Roleplay

Daya holds the Squit a bit like one would hold a plushie. They gently pet its head as well, leaning against Hollow.

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Soon they reach the top, and they frantically start to retrace their steps. Though not to get back to the hot springs. Simply to get as far away from the Abyss and the void as possible.

The Squit is undisturbed by all this. Hollow seems happy, placing a hand on Daya's shoulder as Daya leans in.
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In the midst of panicked steps, Wing finds themselves on the east side of the City of Tears, having climbed up the broken elevator shaft.

(@Halloweddd)

Daya takes a moment to look at Hollow's hand as they place it on their shoulder, but their attention is soon once more on the Squit.
"Why no hurt?" Daya asks, presumably to Hollow. It's unclear what exactly they're talking about.

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Little attention is given to their surroundings. Not even the cold rain that washes away the trail of black they leave can snap them out of their thoughts. All Wing could think about was going up, as fast and as far as possible. Enough black was slowly leaking from their shell and chitin to practically cover their body, their white head beginning to be stained gray.

Hollow certainly was confused. "This squit is a friend, why would they hurt?" Of course, they never knew how violent creatures were during the infection.
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The parkour up slowed them a little, but they managed to make it to the long elevator that'd lead to the resting grounds.

"It hurt before. Squit hurt before. Now it doesn't." Daya replies, holding the Squit up to Hollow for emphasis. They have a bit of trouble, as they're only doing it with one hand and have forgotten they now have a prosthetic.

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Wing attempts to squeeze past the elevator to get up further. They're so desperate that they don't even think about using the elevator in the moment.
With how much shell is broken and cracked now, it might even be possible.

They were a bit lost on what to say. "Well, uh, maybe the infection caused aggression?"
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With their frail hands and wings, they climb up the window, staining the glass black as they go up. They reach the ledge, and just before they touch the wall they notice the whole elevator shaft is overtaken by tendrils of void. A tall void figure appearing as a blur suddenly goes from the left wall to the right, disappearing back into the wall.

Daya shrugs, nearly dropping the Squit in the process. They catch it before it goes into the hot spring, thankfully.

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They only pause a moment as they see the figure of black, then they chastise themself. Now wasn't the time to be stopping to wonder about things!
In Wing's panic, they don't notice the void tendrils, attempting to continue climbing up as if the tendrils weren't there. Void drips down the shaft alongside small flakes of shell now.

Hollow was content with the lack of continued questioning.
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As Wing grabs the tendrils and climbs, there are stranger whispers that quickly fade. They could only decipher a faint "Where is the false one?" as the noise dissipates as quickly as it came. Nonetheless, Wing climbs the wall without too much trouble, despite their form falling apart. The top opens up into the resting grounds.

Daya hugs the Squit close as a way of apologizing for nearly dropping it. Hollow may notice the little one seems relaxed here, more than any other place. Maybe the springs were a safe spot during the Infection.

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More and more shell begins cracking and falling away as Wing desperately climbs, their form growing less and less defined with every passing second.