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[formidable]

MUSELIST This a post where I'll RP anything with you! Got a scenario in mind? I'LL DO IT. If you wanna chat IDEAS.GIF, contact me at maiscribbles or my Discord (Maiscribbles#6780). Have at it! ➢ Cool Mood Music No. 1 ➤ Cool Mood Music No. 2

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[supersoldier]

[He merely looks back down at the cask, at the liquid inside, pushing himself back up and straightening. Masamune remains propped up against the wall where he had placed it before inspecting the interior prior.]

I told you, didn’t I? My situation isn’t normal. That applies to me in most every way.

[He doesn’t look at her as he says it, not until he turns around to face her anew, his gaze stony, stoic and unreadable.]

But I’ll go first regardless.

[emotive]

...

[The light from her lantern causes her to notice that at the cask's side are two wooden ladles. She sets her lantern down and takes one while handing the other to Sephiroth.]

We're drinking this first one together.

[Not a question, it's pure intent.]

[supersoldier]

[He glances down at the ladle, not deigning to take it from her yet.]

And what happened to taking turns to view the consequences?

[emotive]

Just because you're stronger than me doesn't mean we aren't working as a team right now.

[So she declares rather childishly, but she's trying to make a point.]

And we can still take turns after this first one. But anyway, you can depend on me while we're stuck in here together, ok? You don't always have to carry everything on your shoulders.

[And she scoops up a half-portion of wine for herself.]

[supersoldier]

[He’s silent, before finally taking his own ladle, balancing it in a gloved hand.]

It isn’t about shouldering a burden. It’s about what’s practical. If I’m more resilient, it makes more sense for me to judge how badly this may affect us.

[But despite that, he dips it into the wine. The surface ripples as it fills the ladle.]

Don’t go jumping headfirst into the unknown, just because you can.

[But this one time, he supposes, he’ll humor her.]

[emotive]

Sounds like the same thing to me. Anyway.

[She holds her ladle in both of her hands.]

As they say: Cheers?

[And she takes the plunge, gulping down her wine and trying not to drip any onto her hair or clothes. Ai swallows it down. Blinks. Contemplates the flavor.]

That's... Tasty.

[supersoldier]

[Sephiroth’s movement is a slow lift, an even slower tilt, taking down the wine in an unhurried way. Again, the smell fills his nostrils, but this time the sensation is coupled with taste — sweet, aromatic, strong.

Dropping his hand, he considers the tang on his tongue, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Becoming hyperaware of the state of his body; nothing thus far. He might as well have downed water.

His cat-like eyes fix on Ai.]

Is that it? “Tasty?”

[No effects?]

[emotive]

It's making me a bit warm.

[Her cheeks are almost immediately flushed for instance.]

But that's normal for alcohol, isn't it?

[What isn't normal is the wooden cask in front of them disappearing now that they partook in the wine and they're now free to move forward.]

Oh, thank goodness. I thought we'd have to drink the whole cask!

[supersoldier]

I suppose it’s normal for someone whose threshold for alcohol is staggeringly low.

[Said with the faintest arch of a brow — yes, she definitely is already tinged red — but soon his attention is stolen by the disappearing barrels of wine.

He takes up Masamune again, frowning down their new path.]

Don’t thank anything just yet. If this is how we’re supposed to progress, you might be drinking a lot more than you realize.

[emotive]

On the bright side, it'll all be different liquors and it'll taste great!

[Ever the optimist! She retrieves her lantern pole again and waits for Sephiroth to go down the cleared path first.]

Now if only we had meat...

[supersoldier]

[Holding Masamune behind him, it’s time to trudge forward.]

Why would there be meat here?

[Yes, he heard that.]

[emotive]

...

...

[Indignant noises behind Sephiroth ensue.]

You heard nothing!

[supersoldier]

No, I heard everything.

[He knows what he heard!]

And I'm guessing you're hungry. Drinking on an empty stomach will definitely qualify as an adventure for you.

["""Adventure""". He's already starting to doubt her capacity.]

[emotive]

[sephiroth will soon learn the dark truth about how ai upkeeps her stomach... soon...]

I-I think I did eat something before I found myself here! I wasn't thinking about food then! With how tasty the drink was, I was just thinking it was a shame we didn't have any food around and... And...!

... I might be a little hungry.

[She's covering her face with one hand as if to shield herself from his judgment.]

I'll still do my part ok? I mean, we don't have to drink a whole lot at least.

[supersoldier]

[Never one for gregarious comfort, nor aware of just how… intense Ai's hunger runs, Sephiroth’s words are blunt and to-the-point, as usual.]

You may have to make do with an empty stomach for now. We can’t assume there will be anything to eat for the entire time we’re here.

[At least she’s still willing to do her part, as she says, and he can only hope that hunger won’t work against her.]

[emotive]

Well, this place is huge! There's got to be something for us to munch on at some point.

[And so the optimism resumes as does their delving into this alcohol-laden floor of the maze. Each casket is the same as the last. One of them or both takes a drink and it disappears for them to explore the branch they've partaken. They also have to contend with the thick and intoxicating air around them.

Ai surprisingly lasts longer than expected, but not by a whole lot. By the sixth or seventh casket, her head is bobbing back and forth and she even develops a bit of a hiccup. Also...]

Kìa con bướm vàng
Kìa con bướm vàng
Xòe đôi cánh
Xòe đôi cánh
Tung cánh bay năm ba vòng
Tung cánh bay năm ba vòng.
Em ngồi xem
Em ngồi xem.

[yes, drunken singing oops]

[supersoldier]

[Six or seven casks in, paired with the intoxicating air, only causes a faint warm tinge to blossom along his skin. His body, like it oft does, adjusts — much like it staves off injury with resilience and fast healing, it processes any trace of alcohol in his system just as fervently, eradicating it through the wringer of his metabolism. If there’s ever a buzz trying to strong-arm its way into his cognizant mind, it’s banished as soon as it begins to appear.

The result is a Sephiroth just as stolid as before, focused forward, with enough lucidity to wonder at the sudden song behind him.]

...You’re drunk already.

[She’s definitely drunk. The melody echoes in the corridor, couched in a language unfamiliar to him.]

Do we need to take a break so you can recover?

[emotive]

[She holds up a palm to object.]

Nuh. Nuh-uh. We keep going. We're doing good.

[Ai gives him a thumbs-up gesture while balancing the lantern pole on her shoulder.]

Teamwork! Good job!

[supersoldier]

[The sidelong glance he gives her is both assessing and dubious. Though they’ve not run into anything dangerous in this maze, that doesn’t mean it won’t happen, and Ai in a state like this? He isn’t sure if how much of her own weight she’d be able to pull.

Not that all this drinking is much of her own fault, this maze requiring a system of progression obviously... unflattering to someone who can’t hold their alcohol.]

Let me take the next few drinks. I don’t want to have to carry you through the rest of this.

[emotive]

If you say so.

[Rubbing her nose with one hand, Ai nods in agreement. Even in her inebriated state, she's not going to be so foolish as to prolong her stubbornness.]

Uh, if you don't mind telling me... How red do I look?

[Answer: Very.]

[supersoldier]

You look like a tomato.

[She asked.]

[emotive]

[There is silence. And then there is a drunken accusatory pointing at his face.]

You... you look like...

A cherry tomato!

[Not Even Close.]

[supersoldier]

[Wow. He closes his eyes briefly, shaking his head.]

...You really are a lost cause right now. I hope this doesn’t last long, for your sake.

[One more cask ahead.]

Your insults could use work.

[emotive]

[She's sulking like a child and mutters darkly under her breath.]

Your hair could use work.

[supersoldier]

[Excuse u

Sephiroth is not vain, not really, but his hair is the one thing about his appearance that he actively takes care of, keeps well-tended. He looks at her from over his shoulder.]

I heard that too.