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You take a quick swig of the gin you were given to gather some courage for the things you're about to ask. Tastes woody and it burns a bit going down. "So." You put your glass down. "Are you two...okay?" You gesture towards the two who seem the most messed up (sans you) in the ground, Max and Adam. Max is currently busy nursing from a remarkably ancient looking soda bottle. "Coca Cola".
[SEEKER OF THE CITY] An ancient soda brand that hasn't been produced since 2024, Nicole. The only remnant of its existence in popular culture now is the name 'Rum and Cola", which uses a different kind of soda now.
Adam puts down the glass of whiskey he was sipping from before responding to your query. "I'm fine. Really, I am."
"I somehow doubt that? You said something about living off borrowed time back at the casino. You know how, uh, ominous that sounds."
"Not like you're a stranger to saying ominous shit." Ashley mutters.
Adam squirms in his seat, trying to distract himself from the question but eventually relents with a sigh. "I don't think I should be alive, you know? N-not like in a suicidal way but it really feels like I shouldn't be here."
Something seems to click in Benjamin's head with that comment. "I get it. You've been in two back to back life or death encounters in what, less than a week? I would probably be thinking the same thing about my chances."
"I guess?" Adam takes another swig from his glass. "It feels like in another world, I was left bleeding out on that kitchen and Benedict turned into some anomaly. Forever. The stress of everything lately must be getting to me, you know?"
"It's fine. Maybe take a break and get some sleep. It's going to be okay." You nod your head at him. The smile he returns is weak and without any confidence.
[UNSTABLE] IN ANOTHER WORLD, IN A DIFFERENT TIME, THIS MAN IS DEAD. HE <span class="mu-i">SHOULD</span> BE DEAD. YOU DEFIED SOME NATURAL ORDER WITH HIM BEING ALIVE.
You turn your attention to Max. "And you?" You simply get a small shrug out of her. Her eyes are glossed over and bits of spittle are still on her mouth
"I'm not good when it comes to this stuff. Benjamin is, uh, the anomaly expert. I usually send him most of my mission involves anomalies?" She tries her best to put on a smug smile. It's failing. "I dunno. Something about those things feels fundamentally <span class="mu-i">wrong</span>. Like every inch of my body was screaming at me to get out."
"Weird. Aside from being forced to call that thing pretty, I didn't feel anything? Did you guys?" The others respond with small nods and affirmative noises. Seems like she's the only one who freaks out in any way because of it.
"I guess I'm a scaredy cat or something?" She shrugs. "Maybe it was just the environment. It reminded me of an old store back in District 3 my mom used to take me to. Seeing that place twisted like that was...eh. Let's talk about somethin' else." <span class="mu-b">Seems like her past experiences resonated with the anomaly. Maybe that's why she had a bad reaction?</span>
