CICONIA: WHEN THEY CRY

[insinning]

It's a holy night. Silent night.

All is calm.

Everything is b r i g h t.

Comments

[dissimulative]

[ "I'm fine" is stuck in his throat because it's reflexive, but this is Sinclair that's asking, so it goes unsaid. ]

... Don't feel good.

[ He says quietly, words meant for Sinclair alone because he still has issues with vulnerability. ]

[insinning]

[ Sinclair's concern deepens and he reaches out to take Oria's hand]

Physical or...?

[dissimulative]

Physical.

[ Oria's frown deepens, because he's rarely been sick and tries to think back on what happened to even make him remotely feel this way. ]

I can't think of any reason why I'd get sick.

[insinning]

Sometimes it just happens doesn't it?

[ He reaches up to check Oria's temperature, placing his palm on his forehead]

Have you seen a doctor?

[dissimulative]

No...

[ Oria sighs. It's obvious that he doesn't want to go see one. ]

I'll go see one tomorrow. Right now is my quality time with you.

[insinning]

[ Sinclair, who hated doctors and needles and everything associated can't scold Oria on that without being hypocritical so he just squeezes Oria's hand again, leaning in a bit more]

Mmm. As long as you're not feeling too badly.

[dissimulative]

I only noticed because being sick is so rare for me...

[ So he could notice the difference immediately. Oria wraps an arm around Sinclair's shoulders. ]

But I'm well enough to do things right now! What should we do for our reunion~?

[insinning]

[ That is true. While Sinclair often caught a cold or came down with body aches as his body tried to adapt to his 8MS implants, Oria never seemed to have any issues]

You're probably tired of games now, right? Should we try watching something?

[ old fashioned screen style]

[dissimulative]

I'm never tired of games, but watching stuff sounds fun too!

[ Projector style, let's go. ]

A movie? Some shorts? Cat videos?

[insinning]

[ Cat videos...ahem]

A movie sounds good. I still have snacks if you're well enough to eat.

[dissimulative]

[ look... he knows, okay. ]

What kind? I'm good with anything.

[ Yes, he's well enough to eat snacks. Also, Oria says "anything" because of Sinclair's usual choices. ]

[insinning]

[ Hmmm his brain is too fried for anything that requires thinking so]

There's that new movie right? About magical knights or something.

[ He'll dig out some popcorn packets and peeps from his cupboard]

[dissimulative]

The CGs looked pretty good in the trailer!

[ Because otherwise how could magical knights top gauntlet knights with their current technology? Oria looks at Sinclair while getting out his phone to try and connect it to the projector. ]

Oh, I want the yellow ones. Pass 'em. I heard the plot is pretty okay...

[insinning]

Right? It's almost as realistic as the shorts. [Minus the sensory inputs but, still the visuals were incredible from what he saw. He hands over the yellow peeps]/small>

It's more of a fun thing to watch than a serious one, right?

[dissimulative]

[ Oria takes the yellow peeps, popping one into his mouth before turning the movie on. ]

As long as the plot is cohesive in some way, I'm fine with it. Time for the moment of truth!

[insinning]

And if it isn't?

[The movie is set in the far off past of the B3W world. Sinclair isn't sure how accurate any of the setting is, but it sure is pretty. Lots of landscape shots, and then people fighting.

Oh, there's a narrator too.]

[dissimulative]

Then it gets a bad review on Expired Popcorn.

[ Rotten Tomatoes. ]

B3W living without 8MS looks so surreal. I can't imagine not having it now, for anything.

[insinning]

Right? I can't imagine being able to breathe the air without it.

[And having such clean water...it's so fascinating]

[dissimulative]

[ Oria knows that there are still some parts of the world equivalent to third world countries that can't afford 8MS, so the environments are hazardous to grow up in.

He tries not to think about that. ]

We're pretty lucky in a way, huh. I heard soap operas with a focus on disease is popular too, since factory-borns eliminated a lot of genetic defects with each batch. It's really like what could have been...

[insinning]

[Is this historical or a fantasy epic? Who knows as they follow a young knight as he traverses a mountain to secure a treasure]

Mmm...we really are. It seems difficult to live like that when there aren't many resources to begin with.

[imagine the world without spiritium]

[dissimulative]

Yeah. Our world is more or less fucked without stuff keeping it together, but 8MS is highly regulated across the nations. They even have to share their findings with everyone. If only it could be like that for more things...

[ Stop having Unresolved National Tension, everyone. Please. ]

[insinning]

Yeah. I don't understand why they need to argue about territory and agriculture when one country doing well can mean everyone does well.

[ And pretending to fight other knights for real is a drain. He doesn't actually want to hurt their friends and yet...

It's fun story of dragons and magicians, fighting for the One Necklace]

[dissimulative]

It's a matter of national pride, which will probably and eventually be the death of us all. The tribalism can get really out of hand.

[ Oria looks at the movie... huh. ]

I hope that's some fancy necklace they're going for.

[insinning]

It makes no sense. Haven't we proven we can get along just fine?

[The One Necklace with the One Power. And then the scene cuts to a quiet village where a villager is busy checking on farm animals...Apparently he's the real hero? Because along comes a magician and the knight from before with a special request]

Oh, I think their pigs glitched here.

[dissimulative]

Oh my god, don't just point it out.

[ Oria says as if the film director was right there with them to overhear the mistakes in the movie. But he can't hold back his laughter. ]

It's clipping into the wall!