deercountry | [open] bad doggie!

Entry tags:

[open] bad doggie!

Who: Nehan + OPEN (one thread closed to specific people)
What: Someone (Nehan) died before someone's (Nehan's...) birthday, and not of fun. Featuring the aftermath of said death, an angry squid, and a doctor who's bad at taking care of himself.
When: forward-dated to Jan. 19 and later
Where: Primarily in Nehan's house, but the death thread is set in the wilderness.

Content Warnings: Violence, beasthood, death, paleblood powers, traumatic memories of near-death experiences, some nudity, Nehan-typical self-loathing, mentions of sex, Jan. TDM-style body horror. More TBA as they come up.

a: squid time

[nehan's tub is modest by human standards. large for a man of his (usual) size, but massive for a little squid, almost transparent save for its rainbow-colored insides, the most prominent of which is sunshine-yellow. the squid is absolutely tiny, no bigger than an adult human's hand.

there's a grab bar attached to the wall next to the tub, and the edge of the tub opposite it, clearly for nehan's use when he's an erune, because what will a squid do with those? he cant even reach them. though he's definitely trying, swimming back and forth, and occasionally reaching out with a little tentacle in an attempt to reach it.

but of course, he cant reach it, and that frustrates the squid enough that he jets out a little bit of dark ink. literally farting in anger, this one is.]

b: cant sleep (cw: really morbid jokes)

[the evening after nehan's squid was retrieved from the water and returned to his house, he returns to normal. annoyed as he rises from inky water and having to clean himself, but still, he's a skinny, scarred erune again, without the additions he gained over the past months. an erune that needs a long, long nap, and will head straight to his bed to have said long nap without even drying his hair.

if anyone chooses to stay longer and keep vigil over the once-squid... well, no one is stopping you, not even the omen, who is guarding the door to the basement underneath the stairs, and will not move away.

nehan might not be too much of a host however, when he's bedridden, having gone through a traumatic death and unable to control his limbs well. every time his left arm or leg has a spasm, his expression twists into one of chagrin and irritation, and he clutches at the limb until it stops. he tries to lay under his bedding just to lessen it... but well. that doesn't work as well as he hoped, and it's not proper medical procedure, but when it comes to himself, nehan has never cared a goddamn bit. still...]

... Stay a little longer. Without anything to do, I'll have another death soon, and this time of boredom. [that was a joke. but it's bad and he knows it's bad.]

c: winter mourning's last hurrah (nehan's memories/cw: eventual near-death experience)

[there is a winter mourning in nehan's house, a wreath laying in the seat of an armchair in the living room, and despite looking innocent, it is still active. and if it's touched, instead of dragging some poor unsuspecting bastard into a dream, it drags them into a memory.

the nehan in this memory is an adult, just like the one in bed, recovering from his violent bout with death-- but he's also different. seemingly younger, more filled-out, less scraggly hair, and lacking in the eyepatch and crutch that has become nehan's signature. but his ears have much less fur on them and are tattered at the ends, the shadows under his eyes are darker, and he's sporting fresh bruises on his face, like he's just been in a brawl. or more than just a brawl-- he looks like he's been beaten within an inch of his life.

still, he's walking amongst a crowd that doesn't seem to notice him, in a crowded marketplace in a bustling town with airships flying high above them. he looks like he knows where he's going, and behind him... behind him is another nehan, walking much slower, bearing a crutch and an eyepatch-- the nehan most people know, by now.

he pauses when he notes he's not alone, turning around and ears twitching, then tilts his head towards his younger self as if to say come along.]

d: the days after: achelliac (cw: nudity, self-loathing)

[achelliac's usual clientele may be sailors, but at least they don't turn nehan away. and, as he finds out, some of his fellow customers are fascinated enough with him that he just decides to indulge them with what they want. even if he's here just to deal with the aches of his body that still linger after his rebirth. at least he's no longer suffering from muscle spasms.

the hot springs will deal with what other aches he gets in this place, in any case, that's why he's here-- get himself up to snuff so he can get back to work without problems.

making his way to the pool from the showers is always an adventure in going slow to accommodate his too-thin, too-scarred body and not slipping, just because he leaves his cane with his clothes (he needs a new crutch, a cane just isn't the same...). though he's right at the edge of the pool, he pauses when he sees another man there already.]

May I, or do you prefer privacy? [perhaps he should have asked that before he got naked...]

wildcard
[[ hit me with your best shot-- everything is a-ok and will match prose or action, but the actual boss battle is restricted to certain characters. nehan dies on the 19th, revives as a squid on the 22nd and is returned to his house on the same day, while his headcanon birthday is on the 20th. thanks to #justpalebloodthings, nehan can admit that his birthday is coming up to any palebloods. he is also a paleblood, so people can speak to him more freely as well.

people are free to come and go as they like. snooping is encouraged, but the basement is guarded by nehan's omen. i'm also open to changing the memory in prompt c. if we haven't threaded yet, we can just handwave the first meeting and nehan giving out his address. if you're unsure, just ask! ]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well met, and no, not yet. Delling-

[But before he can say more the beast bursts into the open. A wolf with three heads, one turned away. His eyes sweep over it at the same time he draws his knives. The blades are painted black like every tool of killing he has.

The heads all seem different and- his mind shuts down at the sight of the coat. It’s like a door quietly shuts in his head. He will deal with what is behind it later.]

We need to keep it from getting to town. Dellingr, to the air.

[The dragon scratches at the ground, waiting for the right signal.] …let’s hit them all at the same time. Flynn, will you make the signal?

[The beast makes it's appearance. Ives has good vision in low light and darkness, a benefit of his squared pupils. He's quick to scan over the beast. Three heads, though one appeared fearful and one appeared disinterested. The coat goes by unnoticed by him at a glance, but while he's looking to see what manner of claws it has, he notes... a brace?

His nose twitches. His eyes narrow. No, he'd hope not. Out in Willful Machine- so nearby-

Ives stops holding his breath, reaching to the ends of his horns. He pops the golden caps off each side, asking of his compatriots]

Can you two hold a distraction-? If I can get it under my sleeping magic, I- [he wants to know if Nehan's in there- but saying as much? To at least one person he knows knows the man... that's unwise. That might set them to panic. Or worse, refuse to fight at all. Ives would risk life and limb if the man could be rescued, but he won't risk other people's safety to keep a beast alive.]

Trust me and give me time to try.

Nehan.

[ Flynn breathes, unable to keep the quiet part quiet. The tattered remains of the coat, their proximity—this is no ordinary beast, and worse: it is someone he knows. Someone he was going to visit tomorrow with completed charts and a vague sense of hopeful pride that he'd managed to memorize a good portion of the body's systems. Beasthood follows corruption, they know that, and that means Nehan must have been fighting it for a while, during their lessons, even.

Flynn's heart thuds into his ribs as his hand curls tightly around his sword. He doesn't know the large person with them, but he must have realized the same if he's offering to do something like that. They still don't know how to bring people back from the edge. There is no solution that Flynn knows, no tonic they could shove down the throat of one of the heads to turn him back (and they could be wrong, he reminds himself), but—

They have to try, don't they? ]

Understood.

[ Directed at both of them, soft and sure. Flynn's eyes narrow. Daisy paces across the beast's path, her tail flicking, her ears sharp and alert. ]

We will distract it while you try to put him— it— to sleep. If you fail, we must attack. Diluc is correct: he cannot get close to town. The market is busy this evening.

[ Full of people who it is their duty to protect. They can't fail. Flynn slips from Daisy's back in one smooth move. ]

Daisy, go!

[ She at the very least looks like prey, four-legged and soft-bellied, and makes a break for the beast (for Nehan, Flynn reminds himself, magic flaring bright beneath his feet) as he speaks. ]

[go after prey that's been separated from the herd-- every hunter knows this, either learned or by instinct. and the wolf should have gone after the horse careening towards it instead, the motions drawing all of its eyes...

but instead of easy prey, the wolf interprets the horse barreling straight for it as an attack instead, and acts accordingly. the middle head snarls, baring the largest teeth of the beast, and the left head echoes the sound softly, as if its heart isn't in it and is simply just following the leader around. the wolf avoids the horse entirely, stalking around to reach the men instead in a steady gait, tail low, ears pricked-- even the young, avoidant head has perked up, finally looking horse warily. it knows a potential danger when it sees it, and it will certainly keep an eye out. it will deal with the horse if it must, but prey first.]

[Dellingr launches into the air and shrinks to falcon size as he climbs up and up. Diluc doesn’t look away from the beast.

Nehan.

He doesn’t think there is a way back from Beasthood. Not yet. But he won’t fault Ives trying. If he somehow manages it…they don’t have to kill someone they care about. He tucks the blades away, red and blue threads of magic curling around him. There is the rattle of chains. A more effective distracting weapon.] Do what you will. We will keep him busy.

And if you fail, I will finish things. [His dreams tonight will be terrible. Full of blood and death with a backdrop of the pounding rain.]

Edited 2022-01-16 19:44 (UTC)

... if it is him, we won't allow him to suffer long. [Ives promises that, because while he's not sensitive to violence, he is extremely effected by suffering. At least, of those he cares about. If Nehan is in there, if he can not be returned from this, then he should be set free.

At least, then, there is a chance he'll return to another life.

Ives wishes he had his staff. It's a far better conduit for his magic than just being out in the open air with it. Out from the open tips of his horns pours a humid fog, sparkling with various dull colors and some flecks of glittering light. The magic pools over head, lingering like extremely low, extremely thick cloud cover.

The ax isn't entirely useless, Ives realizes. He turns the blade to his hand and slices his palm. Paleblood pools and he digs his fingers into the cut, coating his hand in it. He needs Diluc and this other man to create an opening. Then Ives can charge in and use his blood as a more concentrated form of magic, forcing at least one head to slumber so he can search it's memories... should it have any left]

[ If Daisy isn't going to work as a distraction—Flynn would be worried, except that she is an Omen and doesn't seem to be able to be harmed—then he will simply have to provide a distraction right along with Diluc. If the beast—Nehan, he reminds himself with a pang that goes through to his bones—wants to attack them, and clearly it does, then.

Well.

Flynn steps forward, trusting in his armor and his reflexes if not his artes, coming to stand beside Diluc with his sword still held high. ]

We will be bait.

[ He says this softly to Diluc, his fingers tightening around his sword. ]

If we can keep his attention, then perhaps that magic will work.

[ Flynn's just going to make himself as threatening as possible and charge right at Nehan. Hopefully between Diluc's chains and his own aggressive motions, Ives will have his opening. ]

Edited 2022-01-18 00:50 (UTC)

[the moment blood is spilled, the wolf's attention is caught. the head with the closed eyes starts sniffing around to look for its source, but the middle head, the most aggressive of them all, knows exactly where to go.

the beast starts to circle the three of them with intent, eyes locked on the giant one bleeding. but it still gives them a wide berth, wary of the chains, the gleaming steel.

not wary enough to run away, though. the blood calls to it.

the beast makes a first attempt, not using its full strength to attack, a lunge towards the blood to test what will happen if it pushes its luck. it's not an unintelligent hunter, after all. really, with three heads... it's more cautious.]

[Diluc’s eyes narrow and icy chains snap out of him with pointed blades at their ends. They whip smoothly and silently through the air to cut the beast off from his bleeding target. And without even pausing, Diluc creates a knife of ice and cuts his forearm open. In a series of quick slashes. Nothing that could hinder him. The pain is something he notes and accounts for as he makes his internal plans.

His blood trickles from the wounds as he moves back, shaking his arm slightly. Come take the bait. Darkness seems to gather, the icy cold of winter pauses, the chains slithering back.

His mind is an icy plain, bereft of all feeling because this is a time when a kill will likely happen.]

[Ives watches the beast carefully as it approaches them, on the attack. He knew the blood would draw it's attention, but didn't quite expect Diluc to follow suit. That's a smart move, though, the man's cold blood would split attention from his pale. Given the beast has multiple heads, perhaps it can be confused with such a tactic.

He moves to the opposite side of Diluc, focusing in on the sniffing third head, the one that reminds him more of... well, the Nehan he knows. That would be his target to compel sleep in. Something about it seems tired.

When he perceives an opening, Ives will charge forward. He holds his ax with blade away from the beast, blunt end outward so if he swung it defensively it would not chop into the creature. He tries to use it to bat away swinging claw or snapping teeth his way. His goal is to grab that restless looking head by it's scruff and get a hold on it, where he could reach his bloodied hand over it's nostrils and force it to breath in the pale magic, trying to force it at least one head to sleep.]

Nehan!

[ It's a desperate thing: Flynn has no idea if any of his teacher is awake in there, is able to hear them at all. He wants to see if Nehan reacts in any way, but more than that, he wants to make himself a very obvious target.

Watching Ives' movements—Flynn is here to be a distraction, after all, to keep the beast on its toes while he attempts to fix this—Flynn bolts to the other side, to the head that appears younger than the rest of them. If he can manage to get close enough, Flynn will smack at any limb he can manage with the flat of his blade, attempting to draw just enough attention that perhaps Ives won't get immediately bitten. ]

[the scent of blood has its attention, but so do the chains from the same source as freshly-spilled blood. the wolf has a choice to make all three heads making a quick decision, before it turns itself towards the fresh blood, much closer than the other source. nevermind the loud, unnatural rattling noises, when they've slowed down.

and it runs, full-tilt, as if its thin body doesn't even stop it. it's a hungry beast out for food, and it will snap its jaw closed the moment it's close enough to its target-- only to stop at the last moment when it no longer smells fresh blood from the target it was aiming for, but rather ice. all three heads shake themselves to their shared tail in confusion.]

[Nehan charges forward and Diluc retreats to bait him towards Flynn. He has minutes before the wounds seal over. The chains snap out to create a screen, made of ice they glitter in the light.

He flips the knife to his wounded arm and opens up cuts on his right arm. Nehan is fast but like this he is a hair faster. As long as he doesn’t pause or slow down. Dellingr circles, ready to strike when the timing is right.

The chains snap out towards the jaws of whatever head the others aren’t focused on to confuse and distract.

Minutes again before his cuts seal. He would have to open up more. That is fine.] I can only keep his attention for so long. My wounds automatically seal over in minutes.

Edited 2022-01-20 16:00 (UTC)

Bind the claws if you can! [Ives calls out in order, though whether that rings with any authority is entirely up to Diluc and Flynn. The Giant sees where it can slip in close. He charges, more offensive than stealthy. Aiming his horns in first, he charges like a ram. If jaws thrash his way, catching those will be like snapping teeth against solid stone. He'll just have to tank claws tearing at flesh, having them out of the way is more important if he's going to grab the beast's neck and hold there.

Ives runs into the beast at full speed, battering into Nehan's collar if not caught with teeth. He's hoping his positioning and strength will slam him into the creature full force, around it's collar.

Because Ives doubts he can get the beast entirely under his thrawl without his staff, he'll improvise, focus on just the already tired looking head... if apart of the beast is asleep, it should be at least slightly less aggressive- right?]

Diluc, bind it—I will distract him. My blood doesn't freeze!

[ As he says that, Flynn yanks the blade of his sword along his own palm, spilling blood that looks entirely normal, red and iron-bright. Hopefully he can keep the focus of those other two heads as he moves away from Diluc and toward the beast, aiming to cloud its senses. ]

[the beast, of course, thrashes. one length of chain around one jaw, and a giant holding onto one neck, it's very clearly trapped, and it certainly feels that way. the one free head, the smallest one, tries to turn around and around to bite, but is too timid to do so. but with the other two fueling the body, the wolf fights, trying to pull itself away to recoup.

but what can be felt through paleblood is not rage or an animalistic hunger, but an extremely heavy layer of bone-tiredness, capable of latching onto the chest like hooks and drag one down into the dirt with it.

not a good thing to be feeling while dealing with a beast trying to eat you. the head the giant is trying to hold onto has already shaken off the spell, and is trying to bite him.]

[He wastes no time. The chains rip forth out of that darkness around him. Slamming into the ground once they seek to wind their way around their target.

His blood freezes over, crystalizing as it always does. He ignores it. It seems each of them are dealing with a head as the body thrashes. Efficient. The chains shift and move according to his will. Even if they manage to bind their target…he will shift them to adapt to the attempts to get out.] Is he in there?

[Ives fights the head to try and get a hold with his magic. He's certain it's Nehan, doubt crushed from his mind as that sinking, tired feeling threatens to backfire on him, drag him unconscious in his attempts to pull at the beast's mind. Ives is experienced enough with his magic to shake this off.]

Can't get him... down- [he grunts, barely able to hold onto the thrashing beast while also trying to compel it to slumber. When he moves his bloodied hand from the snout he was grasping onto it, jaws snap at and catch him. He bleats in pain as he wrenches his hand away, narrowly avoiding the loss of fingers. His grasp is shredded, weak on that side, so he focuses that arm instead on wrapping around the beast's neck to further grapple himself in place and hold Nehan still.]

Give me- One more try- [Ives isn't so easy to dissuade. There's only one method he can think will work, something he'd never do to a person. He angles the open point of the horn closes to the beast, jabbing it directly into the hide of it's neck. Pouring his magic direct into the creature's bloodstream might finally get it to sleep... Ives trying to force a dreamscape for Nehan's consciousness to occupy with him, should there be anything left in this creature]

[ Ives is struggling, that much is clear, and Flynn can't possibly let him lose his life to this attempt, especially not with the cold creeping feeling that there is nothing they can do.

As soon as he thinks it, he shoves it away with a snarl. Failure is not an option, and if there is a way to bring Nehan back from this awful end, they must try it, which means giving Ives the best chance he can get. As he slams a horn into the beast's neck, Flynn flips his blade so the flat is facing the small head and slams it bloodlessly into the creature's skull, trying to both provide a distraction and draw its focus away from Ives' attack. ]

[perhaps nehan is within, but the bottomless well of despair is stronger than any reason or magic or emotion that could be applied to the beast right now. it's impossible to reach him, when the well is in the middle of a field of rage and hunger that drives the beast's actions.

the two active heads of the wolf are snapping at the goat trying to pin it down, paws with black claws flailing. they react to the stab in the neck with howls of anger, and struggle against the bindings to wriggle away, but the chains hold it fast. but a more terrible sound is the high-pitched yelp of the young-looking head-- the first sound it's ever made, and it's one of pain.

a yelp and loud whimpering, underneath the snarls.]

Edited 2022-01-25 05:53 (UTC)

[Diluc walks towards the fight like a blade rising up. There is a precision to his steps. No movement is wasted.] Tell us what you find.

[It's not the voice of a cavalry captain or even a lord. It's the cold flat tone of a man who does what is necessary when it is necessary. No matter what it is. He flicks his wrist and more chains rip out of the cold darkness around him.

Icy chains made of pure ice, cutting between the claws and their target. Maybe they're in time. But he will adjust if they're not and seek to pin the paws down. As fire lights up the dark magic around him, winding through it like a flash of lightning from an approaching storm.]

We'll buy you the time. [But the yelp cracked his composure for a moment. There's a pain in his eyes before he shoves it back down and surges forward, ice around his hands as he seeks to help catch one of two active heads. He'll need the icy armor against those teeth.]

Edited 2022-01-26 19:26 (UTC)

[Ives tries.

Ives tries everything he can. He dives as deep as he can into his magic. He dives so deep he's nearly thrown from the beast as his grip slacks and it struggles. Even in his mastery of his magic, even with his horn gouged into the creature enough that his magic mixed with it's blood, there's nothing he can reach. And how he reaches, desperate for anything to grasp onto that might be Nehan. All he really finds is despair and exhaustion... but maybe Nehan could forgive him for thinking he found the man hiding in such emotions.

He sobs, briefly, as he wrenches his horn away from the Beast. Ives shakes his head out, tries to gather his consciousness into the moment at hand. His grip tightens up, one hand torn up and weak.

The worst part is accepting it, but Ives can do the worst sort of things when so needed. Better to stamp out the hope, because it is foolish and it will not help Nehan now.]

He's- He's gone. He's not in there- Anymore- he's consumed- [Ives grinds his teeth before giving the final order, but the command is as much to himself than the other two men. They need to set Nehan free, it's the only way there's a chance for him to return]

The beast must die, strike it down now-

No—

[ Strike it down, he says in a desperate voice, just moments after that awful yelp echoed through the cold air. Guilt surges acid through Flynn, threatens to deaden his limbs. Strike him down, he says, which means that he failed, that there is nothing of Nehan left in this creature, that Flynn couldn't work fast enough to find a way to bring him back. If he'd been more successful—better at research, or faster, if they'd subdued him earlier or had some clue—

But thinking of what-ifs will not help him here, not with visions beginning to swim in front of his eyes, possibilities that could never have been. Flynn swallows around his own heart and thinks about Yuri and Diluc and their bloody hands, taking the burden of the world onto their strong shoulders. He thinks about Yuri's quiet voice in the stable, the way he'd been afraid to take Flynn's hand, and he turns his blade to its lethal edge and nods, dizzy and afraid and pushing through it anyway. He has never taken a life in this way. Not a life he knows, certainly, but if there is nothing of Nehan there then they must protect the town, and so—

And so.

Strike he will, in concert with Ives and Diluc, with all the power in his limbs. There is no arte to support it: there is only muscle and shame and the awful knowledge that he is doing what he must, that he is following in Yuri's footsteps and Diluc's after him, and that this will likely change something in Flynn.

He turns his blade on the smallest head, because he is near it and because he can spare Ives and Diluc that burden, and he does it as cleanly as he possibly can. ]

[as if understanding the change in the air, the emotions high-- even as a beast, the wolf understands what's happening, don't people say that certain animals can sense emotions?-- the beast's movements change. two heads are no longer snapping at the giant, but now renewing their focus to split up and snap at the other men too with large sharp teeth, flailing paws to slash at them with blunt claws, and thrashing about with its entire body. bucking like a wild horse.

but the youngest head, the smallest head, it's not fighting back, and has stopped crying. it turned big, dark eyes at them, lowered ears quivering as if a puppy that's just been extended a friendly hand.

then its ears start to slowly perk up, and it shakes its neck in relief. the prospect of finally getting to rest allows it to relax.]

[He knows better than to let himself think beyond what is necessary right now. But the relief on the youngest looking head is plain. He isn’t a fool.

It’s the only thought he has time for when one of the other heads snaps at him. He thrusts his arm up, covered in thick ice as his chains slither about him. The moment it bites down on the ice he draws a true knife with his other hand.

And slashes with the precision of an assassin to cut its throat. His face is a blank mask but he can hear the rain. Nehan is a friend and any one of them having to be put down like this would tear at his gentle heart.

Tonight his dreams will be of rain slicked roads and death.

He takes a slash to the side and the pain is bright but his blood seals over it quickly. The better to reinforce the weapon that he is.]

[open] bad doggie!

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🎀