how can anything survive when these little minds tear you in two? [SEMI-OPEN]

[circumitus]

Who: Rey, her Doppelgänger, and VARIOUS (includes both open and closed starters in the comments).
What: Following the train of separate open logs over the Dead Ringers event. The timeline in the link is relatively loose but it covers the gist of things.
Where: Several corners of Hadriel.
When: January 16th-25th.
Warnings: Violence. Possible death and implications of sexual assault/innuendo. Manipulation. Rey is not a happy person by any means and does not have a very happy background. Feel free to check out the permissions post if you have any concerns beforehand.
Notes: If you're tagging in an open prompt, please be sure to indicate which day of the week it is in the subject line! Also I'll try to match whichever format you fancy.

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I. January 16th-20th

She was created out of air. Not a construct from a lab, melded together by flesh and cells donated by two exceptional genetic donors.

Oh, ho, ho, it's magic, you know,
Never believe, it's not so.

Magic. At one point her other half would have chided at the very suggestion of such a thing existing. But time breeds experience, and experience inspires intrigue. Intrigue which turns into a little bit of curiosity. After all, her time here is limited, before returning to the ether where all the constructs inevitably go. So what's the use in fretting over details and results?

No, this is fun. Too much so for it to be short-lived any more than it already is meant to be. Thus, she keeps her distance, following her other half for some time before deciding to deviate. Good thing Rey is not one to maintain a diverse wardrobe, as looking the part is simple enough. Walking the part, talking the part, being the part is simple enough. It isn't the first time she has had to.

The only difference is the usual weapons she bears are different. One would have to be observant enough to notice the long machete at her hip in place of the kukri, the blade dissimilar in shape and curve. She'll make use of it, sooner or later...

For now, she can be found in some parts of the city: By the river, in the groves, or in alleyways, hacking and slashing at the air from which she was formed. The swift motions cutting through with a whistle as the blade makes effortless strikes with trained precision.

Just be careful where you step. Wouldn't want to get cut, would we?

Would we?

II. Wildcard

[ooc: If you have any other ideas in mind, just tag in whatever or contact me ahead of time, via plot comment, PM, or hit me up on plurk (citygrit) or discord (revalev#6927)!

Comments

January 17th (Closed to Rey and Firo's Doppelgänger)

[circumitus]

The fact that something seems to be amiss doesn't occur to Rey right away. The only thing that troubles her are the frequent feelings of being followed. Being stalked. She sleeps very little as it is, but even less so now with the lingering presence of something standing over her, or peering through the window. Watching her.

Maybe drowning her paranoia at the bar is the last thing she should be doing, but Rey is beyond caring at this point. She hasn't slept, and the weight of her insomnia is pulling her down as it is. With every bottle, she begins to care less and less.

Rey doesn't even bother fussing over that repeating sense of suspicion when the bar door opens. She is into far too many drinks for that now.

[foundafamily]

There are many ways to kill someone. For this situation, double Firo is certain that the best way to kill his original is to do it through the heart. Fortunately for him, the original has left plenty of obvious weak points in his cute little "family."

They seem like nice enough people, he guesses. If it weren't for their importance to his original, he might even want to hang out with them. Too bad. At least this means that he doesn't have to feign friendliness or good cheer when he spots Rey in the bar.

"Hey, Rey! Mind if I join you?"

He doesn't wait for an answer before he reaches for a drink and plops down beside her. They are, after all, good friends.

[circumitus]

It isn't much a surprise to find Firo wandering in here. This is as much one of his haunts as it is hers, it seems.

What is a surprise is that he asks first--

"Um, su..."

--only to help himself to a seat and drink anyway.

Oh. Um. Hm.

Rey blinks slowly, staring at 'Firo' for a moment before nodding. Oblivious to his intentions, but not that clueless so as not to ask questions. "Is anything up?"

[foundafamily]

Firo shrugs. "Nah. Just bored. There's not much goin' on here, you know? But I guess I should be grateful."

He holds the wine bottle out to her with one hand. "Are you gonna want any of this? Not that you don't seem to be doing a good job of finding your own."

Meanwhile, the hand closer to her stays out of sight behind their backs. He flicks that wrist, aiming to draw his knife and plunge it into her ribs in one smooth motion.

[circumitus]

As she opens her mouth to respond, the movement along Firo's shoulder catches her attention. Too quick for an untrained eye. But Rey isn't what you'd call untrained.

Then again, neither is Firo.

Or 'Firo', for that matter.

Rather than going for the bottle he's offered her, she whips her body around the seat. Knocking his aim away by blocking his forearm with her wrist.

"I'd ask if this is your way of trying to test my reflexes, but even you don't strike me as the type." Definitely not the type to do so with those he considers family, knife in hand.

Far as she is concerned, this is Firo. Maybe the city is messing with him, in the same way it had tried to get her to kill Miriam.

[foundafamily]

He laughs, "'Even me'? Should I be offended?

"I guess it's too much to ask for you to give up now? Too bad."

He rises from the bar stool in one quick motion, feinting like he's going to slash at her head now. At the same time, he smashes the bottle against the bar and tries to stab her other side with the broken off pieces.

Does it leave his torso open? Yes, but here's one of the perks to being immortal.

[circumitus]

Yes, be offended, 'Firo'. Be very, very offended.

While she didn't bring a sharper knife to a fight, Rey is rarely prepared. She reels back, only to find his knife trick to be a distraction before glass cuts into her side.

Shit. She really does have a problem with running out of shirts. You'd be surprised with how hard it can be to find simple, sleeveless garb in this damned city.

She grunts, reacting fast before those glass edges cut too deep into her skin. She kicks up the stool, the first thing she can get her hands on, and swings. Knocking it against 'Firo's' chest in order to push him back. And for her to get her bearings for a few seconds.

"If by give up you mean roll over and die," she replies between her teeth, "you're going to have to try a lot harder than that."

[foundafamily]

The stool hits him in the chest, and he has to step back to recover his footing. He kicks it down so it rolls out of the way.

He decides to keep the glass in his other hand. Any wounds it gives him will heal later, and he can use it to keep her on her toes.

He laughs, "Don't worry, I will."

He advances again, then abruptly changes his pace to swipe at her throat with the glass.

[circumitus]

If it's one thing Rey is doing best right now, it's staying on her toes. Her feet shuffle, knees bend slightly as she swerves downward and to the side. A split second slower and she would have taken that hit to the eyeball instead.

Instead, she goes for his legs. Aiming to kick him off his feet and onto the bar floor. She might be a little buzzed, but her moves still pack a punch.

"The fuck is the matter with you, huh?"

[foundafamily]

He hisses as she catches his legs. As he tumbles, he pushes against her leg as hard as he can to buckle her knee. And, he hopes, cause quite a bit of pain too.

"Whaddaya mean? This isn't normal?" His sarcasm isn't mild--Firo doesn't really do subtle that well. He hops back to his feet.

"I have a job to do. So I'm gonna carry out--does that explain it to you?"

[circumitus]

This isn't normal, but Rey isn't going to dignify that taunt with a response. She stumbles before she can answer anyway, her knee giving way. It's only a few seconds, but enough for her to catch her footing again rather than crumbling to the floor. By then 'Firo' is already back on his feet, and she's retreated a few steps.

"Not really, to be perfectly honest," she quips.

She doesn't wait for him to strike again, and throws herself over the bartop and onto the other side. This not only puts the counter between him and her, she also seizes a particular bottle from the selection lined on the wall.

Rey raises the end of it at him, squeezing the bottle by the neck. "So who is it this time? Rage making people go postal again?"

[foundafamily]

"Eh, too bad." Well, maybe she'll figure it out. He certainly doesn't mind talking while they do this; it's more fun that way.

He watches her change position, and he stays a hair more than an armslength away from her; he doesn't yet move to go over the counter.

"I'm not mad at you. This is between me and him--so, sorry, but I think you're what they call 'collateral damage.'"

[circumitus]

Something about being referred to as 'collateral damage' is ironic to Rey. And what 'Firo' says does strike her as interesting.

"That right?" She flips the bottle, before cracking the top section over the counter. It breaks, but allows only a little bit of its contents to escape. "Then I guess I won't feel too bad doing this."

With that, in a seemingly futile and pointless attempt, she hurls the bottle at 'Firo'. Dousing him in alcohol.

[foundafamily]

Firo quirks one eyebrow as the drink covers him. He's not going to be happy about the inevitable ruin coming to his clothes, but he supposes it's worth it in the grand scheme of things.

"That's your strategy? Did you forget I'm just gonna come back?"

He leans over the counter to grab for her wrist. "Go ahead."

[circumitus]

As he takes her wrist, her expression darkens. But she doesn't struggle to immediately pull away.

Instead, she seizes a handful of his shirt, yanking him towards her.

"Asshole, I'm going to make sure you don't even get the chance."

Not only does 'Firo's' body temperature rise, but the whole bar ripples as well. Not enough to cause flame to the whole establishment, but enough to feel pretty damn baked. And with that, so do his insides.

A flicker in her eye reveals a different emotion on Rey's visage. Something crueler. Absolved of the guilt of hurting a friend, even if it's only an imitation of one. "I'll admit, an old part of me is going to enjoy this."

Such is the beast that rattles in its cage.

[foundafamily]

He rolls his eyes. He knows very well what's coming, and it's not really anything new. There are two nice things about his immortal body: the regeneration itself and the experience that comes with dying hundreds of times in hundreds of ways. "Whatever."

This'll pass. His body slumps to the ground after the heat holds at the unbearable level. It stays crumpled on the bar floor--and will stay there even if the heat is turned down.

cw: eye scream u scream we all scream for AAAAAA

[circumitus]

What's more irritating? The message 'Firo' had sent with his facial expression, or the dismissive nature in his reply?

There's something about it that gets under Rey's skin. And it doesn't take long for her to recognize what it is. The synthetics, known to descend into combat zones wearing bodies identical to their enemy's fallen, hadn't been much better. It was a much different game when you were playing against a machine that looked, sounded, and could act like your best friend and comrade, or family member, or spouse.

Or your former target and victim.

Her teeth gnash just thinking about it, as she draws back over the bar counter as Firo's double drops. He's out for now. She could keep doing this. Go on and on until some sick and twisted part of herself is satisfied. But burning him, melting his organs from inside -- it isn't enough, is it?

Still maintaining the heat within, boiling and bubbling his innards, Rey lowers herself to the ground. Both hands drawn over his face. His skin, hot as a blue-white flame, would burn anyone else more vulnerable to the touch. Rey just brings her thumbs to his eyes, and proceeds to press them inward.

Firo's immortality would no doubt come into effect soon once she allows things to cool down a bit. Until then, she resists the force of the round, squishy organ attempting to return to its rightful place in those two now-empty sockets in the double's skull. The blood slips away like raindrops, but her fingers clasp around the two eyeballs in each hand to prevent them from escaping.

When 'Firo' revives after Rey has allowed the heat to simmer and die, he will be left in total darkness. The heat in the room is still oppressive, making it difficult for one to breathe, but it isn't fatal.

[foundafamily]

Instinct tells him to suck in a breath, but he doesn't. Once the frantic unbubbling of his skin stops, leaving him whole, Firo doesn't make any moves besides the involuntary twitches and starts that come with regeneration.

He doesn't try to open his eyes, but the explosions of pain tell him enough anyway. ...So this is what Huey felt like, twice over.

Evil twin or not, Firo knows one thing about people: they always want more. More power, more money, more territory--and more pain for their enemies.

In his head, he goes away into that numb part of him. Firo'd had it most of his life, and Szilard had carefully cultivated his even further. This Firo isn't afraid to utilize Szilard's 'improvement' in that respect. So he locks away the pain and waits. He assumes she'll come back for more, and he intends to lash out and grab whichever part of her is closest when she does.

[circumitus]

Despite the constant endeavors to return to original body, the eyeballs merely linger in a closed bottle. The neck of it having been thick enough for Rey to squeeze them in and close the top to prevent the two organs from fleeing where they came from.

Before the double's inexorable regeneration, Rey makes sure to keep the bottle a good distance from the body in that bar. Both to prevent 'Firo' from hearing the soft tapping noise against the glass, and to get them out of the way.

Having seen Firo come to life not long after being killed before, she finds his continued silence and lifelessness to be misleading on purpose. He has to have known that she's seen the time it takes between death and resurrection, but he's still playing possum and not even expressing much pain in the process.

What a disappointment.

She moves, cautious and quiet, suspecting 'Firo' to jump into action any given second now. Though she knows he doesn't need it in order to be a threat, she goes to kick the knife away from the doppelgänger's reach. To pull it towards her under her boot and use it against him if needs be.

Though blinded, that still doesn't make him a non-threat. But that was also the idea -- keep things interesting as well.

[foundafamily]

When she's within reach, he launches himself forward to grab for her ankle. As he does so, he moves his elbow up to anchor it against her leg; his aim is to buckle her leg as he pulls to ruin her balance. Her greater weight may mean that she won't expect him to take this to a wrestling match, and he intends to take advantage of that possibility.

Besides, even if she does crush him... it's not like he won't come back.