caughtinanetwork

0kay, well, erratic p2i0nic2 are 20mething i can help with.
where are y0u?
and 2ignle22 came back, t00, but i hear he'2 n0t in a really g00d way.
he'2 at dual2car'2 hive.
i can bring y0u t0 him if y0u want, but it might n0t be pretty.

Near the plaza, II moved east untiil system error caused forced shut down of psiioniics.

Where iis iit that he had went??
What has happened, Sollux Captor??

be right there.

[Sollux flies straight to the plaza in a corona of red and blue sparks that are probably visible quite a long way. He's worried that Psi will be flipping his shit, which is basically why he didn't answer the question.

Maybe Psiioniic is freaking out not knowing how Signless is, but he'll probably freak out more when he finds out the truth]

[ The Psiioniic is curled up out of the way, damp and bloody and distinctly unhealthy looking. Any of the physical improvements he'd made over the months in Vatheon. His overgrown teeth are back as well, much to his distress.

He's tired and confused and so very sore, but he's focusing on the floating SFC he's holding directly in front of his face with his glitchy psionics. ]

[Sollux lands nearby and goes to his knees next to Psiioniic, worried at the blood. He's never seen his ancestor so emaciated, either, and it frightens him a little]

Hey there, here I am. What happened? Did you get hurt?

[ His eyes are very dim when he lifts his head, and it seems as if the movement takes a great deal of effort. He doesn't speak, flipping the SFC around instead to type: ]

The Helmsman of the Battleship

[ He backspaces. ]

II appear two have diied and reviived by the mechaniics of the coral.
IIt went unnotiiced?

[ That's the best answer he can think of. He wasn't coherent when he'd been pitched back into his universe, his entire world narrowed down to nothing but pain. ]

System status iis unstable.

No, Pthii. [He reaches out and just...puts his arms around Psiioniic, putting up a bubble around them to contain any psionic blasts] You've been gone for weekth. You and Thignlethh went back to your univerthe. He came back a few dayth ago, and in the meantime he'd been ekthecuted.

[ Psii goes rigid in his arms briefly, the information hitting him almost like a physical blow. It could not have been. The Signless needed to remain safe.

The air gets heavy with power, a looming threat contained only by the psionic bubble around them. ]

No.

[ But he doesn't have the strength for it, and there's only a few helpless sparks as he goes limp against his descendent. ]

[Sollux closes his eyes and readies himself to deal with it if Psii does flip out. But thankfully there are only a few sparks. Then he's holding Psiioniic close, nuzzling into his cheek.]

He'th back now... he'll be okay. And you'll be okay, too.

[ He shudders, taking sharp breaths and shaking against him. ]

No. No.

[ There's the clacking of keys as he types without moving: ]

II was two protect hiim.
II diid not.
II wanted hiim two be safe.
IIt iis not okay.

[No, it's not okay. Sollux sighs and tightens his arms around him]

Well, there'th thtill nothing you could have done. And at leatht he'th thafe, now.

[ A soft sound escapes him, not quite a whimper. He just needs to stay like that, despairing. He is overwhelmed and struggling, unsure if that's even the truth. ]

[And Sollux doesn't know what to do except to hold him tight and nuzzle him soothingly. Maybe it would help if Psiioniic saw Signless. He doubts Signless will beat Psiioniic up at all, compared to how much Psiioniic will beat himself up.]

Do you want me to take you to him?

[ Psii nods helplessly, there isn't anything in the world that he needs more than to see Signless right then. ]

Yeth. [ His voice is weak, rough from emotion and apparent disuse. ] Pleathe. Pleathe let me.

[Sollux tightens his arms around his ancestor. What was with him helping the ancestors lately, protecting them like a moirail? Not that he minds.]

Yeah, of courthe. Anything you want. But if it'th too much, you can come thtay at my hive, okay?

[Psionics flare even as he speaks and they both lift up into the air, moving slowly towards the apartments where Dualscar lives.]

[ That's what you get when you're suddenly surrounded by broken people, Sollux, and no one quite does broken like lowbloods that tried to change Alternia's system. ]

Mm. Yeth.

[ Not that it is too likely-- completely impossible by his understanding. His codependence with Signless is a defining trait at this point. ]

[Sollux holds him close and flies, reassured by the response, finally landing outside Dualscar's hive. He keeps Psiioniic in his arms, supporting the troll mostly with his powers, and walks up to the door. After a moment of thought, he grabs a rock from the lawn and bangs it against the door to get someone's attention]

[Sufferer, upon learning Psii was back in Vatheon, disobeyed strict orders from Dualscar and dragged himself out of bed. He's set himself staggering down the hall, leaning heavily on the wall for support, trying to protect the healing stumps where his hands used to be while also pushing himself along. By the time he gets near the front door, the snowy-white bandages are spotted with red again.]

[He jumps when someone bangs on the door, and nearly topples over. He catches himself though (this time), and tries to hurry the last few steps.]

[Once he's at the door, he leans on it, panting, and stares down at the handle. How... how is he supposed to manage that? He finds himself reaching for it, but he has no way to grasp it, no way to turn the knob. He's a prisoner here.]

[Finally, after clearing his throat, he calls through the door.]

Psii? Sollux? Is that you?

[It sure takes a long time before anyone comes to the door. Sollux is just about to suggest that they leave when he hears something. He perks up, though his eyebrows are pinched with confusion as he hears Signless' voice through the door]

Yeah, it'th uth! Ith everything okay? Can we come in?

Thignlesth...!

[ Psii doesn't even hesitate even though he's relying on Sollux almost completely because of a very well known issue. He reaches out with his mind to open the door, and that's when it goes poorly rather quickly.

The doorknob promptly falls to pieces.

He'd have to apologize later, but at least the door was pulled partway open now. ]

[Sufferer stumbles and almost collapses when the door pulls open unexpectedly. He catches himself--barely--and staggers forward, almost blinded by tears, but not so impaired he can't see the tall, slender forms of the two yellowbloods. He zeroes in on the tallest, his arms held out in front of him for an embrace.]

Psii!

[Well shit. They're both so fucked up, Sollux isn't really sure what to do except to leap out of the way, then hold them both up with his powers as they crash into each other.]

Fucking hell...Your handth.

[ Psii isn't quite able to process what he sees when Signless first bursts out of the hive, frozen wide-eyed. It horrifies him into inaction, but he wraps an arm around him when the other troll collides against him. ]

What..? [ His soft voice is thick. ] Thignlesth?

[ He doesn't even recognize that he's crying, tears streaming down his face. ]

[This isn't the first time in their relationship that Sufferer has clung to Psii and wept on his shoulder, but it is definitely the first time in Vatheon. Dimly, he's aware that psionics are holding them both up, but he just assumes they're Psii's.]

I'm so sorry, Psii, I'm so sorry... this is all my fault, everything is my fault...

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ahaha, sorry for the series of fail tags

pfft, no sorries.

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