Roar like thunder

“…Okay,” Till says, still somewhat begrudgingly.

“…I still coulda asked nicer, though.” He refuses to not take any blame for the obvious stress he caused Ismael. “I don’t like it when it feels like people are backin’ me inta a corner— hell, I don’t even like it when it feels like someone is orderin’ me ta do things, and I should respect you enough ta give you the same courtesy.

“I’m sure you would've been able ta handle it without me. I should be thanking you. So… Thanks.”

Till gives her a wry smile.

“I didn’t know you were so accident-prone. You didn’t seem the type! I’m gonna worry about ya all the time now.” He jokes half-heartedly, trying to steer the conversation to less serious topics.

“Don’t ever be afraid ta call me if you need help, okay?”

Ismael laughs. "That's me. MISS Ismael Accident Prone." Her gaze softens and she smiles, grateful for Till, really.

"I extend that same to you, Till. You can always reach out to me when you need anything." She wraps her arms around Till to give him a loving-squeeze hug.

"I got your back no matter what, man."

#inablinkgone #PRECIOUS

dazzlxd

Vivi sniffles when Ismael speaks. She raises a hand to wipe away any tears on her face. She takes another sip of her tea before she looks back up at Ismael.

"It is truly," Vivi says after a moment. "Still, I do need to protect myself." She looks down at the tea cup saucer in her lap.

"Plenty of people are concerned for my well-being with my current boyfriend."

Ismael reaches for a clean handkerchief in her pocket and passes it toward Vivianne.

"...."

She sighs softly, "it sucks," she whispers. There was no amount of sorry that happened to you that would fix anything. It happened to Vivianne, and that was that.

"Your boyfriend?" She asks curiously, though. "You mean that Cecil guy? Is he not treating you right?"

#dazzlxd

“Holy shit, Ismael…” Till’s voice is hushed with horror. Maybe that’s not the best thing to say in this situation, but it’s the first thing Till can think to say as he processes all that information.

“I-I… I didn’t know any of that… I’m… I’m really, really sorry… If I’d’ve known…” Till shakes his head, reaching for Ismael’s hand and linking their fingers together.

“I should’ve asked… I just… I mean, you were so brave on stage before, and I was the one breaking down… But I knew you’d struggled with stage fright in the past…” He mentally berates himself, “Argh… so stupid of me…

“I never meant ta make ya feel like you were in any danger… I know I’m not the smartest guy in the world, but you gotta believe me, this really seemed like a good idea ta me at the time!”

He squeezes Ismael’s hand in what he hopes is a reassuring way.

“…I don’t think you’re weak at all. You’re one of the strongest, bravest people I know, and I’m proud ta call you a friend. Everyone from my world has died or almost died at least once, and we’re all more than a little fucked up over it - I can’t imagine going through all that…”

Till takes Ismael’s hand in both of his, looking into her eyes earnestly.

“I don’t want you to die either… I wouldn’t have let you die, not if there was anything at all I could do to help it. That might not have meant much in the past, but I’m stronger now. Better prepared. And that’s in part ‘cause of you. I care about you, but I let my emotions get the better of me, and I hurt you…”

Usually, that happened when Till got too angry, but he hadn’t even been angry this time...

“S-sometimes… I do things without thinking, and I hurt the people around me, but I don’t wanna be like that anymore. Sometimes I need someone ta tell me I’m bein’ stupid, but my stupid decisions shouldn’t have ta be your responsibility. I want ya to feel safe. If you ever needed someone, I’d come runnin’. I want you ta be able ta feel safe around me.”

“I’m so sorry, Ismael… You don’t need to forgive me, but… is there anything at all I can do ta make it up ta ya?”

#AUGH TILL #Just wanna make sure his buddies are safe and okay #inablinkgone

"...." She looks at him this time and smiles, eyes puffed and red. "Pfft, I do feel safe with you. You're...." she sighs softly, "there's nothing for me to forgive. Back there, that was inevitable. We couldn't just sit back and let whatever happen. We'd have gotten mauled." Using her index finger, she wipes at the end corner of her eyes and shifts in her seat. She shakes off that negative feeling and breathes out.

"It was you and me. We had to do what we had to, and I wasn't going to let you deal with them on your own." THAT would have been one of the reasons they'd die. She rubs her thumb over his hand.

"None of it was your fault. Without you there? Sheesh....I don't know what would have happened. I know....I know I'd fight my hardest, but...." She shakes her head.

"Thanks, Till."

@insatiableluminary

She's so tall. Ismael doesn't think she's met someone as tall as this woman! Well, aside from War, of course.

"Uh, yeah...Actually, I run Starberry Production. It's a place where people can go to showcase their talents. Whether that's singing, acting, dancing...."

#insatiableluminary #insatiableluminary 01

dazzlxd

Vivi is taking a sip of her tea as Ismael inquires about the quality of it. She smiles warmly at the other.

"It is perfectly balanced for its brew," Vivianne answers. She settles the cup back in its saucer on her lap and takes a deep breath. Then lets it go.

"I was recently murdered, and then I killed the man who killed me during the whole debacle with the cyborgs." Vivi says without prompting. "That's how I've been doing."

Like that makes any sense. The Trainer isn't looking at Ismael, though. Her eyes are firmly on her tea.

"And that's why I've been going to the Dojang."

Ismael sets her cup down. Vivianne has her entire attention as the lady explains what had happened.

"...." and her gaze remains on her, but only for a moment before she picks up her tea and takes a light sip from it. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that," she says with a whisper.

Dying sucked. Ismael knew that better than anyone, especially someone with no special abilities like anyone else around.

Vi and her, they were similar in that.

"This place forces you to learn these things. I guess any world, really... but this place is like a melting pot for everything."

#dazzxld

Sal wasn't hungry, in fact his stomach felt like it had literal stones in it. Heavy and uncomfortable. What was this weight he was carrying?

He shook his head, and then he took off his prosthetic. That wasn't something he did willy-nilly, not even with the right people around. He just felt kind of muggy and hot. He hoped feeling the air on his face would give him some relief.

"No...I'm okay. I'll be okay. I'm just kind of confused." If anything, Ismael looked more freaked out than he did. "I feel like I should be the one comforting you."

Ismael holds both his hands, and she pulls him in further. He doesn't look good, and it only makes her feel more worried.

"No, I'm okay, too." She's just happy to see him. Though with the confusion he felt, she didn't want to RUSH him into things. "Hey, let's step out in the backyard. It's nice outside, so...." Maybe stepping out there and seeing the tree she planted would help ground him. The doll that ghost from his world kept (or at least a copy of it), rested among all the other mementos, after all.

#salfxsher

dazzlxd

Ismael is a welcome face to see. Vivi came here alone without Gwen, and the space almost made her wish she had brought her Pokemon along.

But how would she get stronger if she did?

"Hansol has been very patient with me," Vivi says - agreeing with Ismael. Though, her face falls when she's asked how she is. Then the offer to hang out at Ismael's home - a private space - comes up.

"That would be delightful, Issy." Vivi says - directly skipping over how she is doing. That can be saved for when they make it to Ismael's abode.

They are at Ismael's home, sitting outside in the backyard where the large tree sits at the center. There's a swing under it, and several little mementos underneath it, followed by carnations and other flowers.

Ismael looks out at them and hums in thought. The owls, Iyana and Yairie, are flying about, having fun with the gentle breeze.

"How's the tea? Is it to your taste? I tried not to make it TOO sweet, but I also didn't want to make it too bitter. Tried to find that sweet, sweet middle."

#dazzlxd #dazzlxd 02

Fingers flying across the fret, Till drops back and lets Ismael sing the last verse, focusing on shredding his guitar. He hasn’t played this intensely in a while, but the thick calluses he developed as a kid from hours and hours of playing protect the tips of his fingers from the worst of it. He knows we wouldn’t be able to finish singing the song anyway, and at this point, he’s not trying to prove anything to anyone.

He sees Ismael trying not to break, and his heart swells with emotion. The song ends with a final chord, and Till doesn’t wait to see the damage they’ve done to the monsters—he immediately rushes over to her side, pulling her into his arms and rubbing her back soothingly.

“Hey… Hey…” Till murmurs gently, empathetic tears springing to his eyes. “I know… I know… It’s okay… That was awesome… You did so good, Ismael…”

Till blinks back tears himself. Guilt gnaws at his stomach as he chews his lip.

“I… I didn’t know this was gonna be so hard for you… I’m… I’m really sorry I made you do this. I j-just thought that it might be good— It was selfish of me…”

He squeezes Ismael tighter to his chest, tucking her head under his chin.

“C’mon, I’ll bring you home.”

#SOBSOB SNOT SNOT #inablinkgone #isola event moonshade #tw death mention

It's when she feels those protective arms around her that she eventually breaks down. Unable to hold the pieces together. She sobs into him, fingers curling into his shirt as she grips tightly.

"Hhtch....Hc....." Her whole body weeps with her emotion. "No--hct.." While she had been able to speak earlier, she finds it hard to talk now. Her voice keeps breaking up, her breathing uneven as it keeps cutting her words up into pieces. So choppy. She sounds like a broken robot, and the thought has her laughing just a little bit in between her cries. So, instead, she shakes her head. At least to tell him without words that THIS was needed. It was necessary, and it wasn't his fault. They worked together, and that's all that mattered. It was over. They were in the clear.

---

She knows it's really over when they are back at her house. Eyes red from crying so much, but she seems to have calmed down. Till and she are both seated on the couch in the living space.

Till doesn't ask her anything, but he's been making sure she's okay. A cup of warm tea is on the table for both of them, and snacks that she brought over for them as well.

She stares out the window, unblinking. Chest tight, Ismael sighs heavily. Thumbs gently stroke over the warm cup.

"I was pushed down that big hole once. By someone I didn't even know. And one time, when the museum was first introduced, I saw my sister, Yaira. It was nighttime, but my sister---she wasn't my sister. Apparently, at night, all of the museum art there came to life, and they weren't nice.

My sister---a painting of my sister came to life as an actual being and killed me.

....

And then another time? ..." Ismael swallows thickly, the tears falls once more, but she continues,

"It was a dream, but it was another one of those things that happens. Like this one. Like the one with the museum, too. I wasn't alone. Together, we had to fight this giant snake that would disappear. Some giant zombie-like snake. A guy named Chris was with me, but I was weak. I got killed by it.

That giant hole opened up for us. There was a door that led to different places. When I entered, I was in some kind of space-related thing. Nothing like the Selene Station. This was something else, but....I wasn't alone this time either. Still, even so....We got killed. Pfft, I don't even remember what got us, but..."

Ismael sniffs and looks to Till. She wipes her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"I told myself after that that I wouldn't let myself die again. Not like that. Not like those past deaths. I was scared that it'd happen again. That I'd die and be the cause of your's, too. Even if death isn't permanent? The scars still stays with you. W-Whether it's physical or mental. The trauma is still there....And....And...and I didn't want that. I didn't want to add on another trauma for either of us.

So....So I was really, really...."

She sniffs, lowers her gaze from him and wipes at her eyes again with her arm this time.

Sal placed his hands on her shoulders, looking at her in the face. It was difficult for him to recall much when seeing her so upset. So he closed his eyes and lowered his head slightly. "I....I'm not sure..."

"I wish I had a better answer for you, but ...I can't remember anything. I just know.....I know you, I know me...I know this house...but..." Any specifics weren't coming to mind.

#Sometime I forget Issy goes to therapy and she sees Aurelius #isola open

She brushes the side of his face, thumb grazing gently against the corner of his lips. She listens, hanging on to his every word.

He didn't remember anything from his last time here. It's as if time were reverting. Like, time reverted back for him from before his last visit. While she remembered the worn-down look of Sal, the haunted look in those eyes, the way he carried himself back then...

There was no memory with Sal right now. She inhales a shaky breath and then shakes her head.

"Okay....Okay," She whispers and brings both her hands around him for another hug. "It's okay. You don't have to remember anything else." It was fine. He was here the way he had been before. She was okay with that. Sal was Sal no matter which version.

"Did you eat? Are you...Are you hungry?" She grabs his hand after releasing her hold on him and pulls him in further into the house.

#salfxsher

@dazzlxd

"Hey, Vivianne. I saw you at the dojang a bit ago. I was a little surprised to see you there, but happy nonetheless!" This place could be crazy. If Viv didn't have the need to actually learn how to fight and now was learning, THAT part did not make her happy at all. Ismael was just happy to see another familiar face.

"Hansol is a great teacher, so you're in excellent hands."

There's a pause and then a worried look, "Hey? Everything alright, though? You taking care of yourself and all that, right?" She looks around. They're out in public. She looks to Vivianne and smiles. "Hey wanna hang out? I was about to actually head back home to tend to the tree at the backyard. It's a couple of annis, if you wanna join."

#dazzlxd

She hopes Aurelius is okay.

She was supposed to be in for her session, but...

"I guess I can just schedule when he's back. Hm."

sacristia

Luka has very little natural curiosity towards others. He's not usually inclined to ask them questions about themselves, not even when it's someone being kind enough to help him and fix one of his possessions. And to be fair, this kind of curiosity could perhaps be attributed to the fact that it surrounds something he's actually interested in, but...

"...Can you solve one?" He questions as he's sat there, patiently waiting for the fix. He can. He never found it to be any amazing feat until he watched how much Hyuna would light up at how quickly he could solve one, no matter how much she messed it up for him beforehand.

"Sure can. I spent hours trying to figure it out back then. I got in trouble with my teacher way too many times for sneaking in, trying to solve it." Ismael laughs, shaking her head, "I don't remember 'em being small, though." Guess that's what happened when you didn't see something from childhood in a while. They looked smaller.

Now, she's focused on fixing his Rubik'sube. She cleans it well, then proceeds to carefully paint the small enough piece for the Cube in the correct shade.

"I bet it wasn't like this. Bet the Stars took a piece," She says with a roll of her eyes. "If you have a belonging with you, they'll either turn it into a toy, wood, or something, or they give you some half-baked something." They had humor; she'll give them that.

Now, she carefully slides the piece in until---DONE.

"Hehe! Here! See if it works fine with the new piece!" She hands it to him.

#sacristia #sacristia 01

‘Isn't it lovely, all alone? Heart made of glass, my mind of stone.’

Letting Ismael solo the beginning of the chorus, Till takes her lead and shoots two of the closest monsters dead before joining her again in singing.

“Tear me to pieces, skin to bone. Hello, welcome home.”

Hearing their voices meld together properly for the first time in song fills Till with euphoria. Fire ignites behind his eyes and in his movements as he drops his gun to the ground to focus on his guitar, tearing his way through the chords.

“Walking out of time, Looking for a better place. Something's on my mind, Always in my head space…”

Till gives a devilish smirk to the phantom with red eyes across the stage, grinning at his fears with manic glee and a devil-may-care attitude.

His own demons held at bay, Till notices Ismael is struggling with the singing parts and struts towards her to plant his own microphone stand beside her, reminding her she’s not alone. ‘Together’, she had said.

In his element, Till confidently meets her eyes, boldly singing into the mic while facing her—practically screaming his emotions into the song.

“But I know someday I'll make it out of here Even if it takes all night or a hundred years Need a place to hide, but I can't find one near Wanna feel alive, outside I can't fight my fear…”

#EXACTLY you get it!#inablinkgone #isola event moonshade #tw gun #WELP

Ismael never did like guns, but she's been around them enough time to not be too scared of them. Besides, dying by these things was scarier. Even as they move, shooting arrows and bullets, assisting the guards, they still sing. They sang together, perfect in harmony.

Adrenaline runs thick in her veins, pumping blood to keep her MOVING. Ismael meets Till's own eyes. Her hands tighten around the mic that she now holds in both her hands. Her bow resting at her back, strap over her shoulder.

He sings the second verse with all his might, and she feels the tears in her eyes stinging a bit. She holds those tears back, and she joins in.

She vocals as his backup and then WHOO, to the sound of the beat, as if to get rid of that negative energy. Till was working hard. She had to keep up with him. She wouldn't have him doing all the work alone. Together. They were in this together. And though

Isn't it lovely, all alone?

Heart made of glass, mind of stone.

Tear me to pieces, skin and bone

Hello...Welcome home."

Just when they thought they'd get swarmed over, the monsters were defeated, leaving the guards, the owls, and the two singers as the only ones standing. Iyana and Yaira fly toward the two to check in and make sure they are unharmed.

It was over, it seemed.

Those tears that Ismael kept holding back came rushing out uncontrollably. "Th-at...Fuck....Fuck..." And she wasn't one to swear. She continues to sob, but manages to speak and somewhat laugh, "that....W-as....sc-....a..ry..."

“’Do over’, huh? I like that.” Till tries to give Ismael a reassuring smile, but it’s wobbly at best, and he knows it. Still, he squeezes her hands, his own eyes shimmering with empathetic tears.

He looks mildly surprised when Ismael picks up her weapons before his expression hardens into one of acceptance. The world can be a cruel place after all, no matter which one you end up in, and it only makes sense that another powerless human would find a way to protect themself. He removes his own weapon from his shoulder harness and checks to make sure the pistol is fully loaded.

“I’ll make sure they don’t get too close t’ you either. ‘Together’, remember?” Till nods seriously to Ismael and then each of the owls in turn. “Ladies. I’ll be countin’ on ya.”

Shouldering his guitar for now so he can keep his pistol in hand, Till leads them onto the stage. Ismael seems even more reluctant than he is to be here, so Till takes it upon himself to start singing first this time as soon as he reaches his microphone stand.

“Thought I found a way, Thought I found a way out. But you never go away, So I guess I gotta stay now.”

All of the monsters in the area whip their heads around at the sound of Till’s somber voice, but Till can’t tear his eyes away from the burning ones staring at him from across the stage—eyes he knows well at this point that only he can see.

“Oh, I hope some day I'll make it out of here, Even if it takes all night or a hundred years. Need a place to hide, but I can't find one near, Wanna feel alive, outside I can't fight my fear.”

#The owls giggling like the two geese from Aristocats #inablinkgone #isola event moonshade

With the owls and guards handling the monsters and with Till taking the first lines of the songs, it gives Ismael some time to gather herself. She's still shaky. She grips the microphone tightly. Seeing the monsters off stage is unnerving, but....but she does her best. She keeps her eyes on Till for the time being, focusing on him.

She has to focus on him.

They have to get out of here alive.

Never again....n-never again am I going to let that happen to me. I won't die again. Never again....

Those were her promises to herself. That meant getting out of here ALIVE with Till, too.

She misses some of the singing she was supposed to do, but Till handles the part just fine without her backup singing.

When he finishes

She picks up the chorus:

Isn't it lovely, all alone? Heart made of glass, my mind of stone. Tear me to pieces, skin to bone. Hello, welcome home...

She reaches for her weapon this time, easily adjusting her bow in line, easily pulling that arrow back without any effort, and SWOOSH!

The arrow in high speed, penetrates through one of the monster's chests that managed to get on stage.

Just before another monster can get to the stage, she's shooting another. Switches an arrow to a flaming one and shoots another.

Despite his mind fog and slight confusion, Sal now was focusing on giving Ismael whatever comfort that he could.

"It's alright, I'm here now." He gently rubbed her back with his hands; small circles. This had happened before. He'd disappeared before.

They couldn't control it. He couldn't; and that was one of the most terrifying things about this world.

#salfxsher #Welcome back sallyface ;.;

The way she holds him. She's so afraid he'll just disappear again. She knows that isn't how it works. They had time, but still. She wants to beg him to stay. To never disappear again, but she knows---they BOTH know that something like that was impossible. He didn't get a say in whether to stay or not. She didn't have the power to keep him here either. As much as she'd want that kind of power, it wasn't hers to have.

"Sal..." She sniffles, finally looking up at him with tearful eyes. This time, she's looking for something. Last time he was back, he had been a little different. Sadder. Something had happened. Something awful. They hadn't had the chance to talk about it, really.

"What do you remember last?"

Sal feels bad. Sick to his stomach even. It's always like this. Like waking up from a half-remembered dream until everything snaps back into place. Then he's in reality again; or some form of it anyway.

Thoughts and feelings come back automatically...yet slowly, like a dripping faucet while he takes the cab to the personal housing area. He's wondering how long it's been. Some say none of this world is real, but the people that live here, they are real enough. It feels real, he can feel it.

So that's enough.

The emotions come rushing back as soon as he unlocks the door. For a moment he hesitates before he pushes the door open. He squeezes his eyes tightly and holds back tears. He may not remember how long it's been, but perhaps his body knows what he doesn't?

Ismael's voice and her embrace appears slow motion for a moment; until she touches him. Then it all snaps back into place once again.

"H-hey...." He hugs her back of course, arms coming up to wrap around her.