Do You Have The Time To Listen To Me Whine?

[deceiving_is_believing]

Who: Shuuya and multiple closed prompts (Celebrimbor, Ardyn, Curufin)

A
Who: Celebrimbor and Shuuya (closed)
What: Meeting each other amidst the Chaos
Where: Side B
When: 4/1
Warnings: TBA?


Unlike some of the people stuck on either side separated from loved ones, Shuuya was able to remain pretty calm about this. He'd formed some minour friendships, and sure, he worried a little, but he hadn't formed any particularly close attachments. No, instead he was trying to keep himself low and unnoticed as the caves started crawling with monsters. He has daggers tucked under his hoodie, but he doesn't really know how to use them. So... he'd rather not if he doesn't have to.

He understood that rations were small, and had hardly taken any for himself to try and spare as much as he could for others who might need it more. He just has to time himself carefully, and he figures he'll make it through somehow. Hopefully the caves will be rejoined sooner rather than later. They just need to give Fear something to work with, right? Shuuya already had some experience in doing that.

He's ducking between buildings, trying to keep himself from the sight and grasp of monsters. He glances over his shoulder and runs another corner only to run into something and fall backwards onto his behind with a rather loud, "OOF!"

Oh, no... he's pretty sure he doesn't want to look up at what he ran into. But he does anyway to find a Malboro. Shuuya laughs and swiftly starts scrambling away.

"Well, shit, this isn't my day, is it?" He pulls the daggers from his sides and tries to prepare to fight. But close combat seems like it's going to be a problem with those vines. Man, this sucks, but Shuuya is still wearing a grin despite how nervous he feels. He moves on the defensive, more swiping his daggers at any part of the beast that approaches him.



B
Who: Ardyn and Shuuya (closed)
What: Discussions of Regis and how Shuuya finds the old dude to be pretty cool.
Where: Side B
When: 3/29
Warnings: General mindscrewing and manipulation, probably. Will update as needed.


Shuuya's shifting along the wall, trying to figure out this wall. He's spent the day looking around this half of the city trying to find people he knew. He recognized a few people, but people were probably moving rapidly in the panic, so there may have been some he missed easily. When the Network came back up, granted it was fuzzy, but he couldn't get a hold of Regis.

That might have worried him a little. Regis had made a good impression on him, the old guy was kind of starting to grow on him. So, if Regis is on the other side of that wall, he can only hope Regis is okay. He seemed pretty strong when Shuuya met him initially, but... well, old guys have weaknesses. This is commonplace, as much as Shuuya probably wouldn't say it out loud to the old guy.

At some point, he just pauses, stuffs his hands in his hoodie pockets, staring at the section of the wall in front of him as though the answer to make it disappear will come to him through an epiphany. With no such luck though, he just sighs and rubs the back of his neck, turning his attention to his phone and trying again on the Network to try and get through the old man.



C
Who: Curufin and Shuuya (closed)
What: Shuuya trying to help the only way he knows how.
Where: Side B
When: 4/4
Warnings: Descriptions of gore, will update as needed.


Some time has passed, and it doesn't look like that wall has had any progress on it. And, well, Fear needs strength, right? He chose Shuuya to be on his team before, so surely this is something Shuuya can do. He only hopes that Fear can receive strength through the wall. But he plans to give it all he got.

Sorry Celebrimbor, and sorry Curufin, he'll make this up to both of you later.

Shuuya's eyes flash red as he creates the desired illusion, taking on the appearance of Celebrimbor. He adds additional cuts and injuries to the image, making Celebrimbor's hair look matted with blood that also streaks down his face from a gash along the hairline. He makes the clothes look torn in several places, with blood stains and spatters to match them, and adds a few more deep cuts along the chest and arms. Finally, he adopts a massive limp, keeping an arm around his stomach as he leans against the walls for support as he hobbles along.

Now he just needs to hope he'll run acrost Curufin and that he'll buy into the image. If this plays right, this should give Fear quite the boost if he receives it.

Comments

A

[handofsilver]

Elves have a habit of engaging in heroism; it is part of their Light, perhaps, and Celebrimbor, despite his family and despite his past, is full of Light. He is quick to intervene, albeit limping, between Shuuya and the beast, his sword drawn and glowing just as fiercely as the rest of him.

"You will not injure another!" he slashes at the beast, deflecting the blows that are given in return, "Are you well?" the question is called over his shoulder to Shuuya, though he does not, as of yet, turn to look at him directly.

[deceiving_is_believing]

Phew, thank God this guy was around. Shuuya was starting to get pretty worried that he'd be turned into lunch meat. Shuuya regains his footing properly as the Elf before him fends off the Malboro.

"Yea, I'm fine." He tries to quickly recover from his mental panic with another grin. Is this guy glowing? Holy shit. Weird things everyday here in Hadriel. "Just tell me what I can do to help. I got your back."

Despite his lack of fighting skill, he should at least be able to do what he's told.

"Thanks for saving my neck, dude. I owe you."

b

[daemonized]

Ardyn had spent time walking along the edge of the wall; occasionally reaching a hand out as he sauntered by, craning his neck upwards, a considering sort of gesture. The city having been split was a rather inconvenient sort of thing, and yet the man is oddly more at ease with it than most. It's difficult to feel danger or apprehension after one has lived a life like his -- not to mention when he was exceedingly difficult to harm, and impossible to kill.

Though even he had to admit it was difficult to not be vaguely annoyed. Those he knew from Eos, he assumed, had been split between the wall as well. And Ardyn does rather hate being in the dark where they are concerned, ironic pun not intended.

Still, at a distance, he spots Shuuya. A familiar face, though not enough to spark more than a casual tone as he calls out.

"Fidgeting with your phone? You'll not have much luck, I'm afraid."

[deceiving_is_believing]

Shuuya looks up when he's spoken to. After a moment, he recognizes the man.

"Oh, Ardyn, right?" He grins. "Well, hey, that's one familiar face. My day must be looking up already."

He glances back down at his phone, at the message he was typing to Regis, before turning the screen off and tucking it back in his pocket to give Ardyn his direct attention. He can always come back to that later.

"Yea, it looks that way. But, y'know, they say it doesn't hurt to try." He shrugs. "You and I got stuck on the same side, huh? Missing anybody yet?"

[daemonized]

He shrugs. "I've no one to miss," he says with an ease that reveals how unbothered he seems to be with all of this. "Though maybe that's not the complete truth. There are a few familiar faces that I wouldn't mind tracking down, but this wall seems to be rather in the way, don't you think?"

A hand reaches out to tap at said wall, and he grins.

"Who were you hoping to get in touch with?"

[deceiving_is_believing]

"Yea, the wall sucks. I feel the same about the familiar faces thing. You and I are still pretty new, so I guess that's normal. No one to really miss yet, but it'd be nice to see them."

He watches Ardyn's hand tap the wall and flashes a smile in acknowledgement as he stuffs his hands in his pockets, giving a shrug.

"Just an old guy named Regis. I met him pretty recently and he's kind of chill for someone I freaked out."

He says it casually like it's yesterday's news.

[daemonized]

The pause between Shuuya's admission and Ardyn's response is just barely there. It lingers but for half a second, enough time to let Ardyn's palm press flat against the wall, and then he replies.

"Ah. The old king."

What coincidence. He can't help but wonder what business Shuuya had with the man, but of course now he's interested more than he was before. Even if the man was just a passing acquaintance to the boy.

"I know him. Tell me, what did you do to 'freak him out'"?

[deceiving_is_believing]

"Oh, I was on Team Fear for that competition thing. And one of my teammates asked me to imitate her dog. You remember that skill I showed you before, right? I used that. And as Wolfie, I growled and barked at passerby.

"Well, he happened to walk by, and I barked and growled, and scared him. What I didn't expect was him to attack me. He got my shoulder with his really cool sword and when he found out I was a kid..."

His smile glimmers into a frown for a moment as he remembers that look of horror on Regis' face when he asked why he didn't hit him harder than a bop.

"Well, we just started talking. Turns out he's really nice." Confusing, but nice.

[daemonized]

A really cool sword, he thinks to himself, echoing Shuuya's words with no lack of amusement. How easily impressed the boy was. Still, Ardyn schools his expression to be amicable as he responds.

"The King of Light lives up to his name, illuminating deceit with the truth," he offers. "He may have garnered a good first impression, but I wouldn't be so quick to form a positive opinion."

He pushes his hand off the wall, lightly, letting his arm settle next to him.

"His family line is tainted with the most wretched sort of betrayal."

If one thinks Ardyn will not tear into the royal Lucis Caelum line with abandon, they are very, very wrong.

[deceiving_is_believing]

"Deceit with truth? Betrayal?" Shuuya furrows his brown in confusion. "But... No, that can't be. He told me to be careful with my ability because someone might use it for..." What was the word the old man used, again? "For.. nefarious means? He has my back, doesn't he?"

Regis wouldn't do anything to hurt him, would he?

"But he..." Shuuya swallows nervously. "He didn't hit me, even when he had reason to. Even when I told him it was okay to."

[daemonized]

Ardyn chuckles at Shuuya's reaction. He feels no remorse shattering the boy's trust in the king, instead relishing it; the irony is that nothing he says is false, merely twisted with bias and bitterness, thanks to the slow crawl of time.

"Far be it from me to tell you who to associate yourself with. But heed my advice, Shuuya, the Lucis Caelum line is not to be trusted in its entirety," he says in a lilting tone.

"Did you know that he'd sent his own son out to die, for example? Without even telling the poor boy. His own flesh and blood, to be offered up as sacrifice."

[deceiving_is_believing]

Oh, no...

"Noctis? He did that to Noctis?"

He thinks on that a moment. "But... why would he do that to his own son?"

Not that he's one to talk. His own mother was no better. But Noctis, Regis said Noctis was awesome. That's totally different from someone that deserves to be beat up. Why would Regis ever do something like that?

Shuuya's breath seems to catch in his throat, trying to do the math.

[daemonized]

"Is any reason truly good enough, I wonder?" He sidesteps the question in an elegant way, for what business did Shuuya need to know of the dramatics taking place in Eos?

"Perhaps you should ask him yourself, should you ever see him again," he continues, knowing that bringing up the subject would do nothing but make Regis... uncomfortable, to say the least. "But do not spare your judgment. I know I wouldn't mine."

[deceiving_is_believing]

Is there any reason truly good enough? Shuuya looks pained as he gives this a thought. He opens his mouth and hesitates with what he says next.

"What if... What if there is?" This is uncomfortable, far too uncomfortable. And with every word he says, he's second-guessing himself, if he should be admitting to any of this. "What if... What if sacrifice means that everything will get better...? Whether they know it or not, that they're being sacrificed, if it means..."

Does that mean Ayano's sacrifice means nothing? Does it mean mine will mean nothing?

"Does it really make someone a bad person if they don't say someone is being used for a better good?"

He bites his lip. He already knows he's a monster, but... Is he a worse one than he expected? Just how many unforgivable sins has Shuuya committed, unwittingly or otherwise?

C

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin is making his way along the wall, trying to figure out just what it is. It gives him a very strange feeling, one that reminds him of the Wall of Night back in his home world, at the far western edge of the land of the gods, Valinor. The Wall in Valinor vibrated with the energies of Eternal Night, the Void itself. . . because it was the boundary between the Blessed Realm and nothingness.

This present wall extends upwards to Hadriel's ceiling and north and south to meet the cave walls. It is hard and stony, and yet, what is it? -- there is something of the Night about it. He presses his spread fingers against it and cannot sense anything beyond it. This alarming fact is in accordance with what the gods said in Fear's communication of five days ago. The other side is not there anymore. It was left behind, somewhere on some other rock island in the Void. Curufin stands back and tries to keep himself from hyperventilating. Yukari! Will I ever find you again?

He turns and forces himself to keep walking along the wall. He has things to do. People to protect. And he has to stay alive, in case against all hope there is some way to help Yukari and those who are trapped with him. He has to be here, alive and well, in case they are all saved and Yukari comes looking for him.

But the last few minutes are not a good precedent for these next moments. He comes around one of the bends in the wall and immediately sees Celebrimbor limping toward him, clutching his stomach, using the wall for a support, and clearly bleeding badly. Curufin stares and then breaks into a run.

He comes up to Cel and puts an arm around him, giving his support, taking his weight. "Cel! Come on, I'll take you to the clinic. What happened?" He has to hold it together, but his heart is hammering with terror and pity.

[deceiving_is_believing]

Shuuya's not pleased at the idea of the clinic. He's not sure if his illusion will hold up to the poking and prodding. But, he can hear that Curufin is terrified, so he needs to go through with this as much as possible.

"An... Ambush of monsters. I was outnumbered..." Shuuya makes the copy wince for dramatic effect. He recollects how Celebrimbor had defended him before. "I managed... to get all of them. But the way they attacked made it difficult to dodge at some points...."

He hopes that's convincing. He has no idea what Celebrimbor's full set of skills are. Nor does he have any familiarity with Elvish titles. So, chances are, he'll flub up rather quickly without meaning to.

"I'm so sorry for this... I didn't mean to burden you..." That one is kind of sincere, actually. Shuuya's going to feel pretty bad for this later.

[so_dark_a_road]

"No apologies, Cel! This was in no way your fault." Curufin has no way of knowing this is not his son. The adrenaline rush is going to obscure his perception of any details that don't quite match, at least for a bit. But Shuuya's story absolutely matches; it's exactly what Celebrimbor would do, and this is the probable outcome. All the creatures dead, and Cel victorious, even if injured. He is a Fëanorian, after all!

Curufin is keeping a sharp eye out for other hazards, in case anything with a nose for blood has picked up Cel's scent and is following. Nothing, so far.

He turns his head to look at his son, worried as hell about internal injuries. "I know you could walk, but I think I'd better carry you," he says, softly. The less his son exerts himself, the less he will bleed.

[deceiving_is_believing]

The copy manages something of a faint smile. Curufin's care for his son shows. Were all dads this nice? But then, Curufin doesn't know it's really Shuuya underneath the guise. So, it's not like Curufin is being nice and loving to him. That care and consideration belongs to Celebrimbor. When he reveals himself to not be Celebrimbor, he believes that, without a doubt, he'll be hated for impersonating him, when the real Celebrimbor is (most likely) safe.

Shuuya's the monster, without a doubt. There's a reason his life has been full of abuse and trauma - he's earned it. Why else would his mother hit and scream at him if he didn't deserve it? And he'll deserve it again, for what he's doing now. He'll offer to both of them to hit him, and... maybe by some small stroke of luck, they'll forgive him.

But what are the chances of that happening? He certainly wouldn't blame them if they hated him from this day forward.

The doppelganger nods it's head weakly.

"Of course, I understand..." He allows himself to rely on Curufin's support. He mentally sighs to himself, feeling a little envious of Celebrimbor in this moment.