deercountry | you're never coming back

Entry tags:

you're never coming back

Who: Zib and maybe even you! This is an OPEN log for everyone who wants to get involved /o/
What: Mostly studying butterflies and skeletons, and then beast hood shenanigans thanks to the portals from the event
When: During the month of April
Where: Tends to hang out around Disaster House, but the prompt with beast corruption will be throughout Trench, see inside for further details

Content Warnings: despair/potential suicidal ideation because of the butterflies, skeletons(???), paranoia/hallucinations, obsession, insect/alien body horror per beast hood corruption, parental neglect, will add more if they come up

[So Zib has been... well, not well. He's been showing some signs of undergoing the corruption that others have here and there in the form of the extra green arms he's been walking around with lately, and with some strange lines that have formed against his face, arms, anywhere that he allows any skin to expose that take the shape of something reminiscent of spider-web cracks.

Like as if his body is merely a cocoon and something is bursting at the seams waiting for the right type to hatch.

But, thankfully, Zib had started out being at least semi-aware that he was very much stretching the definition of being "okay" in any way, shape, or form. He's told a few people about it rather than hiding it, at least, and has tried to find things that he actually enjoys to see if it helps any or at least serves as a nice enough distraction for now.

However... it seems that April has other ideas.]

[ooc: Toplevels with what's happening with Zib will be below with their own headers! They're all mostly related to the event, but if you want a closed thread with Zib that falls outside of the prompts offered, hit me up and I'll make it happen! I've also got Zib's plotting stuff for the event over here that you're free to go to for info or hit me up on as well!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Why wouldn't it be okay?

[ Maybe Ange is coming from a slightly biased angle here, considering her own complicated relationship with her aunt - one of the issues she never really got to resolve, considering she just decided to move on from her messy past in this place rather than actually finding closure.

But with her own experience in mind, she can't see what's so bad about it. Especially when it might bite Zib in the ass more in the long run to tuck all of these feelings away in a place where said feelings might fester into something literally lethal. ]

The one you saw just now didn't treat you any different from what you're used to, right? [ So in that case - it might as well be his own dad from his unique timeline. ] If he cares about you at all, he'd just apologize upon hearing your feelings.

[ And if he doesn't..

.. well, at least it ought to be cathartic for Zib all the same, she thinks. ]

[As Zib listens to what Ange has to say, he finds himself nodding in agreement.]

Yeah... yeah, you're probably right--no, you're definitely right.

[His Dad had told him exactly once that he was proud of Dib, what felt like a lifetime ago. No matter what, even if he didn't believe in aliens, or any of the more absurdly neglectful things he ended up doing to Dib. He wants to believe that Professor Membrane would be proud of him for confronting this, too, rather than hiding from it.

Still, he can't help but laugh a little.]

It's funny... I have no fear when it comes to fighting Zim or getting involved in other crazy stuff that could kill me, but confronting my own family feels intimidating by comparison. Is that weird?

[ Even though Zib is asking that question with a laugh, Ange can't help but think it's strangely relatable. After all, she's been through so much danger that she didn't even bat an eye at, while dealing with thoughts about her strained and abusive relationship with her aunt are always so much more complicated and messy to deal with. ]

.. no. That's not weird.

[ The lived experience resounds in Ange's voice as she says that, her voice suddenly sounding very far away before she shakes her head, trying to drag herself back to reality. ]

I mean.. it's still your family. It could be that it's because you still care about them. Or maybe you still want them to acknowledge you, even though it's not happening. [ And that makes it so much harder to dismiss stuff like this. ]

Yeah... I do still want that, some days.

[Maybe his other self had been on to something, back then, when he had pointed out that messing with other timelines could mean bringing harm to their family. At the time, Zib had been too angry, too confident that his plan would really work to take it seriously--and besides, there were infinite timelines. Just because one of them was destroyed didn't mean they couldn't just start over with their family in a new timeline, right?

But... on some level, he does still care about them. Or at least, care enough about the idea that maybe, just maybe, there was one timeline out there where his family did in fact care about and support him too.

After a moment, he reaches up to grab the hood of his outfit, and pull it up over his PAK.]

Okay. I think I'm ready now to try to find them again. Maybe... maybe this time it'll go better... and if not, at least I'll be able to tell them how I feel anyway.

[He doesn't sound very confident in that though, but at least he's willing to try again.]

[ Ange is merciful enough to not point out the fact that he doesn't sound too sure.

These kinds of things can be a struggle, after all, and Zib having complicated feelings about it is entirely natural. She won't blame him for that. Instead Ange stares for a moment at him, seeming to think, before she asks: ]

Do you want me to come with you?

[ She purposefully leaves the question very open, so he can give whatever answer. If he'd rather do it by himself, she gets that.

But who knows, maybe Zib feels like he could use someone there. Everyone's needs are different when it comes to this, right? Ange of all people gets that. ]

... If--If you don't mind, I'd appreciate that. Who knows, maybe my Dad will be more inclined to listen if he sees someone backing me up on this.

[Which, says a lot if his Dad is more likely to take someone else's considerations on the matter more seriously over his own kid's thoughts on it.]

I don't mind.

[ She doesn't even have to think about that answer. Considering how much family trouble Ange herself has lived through, there's no way she'd abandon anyone else who needs help with it.

Especially when Zib is.. well, he's a little odd, but he's never been actively mean to her in any way. He even seemed concerned back last month when she could barely leave her bed, let alone the house.

This is the least she can do for him in return. ]

So I'll come with you then. I'll just factually tell him what I know. I mean, anyone with half a brain could tell that that thing on the back of your head is something that goes beyond normal human means. [ Let alone everything else that's going on with Zib, but the PAK feels like the safest thing to point out. ] I'd just be telling him the truth.

Yeah... for a guy that everyone thinks is the smartest scientist on the planet, my Dad does seem like an idiot for not realizing that this isn't just a dumb fashion statement or something, huh?

[Zib's Earth must be pretty fucked if they think his dad is the most intelligent person in existence, honestly.

But, enough of that--]

Let's go. I think I see some more starting to open up that way, so we can start checking for which one has my Dad in it to try talking to.

[ Ange glances over in the direction he's talking about, and then nods. ]

Alright.

[ Better to do it now than to put it off, right? Especially since they have no idea for how long these portals may be appearing - and whether or not Zib could find one that leads to any version of his world much later on.

So Ange is already starting to walk, glancing back at him. ]

Let's get going then.

Right.

[So, onward they go. The first few portals are primarily dead ends, unfortunately, either because they don't lead to anywhere that either of them would want to look for, or because even if Zib recognizes something in the portal, it's often because it's from a planet other than Earth being shown. (Take for example, the Snarl Beast. Looks like a cute kitten, but Zib very quickly ushers them past the portal that has these things before it can spot them, stating "just trust me on this one, you don't want it to take notice of us here")

Until they come across another portal that looks like... oh, wait, isn't that Zib's kitchen again? This time, however, it looks like it's not dinner time happening yet, and his sister Gaz is sitting alone playing her game slave again.]

--Oh, hold on, here's one! Gaz! Gaaaaz!

[He calls out to her, and unlike last time, she actually does look up from her game at him... albeit, very slowly, and with the murderous glare of someone who really doesn't want to be interrupted right now.]

"What."

Is Dad there with you? I need to talk to him.

"Why?" [A pause, before she looks past him, at Ange.] "Who's that?"

... That's what you're curious about? Not "why am I on the other side of a portal", or "why do I look like this"?

"That would require caring about whatever weird nonsense you're up to this time. Although, you are right about being grosser to look at than usual."

[W... well, at least his sister seems to have a working pair of eyes noticing that her brother doesn't look normal? Still not a great response, though.]

[ It's saying something that Ange doesn't really bat an eye at some of the stuff they see in the portals - even though it's pretty wild. But it's hard to not feel desensitized to this stuff after witnessing the crazy stuff back home, the crazy stuff in Deerington, and now the crazy stuff here, really.

Weird cute kitties that Zib seems to be very concerned about? Totally normal now. She'll just move right along, sure. Whatever.

But when Zib spots a portal that seems right and starts talking to his sister - that's something she's paying so much more attention to. It might not show, since Ange's expression doesn't really shift from what it was, but she's listening very attentively to this entire exchange. ]

.. hey, is that really something you should be saying to your brother when he's looking like this?

[ Maybe it's harder for Ange to grasp, since she doesn't quite have the average sibling relationship with her own brother. Sure, she has joked about him before, but never while he was in a truly dangerous situation.

It's one thing to insult someone's natural hairstyle, but to see Zib changed this much and just call him gross.. ]

Aren't you worried?

[At that, Gaz raises an eyebrow.]

"Knowing my brother, he did that to himself because he's an idiot that doesn't think things through before doing them."

[As such, she has no sympathy for anything that comes out of Zib's own mistakes. Zib, surprisingly, doesn't argue against this point and instead winces in response because... she's not wrong, he did choose to attach the PAK to himself all on his own...]

"Also, you didn't answer my question. Are you a friend of his or something?"

[ .. okay. Well.

At least that's a brother sentiment Ange can kind of understand, and judging by Zib's silence, Gaz is right on the money about it too. But Ange still thinks there's a difference between saying that over a typical dumb small brother thing, and saying it about literal bodily mutilation.. ]

Yeah. I am.

[ It's definitely saying something about the situation that Ange is saying that so easily. Under other circumstances she might have hemmed and hawed more about it, always worried about coming off as too soft, but when she needs to stand up for someone?

Of course she's going to admit to that. With zero hesitation. ]

That's why I'm so weirded out by your total lack of concern. How come I'm worrying more about him than you are, despite the fact that he and I are not the ones who are related here?

"It wouldn't be the first time I've seen him looking or acting crazy. At least he's not made out of baloney this time--it was funny at first and the baloney actually tasted pretty decent, but it made the house smell bad until he eventually got better."

[But, she's been giving Ange a more scrutinizing look than before at her admitting to being Zib's friend, and after a moment, she does something that Zib doesn't expect: she actually pauses her game, and puts it down now when she looks to Zib, her attention now fully devoted to the conversation at hand.]

"... So, you actually have friends now? And a normal sounding one at that, for once, if she's actually worrying about your gross appearance rather than just ignoring it."

[Zib gives her an annoyed look in offense.]

Of course I have friends. Plenty of normal ones, in fact.

"Could have fooled me. Normally you don't talk about other people unless they're willing to listen to you rant about Zim... come to think of it, you haven't mentioned him once this entire time, so this must actually be serious for once."

[And then, to Ange. She still has that look of someone who thinks that they'd rather be doing literally anything else than talk, but that seems to just be her default manner, and while her tone of voice doesn't change, at least her words do seem to be taking the situation more seriously as she points to her brother.]

"Keep an eye on him. I don't trust him to not say or do something stupid if I leave for even a minute."

[And then she's getting up and walking away. Distantly, she can be heard saying "Dad, Dib's being weird again in the living room. Like, even weirder than usual. Can you go talk to him... no, not you Clembrane, you can just keep making pudding."

While that's happening, Zib glances at Ange.]

Uh... well, that's my sister for you? Sometimes she can be reliable under the right circumstances...

Well, it's a good thing she was. Or I would've turned her gaming system into a frog.

[ Is that something Ange can even do, let alone across multiple planes of existence? Who knows. Ange seems pretty serious about the intent behind it though, judging by the way the bridge of her nose wrinkles slightly, like the faint hint of a pout.

The way Zib's sister treats him still definitely isn't ideal, but.. well, she at least partially seems to care?

Maybe?

Look, Ange is used to having such an overly loving brother that this is new territory for her. ]

.. seems like she at least kind of cares, though.

... I kind of wish I could see that, but then again it's probably better that you don't. Gaz would become far more scarier after she sees what happened to it.

[Because Gaz absolutely would have tried to destroy them both somehow if any harm was brought to her gaming system, regardless of her feelings on her sibling or not.]

It's probably inconvenient for her if I stay like this... or at least I would bet that's what she's going to say about it, if asked.

[Is Gaz a tsundere or is she genuinely heartless, it's a mystery--a mystery that they won't really get to inquire about further because after a moment, their Dad comes into view.]

"Oh, there you are son! I was wondering where you had gotten off to... is that a new hat? I've never taken you for the type to be concerned about fashion before... although, it is kind of a strange choice in headwear. Have you considered getting one that fits your head better?"

[Wow, already this is a bad start.]

[ Sheesh.

Zib's sister aside, who seems like she might at least be kind of closer to a border case.. This is so serious. Ange thinks her own dad is kind of stupid as well (sorry, dad), but she's pretty sure that he wouldn't be totally oblivious if he saw her current form compared to the six year old Ange he knows.

Hence why Ange's facial expression is just.. severely unimpressed at the moment. ]

Is that really the only thing you have to say?

[ Look, maybe she should have introduced herself first, rather than being this Random Girl Who Is Suddenly Speaking Up.

But she can't help it in the face of all of this. ]

[Professor Membrane makes a "hmm?" sound before turning his head and finally taking proper notice of Ange.]

"Oh, hello! You must be the friend my daughter mentioned that was keeping my son company in... wherever it is you two are right now. Which is certainly an odd sight to see; it's not every day that a portal opens in our living room after all, only alternate Tuesdays last I checked back when I was using one of my old devices for that type of experimentation..."

[Zib raises a hand and opens his mouth like he's about to say something, but then Professor Membrane keeps going, clearly not having noticed.]

"Anyway, thank you very much for looking after him--I hope he hasn't been causing you too much trouble in that regard."

[ While the man is rambling on, Ange is definitely shooting Zib a look. The guy seems caught up in his own ramblings enough that she figures she can get away with an 'is he just always like this?' kind of sideways look directed at Zib.

It's only when the man finally seems to finish that Ange looks back at the portal and speaks up. ]

He certainly causes less trouble than certain other people I know.

[ A.. A high.. honour..? Maybe..?

Who even knows. ]

But I think he has something to say to you. [ Because she sure did see the way Zib opened his mouth. And if his dad won't notice and give him the floor to speak, then Ange will clearly just have to rip the floor open to create said space in the first place.

Metaphorically speaking, anyway. ]

[Once attention is directed back to him, Zib takes a breath and tries to explain things.]

Thank you, Ange. So, um, Dad... I kind of need your help, because I can't actually leave this side of the portal to get back home. I was hoping you could maybe figure something out on your end that would be able to help us?

"I'm sure I could, but couldn't you just reverse the polarity of the--"

I didn't use one of your devices to make this happen. I just... uh. Ended up here through... unknown means... very scientific unknown means and definitely nothing paranormal or alien-based, right, Ange?

[He glances at Ange here hoping that she'll play along, because suggesting magic or gods will definitely get his Dad dismissing what he says from then on, he thinks.]

[ .. Zib??

Sure, Ange gets the intention here. She's not stupid enough to not realise what that kind of look means, or what Zib expects of her here. But at the same time she feels like not telling this guy the truth just because he'd dismiss it or not believe it is just.. dumb. What kind of parent would assume their kid is lying to them in the first place? It's not like Zib is young enough to be a toddler making up wild stuff!

But despite the instant grumpiness that emerges within the girl as she thinks about all of that, she sighs and goes along with it.

But only for Zib's sake. ]

Sure, sure. We all got dragged here from different worlds. It seems to be some sort of convergence of the multiverse. [ There, that probably sounds science-y enough for his dad, right.. And it's not like she's lying, only omitting some details here. ] So he can't have caused it with something that only exists in you guys' world. We were all taken here, regardless of our starting points.

"Ah, I see! What a bizarre set of circumstances... but fascinating nonetheless! I'll have to take as many notes as possible on this universe you've all been brought to you in addition to some experiments on this portal here, just think of the new ways this will benefit the pursuit of science..."

Um, Dad, it might not stay open for very long, so you're going to want to put a rush on that, maybe? It was kind of sheer luck that we even found this one to begin with...

[... And it being one where his Dad is in an amicable enough mood to work with rather than immediately arguing with Zib here.

But speaking of which, Zib glances at Ange here momentarily before looking back at his Dad.]

So, um, just in case it closes before you can finish doing that... can I try to talk to you about something else kind of important?

"Something else? What could possibly be more important than science!? ...Oh, and rescuing you and your friend there, of course."

[Geez, Professor Membrane, maybe don't make that sound like a tacked on afterthought??]

[ There are some things Ange can just go along with. Even if she doesn't necessarily like it, there's a lot that she's willing to suck up when it comes to a friend.

But the more the girl listens here, the more irritated she's starting to get. Zib's sister is a little weird, sure, but at least she seemed to understand something was wrong, even if Ange still is not sure exactly how much she cares. But Zib's dad here.. How could he be more preoccupied with how fascinating it is than the safety of his own child? Ange isn't even bothered that she's an afterthought here, since the man doesn't even know her, but Zib ought to be so much more than that.

So her eyebrow starts to twitch more and more as she stands there and silently listens, until the man arrives at that last part, and she accidentally snaps before Zib can even bring up his own important point.

Sorry, pal. ]

Hey, what's up with you?!

[ The volume of her voice rises. A moment ago she was using her usual deadpan tone at a regular volume, but now emotion is creeping into it - offence on the behalf of a friend, mostly, along with reminders of her own painful past - its volume rises immediately. ]

Your own son is stuck in a world where there's a constant threat of dying, and all you're thinking about is how important this is to science?! What the hell could possibly be more important than your own child as a parent?!

[Zib jumps a little, not having expected the outburst, while his Dad merely tilts his head very slightly... and then, he suddenly laughs.]

"Wow, son, you've got quite the opinionated friend here! Even that little strange friend of yours with the skin condition doesn't typically say things like that whenever he comes around--"

Zim is not my friend.

[Zib hisses in response, tone now more angrier than before too at the mention of his worst enemy, but his Dad keeps going, ignoring the comment.]

"But yes, of course saving my son is the most important thing here, if he's truly in as much danger as you say he is. I'm merely just saying that it's also worth studying the anomaly occurring here as well."

[ Ange's eyebrow twitches once more when she realises that Zim person must be one of the aliens Zib has talked about before - and it had been pretty obvious that he wasn't exactly fond of them, even just to Ange, who only briefly heard about it. Did his dad just.. seriously totally miss that somehow?

It makes him saying that of course saving Zib is most important here feel a little bit more hollow to her.

.. or maybe that's just her own bad habit of distrusting people, huh. ]

It didn't really sound like that.

[ Her volume is back down to her normal level, but there's definitely still a feisty edge to her deadpan here. ]

you're never coming back

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cw: mention of body horror

cw: mention of body horror

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