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[epitaffio]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, PURPLEPIPER. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 541.26.365.77 *** PURPLEPIPER has joined 541.26.365.77 <PURPLEPIPER> Am I doing this right? <PURPLEPIPER> Pretty weird to just leave a message like this is an answering machine or something <PURPLEPIPER> ME leaving a message I mean! <PURPLEPIPER> You can leave one if you want and I'll just get back to you whenever I can.

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[epitaffio]

[Judging by the look on Doppio's face when he opens the door, he was either about to ask or afraid to ask.]

You know, I was still kind of assuming you were joking about that... What's going on out there?

[bent_the_world]

Nope. This place is as safe as a place can be around here. Which is good for us, since apparently horrible monster plague is ravaging the streets?

[All Korra has is the network buzz to go on, but it sounds Bad.]

Sorry to basically lock you in like this, but I figure you can understand why.

[epitaffio]

N-No, I get it! We still have meat in the fridge, right? I hope I'm not asking too much, but my stomach's been starting to bug me pretty badly when I don't eat for too long...

[Still, he'll live. Probably safer to just wait it out, if it's that bad.]

... Things happen a lot around here, don't they?

[bent_the_world]

It's fine, we're stocked up. And there's a meat freezer downstairs with backup supplies, just in case.

[The hotel is prepared for any sort of long lasting emergency. Food, water, medical supplies, fuel...there's even a generator in case of power outages that last more than a couple of hours.]

...Yeah, things happen a lot. You sort of just get used to it as part of life, as messed up as that sounds.

There's also plenty of board games and the radio and stuff in the common area, to stave off cabin fever. And you know...all the homemade soda we can drink.

... i'm not sure if this qualifies as suicidal ideation but here's a warning anyway

[epitaffio]

[He can't help frowning a little. It's not so much that "getting used to it" sounds messed up, but more the fact that he's not even supposed to be alive in the first place. He shouldn't have to get used to it.

But never mind that. Luckily, a different subject comes to mind easily.]

Hey, since I'm apparently undead now... [- and his numerous deer-like features make his exact species obvious, too -] Soda can't actually make me sick anymore, right?

[bent_the_world]

It shouldn't! I'll be honest, I haven't hung out too much with undead, but what's soda going to do to you? I've got a ton of flavors, too.

[Korra's social circle is predominantly a minotaur and a harpy these days, and she'd never had any close friends that were any of the undead kinds of monsters.]

Oh yeah, and if there's anything specific you need that makes daily home life easier...I don't know what ghost deer need, but we'll make it happen.

[epitaffio]

Well, I have been kind of bored.

[Which has nothing to do with the lockdown, but he can see it getting worse, depending on how long this goes on. He was used to just... zoning out and waking up to a phone call with something new to do, but for some reason he can't zone out like he used to, and time feels like it's been passing by so slowly...]

What kinds of games do you have?

[bent_the_world]

A bunch! Also cards and a dart board. And if you're into martial arts at all there's a really nice training room set up just a floor down. Some gym equipment, too.

[Korra turns to head to the common area, and gestures for him to follow.]

Come on, you can check out your options. I'll make us some drinks.

[epitaffio]

M-Martial arts? That sounds cool, but... No, thanks. I'm not much of a fighter...

[He can get down with free drinks, though, so he's right behind her.]

[bent_the_world]

That's okay, you don't have to use it to fight. There's whole schools of martial arts that are focused on defense and meditation and just keeping yourself fit and in balance. It's pretty great exercise.

[Of course Korra is biased. She never shies away from a fight and the one constant across her lives is that she's always been physical.]

[She heads into the small resident kitchen - a pale shadow of the big kitchen downstairs that is never used - and rummages around in a cabinet until she pulls out the soda machine.]

[epitaffio]

Meditation? Really? They don't show that in the movies.

[... Although he supposes that when, say, Karate Kid is doing that one-legged stance, it looks kind of zen? Huuuh. At any rate, it's arguable whether Doppio would be worse at combat-based or meditation-based martial arts.]

Can I help with that?

[bent_the_world]

Because it's boring for the audience watching somebody do meditation poses. It's pretty cool looking when you've got like fifty people all doing it at once, though. Almost like a dance.

[She pulls out the box of flavor syrups and nods.]

Sure. It's pretty easy to set up, just connect that top jar part to the blocky part.

[epitaffio]

Got it. [Luckily, he's pretty good at following instructions when he doesn't forget them.]

Well, maybe you could teach me some time! I'm not exactly graceful, though.

[bent_the_world]

That's okay, it's not like it matters if your forms are perfect or anything. It's all about keeping your mind and body in harmony - which...honestly can be pretty helpful around here.

[Korra pretty much relies on it. Without having meditation and all that training...she's not sure how well she would have adjusted by now.]

So what flavors do you like? You can pretty much put any syrup in this thing and turn it into a soda. Yes, including maple syrup, yes I have tried this and it's delicious.

[epitaffio]

[Sadly, Doppio's mind has never been harmonious. His body is debatable.]

Maple syrup? As in the stuff you put on waffles?... Wouldn't that be way too sweet?

[That said, he's already looking for the maple syrup.]

[bent_the_world]

[She is very quick to produce the maple syrup.]

That is literally the point. You use it in a dark cola, it's amazing. You don't use much.

[By Korra's standards, anyway. She doesn't know if it's a bear thing or what, but she has a much higher tolerance for sweet than she used to. She's pretty sure she could comfortably live on super sweet cola and meat.]

[One day, she'll learn about cola marinades.]

Berry syrups are good, too. Wow, I really do like what bears like these days...

[epitaffio]

Haha, I don't think I'm gonna have that problem. Deers are supposed to be herbivores, right? But all I ever want to eat is meat...

[A lot of it, basically all the time.]

[bent_the_world]

I think the meat thing may just be a monster thing. I don't know what the rules are for zombie deer.

[Because basically that's what he is. Who knows how it works?]

You'll start figuring out weird little monster stuff like that as you go. Like I can find my way home from basically anywhere, just on instinct. Even a place I've never been before.

[epitaffio]

Really? Wow, I could use something like that. Maybe it's because I'm kind of forgetful, but sometimes I have trouble getting to places.

[Luckily, he's been coming over here to sleep often enough that he probably won't forget where it is any time soon.]

[bent_the_world]

Some of the stuff can be helpful!

[Korra gets to work setting up the drink maker, clearly well versed in using it. She does this a lot.]

Weird little stuff you'd never think of. I have a buddy who's a Minotaur and he like never gets lost, it's so weird. He can find his way around anywhere. I can just find my way home.

I also get really defensive of this place and I guess that whole 'mama bear' thing is actually a thing.

[epitaffio]

[Huh. The bear thing makes sense. The minotaur thing... Oh, because of the legend. Something about a labyrinth.

He watches her set things up, deep in thought.]

I don't really know a lot about deers. Other than Bambi, anyway.

[bent_the_world]

I really don't, either. But there's probably some stuff to being undead that's cool? Maybe you get magic or something.

[The one thing Korra would actually kind of like. But apparently weres didn't get anything like that at all. Other than being able to turn into an animal whenever, but plenty of monsters got that.]

Oh! Hey! Maybe you can turn into a deer!

[epitaffio]

A deer? [He laughs softly.] I'm not sure what good that would be... People already pick on me enough as it is.