[log] Event: Howl [open]

[snowblindmods]

Characters: everyone
Location: The sort of location M.C. Escher wishes he'd thought up.
Date: nights 211 & 212
Summary: I hunt for you with bloody feet across the hallow'd ground
Warnings: potential for violence, death, and psychological horror; please note in subject lines if any specific warnings come up!

like some child possessed, the beast howls in my veins
I want to find you tear out all your tenderness

Comments

House - Andromeda

[rubikscomplex]

For Frisk

[rubikscomplex]

[When he sees Frisk, House almost turns away. He doesn't want to deal with a kid. It's bad enough they're even here in the first place. His mind is drawn back to Frisk's first arrival, though, traveling together with them, and what's more, the unnatural desire to protect at all costs is there. The doctor is drawn to the child. He knows they're blind and might go tripping off the edge of this Escher paining and into an upside-down waterfall or something.]

Give me your hand.

[No nonsense. He'll just use them to find monsters.]

[despiteeverything]

Dr. H?

[They can't see who it is, just the bright blue light of safety, like one of the stars they always found when they SAVEd. Voice they can do, though. Even if that voice makes an uncomfortable knot form in their stomach. And yet...

They can't see much, but they know what they have to do. They can't do much, but they can do this. They can help. Slowly their hand quests forward, unseeing, trying to find his.]

[rubikscomplex]

No. It's your conscience. I've gained a physical form and come to tell you you're way too much of a goody-two-shoes.

[He takes their hand and starts pulling Frisk along without preamble.]

You managed to wander into the rando-gravity water features level. Tell me when you see one of those things. We need to get the light.

[despiteeverything]

My conscience wouldn't say that.

[Well look at that, Lutha's taught them to be even more contrary. For all their verbal riposte, though, they don't complain at all. Not even when they stumble into motion, having to jog a little to keep up with the pace he's setting.]

Can see 'em. Just... they're all over and they're walking weird. Like they're on walls 'n stuff.

[He did say that gravity was weird....]

Um... closest one is um. That way.

[They hope he can see where they're pointing with their free hand, because they sure can't.]

[rubikscomplex]

We haven't talked in a while. I've gone through a few changes.

[On the walls makes House pause and stare up for a moment, feeling very suddenly vulnerable. The fact the kid isn't screeching is probably a good sign, though. When he looks back down, Frisk is pointing off toward a wall where there's a tree growing sideways. Perfect.

House sighs and starts tugging the child in that direction.]

I'm getting really tied of bullshit mazes.

[despiteeverything]

You're a lot nicer, then.

[Their voice is quiet as they say that. The kind of quiet that one doesn't expect anyone to actually be listening, but still have something they want to say.

They're not so sure what to do about mazes, especially ones they can't see. Eventually they do speak up.]

Where are we going? [No, that's not a good question.] What does it look like?

[rubikscomplex]

You're funny.

[It's good they change their question as House is about to mock them.]

It looks like you're pointing at a tree growing out of the side of a wall, which means we're in for a gravity shift. Ever seen an M.C. Escher painting? Impossible angles and architecture. That's this place.

For Alphonse

[rubikscomplex]

[Oh, hell no. House bristles at the conflicting emotions inside of him as he catches sight of Al moving toward what appears to be a sudden drop. He doesn't want to help, he has an almost overwhelming desire to help. For the moment, it manifests in a sort of semi-paralysis as he stands about 15 feet away from the giant suit of armor.]

Stop, unless you're looking to go airborne, Elric.

[armoured]

[Oh no. That is not a voice he wanted to hear, but he still stops instinctively as if a part of him knows that House is his best friend and only wants to protect him.

His head tilts in the direction of where the voice came from, though he can't see anything.]

Where exactly are you, Dr. House?

[rubikscomplex]

Your eight o'clock. You're about four feet away from a chessboard cliff. You might reorient with some new gravity, but you wanna take that chance? Are you feeling lucky, punk?

[armoured]

[He remains on the spot, but he does turn so that he's facing Dr. House properly. He holds his hands up, a gesture of non-violence.]

I feel like-- I feel like you're supposed to help me, there are monsters here and we have to fight them.

[rubikscomplex]

At least one of the half-pints is gonna yell at you for calling them 'monsters.'

[He lost Frisk and maybe feel a little bad about it on the same level that he feels compelled to aid Al and protect him.]

And it's whatever the hell is screwing with our heads here. Fine. Tell me where you see one of those things and we'll start pulling lights from them.

[armoured]

They're monsters.

[He doesn't feel bad about saying that at all. These aren't like Nina, these are more like the engineered soldiers.]

Are you sure you don't want to find someone else, it's-- I know you don't want me to be anywhere near you.

For Pierce

[rubikscomplex]

[House turns a corner in the sprawling mess of whatever this place is an nearly runs right into Pierce. He's not a Prophet. That much is immediately apparent. The doctor is looking about as healthy as he's ever been at the moment. The anti-depressants from Strange are keeping his appetite up and helping him sleep, and having his Vicodin back, along with his guitar, are keeping him relatively stable.]

Seen any Prophets around? I got my eye out for a special lady.

[peacemongering]

[Pierce was looking worse for wear, injuries still yellowing and the laceration on his cheek thick with scabbing. He hadn't dropped much for weight and appeared healthy otherwise, like he had taken very special care to upkeep his appearance where he could. He still raised an eyebrow when he ran - almost literally - into House and glanced around. He too was looking for someone in particular, and the longer it took, the increase the risk.]

Not as of yet, but I don't believe it would hurt to travel together for a bit in search. Unless you disagree?

[rubikscomplex]

If we run into one of the eyeball-hand monsters, I'm shoving you at it.

[It won't hurt him, just Pierce. House is, in spite of himself, curious about the other man to an extent. He hadn't taken advantage of his forced submission and need for orders, which runs somewhat counter to expectations. There's a part of the doctor that knows it was a tactic designed to pique his interest... and Pierce has proved that he likes manipulating people over to him, rather than using more brute force methods first.

It is interesting.]

You really should try dying. It'll clear up the whole face thing.

[House points to Pierce's abused appearance, and motions for the other man to turn around and head off. They're going to play the 'I don't trust you at my back' game again. House isn't quite as tense this time, though, more wary curiosity.]

[peacemongering]

I wonder if blinding its hands would halt its progress.

[The only good aspect of this scenario was the same as the bad because he couldn't actually see the monsters, not their location, not their appearance. So, the horror was the build up of the unknown, but he suspected once he was in the situation of facing down his death, it would simply be instinctual fear and instinct. He could not actually know what it was that attacked him.

And House... well, there was no actual honour among thieves. They could travel together, but aside from conversation and a body shield, they were of no help to one another. It didn't mean he wasn't willing to have the company.]

Why would I want that? I instead can use it to see which doctors will refuse treatment and be able to make a case against them later.

[He smirked and then took the lead, this time not bothering to play games with House about it. He could care less that House was at his back, hadn't much the last time, but he liked to feed into that paranoia. This time, he wanted to be in the lead because he suspected that running into any prophets on their journey would benefit the one in the lead first. Who was he to deny that opportunity?]

You look far more healthy than usual. Did dying again do that for you?

[rubikscomplex]

[In any other context, that would be a nonsensical suggestion.]

Probably. At least we can kick these ones without going unconscious.

[A discovery House had made with his first Prophet.]

Are you building a case against a lot of the doctors here?

[The question is asked casually as the move into a room that has staircases leading up the moss-covered walls.]

People already know I'm a dick who doesn't do clinic.

[He doesn't address the last question. Yes, dying, showering, taking his meds, and some additional meds, have pulled him back from falling back into a death spiral. At least for the moment. House isn't keen to share with the class, though.]

[peacemongering]

[That was a good point of fact to note, and he filed it away for when an opportunity might arise where he actually had to enter combat. It had been a long time, and his hands were still healing from where they had been pierced with glass shards. However, he was no slouch when survival was on the line.]

Your reputation and mannerism already has deconstructed any reputation that you might have garnered, though I know you to be a good doctor. [And as for the others, well, there was one in particular that he was concerned about the reputation of. The man had proven it was necessary.

And he noted the lack of answer, but that was answer enough by his measure. Something had happened and as long as House wasn't boring or a detriment to him, he could care less what the man was up to otherwise.]

Have we ascertained the object of this new exercise?

For England

[rubikscomplex]

[House only vaguely recognizes England from behind. It's when the other man turns and he sees the telltale bushy eyebrows that the doctor makes the connection to the country. He wrinkles his nose.]

Hey, limey, where's the better half.

[He's aware that he's going to be helping England now because the man is the Prophet, and House feels drawn to him, against his wishes (and better judgement).]

[keepscalm]

[All England can see is a point of helpful blue light, but even as something in him tells him to trust, there's a persistent scowl gracing his face.] I haven't got a clue what you're talking about.

[England is both of his own halves thank you very much.]

[rubikscomplex]

Your boyfriend. Hey, is that kinda an Oedipus thing since you gave birth to our country? Kinky.

[He steps in close enough to grab England's upper arm.]

Point out where the nearest creature is. We need to start getting rid of them.

[keepscalm]

[Though he doesn't fully wrench away, drawn to House despite himself, he still flinches when he's grabbed without warning, fingers curling expectantly into fists.] Prick. I don't know where America is.

[But he does know where the creatures are, and his gaze is fixed on a point somewhere past House, where something undulates in the darkness.] I assume you've got a plan for that, if you're going to be dragging me around like this.

[rubikscomplex]

Dude. You're the one who's been to war. I'm just a doc from jersey.

[To England's credit, House drops the sarcasm a hair for am moment.] Punching the eyes while I grab the light has been working. Got a better idea?