[network] @LELRIC; video; THE JOKE'S ON YOU; day 101; morning [open] [cw: blood and death]

[armoured]

[Filtered away from Joker]

[Al did his best but it wasn't good enough and now someone is dead, someone he had promised to protect. Worse, the murderer has escaped and knows who gave him away, meaning Stephanie is definitely in danger and more people could be too if they run into the Joker at random.

Now isn't the time for caution or voice only, because his voice isn't working too well. Something about having a knife pushed in his throat several times. He's still not sure how that works, why he's bleeding, where the pain has come from. It's a numb sort of disbelief, though, cushioned underneath the weight of his guilt and failure.

So there's a suit of armour on the network today, covered in blood and quite clearly a lot of it is his own, because it seems to be seeping down from under the neck of his helmet in thick waves. The area around his eyes also looks damaged, perhaps with corrosion. Al's voice is weak, but he's forcing it out with determination.]

House is dead.

[He angles the tablet slightly to show House laid off to one side, covered in Al's jacket as if that will somehow make it more palatable. He could barely see to do it thanks to the acid squirted in his eyes, everything blurry around him, but he couldn't just leave him like that.]

The man who did it calls himself Jack White, but his real name is Joker.

[Seriously? That's a stupid name.]

He's a dangerous criminal and he-- [He has to cut off with a wet sounding cough, more blood seeping through the faceplate on his armour. He feels so light-headed.] --he has to be stopped, but you need to be careful. We tried to take him into custody but...

I'm sorry.

Comments

audio; @zd

[swatsflies]

[House is dead and Al is bleeding out. His hands are shaking for a moment or two. Everyone else is already yelling at him to call the admin. Raking a hand through his hair as he moves over to sit by Jim and pull him close. Just going to use him as a security blanket on and off today because everyone sucks.]

Al. Frickin' hell, Al.

[His voice manages to crack partially though. He better not fucking die AGAIN.] We still have to meet up, so try to hold on, okay?

[Swallowing a few times to try to work out the lump that was forming s everything felt cold in him.]

@LELRIC; video

[armoured]

Right, I-- I promised, and I won't... won't break...

[He can't quite manage to finish that thought before America appears in the background and calls on the admin for him. Which means fifteen minutes of creaking armour and healing spiders.

He's still covered in his own blood, but at least not dying any more when he does reappear.]

Zell? Zell, I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry.

[swatsflies]

[He did promise. He'll hold him to it and keep hoping he'll pull through. He HAS to, right? Even if he does die, he'll come back, right? It took him a little more than two weeks last time.

And then he sees America. He could almost kiss the weirdo who thinks he is a country. Fifteen minutes seem to stretch on much longer as he waits patiently for the results. C'mon spiders. Make Al better, please.

And then there's Al voice again. Al apologizing and sounding right again. He's breathing out a sigh of relief and trying not to cry as he buries his face against Jim a moment.]

It's okay, Al. You're okay. [His voice is muffled. Repeating it again, this time without his face against leather jacket.] You're okay. Where are you?

[armoured]

[The spiders have fixed him but he's still in shock, he can't quite believe that this blood all over himself came from inside him. It doesn't make sense, it shouldn't have been possible.

He knows he's still hollow, so how--?]

Yeah, I'm fine. I promise, I'm okay.

[Oh, Zell. He feels like the worst of the worst right now, but he's not going to give him directions this way in case he runs into Joker.]

Listen, you have to be careful. The man I was talking about it still out there, he's got a knife and acid and he's dangerous.

[swatsflies]

[He hasn't seen that much blood since coming here. All of it coming from Al is still shaking him up, but his voice is getting more steady as he draws on strength from knowing Al is okay.

Thankfully, Zell doesn't put together where he is. He's too tired to connect it to footage that Nathan showed in the past.

There might be someone drawing in a breath loudly, but it doesn't sound like it's from Zell.]

I might not look like it, but I can handle myself. Worry about yourself a bit, man. How far is Ed from you?

[armoured]

[He's going to go mad with people telling him to worry about himself, it just makes the guilt worse for knowing that this is all his fault.]

I'm not sure, but it doesn't matter. Brother can catch up, I'm not waiting here and I'm not sitting still. I'm going after him. If I hurry then I might still be able to catch up and make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else.

[swatsflies]

[WELL HE SHOULD LISTEN THEN.

Zell is going to mutter something under his breath in response as he rubs his hair and leans heavier on his living pillow.]

Alright. [He doesn't sound happy about it, but he's seen the sparring sessions between Ed and Al. He knows Al can handle himself.] At least you know what you're up against. Go kick his ass, man. We'll meet up again soon. [HE HOPES]