Cave-In

[knux400]

QUERY: DISASTER AT ANY MOMENT

You'd really rather think about something else right now.

QUERY: ORTHO'S LIFE

Ortho was... They seemed nice. Admittedly, you don't know much about them, but they seemed like they'd been here a long time and the job had worn them down a bit. Almost resigned in a way. You can't imagine they would willingly stick with this job knowing the circumstances, and they didn't look especially well taken care of, so they probably weren't in an ideal situation. You have no idea what the exact details are, of course.

They seemed to keep a positive outlook despite that, though, and they genuinely seemed to make every effort to help you succeed. Given you'd only just met, you can safely assume they have that attitude towards everyone. It would be easy to be bitter and distant in a situation like Ortho's, but... they seemed to make an extra effort to be kind to everyone. Apart from Mr. Stone. But from what you've heard of that guy, it's perfectly reasonable he'd get on Ortho's bad side.

It's hard to know what kind of life they would've had if it hadn't ended here, since you never knew that much about them. They definitely would have made an effort to keep helping people as best they could. You can't imagine where you'd be right now without them. Well, okay, you'd probably be in the exact same spot, but you get the feeling if this job had continued normally that Ortho would be a huge help.

QUERY: MY CHOICES & FAILED CONNECTIONS

0115316_11.tsl - 0:54

You stand in a waiting room. Around you are various Morbitians. Some are reading magazines, some are staring out the window, and you're pretty sure that Pockitt in the corner is just sleeping.

It's been 23 minutes and 49 seconds since you first walked in. You're... nervous? Nervous would probably be the right word to describe this. You're pretty excited for this job- photography has been a hobby of yours for a long time, and the pay is pretty decent, too. But... Jorge also warned you about the atmosphere. You don't exactly have a lot of qualifications, and there aren't many Barebones in this field of work. So part of it is excitement, but part of it is nervousness. It's hard to quantify exactly what the ratio is. Emotions are vague and indistinct like that.

The door opens and an older Beatfox pokes her head through.

"Pillbug?"

That's you. You follow her inside.

"Alright, go ahead and take a-" She cuts herself off, seeing your eight-legged body.

"...Just stand, I guess." You oblige, standing next to the chair. Before you are the beatfox from before, a De'moneres, and one you can't place- either a Mothlie or a Comber, you think.

"So you're interested in our..." She looks at the paper. "Field research division?"
"Yes."
"Do you have any prior experience with chenilles?"
"...No."
"How familiar are you with chenille physiology?"
"Not very."
"Behavior?"
"Not very."
"Habitat?"
"They prefer swamps, I think?"
"Have you had a field research position before?"
"No."
"Any sort of research position?"
"...Not really."

She sighs.

"...Any prior jobs or experiences you think would be relevant here?"
"This would be my first job. I enjoy photography as a hobby."

The De'moneres looks bored. The Comber? Mothlie? Is trying not to laugh. The Beatfox... She just looks exasperated.

"So you've got... no prior experience in this field at all, then."
"Correct."
"What do you have to offer?"
"Well, like I said, I do photography as a hobby, and..."

...

"I'm open to trying new things?"

She closes her eyes, breathes in, and then opens them again with a soft exhale.

"Listen, Pillbug. I don't think this is a great first job for you to have. Even at an entry-level position, being a field researcher requires a lot of prior knowledge about the species in question, the research process, and the field of study in general. It's not just... going out and taking pictures of things. I'm sorry, but it's really not in our best interest to take the time to bring you up to speed on everything."
"...Okay."
"So I'm sorry, but we're going to have to decline. Thank you for taking the time to come in today."
"Thank you for having me."

...

"Do you... know of any other places I can go to... take pictures of things? This camera, it belonged to a close friend of mine, and it would mean a lot to me if I could put it to use-"
"Sorry, kid. We're not really in the business of job hunting." The De'moneres cuts you off, his voice gruff.
"Thank you."

You turn and leave.


The door shuts behind you.





Just as you step through the doorway to the adjoining hall, you hear the Mothlie... Comber... it doesn't matter. You hear them start giggling behind you. They think you can't hear them, but you hear better than they can.

You were looking forward to this. If you'd taken the time to think about the situation, you could've saved yourself the hassle of showing up here in the first place. It's all so clear in retrospect. Why couldn't you have seen this coming? It was obvious.





You're done trying to get what you want. The next job you apply for will be one that's perfect for you. One that you were made for. Literally.











You hear voices up ahead.