caughtinanetwork | [semi-accidental video]

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[semi-accidental video]

[Not even a day has passed and you can already expect Azimuth to be on his feet, continuing life as normal. Except something about him still seems off, and in the process of preparing breakfast, the old Lombax could be seen stopping from time to time, murmuring to himself, or pausing to lean on the counter. His movements are stiff and hesitant, though he manages enough sense of mind to nearly complete an entire bowl of cereal.

Milk poured, an unsteady hand sets the gallon aside, opting to put it back in the fridge later. This is followed by another hesitant pause, and the Elder stares strangely down at the Lucky Charms filled to the rim.

He raises the spoon.

But his head is first to splash into the bowl, nearly knocking it over.

No, Alister, that's not how you eat.]

[ooc: aaaand wrap-up post. Alister's staying at the Villa with Rin and Yukio until he's a bit more steady on his feet. o7]

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[Looks like he's still trying to off himself or something. Strange old kitty.

He knew the place well enough ~~from the bushes~~ from what he's seen on the feed. Portaling wouldn't be difficult.

He had to go to one place first, but his side stop went in a matter of seconds before the portal appeared behind the cat.

Any resident who might be able to feel darkness would definitely know something was there.

Alister just won himself a hallow's eve themed jester collar with bells attached to each end of the triangles. Vanitas will step forward carefully and attach it around his neck.]

[Even if Alister doesn't feel it, Rin sure as fuck does. You should do your recon a little better, Vani. Rin was right there in the kitchen the entire time.

The half-demon approaches behind Vanitas, arms crossed over his chest, bangs pinned back, and a rather sharp looking chef's knife in one hand. He's not even holding it menacingly. He's just. Holding it.

Oh and he totally has a blue apron on. Shut up, if it doesn't have frills it's manly.]

... could you maybe hurry it up? Yukio will be pissed if his patient drowns in his cereal. And I gotta get the rest of breakfast made 'fore everyone else wakes up.

You have to admit, there is a certain humor in a cat drowning in milk.

[Hey, he doesn’t spy on you in the mornings. That is sleep in time.

Though he’ll look over Rin with the tiniest of pauses at the knife before focusing on the blue fabric. ~~Yes Maka, he is technically looking at your boyfriend’s crotch. Not for what you think though~~

Cute apron. [Stepping back to allow space for Rin to rescue the patient.

He'll open up the portal once more and allowed enough time for some form of retort or response before stepping on through.]

[Rin's eyebrow just... goes up. Really, Vani, what are you doing? Get a hobby already. One that doesn't involve stalking or maiming.]

... cute skirt.

[And that's all he'll get back before Rin ignores him and goes to rescue the damn drowning space cat.]

[Wait, who, wha?

Jingle~

What was that noise?

Jingle-jingle~]

...

...I hit a bell.

[Yeah, okay, it's... time to get out of the cereal now. His movement is stiff, but he's managing very very slowly.]

[Don't worry, old man. Rin is there to help you.]

Yeah uh. ... ignore that. I'll get it off in a minute.

...get what off?

[Alister, weren't you paying attention to anything that just happened? Though from the looks of his still-dilated pupils when he turns to the boy, it doesn't seem likely. The Lombax nearly reels of his chair, just barely managing to hold onto the table for support.

Jingle-jingle~~]

You... you're... not like the others...

Whoa geez--!

[Rin catches him before he manages to go the rest of the way down, staring at the comment.]

... what others?

They all... none of them are here.

[He shakes his head slowly, a trembling hand on the half-demon's shoulder as he starts to push himself back up. The trembling extends from his hand, to his arm, then eventually to the rest of his body and the Lombax is downright shivering within moments.]

They're afraid... they're all afraid.

[He's just... rambling. None of it makes any sense to Rin, and by the end of it he's trying to force Alister back down in his seat without accidentally breaking a limb or something. It's not that Alister is fragile, even in that state - Rin is just that strong and it's hard to control it when his own emotions are getting twisted up in everything.]

Damnit, jiji just stay down would ya? Knew lettin' you outta bed was a bad idea...

[The Lombax sags back onto the chair and he's shivering enough to start vibrating the wood itself, staring blankly down at his own legs and allowing the hand to slide from his companion's shoulder. And for about the third time that morning, his hand slowly starts to come up to something - or nothing, as the case would be - in his lap, stroking it gently.]

It's better this way, though. Better for him.

[Rin watches him for a minute or two, expression conflicted and worried. Yukio said it would wear off in time. He would be back to normal soon. But even the way Yukio said it... the way he hesitated on "normal". Alister was already unbalanced, what the hell was torture going to do to him?

It made Rin shudder just thinking about it.

He had to focus on the here and now.

With a sigh, and quietly choosing to ignore whatever he was mumbling and "petting", he crouches down next to the chair to try and get eye level with the Lombax.

Nope. He's not even there. He's a thousand miles away. Somewhere... Rin can't even try to picture in his mind.

A shake of the head, and he moves to pick Alister up.]

C'mon. I'll bring breakfast to you...

[And just like last time, the Elder's head just rolls onto the other's shoulder, zoning out into the distance without another word.

The hand upon his lap slides down, hanging limp in the air, rocking with the boy's movements. The entire time, he doesn't realize what's happening - where he was, or who he was with. The world he knows is different, and it just keeps changing.

Eventually, however, he starts to hum. It's a soft, broken sound that runs on instinct alone.

That much, gets his tail to wag weakly.]

[He's helping. He knows he's helping but he has to keep reminding himself that he's doing all he can and that it's fine. He doesn't have to go hunting for the head of the one who did this. It won't solve anything. Being there, helping with Ratchet, knowing that his brother is the most capable one to make this situation at least a little better - it's all he can do.

And he feels so fucking useless for it.

No matter how many times he runs the past few days through his head, he can't seem to find a way that would have prevented it, or hell even given him the chance to jump in and save the day like he always managed to do back home. And this time, sure, no one died. There was no gruesome murder, nobody stabbed in front of him, bleeding and gone. But it doesn't matter. In his mind it's still a loss.

Some one still got hurt that shouldn't have.

A lot of people have been getting hurt that shouldn't have.

And all he can do is make sure Alister isn't going to fly off the deep end completely and wind up worse off than he already is.

These are the things running through Rin's mind as he carries Alister to his temporary room in the Villa. That house that has been so painfully quiet, save for Alister's occasional blathering. Everyone was walking on eggshells. Everyone who wasn't Rin, Ratchet or Yukio all shared looks of quiet, silent uncertainty. Should they help? Should they just back off?

It was all so fucking awkward and painful and broken just like Alister's strange humming. Rin had to swallow the rising lump in his throat, and even if he wasn't entirely sure Alister could properly see it, he still forced a smile at the old Lombax.

It was nearly as broken as that damn humming was.

He nudged the door open with his foot, and soon enough Alister was back in his bed.]

Just hang here. I'll bring food in.

[The smiled stayed as long as Rin was in the room, but as soon as he was out of sight it fell away. Just outside the door, he had to pause and take in a shaking breath, dragging hand through his hair and just barely resisting the urge to tug at it.]

[The trip was forgotten the moment it ended with him laying on the bed. He's staring out at nothing again, watching the world through distorted eyes and odd noises that shouldn't have been there, but were anyway.

He doesn't see a nice, cozy little bedroom for him to sleep in. He doesn't see Rin's shattered smiles or reassuring words as anyone - himself included - tried to make sense of this situation at all. And once the boy leaves, he spots a small, yellow bundle of fur crawling up under his arm once again, bright green eyes pleading for attention.

He moves his arm around the tiny form and the infant Lombax plops down on its posterior, moving into a position where it could better climb up the Elder, and settle itself on his head. But even though the child was there, he felt no warmth, or content purrs from the little kit. No, the room was as silent as it had been, and for some reason he can't move his arms to make sure the little infant doesn't somehow topple off.

The room shifted to something a little more stable, this time.

Bright desert sunlight and odd asymmetrical doo-dads littered the small room, making it near-impossible to see the walls. Though taken into account, he would have half a mind for not finding a better spot to put the little kit's crayon drawings other than the bedroom walls. Pictures of a tiny gold Lombax, and a taller white one holding hands under a smiling sun, and the Elder feels his heart wrench a little, knowing that he was doing good, but... it'd been his fault to begin with.

I don't have a father because of you.

Suddenly, it's not so peaceful.

Black tar drips down from the windows and leaks into the room, obscuring the carefree drawings and little mechanical whats-its, until nothing remained. A hand to his head revealed the absence of the young toddler as well, and that hand quickly goes down to be strapped upon a table, two sets of eyes leering down at the old Lombax.

Tachyon. And...

Ratchet?

It... was, but... he never remembered the other Lombax in such regal attire. And the smile he held now was not one of companionship. No, a bloodied knife was in the other hand, tilted slightly to the General's exposed organs and still-throbbing heart.

"Emperor, just give the word."

He couldn't speak. He couldn't speak, he couldn't move, he couldn't say how wrong wrong wrong this all wa--

"Oh, I think we've dragged this on well enough. If you would do the honours, son?"

His eyes widened.

"Gladly, Emperor Tachyon."

The knife comes down.

And that scream wasn't just in his mind.]

[That crash wasn't in his mind either. There's a nice mess of food and a shattered plate and bowl on the floor of the kitchen now, but it's left behind and forgotten in Rin's rush to get to the bedroom. He doesn't even notice the cut on his arm that's bleeding from part of the plate bouncing up and hitting him. He just runs, jumping over the living room couch and bursting in to the bedroom frantically.]

[Giggling and prodding and poking and-- wait. Someone else burst into the room. This makes the Cragmite and Lombax pause in their stead, then step back to reveal a new form.

"Greetings, Azimuth! I trust you've been well?"

Vorselon.

The mechanical figure whirrs right into his field of vision, stopping just inches over the bloodied Elder and giving a large, toothy grin. Before he can even think to stop it, one of the claws move to yank the Lombax's throat, pulling hard on his own esophagus, then stretching it out like a dripping, bloodied line of yarn. The Terraklon chuckles to himself, leaning in close to the General and squinting a single eye own.

"Now, do you see what happens when you stay awhile? We barely ever have the chance to talk, Azimuth."

The claw whirrs again, twirling the live organs in his grasp, then snapping them in half with little effort.

"Oops! How clumsy of me."

Something was wrong. Something was very very very wrong.

Vorselon was aggressive, sure, but he couldn't find the will to fight back this time. A part of himself, his old self, would find some way to break free, leave the shuttle and plan a more organized attack. But he remained rooted to the spot, only watching helplessly as the twisted, unfamiliar faces decent down and--

An even bigger claw was on his neck now, metallic clicking spurring a new sense of panic from the Lombax.

"Welcome to your end, Alister Azimuth."

He can't scream anymore. Something was choking him. It builds in his throat, running down the sides of his mouth and Orvus it hurt stop!]

Alister! Alister, snap out of it!

[There are hands on him, yes, but they're not the claws he's imagining. They're just Rin's hands, on his shoulders, shaking him frantically. His voice cracks, blue eyes wide and terrified. He can't fight something he can't see! He can't battle the ghosts that are torturing the poor Lombax! He just can't! And that scares him so damn much... he just wants Alister to stop making that pained, horrified face and he doesn't know how to make it go away!]

Jiji! Come on, wake up! Come back already, damnit!

[The rest is just a jumble of Japanese that's too disconnected to make sense even to whatever force normally translates it. He's just begging, pleading, asking with so much fear and sorrow in his voice he doesn't even make sense to himself.]

[The odd, disconnected language is enough to make the scene shatter around him, and everything seems to go dark though he still feels himself awake and alert.

...maybe not as alert, but it was a little more manageable.

He just hears talking and he knows he should probably talk in turn. Without even intending to, he freezes up and his unfocused eyes lock onto the young half-demon's carefully, trembling under his grasp and choking out a small, mangled mess of words.]

... bist du hier um mich zu töten?

[...in Lombax. That doesn't help, does it?

[No, but it does make Rin calm down a little bit. He's heard Alister talk like that before - when he was carrying him to the clinic after the incident with Kimblee. It's... something. A response, a sign that maybe he's not so far gone...

A breath, and he manages to speak slowly enough that it's not screwing up in translation.]

H... hey... you're okay. Nothin' is gonna hurt you here...

[He just... keeps staring without blinking, his remaining good ear raising up, then shifting to the side before giving a twitch to confirm he'd heard Rin. He... knows he's supposed to remember that voice, and it's far off enough that he can't quite pinpoint a name.]

...will it hurt you?

... hurt me?

[Rin blinks a few times, but eventually a smile that's much closer to his usual cocky grins appears.]

Nah... you don't gotta worry 'bout me, jiji. Rin Okumura is as tough as they come.

...Rin?

[He tries the name on his tongue a few times, but the Lombax eventually starts looking more confused than anything else. Should... he know that name? Was it his?

Should he ask?]

...Rin... Okumura. Is... that me...?

Wha--...

[Well that backfired. Rin's ears actually go down at the question, and he shakes his head slowly, pointing at himself.]

N... no, that's me. I'm Rin. You're Alister.

[If he had amnesia on top of everything else...

Not that amnesia worked that way but Rin would be clueless enough to believe it did until Yukio or some one else corrected him.]

C... come on. Snap out of it. You're General Alister Azimuth!

[So Rin wasn't his name? Then why was that something he could remember so easily? Why was it one of the first things he'd remembered about this whole thing? The Lombax frowns himself when the boy seems to start to panic again, and he can feel some of his own starting to well up.

General Alister Azimuth. General of... Lombaxes. Fastoon. He knew that. The memories come in chunks at a time and everything is too fuzzy to make out, but he wants to try.]

Rin's not hurt. Alister is.

Alister isn't... alive?

[Oh.

Yeah, that one's coming back too, isn't it?]

action; I do what I want /o.

action; no, I do what *I* want

action; /swipes whatever you're cooking

action; Hope you like eggs

action; vani doesn't have any left

Re: action; ooowch xD

action;

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action; help i can't rp vorselon

action; he's hallucinating anyway, it wouldn't be compeltely accurate

action; oh are we getting into language barriers now??

action; you know me so well bby~

action; hey, at least it worked!

action; lol yes

action; wait. rin being happy? LEMME FIX THAT.

action; /gross sobbing

action; your tears prolong my livelihood, child.

action; no, I do what I want