fiddlestick | aefenglom IC Inbox

[Rean's demonic form was never one for chains.

That hasn't changed. Though he tried to channel his aggression into learning the sword, chaining up his other side held him back, made him lose confidence... He's never able to find his center so long as that other half exists, and that hasn't changed either. Just a scant few days after the full moon and he's kept himself under control, but his grip on his Harpy side is slipping, the ropes fraying, and it's not long before there's a dream where he finds himself in a black city that feels wrong.

He was cautious, at first-- looking for his friends, trying to get the lay of the land. It wasn't hard to see what was going on here. But he can't hide how angry he is to see it, how absolutely repugnant it all is, and after an outburst he gets collared and chained like the others and shoved into a line. For sale. That's what this is. That's what all these people are gathered for-- the selling of people and their labor, like they're livestock.

Feathers fluff up his hair, spreading rapidly down his spine and to his elbows and making him itch, and there are talons now that he's mad as hell. He won't call on that side for help, if he has a weapon he can-- but no. The more he resists it, the stronger the Harpy comes out, and the next thing he knows he's crashing through the crowd with a roar, damn near snapping the podium in half when he throws a guard into it, and grabbing a second guard by the throat so he can choke slam him into the ground. His chains are not broken but the weight of them isn't slowing Rean down at all. He doesn't have hollow bones yet, and whatever they were attached to is no longer... well, attached.]

How could you?!

[A few more guard-witches approach him, about to issue commands and preparing to subdue him. He throws his chains at one of them, wrapping tightly about the witch, and then tossing him into the others. He needs his sword. Where is his sword? Whatever, he'll just grab one off this extremely unconscious guard.

This is officially a scene and it's about to get a lot bloodier.]

Edited 2019-08-19 03:12 (UTC)

[Elliot had left Mikleo and Eren to look out for each other. As tempting as it was to stay with them in this terrifying city, he had to find the others. And frankly, the easiest way to travel in this place was on his own. No one thought twice about a small mage who could hide his expressions. Who knew learning not to react to the Noble Alliance's words about his family could come in handy.

Fortunately and unfortunately, Rean is not hard to find. The commotion draws a lot of attention, and the sound carries. Elliot doesn't see it at first, but he recognizes the voice instantly. He runs until he comes into view, his eyes widening at the scene]

- Rean!

[This..this is really bad. Elliot's seen Rean's demonic form and heard the stories, but this was an outright rampage - this time with feathers and talons instead of white hair and red eyes.

Elliot rushes forward, trying to push through the crowd. Any tactics that'd involve discreetly escaping with him were just out the window, but he'll have to think of something. First thing was first though, getting to him before this turned into a bloodbath]

Rean!!

[This is very bad. He lifts his head when he hears his name and hesitates for just a moment, but then someone yanks on his collar to get him within range of something pointy, and he roars again. He'll get to Elliot in a second. First, he needs to introduce this guy's face to the dirt.

Well, he certainly has made an impression. Some of the other Monsters are sneaking away in the chaos, either with allies smuggling them out or of their own accord. There could be smaller fights breaking out at any moment. Rean pants hard, feathers on this hackles lowering for a second--]

Elliot?

[That pulls Rean from the brink just long enough for someone to swing at him again. He ducks out of the way with unusual agility and runs toward Elliot in the crowd. If he can just get close to him, he can protect him. More than anything, Rean's instinct is to guard those around him even if it's to the detriment of his own health.]

Edited 2019-08-19 06:31 (UTC)

[Rean still recognized him, so that was good. But he had to get him out of here. As strong as Rean was right now, it's not like he had the energy to fight off every witch in this hellish marketplace. He had to get him somewhere safe- somewhere no one can see him, with the attention he's attracting.

Also Rean probably wouldn't want to actually murder a bunch of people, dream slavers or not.

So he reaches for his friend, reaching to grab his hand as soon as they're in reach of each other. There's not even time to react to his monstrous appearance- he can worry about that later.]

We're getting outta here!

[As soon as he has contact, he casts a teleportation spell. Instantly, both of them teleport to the entrance of the market, a good thirty feet away - and more importantly, out of that mob. It's a little disorienting, but Elliot's tugging on Rean's hand to keep him moving]

We need to go!

[It's not an order, but a statement. He isn't going to make his best friend obey him, even under extreme circumstances. ]

[Rean staggers, surprised by the sudden teleportation spell but thankful. He's feeling more and more like he needs to-- to protect Elliot, even if that means destroying everything around them. Elliot is--

-- no, he won't give in.

There's someone tugging on his hand. He snaps out of it for the moment and runs after, even though it's not an order. He still recognizes his best friend-- his first friend.]

I can't fly, [he snarls as they run.] We'll have to try something else!

[These damn chains. He's free, but he's noisy and he's being bogged down. He doesn't like that. There's raucous yelling coming from behind them but it's far enough away that ditching pursuers isn't an impossibility. Harpy blood courses strongly in his veins and he realizes something terrible as they flee.

There's... magic. He can taste it, maybe he can't smell it as well as he wishes he was able to, but he knows that everyone around him has some kind of magic in it and the thing is that he wants it. He shakes his head furiously to clear it and maybe push back on the frightening monster instinct that has reared its ugly head.]

Not now, not now! Keep it together--

[Ah yes, running for your life. A life skill that Elliot has, but is not at all good at. And with Rean slowed down by his chains, they really needed to find some other plan. He keeps trying to wrack his brain, thinking of ideas, when Rean snarls]

Fly- [Wait, that gives him an idea. He remembers his talk to Shinji, when the guy suggested using his teleportation to get onto roofs] - Rean that's it! [Rean you're a genius!!] Help me find a roof to teleport to!

[He starts scanning the horizon as they move, trying to find a good rooftop that'll keep them hidden for at least long enough to get those chains off. But that search gets slightly detoured when Rean starts yelling]

Rean!? What's wrong?

[Elliot definitely said words, and those words were definitely directed to him, but Rean is so out of it that they don't quite register. He almost runs Elliot right over, and looks up at him with a haunted expression when they stop. He seems to be going back and forth between hackles raised and a mane of feathers, and normal human...ness.]

I-it's-- not important right now. We need to keep moving!

[He isn't sure how to articulate that Elliot is looking like a snacc in more ways than one. Right, rooftops. They were looking for those. He points at one that's particularly high and with enough flat parts that they could probably find purchase on it were they to walk on it. At least, that's what Rean can tell from down here.]

That one-- that roof! Can you teleport us there?

[Elliot really has his doubts from how Rean is acting. There was something very off about him at the moment, like he really was trying to hold himself together. But Rean's also right in that they need to keep moving.

Right, get them out of danger, and then check on Rean. He looks at that roof]

Um- we'll find out!

[REASSURING. But it's not like they have much choice. He reaches out, grabbing onto Rean again before focusing on teleporting. There's that weird feeling of movement and flicking of magic runes. Then all of the sudden, they disappear from the street and find themselves reappearing on that roof.

Elliot looks a little out of breath from it. Teleporting around with two people wasn't exactly easy.]

Whew...It worked...

[Rean holds onto Elliot both out of necessity and because he is still not used to teleporting. When he has his wits about him, he still doesn't let Elliot go. Every feral instinct inside of him is screaming to protect his territory and also his flock, which includes Elliot.

They need to keep moving. Rean faintly trembles with the effort of keeping his head clear. Though most of his feathers have receded beneath his shirt and his talons are a normal length, he's nervous.]

Are you okay? Do you need me to carry you?

[If something comes at them he is going to screech and hulk out, he can feel it.]

[That sure is an offer there. Elliot's worries are set aside for a moment as he's totally taken aback.]

W-What?! [THATS EMBARRASSING] N-No, I'm fine! Just a little-

[Winded, really. Nothing that concerning unless he keeps casting teleport spells. But then it occurs to him that oh. They probably need to keep moving. And even if he wasn't winded, the idea of Elliot jumping from roof to roof is well ... laughable.]

-- A-Actually on second thought, that might be a good idea if we're gonna be jumping roofs, considering I'm, well... [he trails off, but Rean knows him well enough to get what he's implying. He's pathetic in the athletic department. Its shameful to admit, but better than falling and dying]

But are you okay? You're shaking. [Also you haven't let go of him and also nearly killed some dudes back there]

[Of course Elliot would object, but Rean isn't sure just how much he wants to push at the moment. He's mostly paying attention to the ruckus below, trying to gauge if someone's looking for them up here yet. Violet eyes shift back to the redhead. His mouth forms a line.]

Don't worry, I won't drop you.

[There's a noticeable flicker of guilt at the question. He glances to the side and tries to will the trembling to stop.]

I... I'm not okay, honestly, but there isn't anything we can do about it right now. I can keep it together until we're safe. As long as we stay safe.

[He rubs at his temples.]

Sorry, I just-- it's like something is calling to me, I can't... focus.

Edited 2019-09-10 18:46 (UTC)

[Rean that is totally not the reason he's objecting but you keep thinking that]

I-I know you won't!

[Deep breath!! It makes tactical sense, he knows that. Just shove every other emotion in a box somewhere.

Or you know, fret over Rean. Yeah. Let's do that instead]

N-No you don't have to apologize. All of this is a lot and...

[It's pushing Rean closer to feral. Crap. Elliot pauses. Even if Rean could handle a Bond, there was no way to form one right now. And he didn't have any of those potions monsters can take, nor did he know how to make them. The only way he has available was...]

Um...I have an idea that'd help, but you're not gonna like it.

It is, but nothing we can't handle.

[Fretting over Rean? Not if he frets over you first. He looks immediately on guard, his frown deepening. What could Elliot suggest while they're out here that could... actually help?

It sounds like a bad idea. It must be a bad idea.]

I bet I won't if you're unsure about it. Is it something that we have to do right now, or can we put some distance between us and the market?

[He's itchy and restless and he needs to go.]

[Good old Rean reassurance. He can't deny it always helps a little hearing that, even if he was still worried. ]

Well, if you still feel lucid, we can probably keep going... [Yes, he knows Rean will probably push himself a bit too far. Which is bad, but he also knows the farther they get from the market faster, the safer they'll be

Also he was totally delaying on answering that first part]

A-And well...yeah. If we had any other option available to us right now, I'd probably go for that first, but since we don't... [Time to spit it out Craig] D-Drinking some of my blood should help.

[That's exactly why he said it.]

We need to go.

[Maybe that's a little firmer than usual, but it comes from a good place. He peeks over the edge briefly to see people running past, though he's not sure if they're looking for them specifically... It means they need to get moving, and now.

But then Elliot says that. Rean whips his head around and stares in shock for a moment.]

Your-- you want me to-- what?!

[No way, he wants to say-- no way, because he's afraid of not being able to stop. It's not like he's a vampire or something but he noticed that he's craving something, and it's only from Witches, so it must be mana like the werewolf said.

Oh, damn it. He can hear shouting now. With that on his mind, he's unhappy, but it can't be helped.]

Hold on tight!

[That's the only warning Elliot gets before Rean sweeps his legs out from under him, gathering the redhead into a princess carry, and then he sprints across the roof with ridiculous speed. Ludicrous speed, even. He easily makes the gap between roofs and keeps going, not hesitating for anything-- not even the distant crash of someone slamming a door open from the road beneath them.]

[Look he said he didn't think Rean would like it!! Elliot wasn't fond of the idea himself, but they were in something of a desperate situation-

One that Elliot doesn't have time to argue about, because they sure need to go. He makes a small noise of surprise as he gets swept up, quickly wrapping his arms around Rean's neck tight to keep himself from falling off as Rean starts to run.

Which...he knew Rean was faster than him (that's not a difficult feat), but it was pretty clear he was even faster than he was before. There's a temptation to keep his eyes squeezed shut, but he keeps them open to keep a look out, try to spot any way to make sure they loose the guards. ]

O-Oh! Looks like there's some commotion going on east of us! [Another group of mirrorbounds, raising hell and being very open about it] Maybe if we slip near them, the guards will get distracted by that and forget us!

[He's glad that Elliot has his eyes out because there's just no way he's going to be able to concentrate on carrying him and evading pursuers. Granted, their exact location hasn't been discovered but they know he's in the area. He isn't about to be executed-- not even in a dream.]

Got it!

[He veers off which apparently is a good thing; the noise behind them grows more distant as the guards rally to split up. Rean takes advantage of the chaos to hop closer to the eastern uprising. Even from this far away, he can see the shapes of rogue Witches leading their brethren away, or torching boxes, pushing back the authorities...

He wants to help but the other half, the feral half, wants to do much more than that. So Rean doesn't dive right in, he just skirts the chaos via rooftop and keeps going, still holding his charge protectively.]

[Elliot sees the chaos going on below. Rogue witches freeing monsters, monsters fighting back. Part of him does want to go down to help, even feeling guilty for not doing so. But he knows they need to focus on their own survival first. Rean was in no state to handle more fights, and he only had so many spells before he hit his own limit.

It was like the early days of the war: don't get yourself involved in battles, lay low. Survive another day.

The plan seems to be working, the guards on the ground have to split up and take priority over the folks setting the city on fire. It's easy for two runaways to slip through the cracks. ]

It's nice to see the other Mirrorbounds aren't accepting this dream either...

[It gives him a little more faith in the other people like them. They aren't the only ones to find this whole scene appalling. Even if they were going a little overboard with it. ]

None of us wanted this, [he murmurs as he runs, trying to ignore the sounds of shouting and screaming to his ears. He can only hope that whatever they do to the rebels when they are caught is... more merciful than what he's seen in the marketplace.] We can't help or change what we became when we crossed over. It makes no sense to punish us for it.

And if this is more than a dream, we'll fight all the same.

Mm, Right... [That's a sentiment he can get on-board with, unsurprisingly. It's just heartening to know that other mirrorbounds feel the same way.

That said...]

But first, let's go to safety okay? We need to get you stabilized.

[He's worried about Rean. And as much as he wants to dive in and help, making sure Rean is okay is his first priority]

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