deercountry | April Catch-All

She looked about to rant again, ready to start screaming, but something that Ange said caused her to freeze a little, to look at her in a way that almost made it seem like she hadn't been looking at her all this time, but more 'through' her. Her arms stilled a little and her eyes narrowed. "I don't know if you believe me, but fine. If you want to listen, listen."

"The moths are draining something, taking something. I felt it when I was too close to one of them. Managed to get away. Native, not so lucky."

Ouch, talk about a call out.

At least it doesn't hurt an incredible amount in this moment. After all, it's not like Vira-Lorr is wrong. Ange doesn't necessarily believe the other, even if she is willing to hear her out. It's more just that not listening to the other feels even more unproductive, since it might just keep the other trying to frantically grab her.

"Alright, but.." In some other situations, she might have believed Vira-Lorr. If Ange had seen even a single moth, she would have trusted the other.

But Vira-Lorr's current appearance is a problem, especially when it's coupled with one simple fact--

"I.. haven't seen a moth. Not even a single one."

And it's not like Ange only just stepped out. She tries to say it as genuinely as possible, even dropping her pokerface to try and show the other that she means this.

"You haven't seen one of the large things floating down on the town, sucking up... the heavens knows what?" She said as she walked, storming in the direction of a building, her eyes narrowed. "Good. If you haven't encountered them yet, then they aren't infesting the entire town and there's still time. The question is how to get them to go away."

At the very least, believed or not, she was running with this like she was being listened to, which seemed to be focusing her brain, if only just a little bit.

One thing is good for Vira-Lorr here. When the other starts to move in the direction of a building, Ange actually follows her - without needing to be held onto, or anything like that. She's at least sticking by the other's side, though it's not because she's truly worried about these moths as much as she's just worried about Vira-Lorr's current state.

She isn't going to let her friend run around by herself like this. Not without supervision, anyway.

"Did one of them get to you?"

Ange doubts this was really some moth's work, but it's an easy way to draw attention to Vira-Lorr's current appearance.. or rather, what's so off about it. Maybe it's a little manipulative, but Ange thinks it's not so bad when it's for the sake of the other's well being.

"You don't look so good, you know."

"Y...Yes, one of those things took something from me, but I've survived worse. I didn't let it continue, and managed to get away. Others weren't so lucky." Of course, she kept calling these things 'moths' when they were more butterflies, but in the end it was semantics. The danger was the same, and the signs of strain were obvious.

"I don't feel good. N...Nobody's listening, and people are taking this too lightly. I can't protect them all if they won't listen." She was pacing a little once they were in the shelter of a building. However, as agitated as she was, she seemed more in control of herself. "But you're listening. That's good. You'll not be tricked by those ... those things. I can't believe Argonaut sent... no, I can believe it. All of the Pthumerians. They're dangerous, despite appearances."

".. of course. You know I'm not easily tricked."

At least that's true, so Ange doesn't feel bad about saying it under the current circumstances. She's always careful when it comes to new things popping up in this place. Trying to do research, trying to see whether or not she can even trust the information that's being given to them at all..

Regardless of whether Vira-Lorr's currently perceived dangers are real or not, Ange is always careful. At least she can reassure the other about that, especially when Vira-Lorr seems to be calming down a little already.

"You know I won't get hurt so easily. So.. don't worry too much. Take a few deep breaths."

She managed to take one breathe, and then another. For the moment, Ange seemed to be ok. She wasn't showing signs of a loss of hope. Her energy wasn't drained and she seemed intact. That confidence rankled a little. How many times had she been reassured only for someone to die right afterwards? How many times had she been the one who died? Still, she listened carefully.

"Be wary. Where they flutter down, they're very hypnotic. Lul people. It starts to drain from them. I don't understand completely what it is that they're taking, only that it seems to be corrupting us." Her lips thinned into a dark frown. "But you seem healthy for now That's... that's good."

"Sometimes I feel so tired. So many to protect."

Vira-Lorr really is affected, isn't it. It's not like the other is ever quite as cagey as Ange is, but on the other hand, she also can't quite imagine the other admitting that last part so easily under normal circumstances. Especially if it was during a moment where Vira-Lorr was very much busy trying to protect other people. Trying to be strong.

"Maybe you should be the one being protected right now," Ange says, trying to keep her voice a little on the gentle side. It's been harder to put on her usual pokerface anyway, with how sad and weak she has been for weeks on end last month. With how that pain still hasn't fully faded.

"You already got corrupted." Judging by the way the other looks. Maybe not all the way yet, but there's those starting signs of it. "Shouldn't you do something about that first..? You can't protect other people if this goes on, you know."

"No... no no no, I feel fine. I'm just tired, tired of them not listening. There's nothing wrong. I managed to repair the damage from before and..." She glanced down at her hands and for once, Vira-Lorr fell silent. She was looking at her hands, spider-like cracks running all along the back of her palms, up onto her forearms.

She looked almost stunned, like she wasn't sure she was even looking at her own arms right then, and yet there they were. Was she corrupted?

Well.

The way Vira-Lorr is looking down at least helps, even though Ange can't imagine that the other realising what her current appearance is like is a very pleasant experience for Vira-Lorr. But at least it takes away the awkward moment where Ange would have to first point out what exactly the other looks like, so that's the minor plus in this situation.

For a moment she's quiet, like she's allowing some time for the realisation to slowly settle in the other's mind, before Ange says:

".. yeah."

You know, that knowing kind of 'yeah.' The 'yeah, what's what I meant' kind of 'yeah.'

"Whatever you repaired, I.. don't think you fixed yourself up all the way." Not that it's strange. Ange can imagine that pulling yourself back from corruption is hard, especially when it settles in deep enough. That's why they have Night Walkers here in the first place, after all. "You can see that, right..?"

That... that was getting through. The funny part of this was that Ange speaking logically like this was actually leeching into Vira-Lorr's mental landscape. She flexed her fingers, lips pulled back in an angry snarl. She almost snapped, but then it made sense. They'd hurt them, so obviously they'd hurt her as well.

"The... The moon is full. I have a vial. From when I was with Iroh. At the house. It should cure everything, anything that's happened, as long as it's in the moon's light." She wasn't saying they should get it but she was sure certain it would work.

"Then let's get it."

Vira-Lorr may not be saying it, but Ange will. In fact, she says it right away. No hesitation. After all, this is a very simple decision in Ange's mind. The other is in trouble, on the verge of terrible corruption, so they need to do something about it. And if Vira-Lorr has something that might help with it, then they better go get it.

In fact, Ange is already reaching out for the other's hand - figuring that might help get her along while the other is like this, since Vira-Lorr was already trying to latch onto her before - to try and gently drag her along.

"I'm not leaving you until I'm sure you're either doing better or in good hands." And she means that. Ange isn't the type to abandon a friend, especially at a moment like this.

"Don't send me to the Luminarium. Albert's in a coma right now," she hissed, though she followed along with Ange willingly enough. She was going to be stubborn about that, given how little she trusted the Blood Ministers as a general rule. However, she trusted her friend. It was a situation not unlike what she'd seen Luz in not that terribly long ago.

As they walked, she breathed carefully. "It should be in the kitchen. Easy to find. Has to be in moonlight. Good thing she's out all the time right now..."

There sure is a lot in what Vira-Lorr is saying here, huh.

And it makes it harder that Ange isn't entirely sure what's rational talk coming out of her mouth and what isn't. Vira-Lorr is right there on the cusp of falling deeper into corruption, after all. Some things she's saying could be false thoughts that the corruption is feeding her, trying to prevent her from getting better.

But Ange supposes that the first step is clear for now. Go to Vira-Lorr's house, get that stuff, see if it helps. It sounds like it ought to, so hopefully there won't have to be a step two which she will have to think about more.

"Okay, I'm missing a lot of context here," she instead says as they walk, trying to keep her voice calm and steady the whole time. "Albert? In a coma?"

"Dr Wesker... Minister. I trust him. He's safe. In a cocoon," she said, the words coming out in little bursts. She was somewhere close to a stream of consciousness as the two of them walked. Thankfully this was the Cellar Door district. She wasn't roving far from home. She wanted her home turf safe, after all, so that meant that they wouldn't be walking extremely long distances.

"He's a friend. Don't trust most Ministers..." That was the problem, really. She didn't trust the Disciples or Ministers unless she knew them personally.

"Alright," Ange softly says, trying to make her voice sound gentle so she won't accidentally set Vira-Lorr off right now. Especially while she can't tell whether the other is having some sort of heightened paranoia in this moment or not. It's definitely a trait she has seen from other people who were dealing with corruption.

"Don't worry. I won't take you to anyone we don't know, alright?" If worst comes to worst and Vira-Lorr's suggestion method doesn't work, then maybe Ange can ask one of her friends. She isn't sure if Usagi's power works on corruption, but it could be worth a try..?

Who knows.

"But first we'll try it your way. You know you can trust me, right?"

Given the kind of 'cassandra complex' Vira-Lorr was suffering? Yeah, there was a very solid possibility that her corruption came with significant levels of paranoia. She did seem to relax a lot as she was promised that they would try other methods. It meant none of the Blood Ministers had to get involved. They did horrible things about the cases that couldn't be saved.

"I can trust you. Yes. And you're listening. It's good. You're smarter than most," she said as they were walking towards her place. She seemed to focus heavily on the fact that she was being heard, like that was important. "A dose... that should help. Might clear my head, so I can see better."

Honestly, she's not so sure how she feels about getting that compliment now of all times. It's hard to tell how much the other means it - though maybe part of it might be meant? It's not like Vira-Lorr ever has trouble complimenting people, after all.. Ange sure knows that much.

(Though she is smarter than most and likes to think so, thanks.)

"Well, we're right here," she says as they stop in front of Vira-Lorr's place. It's a good thing the other wasn't too far away from there, or Ange would have had to navigate them towards the most nearby lamp first..

"Let's go inside and get it so you can hopefully feel better."

Her hand was shaky on the keys, but once the door was open, she stumbled in and flexed her fingers, heading towards the kitchen. There was a fine layer of dust on everything and her candle flared to life, as if they'd been asleep for a while, waving frantically and giddily to get their attention. She hadn't been home in a while, it seemed...

Taking the litwick and letting it light the way into the kitchen, she opened one of teh cupboards, pulling out a mason jar full of pink fluid and setting it in the window to let the moon's rays bathe it. "I... don't understand why it seems like nobody is listening. Why are you the only one," she murmured to herself, her mental state definitely not reflecting one where the complements were the sort one could trust. As she waited, she was staring at the jar cautiously. "Just... need to clear my head. Need to have a drink. Hopefully that will help."

When she did open it and take a sip, the signs of the cracks began to ease, to close up slowly, her breathing evening gradually as her eyes sagged closed, like she'd been up for days.

Ange makes sure to follow Vira-Lorr inside. Maybe under different circumstances she would just have let the other go in and do all of this by herself, but she wants to make sure to keep watching over the other while Vira-Lorr is in this state - just in case.

She'd never forgive herself if she let anything bad happen to a friend just because she was careless for a moment, after all.

And she feels like she made the right decision when they enter the house. The girl looks around as they head further in, surprised at the state of everything inside of the house. Just for how long has this been going on with Vira-Lorr already..? Has she been wandering out there like that for days, or was there something else going on first that kept her out of the house?

Ange isn't sure, and asking the other while she's still in a heightened state of corruption doesn't feel like a good idea. So she stores the questions in the back of her mind, instead following the other all the way to the kitchen, leaning with her back against a wall.

.. watching Vira-Lorr as the other slowly seems to be returning to a more normal state, although the other looks tired.

"Are you starting to feel better..?" Ange asks. There's a frown of concern on her face, but she's not too fussed at the moment about how openly it's there when Vira-Lorr's eyes are closed.

She held up a finger in a forestalling motion. That, alone, was probably a good sign. It was the act of someone who was capable of thinking of something other than the danger of the butterflies, and was managing to ask for a moment to think. Vira-Lorr took another long draught of the mason jar, to about the half-way point, before setting it down and screwing the cap onto it with an exhalation of air.

She set it on the window, the color in her cheeks partially returning to its normal pallor as opposed to what it had been. Cracks and fissures were melting away and she looked much more worn, much more tired, when she set her hand down on the counter. "Better? Not exactly... but I am starting to feel like myself. I'll admit that right now, I feel a bit like a donkey kicked me in the gut right this moment. Everything aches and my head's blurry. I will probably want to finish the jar off. In a moment, though..."

"Yeah," Ange is quick to reassure. "Take it easy."

Even though Vira-Lorr hadn't outright turned into a beast, it did seem like the corruption had been hitting her pretty hard back there. Ange can't say she has any personal experience with getting that corrupted, but she can't imagine that it's something you can easily recover so quickly from.

So she's definitely willing to give the other some time. Ange has nowhere to go right now, so she's got a few more moments to watch over Vira-Lorr. Just to make sure the other doesn't pass out on the floor here, or something along those lines.

"Do you want me to grab you some water?"

Maybe it'll help wash down whatever specifically that concoction had been.

"I'll be ok, I think," she said as she finally took a moment to lean against the counter. She did take the recommendation of drinking some of the water, going to the fridge to pull out a bottle. She didn't say it, but all of the water in her house was boiled, thanks to her time in the nightmare. She just couldn't get past that habit, so she bottled it and stored it in the fridge.

"that's from the salt lake, outside of town. It's very powerful, but only if you drink it when it's under the light of the moon. Any other day, and it's rancid, horrible stuff." A shake of her head. "Thankfully she's out in force this month."

That explains more about what exactly it had been - and why it had the kind of effect that it had on Vira-Lorr just now. Ange slowly nods as she takes in the explanation, watching the other as she gets some of the water.

"No bad time to drink it this month," Ange adds.

She guesses that means there's at least one upside to the fact that none of them have seen the sun for weeks now.

"Is it because of the particular kind of moon we have here?" Even though she doesn't say it with as many words, it should be obvious what she means here, right? The moon in Trench isn't just a moon, due to their actions and decisions in that other place.

"Most likely the salt lake is tied to her powers and the waxing and waning of her influence," she said, opening the jar to begin working through the rest of it. she needed to finish it, and at this point she understood that. It didn't exactly taste great, but it was doing its job. "Iroh and I heard about rumors separately that it had healing properties, and it does. So I kept a sample back. It's more effective, I think, than the squid ink will be, but it's only good at specific times." And she didn't like that vulnerability.

"Ngh... still have a terrible headache. Do you know what those butterflies were doing to me?"

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