(no subject)

[centile]

Who: Mob, Viktor and others
What: december log catchall for my characters
When: december and potentially beyond
Where: around the trench

Content Warnings: in thread headers

Comments

mob and shouto | run rabbit run

[centile]

[it's been a weird day. this sentiment may be seen a little underselling it seeing as mob is currently hanging upside down from a tree, rope around his ankle.

as the blood rushes to his head he blinks and thinks of the kind of traps people see in cartoons. there's a malicious air here that doesn't really suit the picture, and he can hear creatures prowling nearby, the distinct scent of rot. beasts? he hasn't seen a beast yet. maybe it was best to stay where he was, even if it was giving him a bit of a headache.

none of it is a great feeling though. he kind of wants to hide.

that is where he can be found, likely due to the fact the undead creatures around are circling underneath him and making a ruckus. should he notice any approach he'll try to glance over, kind of nonplussed for the situation but with the faintest unease to his expression.]

Hello. [help him.]

[swellter]

[ Shouto greets the undead creatures with a wall of ice that stems from his right foot and propagates forward in an instant, trapping them all in a single attack. Walking past the trapped creatures that screech and holler, encased in ice up to their necks, Shouto approaches the new face. ]

Are you hurt?

[ His mismatched eyes, flick up to the rope holding him upside, noting the way it's wrapped around his ankle. He's seen primitive traps like these before and gets to work even before he gets an answer. Instead of cutting the rope and letting him drop to the ground, he slams his right hand down and a bed of ice, rectangular in form, rises from the ground until it's high enough to come in contact with Mob's head and keeps rising. touching his back next, then the back of his legs stopping only when there's enough slack of the rope to easily remove it. ]

Are you okay?

hotaru and mob | cold as ice

[centile]

[it takes a few moments for mob to overcome the shock of cold enough to think. those thoughts are pretty typical for a situation like this, namely wondering where he is and how he got here. here being underwater, it seemed, cold and dark and deep. sort of like when he first came to the trench, even more so when his hand hits ice after struggling his way up.

only this time when he uses his powers to try and split the ice just... nothing happens. he stares for a moment, tries again, the cold and pressure making him shake. oh, his powers don't work. that's... not good. he's probably going to drown then.

(40%, 42%, 45%)

the one thing his powers do manage is his aura lighting up the area a little, blue and purple giving him the chance to see another figure nearby. he nearly opens his mouth but remembers himself, letting his hand light up with power again so he can try and flag down whoever it is down here with him.]

[melodyofsilence]

[ Darkness, bone-chilling temperatures, and an endlessly stretching silence. This is what greets Hotaru when she opens her eyes and becomes aware of her surroundings. For the briefest of moments, the girl wonders if Saturn has gone back to sleep. Cut off from the rest of the Senshi only to awaken at the destruction of her queen.

Except there's a pressure and the sensation of water all around her, her Senshi powers not protecting her from the sheer danger of the situation. She will have to hold her breath and do what she can to prevent hypothermia from setting in. Slowly, a light appears in the darkness, and it radiates from a person. Hotaru latches onto it, even thought the shape and size of the individual doesn't quite fit Queen Serenity or even King Endymion.

Hotaru swims her way over to a boy that looks to be close to her age, but isn't anyone she's seen before. The only power of hers that appears to be working is her telepathy, though her voice sounds distant and cuts off occasionally. ]

We — to get out of — fast. [ Well, at least the younger girl isn't panicking and making it worse for herself. ]

robby and mob | run rabbit run

[centile]

[things have settled considerably since mob first woke up here, a matter he's very grateful for. he has shoes, for one, and clothes that aren't the weird cult robes. he doesn't worry about food as much because people have been generous about it. he isn't alone, which he's really grateful for.

robby's a big reason for a lot of that, and mob's decided it's in his best interest to listen to what the older boy has to say and take his advice seriously. some people are just really good at advice, like master reigen, and robby is clearly one of them.

which is why he calls robby from his perch sitting on a low branch in the forest, watching something large, growling and kind of smelly prowl in the bushes underneath.]

Hello. I'm not really sure why but there are a lot of traps around. Are you okay? [he keeps his voice quiet as he speaks, but that's not too abnormal for him.]

[strongroots]

[ As if the snow couldn't be problem enough, there's things lurking around. That's what Robby's unfortunately learned, making the trips out more annoying than just for a snow.

Have you ever felt like you're being stalked by a bunny before, and it turned out you were? Anyway.

The call comes to Robby while he's already out, a breath coming through on his side--not particularly exhausted or strained, but just in that cold, cold way. ]

Yeah-- you been keeping an eye out? Your omen helping?

[ Thank god for their sixth sense...nose, or whatever. At least some of the times. ]

fitz and viktor | lockjoint

[mehanizovati]

[sanctuary's been busy, though it usually is one way or another. viktor's the sort who deals with stress, emotional turmoil and boredom all the same way- working. all three have been a problem lately, so sanctuary he is until allen or pal call him out about it.

usually he sticks to the research room and his office, but today he's taken to the infirmary, just to cover since it's been especially busy with the cold and odd injuries. he's not a doctor but he knows enough to handle things unless truly complicated emergencies come in. perks of specializing in medical engineering, he supposes.

meaning anyone heading in will find him leaning against one of the beds, cane hanging from one elbow as he flips through some files. a very large pink creature sits by the door with a look akin to boredom. a thankfully slow day, it seems.]

[listenyouidiot]

[someone clears his throat from the door.

the 'someone' in question has clearly seen better days, though fitz at least looks better than he had when he first washed ashore with nothing more to his name than the meagre robes the ocean had seen fit to gift him with. he's dressed for the weather, at least, in sturdy winter boots and plenty of dense layers to keep out the worst of the cold, though dusted as he is with frost and snow, he's achieving that with varying degrees of success. he is also favouring one leg noticeably, holding his weight to one side like a lame draft horse.

the wolf that ghosts in beside him takes an immediate, inquisitive interest in the peculiar pink creature by the door, though his body language is curious rather than aggressive. fitz keeps one eye on nighteyes, but looks to viktor with recognition in his expression. he lifts his hand in greeting. (hello, quiet time is over!!)]

Are you the doctor here today?

viktor and nico | winter mourning

[mehanizovati]

[viktor's been trying to ignore the wreaths, to be entirely honest.

he could say it's to respect privacy, it partially is, but there's a selfish inclination as well. his recent return home came with matters he doesn't want to dwell on, ones he doesn't really want anyone else to see. one in particular he knows eventually the trench will make him contend with, because he hasn't been punished for it.

he deserves to be, he knows that. he'll accept it when it inevitably comes but for now he'll be selfish and enjoy the time he has to pretend matters are better than they are.

a lot of drama to say yes, avoiding those thing. it's probably a stupid series of events that leads him to touching one he had pointedly been looking away from as he passed in sanctuary. rio moving too fast, someone bumping into him, tripping. whatever the case his hand brushes it-

and he will be landing himself in a memory alright, though not his own. what is he seeing, nico?]

[umbraportation]

[ Sharing memories is already something Nico does, part of his power that he's been working on to control. Yet this time of year has him more absent-minded than usual. Sanctuary is a place he spends a lot of time in, and he gets around with helping out in various ways. Touching plenty of items, including those wreaths.

As for what Viktor is seeing...

It's Nico not much younger than he is now, but in much worse shape, standing beside an older teen - they look like complete opposites - one dark and the other bright. It doesn't look like Nico has eaten or slept in far too long and a weight heavier than he felt capable of carrying rested upon his shoulders. Nico's companion looks like he's taken the brunt of the physical hits so far, rolling away from an invisible attack that collapses a wall.

“Stop it!” Nico yelled. “It’s me you want. Leave him alone!”

Poor Nico di Angelo. The god’s disembodied voice was tinged with disappointment. Do you know what you want, much less what I want? My beloved Psyche risked everything in the name of Love. It was the only way to atone for her lack of faith. And you—what have you risked in my name?

"I’ve been to Tartarus and back,” Nico snarled. “You don’t scare me."

I scare you very, very much. Face me. Be honest.

The blond teen pulled himself to his feet even as the grass at Nico's died and earth shifted, stones split, as if something was moving underground trying to break out.

"Give us Diocletian’s scepter,” Nico said. “We don’t have time for games."

Games? An invisible force struck, slapping Nico sideways into a granite pedestal. Love is no game! It is no flowery softness! It is hard work—a quest that never ends. It demands everything from you—especially the truth. Only then does it yield rewards.

The blond picked up his wayward golden sword. "Nico," he called, "what does this guy want from you?"

Tell him, Nico di Angelo, the voice said. Tell him you are a coward, afraid of yourself and your feelings. Tell him the real reason you ran from Camp Half-Blood, and why you are always alone.

Nico let loose a guttural scream. The ground at his feet split open and skeletons crawled forth—dead Romans with missing hands and caved-in skulls, cracked ribs, and jaws unhinged. Some were dressed in the remnants of togas. Others had glinting pieces of armor hanging off their chests.

Will you hide among the dead, as you always do? The voice taunted.

Waves of darkness rolled off the son of Hades. They struck the blond who wavered on his feet, almost consumed by what he was seeing and feeling in that pitch-black pool, nearly knocked unconscious by the force of Nico's emotions and memories.

Images flashed through his mind. He saw Nico and his sister on a snowy cliff in Maine, Percy Jackson protecting them from a manticore. Percy’s sword gleamed in the dark. He’d been the first demigod Nico had ever seen in action.

Later, at Camp Half-Blood, Percy took Nico by the arm, promising to keep his sister Bianca safe. Nico believed him. Nico looked into his sea-green eyes and thought, How can he possibly fail? This is a real hero. He was Nico’s favorite game, Mythomagic, brought to life.

There is the moment visible when Percy returned and told Nico that Bianca was dead. Nico had screamed and called him a liar. He’d felt betrayed, but still…when the skeleton warriors attacked, he couldn’t let them harm Percy. Nico had called on the earth to swallow them up, and then he’d run away—terrified of his own powers, and his own emotions.

Meanwhile, Nico’s Roman skeletons surged forward and grappled with something invisible. The being struggled, flinging the dead aside, breaking off ribs and skulls, but the skeletons kept coming, pinning the being's arms.

Interesting! The voice said. Do you have the strength, after all?

"I left Camp Half-Blood because of love," Nico said. "Annabeth…she—"

Still hiding, The voice said, smashing another skeleton to pieces. You do not have the strength.

“Nico,” Jason managed to say, “it’s okay. I get it. ”

Nico glanced over, pain and misery washing across his face.

“No, you don’t,” he said. "There’s no way you can understand."

And so you run away again, The god chided, for that is surely who that is - a god. From your friends, from yourself.

“I don’t have friends!” Nico yelled. “I left Camp Half-Blood because I don’t belong! I’ll never belong!”

The skeletons had the god pinned now, but he laughed so cruelly at Nico's words. From here, it's easy to see that the blond teen wanted to punch the invisible figure or something much worse.

“Leave him alone, Cupid,” Jason croaked. “This isn’t…”

It's clear that the blond is struggling to find the right words to say, silence hanging in the air for a moment.

Nico’s voice was like broken glass. “I—I wasn’t in love with Annabeth.”

“You were jealous of her,” Jason said. “That’s why you didn’t want to be around her. Especially why you didn’t want to be around…him. It makes total sense.”

All the fight and denial seemed to go out of Nico at once. The darkness subsided. The Roman dead collapsed into bones and crumbled to dust.

“I hated myself,” Nico said. “I hated Percy Jackson.”

The god became visible—a lean, muscular young man with snowy white wings, straight black hair, a simple white frock and jeans. The bow and quiver slung over his shoulder were no toys—they were weapons of war. His eyes were as red as blood, as if every Valentine in the world had been squeezed dry, distilled into one poisonous mixture. His face was handsome, but also harsh—as difficult to look at as a spotlight. He watched Nico with satisfaction, as if he’d identified the exact spot for his next arrow to make a clean kill.

“I had a crush on Percy,” Nico spat. “That’s the truth. That’s the big secret. ”

He glared at Cupid. “Happy now?”

For the first time, Cupid’s gaze seemed sympathetic. “Oh, I wouldn’t say Love always makes you happy.” His voice sounded smaller, much more human. “Sometimes it makes you incredibly sad. But at least you’ve faced it now. That’s the only way to conquer me.”

The god dissolved into the wind.

All of this isn't getting the weight off his chest, it doesn't ease up any of Nico's feelings or make him feel like he just mounted an insurmountable hill. It only left him feeling vulnerable and as though salt had been rubbed into a wound that had only festered openly for so long. Like the skeletons that had been unearthed, that was what had been done to Nico. ]

viktor and robby | sanctuary

[mehanizovati]

[yes, thank you for taking mob to sanctuary, robby. a character not important to this thread, off finding out he's a warmblood and asking questions. probably spacing out at points. plenty of time for other things to happen.

for example, finding out there's a lab here for studying corruption and it's reduction. even walking past it, because sometimes viktor keeps the door open. it's technically a shared space, though he doesn't have a lot of coworkers in this. a shame since he's an engineer above all else, not exactly useful in many aspects of the study.

but he and allen formed this idea off the desire to make a difference, as incredibly cheesy as it sounded in his head. to leave the trench a better place than they started with. legacy.

so please feel free to find him, from someone pointing him viktor's way maybe, or just walking by. the open door reveals a place stuffed with books and odd little machines attached to bloodstones, half built. jars full of small beads of light line the walls, giving a gentle glow. vials of different blood on one of the work tables, microscope, etc. very science. the chalkboard has a lot of mumbo-jumbo but also someone drew a weird squid in the corner, thanks palamedes.

viktor will glance up from gutting some weird little machine if he notices anyone at the door.] Hello, can I help you?

[strongroots]

[ mob who?? mob who

The sanctuary is a place that Robby's heard of a few times. It was recommended as somewhere he could help out, volunteer, be a 'people person', but he hadn't really been sure about that. The idea of volunteering in a service where you barely understood how you were surviving or still alive in this world was strange, even if he was part of a karate dojo. But a karate dojo was familiar -- a sanctuary was not.

Still, it wasn't a bad idea to figure out more about corruption if he could, along with some other thoughts he had rattling around in his head. Robby therefore is an easy guy to point around to make someone else's problem, and seeing the room and its books even just from a cursory poke inside is...wow, kind of a lot, too. But also not 'hey why not go to the big hospital where everyone is busy saving lives to ask questions' a lot.

Oh, wait, someone's speaking to him?? Right-- ] Uh, yeah. I wanted to ask someone some stuff about corruption? I've been here a few months, so I'm still pretty new.

[ He feels like he's probably asking the wrong person for this (someone? looking and acting all science-y?), so he's unsure if this guy will want to make the time for him -- especially with a starter that must sound rather vague.

But maybe it can go somewhere...? ]

mob and robyn | winter mourning

[centile]

[the wreaths aren't something mob immediately understands, aside form the distinct feeling they contained an odd sort of energy.

usually that meant a curse of some sort, but this feels... gentler, maybe. certainly not malicious. it's probably why he's drawn to one in the first place, why his fingers brush it-

and why he's going to find himself somewhere he's never been before. robyn's memory. what does he see?]

[wolfhunted]

[The memory is a short one, but likely more than a bit odd to those who haven't met Robyn or know her circumstances. At first she seems to just sleep fitfully, but then there's a glimpse into her mind as she sleeps--she dreams of being in the woods, apparently going to meet a wolf. This doesn't seem too out of the ordinary for a dream...but then she and the wolf have apparently switched places.

She finds herself awake again, but this time, everything is different; not only can she smell things more strongly, but she can see scents as well. However, this soon leads to the discovery that she's not only a wolf, but completely separate from her sleeping body. And it doesn't take long for her father, who's been tasked with hunting wolves, to be woken up by the noise above him...]

obi-wan, robby, and mob

[strongroots]

[ When your new kid friend suddenly explodes with energy out of nowhere after talking about difficulties controlling said power, that usually ends up hurting people? Maybe you need to find options for him sooner rather than later.

Robby knows about Obi-Wan through Tory, and what he apparently did for her in controlling her erratic darkblood abilities, so he gets his contact from her and finds a good time to meet him, at apparently some shop. Easy enough to arrive to with directions, and Robby comes with the younger guy in tow, taking the first step inside and looking for the teacher. He's got some description to go with, and 'bearded man in his 30-40s' shouldn't lead him too astray in approaching the right guy.

He does so a little unsure, but only in that anywhere new can be unpredictable, neutral otherwise when he nods his head walking over. ]

Hey, I'm Robby, and this is Mob? Thanks for letting us come.

[centile]

[here is new kid friend, who frankly looks a lot like the most bland middle schooler you've ever met. he glances around with a mild expression, nervous but not very much. more nerves of meeting new people than anything. if this man they're meeting helped robby's friend then he's probably a good guy, that's mob's opinion of the matter.

of course he follows robby's lead, though he does a respectful bow in greeting.] Thank you for your time. [just his quiet addition to that.]

mob and jun | winter mourning

[centile]

[at some point mob ends up coming to see jun. he has a thermos with him, hot chocolate he'll offer jun a cup of and say it's a thanks for having him over. he's looking forward to seeing the book on sea creatures jun mentioned, just having a somewhat normal day in general.

it's nice not to be alone. he doesn't enjoy when the house he stays at is empty and echoing, miss makima out and her dogs quiet.

so a totally normal day, except at some point the trench decides enough of that. maybe it's a delayed reaction to touching one of the wreaths, maybe it's just one of those days. regardless as he's sitting down with jun mob suddenly sees something that's very much not his own memory. what does he see?]

cw: genocide, child death

[icanhearscreams]

[To be fair, Jun is putting the finishing touches on a winter mourning when Mob comes over. He wants to be festive! And also he has a lot to mourn for.]

[When the other comes inside, Jun offers to hang up his jacket and goes back to the kitchen and finishes putting the final touches on his project. When he does, it starts glowing, and then -]

Jun is sitting in a white void with a few adults and a bunch of floating chairs, looking out at a city. He closes his eyes and then opens them, watching as the lasers fly out from where he's standing. It's clear he's been here for some time, given how tired and shaky he looks.

"Jun, are you all ri -" One of the adults starts talking, but Jun cuts him off. "I'm fine. I have to keep going." The man goes back over to the others, including the blond-haired man who's standing near a camera. "Is he really fine?" "No, but he has to do this." "I can't believe he has to kill everyone." A strange creature floats over towards them. Even though his expression doesn't change, he looks annoyed.

"Will you idiots stop talking about it? He can hear you, you know. And so can I." They bow their heads and nod slightly. "I suppose you're right. He must feel bad enough. We're at - how long?" "Thirty nine hours, forty-two minutes." They turn and watch as another set of lasers flies out of the robot, as it's been doing about once per second. Everything is quiet, even as Jun clutches his head. The city around them is decimated by laser marks, people lying dead in the street. Cars are crashed, fires are raging, and it looks like a disaster hit it.

Jun keeps firing and firing, the moments stretching on longer and longer until -

"... I... killed the enemy pilot." Jun stands up, entire body shaking. "Everyone is sa -" He pitches forward and the adults rush over to catch him. "Jun? Jun!"

[The real Jun is just watching this all quietly, occasionally glancing at Mob to see his reaction. It's... weird, to see it from an outside perspective. And the end...]

[As it fades, he sighs and shakes his head.]

I'm... sorry you had to see that. I imagine you have questions.

viktor and maria | kill bill sirens

[mehanizovati]

[viktor hates the trench.

ok, usually he actually rather likes it, but today is a special case. namely that on his way home he saw what looked like a body being dragged into an alley, and stupidly moved to look. taser in hand, of course, but it was still absolutely marvelously stupid. gloriously.

and it's why someone might be able to hear his shout when things immediately go wrong.

he doesn't know christmas. he's been told about it often so he has a vague idea of santa, and this? he's pretty sure this red suited man with a jaw hanging nearly to the middle of his chest, covered in pulsating gore- yeah, this isn't him. he thinks. hell.

said santa immediately slammed him against a wall with super santa speed, lifting him off his feet as he pulled viktor up by the throat. the taser is still in his hand but like... yeah it would go so badly if he let that off now. he'd get shocked too and his new lungs definitely can't handle that.

help?]

the soundtrack to her life...

[givetheslip]

[Monsters are one thing. Maria has grown used to monsters, ridiculous as that would have sounded to her own ears scant months ago. These...festive beings...that she has heard about and seen are another thing.

She doesn't actually understand all of what she's been told, but for the most part she's gathered that the latest threats in Trench are meant to be...festive beings? Cheerful? She doesn't see it. The very notion seems ridiculous to her, and ridiculousness stokes irritation.

That's one reason she takes immediate action when a shout catches her attention and she spots a fat man swathed in red menacing someone she doesn't know. Also because she doesn't particularly want to see someone murdered right in front of her, accustomed as she is to violence.

It's a good thing she has her sword.]

Leave him be!

[And she charges.]

mob, sunny and robby | january dojo visits

[centile]

[anyone with eyes can figure out mob kind of loves miyagi-do. the people and the place itself have been a point of comfort to him, so there's little surprise in the fact that one of the first places he takes sunny when showing him around is the dojo itself.

he leads sunny inside as he speaks, slightly muffled by his scarf.] Sensei Larusso teaches us here. He doesn't take a fee either, but he said it's okay to bring food or things to help if we can.

He's really kind, and a good cook. [stated with the simplicity of hard fact. he's a terrible tour guide.]

[good_mourning]

Should we have brought food? [Mob just said there was no fee attached but since it was Sunny's first time here maybe that was expected.

He'd never actually been in a dojo before. Of course he'd heard of the karate places in strip malls but that had never been of interest to him. This wouldn't have been, either, but Mob was clearly really into it and he had nothing better to do, anyway.]

mob and sunny | jan mogamiland (cw: bullying, neglect, manipulation, violence, animal death)

[centile]

[a new boy showed up at school today.

mob doesn't look up from his desk as the teacher says it. he moves his papers to cover the rude things written on it, things he'll try to clean off later. he doesn't lift his head to see where the boy will sit, or how anyone reacts. he doesn't glance at the spider crawling up the wall.

the world is muddled and overcast, the kids talk too loudly and he tries not to flinch when they pass too closely by. the new kid doesn't get much attention, asagiri holding court as she always did, paying the new boy little mind. it'd almost be eerie, if the entire world didn't have such a film over it. like falling into the backdrop, barely recognizable.

mob doesn't get the same treatment. when the teacher calls for answers it's on him, making mob quietly admit he didn't have his work. (it got soaked in the river yesterday and he couldn't salvage it. he didn't know anyone who would let him copy the problems, let alone the answer.) the teacher snaps and asks why he even bothers coming in if he's going to be so stupid and lazy. mob says nothing, and the teacher makes him stand in the back of the class. everyone laughs.

(besides maybe the new kid? if so it's the smallest thing, a little thing mob may notice before returning to keeping his head down.)

at lunch asagiri strolls to his desk. sits on it, as he keeps his gaze away from her. there's a milk carton in her hand.] Why won't you look at me? That's rude, Kageyama.

Sorry. [he tries, though his body betrays him and refuses to meet her eye.]

Do you think you're better than me?

No-

And now you're interrupting me? [kids are cackling. she opens his bag with a kick of her foot, pouring the milk inside. the teacher sighs but says nothing. mob says nothing. the class laughs.]

[good_mourning]

[Things seemed strange. Everything was off for some reason. Sunny was new to this school. That much he knew. The teacher introduced him as Suzuki Sunny. His mother was American, he said, and their family had moved back to Japan for his father's work.

This was... this was where he had been moving? Sunny and his family had been moving, right? There was no doubt Sunny had once been living in Faraway, which was in America. Now all his friends were an ocean away. The thought makes his stomach twist as he mutters a greeting to the class and goes to sit down in an empty desk.

At least he had Mari. He... had Mari. For some reason his chest clenched at the idea. He loved her, and she loved him and they could support each other in this new place. She was off herself into a new high school. That was probably worse than a new middle school. That was probably all this spike of anxiety was. Worry for his sister.

He takes a breath to calm himself and resolves on settling into this new world. His focus is cut short, however, when the teacher starts berating one of the other students. Sunny does not laugh, eyes widening in surprise at the treatment. Was this how it was in Japan? A teacher could never get away with that in the states.

It seemed so cruel.

At lunch, Sunny quietly eats by himself. A few people come up and introduce themselves more properly; ask him about America and such. He replies to them, but he's a person of few words so they eventually drift off towards more familiar friends. He daydreams for the most part, until once again he's pulled out of his own head by someone else.

Someone being mean to the same kid as before.

Sunny watches the scene, brow furrowed. What the hell was with this? Despite the sharp feeling of anxiety in his stomach, he stands and moves over towards the kid. Kageyama? He kneels to open Mob's bag, dumping out what milk hadn't already been absorbed into the papers or fabric. Afterwards, he looks up.]

If you hurry to the bathroom you might be able to use the dryers to save some of this. [It'd smell like milk still, but it was something.]

viktor and pal| january sick thread

[mehanizovati]

[the party happened. frankly viktor had mixed feelings about it despite the generally nice atmosphere and odd buzz it gave. maybe fancier parties were always going to feel like he needed to stand on ceremony and keep rigidly practiced in everything he did. once that thawed fine, it was an alright time. seeing pal dressed up was always worth it, really.

but they go home, viktor teases pal about actually trying new food at the place, performances are discussed. perfectly normal even when viktor wakes up the next day and kisses pal's forehead before climbing out of bed. a little odd he wasn't getting up too, but viktor ignores it to make coffee. bless megumi for his entire life, such a good holiday gift.

he doesn't note rio sitting by the bed, already far more aware something is off and getting protective about it. viktor calls,] Do you want coffee? And not if you're going to make faces about it, Palamedes.

[megatheorem]

[Ultimately the party isn't bad. Palamedes has had worse - here in Trench, even, at that very same party last year, when he drank too many fizzy pink things and woke up as a hand the next morning - and he's had better, but overall he feels... better, this year. Better than he felt this time last year, a thing he tries not to dwell on during the party itself.

It mostly works; aside from the few times he seems to zone out and look a little melancholy, he's completely upbeat and normal, and even, yes!!— willing to Eat a Whole Food.

So when he wakes up the next morning and finds he feels like complete shit even before he opens his eyes, he's going to blame the Food automatically. He murmurs something incoherent at Viktor as he gets out of bed, and then he just... like... lays there. Moving feels like it would end in losing last night's dinner, so, eugh. Euggghhhh.]

I never make faces, [he manages to call back, although he sounds A Little Rough. So that's a no on the coffee, anyway. He feels like the bed is lurching and swaying under him, wholly unpleasant, until—]

Viktor, am I hovering?

[He is hovering several inches off the mattress, in fact. Darkbloods, huh.]

new city (mob+robby/cw: ghostly voices bullying trauma :( )

[strongroots]

[ Curiosity and hope draws some people to the newly visible city. So it sounds, and Robby thinks boredom could be it too, an itch for travel. Robby himself, he didn't have the call of adventure in him, or so great desire to possibly help the Patrons as was on some minds; he'd done that once before, this sounded like such a long trek, and he had a nice home and work to do in town.

His only reason for going is: Mob. Will Mob have plenty of people around him to keep him safe? Yes. Does the idea of staying back while Mob's out there sit well with Robby with the fact in mind? Fuck no. Which is why Robby's gone the extra mile, which is a whole lot of them that took around four-to-five days to get to the deserted city. Its occupants were the vermin that continued to make their home there, the beasts that wandered in and out much the same as they were now doing so; its more common residence were the plant life taking over, colour in an otherwise fading chapter of somewhere people once called home.

(Just like the other place, but the people there didn't belong there. You got them killed. You made the wrong call.)

Now, it had them present, visitors from Trench. With no map nor particular direction to go in, it meant searching the many roads and paths and the buildings they gave access to, or could. Robby stuck close to Mob, or to have it vice versa: If you feel something's off, tell me. We'll check out the buildings and see what we can find out.

(Like you can help him? You can't even help yourself. You're trying to pretend you're not worthless. You're going to get him killed next.)

Maybe Mob's powers worked like that, maybe they didn't; but they'll use whatever they have in their arsenal, Robby's omen out stalking the streets with them, his gauntlets rolled out from their bracelet setting and covering over his knuckles. They had to look out for mushrooms too, some of the same ones known to heal the Pthumerians spotted. Some have been spotted on trees, and those will be useful to find.

(And the last time you went looking, you were useless--you just got in the way, you were useless. You're nothing better than fodder.)

Robby stops by a new door, about to test its handle, while fighting a war between the Reckoning necklace given to him by Mister LaRusso before he left--one that bestowed bravery and compassion, gave strength to the wearer--and the deprecation of the city. A growing urge to give up, the question of what he was even doing growing louder, the draw of his brow knotting tighter and tighter. ]

[centile]

[traveling to the new city wasn't really something mob thought much of until suddenly it was happening. how it happened? he's not entirely sure. maybe makima going, maybe it was the odd sense he got that there was something important in that direction that tugged at him. maybe it was even a little restlessness, because now that a routine was set up in his life it was harder to avoid thinking of a lot of things he didn't want to think about.

mostly? it just happened, the way a lot of things tended to in mob's life. moving with the flow usually worked out, even if it was to odd cities.

he's incredibly grateful robby decided to come too, spending the days traveling probably playing stupid car games that barely worked (eye spy is wild when you're in the trench.) practicing more too, telling robby about when he used the blasts of psychic power robby taught him successfully against ice zombies. it wasn't too bad.

the city itself is spooky, but honestly mob's seen spookier. the only thing that really throws him off is the first time he hears the voice, making him freeze in place, eyes sliding around looking for that familiar crow, a spider on the wall, moths by a light. no, it wasn't mogami's voice anyway. this was real, he's in the real world.

(he may hover closer to robby for a little bit as he makes absolutely sure of that fact. he's not alone here, so it's definitely real.)

after that the voice is unpleasant but doesn't particularly faze him. its words are stabbing (are you even human, can you even share anything with the people that matter when you can't even laugh with them, you'll hurt them too, you haven't changed, you haven't changed, you'll never change, you can't change this) but mob is something of an expert at repression. it may tick up a certain internal meter a little faster than usual but otherwise he ignores it.

until he catches the tail end of words he realizes aren't meant for him.

worthless rings through the air, fuzzy. for the first time mob really tries to concentrate on the voice, a faint frown as it continues to inform him how he failed to be even a person, drowning out to slowly hear more of what he did before. the last time - got in the way - you're no better than fodder.

about... robby?

he glances to robby suddenly, refocusing on the now, where he's standing at robby's side in this odd city. the small frown doesn't leave his face.]

That's not true. Don't say that about Robby.

mob and peter | january ghost hunting

[centile]

[it's after some lesson at miyagi-do that mob approaches peter, raising a hand in greeting. they've probably met in person by now thanks to karate, and mob's the same as he always is- placid, spaces out easily, unfortunate haircut.

also kind of a weird well of power, but that's probably more paimon's wheelhouse to sense. otherwise there's a middleschooler right there.]

Hi. [a polite little greeting.] Did you want to learn about spirits and stuff? There are some braver ghosts around.

[he still feels odd to be teaching literally anyone anything but it's also nice to be able to give back a little. that and it'd kind of nice to talk about the ghosts, since usually no one does. since they can't see them.]

[possessum]

( Really, if someone had told Peter that he'd be part of a karate club (...that's probably not what they call it) and that he'd be willingly seeking to learn from the supernaturally-inclined, there's not an ounce of him that would have believed it. Both things go far beyond his comfort zone. Being part of something, attending regularly, meeting people, putting in effort....?? It's not so much his speed. And then, of course, he's been absolutely terrified to get closer to the supernatural.

But here he is, not running away from the same kinds of things he used to. He still gets nervous (never really calling any attention to himself during karate lessons and always kind of standing... behind everyone else...) but he's genuinely enjoying himself? It's something to think about, to look forward to. He's making friends, and it's helping him feel like he's in a little bit more control of his own mind, which has been... so rare, the past few years.

When Mob approaches, Peter's lifting a hand in greeting to the younger boy and offering a friendly smile — one that wavers just slightly at the question, but he's not running away from that, either. Though he does look up and around with wide eyes, like he's expecting there to be a ghost just floating over his head... )

They're— around? Like right now? ( It's still so strange to think that someone so young has anything to do with this kind of spooky stuff, and he hopes he's not putting the poor kid in danger or anything like that. (Meanwhile Paimon has most certainly got the mysterious boy — or maybe something else entirely? he feels like so much more — on his radar and is extremely curious to see him in action.) )

Yeah, I'm down...! Do we need to like.. prepare anything, first?

beast beast beast (cw: mentions of near death)

[strongroots]

[ Robby's been in these woods before.

A few times now, in fact, but nothing substantial. It's been less of a good time than it has been 'okay', which is probably the standard for an average guy like him not experienced in trekking and dealing with monsters. One near-death, a freak accident -- and there's more to it than the setting itself that clings to Robby so tightly, keeps his pulse going at a good speed.

(Then again, a near death would do that for most people, wouldn't it? When you're not even eighteen, and you only lucked out on surviving.)

There's plenty enough people taking this trip that the dangers have been minimum. There's incense for the trip, and those who take more satisfaction in a fight and taking out obstacles to keep fighting to a minimum. Robby isn't seeking them out: it's good to know when to jump in, and when to avoid problems when you can. No one knows how long this trip might be except for 'long', and Robby's willing to follow the lead of those more experienced.

And this is good experience, for both him and Mob. Robby's omen stays out, low and small, sensing out beasts to keep them alerted in their group, and to let them avoid trouble when they can. They have incense, and it is limited; but it does work well to keep back most of what lurks in this dense wood. Except... ]

That beast's still following us. [ There's been one, and Mob might've even sensed it. Robby would have only know about it through him or his omen, and either way, his own omen has been keeping it in its senses since. The last incense has run out, though the smoke still clings to the air, in their clothes.

It's only the second day, however, and Robby doesn't know about lighting another so early. He could, but there's a thought in his mind. One he's been chewing on.

This is a decision he wants to make with Mob. This could be valuable experience -- really, for the both of them, and so: ] What do you want to do?

[ He's not looking back or making eye-contact with the creature. His omen's already done so, is less attractive to the monster than they are, where it follows along the trees far back to their left, where the incense doesn't hang in the air. ]

[centile]

[if it wasn't for the constant danger this whole outing reminded mob a little of a class trip. well, usually there was no camping and stinky incense and spooky woods rife with energy he's never experienced before but otherwise? sort of.

shibe's been in and out, sometimes covering where robby's omen couldn't, sometimes sniffing around like a normal dog in the normal woods. this experience also ends up being the first time mob sees a beast, in the distance, exuding a horrible rot of energy that instantly makes him deeply uncomfortable. it really wasn't unlike curses, just... worse. way worse.

the next beast that's getting closer though, that one scratches at his senses like a whiff of decay and the brush of skittering legs. robby catching on too makes him nod and glance vaguely in the direction it seems to be coming from.

what he isn't expecting is that question, the whole of his attention turning to robby. being asked what he wants to do about something like this, that's a bit new. usually reigen or others just pointed him in a direction and he typically followed, aside from several times he questioned matters.

it was easier that way. it was also something he was learning he couldn't just keep falling back on because it was easier. he had to make decisions for himself.

because of that he takes a moment to really think it over.] ... maybe we should try to subdue it. There may be other groups less ready to handle it if it gets bored of us and looks for someone else to hunt.

[he can't say he's thrilled at this idea for a number of reasons but it was very true. helping people this way was the one thing his otherwise useless powers could do. shibe turns his head to watch this entire exchange intently.] What do you think?

mob and pal | january ghost tea party

[centile]

[mob doesn't come by sanctuary often but on occasion he'll make his way through. he likes the atmosphere, he likes the tree, he likes allen and the batcats. when no one's around and things get lonely it's a nice place to spend some time.

he also likes the worm string door.

it takes him a moment when he first sees it, gears turning before he approaches to poke at them. they're... great? they're great. he likes them a lot and immediately, especially how soft they are. what are they? he has no idea the point besides being colorful and soft. excellent. 10/10

that leads to sensing something, two somethings inside. when he enters it's to find two spirits within the room. he politely greets them and introduces himself. the old man has a lot of rambling stories, it turns out.

so pal may return to find a 14 year old just standing in his office, talking to the air near the grandpa ghost pen as one does. just nods and,] Really, why? [as gramps tells him some longwinded story.]

[megatheorem]

[Palamedes' office door is a big hit, inasmuch as some people love it and some people wish he wasn't the way that he is, when it comes to decor as a broad concept. This is not necessarily another "rainbow house isn't grey" incident; worm curtains are merely only available in the one style, and he finds it delightfully novel and stupid. It's great to seriously sweep through the worm door when he arrives each day after his morning shift at the Lumenarium and settle in for an afternoon of chuckling sensibly at the worms.

Normal behaviors. So he sweeps imperiously into his own office right now, poised to hold up some manner of package, which he intends to show to Bethany, and—

And there is a kid in here! And Grandpa is out and about! He stops short, gaze darting around this fun little scene. Oho.

Well, far be it from him to interrupt this story, so instead he holds up a finger to his lips in the universal shh position, then takes his package over to his desk, where he will sit with hands folded and wait. He also gives Bethany a little wink, for listening patiently and not going wild for the package.]