spellbinders | mapping party mapping party

Entry tags:

mapping party mapping party

Who: a bunch of less-than-upstanding nerd boys
Where: along this route
When: Day 8, or thereabouts
Open/Closed: closed to mapping party; pm

rebells if your character would have icly asked to come!

[So you may have gotten a telepathic message a few days ago about an expedition to map the coastline . . . or maybe you were invited along by a friend. Whatever the reason, it's bright and early this morning, and it's time to set out!

Characters would have gotten a further telepathic message from Jay with a date and time to meet outside the shacks. They'll be heading east along the "shore," tracking the coast, and then heading directly back towards base camp . . . who knows what they'll find along the way?]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ it's absolutely probably best not to get bitten. dave grew up in a city, though, and more to the point he's used to being way faster than he is currently. training at his current speed helps some, but his partner doesn't jump the fuck out at him and force him to rely on ridiculous childhood reflexes.

when he fails to dodge a snake, it becomes apparent that dave isn't one of those people who will yelp or really make any visible signs he just got hurt beyond a very, very slight wince and a stumble backwards before he catches his balance enough to stop that.

it's actually possible to kind of miss the entire thing if you're not watching, because he apparently has Zero inclination to make it known to anyone beyond the wince and an immediate reaction of "slice offending thing with sword", though he then shifts all his weight to his left leg instead of his right and glances down with a sort of uncertainty because he's dealt with plenty of injuries but he has no idea what the fuck you do for snake bites.

maybe if he just ignores it, it will stop being a thing!

ok probably not but cleaning whatever it is probably is step one and -

oh hi. ]

Sup. [ how long can he pretend that didn't just happen even if someone else just witnessed it let's find out. ]

[Literally no time. Dirk is here, and Deeply Worried.]

Did it get you? Fuck.

[He moves over to grab the snake's head and flip it over. He's going to check out the fangs and possibly just yoink them off to see if there are any signs this snake may be venomous? eg hollow teeth

he's lowkey panicked it's fine]

[ there's a flinch - this is why he's been deliberately making noise around john, it's startling when someone just comes over without making any even if dave himself doesn't, either, unless he forces himself to - before he shakes his head. it's been like six days since dirk last talked to him but that has nothing to do with the denial. he'd inform john he was fine, too. ]

I'm fine. [ he is probably not fine it's probably venomous but whatever he will Make himself fine. it's not useful that there are no visible signs of injury aside from that shift in weight, and he crosses his arms. if he feels any pain or feels light headed in the least he is. apparently really good at concealing it. ]

Just lost my balance for a second.

[Dirk looks at Dave for a moment after looking up from the fangs.]

It's venomous. Let me take a look at your right leg. I've been bit by some bad creatures before, I might be able to get this.

I'm fine. [ stubbornly. he still doesn't shift his weight back. considering there's at least one or two other people here completely capable of pinning him to the ground if need be why he feels the need to insist on being cagey about something obvious is up in the air. ] I didn't get bit.

[ this argument will not get far if his wayward best friend notices it occurring so dave is speaking quietly. he usually does, though. ]

[Sadly, Dirk has long since decided that Dave lies a lot. Often even when it's obvious he's lying.]

Dave, it has fuckin' diamonds on it. Most snakes with diamonds can kill you.

[This is bad.]

Keep your voice down. [ because he's aware he can't actually out stubborn john if john sits on him ] I didn't get bit. [ but okay, apparently he needs to revise how worried he is. he knows at least two healers, but he's pretty sure moving around makes the venom move around. ugh.

that is the absolute extent of his snake bite first aid knowledge. suddenly it seems unfair bro didn't leave venomous snakes lying around to deal with.

he does a mental checklist and realizes he's ignoring several symptoms of injury that are probably worrying, and acknowledges this is stupid. but even so. ]

[It genuinely makes him angry. Dave was hurt and Dirk can tell and Dave is lying for no good reason and then what? He gets sick at best, maybe hides it well, fucks up later and goes down. Or worst case scenario and Dirk lets him get away with it and they have no damn clue what happens if any of them double die here and—]

Goddammit, don't make me watch you die!

[At least it's a whispered shouting hiss.]

I'm not gonna die.

[ but he does notice that he will fall over if he doesn't sit down, so he sits down hard rather than suffer the indignity of actually losing his balance again. aside from making dirk fix injuries to see if he could, dave has never actually allowed anyone to treat his injuries. it's one thing to help someone else; it's another thing to accept help, especially from anyone who isn't rose or john. ]

I'm perfectly capable of handlin' it on my own, thanks. [ he's not? but he kind of prods at his right ankle, decides that was dumb, and starts to sketch left-handed on the ground. what the fuck does he need, and can he even manage it? ]

[Dirk sits in front of him. It's the first time Dirk hasn't gotten edgy and nervous about being in Dave's space—or rather, it isn't, because this is exactly the same panicked lack of awkwardness that came when Dave cut his hand open in front of Dirk.]

What do you know about treating snake bites?

Irrelevant since I don't got one.

[ he's attempting to draw neosporin. so far his art skills aren't up to snuff, but dave simply keeps patiently attempting it. he's capable of functioning on worse injuries than a little numbness and blurred vision, and trouble breathing is whatever and he doesn't panic. ]

So, how are you?

[ goddamnit. fifth attempt is still useless. this time he slows down even further and looks over at what he's sketching. ]

[How Dirk is: panicked and pale and anxious as he forces himself still.]

It needs to be an antivenom panacea. Nothing else will really do the trick when we have no clue what it is. The process for developing antivenoms takes too long.

[Anxious and unsettled. But what can he do? They don't know what kind of venom it is. He can't destroy it if he doesn't understand it.

He alights on the idea with widening eyes behind his shades. Dave's bite is below the leg, Dirk think. That means they have extra time since the heart has to work extra hard to move it through circulation. So the fastest way would be—]

I can destroy it.

[ dirk usually has to see whatever he's doing to do that.

and dave has no idea what the fuck an antivenom panacea looks like.

he...

draws a box with he words on it to see what that does. ]

Weird answer to a question askin' about what you've been up to ghostin' about.

[ the box is empty. ]

What the fuck do you mean by 'ghosting about'? You're the one avoidin' me, dude.

[Dirk picks up the snake's head and jams its fangs into his shoulder, just underneath his tattoo. There should be enough venom in it for him to get a sense, but while he's still thinking straight he also pries back the snake to get a better look at the venom and a drop of it on his tongue.]

What the fuck.

[ he doesn't argue the point - won't bother to explain himself, either - but just stares. dave doesn't particularly want to see anyone injured or anyone dying; there's no emotional connection there beyond that generality, just now.

the generality is still enough to unsettle him, and he draws back. ]

[Okay, he has a taste for it, and now he knows how it feels running through his veins. He can get the sense of it, its effects. He makes guesses about chemical composition from that. Venoms tended to vary but the basic actors could be consistent. So if that's the case...

Dirk's eyes shut behind his shades, and he reaches into his power. Slowly, he starts picking apart at the venom, finding it in little fragments, targeting the feeling of it and working it away. The dizziness stays with him but it stops advancing. The wounds close up.]

I have it.

[He reaches out for the venom in Dave, to destroy it, too. It's a process that comes in pieces, but he has the idea of it now. He knows he can track it down.]

[ if he reaches out physically, dave will block his hand somewhat ineffectually, not particularly thrilled about the idea of even rolling up his pants leg. otherwise he can't really stop the destruction of whatever, sitting stock still as if carved from stone. it makes it easier to ignore the side effects as "shit i can't do anything about right now". ]

[It's just a thought. He doesn't try for the snake bite, it's too complicated in itself when he can't see it or the venom. He makes it thorough, stubborn. He calculates based on what he knows of the spread of venom and the amount that would be delivered.

A moment more after he is sure he is done, he stops. He is worried that if he pushes further than that, he'll start destroying the wrong thing by aiming at something that isn't there.]

The symptoms stopped progressing for me when I got it all, but they didn't fade out instantly. It's coming off now, though. If you feel it fading in a few moments, you should be okay.

[His voice is quiet still.]

I'm not ghosting. I just have no damn clue if you even want to spend time together and you've pushed away from my efforts. I can take a hint, dude. Just... not if it's your life on the line.

[His eyes flicker open and up.]

If the symptoms don't start easing soon, please tell me. I was scared of overdoing it.

[ dave continues to not move. ]

I'm fine. [ since he has no idea what hint he wants to give - it's true he's relaxed a little more with dirk going god knows what and just sticking to strangers and rose and john - dave simply ignores the rest of it. he doesn't want to open up the can of worms that is "how much of bro's ghosting around was my fault".

thinking fleetingly of rose and john has him automatically checking the area to see who, if anyone, clocked the entirety of that fiasco. ]

You should probably still wrap those puncture wounds. [ it's easier to comment on than anything else. ]

[It isn't an answer, and Dirk's head tilts in irritated questioning. It's almost impossible to figure out what is happening with Dave and it terrifies him.]

Because puncture wounds probably ain't great to leave open to the air even if you fix the venom.

[ dave elaborates, helpfully. ]

Or under clothing.

You didn't cut yourself open under anythin'.

You damn well know what I mean.

Do I. [ he fucked up neosporin a lot, but bandages, at least, he doesn't even have to draw. he just unslings his backback and digs around for a second before tossing a roll at dirk. ] You unfucked your accent, I see.

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