by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light

[lifeskills]

Who: Victor Frankenstein (lifeskills) and Wanda Maximoff (mindbend).
Where: Outside Abel.
When: August 9th.
Rating: PG-13, allowing for the usual zombie-related blood and guts.
Summary: A zombie event means reanimated corpses, and reanimated corpses means a couple of doe-eyed weirdos can't help but be curious. Victorian Mulder and Sokovian Scully go poking around.
The Story:



<sub>[The only mission that spurs Victor outside the settlement and into a world decimated by a plague that doesn't even exist in his own reality is a mission he sets for himself--to learn more about the Grey Plague for his own knowledge.

A contagion that retains the body's base functions long after death? It's almost too miraculous to be true--and yet when the creatures veer too close to the walls, he can hear it's true, and when he watches their jerky movements from on high, he can see it's true.

The only left to do is get closer and find out for himself what he can't learn at a distance.

Against better judgement, Victor can't resist slipping out past the gates, interest winning out over discomfort at being exposed. There are plenty of dead specimens left to lie in the sun, even just within eyesight of the outer walls, and Victor's iron-clad stomach gives him no issue when he gets close enough to practically feel the rotting-sweet smell in his nostrils. The living are worth fearing, not the dead.

He examines his first two--one with a bullet wound through the eye, the other with a caved-in skull--carefully, stopping to fill a few jars with samples and put them away again in the medical bag he carries, wiping his hands sort of clean with a rag.

Don't supposed it'd be easy to transport a whole body inside the township composed of a bunch of nervous people, would it?]</sub>

Comments

[lifeskills]

That charge is protection, I take it? Guard duty? A charitable labor. I appreciate the risk it takes to guard the town and the people in it as things are, but don't consider me one of them. I'm not your responsibility.

_{[Unknowingly, Victor dashes the very points Wanda's made to herself, matter-of-fact in his answer.]}

I'm here at my own discretion, and I accept the danger. But thank you.

_{[Satisfied? He's of sound mind, and he's absolving her of responsibility, she can go now.]}

[mindbend]

What makes you so different from everyone else within the camp? We are all flesh and blood, all susceptible to this disease if one of the undead catches up with one of us.

[She recognizes that he doesn't seem to think he needs any looking after, but she'd like to know what makes him so special. She might not have her powers, but even without her hex energy at her disposal, she's combat ready if she needs to be.]

Or does danger truly mean so little to you?

[Nope. Not satisfied.]

[lifeskills]

_{[Not different, driven.]}

I told you, I'm studying the remains. This virus isn't my field, but no one else can do what I do. You can avenge whatever it is you avenge, and I can make best use of my time--we're both doing what we're suited for.

<sub>[If the choice is either wait behind the township's walls and do nothing, or take a risk and learn more about these foes, he knows what he'd rather be doing, what he's compelled to do.

Victor turns away, scanning the area for a sign of where he ought to head next.]</sub>

Some things are more important than the danger involved.

_{[So yes, perhaps in the face of the reward danger does mean less to him.]}

[mindbend]

You think you'll find a cure from taking samples?

[It's something of a leap, but there's skepticism in her voice nonetheless-- their equipment here is limited, as far as medical operations are concerned, which means opportunities to study are similarly few. Even if this is what he does best-- is it worth the risk?

She frowns, hands coming to rest against her hips.]

You could be risking infection right now. We don't know if it can still be passed on once the carriers are-- inanimate.

[You know. Double-dead.]

[lifeskills]

<sub>[Well, now someone is just plain overstepping. Victor turns back to face her, a bold-faced challenge written all over his otherwise placid expression.

Please, do enlighten him, miss.]</sub>

And you would know so much about infectious diseases? Funny you should fail to mention you're an expert until now.

[mindbend]

This isn't just any disease. No one is an expert on it.

[Including him, even with his fancy degree and title. Her expression darkens, forehead creased as she frowns, brow furrowed.]

I realize study is the best way to change that, but we will not be here long enough for that to matter. Keeping it from spreading and infecting others while we are here, however, still does. People turn quickly. We cannot afford the risk.

[She might be particularly stubborn about that, considering her own sons are within those walls.]

[lifeskills]

_{[He sighs. This is pointless. She's not capable of understanding the intellectual value of what's right in front of them.]}

Think what you like. We can agree time is short and I won't waste more of it in debate.

_{[With that, Victor resumes deciding what direction to go. East, maybe. He adjusts his grip on his bag and starts that way, giving the young woman a brief glance from underneath the fringe of his hair.]}

Good day.

_{[In civilized society, that means "discussion over, don't follow me."]}

[mindbend]

[Unfortunately, Wanda has little experience with civilized society, and even if she had-- their current environment and the task she's been charged with are enough to have her huffing a sigh and following nonetheless, her brow furrowed as she frowns after him.]

You cannot be serious.

[This is probably the worst idea she's heard since Wonderland transformed in the first place.]

The township's cameras caught sight of a horde on the move in that direction.

[All the more reason not to be outside in the first place.]

[lifeskills]

<sub>[Does he look like he's joking? Victor thinks the words but doesn't say them, quite content to hold his tongue if it means this encounter will be over, but a glance behind him informs she's trailing after him, following in his footsteps like a particularly odd shadow.

He stops in consternation. Women don't generally pursue him for a second helping after the first conversation ends.]</sub>

And what does that have to do with you following me?