lucetilogs

Entry tags:

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Who:

divinepooch
What: "Saving Private Yuan"
When: Late afternoon on the 11th (Saturday)
Where: Forest / that one cave that Yuan likes to hang out in :|
Summary: After hearing about Yuan's disappearance from his roommate, Raine knows just where to go to investigate. What she encounters is not exactly what she expects.
Rating: ... idk. PG? Higher?

All things considered, it was probably a foolish thing to do -- heading out into the forest alone. Not that she didn't have her staff with her, or have some experience on these paths. She knew exactly where her destination was, even if it would be a couple of hours walk to it. Yuan was nothing but a creature of habit, after all.

It wasn't the first time Raine had to track the man down, though perhaps the first in over a year. If his illness was what was prompting him to go into hiding - without a word to anyone, no less - it was also obvious that he wasn't willing to wait to see if there was any hope in curing it. For a man who had dedicated a good portion of his life to trying to change the worlds, he had certainly become quite a pessimist.

She wonders if she should have taken Astrid with her - but she needed the walk, really. She had too much on her mind these days. It was good exercise. And there was the cave. She was certain this was the one - Yuan's presence was all over it. ... As well as something else. Something stronger. It was a little unnerving, but now that she was here, there wasn't much of a choice but to continue inside.

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Everything was silent in the cave. Yuan enjoyed that silence. It gave him time to collect his thoughts, away from other people. If there was any chance for him to find what he needed in order to vanquish that fraction of Aku's essence, it was now. Sadly, whenever he closed his eyes in search of that inner peace Jack spoke of, he encountered something else entirely. Images of death and destruction at the hand of war. Memories of discrimination and betrayal. Suffering caused by Cruxis, which he willingly participated in. Even the Renegades, which he'd claimed were the world's salvation, had taken countless lives. There was no inner peace for him, as the demon made sure to exploit every weakness he had.

As he sat in a corner, leaning back against the damp wall, he wondered if he should just contact Jack and ask him to end it all. Most of his body had turned black, or even started to deform. The rash was spreading towards his face and it wouldn't be long until his Cruxis Crystal was overtaken as well. He already had blood on his hands, but even now he was convinced that Emil- Ratatosk had deserved it. That monster was a menace and nobody would miss him. With his core safely hidden, he wouldn't even be returned by the Malnosso.

How many more people would have to die, though? Next time, it might be someone he actually cared about. Once he lost himself to Aku's aggression again, friend or foe wouldn't be distinguished. He was just about to reach for his journal, intent on contacting Jack, when he sensed a disturbance outside. A half-elf, steadily approaching the cave. Raine. He sat up straight, eyes directed to the entrance. His right hand dug its bony fingers into the dirt beside him. At this point, he didn't even bother hiding that claw anymore.

The cave was dark, of course. Very dim, very gloomy. Was the man just resigning himself to die? There really was only one way to learn the truth in that.

First the cave would have to be lighter to allow her to make her way inside properly. Fire, not lightening - she still felt ill at ease with the latter to use it properly. Though it might have been better. Appropriate.

She slowly steps into the cave, a dim sphere of flame - aided in part by some light magic - lighting her way as she looks for her... patient? Friend? She's not exactly stepping out of any roles for this.

He's there, at the back. Not visible just yet, but with the light and her stepping it, it probably wouldn't be too long. "... Yuan? Yuan, it's me."

When the light reached Yuan's eyes, they narrowed slightly, both out of reflex and in frustration. Why couldn't people just understand that when he leaves by himself, he clearly doesn't want company? A faint snort escaped him and the claw dug further into the dirt. Maybe he could get Raine to turn around before she got too close.

"What do you want?"

"Your roommate said you had gone missing." Raine's pace is still even, as she continues moving forward. "... I had a feeling you would come up here. What were you thinking?"

She stops moving when the light finally illuminates Yuan's figure.

Gone missing? Damn that Zoisite. He should've never let that moron back into his house. He left the guy with one simple instruction and he probably can't even do that right.

"I left him a note." It was a hoarse growl, filled with venom. Whatever peace Yuan had before Raine entered the cave, it was already being drowned by his temper again.

Raine doesn't flinch at the venom in his tone, but there's concern in hers. "... A note that gave little explanation for your plans. He was understandably concerned." There are still quite a few feet between them, but the small ball of light slowly keeps moving until it's somewhere in the middle of both of them.

Yuan gave the ball of light a glare, but knew better than to try and swat it away, no matter how much he wanted to. Instead, he shifted a bit further into the corner.

"He needs to do as I tell him to and stop asking questions."

"You sound terrible." Raine frowns when she can't get a good look at him. That doesn't seem like a good sign. "You didn't think anyone else would have noticed that you left?"

That powerful, twisted feeling within his mana was very distracting. She doesn't like it. One hand slips into her pocket, just to confirm that the unicorn horn was still there. Not that she was certain it would be of any use.

"That doesn't matter." Yuan used to believe Raine was smart. Could she really not grasp why he left the village in the first place? People noticing he was missing for a while was still better than people being torn in half if he lost himself to Aku completely. It was for everyone's good.

He coughed a few times before looking up at her again. "Just get out."

The light moves a little closer to Yuan, though much higher than his head. Raine just shakes her head. Of course he'd say something like that.

"Running away isn't going to solve this. If you aren't going to listen to me, perhaps I can get Kratos to help, as well."

Yuan grit his teeth in frustration, trying to ignore the light. His right hand started to dig into the soil again, the fingers leaving slender trails in their wake.

"There's nothing you can do to help. Aku's influence... is beyond healing." It'd already corrupted his body, his mind and his actions. According to Jack, the only person who had the power to cure this was Yuan himself, but that was a wasted effort.

The light just might seem a little brighter.

"... How do you know for certain?" Raine's voice is still collected, but she does take a step back. If he is in fact a danger, there's no need for her to be an unnecessary target.

"I had a talk... with one of Aku's old enemies." The samurai... It was obvious he'd caused trouble for Aku back home. There were no concrete memories, but that fraction of the demon inside him stirred impatiently at the mere thought of Jack. His right hand clenched furiously by his side. That light wasn't exactly helping his temper either. It wouldn't have any trouble illuminating his entire form if this kept up.

"You met someone from his world here?" That... was interesting. Raine wonders how that meeting happened, with the way Yuan insisted on holing himself up with his condition. "What... did they say about it exactly?"

His initial response was a faint snort. What Jack said wasn't too concrete or helpful at all. Still, that's why Yuan relied on his help in the first place. When it came down to curing this disease, the samurai was useless to him, but stopping it was another matter entirely. The sword would vanquish Aku for certain, even if it came with a price.

"Inner peace." He spoke those words with much contempt. "Aku thrives on negativity. The only way to vanquish him... is finding the inner strength to defeat him."

It takes a moment or so to process that idea. Then considering the words that Yuan has already said during this conversation. It's not difficult to put two and two together. It's a little frustrating, actually.

"... You've given up. That's why you're here."

"I'm here because I need to be alone! How am I supposed to find any inner peace with people badgering me all day?!"

It was only partly true. While the solitude of this cave would've definitely helped him while he was searching for the strength to overcome this, it was also better to be away from people when he failed to do so. He was on the verge of giving up, but to hell with it all if he'll let Raine accuse him of being a quitter.

"... I can understand that. But this is a dark cave. It can't be helping much either." If he was trying to escape a dark creature's influence, going into his hidey-hole of negativity didn't exactly seem like the smart thing to do. From her point of view. "And even if it's something you must do alone... you're discounting how the support of others can help."

If Martel were still here, Yuan wouldn't be going through this alone. So of course the woman wasn't. It probably wasn't helping.

"Support." He repeated the word with a tone of mocking amusement, before coughing again. What did Raine hope to do? Compliment him? Whisper sweet things in his ear and assure him things would be okay? What a joke. The last person who offered to get help for him suffered greatly for that mistake.

He placed his hands back against the wall, pushing himself to his feet. The claw produced a faint scraping sound against the cold stone. "Get out. I won't ask you again."

If this had been anyone else ... and honestly, how much did she really know the man? Idiot.

She shouldn't have come alone. If Kratos had been there from the start, it might have been a chance of convincing him -- but of course she had to poke her nose into it. Without thinking. So much for being past that.

"... Yes, support." Raine finds herself speaking anyway, keeping her voice calm, even as she maintains that distance. Stepping back as he rises so he'd feel that he had more space. Always has to have that last word, even as the sound of that claw catches her attention. Just what --- "You're the one who came to me first, remember?"

Edited 2010-09-13 14:58 (UTC)

"It's too damned late now," Yuan growled before he could stop himself. He sought Raine out because he didn't know what he was dealing with. Because he thought she could help him. Instead, she's been nothing but dead weight.

His right hand moved further up against the wall. That light was really starting to get on his nerves. It made him feel cornered.

"We... don't know that for certain." And how would they have anticipated how quickly this ailment would have spread? He was supposed to keep in contact with her. But there was no use in revisiting that aspect.

Raine keeps one hand in her pocket, around the unicorn horn, the other on the staff at her side. She just wants to keep everything calm - and that if she leaves, it would be on her terms, not his. Not Aku's -- Yuan was still in there, somewhere.

It wasn't hard for him to miss the hesitation in Raine's voice. She wasn't even sure of things herself, so what gave her the right to try and reassure Yuan? She was just pitying him. He scrunched his eyes shut, trying to block out the light. Something heavy was washing over him. The same feeling he experienced just before challenging Emil. It was pure hatred.

"Out. Get out." He knew that if she didn't get the hell out of his sight right now, he'd end up tearing her to shreds.

It wasn't pity. Though perhaps this sort of reasoning could be blamed on Lloyd and Colette, and the entire journey. Not allowing logic to rule the day - but between the two of them, who's judgment was the most impaired? That answer seemed obvious enough.

"Yuan... please." Focusing on the properties of the unicorn horn made her feel calmer, somehow. If only there were a way to use that.

"OUT!" He pushed away from the wall entirely, lightning magic flashing and crackling between his fingers. The black rash spread across what was left of his other hand, the Keycrest serving as a final barrier to protect its crystal. Long, slender fingers twitched and moved alongside each other like knives. He didn't summon his weapon; it'd only get in the way. There were faster, cleaner ways to inflict damage.

Why didn't she listen? It was just one simple order. Not too hard to grasp. She'd brought this upon herself.

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