Event: Consolidation Theory, Part One and Two

[snowblindmods]

Characters: red-marked characters
Location: ???
Date: Morning & Day 353
Summary: You wake up in a cell.
Warnings: general horror warnings; please note in subject lines for anything specific that comes up

Consolidation Theory OOC Post
Part Two OOC Post

Comments

[heroproceeding]

[ Tell him, tell him.

Zack's not oblivious enough to notice how he pointedly avoids mentioning the what. But... he's also not oblivious enough to not catch onto the uncomfortable body language or the pointed pause. It makes him fold his own arms, resting his head slowly back against the wall. ]

No one knew it was gonna happen. It's not your fault. Just means you hang onto- whatever until we get out, right? I get it. We have a cat like that.

[fiftheclipse]

[... Give Junpei a moment. He's not sure what to do with this information yet. There's been cats using the network like it's no problem, so maybe he means one's going through the same.. need to finish something back home. But. That's not really what registers.]

You lost a cat?

[heroproceeding]

Didn't lose it! [ He's quick to jump at that because no, no. Nope, that would be bad and Zell's been so very good with Mochi. ]

Just a friend of ours- well, they died a long while back. Only just came back recently. So, we've been taking care of their cat since.

[ You know. Instead of his brother. Who also died a while ago. 'cause he's very great at protecting people only not. ]

[fiftheclipse]

[Someone who only revived recently... That should be Tadashi...]

Mochi?

[Look, he kind of pays attention sometimes. Kind of.]

You said "we". Was there anyone in your group without all the red? They can.. probably still get it to him.

[heroproceeding]

[ Zack snaps his fingers at the name, pointing- well, pointedly at Junpei. ]

That's who I'm talking about- and yeah. Zell and Jim.. They ought'a still be in town... I hope anyway. [ He's really... really trying not to let paranoia get the best of him this time around. He's trying at least. It's rough, man. ]

If we could at least get him back his cat, that'd be better than.. Well, it'd be something.

[fiftheclipse]

You'd help both of them at once.

[And it's a far less selfish goal than his own.]

... I'm gonna take a guess that we're the center of attention right now. Everyone on the outside should be fine. They gotta be.

[heroproceeding]

Yeah... Yeah, you're probably right.

[ And it's a token of comfort, no matter how small it might be. It's something and that's better than nothing right then. It still makes him wonder just what all else Miller will put them through, but.. Better him than them. And maybe they'll find a way to get them out of there.

Zack swallows roughly. ]

What about your friends? They out there, too?

[ Assuming he has to have at least made some friends around there, if even some newly made ones. Far easier is it to survive this place together than alone. ]

[fiftheclipse]

[If he focuses on the voices around him... No. A lot are here. Diana. Peter. Angel. Vanitas? ... Maybe his definition of a friend is too loose.]

A couple of em. Clover, Flynn..

[And Quark, but.. No. He's not a friend. He's family.]

The rest were never brought to this town. It's probably better that way.

[heroproceeding]

[ Clover might not get a hint of recognition, but Flynn gets a twitch and a frown. The last time he spoke to him...

Well, he doesn't really want to think about it. But he nods all the same at the rest. ]

Yeah... I hear you there. [ He huffs a little at that, shaking his head with his scraggly hair feeling like it's going every which way. There's a five o'clock shadow already starting to make its appearance on his face- the only hint it feels that time's continued on, even when they're down there out of sight of the sky. ]

I don't even think I'd wish this on someone I hate.

[fiftheclipse]

Well of course not. You do that and you'd be stuck with them.

[Look jokes are helpful okay.]

[heroproceeding]

[ Zack snorts softly at that. It's hardly a laugh, but it's still something. ]

Well, yeah. I guess that's true. Though... [ Frowning as he thinks of it more... ] If it was between them and someone I care about, I'd rather put up with them instead.

[fiftheclipse]

... Yeah.

I mean, I miss everyone I got dragged away from, but I don't want them here. I wanna get back out to them, instead.

[heroproceeding]

Yeah, that makes sense. [ There's a long, maybe even awkward pause. Then a tilt to his head as he seems to consider something. ] I think if we ever get a chance out of here, I'm.. going with my friends here. To one of their worlds. You know, if you can do that anyway.

[fiftheclipse]

You think it works that way?

There's someone I'd wanna bring with me. Well, two people, I guess. But where I'd be going back to... Norfinbury's worse, but it's safer.

[heroproceeding]

How is this place safer? [ A disbelieving jerk of his head tells about as much what he thinks of that. ]

There's nothing about this place worth staying here. At least not unless your world's on the verge of its end.

[fiftheclipse]

[Well, actually...]

What counts as your "world" is subjective, isn't it?

People are going to keep living. In general. But I don't know about the ones with me right then and there. I thought I knew what I was doing, but the longer I'm here, and can't find out what happened, the more I'm starting to doubt it all.

[heroproceeding]

Doubt what?

[ What does he mean by the world being subjective, he doesn't know. But one thing at at time as he studies the guy on the other side of the hall. ]

What you were doing?

[fiftheclipse]

... Trying to survive. This town pulled me out of some sick bastard's "game" where the only way out was for everyone else to die.

[Well, not everyone, but, he doesn't feel like oversharing with so many people around.]

I thought I found a way to keep more people alive. Never got a chance to find out if it worked, though. If it doesn't, then what I'd be putting others through if I brought them...

That's too much.

[heroproceeding]

[ A game... Funny how it makes his blood run in an eerie familiar cold. It's really not much different from when Miller had them do those repairs, isn't it? That had sure felt like some twisted death game.

No, Fair. Don't make assumptions. Zack sucks in a breath. Lets it out slowly. Thinks a little more on that, looking uneasy. ]

Then... why not go somewhere else then with them? There's other places out there. I know for a fact Al's always telling people to come back with him.

[ Back to his world which he's so fond of. A world in which he seems so sure people could live peacefully in if he keeps offering it up like that. ]

[fiftheclipse]

[... And it's back to why he needs that ring.]

Because I don't want to. They should go with him, but I need to get back.

Even if it came down to dying there or living somewhere else, I know what I'd choose.

[heroproceeding]

[ There's something in that reasoning. Just something in it that gets Zack's eyes to narrow a bit more. He almost looks like he's going to snap out for a minute and then he closes his eyes and breathes again. If it came down to dying there. Doesn't mean he's going to. There's no permanence to that statement and if he has something he feels he needs to see through...

Well.

Zack could understand why at least. ] Whatever it is, whatever theory you came up with to make sure everyone makes it out alive back there... I really hope you're right.