[Coming up after the music stopped was one of those checkpoint experiences in life. Like: coming home from the hospital and everything being different. Like: waking up on the station kind of all out of sorts. There's that sense of before and after and of the before being sort of an encyclopedia on living, packed away for reference after being experienced, some of the pages worn and words fuzzy, perhaps riddled with junk info but still just as verifiable as anything else so might as well fall back on it.
Sleeping was very easy for about 24 hours and then very difficult after that on account of nasty dreams. The VR room is a stage 1 hazard event on the hierarchy of shut-in detritus hell pits. Hinata is valiantly blocking progress to stage 2, and Erika knows she'll have to thank him somehow once her embarrassment gets over itself. Taking herself to the mess hall instead of requiring an escort and some encouragement to eat is...it's something? It's half of a thank-you. Or a quarter or an eighth.
Food's better than it used to be. Apparently not drugged anymore? That's, uh, that's cool. Erika finds a quiet spot, sits down, and tunes out the other presences in the room to kill the creeping anxiety.
And then someone is THERE and she physically jolts a little, blinking up with wide eyes that catch on Oswin for a moment then skip away nervously and come back and just. Stay there.
She does not...
...recognize you...]
Mm. I. [Well fuck it all up, that was a direct question. Searching...searching...] Huh? [That's a stall, not an answer! Get it together, brain!]
mess hall
Sleeping was very easy for about 24 hours and then very difficult after that on account of nasty dreams. The VR room is a stage 1 hazard event on the hierarchy of shut-in detritus hell pits. Hinata is valiantly blocking progress to stage 2, and Erika knows she'll have to thank him somehow once her embarrassment gets over itself. Taking herself to the mess hall instead of requiring an escort and some encouragement to eat is...it's something? It's half of a thank-you. Or a quarter or an eighth.
Food's better than it used to be. Apparently not drugged anymore? That's, uh, that's cool. Erika finds a quiet spot, sits down, and tunes out the other presences in the room to kill the creeping anxiety.
And then someone is THERE and she physically jolts a little, blinking up with wide eyes that catch on Oswin for a moment then skip away nervously and come back and just. Stay there.
She does not...
...recognize you...]
Mm. I. [Well fuck it all up, that was a direct question. Searching...searching...] Huh? [That's a stall, not an answer! Get it together, brain!]