[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

Andromeda

[advanced]

[This is much more familiar to him than what's been happening recently. This is a mission with a target, clear and simple. The backdrop is irrelevant, the fact that the targets are literal monsters removes the ethical dilemma of wanting to fight, and he feels a little more secure in who he is.

There's just one problem, he can't see the monsters, and he can't find a prophet to help him in the hunt.

If he spots a prophet anywhere, he'll be running to their side in an instant, every inch the strong and silent bodyguard.]

[definingfuture]

[Tony is having little luck with his search. He realizes he has to find the Prophet, but so far he hasn't run into the Prophet or, more thankfully, the monsters he can't see. When he catches sight of the other figure, he realizes he isn't the Prophet, but he heads toward him anyway. Tony has his own reasons for seeking people out.

He stops a short distance away, unsure if he should get closer.]

Uh. [Is this a bad idea?] Hi.

[advanced]

[Maybe it's a bad idea, but it's not the worst idea. At least Bucky feels no overwhelming urge to hurt Tony, even if he feels no real need to protect him either.

He keeps still, eyes never wavering from Tony's face.]

Hey.

[definingfuture]

[Neither of them can see the monsters that are out there somewhere. The hidden dangers that only the Prophet can find remain hidden, but Tony is a little relieved that this run-in hasn't turned into another fight just yet. He's had his fill of tragedy. Having Bucky watch him so carefully makes him nervous, and he finds himself staring back.]

What? Do I have something on my face?

[advanced]

[His eyebrows lift ever so slightly in surprise.]

No. But I'm not sure what you want from me, I can't see what needs to be done.

[definingfuture]

What if I just wanted to make sure you're okay? I know I'm not much use to you at the moment, but you said we were friends.

[He failed at that already. Tony is trying to make up for it.]

[advanced]

[That surprised expression remains, but he nods. It makes something ease in his chest.]

Yeah. From what I remember, we are.

[equal_shots]

[Kid is a small figure in the strange landscape, moving slowly, movements stilted and hesitant. He has one hand outstretched as he feels for obstacles in front of him. The dark world, filled only with glowing orbs of light is reminiscent of soul perception--and while he wants to find comfort in the familiarity, he can't bring himself to.

There is a blue light not far from him, and he hesitantly moves towards it. Blue light is safe, he knows this instinctively and without prompting. If he can just get to the blue--

A slight turn of his head and he realizes what is between them: a huge creature, humanoid, but with many sets of eyes and staring. Watching. Screaming.

The kishin-like anomaly is familiar and revolting and Kid clamps his hands over his ears to block out the shrieking and unable to bite back his own gasp in panic.

There is white light to capture here, but he's sure he can't do it. Not alone.]

[advanced]

[He's not alone.

Bucky can't see the creature, but he can see a child in danger. The set of his body screams fear, and he's obviously cowering from something that Bucky can't see. The overwhelming swell of protectiveness is unusual, but he doesn't question it for now.

He just appears at the child's side and lays a hand on his shoulder.]

Where is it?

[equal_shots]

[Something is on his shoulder and Kid turns a solid ninety degrees, at first unable to catch the blue light. It is the epitome of irony that even with his blinded eye and non-vision he can see only on the left side, his empty right eye socket remaining just as useless as it had been when he could see. Someone is beside him and he reaches out hesitantly for them.

He turns back to face the creature, "looking" in its direction. Kid's voice is quiet, so hoarse he can barely bring the volume above a strained whisper.] Twenty yards. Close enough to reach with its bindings, if they behave as I think they will--like tentacles.

Eyes everywhere. In its hair, forhead, hands too. Do you see the light? When it screams-- [He grimaces.] --it's in the back of its throat. It's trying to swallow it!

[advanced]

Alright.

[His voice is low, almost soothing, though his body language is tense as a bowstring and ready to snap out any moment.]

I can get it, you just have to direct me. Can you do that? I promise I'll keep you safe if you do that.

[He's moving even before Kid replies, striding out towards the twenty yard distance that Kid mentioned.]

[equal_shots]

Don't leave me behind--

[As Bucky moves away from Kid, the teen follows anxiously, movements stilted. And now that the two are talking and the soldier is heading towards it, the creature turns to face them.

The anomaly shrieks again, and lunges forward as Bucky moves towards him--twenty yards rapidly becomes ten--and the bandage-like tendrils lash out at the two of them. Despite being fabric in appearance, they are strong and sharp and when they strike they do so hard. They scramble for Bucky to keep him back, aiming to wrap around the soldier's wrists and keep him still and in place. They slice into the man's arms, tightening and trying to wind up the limbs. The anomaly shrieks, and the white light is visible in the back of its mouth.

Panicked, Kid runs towards the two of them, stumbling through the landscape he can't see. All he can see is the anomaly, grappling with Bucky. Smaller than the two of them, Kid swings at the creature's abdomen, trying to get it to loosen the grip it had on Bucky's arms. Shrieking, the monster moves to swat Kid away with another tendril; Kid falls back to the ground.]

It's--did it let you go? At least looser? Light's-- [Holding his head, Kid tries to reorient himself. The one strike had been enough to leave him momentarily disoriented.] --in its mouth!

[advanced]

[It's only because he can't see the creature that he doesn't manage to avoid the first attack, tendrils grabbing his only arm and one empty sleeve that promptly rips away from the rest of the coat.

He snarls when Kid is batted back, instincts going into overdrive, and immediately lashes out with his feet. As soon as he feels his foot connect with something, he uses that as guidance for where to aim his next volley of attacks, not letting up until his arm is free and he can punch directly towards where he hopes the mouth is.]

Mouth, where is it? Up or down? Direct me here!

[heroproceeding]

[ After running into Stephanie, the sound of rushing footfalls pounding against too-dry ground already has him whirling around to meet whoever's next on the list of people he'll be forced to fight that day? Night? Whatever it is, it changes nothing. Which explains the fist he has pulled back as he takes on a defensive stance, ready to reciprocate their charging blow with one of his own if he gets the chance.

At least that had been the plan, but this light- it's different. Not the red that gave him this impending sense of dread but something cool and soothing. So, while Zack doesn't drop his defensive stance, he doesn't follow through either, brows furrowed and sightless eyes staring through Bucky. ] Who's there?

[advanced]

[He already doesn't want to hurt anyone, but that's been ramped up into a protective overdrive when he sees Zack. He usually doesn't feel this way for anyone except Steve, but he knows intrinsically that he will rip apart anything that threatens this veritable stranger.]

Bucky.

[He takes a step forwards.]

Are you hurt?

[heroproceeding]

[ Bucky.

The combination of the voice and the name makes him twitch. But he'd done nothing to them back during the transfusion. Been uneasy and not very talkative in the end, but Zack couldn't really blame him from what he'd known. And in the end, he'd left them in peace not only when he and Kunsel left together but he hadn't pursued them or anything since.

So, his stance eases slowly at the question. Or maybe there's just something about that blue light that gives him an odd comfort as he drops his guard and shakes his head. ] Nothing I can't handle, but I can't see a damn thing around here.

[advanced]

[There is something about Zack that Bucky finds vaguely familiar, but his memories haven't come back enough to pinpoint it as someone who helped in the transfusion. But he doesn't seem hostile, not to Bucky anyway, and that's oddly enough for now.]

There are other things here than us, I can see around but I can't see them.

[heroproceeding]

Yeah... I thought something creepy was around here. [ He's been feeling eyes on him, but he'd thought it was just a hallucination maybe. Some wayward fear clawing at his back like this town tends to do. But just because he can't see them doesn't mean there aren't monsters lurking around in the depths of wherever they are. Which sounds just great, but... ]

I have a feeling we're supposed to do something about them though. [ But it's hard to do that when he feels like he's been stumbling around in circles for the last couple of hours? Days? He has no idea how much time has passed. But it's too much and he still hasn't found the others and who in the hell knows what's going on with them. At this point, he has to take what slim opportunities he has. ] Think you can be my eyes for a bit?

[advanced]

You can't see the creatures?

[That doesn't seem right to him, somehow. Something inside him told him that these ones, the special ones, the prophets; they would be able to see the things that needed to be stopped.

He's not refusing to help, it's just that even the protective impulses can't completely take away his natural (and MN induced) paranoia.]

[fiteme]

[He can't see.

He can't see.

That alone is terrifying enough. To make things worse, the little glowing lights he can see... he knows they're monsters. He knows it. But there's nothing he can do about it.

Steve is so, so scared. He's lived with disabilities all his life, but blindness isn't something he's ever had to deal with. That and the monsters... he feels so powerless. He needs to find... someone.

The right person. He knows who he's looking for. Even stumbling around in the dark, trying to stay away from the lights, he knows... who he's looking for.

Hands cautiously finding a path on the wall, he makes his way.]

[advanced]

[He's found himself feeling oddly protective over a few people, but there's one person that doesn't need the added boost of prophet to andromeda for him to immediately head over to.

As soon as he spots Steve, he's at his side in a moment, hand coming up to rest on his shoulder.]

It's me.

[Voice low, careful.]

I'm here.

[fiteme]

[Steve startles badly when he's touched. He just about jumps a foot in the air, actually, but the sound of Bucky's voice sends a wave of relief through him. He turns and grabs at Bucky's coat, his sightless eyes blinking fast and searching for what he can't see.]

Bucky? Bucky, I'm so glad you're here, I can't... I can't see, Bucky.

[advanced]

I know. It's okay, Steve, we'll figure it out.

[His voice is much softer than it usually is, even the faintest twang of Brooklyn to be heard.]

I'm not gonna leave you, I've got you.

[fiteme]

[He fights for breath and nods, squeezing his useless eyes shut and struggling to calm down. Bucky's here. He's fine. They'll be fine.]

Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Just... gimme a minute.

[advanced]

[He keeps his hand between Steve's shoulderblades, half comfort to let him know that he's still there, and half to help with his breathing.]

Yeah, take your time.