![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Mm. In my experience there's two sorts of floods -- there's ones where it comes on all at once, and we all suffer the same strange effects, except for a few who are immune somehow? And there's ones where it's more of a 'rolling' effect, individually-personalized, where you suffer several different changes over the week. Not all at once, mind you, they've got different lengths of effect.
So it's probably the second one, if you don't feel like a change in style would feel nice right about now -- I really do need a better word than 'effect'... [Right, getting right into it:] Where's your clothes?
So it's probably the second one, if you don't feel like a change in style would feel nice right about now -- I really do need a better word than 'effect'... [Right, getting right into it:] Where's your clothes?
[ Ellie's quick when she wants to be. She's crossed the multiple floors and is front of Jinx's door within minutes. It's late and she's already in her pajamas.
She's been careful on the Barge to always be in long sleeves if she leaves her room. On the rare occasion she doesn't, Ellie's bite is carefully bandaged; second nature after months of survival. Now Ellie's arm is bare, and that's what makes her hesitate outside of Jinx's door, one hand over the burned skin. The burn is patchy, where she tried pressing a heated knife against it, but only managed to do so much before the pain was too much. She prays it's enough to obscure the actual bite part of the mark to someone who's never seen one.
Couldn't use her to make a cure and didn't work have been looping in her head for hours. Her eyes are red from crying, despite her attempts to get herself together. The pain, Ellie will say, if she's asked. Can't look like a crybaby.
Ellie knocks lightly on Jinx's door before ducking her head in. ]
Hey. Sorry, it's so late.
She's been careful on the Barge to always be in long sleeves if she leaves her room. On the rare occasion she doesn't, Ellie's bite is carefully bandaged; second nature after months of survival. Now Ellie's arm is bare, and that's what makes her hesitate outside of Jinx's door, one hand over the burned skin. The burn is patchy, where she tried pressing a heated knife against it, but only managed to do so much before the pain was too much. She prays it's enough to obscure the actual bite part of the mark to someone who's never seen one.
Couldn't use her to make a cure and didn't work have been looping in her head for hours. Her eyes are red from crying, despite her attempts to get herself together. The pain, Ellie will say, if she's asked. Can't look like a crybaby.
Ellie knocks lightly on Jinx's door before ducking her head in. ]
Hey. Sorry, it's so late.
[After he's given himself a minute to come down from the rush of adrenaline, he can't help but hate himself a little more. Even if he hadn't fully left, well, Jinx had no way of knowing that, right?
His lips drawing into a thin line, he gets out his device. It's.... better than nothing. He only hopes that she'll read it in time.
Ugh...]
sorry
i should be there
[He makes a face, then erases that line before continuing.]
needed to step out for a moment
still here though
right outside. when you're ready
[He sends off the message and flops against the wall, going back to his silent self-loathing.]
His lips drawing into a thin line, he gets out his device. It's.... better than nothing. He only hopes that she'll read it in time.
Ugh...]
sorry
[He makes a face, then erases that line before continuing.]
needed to step out for a moment
still here though
right outside. when you're ready
[He sends off the message and flops against the wall, going back to his silent self-loathing.]
Edited 2025-08-26 07:10 (UTC)
[She's putting things on her bed for first aid. Things to hopefully numb pain a little. She also has one of those traveling cold packs to help with any swelling. When Ellie knocks, she looks up, giving a small smile and nod.]
Not like I was gonna be sleeping anytime soon, again.
[Jinx gives a bit of a small shrug. She's super used to it. There's no question about the redness of those eyes, and no judgment here. Just... maybe some relief over not being alone. Only after the cabin door is closed and locked, does she get back to the reason for this visit.]
I know you said no questions, but... are you wanting first aid, or something more along the lines of... "fixing" how it looks?
[Where she's from, there are all types. People who use tattoos, piercings in crazy places, prosthetics...]
Back home, some people do artistic scarring. It's where you take the scar and... use things to make it look intentional, basically. Like... a flower, a skull, or some other symbol.
Not like I was gonna be sleeping anytime soon, again.
[Jinx gives a bit of a small shrug. She's super used to it. There's no question about the redness of those eyes, and no judgment here. Just... maybe some relief over not being alone. Only after the cabin door is closed and locked, does she get back to the reason for this visit.]
I know you said no questions, but... are you wanting first aid, or something more along the lines of... "fixing" how it looks?
[Where she's from, there are all types. People who use tattoos, piercings in crazy places, prosthetics...]
Back home, some people do artistic scarring. It's where you take the scar and... use things to make it look intentional, basically. Like... a flower, a skull, or some other symbol.
Ah... Yeah, that's probably it. I'm not the lucky type, so being left out is way less likely!
[She points over to the wardrobe.]
In there! Just... ignore the suits.
[More like, 'please don't touch said suits', though she can't bring herself to outright say it. Because that means facing the fact that she doesn't want anyone else touching them.]
[She points over to the wardrobe.]
In there! Just... ignore the suits.
[More like, 'please don't touch said suits', though she can't bring herself to outright say it. Because that means facing the fact that she doesn't want anyone else touching them.]
Right, right... well, if you feel a strong desire to start dressing in flannels at any point this week, that one's probably mine.
[It's better than it used to be! She used to wear variations on the same three outfits almost in perpetuity. And then she nearly had a nervous breakdown about it, rearranged a large portion of her wardrobe, and now a decent chunk of the time there's no flannels in sight.
Ash does disappear into the wardrobe for a bit; they do not in fact ignore the suits -- they very much perceive the suits -- but no touching is done. It was very tempting! They love touching things they're explicitly not supposed to touch! But no.
They're a few inches taller than Jinx herself is, though, so when they emerge (their original outfit mysteriously gone(?) and another few items of clothing folded under one arm), while her style isn't exactly skimpy there's a fair bit of very pale skin being shown off here. Not that Ashton looks particularly bothered by it! Quite the opposite.]
Thanks. It's alright if I take a few things with me, yes? I'll bring everything back when I'm not... [shrug!] You know. Flood-changed.
[It's better than it used to be! She used to wear variations on the same three outfits almost in perpetuity. And then she nearly had a nervous breakdown about it, rearranged a large portion of her wardrobe, and now a decent chunk of the time there's no flannels in sight.
Ash does disappear into the wardrobe for a bit; they do not in fact ignore the suits -- they very much perceive the suits -- but no touching is done. It was very tempting! They love touching things they're explicitly not supposed to touch! But no.
They're a few inches taller than Jinx herself is, though, so when they emerge (their original outfit mysteriously gone(?) and another few items of clothing folded under one arm), while her style isn't exactly skimpy there's a fair bit of very pale skin being shown off here. Not that Ashton looks particularly bothered by it! Quite the opposite.]
Thanks. It's alright if I take a few things with me, yes? I'll bring everything back when I'm not... [shrug!] You know. Flood-changed.
[ The rest of Ellie slips through the door, not answering the questions at first, giving the cabin a look over. It's different from what she'd imagined for someone like Jinx -- someone so loud and colorful. It's interesting, though, and her eyes are naturally drawn to the stained glass.
But she's here for a reason.
Ellie slips over to the bed, perching on the edge of it, the way her shoulders draw in making her smaller. ]
You can do that?
[ She trusts Jinx. Ellie wouldn't be here if she didn't. Still, her heart pounds at the thought of offering up her arm. Anywhere but the Barge, she'd be risking everything doing this. ]
I have a - old scar I want gone. I was trying to burn it off, but...It's not going so great. So...both, I guess.
But she's here for a reason.
Ellie slips over to the bed, perching on the edge of it, the way her shoulders draw in making her smaller. ]
You can do that?
[ She trusts Jinx. Ellie wouldn't be here if she didn't. Still, her heart pounds at the thought of offering up her arm. Anywhere but the Barge, she'd be risking everything doing this. ]
I have a - old scar I want gone. I was trying to burn it off, but...It's not going so great. So...both, I guess.
Edited 2025-09-03 05:50 (UTC)
[Said suits look to be for a person much taller than Jinx, with lots of deep reds, grays, and black. The smell of them is likewise not very... Jinx, and may or may not have something to do with her not wanting anyone else touching them.
After Ash steps out, Jinx gives a nod and a fingergun gesture.]
Just dye your hair blue, and we'd suddenly look like siblings. [Granted, she has mixed feelings on that topic, so the joke is... definitely just a joke, in this case. She gives a shrug at the question.] Perfectly fine with me! Let me know if you want matching nails, or anything, next.
[Not something she's done for anyone else, but that is one of the things she was able to find, in her style, back on that Station.]
After Ash steps out, Jinx gives a nod and a fingergun gesture.]
Just dye your hair blue, and we'd suddenly look like siblings. [Granted, she has mixed feelings on that topic, so the joke is... definitely just a joke, in this case. She gives a shrug at the question.] Perfectly fine with me! Let me know if you want matching nails, or anything, next.
[Not something she's done for anyone else, but that is one of the things she was able to find, in her style, back on that Station.]
be there in a few
[She means that, too. Even though she's not moving nearly as fast as she could, she isn't taking any detours. Once she's there, she tilts her head at him still standing outside. There's a dim smirk before she heads inside, holding the door open for him.
Jinx doesn't actually say anything until she's sitting on her bed. And... Ekko will be seeing part of why she doesn't spend all that much time in her cabin. The entire space looks mostly like some office, complete with a heavy-looking desk that likely resembles one Silco used. On it, there's a mug and ashtray that each look to have been hand-painted by a child.
Fortunately, the half of the room with Jinx's bed is coming along well. There's a wardrobe on that side, and then each nightstand has a lamp on it. She slides the more regular-looking chair over to beside her bed, and then she sits on the foot of the bed.]
... I remembered a little about why I'm like this.
[She means that, too. Even though she's not moving nearly as fast as she could, she isn't taking any detours. Once she's there, she tilts her head at him still standing outside. There's a dim smirk before she heads inside, holding the door open for him.
Jinx doesn't actually say anything until she's sitting on her bed. And... Ekko will be seeing part of why she doesn't spend all that much time in her cabin. The entire space looks mostly like some office, complete with a heavy-looking desk that likely resembles one Silco used. On it, there's a mug and ashtray that each look to have been hand-painted by a child.
Fortunately, the half of the room with Jinx's bed is coming along well. There's a wardrobe on that side, and then each nightstand has a lamp on it. She slides the more regular-looking chair over to beside her bed, and then she sits on the foot of the bed.]
... I remembered a little about why I'm like this.
Edited 2025-09-03 12:50 (UTC)
Not exactly my color. [Though they do run their fingers through their hair, leaving blue streaks as they go; the gradient of those is perfect powder-blue to electric-blue, cleaner than any dye could make it.] See? Mostly it just washes me out.
[...they can do their own nails with nearly zero effort, that's just pigmentation, but... well, what the hell, why not.]
There's nowhere I need to be? If you'd like, you can have free rein of my nails, we can see how extensive me borrowing your tastes is...
[...they can do their own nails with nearly zero effort, that's just pigmentation, but... well, what the hell, why not.]
There's nowhere I need to be? If you'd like, you can have free rein of my nails, we can see how extensive me borrowing your tastes is...
[He raises an eyebrow at the head tilt.]
What?
[Listen, he's no gentleman, but still. You don't just go into a girl's room! ...even though she gave him permission. Shhh.
When he goes in, it only takes a second before he feels chills through his body. He's never seen the place before, and yet it's instantly clear just who it belongs to...
Studiously ignoring that, he takes the offered seat and focuses his attention on Jinx. There's a brief moment he looks a little surprised, but it smooths away quickly.]
Yeah?
[His voice is softer, a gentle encouragement.]
What?
[Listen, he's no gentleman, but still. You don't just go into a girl's room! ...even though she gave him permission. Shhh.
When he goes in, it only takes a second before he feels chills through his body. He's never seen the place before, and yet it's instantly clear just who it belongs to...
Studiously ignoring that, he takes the offered seat and focuses his attention on Jinx. There's a brief moment he looks a little surprised, but it smooths away quickly.]
Yeah?
[His voice is softer, a gentle encouragement.]
[She lifts her eyebrows at the blue streaks.]
Whoa... I'm super jealous that you can just... do that! I'd be changing my hair up all the time. Granted... that's kind of what the wigs I'm making are for.
[Jinx points to a row of in-progress wigs, over in a corner. Though her attention is quickly tugged away by the agreement to let her paint Ash's nails. Her eyes light up as she claps her hands.]
Really? [She's always wanted someone to do this kind of thing with!] Okay! Sit here!
[She pats the bed before hurrying over to where she keeps the nail polish.]
Whoa... I'm super jealous that you can just... do that! I'd be changing my hair up all the time. Granted... that's kind of what the wigs I'm making are for.
[Jinx points to a row of in-progress wigs, over in a corner. Though her attention is quickly tugged away by the agreement to let her paint Ash's nails. Her eyes light up as she claps her hands.]
Really? [She's always wanted someone to do this kind of thing with!] Okay! Sit here!
[She pats the bed before hurrying over to where she keeps the nail polish.]
[She sits next to Ellie, keeping some comfortable space between them for now. She looks at the arm, nodding as she listens.]
Scars can be... hard. [Jinx gives her a look that gives away she fully... gets trying to burn something away. ] ... To deal with, to even look at, sometimes...
[Jinx takes a deep breath, thinks for a moment, and then nods.]
Alright, so let's start with the first aid. We can figure out the rest while I do that. I've got some stuff here [She's moving to slide the kit over towards Ellie, so she can look through it.] that's like... magic, I swear it has to be. You rub this on an open wound and it's like - bam - no more pain-induced yelling!
[It doesn't fully stop the pain, but Jinx's pain tolerance is to a point where even halfway to stopped is insanely nice. From the looks of the tube she holds out for Ellie, it's been used several times and is primarily for preventing an infected injury.]
Scars can be... hard. [Jinx gives her a look that gives away she fully... gets trying to burn something away. ] ... To deal with, to even look at, sometimes...
[Jinx takes a deep breath, thinks for a moment, and then nods.]
Alright, so let's start with the first aid. We can figure out the rest while I do that. I've got some stuff here [She's moving to slide the kit over towards Ellie, so she can look through it.] that's like... magic, I swear it has to be. You rub this on an open wound and it's like - bam - no more pain-induced yelling!
[It doesn't fully stop the pain, but Jinx's pain tolerance is to a point where even halfway to stopped is insanely nice. From the looks of the tube she holds out for Ellie, it's been used several times and is primarily for preventing an infected injury.]
... Singed. The man who works for Silco... The one who created Shimmer, in the first place. He... experimented on me. Treated me like... one of his rats.
[Her eyes are shining a bit now.]
I know because... I woke up. In the middle of having Shimmer pushed through my entire body. It felt like... ... like everything was just... lava.
[Her eyes are shining a bit now.]
I know because... I woke up. In the middle of having Shimmer pushed through my entire body. It felt like... ... like everything was just... lava.
Whenever you see someone behind the bar in the Lounge you don't recognize? That's probably me. Usually I do a new face every shift, lets me keep in practice.
If you want a change-up I can do hair, though; that's just cosmetics, that's easy.
[She sits at the very edge of the bed by reflex and habit with her heels on the ground, stays there for a second, and then scoots back far enough to get comfortable as she watches the younger girl scurry around. All compulsive neuroses about escape routes aside, she's pretty certain she could take Jinx in a fight, so she can turn that part of her paranoia down a little bit. Maybe.]
If you want a change-up I can do hair, though; that's just cosmetics, that's easy.
[She sits at the very edge of the bed by reflex and habit with her heels on the ground, stays there for a second, and then scoots back far enough to get comfortable as she watches the younger girl scurry around. All compulsive neuroses about escape routes aside, she's pretty certain she could take Jinx in a fight, so she can turn that part of her paranoia down a little bit. Maybe.]
[...what the fuck.......
After a moment, he scoots a little closer, leaning forward slightly as he speaks softly.]
What... happened, exactly? I mean... how'd he get a hold of you?
[It's difficult to give Silco the benefit of the doubt, but he's trying for Jinx's sake.]
After a moment, he scoots a little closer, leaning forward slightly as he speaks softly.]
What... happened, exactly? I mean... how'd he get a hold of you?
[It's difficult to give Silco the benefit of the doubt, but he's trying for Jinx's sake.]
[At the exact same time as they're sending Ekko a very similar text:]
So. What's the actual deal with you and Ekko?
If necessary we can trade honesty for honesty: tell me and I'll answer a question, any question, of your choice. Honestly. Even if I think it's unbearably stupid.
So. What's the actual deal with you and Ekko?
If necessary we can trade honesty for honesty: tell me and I'll answer a question, any question, of your choice. Honestly. Even if I think it's unbearably stupid.
Edited 2025-09-10 04:00 (UTC)
They make that kinda shit?
[ she looks over the tube with some awe, taking it and looking it over carefully. something like this would be a nearly impossible trade. how many ration cards would someone have thrown away for just a little of this?
she tries to imagine having something like this at home, not just making do with scavenged pills and gritted teeth. maybe it's easily available here, but-- ]
Are you sure? Stuff's gotta be like gold.
[ she looks over the tube with some awe, taking it and looking it over carefully. something like this would be a nearly impossible trade. how many ration cards would someone have thrown away for just a little of this?
she tries to imagine having something like this at home, not just making do with scavenged pills and gritted teeth. maybe it's easily available here, but-- ]
Are you sure? Stuff's gotta be like gold.
Back on my world, yeah.
[Fortunately it's just actual... pain relief from regular drugs, and not Shimmer (since we don't wanna find out what that stuff does to someone with zombie immunity! Maybe?). That'd open a whole other can of worms.]
Positive. It's great, and all, but the expiration date's kind of fading, already. It probably doesn't have that much time left, and I'd rather it go to you, anyway.
[She gently presses it into Ellie's hand.]
You're gonna need it way more for something like this.
[Fortunately it's just actual... pain relief from regular drugs, and not Shimmer (since we don't wanna find out what that stuff does to someone with zombie immunity! Maybe?). That'd open a whole other can of worms.]
Positive. It's great, and all, but the expiration date's kind of fading, already. It probably doesn't have that much time left, and I'd rather it go to you, anyway.
[She gently presses it into Ellie's hand.]
You're gonna need it way more for something like this.
Edited 2025-09-22 00:01 (UTC)
oh man you're asking for a loooooong story
guess I can try to shorten it a little?
[Unlike Ekko, she's pretty chill with this. Helps she gets a much sweeter deal!]
him and Powder met when their ages were still in the single digits
when
Mylo would be really mean to her about her inventions and ideas
Ekko would just find them really cool
he'd even give her ideas and ways to make them even better!
Powder had Vi too but
Vi was better at punching things and would only ever manage these
sort of blanket compliments?
"wow you're really smart"
"you could fix anything"
Ekko was adopted too
so just
a lot in common!
then
Silco killed Ekko's family not long before
Powder accidentally killed half her family
and Vi
[She's already told Ekko what happened with Vi but it felt a little easier, in that case. Because, in a way, it kind of just slipped out without much thought behind it. It takes a few tries to put it into typed words.]
Vi hit Powder
said that Mylo was right
told her she really was a jinx
blamed her for everything always going wrong
then
she left
got thrown in prison but Powder had no way of knowing that
Ekko tried finding Powder after learning everything
he was gonna save her from Silco
without realizing
Powder was dead
it was Jinx choosing to live with Silco
guess I can try to shorten it a little?
[Unlike Ekko, she's pretty chill with this. Helps she gets a much sweeter deal!]
him and Powder met when their ages were still in the single digits
when
Mylo would be really mean to her about her inventions and ideas
Ekko would just find them really cool
he'd even give her ideas and ways to make them even better!
Powder had Vi too but
Vi was better at punching things and would only ever manage these
sort of blanket compliments?
"wow you're really smart"
"you could fix anything"
Ekko was adopted too
so just
a lot in common!
then
Silco killed Ekko's family not long before
Powder accidentally killed half her family
and Vi
[She's already told Ekko what happened with Vi but it felt a little easier, in that case. Because, in a way, it kind of just slipped out without much thought behind it. It takes a few tries to put it into typed words.]
Vi hit Powder
said that Mylo was right
told her she really was a jinx
blamed her for everything always going wrong
then
she left
got thrown in prison but Powder had no way of knowing that
Ekko tried finding Powder after learning everything
he was gonna save her from Silco
without realizing
Powder was dead
it was Jinx choosing to live with Silco
Page 2 of 5