deercountry | 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

[Zib lets out an annoyed hiss, again using the PAK cable to try to grab at Varian. For some reason Zib is rather intent on this now, his focus off of the portals and, perhaps thankfully, the people that have been poisoned nearby as this might allow them to back away to safety again.

When it seems that one cable isn't enough, the second begins to snake out of the PAK to try to assist the first to grab and pick up Varian off the ground. Like some kind of weird cat and mouse game.

The good news is that Zib only has two cables for this sort of thing in that PAK, so if Varian can avoid both or tangle/disable them in some manner, then he won't have to worry about them anymore going forward.

The bad news is, well... dependent on how lucky Varian is in this endeavor and if he ends up getting grabbed before that can happen.]

[At least he's managed to keep some people safe. He can be glad for that.

Varian definitely isn't agile enough to avoid this, he manages to duck one cable, but it's the second that gets him. Welp. He yelps as he tries to wriggle free from the cable- goddamnit this would be a stupid way to die. ]

Dib, please. I need you to listen. This- this isn't you.

[The cable lifts him up into the air, and brings him rather close up to Zib's face here. Upon being successful at catching Varian, the mouth of the creature splits open into a rather wide grin, the high pitched noise from before sounding almost like childish laughter now instead of angered buzzing or screaming.

Hard to tell if this is a good thing or not, because it then turns it's head looking for something. Any portals that were here before have closed by now, and after tilting his head to one direction at a rather far angle. After it seems to have heard or spotted whatever it is he's looking for (probably another portal), Zib starts moving in that direction, still carrying Varian along here where the cables are holding him up.

Guess you're coming along for the ride? But hey, at least it looks like at least he's not planning on hurting his friend so much as treating him to a very bumpy carrying service, and when Varian speaks again, it pauses, turning it's head to look at Varian with the head tilting gesture again, as if actually listening properly this time. He even makes a noise that almost sounds like "wHAAAt" in that screechy noise it was making before.]

[Yup, that laughter is definitely not the ha ha fun sort of laughter.

Oh god, Varian hopes he doesn't end up getting hucked into a portal. That would be a bad time. He struggles in the grip of the cable, trying to get free, when suddenly he turns to...well- he guesses it's speaking? Kind of?

Still it's acknowledging him and showing some level of understanding so Varian's gonna keep on with this.]

YEAH! You- you understand me right? Do you recognise me?

[There's a pause, and then, the creature gives a slow nod, as if it takes a considerable amount of effort to do so. The noise he makes sounds almost like an amused chirp as well.

Zib does indeed recognize him. Guess that explains why Varian wasn't just tossed into a tree or something upon getting caught here.]

[Yay? At least this means he's less likely to be killed. Okay, nodding. he can work with nodding.

He takes a steadying breath, before speaking again.]

Okay, good. Good. Then you know you can trust me, right? I- I want to help you get through this- find yourself again. Okay?

[Zib cocks it's head at that--one of the strange spider-like appendages comes up at this point to gesture at itself here.

As if to say that he's right here, having become confused by this phrase about "finding himself again"--perhaps in a clearer state of mind, Zib would understand what Varian actually means by this, but in his current condition, he seems to believe that he is meant to be this monster here.]

[Well. Of course, Zib would be a snarky pain in the ass even when he's in monster form. Varian heaves out a sigh.]

I mean in your head- you know...to stop the corruption? Let me help you get better.

[Zib makes some kind of chittering noise, one that sounds almost... upset at hearing the word "stop". Not quite as angry like before, just unhappy.

He still has things to do. He can't stop. He can never stop. He's not allowed to stop, ever.

Maybe that's why Zib has started looking around again, trying to find another portal. There's gotta be one around here somewhere...]

[Nope, this is not what he wants, he tries to wriggle free, or at the very least, tug at the tentacles to try and pull Zib away.]

No, listen! This isn't good! I know- I know it feels good right now, but it's not. We've got to get you back to normal.

Whyyyyy!?

[Or at least, that's what his responding scream sounds like in that weird chittering radio frequency noise he makes. Either way, the point gets across pretty clear--why should he go back to normal? His "normal" is not as great as say, Varian's normal or anyone else he can think of in the current moment.]

[Well...at least he can communicate, that's... a bonus. Also that's... a good question.]

You- you don't want to go back? Aren't you afraid you could hurt yourself like this? Or if someone decides you're a beast and tries to kill you?

[Zib doesn't respond, instead just giving Varian an angry sort of stare, accompanied by that irritated buzzing jumping slightly in pitch.

... Maybe he doesn't care, or he even wants to be hurt here or have an excuse to hurt others back. It's better than feeling nothing, at least.]

[Hmmm Varian doesn't quite know how to handle this, but he presses forward anyway. Gently, but urgently:]

Please. You know it's better to be yourself than...than this. It's safer for everyone. Especially you. Corruption will always end badly, I promise.

[Vaguely, he does remember that time when Varian had experienced beasthood, and how he himself had tried to help Varian in his own way during that. So... there is some truth in what Varian's saying.

Not that he thinks that Varian is the type of person who would lie to him to begin with, but it's hard to think clearly like this.

Zib finally stops moving again, but he makes a whining noise that almost sounds like crying... actually that might be crying, in fact, given what looks like tears or some kind of liquid beginning to drip from the moth creature's eyes.

... Maybe don't let any of that touch you though, considering what kind of damage his vileblood has been doing when coming in contact with anything here.]

[Varian reaches out to...carefully try and pat his friend on the cable...tentacle...thing. Trying to be comforting. At least he isn't touching the liquid. He knows better than that.]

It's okay. We can fix this. Take a deep breath and we can get you back.

[He can't really feel anything with those metal cables, but it is definitely safer than touching any part of him that's oozing vileblood or whatever else here.]

Caaaaaaan't... hurrrrtssss...

[Oh hey, those were more actual words that time, so maybe that's still progress? Despite what the words actually are.]

you're never coming back

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