caughtinanetwork | 32nd Combo

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32nd Combo - [Video]

[You know what's a really bad way to wake up? Waking up inside of a coffin is what's a really bad way to wake up! In his initial panic at waking up trapped in that small, tight space, Lloyd doesn't even register the pendant hanging around his neck, or the picture lying in the coffin with him. No, Lloyd's panic means he's slamming against the walls, the lid-

Oh. The lid isn't locked. It slams open, allowing Lloyd to sit up and gulp grateful breaths of air.

Grateful until he realizes just what it is he's sitting in. With a yelp, Lloyd all but flies out of the box. Wait. Holy crap, those aren't his arms! That's not his body!]

What's going on?!

[...that isn't his voice, either!

A few minutes later, after Lloyd's spotted his reflection...]

LAHARL!

[Vatheon, that's one angry face shouting through the SFC. One angry demon face, not an angry teen.]

I don't know what you're up to now, but I swear I'll put a stop to it! Now give me back my body!

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What, bottle blood or drink it? It's true it doesn't taste the same when it's cooled.

Either! Both! That means someone out there kills people just to bottle their blood and sell it! And other people buy it! What kind of monsters are they?!

Demons.

[He's not going to correct Lloyd on any of his assumptions, because it's more amusing that way. But hey, guess what? He's at his apartment now. He turns off the SFC and immediately following, Lloyd will hear a loud banging on the door.]

[Oh hell no. Lloyd jumps up and scrambles for the door, making sure it's locked. After a scare story like that, no way is he opening up!]

Who's there?!

Who do you think, idiot? Open up!

[He'd break in except it's his own door.]

If you think I'm letting you in, you're crazy! I won't let you drink my blood!

[As soon as the door's locked, he does a frantic search of the room for something he use to block the door with. His eyes land on Laharl's coffin. Is he strong enough in this body to move it?

Only one way to find out!]

Like I'd want to drink your blood anyway! You probably taste terrible.

[Definitely strong enough. The coffin won't feel all that heavy, mostly just unweildy.]

You're just saying that because I'm in your body right now.

[Aljlsakdjf wait, he doesn't want to give Laharl the idea that he thinks he might be tasty normally.]

Not that you're wrong! I'm not tasty at all!

[Oh, hey, it's pretty easy to move this thing. Not that he couldn't have moved it normally - he does have an angel's strength, when he thinks to actually use it - but this kind of strength feels a lot more natural.

Hm. Hopefully Laharl won't figure out just how strong he is. This barrier might not hold long.]

I'm not going to bite you whatever body you're in! Just open up already! What are you doing in there?

[Pound pound pound. He really doesn't want to have to break his own stuff.]

You just said you drink blood! Why should I believe you?

[Dang, there's not much else in here that Lloyd could use that would do much good in a barricade.]

I'm keeping you out! What do you think? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't!

Edited 2013-08-13 12:17 (UTC)

Because I'm a pickier eater than that!

[Kicking at the door and making a ruckus.]

You'll have to come out sometime! There's hardly any food in there!

[Hunger is an excellent reason okay.]

You can't be too picky if you're even drinking blood at all!

[Aw man. Dammit, it is a good reason. Lloyd's been in Vatheon long enough to know that these curses tend to last a week. He can't go that long without food!]

What do you even want anyway?

I want my body back!

I want mine back too!

[Then, for a moment, Lloyd goes quiet, the exchange clicking into place.]

...you think you can switch us back if I let you inside?

[It's a cautious question, not an offer. He still isn't convinced Laharl's safe.]

[...he hadn't really thought about the how of it. But it's his body! Surely he can take it back?]

...maybe.

[The idea that it could be that simple is tempting. Could it really be that easy, though? And what would Laharl do if he succeeds and they switch? Lloyd's safe enough at the moment, since he's in Laharl's body, but that obviously won't be the case anymore after they switch back.

Even so, it's hard to resist the lure of even the possibility of a solution to this.]

...if I open this door, you have to promise you won't try to attack me when you're done.

I don't make promises.

...but I'm not interested in fighting in my own apartment.

[Whether or not Laharl makes promises, Lloyd hears one in the way the demon says that. Slowly, cautiously, he drags the coffin back - not all the way, but enough for him to crack the door open once he unlocks it.]

If you do anything funny, I'm breaking your stuff, I swear.

[Laharl glowers back at him through the crack... at his own face! ugh.]

You break any of my stuff, and I can guarantee something of yours'll be breaking, too.

[Lloyd scowls right back (and man is that weird when it feels like he's scowling at himself), but that's probably as close to declaring a truce as they're likely going to get. He shoved the coffin back so he can open the door the rest of the way.]

So, what's your plan?

[Laharl steps in, giving his coffin by the door a once over before looking... down at his body. Does he really look this small to other people? It must be because Lloyd took his scarf off. He looks all wrong without it.

Thinking it, he walks over to his discarded scarf and picks it up. Holding it in Lloyd's hands, it still does absolutely nothing, as if it were an ordinary scarf. If even this won't respond to him at all now, how are they going to switch?]

My body's the one with the power. You'll have to focus my mana.

[Lloyd eyes the scarf like it's a live snake, but even with Laharl holding it, it doesn't seem to react. When it doesn't, he's not sure if it's a relief, or if it's just prolonging the sense that the scarf is just 'playing dead.' He decides to focus on Laharl's comment instead.]

Your mana? [He frowns. Laharl probably means the mana that Lloyd has access to right now. Brow furrowing deeply, he concentrates, no stranger to dealing with his body's energy. Even if this isn't exactly his body, it can't be that different, right? Concentrating, he gathers all the mana he can.] Okay, what do I do with it?

[For a second there he thought he'd have to explain mana. At Lloyd's question, he still wants to snap 'Just get out of there!' but he stops himself.]

Nnnh... [If only he was in his own body, he's sure he could figure this out. Of course then he wouldn't have to figure it out.] Can you feel what doesn't belong? Can you try to force it out?

[Lloyd just gives Laharl a look at that question. From Lloyd's point of view, everything doesn't belong. Without any better ideas, though, he holds his tongue.]

I'll try. Hang on.

[Gathering mana and actually using it are two completely different things, especially when he doesn't know what he's doing with it. All he has is a rough concept: get himself out and back into his body. Okay. He can do this. Focus on Laharl. Focus on his mana. His expression settles into one of fierce concentration as he wills every fiber of his being on forcing all of his energy out!]

[FWOOM!

Mana flares and there's no warning before it suddenly erupts, a fiery blaze headed straight for the demon. Lloyd yelps, but it's too late.]

Laharl!

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