deercountry | (closed) february catchall

[Ruby hadn't put together quite how wrong things were with Ange at the moment. She was certain she was just being the sneakiest around and that her mopey wife just needed some cheering up.

Until things escalate way beyond what she was expecting. She let's out a yelp of surprise and pain as she feels the nails dig lightly into her skin- not enough to draw blood but certainly enough to catch her off guard. She stumbles back and can't help but look at Ange in shock.]

Wh-What the heck was that!?

[ The very moment Ruby is off her, Ange is already moving. Not too far away, just to the other end of the couch she was sitting on, turning so she can actually keep her eyes on Ruby. Like she's worried the other might just go in for a second attempt, despite Ruby mostly just looking shocked in this moment.

And Ange herself - well, she's looking every inch like an offended cat in human form.

She even frowns as she keeps looking at Ruby, finally speaking up again. ]

What did you think you were doing?!

[ That's a little bit too much offense at a hug even by Ange standards.. ]

[Ruby manages to regain her own footing and her eyes glance down to her arms. And then back up to Ange. She didn't quite understand what was going on here, just that something was wrong with this whole picture.]

Uh- I was going in for a hug? What do you think you're doing? This isn't even a public place- You're usually pretty okay with that.

[Ruby is missing the point a little about what's going on here. But she'll put it together eventually.]

You're an idiot!

[ It's like there are tiny traces of Ange there. It's the sort of thing she might shout in the middle of a tsun-fit, after all. But it's all blown up, exaggerated. Taken out of context, even, because this sure is not a tsun-fit Ange is having.

Instead she seems deadly serious as she looks at Ruby, her eyes narrowing. ]

Do you even realise what you're doing? You're putting yourself in danger!

[Ruby has never exactly been considered the smartest person around, by herself or by a lot of peers. She was normally good to just brush it off and go with the flow.

But there's something about the way Ange called her an idiot that stung and cut deeper than any claw or blade could.

She just stares stunned for a moment, doing her best to figure out just what's going on here. She hadn't taken any big risks lately. They had played out this argument before but it hadn't seemed this dire.]

Y-yeah! Of course I do. We do that all time. It's just how things work here.

That's exactly the problem! [ Ange almost seems to pause between each word, almost to give the statement even more emphasis, even if it just ends up sounding like dramatic effect.

But there's something desperate about her. Angry too, yes, but also desperate. Like she really wants to get this message through to Ruby.

She slowly steps closer towards the other girl again, step by step, until she's standing as close as she can be to Ruby while still being out of arm's reach, like she's avoiding another impromptu hug. ]

You keep getting hurt! [ Sure, it may be something else speaking through Ange right now, but the upsides of possessing a human like this is that you get to read their mind and memories. The spirit has full access to some of the more vivid memories in this girl's head of Ruby during the last few months. ] Do you know how much-- [ The spirit slips, almost says she while looking at another person's memories, but then quickly switches to: ] --how much I worry about you?!

Being close will only keep getting us hurt! [ It helps, the spirit thinks. There's feelings in this girl she can use. There's a desire to be close to Ruby that she is promptly ignoring, shoving that part of Ange deep down, but she can taste the girl's fear of Ruby getting hurt.

It's perfect to feed on. ]

It's going to happen over, and over, and over again!

[They've had this argument before and it tears Ruby up a little to be doing it again. It's also never quite felt this intense or hurtful and it's enough to keep Ruby reeling that she doesn't quite pick up on what's going on, at least not right away. Bu the way Ange moves- the fear of getting to close to her. Ruby starts to pick up on that and there's a hesitant step forward to try and bridge the gap between them.]

Yeah- I know. But it's not like I'm going out there and trying to get hurt. I do what I do to protect people in here.

I do it to keep us safe too.

What am I supposed to do? Stay cooped up in here and not do anything? That's not going to make this place safer for us.

[ The very moment Ruby takes a step forward, Ange takes a step backward. It's like she's doing everything she can to maintain this perfect distance between them, refusing to allow Ruby to get any closer. ]

You're putting me in danger right now!

[ .. maybe that's a sign that it's a little less like the usual Ange.

After all, when has Ange ever cared about her own wellbeing? She only started to avoid hurting the people around her.

But the spirit inside Ange - she wants to preserve this body. She has to. This is her one shot at living again. ]

Why do you insist on being close to me?! What if I don't want that? Don't you know how many people out there could be jealous if they see you with me, and then would try to get me out of the way to be with you instead?!

[The gears in Ruby's head may have been a little slow to pick up on what was going on, but the pieces finally start to fall into place. The way Ange is talking make it quick for her to rule out corruption- She knew Ange's desires along with her worries. This didn't seem to match up with anything that she knew Ange would say in her best or worst moments.

...Which meant something else influencing her, or using her as a puppet.

She stands up a little straighter and there was more confidence in her movements when she made another step toward Ange's body.]

I'd protect you. I wouldn't leave you.

Because we made a promise to stick together and I don't go back on my word. You should know I wouldn't let anyone else get between us.

You think you could stop it?

[ Ange - or rather, whatever may be using Ange's body right now - lets out a hollow laugh. ]

Foolish girl. [ Her tone drops in the sort of way it usually never would. Like it's more and more obvious with each moment that even if this may be Ange, it's not really Ange.

Even the act is slipping, like the ghost inside of the body has no patience left to try and keep it up. ]

Don't you dare get closer to me!

[ She sees you stepping closer still, Ruby! ]

I do!

[Spoken with resounding confidence despite the laugh she's taking for the person walking around in Ange's skin.]

And even if I couldn't. I know Ange would be there at my side to help me power through and take on whatever comes our way.

Because she's one of the strongest people I know. And just like I wouldn't let her down, she would never let me down either.

[She doesn't stop. She continues walking toward Ange's body with firm determination.]

I'm not getting closer to you. I'm getting closer to my wife.

You know. There's a ring to saying it like that, that can't be beat.

[ Something happens that the ghost doesn't expect.

It's something here. Something, but the ghost isn't sure what. Something about what's happening is hurting her. Not the body she's stuck in, but her personally. At first she assumes that it's the way Ruby steps closer, like she's getting too close in range to risk actual personal contact, but then the ghost realises it's the damn words.

How dare she speak like that in front of her? It's too much when the ghost knows how dangerous those words are, how they were spoken to her and then discarded, when they hurt enough to make her shriek in agony.

An agony which - in Ange's voice - sounds dangerously like it's the girl's own, rather than the ghost. Like Ange herself is in pain. Hands digging into red hair, trying to hold herself together. ]

S-Stop! [ Either it's the ghost losing control, or it's the ghost purposefully trying to sound a little more like Ange again, hoping that it might stop the other girl. ] Ruby, it.. it hurts! P-Please.. stop!

[And in that instant- Ruby is fooled by the possible act of the ghost. She's convinced she's managed to get Ange back and she's not sure whether she's doing more harm than good. She takes a step back in worry and calls out.]

Ange! I'm sorry, I'm sorry if that hurt you!

But you have to fight it. You're stronger than it, Ange! I know you are!

[ Got her.

The ghost, realising that it's got only a moment where where Ruby is fooled, knows that it has to act right now. One option is attacking Ruby, but being stuck in Ange does mean the ghost has the knowledge of Ruby being a pretty good fighter, which makes it sound like she's got a slim chance there, especially without any weapon right at hand for the ghost..

.. which means she has to go for the other option. Flee.

Right when Ruby takes a step back, the ghost suddenly moves, dashing towards the most nearby door, like it's trying to get away from here. Away from Ruby, away from the risk of losing this body now she's finally got one. ]

[The moment the ghost turns to run away Ruby feels more than a little dumb that she fell for this. But if she had a weakness here it would have to be her feelings for Ange. But it seemed like they were both affected by that.

Ruby is quick to dash after the ghost in Ange's body. Part of her wonders how to stop this thing when it's in her body- She doesn't want to hurt Ange even if would be completely understandable given the circumstances. She wouldn't forgive herself for doing it.

Instead she activates her semblance and quickly moves to try and block Ange's body's path before it can get away.]

Come on, Ange! Fight that thing. I know you can beat it.

[ Crap. Running right into Ruby is the last thing the ghost wants to do, so the girl suddenly appearing in her path means that the ghost does stop running. If anything, it backs off a few steps to put more distance between the two of them again, looking around like she's desperately trying to find some way out that doesn't involve moving past Ruby.

The door is blocked, sure, but-- maybe there's a backdoor? Maybe she could just go through a window? The ghost would do just about anything to get away from Ruby.

Because that girl is just too dangerous to her existence in this body. ]

You can try to talk to her all you want, but she's gone! [ .. not entirely true, but it's true that the ghost did shove Ange really far away. Deep enough into her mind that Ange can't just resurface like that again, not with such a powerful ghostly presence possessing her body. ] She can't hear you! Stop wasting your words and let me go, girl!

(closed) february catchall

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