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[Following the investigation, Ripley has made her way out into the courtyard, trying to gather her thoughts. In one hand, she holds a notebook and pencil. She keeps crumpling up the pages and throwing them into the fire pit, watching the paper flare up and burn to a crisp.
With a sigh, she slips the notebook back into her pocket, rubbing her temples in frustration. A pigeon flutters down on the end of the bench next to Ripley, letting out a gentle coo. After a pause, Ripley extends a hand towards the pigeon, making quiet clucking noises and trying to coax it closer.]
With a sigh, she slips the notebook back into her pocket, rubbing her temples in frustration. A pigeon flutters down on the end of the bench next to Ripley, letting out a gentle coo. After a pause, Ripley extends a hand towards the pigeon, making quiet clucking noises and trying to coax it closer.]
[Here Ripley. Here's a sticky note on your hand.]
Hold your hand steady to make a stable perch. Most of my birds also know to come when you make a short, sharp whistle, but this flock came from the resort so I don't know if they'll understand that. Archimedes will, though.
Hold your hand steady to make a stable perch. Most of my birds also know to come when you make a short, sharp whistle, but this flock came from the resort so I don't know if they'll understand that. Archimedes will, though.
[The smell of burning paper lingers in the air. Ripley starts a little when the sticky note gets pushed into her hand, but pauses when she reads over the message. She glances over her shoulder to see--well, nothing. She didn't know what she expected, to be honest.
Expression unchanging, Ripley holds her hand out for the pigeon. The bird approaches, and Ripley gently pushes under its chest to have it step up onto her hand.]
Got bored with your boyfriends, did you?
[Said in a dry tone. Slowly, she brings the pigeon a little closer to her body to keep her hand steady.]
Expression unchanging, Ripley holds her hand out for the pigeon. The bird approaches, and Ripley gently pushes under its chest to have it step up onto her hand.]
Got bored with your boyfriends, did you?
[Said in a dry tone. Slowly, she brings the pigeon a little closer to her body to keep her hand steady.]
Edited 2018-12-08 02:02 (UTC)
I don't spend all my time at their beck and call. There's much more to being dead than romance.
Her name is Amelia, by the way.
Her name is Amelia, by the way.
Amelia, huh? She's a pretty bird.
[Ripley uses her other hand to gently stroke the pigeon's head. The pigeon settles on her hand, cooing quietly and compressing itself.]
Maybe it was a good idea Jones didn't come here. He'd probably bother these birds all the time. [A pause.] And the rats.
[She's thankful for the distraction, but the tone of her voice indicates that something is still bothering her.]
[Ripley uses her other hand to gently stroke the pigeon's head. The pigeon settles on her hand, cooing quietly and compressing itself.]
Maybe it was a good idea Jones didn't come here. He'd probably bother these birds all the time. [A pause.] And the rats.
[She's thankful for the distraction, but the tone of her voice indicates that something is still bothering her.]
[The bird perks up slightly at the use of her name.]
A cat? Yes, perhaps so. Archimedes knows to stay away from cats, but I don't know enough about this flock yet. And I have no idea how the staff would react if a rat was killed but... I can only assume it wouldn't end well for him.
... The boy arrived as a ghost, of course. He's shaken, and I've been keeping my distance for now. I can't tell you any further specifics, even if I knew any.
A cat? Yes, perhaps so. Archimedes knows to stay away from cats, but I don't know enough about this flock yet. And I have no idea how the staff would react if a rat was killed but... I can only assume it wouldn't end well for him.
... The boy arrived as a ghost, of course. He's shaken, and I've been keeping my distance for now. I can't tell you any further specifics, even if I knew any.
[Ripley frowns and switches to gently scratching the pigeon's head feathers. After a moment's thought, she gently transfers the pigeon to her lap.]
You mean the kid that died today? [She hesitates.] From what I heard, the scene was...gristly. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone here.
[Her gaze settles on the fire pit in front of her, her expression hardening.]
You mean the kid that died today? [She hesitates.] From what I heard, the scene was...gristly. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone here.
[Her gaze settles on the fire pit in front of her, her expression hardening.]
Edited 2018-12-08 02:42 (UTC)
I wasn't there at the time of death- not that it would really matter if I was. I did see the body in the courtyard, though.
Grisly is one way to put it.
It's the kind of death I would only give to someone truly deserving of it. Not a child.
[Sorry Ripley, this time around you get a melancholy ghost.]
Grisly is one way to put it.
It's the kind of death I would only give to someone truly deserving of it. Not a child.
[Sorry Ripley, this time around you get a melancholy ghost.]
Even if you were there, I don't think you'd be able the share anything about the murder itself, would you?
[She sighs deeply, taking the opportunity to lean over the pigeon and listen to it cooing for a few moments. We're all emo here--time to take comfort in therapy pigeons.]
I've heard talk from the kids that they want to try and save the monsters. [She snorts.] Of course they would. Not that I hold it against them.
[She sighs deeply, taking the opportunity to lean over the pigeon and listen to it cooing for a few moments. We're all emo here--time to take comfort in therapy pigeons.]
I've heard talk from the kids that they want to try and save the monsters. [She snorts.] Of course they would. Not that I hold it against them.
No, I wouldn't. Just like I can't tell you anything about Szayel's murder, or even my own thoughts about the monsters' motivations.
They're children. They're hardwired to see the best in situations even at the most dire of times. It's often a coping mechanism.
They're children. They're hardwired to see the best in situations even at the most dire of times. It's often a coping mechanism.
[A grimace appears on Ripley's face.]
Even so, it's not going to help when the monsters come for them. Being too sympathetic towards something that we barely know anything about....
[She falls quiet. Ash's stupid goddamn mission from Weyland-Yutani prevented them from taking care of the alien before it even came on board, costing everyone's lives. Not that it was their fault, but...]
Let's talk about something else.
Even so, it's not going to help when the monsters come for them. Being too sympathetic towards something that we barely know anything about....
[She falls quiet. Ash's stupid goddamn mission from Weyland-Yutani prevented them from taking care of the alien before it even came on board, costing everyone's lives. Not that it was their fault, but...]
Let's talk about something else.
I'm not saying it's for the best, of course, just that it's what they do.
[Medic starts to write something else- about how they as the adults kind of have no choice but to try to stop these kids from being reckless-, but scribbles it out. Ripley already has enough pressure on her shoulders. And it's not like he can do much, now.
Anyway.]
would you like to talk about my boyyyyyfriendsssss? :)
[Medic starts to write something else- about how they as the adults kind of have no choice but to try to stop these kids from being reckless-, but scribbles it out. Ripley already has enough pressure on her shoulders. And it's not like he can do much, now.
Anyway.]
would you like to talk about my boyyyyyfriendsssss? :)
God.
[Ripley rolls her eyes and scoffs--he even drew a goddamn smiley face on the thing. At least this is a welcome distraction.]
Just a clarification--how many of them are you actually dating? And how the hell did you find time for this?
[There are only three...four? Other men here around Medic's age range.]
[Ripley rolls her eyes and scoffs--he even drew a goddamn smiley face on the thing. At least this is a welcome distraction.]
Just a clarification--how many of them are you actually dating? And how the hell did you find time for this?
[There are only three...four? Other men here around Medic's age range.]
well that's debatable
Phil is a "I'm probably dating him, all things considered"
Snake is "I'm pretty sure he's into me and the feeling is mutual but I haven't actually kissed him yet"
Bennings is a little more up in the air but I have my hopes up
and then there's Misha and Spy back home who I am very much dating
Phil is a "I'm probably dating him, all things considered"
Snake is "I'm pretty sure he's into me and the feeling is mutual but I haven't actually kissed him yet"
Bennings is a little more up in the air but I have my hopes up
and then there's Misha and Spy back home who I am very much dating
[Ripley snorts.] You've certainly got your hands full, don't you?
[Let's just hope he's not distracting them from the threat among them!!!]
If you ask me, I honestly don't know what you see in Phil-- [Oh. Ripley looks down at the pigeon in her lap.] ...I think she's fallen asleep.
[Let's just hope he's not distracting them from the threat among them!!!]
If you ask me, I honestly don't know what you see in Phil-- [Oh. Ripley looks down at the pigeon in her lap.] ...I think she's fallen asleep.
Not surprising- she's a very calm girl. Low-energy, very affectionate.
As for Phil... I know he's fairly abrasive, and he needs to work on his attitude. But- I don't know how to explain it, really.
[Sometimes all you need is a guy with a sense of humor who's genuinely attracted to you even after he realizes you don't have a soul.]
As for Phil... I know he's fairly abrasive, and he needs to work on his attitude. But- I don't know how to explain it, really.
[Sometimes all you need is a guy with a sense of humor who's genuinely attracted to you even after he realizes you don't have a soul.]
... I don't know. I don't they'd let us go willingly. Whatever is going on here...
Let me put it this way. You're a researcher who works with lab rats. You do a study on how the rats react to certain stimuli, with a focus on neuroscience and how their brains develop due to the stimuli. At the end of the experiment, what happens to the rats?
They're euthanized, studied, and the next batch of rats are brought in to go through their own experiments.
Let me put it this way. You're a researcher who works with lab rats. You do a study on how the rats react to certain stimuli, with a focus on neuroscience and how their brains develop due to the stimuli. At the end of the experiment, what happens to the rats?
They're euthanized, studied, and the next batch of rats are brought in to go through their own experiments.
...Well. Thanks for being optimistic.
[Said with quite a dose of sarcasm. They inevitably arrive back at the topic of death, don't they? She starts gently scratching the pigeon's head feathers.]
So the question that remains is, how much energy do I want to devote to finding out what the hell the Foundation is or what SCP means versus trying to protect the people here?
[Said with quite a dose of sarcasm. They inevitably arrive back at the topic of death, don't they? She starts gently scratching the pigeon's head feathers.]
So the question that remains is, how much energy do I want to devote to finding out what the hell the Foundation is or what SCP means versus trying to protect the people here?
Thank you! But all I'm saying is, waiting around for this to end will do nothing. Which you already know.
We- or at least, those of you who are still alive- can't just sit around and wait to die. Imagine- rats in a maze, working together to climb the walls and escape!
Both protecting and seeking out answers are important. But you can't protect everyone. You'll stretch yourself thin if you try.
We- or at least, those of you who are still alive- can't just sit around and wait to die. Imagine- rats in a maze, working together to climb the walls and escape!
Both protecting and seeking out answers are important. But you can't protect everyone. You'll stretch yourself thin if you try.
[Before Ripley gets ready to settle in tonight, there's...definitely something she wants to check in on. Something she noticed after opening up that fortune cookie today. Surely, it's probably nothing, but...she needs someone with medical expertise. Syazel is out of the question, and that other girl...well, ghosted.
She just needs to find where the greatest concentration of birds are in this resort. It doesn't take long, though--when she wanders out into the lobby, she sees pigeons perching on almost every viable surface, preening and dozing off occasionally.]
Medic? You here? I need to ask you about something medical related.
She just needs to find where the greatest concentration of birds are in this resort. It doesn't take long, though--when she wanders out into the lobby, she sees pigeons perching on almost every viable surface, preening and dozing off occasionally.]
Medic? You here? I need to ask you about something medical related.
[You just said the magic words, Ripley. Medic's been waiting to have some medical fuckery to deal with for a while!
Several of the pigeons take off and fly away as Medic stands and goes to join her, typing on his tablet as he does so.]
right here!!! whats wrogn
Several of the pigeons take off and fly away as Medic stands and goes to join her, typing on his tablet as he does so.]
right here!!! whats wrogn
[oh jesus--god, the fortune cookie has also made her more liable to jumpscares. Ripley jumps back a little, and then sighs, running a hand through her hair. Which only makes the problem far more apparent--at least, to her.]
Okay, uh, this is--I'll admit, this might just be me overreacting, but...I think there's something wrong with my heart?
[She crosses her arms, frowning. She can't believe she's saying this, but Medic seems like a reasonably trustworthy individual.] I, uh, opened the fortune cookie...thing I was given, and I've just been noticing a lot more stuff, like the walls getting more worn, and...I dunno, I've got a lot on my plate tonight, do you mind just checking it out real quick?
Okay, uh, this is--I'll admit, this might just be me overreacting, but...I think there's something wrong with my heart?
[She crosses her arms, frowning. She can't believe she's saying this, but Medic seems like a reasonably trustworthy individual.] I, uh, opened the fortune cookie...thing I was given, and I've just been noticing a lot more stuff, like the walls getting more worn, and...I dunno, I've got a lot on my plate tonight, do you mind just checking it out real quick?
[Hell! Yeah! Hearts! Medic knows the SHIT out of hearts!]
of coruse!!! let me get a stehoscope from ymroom and i can lsitne
what toehr symptoms have you eben having
of coruse!!! let me get a stehoscope from ymroom and i can lsitne
what toehr symptoms have you eben having
[Ripley sighs. At least some good news around here.]
Thank you, I...really appreciate it. [She starts walking down the hall towards Medic's room.] I mean, regarding the heart thing, all I've noticed is that when I'm sitting down or not doing any activity, my pulse is a little different. Faster, I think? At least, faster than what I'm used to.
[it could also be the stress!!! she's been stressed out a lot lately!!!]
As for noticing other stuff, I've mostly just seen that the walls seem to have aged quite a bit for the amount of time we've been here, but I don't know if that's correlated to the heart thing.
Thank you, I...really appreciate it. [She starts walking down the hall towards Medic's room.] I mean, regarding the heart thing, all I've noticed is that when I'm sitting down or not doing any activity, my pulse is a little different. Faster, I think? At least, faster than what I'm used to.
[it could also be the stress!!! she's been stressed out a lot lately!!!]
As for noticing other stuff, I've mostly just seen that the walls seem to have aged quite a bit for the amount of time we've been here, but I don't know if that's correlated to the heart thing.
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