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!]

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"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. ]

"Sorry about that--so, son, what was it that you were wanting to say to me before?"

[Oh boy, here it is. So Zib hesitates for a second, but then decides to go ahead.]

Right, so. In case the portal closes before you can get us out... can I ask if you remember what happened with... with the Peace Day event? Do you remember the conversation we had at the time?

"Well, son, that was a pretty strange day, what with all the hallucinating I was doing with seeing the universe nearly splitting apart at the seams, or imagining almost falling to my hideous death... but yes, I do remember that. Why?"

It wasn't a hallu--okay, you know what, nevermind, you're not going to believe me on that part. My point is that if you do still remember us talking, I just... want to ask if you still stand by what you said then. About... about me.

"Oh... son, if you're worried that I'm not proud of you, then that's silly. Of course I'm still proud of you. Always have been... even getting yourself trapped in some alternate dimension while wearing an unfashionable hat isn't going to change that now."

[... so close to a touching moment, only to fuck up the landing on the last bit, thanks Professor Membrane.]

[ Just like with Zib's sister, this.. isn't quite expected on Ange's part. Even him ruining it at the end there doesn't really matter, because he's already saying so much more than Ange expected him to say. Actually saying that he's proud of the boy.

Even if his dad doesn't exactly seem ideal, it does seem like he's at least got this part of parenthood down. Enough so that Ange can't help but feel a little jealous. She'd give the world just to have her father or her mother - her actual mother, rather than her aunt - tell her that they're proud of her, especially with how much she's changed too compared to when they last saw her.

It's a whole mess of jumbled up feelings, and it makes Ange go quiet. She wouldn't want to interrupt right now anyway, not when the guy just said something that could be so important to Zib.

Instead she just glances at Zib, like she's trying to gauge his reaction here. ]

[It is important to Zib, and in response he takes a shaky breath.]

Even if... I do something that might be bad?

"Like what?"

Erm... [He glances at Ange very briefly before turning to the portal awkwardly.] I mean, this place is very dangerous, like we said before. So... there may be times where I've had to do some less than great things to protect myself or others.

[His dad seems to consider the words, folding his arms across the chest.]

"Well... I can't say that I approve of you getting into any fights with people or wild animals, if that's what you mean by that... does that sort of thing really happen that often over there?"

[This question is semi-directed toward Ange as well as he glances at her.]

.. all the time.

[ It's hard to see whether or not Ange realises the question is also directed at her. She's still staring at Zib as she's thinking for a moment. Mostly since she wasn't really surprised by what he brought up at first, but this part of the conversation is a little more thought-provoking to her.

She didn't think this was really something Zib was concerned with. Maybe she's still learning a little bit more about the boy each day. ]

We're pretty much in constant danger here. Dangerous animals, dangerous people.. even regular people can end up twisted into being little more than lethal monsters under the wrong circumstances in this place.

[ Maybe it'd be a good thing for the man to just truly realise in what sort of dangerous situation his son is stuck here anyway, she thinks. ]

It'd be hard to live here without knowing how to defend yourself.

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you're never coming back

cw: mention of body horror

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