WE'RE STILL HERE AND THAT'S WHAT MATTERS FOR GRUMP'S SAKE

[ahelpingpaw]

[Well today was quite the unusual way. Filbo pretty much went into his room and collapsed on his bed and just fainted because hey, everything that happened? It's overwhelming. Bluuuuuuuh.

A few hours later, once he recovered somewhat, Filbo just goes and gets paper. This is a ridiculous situation, but...hey, no matter what, stuff needs to be done]

I know today was a really weird day, but let's try to gather and see what happens. There will be ice cream at the ice cream parlor in half an hour. With everything that happened we really should try to at least not forget we need to stick together for whatever reason.

---Filbo Fiddlepie (pawprint)

[Geez.

Well, he goes and does exactly what he said: this time it isn't booze, it's all kinds of ice cream available for anyone who comes. The tables all have spoons and water because really, this is going to be a whole lot of sugar for everyone. Better this than alcohol, especially since things clearly have gone off the rails one way or another, so may as well gorge yourself with ice cream and try to gather your wits for whatever the next week can bring]

Comments

[ltcommandroid]

[Well, first things first, Data's gonna take himself off to the infirmary! You can find him there carefully cutting away his own shirt and peeling it off - it looks like a good deal of the front is sticking to his chest. Once it's removed, you can see that a good-sized area of his skin there has melted. It's blackened and gross-looking, not a very pretty sight on an otherwise apparently anatomically-correct android. Maybe the flashes of metal and blinking lights that you can catch a glimpse of underneath will help take the edge off?

But, at least, it doesn't seem to cause him any pain. He examines the wound, using tools to push some of the skin aside as necessary, then goes to bandage the whole thing up. He could probably use a hand with that one, actually, how easy is it to wrap one's own chest?

By the time that's finished, it's been a bit longer than half an hour, so he'll go put on some new clothes, then scoop up Parker and Spot and bring them over to the ice cream parlor. As per usual, he's mostly just chilling there and feeding them some raw fish he got from the kitchen.]

Ice Cream Parlor

[ahelpingpaw]

[It probably is no surprise that barely two minutes after Data arrived Filbo ran to him]

A-Are you okay? You're--you're still alive, but did you--are you--will you--

[Data's not on fire anymore, of course, it'd be awful if a few hours later Data was still walking around with a torso on fire, but still...Filbo isn't sure if androids are fireproof, but what if they aren't? Then it meant Data could have died, and the thought just makes Filbo rather anxious]

[ltcommandroid]

[hey sometimes you just walk around on fire and it's fine]

It is alright, Filbo. I am okay.

[ahelpingpaw]

[Filbo exhales. Data is talking and moving, so maybe he really is fine]

Alright. I'm glad, I'm so glad you're okay.

[...]

...I should thank you. For...probably saving my life. Usually grumps can be set on fire for a short while, but, uh...I kinda have a feeling that haunted fire wouldn't have been like normal fire. I could have been done for. Thank you so much.

[ltcommandroid]

Of course. I am not as easily damaged by fire - it only made sense.

[we don't have feelings ha ha]

[ahelpingpaw]

Really? So you're intact right now?

[When he puts it like that it does make sense Data stood in the middle of fire and a flammable grumpus, hah]

[ltcommandroid]

Largely. Only pieces of my skin have fallen off.

[that's not comforting bud]

[ahelpingpaw]

[The face Filbo makes at that response hints he finds the thought of Data losing pieces of skin is distressing to imagine goodness gracious that sounds absolutely horrible. He forces to stop himself imagining that]

I-I see...! Please tell me at least you can't feel pain to any extent.

[Certainly not pain like any organic being because seriously, then Data wouldn't be hanging out here in the first place, but he wouldn't be surprised if androids needed something resembling pain to be aware of physical issues that arise or something. What can he say, he knows nothing about androids, hah]

[ltcommandroid]

I cannot. I am aware of the damage - it is necessary for my body to alert me to such things. But it is...quantitative, rather than qualitative.

[If that makes sense?]

I do not believe it relates to the experience of pain.

[ahelpingpaw]

That makes sense! ...I think.

[Yeah, he probably is understanding it correctly, at least as much as a layman can]

Better that way. Any chance of getting, uh, any damage repaired? I mean, maybe there's no...whatever's covering you in place of skin, but any way of replacing it with something else?

[Probably not with fabric from the crafting room unless you want to have a chest full of patches with little fishes on them, as if Flayn had gone to town on your torso]

[ltcommandroid]

[Data considers this for a moment, arching his eyebrows a little.]

I suppose that would be possible, but I think I would prefer to wait for the proper materials unless it begins to get worse. [he doesn't want a fish-patterned torso] My skin acts as insulation and a protective coating for the metal underneath, but it does not account for most of my durability.

[ahelpingpaw]

W-Well, if it gets worse, uh...I...I dunno if I'd be able to do a thing about it, but if it turns into an emergency and you think I--I can do something, well...

[No, he wouldn't be able to do anything. Filbo knows that fully well. He's not saying that because he truly feels he could do a thing, and Data probably can see right through him. Not seeing any other choice, he admits it:]

...I'm feeling responsible for what happened to you. I know it's not like it's my fault, nor like things would have been any better if you hadn't saved my life, but I just--I can't help but feel like if it ends harming you in the future then it's all because, well...

[Because he wasn't...fortunate enough not to be the one Jack aimed for? Really, it's pretty irrational to be blaming himself, he can see that much, making him chuckle sheepishly]

It's kinda silly to be thinking that, eh?

[ltcommandroid]

It is.

[He says rather matter-of-factly! That's how he says most stuff, to be fair.]

The entity was the one who harmed me. The fact that it was initially attempting to harm you is not relevant. If anything, I consider it lucky that he aimed for you - had he chosen another target, I might not have been near enough to interfere. [and basically everyone else is flammable.] He most likely believes your loss would be one of the most damaging to the general morale.

Ice Cream Parlor

[cethflayn]

...Are you alright? Did that fire hurt you badly, Data?

[She knows! She knows he's not a flesh person! But that was green fire!!]

[ltcommandroid]

It melted an area of skin on my torso, but did not damage any important parts underneath.

[He taps his chest over the area; it's not like it hurts to touch.]

My skin largely acts as insulation and protection for what is underneath. But as long as I do not take more damage to the area, it should be alright. I do appreciate your concern.

[cethflayn]

[Even if it wasn't going to really hurt him unless it got to the insides, it was still very brave of him to do.]

Will you let us know if you need assistance in fixing anything? I...likely cannot do much, but I can tie bandages if you need.

[ltcommandroid]

That may be helpful. I have decided to keep the area wrapped up, for safety's sake.

[It's not like he's bleeding, but he doesn't really want it rubbing up against a shirt all day. He'd be liable to start shedding burnt bits of skin. No one wants that.]

Of course, as I do not sweat or bleed, it will not need to be changed quite as regularly as a human's bandaging.

[cethflayn]

Understandable. But...does it heal similarly to a human's wound? Or no?

[Like do they need to go get some fabric and make you a new torso]

[ltcommandroid]

[Oh, honey.]

It will not. The damage will remain until I am able to access the repair facilities back on the Enterprise. [assuming that he ever does?] But it should not grow any worse.

[cethflayn]

[Furrowed brow! Someone made androids wrong, this isn't fair. Let androids grow their own skin!

That sounds so cursed but she's thinking it.]

Then are you certain bandages will be enough? I know, I know - it is not in danger of becoming dirty or infected, like a wound in flesh, but still.

[ltcommandroid]

The bandage is largely just to keep any of it from falling off.

[GROSS, THANKS BUD!]

[cethflayn]

[Geez how do we heal androids, can you use Mend on an android, shame we can't find out. Sothis would probably be down for it, though.]

Then please be sure to let us know if there is any way we can assist.

[ltcommandroid]

I doubt there will be one, but I will do so if I think of anything. As long as nothing like that happens again - [he taps his chest, it's really only there specifically] - I should not experience any undue trouble from it.

[cethflayn]

We shall have to equip ourselves with things that are flame-resistant, then.

[Not armor, armored units get roasted by magic fire easy.]

[ltcommandroid]

We shall have to attempt it, at least.

[what do we even have that's fire-resistant....]

Although I am concerned that this threat is too "magical" for me to have many ideas about how to combat it.