not going to pry much, sister. So ..." He trailed off as he thought deeply about what to say, before settling on echoing the words of a man long passed.

"So, know, that in times of danger like this, the last thing people who trust each other would do is abandon each other in the middle of hell."

Unseen from Temperance's eyes, he clenched his bad hand in anger. Fuck, why-- why did that have to happen back then? Cherno grit his teeth and looked down.

"If you think you'll ... be getting rid of me anytime soon ..." He raised his head smirked back at her. "I'm sorry, but you're stuck with the unattractive loser poet." He let out a chuckle. It was genuine too, for once. Maybe less awkward, he hoped.

He turned away from her and opened the door, back into the darkened hallway. "I'm not stepping into the seventh circle of hell that's the boys' change room, sorry. I-- well, unless you want me to f--freak out again, haha. I'm game and jammin' enough to grab something from the infirmary. They stock extra medical uniforms there."

And extra bandages.

Cherno lowered his head. The sound of the rain danced in shadows throughout the breeze. Cherno hadn't written anything poetic in a while.

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◤ tumblr ▣ logic ▣ mood: content | contemplative | surprised ▣ interaction: temperance ▣ ooc: ◢​

"Of course," Temperance replied, patting his cheek and walking away to the other side of the room. He stayed set by the door.

Cherno lightly touched the spot she tapped with his good hand. He never expected Temperance to be so silly and flirtatious from how he knew her. Then again, she did say that "romance was in her blood" all those days before. How many days had it been anyway? His phone said it was still the same day he escaped from the pharmacy, but to him it felt more like a hundred grueling days had passed on that raft.

He looked around the change room with a sense of apprehensiveness. He was ... he was in the girls' change room. God damnit. Butterflies! Those were-- those were definitely butterflies in his stomach. He didn't feel nauseous like Temperance. But he felt wary. Careful. As if even in this state of isolation from any authority he was still not supposed to be here. A--And he wasn't! Nope! Jesus christ, Cherno, what has gotten into you?

Temperance had turned on the flashlight of her phone to guide herself through the locker room. The first thing that Cherno noticed was that it was extremely ... damp. Ugh. But it seemed cleaner than the ... than the boys' change room. The air smelled a bit nice as well, for a change room. Was that bergamot? Super fly. Cherno let out a deep sigh. Thank god. If he had to visit that place again, especially after his traumatic experience with the ... with the things u--under the seat ...

He shook his head rapidly to try and rid of those horrible memories. The room was laid out in such a way that the farthest lockers were invisible from this part of the entrance. Was it an L-shape? He couldn't tell in this darkness, and if he followed Temperance she would probably think of him a pervert. Oh god. Hmm. Cherno continued to scan his surroundings. There seemed to be no other exits save for the door and -- he turned upward. A grate. A vent.

Just a door, and a vent. A door and a vent. People wouldn't climb through the vents, would they? Cherno hoped they would not get into a situation where they would have to do that.

Spoiler

Clang!

FUCK! Cherno jumped and let out a yelp. What was that?!

"Sorry! Dropped my lock!" Temperance called out from the darkness.

Cherno opened his mouth, about to get into a tirade, but decided against it. He sighed again and settled down. He turned to the door, tracing his finger around the metal handle. With what had gone on so far, everything here could be unpredictable. They all had to re-group somewhere. Maybe the auditorium was a good place ... but, but then again, re-grouping had its risks.

Shit. Lacey's. Cherno still didn't recover from that experience enough, did he? He lowered his eyes and looked at his bandaged hand. It was wet, but the stinging was only minor. Tolerable. He would probably need to replace the bandage soon anyway. Nobody else should see, though. And-- and the entire e-mail itself. Did the others figure out something? He was just about to see what the fine print was on the day before-

Spoiler

"No peeking Cherno!"

WHAT.

Cherno jumped. Again. Shit man that scared him. Oh god was that Temperance?! What was she talking about? Was she changing! She was changing! It was clear it was a joke but oh god huh she was changing and he was in the same room shit what happened to his code of ethics during this trip. Temperance couldn't-- couldn't see him blushing! Ha! Haha! Not in this darkness and from her position. Nope. Nope nope. Don't think ridiculous things, Cherno. Don't.

He turned to his phone to settle his rapid-fire thoughts. No reply from Johnathan yet, huh? It was late. He wondered how he could get to sleep among all these ... "heathens". Cherno scoffed at the word. And he couldn't contact anyone else, could he? He scrolled through his contact list. Temperance and Johnathan -- but, no, nobody else he could remember. Unless he deleted people.

...

It dawned on Cherno that he was just as separated from this group of friends as Temperance was. But the difference? The difference was that really, he seemed more alone.

He wondered how many of the others, the others who received this e-mail, were in the same position as him.

His thoughts were interrupted as Temperance ran back, seemingly in a rush. She was dressed in rather form-fitting clothing, but-- but Cherno barely noticed, because her ... usually nice green eyes ...

Was she crying? Did something happen? Temperance was never good at hiding her feelings. Then again, she is considered a bully by a good bunch.

"You...you should really change. I know Josh's combination." She let out a sigh. Did she choke back a sob there? "Let's get you dry clothes."

Oh god. In the boys' change room?

...

"Uh ... it's, it's alright, I'll manage. There's probably something else here I can wear." He thought back to the lost and found. School infirmary. Science lab. They all had bits and pieces of clothing he could wear. He would have to get them after he knew the state the school was in, though. "There's something more important I need to fly your way, sister."

"Please, tell me what's been affecting you. Those tears. What, exactly, is flying up this creek?"

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◤ tumblr ▣ logic ▣ mood: flustered | content ▣ interaction: temperance ▣ ooc: ◢​

Just his.

Right, that project from a long time ago. Back when he thought Temperance was a crazy witch. Back when -- ergh, never mind that phase. He let out another sigh. They would have to get through everything quickly and reach -- wherever. Shoot. At least the school plan was fairly memorable. At least, from Cherno's entire time in this crazy place.

"You came to save me. That post. You had to have read it, right?"

What?

Oh. Of course he did. Because he was an idiot who made her go in the first place and decided to walk in the rain to get his beloved painkillers before everything went to hell.

"I did." Cherno replied. "The pharmacy had connection. The electricity brothers and sisters were able to keep up the internet in some of these places for a few minutes just enough to get the police to know about as many stranded people as possible."

The pharmacy. Cherno shuddered. When the flooding began, everything slowly began to burst into chaos. It was terrible. The screams. The panicked yells. Shelves were being knocked down. Cherno had to hide in a corner, away from the riff-raff -- lest, lest he would break down again. But it was good he did hide there. If he fainted, Temperance would have died. He would have not even had the ability to check his phone. With his bleeding hand. Those goddamn painkillers -- they almost ran out.

"It's...it's almost comical. The way you came bursting in that is." She said.

Cherno chuckled to try and lighten the mood a bit. "Sometimes, y'know, life is more like a movie than you think. It can be like ... like a big stage, a big roleplay, where--" He held out his arms for emphasis. "All the world's a stage, and all men and women merely players."

Oh shit. What if his Shakespeare collection was ruined from this rain? Cherno let out an audible gasp as he realized this, dropping his arms, but quickly hid his grief.

They made it to the locker room. What an unfamiliar part of the school. Cherno decided he would make note of everything here.

"Are you coming in?" Temperance said slyly.

...

... Fuck.

Cherno was thankful much of his blushing was hid by the darkness. A few lights flickered off in the distance, and the bleak rain emphasized the silence. He lowered his eyebrows and looked away, with a mix of irritation and flustered pouting. He quickly regained his composure. Entering the female change room. He was raised a gentleman, dammit!

"Y--yeah, of course. I have no choice, you know." He turned back and raised his eyebrows, chuckling slightly. "Change quickly, sister. We don't know what could be lurking in there -- or anywhere. And this time I don't have any metal pipe to break through glass with."

"And remember to keep to yourself," He quickly added. "Nothing to alert our presence until we know who is still in here."

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◤ tumblr ▣ logic ▣ mood: wary, playful ▣ interaction: temperance ▣ ooc: ◢​

Oh dear god, what did Cherno get himself into. He looked down and let out an exasperated sigh. Temperance certainly was something. From her smirk, he could tell she was having a little fun playing around with his expressions. But she had a point. He was not leaving that girl alone right now. She already almost got herself killed earlier, and even in this school -- ugh, if some of the same students were here, they would probably try attacking her themselves what with the lack of supervision, and her usual posse to back her up. Cherno wasn't letting any more ridiculous injuries to happen. He looked at his hand. It was a bit limp from the numbness of the painkillers.


"Right. Right. Of course I'll come. I shouldn't need to leave you alone in this tripped up hood. I'll uh -- stay in this, I guess. I'm fine with the wet clothing. For now. I'd rather you not try anything silly in there though." He cast off a vaguely suspecting smirk right back at her. "I'll be keeping guard near the door inside the room. Let's hope nobody sees a wet doppelganger like me there."

He stood up. It was getting late. The rain rapped against the walls and ceiling of the entire building, and it was left in a degenerate state of white noise. Cherno looked at the time on his phone.

Then he had an idea.

He texted Johnathan, asking if he was okay, and where he was. He then turned to Temperance.

"Temperance, do you have the numbers of anyone involved in this ... e-mail jivestomp?"

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◤ tumblr ▣ logic ▣ mood: tired ▣ interaction: temperance ▣ ooc: ◢​

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Cherno watched intently, unmoving, as Temperance attempted to grab the water and her pills-- there was something else too, but he couldn't really see it. She downed them quickly. Cherno scanned her closely, now that his mind was clearer.

int logic( ) {

Her posture seemed hunched and protective. All for nausea? It's entirely possible it may be due to the entire state they were in. Everything that had happened so far would probably leave anyone with sickening sensations. Poor Temperance. Cherno filed that possibility away as the First Possibility.

It is entirely possible she was being hunched and protective of her actions regarding this illness because she didn't want anyone to know anything. Cherno reflected on the way she worded things. Hmm. They were indeed a bit apprehensive -- in the way that someone does not want another to know a secret. But what possible secret could she even hide?

Immense nausea. Not many other symptoms he had observed yet, but for something like nausea she seemed extremely protective and concerned. Which sort of affliction would make someone so extremely con ... cerned ...

...

Huh.

Cherno filed away this interesting development as the Second Possibility.

He looked further for answers. She was always a bit like this, when sick? No, she acted differently. It was definitely an outstanding case, something he had never seen in her before, or had seen signs of before. He would need to get more information. Perhaps observe her actions more.

}​

Temperance broke him out of his state of deduction by resting her head next to his knee. Who was this girl?! He almost jumped at the surprise. Shit. He probably looked worse than he did at Lacey's right now.

"We need to change. We'll get sick if we don't dry off." She said. Good point. Cherno nodded his head in agreement. There has to be clothing here somewhere if this was a designated evacuation zone. She let out a light cough. Poor girl, she had been suffering through this that much as well, huh?

int logic( ) {
... Cherno. No. Stop. You ass. Do not pet her head. Do not even think about trying to comfort her like that. She is Temperance and she will bite you.

}​

But that gave Cherno an interesting thought. Was Temperance still the same Temperance? The bullying cheerleader? She seemed so ... different. Perhaps his idea of her masklike tendencies had some fruit after all.

"Cherno," She then mumbled softly. "Why is it so empty?"

...

Why was it so empty?

"Uh,"

◤ ♪◢​

-1(school) | bellhurst negative -- school's darkside​

Temperance had a point. The police said that this would be the site for evacuation in much of the area. And yet, here only they were, as if -- as if separated from everyone else.

"You ... you have a point."

The silence within this part of the school was almost terrifying. Only drops of water from outside -- and it seemed, even inside the school, from the leaking ceilings, were the only noises they heard. The hallways were darkened and inky shadows seemed to bar either end. Heck, in this darkness it was already hard enough to see Temperance. Off in the distance, a single lights flickered on and off, desperately clinging to life. They had the generator on. That means there are, or were people.

"That light," Cherno pointed towards the one flickering light off in the other end of the hallway. "Hah. They've got the generator on." Crack. A strike of thunder. "The rest of the hallway is filled with darkness. H--haha, I'd-- I'd rather follow that lightened path. It could imply there are some people, you dig?"

"What's more, it leads to some of the larger parts of the school. Like the-- like the library, and the auditorium."

In Putin Russia, car crash you.

And then attacks the opposition because of it.

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◤ tumblr ▣ logic ▣ mood: worried ▣ interaction: ▣ ooc: ◢​

Uh.

Cherno was confused at this display. He was, he was-- happy, that she was fine. Thanks to him! Ha. Haha. Ah lord. Cherno had blushed then. Scratching the back of his head. Why was he so awkward. But right now? She had rushed over to the garbage can and -- and eeeeergh fuck did she just ... vomit? Shit that is disgusting. Oh goddamnit. Cherno's eyes widened. He was confused.

She said she was fine! He tried keeping his palpitations at this display of uncleanliness to himself. Come on, Cherno.

"H-haha. Did you-- did you just. Uh." He struggled to find the words. Come on Cherno. Fuck! You rafted down Coy City on a makeshift sign and you can't even do this?! Useless! "You s--said you were fine just, just a second ago ... h-haha ..."

He gulped as he thought back to any previous interactions. Oh right. Right. The entire reason she went to the pharmacy. The nausea. Shoot, she had been sick all this time too! Cherno grit his teeth. How could he forget?

"What in the world did you eat? What's with that nausea of yours, sister? Goddamnit. Is there anyone-- anyone else in here? We-- we uh, need to get you some medicine!"

He struggled to raise himself. He did very slowly, his legs quaking like trees, but he was eventually able to hold himself against the wall, panting.

I am studying forum interactions and using this message to reveal that this account was an anthropology/sociology experiment.

*closes account and tweets maniacal laughter*

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◤ tumblr ▣ logic ▣ mood: tired ▣ interaction: ▣ ooc: ◢​

W-- w-what?

Cherno jumped awake, letting out a yelp. W-was someone poking him? Half frozen, with his arms up held defensively in the air, he slowly turned his head with a cartoonish expression towards his right side. Was-- who--

Temperance?

...

Temperance.

"Jesus! What happened! Where are--" Crack. A strike of lightning. He looked around. Familiar hallways. Everything was dark. Was this the school? He cocked his ears to carefully hear the loud thundering and the familiar machine-gun pelting of the rain outside. It was the school. Right, the school. Ugh-- shit. Cherno slowly brought his wounded hand up from near his wet coat that lay beside him. Fuck! It stung violently, sending darts of pain through his arm. He clenched his teeth and began padding around for any bottle of painkillers. He tried to move onto his knees but his legs were still shaky, and he slumped to the floor. Something. Anything. Cherno flopped his arms around his coat like a fish, desperately looking for water. There! That!

He mashed around to grab an open bottle of painkillers with his shaky hand and poured a few pills down his throat as if he were taking a swig of whiskey. Ugh. He coughed for a bit. Terrible bitter taste. But slowly -- slowly, the pain in his hand subsided, and it did not seem as bad anymore.

He shifted his body back next to Temperance.

Temperance.

She almost died back there. Fuck. He-- he "saved" her, right? She was okay. She had to be okay. Everything out there seemed so surreal that Cherno's mind seemed to want to just block it out. Did he just get her further into this mess? He felt terrible. So terrible.

"T-- Temperance." He said, taking in lungfuls of air. Large droplets of water dripped down from the strands of his wet hair. Having just awoken, his chest heaved. He was too exhausted from everything. What the fuck was he thinking back there?

"T-- Temperance." He turned his head. "Y--You aren't hurt, are you?"