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@emptyzone
A STROKE OF DEFIANCE.
💥 side-blogroll: mirror / doise / jae's ic blog / man's ic blog / zammy's ic blog💥
independent, extremely private & selective multimuse blog with a primary focus on wacky crossovers, on-blog dynamics, and overall having a good time. read rules before following. non-rp blogs dni, you will be blocked on sight. emptyzone plot masterdoc here.
ongoing event: ( e : the other side of paradise . 🎀💻🟢 )
His existence feels like nothing, as it did most of the time. He can still hear, but he doesn't respond. He couldn't understand them, anyway. Sometimes, they said things, but he couldn't discern any words...
A different noise breaks through. It tugs at him. It pulls at his consciousness, gently trying to bring it back inside of his body.
It isn't quite enough. Not yet.
But one of the voices becomes clearer, as if that sound had made it remember how to properly speak. The fingers of a groggy mind lightly graze it, not quite able to properly grab on.
Pierre... Pierre, did you want to see...? Do you remember that picture? You were in that picture. Can you... find it for me? It's somewhere around here. I think you can find it. Keep looking.
"...Walter... I... don't... where is... zat...?"
A whisper, unconsciously spoken aloud. It's abundantly clear that he isn't talking to Pierre.
... Never that easy. Bluntly speaking, he couldn't blame Pierrot for not immediately jumping to reply. He... No, his brain blocks out the sheer notion of thinking about what Pivolo was doing to him between the time they last met. But that does bring up a good point. How does he deliver the news that... Yes, he's from an alternative... Timeline? Universe? Where Pivolo had only recently gotten the book?
Focus on that later. You actually have to start the conversation in proper, first...
...That whisper. Pierre actually looks behind him, as if half expecting some form of his childhood friend to be there for a moment, but... No. What's more curious is that he isn't speaking French back... His attention returns to that dark corner where Pierrot is clearly tucked away in. Slowly, hesitantly... He begins to close the distance.
He... Isn't equipped for this. Is he..? What is Pierrot experiencing, right now..?
"...P-Pierrot, Qu'est-ce qui se passe? Est-ce que tu… m'entends?" He calls out again, keeping his slightly shaken voice as gentle as he could manage.
Complete silence.
A stark contrast to the sounds of chaos just a moment ago.
The room seems barren, just like it appeared to be the first time. Gray and suffocating, just like it had been before. But this time, there's... paint, on the floor. A few thick splotches are loosely gathered around one dark corner of the room, their droplets sprayed outwards as if the fluid had been tossed.
The paint had mostly dried.
Undeniably, that presence is still there. Hiding just out of sight. Taking cover in the dark, where it felt safer. As safe as it could in a stifling space such as this one.
He's curled up on the floor, facing the wall— not that Pierre could see. His breathing is quiet, only audible if you strained to hear it. And, once again, he hasn't moved for many hours.
". . ."
He isn't... really there, right now. He might be physically present, but in every other way...
The room.
...Hesitantly, Pierre puts away his brush. At least he knows he still has it, for sure. He uses the opportunity to lightly brush his fingers past his other pocket, as well... He still has his phone, and probably one or two other smaller things... What good would calling his friends do when they're all busy dealing with whatever that monster left behind to distract everyone? Especially considering he's in a different world, all together..? H...
...His eyes immediately drift to the... 'New' addition to the room. Well, slightly in the shadows, but he could recognize dried paint from a mile away. And... While he couldn't see in that darkness, but. The... Mere implication of the paint being splotched like that... What he bore wintness to before...
... It left him without word, for a bit.
Pierre breaks the silence-- Subtly, by swallowing thickly. He can't help it. This still could be anything. It could be the real thing! It could also... Not be. But who's to say what's more likely than the other, at this point.
"..." A firm inhale through the nose. An exhale through the mouth. Who else could possibly be in this room, and not merely observing it? "...Pierrot? Es-tu là?"
... Oh he's just. Browsing some dusty old room full of some older yearbooks and graduation blurbs with headphones on, too locked in to notice the tremors, isn't h--
"WALTER!!!" Tyler burst in, only catching Walter's attention by disturbing some books as he stumbled past a table instead of his meek voice attempting to be loud, letting out a few shaky breaths, "There's a whole kaiju movie happening out there, man! I'd film it if I weren't so terrified! Where are the others?!"
Shit.
...Interesting.
He's getting more fierce. But it certainly came from a place of fear rather than anything else. An animal backed into a corner can either submit to its fate or fruitlessly try to fight for its life.
Pivolo hopes that this Pierre will last longer before giving in and finally choosing the former option.
He doesn't flinch as the paintbrush is pointed at him. He isn't upset by the other's words— no, he's endlessly amused.
An impressive hall with large pillars, arches, and polished tiles. Stretching on until it reached a set of steps at one end, ascending to...
A short little laugh leaves an invisible mouth. What bravado. Pierre had an impressive amount of nerve, speaking to him like this even when he understood who was in front of him. Even when he understood what he had... accomplished.
But that was just it, wasn't it? He might understand, but he did not do so fully. There were still so many things he could not possibly grasp. He was still, to a degree, clueless.
Pivolo thinks that it's time that he's filled in.
...Really.
Another tremor, stronger than the last. The sound of a robotic roar in the distance.
I see that you haven't fully understood. Even after what I've shown you. You still believe that you can defy your fate... which will only amount to more and more waste the longer you continue to struggle. The sooner you accept what will happen, the better.
His fingers come together. You know what he's about to do. Where you're about to go.
Perhaps... you should take a closer look.
A resounding snap that echoes across timelines.
And an empty room.
He refused to let him have this.
Pierre just couldn't let him see him completely on the floor, begging for mercy. Screaming, kicking, crying. That was the end goal. And the cycle would repeat endlessly. What would happen once he was broken? Clearly, since the multiverse exists, he'd just... Move onto another Pierre. And another. And another. He would become the Pierrot, miserable and tortured every waking day of his life. Maybe his friends would be alive but in a world without him, he...
Call it bravado. Call it whatever you want. A foolish optimism. But he kept staring Pivolo down, paintbrush not faltering as he continued to point it at him as laughed. He could hear the two distantly-- Probably confused, gradually approaching his room. Who was he talking to?
...The sound of the chaos outside brought him no solace... Well, maybe it did, to a degree. The fact that these two weren't, in fact, working together. That was the silver lining to this. He didn't think they'd be infighting so soon... Poor Rupestrine. Truly, the most unwilling of battlegrounds. It leaves another pit in his stomach that he's leaving those three behind to deal with it... Hopefully they'd manage. Maybe if they got lucky, whatever his actual Pivolo had planned would stop whatever the other had brought in, but...
...His hair dot frazzles up when the other prepares to snap his fingers. Pierre's grip on his weapon tightens, as he does his best to brace himself for the impossible.
...
"PIERRE, WHAT'S GOING ON, THERE'S A--"
Rene uncharacteristically burst into the room, only to be met with silence. To say that him and Guga's hearts sank at the same time at the lack of Pierre was... Well. Uh... Walter surely heard the commotion and they'd have to break the... Gut-wrenching news to him, huh. On top of whatever was attacking their beloved city.
He sees that panicked glance at his tail. A simple action that likely wouldn't have much meaning to most others. But, to him, the meaning was as clear as day: Pierre understood, now. He understood that he was the bigger threat. He knew when to allow true terror to grip his heart— to understand when he was truly in danger.
And that is an understanding he couldn't welcome enough.
The building shudders, again. He hears the distant sound of something collapsing. Sounds of panic from outside.
He hears their voices, as well.
Pivolo turns his head. Again, purposefully. His eyes look away from Pierre, towards the sound of the dorm's other occupants.
As if
contemplating.
But he wasn't, of course.
His eyes return to the terrified painter, on his hands and knees. This was a sight he was eager to get used to once again.
You finally figured it out.
A simple statement that held an impossible amount of weight. Pivolo takes a few steps away from the door, getting closer. He takes in the other's fear as if it were fuel to an ever-ravenous fire.
I knew that you would understand in time, Pierre. However... I must admit that it took you longer than I expected.
A pause. A tilt of his head.
Perhaps… you are not as creative as you think you are.
What was going on outside? What had the other done?
His heartbeat quickened when the other looked away, for a moment. Stay. Stay away from them. You're already attacking MY Rupestrine, don't you DARE lay a claw on them. But the attention, of course, always returns to him. Pierre quietly reads out every last word the other 'says', and a scowl properly makes it onto his face, especially at his last statement.
Pierre gradually began to get up.
"Ne parlez pas de créativité." He spat, with an... Almost uncharacteristic amount of venom. "I once again overestimated you. That's all. You could've kept the act up and made me feel like I was going genuinely crazy, but... No. You of course have to take what isn't yours, as you've ALWAYS done... Perhaps I was foolish, but I can admit zat. You never could."
A paintbrush is snatched from his desk, nearby, and it's pointed at the other. He knew no place was safe, anymore. He really did. The anxiety, the paranoia... The other didn't want him to live his life without fearing every second of it would turn into a moment like this. He was TIRED of it. God knows how long Pierrot had to...
...Focus.
"...I was NEVER yours. Never, EVER. In more ways than one! If you think I'm just going to let you have your way, you don't know me. Neither you or the other one is going to leave this scenario unscathed in the long-run."
They just... Can't. It would be a horrific injustice, at this point. Life is unfair. He gets that. He sadly does, but it shouldn't be... This... Unfair.
"Shit man, this art war is fucked. I just saw the beast clap its hands together and say "◼⬤▲⬤◼⬤⬤◼▲◼" or some similar shit, and every one around it was burned to a crisp, had their colors explode and then disappeared. The camera didn't even go onto it, that's how common shit like this is. My ass is casting barricade and level 2 artblock. I think I just heard "◼⬤▲⬤◼▲◼" two blocks over. I gotta get the fuck outta here."
@emptyzone (pierre)
It's working just as well as he thought. Pivolo watches with nothing but satisfaction as the massive Ovenmaster advances upon City Hall, swatting away his duplicate's minions as if they were nothing but powerless flies.
However, his goal wasn't to destroy Rupestrine— or his duplicate. It was all meant as a distraction. Just to keep his attention elsewhere. It would be terribly rude of him to interrupt while he was busy with Pierre, after all.
The painter's room still shakes, even with the source of commotion being some distance away. Any attempt to investigate that commotion would swiftly come to an end before it could ever begin. Because...
Pivolo has appeared in the doorway. The artcreature is very purposefully blocking the only exit. Even if Pierre did have the opportunity to run, there would be no escape. There was and never would be any escape.
He just wants his position to clearly illustrate that fact.
Pierre was honestly just trying to get some more rest.
Water and food into his system before laying down for a while. He had been tempted to paint something today, but he could save that for another time... All of that was a lot. Wouldn't want himself to get burnt out trying to create from stress alone... At least everyone knew, now. As rough and baffling as the information was. Thousands of questions that would probably go unanswered.
Why me?
He had drifted off for a good moment, before he jolted at the quake. That hair dot over his head switching between '?' and '!' as usual as he sat up, looking out of the small window off to the side before hopping out of bed, and--
--Stopping just short of his tormentor.
The painter's eyes instinctively glance at the other's tail as he holds back a wince, trying to take a few steps back but instead falling straight on his rear as he scrambles backwards, legs kicking as he pushes himself away, keeping shaky eye-contact with the other as he does so.
His heart sinks when he hears as Rene and Guga in the dorm freak out in their own ways to whatever was happening outside from their rooms, but all he could focus on was what was right in front of him.
@testingrealm asked:
Abruptly, the sky has gone dark. And the entirety of Rupestrine suddenly quakes. Repeated tremors cause buildings to shake. Furniture and loose objects are rattled and displaced. The footsteps of an absolutely immense artcreature, having manifested from seemingly nowhere. It seems to be made out of a series of connected ovens, with giant limbs sprouting from them as if it were some strange kind of metal caterpillar. And it’s headed straight for City Hall. [YOU ARE NOT LOYAL TO THE GREAT PHOENIX.] it “speaks,” the sound clearly robotic and coming from speakers that could be heard throughout the entire city. [PREPARE TO BE OBLITERATED.] It knocks over several buildings in its path. A group of guards unlucky enough to be under one of its massive mitts is effortlessly squashed. Pivolo, you… might wanna do something about that.
There. See? He has his eyes on Pierre, who was currently just trying to simmer down in his dorm. Nothing of note right now, he's just... Drinking water, resting, that sort of thing. The only thing of note is the photographer exited some time ago, but... Maybe he could find a way to always have this view... Off to the side. It takes more focus than he thought it would, but... He had to surpass his other. He had to. Just create an image in your head, and--...
--... Hm. Rupestrine is not known. For it's earthquakes. Or the sky going dark like that.
Distant distress of the few still willingly living around here. Most of the population had compacted into EdAN or the outskirts-- As purposefully far away from City Hall as possible, but. His focus shatters away from viewing that painter as something immense approaches the heart of Rupestrine instead of that wretched campus.
And it's sure as hell not something he created.
He immediately teleports to the top of City Hall to... Yeah. Take it all in, from a distance. That ISN'T one of his. That is an artcreature he didn't create, and one of such massive size and capacity for speech... Damnit. Damn it all. Phenex immediately snapped his fingers, causing a visibly startled Guard01 with Piv on his shoulder to fretfully salute to him.
'The Great Phoenix', huh...
"Summon all of the guards-- Any and all of my troops, for that matter, to block all paths and defend city hall. Have the copy machines go on full force. That THING is not one of mine. Do anything in your capacity to hinder it's movements and attack."
"Y-YES, MASTER PIVOLO!" Another salute as he snapped his fingers again to send the guard off.
With multiple finger snaps, Phenex immediately manifested dozens upon dozens of guards, Pivolows, those god forsaken artcreature ducks and birds, to quickly surround the outskirts of City Hall, trying to fortify it with their forms. But alas. Alas...
The beast was indeed massive. The most they could do is try to distract it or climb upon it, to stall, but. Phenex let out a few frenzied grumbles. You can't really rule a city if it's nothing but ruins, no?
If the other was capable of creating such a beast, surely--... Ah, he can't focus, his thoughts are going a million miles per hour as his hands clench. He'll think of something. If he has to confront this thing head-on, he will, but he feels... The smallest of ideas conjure up in the back of his head.
... With everything... Somewhat... Going back to the status quo. That persistent thought went through Walter's head. Those missing pictures in his photo album. He had actually talked to Tyler a while back and he lamented that a lot of older archives of things such as some tapes with recordings of EdAN graduations being completely unsalvageable, smelling of burnt plastic...
How much... Did people know about Pivolo? Before he got that book, that is? At least the one that truly belonged to this world, or whatever? Walter wracked his near photographic memory, but all that really came up was the occasional early encounter with Pivolo. A hand extended to offer a handshake that was never returned by the artcreature. A few passing glances, but his attendance on campus seemed... Sparce.
Walter glances over his shoulder as he leaves the dorm. This would be a good thing to ask Reggie about. The poor chancellor was certainly doing his best to keep EdAN together during these times, but surely he'd have an answer for the first artcreature who attended campus like that..?
"ZEY KEEP PLOTTING WRETCHED, WRETCHED, HORRIBLE THINGS IN THOSE DMS."
Thankfully for their little group of unassuming champions here, Max's sudden... err, change of appearance seemed to generate a bit of leg room, here. Time to breathe, even--now that the fog was slooowly dissipating thanks to Jae's efforts. It's still present, of course... these things will take time; New York's proximity to the ocean will sway it away eventually.
For now, though... ah, this isn't good. Well, yeah, none of this is good--but the sheer heftiness of their conjoined bearings seemed to be taking its toll on not only the duo... but their friends as well. Nobody said this was going to be easy, of course, though... Sam and Max couldn't help but feel a twinge of what they could only assume was guilt at the sight of Chorizo.
Goes to show that not everyone could handle end-of-world scenarios on the daily.
Now that they'd located all of their friends though, Max felt comfortable enough to... well, get comfortable. Plopping down onto the grass of the park, generating quite the careless earthquake when doing so... and reaching an open palm upward towards his shoulder for Sam to climb into. Then, Max would place it into the grass for the opposite.
"Fiddlesticks..." Sam uttered under his breath as he carefully exited the lagomorph's palm. "I hate emotionally charged moments."
Large, already presently powerful ears now even more befitting of dominant adjectives meant Max could pick up on that, to which the lagomorph would emit a small noise in what Sam could only assume was agreement... alongside a shoulder roll of sorts.
In fact... um... sh-should they even be... intruding on this...? Jae certainly acquainted herself with him, but it's not like they knew this Chorizo fellow very...
...'Gramps'? Jae's gentle usage of the nickname did raise a brow... or two.
"Uh..." Nevertheless, Sam would carefully approach the two himself, though retained a fair distance as well--just as a precaution.
"...now, neither of us are that great at providing emotional comfort befitting... well, much of anyone who doesn't enjoy weird acts of physical violence turned affection, but. Max and I sure appreciate your help, mister; why, without your possibly demonic-in-nature magics we don't understand in the slightest, Max and I wouldn't be here right now, and the world would probably resemble a giant purple meatball. So..."
Mere 'work acquaintance' labels aside, at the end of the day, Chorizo did save not only Sam's life, but Max's life as well. Taking a small breath, a small smile would emerge.
"...Thank you. We sure are obliged; If I had access to a certain hat right now, I'd assuredly be tipping it to you."
Now that--that's agreement. Max nodded his head quite swiftly, and flashed a stupid fanged grin in everyone's general direction.
Taking a few steps back, fingers laced above his midsection... the dog would bow slightly and politely. "I'll, um... leave the rest up to Jaembo, though."
@kxllerclaws
Dully, he registered her touch. How she stood beside him. If he could, he would have sharply turned away. Yet he could not. The terror in his features, brightening scarlet hues to a less intimidating shade, should say it all. He was mortified to be seen like this, and it would only worsen.
Jae, Bitz, Zammy, Sam and Max. Everyone could tell. He was weak. Emotionally frayed. Not the invincible wraith he made himself out to be.
Gramps. The title sparked a twinge of sorts. He heaved a shaky breath, sagging ashamedly as she went on about how ironic this was. Grimacing, he attempted to lift his claws to shield his face.
They were affixed to the floor.
“I… I’m sorry.” He hung his head. “I must look… pathetic, like this. I wish you didn’t… have to see me in such a state.” Briefly, the old spirit closed his eyes. “But. This isn’t your burden, you. Aren’t obligated. To tend to me.”
His vision returned as Sam intervened. A bewildered noise nearly weaseled its way through him, but was swallowed. “I… wh…” He struggled to understand. To accept what he was telling him. “But that’s not…”
Nearly lurching over, dark droplets seeped into his sights. “Anyone could have done that. If I really had any stakes in this, Max wouldn’t have wound up like this…!” The specks steadily trickled. “I could have cured him. I… I could have done better. I—Instead, I’m sitting here, wasting everyone’s precious time… because I couldn’t.” He inhaled, slacking lower. “Co—Couldn’t… just. Keep my composure. Like I ALWAYS do!” Anger briefly flashed, boring daggers into the grass.
Whether or not he regretted saying it, he could not take it back.
“And now, I…” Chimizo was starting to pant. “Now I’m becoming dead weight. For some reason, I haven’t been able to absorb any of the Dark Dimensional Energy, so. I’m. On the verge of collapse.”
A palm managed to support him as he staggered, close to falling flat yet holding himself aloft. “If I faint… I’ll become dangerous. So, it’s best if… best if everyone…”
Refusing to look at any of them, he finished.
“Leaves me behind.”
@emptyzone
Jae didn't really realize it, but she was sort of leaning into her own touch. It was... Bizarre. Even without the monster Max right there, Sam's words, Bitz & Zammy's worried glances at each other speaking a thousand silent words. As the poor spirit began to let out a retort of his own, Jae felt a sort of... Hollowness. As the other continued to speak.
I must look pathetic. Don't pity me.
"...Do you..." Jae's tired, sullen expression visibly deepened, "...Really think that? Like Sam basically said, you're the one who was able to get us to save Sam and Zammy in the first place... Sure, Max is... A bit..." A slightly delirious woman makes a pinching motion with her fingers for emphasis, "...Taller. But I'm sure once this whole fiasco ends it'll wear off. Or we'll find out a way to get it to wear off..."
"The onus also falls upon me, if you speak in such a way." Bitz looked over to the specter. "I was literally going to try to do an emergency surgery on him which may or may not have solved the problem, long-term, but it was all we could potentially do before he managed to cough up what we could use at the time. I still feel bad that was seemingly the only option that I pitched, but things panned out the way that they did. The one responsible for his current state is none other than the perpetuator of this nightmare-- Not either of us, however."
"D. Dead weight?" Zammy once again understands this is NOT the time to be making ghost jokes, "Buddy, Chimizo. Even if you are dealing with problems when it comes to this wack-ass dark energy, you still were able to bring us to and from here super fast. If it weren't for you, this place probably would've been uh, worse. When it came to that stupid haze. Besides, uh. Max is chill. I think bro chilling is a win, given the everything."
Those last few lines remained. Jae did not faulter with her touch, instead she leaned into Chimizo a bit more, doing her best to hug him. Ohhh, you've seen me at my worst too many times, what a debt I owe you. I've seen what happens when...
"I'll stay behind too, then, if you insist. The four can deal with that awful doppelganger, but I can't just leave you alone, no matter the risk." The woman managed.
@rcyalpains
Spongebob tricycle guy vc: Uhh. I can explain. :') || @kxllerclaws & @emptyzone
Their trek towards Battery Park could have taken the freelance duo quite some time. A reckless abandon trek towards the city's shoreline, even at their gloat-worthy fitness levels... could have eaten up precious time they'd never get back. However, with Max's newfound massiveness, a tiresome sprint could be satiated within a few giant steps, or so! How deliciously convenient!
"S... surely they'll recognize your adorable savageness, little buddy. I mean... it's not like much has REALLY changed if you squint and tilt your head about a clean 180 or so and permanently alter your neck and spine... right?"
Sam gave Max's cheek a tiny pat, to which he'd receive a low rumble in response.
If the distant uproar of massive wreckage, the spine-tingling initial roar that echoed and rattled through the very universe itself, and the incoming stomps of an imminent encounter were anything to go off of... Sam could assume that their friends were well and truly terrified, if they weren't at least mildly concerned.
But it's okay! They'll soon realize that it's just their good little pal Max! A very... very large and bloodcurdling version of Max, but... the same scamp they all knew and loved dearly nonetheless!
Their approach towards the large batteries proper was with that same strange waddle Max always possessed when he moseyed through life without a care... As for Sam, however, well... there was a bit of awkwardness that settled in. Here he was, riding in on Max's shoulder as if he were a high queen of sorts (Max would never let him be king)... and their poor friends were probably down there somewhere having to forcefully take this sight in without any sort of context.
"Gee, I sure hope they all recognize me without my hat..." Sam let out a solemn puff of air.
Nevertheless, he'd swiftly attempt to call for their friends. "Jae?! Chorizo?! Bitz, Zammy--?!"
Max seemed to let out a moderate reverb of sorts, all before remembering he couldn't aid in calling for them. Not quite wanting to take any further steps either as a precaution, well... Max stood his ground, and did what any giant scary lagomorph worried about his friends would do without any viable options at his disposal.
Whiiiiiiine.
@kxllerclaws
The signs were muted against the sheer magnitude of his duress. Crippling sadness, distress, demanding howls. Were he not choking under the overpowering inundation of his own meagerness, Chimizo would have acknowledged them.
He was in the throes of an immeasurable despair. What he feared most was confirmed to him by his most detested: Nobody needed him anymore. He deserved to be cast aside, forgotten. Who would miss him? They were better off if he was gone.
Disgusting, rancid tears stained his hands black. They were ceaseless in their flow, overflowing in his palms as they dribbled and dripped to the ground. Eventually, the detestable ooze’s continuous downpour brought him to the earth, tail crumpled under him.
It hurt. Not solely in his core, either.
Arms flopping to his sides, he began to realize he could not move. And in that moment, his senses cleared, just enough to behold a harrowing sound.
A roar, followed by distant aftershocks. Fear responses trickled in as his cognizance fully restored, although he was afraid it was much too late.
Uselessly, he sat there, chained by his deadening body. If he did not do anything soon, then he might become more of a problem than whatever this was. But why even bother if Vesper would steal his meals away from him? He had him cornered, leaving him to likely succumb to his enervation and…
The thumping drew closer. Louder. His breath hitched as the source neared, towering over New York City’s lofty buildings. Piercing pinpricks of pink pierced through what remained of the fog before the being sporting their light in his eyes came into full view.
Chimizo gawked in disbelief. Albeit tremendously altered, certain features on the beast were distinguishable. And if this did not clue him in on who this was, then the dog perched in his gargantuan mitt, missing a notable article from his person, would.
“Sss…Ss… Sam…?” He sputtered. “M…Mhhh… Max…?!”
Another pang sucker-punched him.
Max. Max, how had he become this?! The answer was obvious, though it hurt his head to think about. It was the disease. It consumed him, molding the lagomorph as it willed, tearing and reshaping to create this titan.
This was his fault. Max would still be himself had he not been so worthlessly unable to extract the virus. He would not have had to undergo such agony had I not failed to save him.
Failure. Failure. FAILURE. FAILURE. FAILURE!
I’M
NOTHING
BUT
A
FAILURE
Under the influence of his spiral, he could not see it. The positive factor which was staring him in the face. He shivered, gaze threatening to cloud over, but he had run out of ichor to cry. The specter was running on empty, and if he did not snap out of it soon, this may turn out uglier than it already was.
@emptyzone
Jae was doing her best not to breathe heavily, but disconnecting the power there took a bit out of her. She could feel the mist clinging onto her throat. The only ones who didn't have lungs still had some issue looking through the fog. Cough, cough. Hopefully that would wean it down, but... Then came the question of Sam & Max. It would make sense for them to wait to see if they would arrive here, but given the circumstance... She...
...Her gaze turns towards Bitz who made a light motion with his head as he approached her former workstation.
"I think... Something's. Getting to Chimizo." He said in a hushed whisper, "I'm worried it may be a side-effect of... Something, involving all of this. I don't wish to make any abrupt moves."
"Ah..." Jae dejectedly said, still trying to be careful as she got up properly. The tiredness in her tone was clear, all of this was so.. "Well, I guess we do have some time to kill, uh..." She takes a few steps in the spirit's general direction, as Zammy also rolled slightly closer to the specter, confused. "Everything alright, Chimiz--"
Only to be pretty violently jumpscared by that roar. All three of them looked towards the sound, shuddering at the aftershocks. Jae's immediate reaction was to go to Chimizo's side, finally realizing the state he was in through the diminishing haze.
"Oh-- Oh dear--..." She stammered, coughing out a bit more as her lungs finally got some better air. Okay, you know what, later, questioning whatever THAT was later. He could tell she is genuinely exhausted as she tries to place a hand on his back-- Somewhere on his form, really. "What's happening..? What's going o--"
Her gaze followed his when the bigger elephant in the room approching. She turned paler than usual, her ribbon lowering like a distressed animal's ears.
Bitz and Zammy had a joint reaction of putting their hands on their heads at the sight. Bitz's LED eyes widened considerably more as the two stood in front of Jae and Chimizo, covering them... The only thing that didn't make Bitz just kind of wrench the three away in any way he could was the fact that his sights immediately locked onto Sam, who was on uh... The beast's shoulder. Unharmed. Well, hatless, but unharmed. He looked between those two and the two behind him, before stepping forward.
"Okay," Bitz said as loudly as he possibly could, "There's. A lot happening around us right now." The matter-of-factness of that statement could kill a man, "But we got the power unplugged. Something's going on with our ghostly friend here though, as well. Uh." Bitz lets out a robotic sputter, "Uh. Hey Max. I am glad you're uh. Still with Sam. And us, of course."
"Jeez-louise! Okay! Okay." Zammy was sort of glad she didn't offer to put on one of Jae's Godzilla movies. Yeesh. "Hi boys! Uh..." Her eyes trailed over to Jae.
She seems despondent. She's more focused on the spirit than... The massive monster right now. It's too much to take in all at once, so she's focused more on him.
"..." She's so, so tired of seeing people around her hurt, especially... "Are we..." She wouldn't call the sound she let out an attempt at a small, lighthearted laugh, "...Switching roles, now, gramps..? Ah..." Jae shakes her head. "I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry about all of this... It's sooo..." She sucks in air through her teeth as she trails off.
@rcyalpains
Okay. He's calmed down. Mostly. He's at least blanked out instead of absolutely exploding, that's always. Better. Everything that was previously broken was fixed, it's nothing now, it's... He lets out a puff, crossing his arms. He looks over to a nearby doorway as a cultist hesitantly walked in, bowing ever so slightly.
"Everybody still present in Rupestrine has been made aware of the..." The older woman lightly smacks her lips as she chooses her next words especially carefully, "Duplicate. We will be more cautious from now on."
"Have you tracked down the deserters?" Pivolo all too casually put that god forsaken stupid plastic bubble blower into the side of a currently unseen mouth.
"Most of them, yes... They've scattered to many of the nearby villages... One managed to uh... Book a flight some way's away, though... We're working on it..."
Oh, it was torture. To not stick with what he was familiar with... He would keep that as his last surprise as he warmed himself up to this whole... 'Travelling' thing. He wouldn't deploy any of his beloved minions... Yet. No, no. He still has to be tentative. Cautious. Appearing in the middle of a completely new place, as much as it was nice... Could raise alarm with certain people. He understood that. Yes, yes. As fun as it could be to surprise people...
...The terrifying thing is, he isn't really... Fully... Restrained to the shadows. No. His camouflage is so good that he blends in with the ground, the walls-- Any surface, completely undetected. Watching nameless faces pass by, curiously listening in to conversations...
...For now. He was content. But who knows when he'd actually start prying into anything... Interesting.
The phone is haphazardly chucked off to the side. Not exactly fully destroyed, but it's shattered screen made it unreadable.
It made so much sense. Oh, how he wished it didn't!
His eyes twitch. An expression of barely restrained angers as triangular fingers dig into red palms. Guard01 was at least doing his due diligence in getting this explained to the rest of his troops, but. How many times. How many times has this other Pivolo rattled Pierre. He wouldn't admit it aloud, but. Of course his abilities weren't honed to near omnipitence, yet! Are you serious!? Logic classes! Those logic classes you got straight A's in back in your day!
You're probably looking at him with a stupid smile and you SAW how angry I got, but. Were you ALSO not that angry when Torchman was sealed away..??? Do you seriously have that little thought after you BARGED into HIS world like--...
"Torment your OWN Pierre, you absolute--" He hisses, his lower jaw detaching from his head for a moment before it simply grinded against it, back and forth.
But fine. He'll keep a closer eye on Pierre. Ohhhh, would he. He'd understand the magic of this daft book faster than you EVER did. Mark his words or not, he will.
"I know it sounds absurd, but..."
"...I think there are two Pivolos."
"TWO?!"
"Are you sure we weren't just encountering the idiot on bad days, or..."
"I mean, I doubt you'd joke about this sort of thing, Pierre..."
