megurhythmic | (no subject)

[seles isn't having a great time in this particular city — in fact, seles isn't having much of a great time at all. whoever thought it would be a great idea to assign the girl with magic asthma to the engine room had a real sadistic streak to them, let me tell you.]

[she's a hard worker, but even she has her limits — so seles is lying on the cold hard ground in the engine room, one hand pressed against her burning lungs as she struggles to breathe.]

S-Somebody...

[ Ugh, he remembers signing a contract about 'helping out the spirits of the Akzeriuth people' and all of that, but frankly - he hasn't seen any sign of Akzeriuth civilians around at all. They're all just random spirits and monsters.

There's a debt to pay and of course he's going to work his way out of it, but... Something just doesn't feel right about this whole situation. Whatever.

Luke's been moving boxes back and forth from engine room to the storage, but this is the first time he's encountered someone else in there. ]

Hey, are you okay? Hang in there-- [ KNEELING BY HER SIDE and shaking her because that's all he knows how to do. Sorry, he's not very knowledgeable in healing and all that. ] What happened?

Th-The air... [she manages to wheeze out a few words before dissolving into a coughing fit, curling in tighter on herself]

It's... too thick here... I need — [coughing and hacking] — to go outside —

Crap, uh - okay, look, just remain calm, um - don't... don't breathe! [ What kind of great advice is that, Luke

Without trying to move her too much he picks her up and tosses her onto his back, hastily jogs towards the exit. It's bright and sunny outside, no clouds out, and fresh air outta do the trick, right? ]

You hangin' in there?

Y-Yes... I'll be — [another cough, lighter this time] — I'll be fine...

[she's very small and very light, maybe 90 pounds tops, so he'll find it easy to toss her around like a sack of potatoes — after she catches her breath a moment she opens her eyes and sees red hair]

...Zelos?

Huh? No, sorry - not me.

[ Sorry to ruin her expectations, he guesses. ] I'm Luke, and you don't look like you'll be okay. Should I call for a doctor or something?

Oh... [another blink and luke's face slides into focus, disproving her assumption — and anyway, his hair wasn't the right length to begin with. since she's dealing with a stranger, she quickly adopts a more formal tone — though she still sounds a little winded] That's alright. I apologize. I mistook you for someone else.

...I... appreciate your concern, but I don't think a doctor can do much for me. I've already seen all sorts.

Oh, really? That must suck. [ Er... ] You bad with factory smoke or something?

[ He sets her down carefully nearby, against the trunk of a large tree. ]

Is this Zelos person here? I can go ahead and get them if it'll help any.

Yes, more or less... I don't do well in places that are dirty or cold — [or anywhere really] — and I can't really do strenuous work. [...says the girl who challenges everyone associated with her brother to a coliseum battle, though]

A-Ah... no, he's not here. Zelos is my — my brother. [very quickly, she adds:] And just so you don't get the wrong idea, he's a philandering idiot, and I'd never be associated with him! You just looked like him at first glance. He'd never show up to save me or anything.

Whoa, okay there! I didn't like, ask about him or anything, jeez. Don't get your shorts twisted up or whatever.

[ He crosses his arms across his chest, eyes her curiously. ]

If you don't do well in places like that, what's with you working in the engine room?

[if this came from someone else she might be offended, but... well, this person did possibly save her life, after all, and she's had to endure worse comments] I would never do anything so unladylike as wear shorts unless I had to.

Anyway, I'm not so sure myself... someone told me this was just what I had to do for the day, and I couldn't get it changed. I thought it would be fine if I took breaks, but without my Exsphere I really can't do anything...

[ So they pretty much made her do a job she couldn't handle... These spirits are out to get them, or something. ]

I'll take care of the rest of your work, okay? Don't want you dying or anything. What did you have to do specifically?

[ He scratches the back of his neck, turning his head away so that she doesn't have to see the rising blush across his cheeks. ]

I-I'm just doing this so that our work's getting done, got it? Just sit back and don't - I don't know - die.

W-Well, I don't really like the idea of having someone else do my work... [aside from her butler tokunaga... who is always a few miles behind her, anyway]

But it wasn't that difficult... I just had to move some coal from the entrance to the furnace. And then sweep up the mess if I made any.

And you're bad with strenuous work. And the dark. And the cold. That's gotta be difficult for someone who can't keep up in that kinda environment.

I'm trying to help you out here - so let me, okay? [ He's doing this for her, he wants to think, but he knows that deep down he's doing it for himself. The debt the weight of a whole entire city is still on his shoulders. He's gotta work this off as fast as he can if he wants any peace of mind. ]

Just moving some coal, right? I can't imagine you got much done down there to begin with, so there's probably still a lot left...

A-Alright, if you're sure. [she really didn't get that much done, so he'll... he'll have a fun time getting that done, that's for sure]

[she takes a seat by the entrance on a convenient bench nearby] If you need me to take over for a little while for any reason, just ask, okay? I can handle working for a few minutes.

Yeah, yeah.

[ And off Luke goes.

~*Later*~ it's probably... maybe an hour or so? Hour and a half, probably. Luke comes out of the engine room a little dirty. Some of the coal made a huge mess so he had to do and clean that up, too. ]

Hey, still alive? I finished up here, so we should head back.