gocirclegogo | It's a very very mad world...

...[Well, the good news is this one doesn't seem bothered. The bad news is she's a trained exorcist with too much curiosity for 'his' health.

The worst news is she just bapped him with a piece of bread.]

Don't panic.

[The prime example of decision-making gets the exact opposite effect for those words. Red panics more, turning to see what bapped him-

And he freezes, what little color was there draining from his face. He looks like he's seen a ghost. Because really, you're the first other human that he's seen in a very, very long time. The first live one in even longer. His breathing quickens, his light red eyes somehow widening further.

He doesn't say anything. He can't say anything. He can barely even think anything by this point.]

I said don't panic. Deep breaths. Panicking only gives them a greater hold on you.

I'm not explaining anything until you're breathe properly. Inhale.

[There's no nonsense allowed here, Red, get your shit together.]

[...Oh. You can tell.

Well, that certainly gets a shift. Ghost doesn't like it when people know it's there in advance. Red can feel it trying to take control now. It's second nature to him to immediately focus on trying to hold it off, no no no, he's tired of this, he doesn't want to kill again--!]

...H-How...You're alive? [He sounds about as shaky as his mental condition is, but at least he's measuring his breaths now. Hyperventilating never helps suppress Ghost.]

Yes, and this is going to be complicated enough, so listen up, both of you.

This isn't your world. The best theory I have is the Beings in the Outer Ring have made enough of a hole that people sometimes fall through into this one. This city is London, the year is 1882, and it's currently late March.

As for him, he may want to lay low because I doubt any of the Outer Gods nor the angels in this city are going to take kindly to him here.

[It's a warning to both of them. She doubts either the high inquisitor would really have any trouble killing a possessed teenager, and no Outer God gets to be that way without being willing to kill when it deemed necessary. Either Ghost doesn't pick a fight with those things, or Red keeps it under control; Knight doesn't particularly care either way.]

[Red...doesn't really understand any of that. Like, not even a little bit other than he is suddenly in a world where he is not the sole remaining human. Red's initial reaction can best be described as a Blue Screen Of Death, but in that second where he's confused enough to stop actively combating Ghost's influence there's a telltale flicker of blood red in his irises.

Red instantly gets back to working against it, but he's wavering now. He knows the warning won't deter Ghost. He's tried to get rid of it every way he can think of, from releasing it to boxing it to throwing the ball into a volcano to attempting suicide. Nothing works. He has no hope that any of these "outer god" or "angel" things you speak of will be able to destroy Ghost.

Maybe they'll be able to kill him, though. Do what he can't.]

...I-It won't lay low. Ghost never does. [And he's struggling to keep control now. He's been weakened to the point where he can't last long.]

Is that so?

[Knight is fast, and without warning there's a hand on his forehead. She's switched languages abruptly, in a chant that burns across his forehead.]

All hail the glory of Agni, o'm!

[The effect is akin to shoving Ghost in a box. It'll last only until the box is broken, and how long a box lasts depends on the nature of the thing inside it.

Well, it's a temporary solution, at least.]

[WHAT

WHAT

Red can't help but cry out at the sudden contact and seal. He takes an unbalanced step backward and end up falling on his bum, but when he stops freaking out enough to process what just happened...Ghost's influence is gone. He can still sense it, trapped in that box and struggling to get out, but...It's almost like Red is free.

He stares up at you in wonder. He doesn't know what you did, but...he's grateful.] ...Y-You...what did you... How did you...

I was trained as an exorcist. You, take the time to get a stronger will. I can't tell you how, that depends on you.

I've only bought you time, understand?

...Can't. [That's probably the calmest he's sounded this whole time. If there's one thing he knows for certain, it's that he isn't strong. He's weak, and he always will be. He might have been strong once, but Ghost has broken his spirit, possibly beyond repair.

But he nods, because he does understand. He might be able to do something now. Maybe he can repent.

Maybe he'll finally be allowed to die.

It's been too long, and he can barely tell the difference between himself and Ghost anymore. He hates himself. He's sick of being Ghost's puppet. There's a different kind of willpower to him now, the kind anyone planning suicide has. The strength of will to go through with it.]

Edited (wrong icon) 2013-03-21 07:08 (UTC)

[And he gets swatted with bread again.] Not that, you'll just let him loose again. Is that really what you want now?

...Don't want to live. Don't deserve to live.

[But since when has what Red wants ever mattered?]

[He can panic however he pleases, what with the different reality and the people avoiding him in droves, and the fact that a voice appears from right to his left even though there is no way someone can move that quietly. Or how a twisted aura to rival Red's can just pop out of nowhere like that.

And The Thing tilts It's head like this is a normal day.] 「NEW GUY OR OPIUM?」

[Totes normal.]

[It's more the shock of someone suddenly being next to him than the nasty aura that makes him jump back, really. It's not really a problem for him, given he's been stuck with Ghost for ages. His reaction is more concern and bewilderment than fear or hatred.

...Or, it will be, once he stops flatlining over the fact there's a living person right in front of him. He hasn't seen one in who even knows how long.]

...H-How...You're...a-al--? [Nope, can't get more than that out. Did you ask a question? He probably missed it.]

「ALIVE? WO~W, YOU'RE MESSED UP. WAKE UP, DUMBASS! TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND COUNT TO TWENTY.」

[The only one who could tell this is him being nice would be the credit union. Liam you shut the hell up over there, he can hear you cackling from here- Lalala~]

[Well, that's confirmation. And it's true, he's pretty messed up - even he can tell that. ...Instructions are good, at least he knows what to do when he gets instructions. Follow them. He nods weakly and takes a deep breath...it's pretty clear from his expression that he hasn't really calmed down much, it's just easier if he knows to do something.

...He has to count on his fingers.]

...One...two...three, uh...four. Five...sev- six? [Six comes next? Is that right?]...

「FI~V~ SIX, SE~VEN EIGHT! DOESN'T THE ARMY DO CHANTS LIKE THAT? I CHANGED MY MIND! TWENTY PUSHUPS! WHAT'S YOUR NAME, KID?」

[He can do instructions. Especially since having that mindless activity to rely on seems to be helping the crazy one calm down a bit. Seeeeee? Seeseeseeseesee he's helpingggg~ Take that universe.]

...Red. 'M Red. [Yup. Named after a color. He doesn't think to ask your name, too. Funny how being alone for ages destroys social conventions.

...He'll get on the ground and start doing pushups, then. He isn't completely sure how many twenty is, but well. He'll get there? He's actually a lot stronger than he looks. He's a lean beanpole who only seems to have muscles when he's actually using them.]

[He gets through about three when there is the feeling equal to all evil in the universe sitting on his back. It weighs about as much as a malnourished tiny jerk.]

「RED! NICE TO MEET YOU! WHAT UNIVERSE DID YOU FALL IN YOU FROM?」

[Because he regularly gets hijacked by something with that exact same feeling, the most sitting on him will get you will be some muscles tightening and maybe his back stiffening. But Red won't try to get you off of him. If you decide he's your chair, he'll let you sit on him. He'll try to keep doing pushups though, since you never said to stop!]

...Uh? [How does he even begin to answer that, and what do you mean what universe?]

[He'll get off at twenty. 'Till then, keep working douchebag.]

「WELL, YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU'RE FROM LONDON! THAT MEANS YOU CAME IN THROUGH THEIR SONGS! BUT THAT TALK CAN BE SAVED FOR LATER. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR WORLD, RED-KUN.」

[Will do. ...Even if he kind of lost track of how many he's on a few pushups ago.

...His world. Well, before he says anything, he's taking a moment to guilt-trip.] ....Empty. F-Full of...graves. No one left.

「AH, WHAT A SHAME. I WOULD LOVE TO LIVE IN A WORLD LIKE THAT. TOO BAD YOU'RE HERE! FILLED WITH HUMANS! IT'S TERRIBLE.」

[Ultra super sucky terrible, bluhhh]

[That gets Red to freeze. For multiple reasons. Someone who'd actually like to live in a world devoid of people? And...if this world is full of people, Red's going to need to find a place to isolate himself. Ghost will make him kill again. He doesn't want to, he's tired of it, he hates it why won't it stop why can't he escape--]

...Sh-Shouldn't be here. Not safe. [He isn't sure if he's warning you or explaining why he shouldn't be here. Bit of both, really.]

「YOU DIDN'T HIT TWENTY.」

[He totally passed twenty, but for the first time that Twenty seems to stand for a lot more than the number. But either way, it means the Minus remains sitting on your spine. Too bad any attempt to finish his last push-up is like Red becomes Atlas, shoving up the weight of the world.]

「AH, BUT YOU NEED TO SPEAK IN SENTENCES! WHO'S NOT SAFE? ME OR YOU? I HOPE YOU BECAUSE I'M NEVER UNSAFE, HAHA!」

[His arms are aching, but he will try to keep going. Even if it's impossible, he'll strain against it.]

...N. No one. 'M dangerous, so.. N-No one's safe. [No one's safe while he's around and he's not a safe person to be around. Grammatically correct in either case, not that he planned it hat way.]

[Well done, Red. Keep working at it! That kind of stupid determination is the providence of the credit union.]

「REALLY? I THINK I'M PRETTY UNHARMED RIGHT NOW. IN FACT, I'M PUSHING YOU TO YOUR LIMITS AND I'M STILL UNSCATHED!」 [The worst part is he is kind of right.] 「YOU'RE WORRYING TOO MUCH. THEY LOVE THIS WORLD TOO MUCH TO LET SOME KID LIKE YOU WRECK THEIR TOY. NOT WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION.」

[He'll keep trying, even as he must divide his attentions between trying, the conversation, and mental combat with Ghost. That horrible aura around him is stronger now that Ghost is trying to take over.]

...'M not...letting it win today. [That's in answer to your being unscathed. The rest of yours only get confusion out of him, though.] ...Who?

[Good good, keep going! You're not sorry. You're not wrong.]

「WELL SAID! SHOW THAT HEADCRAB WHO'S BOSS!」 [The fuck's a headcrab? -- Except he gets distracted from answering that by smiling brightly.]

「THEM! YOU AND YOUR FRIEND PROBABLY HEAR THEM ALREADY! THEY'RE THE VOICES IN YOUR HEART SAYING 'Y̤̬͚̫̦̣͍̲̠̱͇͖̫̞̮ͭ̓̊̿̎̓̒̓̐̏̒ͫ̋ͮͮͧ͘͢͝ͅĪ͇̪͈̺̞̳̘̮͙̤͔͔̼͓̬ͪ͋ͤ͋͐ͫ̎͘͝ͅR̵̡͈͈̮̓̉͊ͯ̈̂̆͐̓̊̌͆ͣ̋ͅ-̢̦͓͍̬̖̮̬̩̮̼͙͙͙̯̗̳̯͍̭̀̽ͣͫ̍͒͢Q̔ͩ̑ͤͯͦ̚͏̴͉̤̗͚̭͕͓͇͕̀̕U̗͍̺͙ͩ̃͒̆ͭ̊̾͠͝N͈̮̺̫̜͍̞͇̙͕̤̥̤͍̞̆̋ͭ̄͗̈ͬ͆̑ͧ͘͝I͂͂ͯ͑͊̄̏̒̾̇́ͮ̆̅ͧ̕͢͏̩͇̠͖͟ ̧̢̱̙̫͍͋ͭ͗́̓̇̀ͩͧ͆͘D̴̷̥̝̞͚̥̱͈͇̟̯̪̬̙͚̽̒̊ͦ̽̊̈͊ͫͤ́͡͞Ú̗̦͍̟̪͇͓͖̙̠̟͕̬̠̪̟̤͎͌̍̐̓͜͠'̴̶̡͔̼̱̪͕̥̣̩͚̔ͭͤͨ̒̅ͩ͑̀̌̃ͮ̽ͧ̓̍͋͞͠U̶̵̧̧͔̦̰̫͇͎̯̞͉̜̙̬͖̻̖̦ͨ̍ͫ̃ͧͬ͆͊̃̄ͤ͟Ǎ̶̴̪͕͔̫̝̈́̎͗͗̑̈́̊̆̏͂̃̽̿ͦ̿ͮ͊ͅL̪̝̣̥̤̝͔͗̇ͨͪ̂̓̍ͩ̃̋̿͊̊̿ͪ́͟͡ ̢̋͒ͧͮ̐͋͐͋ͧ͂͏̦̣͓̤̲̤Ş̹̘̼̩̻̫̙́̃̒̉͞͡Ḫ̶̶̨͓͈̜̦̟̲̦͉͖̣ͨ̇̓̑̃͌ͨ̌ͤ̐̌͛ͦͭ'̢̰̻̟̬̥̝̼̘̞͔̺͚̠̤͈̪̠̰ͧͫͪ̈́ͩ͊̍ͯ͗ͦ̅͌̆ͭ̋̃̃͡ͅI̞̻̱̭̮̫͖̎ͫ̊ͤ̿͆ͪ̚͞͡E̴̛̝͖̭̝̻̻̘̱̯̮̪͍̤̺̱̥͈̱ͧ͐ͨ̆̐͠L̎ͨ̃͐͝҉̗̗̙͖̝͞Ḑ̛͇̠͖̰̠̺̠̙͍͇̮̺̎̋̂̆ͨͤ̈́͆ͨ́̍͘͟͟ ̴̰̗̯͓̯͉̘̦͚̽ͣ̑ͧͥ̃̔͋͛ͭ̚̚͜͠T̛̩͓̹͉̞̻̗͉̫̥͈̖̼͇̣̠̠̂̏͆͗͟͡Iͬͤ͆̉̀ͧͫ̉̒ͮͬ̊͗̋̕͏̢̠̠̪͍̳̲̳̤͈̥͖͈͡Ȇ̴̡̧̲̥͉͙͔̼̼̦̩͍͕̯̜̣͉ͭ̔̆̎͗̊̄ͩ̐͐ͧ̀̑ͮ̃ͩ̀̚Ļ̛̹͕͎̙̖̺̰̇͗͋̓ͭͦ͑̎͆̿̾̀̍͡͡-̵̘̪̗̺̫̮̱͊͂̐̍͐̈́ͫͦ́͝I̡ͭ̀͆ͭ̉ͨͨ͌̓͑̈͗ͫ̑̚͜҉̩̣̙̺̝͉̳̻̤Zͬ̈́ͮͮͣ̃̒͆͒ͩ̑̂̍̃ͬ́҉̸͔̰̩̖̱̟̱̰̰̞͕̲͔̺͕̦̱D̢̛ͤ̋̒̆̅͊̒͊̊̓ͧ̍҉̛̭̘̦̮̣̮̕ ̴̧̢̜̞̫̘͔̝̥͇͙͖̺̫͓̙̫̤͚̑ͣ̔ͫ͆ͅͅV̠͙̰͉̲̮̤͋ͩ̑ͭ̂͂̑̀͘ͅ'̂ͤͤ͊ͨ̚҉̳̙͎͍̘͕́͘͠L̡̢͕̮̲̖̭̹̍ͮ̈́́̈́ͫͤO̷̜̮̬̼̘̲͈̥͕͍̤̲͂ͪ̃̑̌̋̅ͧ̅͌̋̓̕ͅĬ̺̟͇͈̠̥̣̞̖̻͋͒̊̇̒ͯ̊͊ͪ͟͠M̻̟̖͍̖̦͍̞͔̘̙̒̀ͣ̇͋́͆̌̈́͒̔ͨ͋͗͐̓̓̀̕-̫̺̻̳̩̓̇̏ͮ̓ͤ̕T̷̙͖͎̜͔̠͙̪͚̍̎̒́̎ͪ͒̆͘͟͢͝!̨̜̞̗̰̘̹̜̣̗̮̝͎͚͖ͦ͛̀̓̇̓ͫ̄ͣͨͧ̍̀'」

[Jesus christ that shit makes your soul bleed from how much it hurts, how can a human even make that kind of sound he's not human It's not human It's not human]

[See, that would probably get more of a reaction out of him. That is, it would if it didn't sound so like everything he hears while he's possessed. Instead of a scream, it gets something like a strangled sob, during which Ghost almost gets control.

Now that Their voices have been pointed out, he can hear them; he legitimately had not noticed until now. ...Did we mention he's slow?]

..."Headcrab"? [Yep. That's his reaction, once he's finished internally flailing over that voice.]

Edited (get out random n) 2013-03-25 05:26 (UTC)

「HEY! YOU TOOK THAT PRETTY WELL! MOST PEOPLE BLEED PROFUSELY FROM MULTIPLE ORIFACES AND DIE IN INDESCRIBEABLE AGONY! GOOD FOR YOU! GOLD STAR!」

[He writes it off as he's not that crazy. Yet. If he hears them now then it's only a matter of time before the words can be heard without pain. And when that time comes, he'll have a dictionary and a contract.

He's not sorry.]

「OH. THEY'RE ALIENS FROM THIS ONE VIDEO GAME. YOU PLAY AS MORGAN FREEMAN OR SOMETHING AND YOU HAVE A DUMB MUSTACHE AND A DUMBER OUTFIT AND THEN EVERYONE TAKES APART YOUR ENGINE TO MAKE BETTER GAMES. BUT THE HEADCRABS WERE THESE THINGS THAT LATCH ON YOUR HEAD AND RIP IT OUT AND THEN TAKE ITS PLACE. CONSTANTLY RAN AROUND ON THE CEILING. ANNOYING LITTLE BASTARDS!」

[These are the exact conversations you should be having after hearing into forever.]

[...You know he wouldn't be surprised if Ghost's made specifically that happen to people before.

But let's focus on the video game topic, Red would rather not discuss the finer points of possession and Old Ones.]

...Don't think I've played that one. Not for the SNES...? [Yup, Red knows SNES games.]

It's a very very mad world...

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