lucetilogs | So tear me open, but beware

Entry tags:

So tear me open, but beware—

Who:

ishisfriend.
What: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. (This is relevant.)
When: July 27th, late in the afternoon.
Where: Somewhere near house 53.
Summary: An encounter with an "enemy" draws out a certain chain, but it doesn't seem to belong to any of the contractors in the village. Maybe it's another random enemy... Or maybe it's not.
Rating: PG-13.

[There are random monsters showing up all over the village, you say? Here's Elliot Nightray giving a damn.

A little chaos in the village would not prevent Elliot from doing the things that he or his servant wanted to do. They're just monsters, after all, and Elliot sure as hell isn't afraid of them. As long as he had his sword, he would be fine. He could protect himself, his servant, and anyone else who might need it.

That had been Elliot's reasoning for venturing out today. But of course, it's not monsters or being a hero that's on his mind right at this very moment. Instead, it's flowers. He is in the backyard, staring down at what should be a garden, but no longer appears to be.

Hmm... Something isn't right.]

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[That gun in Gilbert's hand would now be pointing at Humpty Dumpty, too, now that the other threat has been dealt with. He isn't firing, not yet, but he's quite close to it— after all, he remembers all to well the last time he saw that Chain. But even if he doesn't dare to look away, that doesn't mean he isn't concerned.]

Elliot, are you all right?

[They're calling his name. He can hear them, but he can't...]

I can't—

[Why can't he make it go away?

Perhaps the way the chain had simply disappeared threw Humpty Dumpty off a little. Or perhaps it's the way the environment around them flickers again and begins to change that begins to confuse Humpty Dumpty. It tries to remain alert, but Elliot just wants it to go away.

The area around them changes, soon becoming an old, darkened street, and Humpty Dumpty does the only thing that makes sense to it. It goes after the only thing that looks dangerous here—

—and that would be Gilbert, of course.]

[A Chain may not make much (if any) noise when floating, but Humpty Dumpty is nevertheless large enough to cast a substantial shadow as it hurtles towards Gilbert. Leo knows that he should probably say something-- yell a warning, tackle Elliot, something but he just.

Can't move.]

[The last time he'd encountered this Chain it had been mostly stationary, and even then his gun had done little against it. Now with it heading toward him Gilbert realizes the weapon that had worked against the simulated enemy won't serve him well here; his right hand lowers as his left lifts, and he calls Raven to protect himself, greeting Humpty Dumpty with a flurry of feathers and blue flames.]

[Raven is in Humpty Dumpty's way.

It makes no attempt to fight the chain—it's Gilbert that it wants, and it will take whatever Raven throws in its direction. Elliot, meanwhile, bends down to pick up his sword. If anyone was actually paying attention to him still, they'd notice that his movements are full of hesitance. He's literally trembling. It's an internal struggle. He doesn't want to pick up that sword, he doesn't want to hurt Gilbert, he doesn't want—

But we must.

I won't!]

[Leo's throat is dry and his grip around his gun slackens when he sees Raven for the first time-- he's heard a bit about this Chain, but it's the first time he's seen it. There's this sense of curiosity, of dread of--

...but what about Elliot?

His gaze flicks towards the blonde and he sees for the first time since the Red Baby was brought down, Elliot's expression. Leo's been his friend long enough to notice the more subtle signs, the trembling as he leans down to pick up--

--to pick up his sword.

...]

[Leo didn't care about a lot of things; Gilbert was on the list of "things he didn't really give a damn about" but hurting Gilbert was something that would hurt Elliot. He knew this-- Elliot was loud but it was all usually just bluster.

That's why he turns, that's why he launches himself at Elliot to stop him from picking up his sword (he doesn't know if he can stop the Chain, he doesn't know how and the voices are quiet)--]

Elliot, stop!

[Invoking his Chain is rapidly exhausting on a good day back home, but here it's even more difficult still, and thus almost all of Gilbert's attention is focused on Raven as it blocks Humpty Dumpty's advance with a rush of fire. At Leo's shout he looks away, though, a confused frown creasing his forehead as he looks beyond him toward Elliot. What is he... why?]

[Later on, Elliot would probably punch Leo for this, but right now, being taken down by his servant is one of the best things that could happen to him. It's a much needed reality check.]

[Humpty Dumpty doesn't react well to the other chain's attack, but that's fine, because all it takes is Elliot's brief moment of awareness to bring the chain back. Elliot hits the ground hard when Leo runs into him, and even though his servant isn't very heavy, the force is enough to remind him of his surroundings. He feels a sharp pain for a very brief moment, but he can't pinpoint the source of it. That doesn't matter, though. He doesn't care about the pain. He just... He just needs to—

Stop this!

And his chain vanishes. Not quite like the one they fought a few moments ago, but it's gone nonetheless. Elliot looks over at his servant, opening his mouth to speak, but he seems to pass out before he can say anything.]

[Leo doesn't know what to make of it when Elliot passes out; he keeps a firm grip on Elliot's lapels as he shakes him roughly once, twice.]

Stop-- all this--

[...but of course, there's no response since his master's clearly out cold. Damn it.

Damn it.]

[Gone... just like that? Gilbert dismisses Raven in turn after just a brief hesitation, then he's hurrying over toward the other two. He can't have seen what he thinks he just saw, it must be just a very odd coincidence. It has to be. He'd been so certain, and he'd told Break....]

Elliot? Elliot, are you all right?

[If Gilbert could run over here, that means it worked. He looks up, tight-lipped.]

He's all right. He's just blacked out.

Blacked out? Did he—

[Gilbert hesitates, glancing up toward where the Chain had just been, then frowns and looks back at Elliot again and amends what he was about to say.]

He isn't hurt, is he?

...he'll have a few bruises later. It shouldn't be anything serious.

[He gives a distracted-looking nod, silent for a moment before he finally speaks up again, sounding somewhat hesitant.]

Leo, what... happened?

[His voice is small, tight, like a child who knows that they'll be told off.]

He was acting weird. So I made him stop. That's all. [He looks down and tugs again at Elliot's lapels. Nothing.] Help me carry him inside.

...please.

[Just as soon as Leo makes his request, Elliot mutters a response. He reaches for the hand tugging at his lapels to get the other boy's attention. His head feels very cloudy, but...]

N-no. Forget it.

[Gilbert immediately nods and takes a step forward in response to Leo's request, deciding it best not to comment on the situation until Elliot has been taken care of, but— well, it seems he has been. Or at least is all right (relatively speaking).]

I don't know if inside is likely to be better than out here at the moment, to be honest.

[That hand...]

All we'll need is somewhere safe.

[He shakes his head, trying to sit up, but there's too much... servant in his way.]

No. I'm fine. [He glances between the two of them.] Are you...?

[Yes, he just blacked out. Yes, he wants to know if you two are okay.]

[Safe. With all the random scenery changes and aggressive... opponents popping out of nowhere, it could be hard to say where exactly is "safe" right now, but the house looks okay from here. And it was a minute ago. Gilbert glances back over his shoulder, then back at the other two, frowning.]

I didn't think... [And again he pauses, almost visibly rethinking what he was about to say.] Maybe we should go inside.

[Asking something like that when he'd almost attacked his own brother, when the Chain he'd own had almost attacked his own brother...

Leo moves his head just a fraction as he stands (he's still on Elliot, it would be difficult for the other boy to get up with him still there) but he's quiet. Inside would work— somewhere where all three of the wouldn't be as risk, somewhere where he could get his mind pieced together again.

And to ignore the voices speaking to him.]

[As it is, Elliot doesn't really care where they go, but he realizes they need to go somewhere. Trying to sit up even now that his servant is off of him proves to be a struggle—he's sore, and he isn't sure why. Had he been attacked by something...? How could he let his guard down like that?

Annoyed, but certainly unwilling to ask for help, Elliot just tries to stand up to join them. His voice is rough when he speaks, but he's definitely not yelling.]

Make up your minds already.

[Gilbert considers offering Elliot a hand up, considers the almost-inevitable reaction to that, and changes his mind rather quickly. Instead he just looks between Elliot and Leo as his frown deepens, his expression hovering somewhere between thoughtful and puzzled. At his brother's comment he blinks, startled partway out of his reverie, and turns toward the house.]

Inside, then.

[Break isn't home. That's as good a reason as any.]

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