You listlessly pick at the cardboard cutout of a water cooler next to JR. They are practically vibrating next to you, anticipating your questions. 

You hate yourself, but if you could resist trying to get answers you wouldn't exactly be stuck in here in the first place, now would you.

"Why." you ask flatly. "Why the hydration stations".


The spiralling grin once again makes its way around their face. 

"a lot of reasons!" They begin counting off along the fingers of one hand: 

"because a book i like advised me to make sure i stay hydrated during it, but that i "probably would survive" if i forgot to eat"". 

"because the discord server that died and started the path that preceded this path had hydration as a meme"

"because the person behind your own mask could probably do with being reminded to hydrate"

"because providing a need parallel to the need to Know More, a need that is inconsistently met just as the base need is amsues me"

"because there is a certain brand of horror at having something you NEED be corrupted"

"because it allows for an additional way to flesh out each area"

"because it emphasizes that any and all the needs I give you are fake and arbitrary :) :) :)"

They seem to be done adding extra fingers to their hand. 

The spiral of their face coils back together in a way that you somehow know is intended to be solemn. 

"none of this is real and you always knew it. and im telling you this because we both know that knowing it won't stop you from searching".