Bounty; $010

[deadwhisperer]

[ Tick. Tick. Tick. Toc-tick. Tick. Toc. Tick. Tick. Tick...

For a long time it's the only sound he can hear: a carefully kept timepiece. Always three careful stroke before a hiccup in between, and then it sorts itself out to begin the cycle anew. It's an endless mantra, and for a long time it soothes him; keeps him blissfully sunk in the waters of unknowing and unfeeling. There's nothing here--not even himself. At least not in the way he knows himself to be which is...what, again? Maybe it doesn't matter. It's a needless worry, a drifting care that sinks further in the oblivion in which he rests.

He's not sure how much time he spends like this, drifting and slumbering and...waiting? Yes, he's waiting for something. What it is is beyond his comprehension, but slowly it dawns on him that he's been waiting for something this whole time. That's why he's here, isn't it? Why others come here? It's an in-between for...what? The thought slips again, and he lets the nothingness wash over him.

He's waiting. He. Who is he?

I'm me, of course. But who is "me"? Who am I waiting for?

That's right--it isn't a "something." It's a "who." There's someone he's waiting for, someone who's been sleeping a long time. Someone who's been waiting just like he has...

Who is he again?

If I sleep too long will I miss them? he wonders, but the thought is idle and lacks the comprehending emotion that goes with inquiry. Tick. Tick. Tock. Tick.

The tempo's changed. Does that mean something? Is something different now? Part of him says yes, and it's only belatedly that he realizes what that sensation feels like; remembers what it's like. Remembering...that's who he's waiting for isn't it? Someone he remembers. Or doesn't, right now. But it's someone he will remember, someone familiar to him in a way that no one else could be. For the first time in his slumber he stirs. The world around him is changing now; shifting from the endless oblivion into something less...fluid. There're no words he can remember to describe it, only that it goes from feeling blissful and empty to a pressure that seems to be slowly weighing down upon him.

It's uncomfortable compared to the dreamless slumber. Crushing also--it's like his chest is slowly being constricted, his limbs squeezed. There's an ache in his chest and the waters around him no longer lie still. What's wrong with him?? It feels like everything's crushing down on him, like he's being forced rapidly upward and his chest and lungs burn so badly-- ]

Ghh--aaaah! Haaa, a-aaah, haaa--!

[ Breathing. He needs to breathe--the realization hits him like a sack of bricks. He's sucking in breath after breath of ragged air, and it feels almost uncomfortable compared to...before? What was before? What's now? And then he's...coughing? Yes, that's what it is--he's coughing loudly and wetly, rolling over onto his side and trying to make sense of everything.

There's solidity beneath him; something tangible and soft but it feels so rough on his clumsy, unpractised hands that he can't even get a grip on it. He tries to crack his eyes open and at first, everything is a blur of colour and he can't make sense of any of it. Reds, golds, dark greens and blacks--everything comes together to paint a smudged picture his mind doesn't recognize and it's horrendously disorienting.

Where is he? What's going on?? He tries to push himself up and finds that suddenly, his body feels feather-light. For a brief second he's floating--and then he hits another solid surface much harder than the...bed? Yes, he was on a bed--so this must be the floor then. God, everything aches.... It feels like he hasn't used his body in weeks. Maybe even longer than that, he thinks belatedly as he struggles to push himself upright. The more he moves the more stiffness begins to leave his limbs, until it's only the ache in his joints and the fog in his head keeping him from standing perfectly upright.

He needs to get out of here, he thinks--needs to find...who? Is he looking for someone? he can barely remember as he stumbles forward, out of the room and into the Tower's halls. ]

Comments

[tabbytastic]

[she smells him before she finds him.

There's not a whole lot of air in this tower, and she's been hunting a lot lately. All her senses are primed, so... that little hint of something familiar churns up her insides as soon as she catches it.

She follows it without deciding to, and she doesn't have to go far. He hasn't gotten very far. Just a few halls and turning corners and... there he is.

There he is.]


...Oh, fuck me.

[deadwhisperer]

[ He hears her before he sees her because, well...he's stuck leaning heavily on the opposing wall from his room and he's still having trouble seeing much of anything. And now that he's upright the feverish feeling in his head isn't much better as tries to lift it and focus on the owner of that voice.

He...knows it, doesn't he? It sounds familiar. ]

Wh....?

[tabbytastic]

[lord knows that she's had plenty of hallucinations during her stay here... but nothing else about her surroundings is distorting. He seems way too real to be all in her head.

Which means that she's staring at a ghost.]

This can't be real... this can not fuckin' be real...

[deadwhisperer]

[ "Real" is about the only word of that he catches as he tries to focus on her with now distinctly brown-coloured eyes instead of their previous red. It doesn't work well, but then he remembers to blink and the world clears up just a bit. ]

.....?

[tabbytastic]

[unfortunately, this colorblind bitch doesn't notice that particular difference... not that she'd be observant enough to pick it up anyway. No, she's focused on everything else wrong with him.

Slinking just a careful step or two closer, she looks ready to bolt, or leap and cling to the ceiling, if he does anything startling. And, at this point, it looks like breathing wrong might be enough to set her off]

Say something, shithead.

[deadwhisperer]

[ Unfortunately, he breathes. Because he's starting to remember it's something necessary, just like blinking. What he doesn't understand this girl's sudden appearance and agitation, lifting a hand to his forehead and making a confused, weary sort of sound ]

I...? [ Say something--something, anything. He knows how to forms words, he can remember that--but what words to pick? What should he say...?? ]

You're.....who?

[tabbytastic]

What do you mean 'who?'

[and suddenly, there is a chain reaction that goes running through her head. It's triggered by really hearing his voice, and then snapping back a reply she might have done months ago, before everything had gone to hell. It's familiar, and familiarity comes with memories, and reality, and a whole bunch of other shit she doesn't like.

The last time she'd seen him, she'd been trying to keep him from bleeding and freezing to death. The last time she'd thought about him, she was wondering if she'd failed.

Something snaps.]

--You're supposed to be dead! [voice suddenly ringing loud in the hall, a growl scrambled with it]

[ex_contemns37]

[ Oh wow. He's still here. And alive. All he can really do is stare, though. ]

...you're here.

[deadwhisperer]

[ Oh well good that makes two of them, since Adel's got a fever and he can't see straight :D ]

.....?

[ex_contemns37]

[ Well, that's.........good. ]

What is wrong?

[deadwhisperer]

Nnhh... [ Hopefully raising a hand to his head a wobbling a bit more is a good indicator. He just wants...to sit down for a while. Why did he even try to stand up?? ]

[ex_contemns37]

[ So it is. ]

...you should not be out here like this.

[deadwhisperer]

Where....?

[ruminant]

[ Someone who doesn't actually know Adel is here, too; stepping forward in case he falls (though really, that'd probably bring both of them to the ground if Elia tried to catch him). ]

Are you alright?

[deadwhisperer]

Nn...hnn? [ He knows his mouth isn't properly forming the right words here, and it's frustrating. But he can't seem to clear the fog in his mind; the best he can managed is a dazed and clouded expression, staring up at....this thing. Blur. Blurry thing.

[ruminant]

You don't seem well-- can you find your room? I'll help you.

[ Instincts taking over, trying to help in any way he can. ]

[deadwhisperer]

Ah... [ The room open behind him seems like as good a bet as any :>;; he hasn't been able to get far, and now he's trying to figure out just who or what is talking to him ): the world's still not quite in focus ]

[ruminant]

[ Trying to take Adel by the arm to lead him into the room, then. ]

Come with me.

[deadwhisperer]

[ Yes good he could use the help! He'll be burning to the touch thanks to his fever though, wobbling a bit as he tries to lean onto his new found saviour ]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[he recognizes his voice from what the journal picks up. but he thinks--no, no. it's got to be someone else. he's been dead too long. the thing with Coil was probably a weird fluke. that wouldn't make sense.

but he heads in that direction anyway, looks for him just to know for sure, and ends up staring at him from across the hallway when he finally recognizes that mess of stupid red hair.]

Holy shit. [yep. still a big fuckin' surprise.] Adel?

[deadwhisperer]

[ His reflexes are nowhere as good as they should be right now so it takes him a moment to realize there's someone talking to him, but when he does his mind just fixates on the last word of that sentence. "Adel"? Adel....it sounds familiar even if it makes his head spin to try and think on it. He needs to sits down.

Or, well, kind lean into it anyway because he has a feeling he ought to remain on his feet for some reason. He doesn't answer back but he's at least got his attention on Robin, if somewhat shakily ]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[...yeah, no. he's really just trying make it work in his head that this is happening. he doesn't feel like Adel did... well, he does, but with less taint. less immediate evil, and less agony.]

You're-- [he has no idea. he has noooo idea.]

[deadwhisperer]

[ That makes two of them at least, even if he's pretty sure Robin's vision isn't wobbling all over the place like his is. Even if it clears he finds that he has to bring a hand up and hold the side of his face to try and keep himself steady--his legs do not want to keep him upright for some reason ]

...?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[well, there's only one thing to do. get closer and touch his face to make sure he's solid. thankfully he's got his gloves on, so no horrorterror shivers for him.]

Yeah. You look pretty real.

[deadwhisperer]

[ It's still a bit of a shock to him though--and he has no idea why foreign contact feels so...distinct. Like he's forgotten what it ever felt like.

For a second he stares, eyes a distinct brown compared to their bright red from before. ]

...Real?