realmofstories | [Open] A poisonous feast

"Huh."

76 came in to town on occasion, but this time something had fully caught his attention; a certain scent that was damn well strong amongst the food stalls. Was enough that he wandered closer, ears flicked back and narrowed eyes hidden by that black 'visor' of his. An apple was plucked up and coin tossed to the vendor to pay for it, unhooking the lower 'jaw' of his mask enough that he could take a bite.

His nose wrinkled behind the mask, eyeing the apple and ears still pinned back. That was definitely... not right. The fact he felt a little more energized was a little suspicious as well-

"Something's not right here." Mumbled to himself, taking another bite out of that apple all the same.

"..."

Junpei just sort of stared at the dude, chewing away at the apple despite blatantly saying 'something's not right'.

"...and you're still eating it, sir?"

Hey, just cause Junpei was a casual guy didn't mean he didn't respect his elders.

"I paid for it." Not the entire reason, he was trying to figure out what it was but, well. Wasn't that hard to figure out after a few seconds. Taste was one thing, but the reaction he was having helped pinpoint it a bit quicker.

At least he could stomach it with the only side effect feeling a bit more energy.

Another bite, chew and swallow- "I can eat anything and it's fine. Wouldn't if I were you, though."

"I-I mean, I guess."

What a weird guy... he was like, one of those 'grizzled old american heroes' he saw in movies.

"O-oh! So like, you're immune to that poison shit that's been going around?"

Junpei meanwhile was reaching for an apple himself, not quite paying attention as he did.

"I keep somehow picking them by accident..."

"Yes."

Yes he was immune, even if it started as a rough guess and testing it himself. Worked out well enough that he could pick it out. The aftertaste was something, and it gave him more energy in a way that normally eating food didn't quite do.

His ear flicked, some sharp whistle t catch attention. "Wouldn't touch any of the fruit here."

"Guh!"

[ Junpei quickly dropped the apple, turning to look back at the... man? Man-beast? The dude? ]

... A-ah, thanks dude. Uh...

[ He didn't want to impose, but with his new 'quirk'... ]

Do you ... think you could help me pick out the non-poisonous stuff? My essence changed recently, and I'm wondering if it's affecting things...

Edited 2020-10-21 04:42 (UTC)

[76 grunted a bit, wrapping the bite of fruit he'd eaten up to place away in to one of the spare pouches there on his belt.]

Then don't pick anything from this stand. [Eyeing the man at the stall before tossing a few coins and even a gem or two for him-] Because this one needs to be shut down.

[Or he'd do it for them was the tone, but t least the guy seemed only mildly irritated- but the money would compensate some.]

Come on.

[His voice was gruff, but the answer was more or less a yes to helping by the motion as he moved on.]

There wasn't much he could do in regards to the whole fiasco going on. Like, his essence knows about this stuff, but that didn't mean he could help with the cure; and he's never been much for being a doctor or mage when it came to caring for people. He was better at protecting which was why checking out the stalls and trying to pick out any poisoned produce to dispose of was better suited for him.

But right before he can reach the next stall, already there was an older man chewing away on an apple mentioning something wrong.

Well... damn.

"H-Hey! Put that down!"

A very deliberate bite was taken, right after tilting his head enough to catch a glance at whoever yelled. Chewing as claws dug a little in to the apple's skin in the firm hold he had on it.

"You know poisoned fruits are going around?" Asked with a slow gruff drawl he tended to have, one ear flicked back with the other twitched in the young man's direction. He'd heard about it by now, and this was one way to find out wasn't it. Eating it himself.

All the fruits at this stall were suspect if there was one. Guessed his nose caught something right.

"That's why I'm telling you to put the apple down! Ah geez, and you took a second bite...!"

That sea witch doctor was hot, but Zidane also got this chill around her? He wanted to live a little longer, man. "They're not even done with the antidote... You need to go and start getting treatment before you pass out."

And as much as a kiss might get this guy coming around again, if it can be avoided, that'd be ideal.

There was a third bite taken, too. Chewing just as slowly as he tipped his head a bit towards the stand. "Might want to do something about this guy's stand then. Smells strong around it, and this was amongst his goods." So really, the entire fruit stand was likely best confiscated, even if the guy himself -who was right there- was going paler with every word.

Oops?

76 sniffed, tossing the apple up and catching it, glancing over his bites. Sure as hell was some rapid discoloration. "I'm fine."

"Jerk, no you're not!"

Does he not see how pale his skin's turning? What was this poison? Zombification? Did they have magic tags on sale?

He doesn't know any essences that might make eating poison a thing but he doesn't have time to run to the Library. If the stand was probably contaminated, it had to go, and he informed the stall owner who looked a little terrified of 76 right now - or concerned. Both? Both!

Probably both. At least, despite the graveled growl to his voice, he didn't sound upset in any way. If anything 76 sounded far too incredibly calm for his own good, scratching the side of his neck idly. Did not help at all he was... pale naturally, given his Essence was an undead creature. Even the fur visible from the rips of his shirt were a pale off-white color.

"Feel fine."

Which was true. He actually felt better than fine, and that was all the confirmation he needed that this was indeed a tainted piece of fruit. Taste was subtle, too. Really, if he wasn't able to eat something like this and tell there was something off about it he'd have missed it.

"Should probably see if other stands have the same problem and are still selling."

Zidane side-eyed the guy, whatever urgent panic gone, given away to irritation. He can just say if he can eat contaminated food; that'd be nice instead of trying to prank people during something so urgent.

What kinda person does that?

"That's what I'm out here doing, but here you are, eatin' poisoned fruit and freakin' out people. A warning would be nice, y'know? We already got enough people screwed up by this." His tail was popping, reflecting his annoyance. Give him a few seconds to chill. "You're going to help now? It'd be a nice way to make up for that trick."

His tail flicked, more with how he turned and, well, was continuing to eat that apple as he was walking on.

"I don't control how people react," and why he was doing it was never asked for. Ana was helping with this mess, figured the least he could do was at least locate the places that were still selling the stuff- even if not. Telling anyone. Other than the vendors once he was positive. "Been doing this.

"You assume a lot of things."

"When you're missing information, all you can do is assume."

Unless he's going to start talking now instead of keep eating his apple like an asshole. "Like seriously, before running into you, I was told some food stands were contaminated by an unknown poison. It takes me a while to figure out which ones have been messed with, and then I finally reach this stall in time to see someone picking out an apple that could be poisoned. I dunno if he's an Aspect and what his Essence might be, I dunno if he can handle whatever poison this is... honestly, I'm still expecting you to suddenly drop on me."

"That's when you hang back and listen." Or watch.

He tapped the side of his mask, just near where his nose would be, at least somewhat indicating he could smell the stuff. "I can eat stuff like this fine. Good for me." In the most basic of terms, and it didn't sound like he was going to talk overly much with how rough his voice sounded; hard to tell if it was from disuse or simply sounded like that.

"And take the chance of you dying? No way."

If that's how he rolls, that's all well and good, but Zidane wasn't like that. If he could help, why not? "Good to know. Now I know that for the future if something like this happens again... or we're fixing a story and however that works." And now that they're doing this together, his mind goes elsewhere, noting he doesn't know the guy's name and could probably figure out a nickname until he does know.

"Circumstances."

Different circumstances, different actions. Then again he was a man who threw himself head first in to fights without a second thought. Be it beating down punks in an alleyway due to smuggling weapons and whatever else or... goons trying to rule a town through unsavory means.

Yet here he was. "Pain in the ass is how it works." Yet here he still was.

... Gosh, this was like trying to talk to Amarant before the Castle. At least it came with less hostility? Ehh, no, that could be amusing to deal with.

The answer got a chuckle. "It can't be that bad, can it? I mean, you're still here."

He sniffed lightly, the action hidden due to the lower half of his mask, scanning stands and even the people who lingered at them in passing. Since he had finally caught the scent he could do a bit better than he had been-

"Still a danger to other places," including where he came from. Did not want to deal with this shit on top of everything else in his world. "Turned in to random crap."

Following after him, Zidane's ready to go to any stand he sniffs out. Yeah, this guy was still a jerk, but like... grumpy old man jerk. And he was proving himself to be a good guy under it all.

"Random crap? You'll have to be more specific."

"You're changed to fit the places we get sent to." Whatever that might entail, and since this was important for future there was a little more to it. This came with a fight at times after all. This? This was moving and clearing out poisoned goods. There was a division in thoughts for it.

He did pause, taking a step back as he glanced over a stand selling figs, amongst other things.

"Ooooh, so we're given other roles to play." That doesn't sound too bad to him, but playing roles was pretty normal for him. "Not big on stage shows, huh? Heehe..."

But he'll pause when the guy does and follow his head to the stand. "That one our next stall to close?"

"Roles of the story main cast, or just background to blend in." Grunted, and no he wasn't. He'd had enough time dressed up and forced to play a role expected of him because a certain aspect of him was used. A show horse; this was only a little less worse than that. It actually got something done.

A couple coins was tossed to the stall owner as he plucked up a fig and pulled it apart, just getting a bit of the juice- "Yeah. This one's gotten the treatment." Smell was what he followed, but apparently the taste was what sold the deal for him. Which explained part of what he was doing. Once he figured out the first time what was up with the smell and taste.

[Open] A poisonous feast

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