i was walking in the forest of truffula trees when i saw a thneed boy wearing tiGHT pants

[fraternal]

[ WHO ]: Garry and Once-ler
[ WHERE ]: at the maaaaaaaaaaall
[ WHEN ]: Daylight hours
[ OPEN/CLOSED? ]: Closed until further notice
[ RATING ]: PG maybe worse later
[ WARNINGS ]: sexy gasmasks

So Garry had taken that tv program seriously, and had went out and got himself a gas mask - Once-ler was being nice enough to indulge his worries by getting one for himself, too.

"Are you sure you can put it on without it hurting? Want me to help?"

Comments

[fraternal]

Its dangerous, he's sure, and the noise only makes him panic. He barely knows kanji, but living with a doctor for a father made a few rub off on him, thank goodness.

Its hard to focus, but his finger scans quicker - igaku. Ii. Ii.

"Ii- ga-" He found it. Medicines. There were three listed. He doesn't bother reading the other two, but one word jumps out at him immediately - 薬局. Yakkyoku. Pharmacy.

"This way--"

[triggeringbiggering]

Once-ler doesn't need to be told twice. He sprints off with Garry in the direction he pointed. Avoidance was better than confrontation in all cases.

[fraternal]

Garry'll glance back every second to make sure he's there, until he makes himself fall into step with him as his side. He'll shout out the directions to him so he'll know when to turn with him, not wanting them to have to lose any speed. He half expects swarms of monsters every time they turn, but nothing.

He wonders if that's scarier.

Pointing when they come upon the pharmacy-

"There!"

[triggeringbiggering]

Grabbing Garry's arm in his free hand, he veers into the pharmacy. Thankfully, the sliding doors here seem to work, and they open with a soft woosh. The lights flicker, burst and die. He curses, momentarily blinded by the flash, his night vision gone to shreds.

"Damn..."

[fraternal]

Garry quickly looks for a way to jam the door, but his vision is spotty, and he presses his back to the glass, gripping Once-ler's hand tightly.

[triggeringbiggering]

"... Better get looking." He takes off his glasses, hoping that will give him a little less darkness to need to work with. There's still glaring spots in his eyes, but it's so much better.

He doesn't hear anything right now.

[fraternal]

Garry closes his eyes, taking a few breaths before opening them again and letting go of Once-ler's hand.

"How bad is your vision? We shouldn't go in a eighty percent instead of a hundred..."

[triggeringbiggering]

"We shouldn't stay near the doors either..." A glance is thrown over his shoulder, but it's hard to make anything out. "Lose-lose right now, heh?" He shakes his head, then hefts up his axe.

"If we stick close, we should be okay."

[fraternal]

A nod - he'l stick close enough their arms brush on occasion, something that soothes Garry into knowing he's still there beside him without having to look at him.

The aisle in front of them is stocks with food - the medicine is probably to the right of it, judging by the pop containers to their left. He'll nudge Once-ler along that way, not bothering to try reading the signs above their heads, relying on medicinal bottles and such lining the shelves instead.

"First aid kits should be lowest to the ground, also look for brown bottles with white text - anything around that should be alcohol as well."

[triggeringbiggering]

"Do we even know what we're taking?" He sounds a little dubious. What'd sounded like a great idea on paper was getting a little worrying now that they were collecting. Medicine was a difficult thing after all. "And do you think they've got more powerful stuff behind the counter?" He hopes not... bad experiences with ghosts at counters, after all.

He grabs a bag from one of the self-service checkouts, shakes off the dust, and begins shoveling things into it anyway. He supposes Garry and maybe some of the native Japanese speakers can help them sort it out.

"Note to self: learn more than conversational business Japanese."

[fraternal]

"Rubbing alcohol, anything to dress wounds. Painkillers. Follow me behind the counter, I'll get them."

[triggeringbiggering]

He follows him, reaching out with his free hand again. When his fingertips brush Garry's back, he lowers it, content that he's close by, and follows after the shape of him.

[fraternal]

He'll lean back against the touch, understanding its meaning, before Once-ler's fingers move away, and he's content by hearing the sound of his footfalls behind his own. When they get to the compact pharmacy he'll start by locating the keys, and opening every little cabinet he can find.

"Take it all, we'll sort through it after."

The pill bottles are tiny, easy to carry, they can spare the backache for them.

[triggeringbiggering]

He doesn't need to be told twice. Stuffing it into the bag happens almost as soon as he looks at it. Having a good cache could save someone's life, along with the antiseptic wipes and bandages they have. Simple antibiotics could deal with infections... it was a good thing to think about.

But there is the sound of something beginning to pad around outside.

[fraternal]

Garry holds up a hand, taking the bag and resuming Once-ler's work as he has him get ready with the axe.

[triggeringbiggering]

He nods at him, showing he understands, and he sneaks out to the counter. Trying to repress memories of what happened last time, he keeps himself low and peeks over. There are still some spots in his eyes from the glare of the lights, but he's adjusted better and can mostly make it out.]

[jigoku_onryo]

With awkward and mechanical motions, the anatomical figure and the skeletal figure shuffle through the aisles. They're coming closer, rattling with each step.

[fraternal]

He's not comfortable with leaving Once-ler alone, so after he finished the already opened slots, he'll follow out after him - resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Should we run? Or fight them? We still need a few things..."

[triggeringbiggering]

"Get some more." He says that firmly. "We need antibiotics." His voice has a slight tremor in it, one he's trying (but failing) to keep down. "I-I'll d-deal with them. If I need to."

He ushers Garry back through to the slots.

[jigoku_onryo]

As one, the two figures turn their heads towards them.

The lights flicker dimly. The low electrical humming starts up as the fluorescent bulbs flicker bright only at the edges.

[fraternal]

He's scared - so he wont take that sitting down. As he's ushered back, he'll step forward again, placing his hand over Once-ler's...

...the hand holding the axe.

"Give me the axe, switch with me. Get the antibiotics."

He's scared too, but he doesn't flinch at the figures moving.

[triggeringbiggering]

He shakes his head. "You can read them better than me. I've swung an axe before." He narrows his eyes at the now dim lighting, the buzzing already beginning to get into his head. Annoying... just what this place wanted. Ah, damn, he's shaking, too. His heart's going a mile a minute.

... But he stands up, brandishing the axe.

"So you'll be the fellas looking for the two for one deal, huh?" He grins, kind of sickly, behind his mask. He sort of wants to throw up. "Sorry, but we just stopped that one! And you'll have to work extra hard to get the first one!"

And he jumps over the counter and darts down the aisle.

[jigoku_onryo]

The two models chase after him, one clanking and rattling step after the next.

[fraternal]

"Once'-!"

He has to be fast, now. Has to hurry so he can fight by his side - he's so sick... of not being able to help. He should be the one charging in, protecting him, now.

He fumbles with the lock for one of the shelves, and takes a calming breath, before trying again, opening every one he can. No time for reading, now.

[triggeringbiggering]

The thing about being the Once-ler is that he's a problem solver. It might be ironic that he is, but inventors have to be. So while Garry was certainly more physically capable of dealing with these things, he's not exactly in dire straights.

The skeleton will be easier to cut through. The anatomical model, though - that might be the best bet.

He skids around a 'junction' at the aisles and then pivots on his heel, holding the axe up. He can hear the damn things rattling towards him.

When the anatomical model rounds the corner, he slams the haft of his axe into its cavity.