tvklogs | There were times in my life

Entry tags:

There were times in my life

Who: Albedo, Gaignun (

namedforcat) and open.
Where: Everywhere.
When: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during Dark Hour.
What: Jr. and MOMO have vanished and the loss of both of them has taken its toll on Albedo's sanity. He deals with it the only way he knows how: by fighting until he can't fight any more.
Rating: R
Warnings: Language, violence, blood, mutilation, references to and implications of suicide, character death and abuse of Shakespearian quotes.
Notes: PLEASE let me know what day you're encountering him if you tag this. His sanity will be continuing to slip up until his death, so it makes a difference. Also, let me know if you're willing to let your character get injured, otherwise I'll assume no.

Rubedo's number was gone from the listings. MOMO's was gone with it. Some might expect that second point to come as good news to the man who seemed to despise her, but he cared about her in a strange, twisted way. With them both vanishing at the same time, Albedo's already delicate sanity was beginning to crumble in ways that he found distressingly familiar. Oh, he was functional, could even pretend to be as sane as he ever was. But he was slipping, and he knew it.

During the Dark Hour, that changed. It had always been the time when he'd allowed himself to disregard the social pretenses required to manage in the city and act on his more violent nature. Now he had an ulterior motive. For three nights, he would roam the streets alone, avoiding his remaining brother however he could. For three days, he wouldn't be going to the book store or the theater. For three nights, he would be collecting injuries that did nothing to pierce his haze of rage and pain. For two days, he would be hiding the extent of his injuries from his brother. For three nights, he would be nearly as hostile as the Shadows he cut through and was mutilated by.

The third night, he would die.

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He raised his eyebrow and strode closer, holding his knife in a combat ready position.

"I don't need the aid of a little tagalong that believes himself to be worthy of considering himself part of Nigredo and my group."

Now that statement made him take a step back, squashing the tiny bit of regal pride in what he was. That didn't matter here, this wasn't his world, and he had no idea what their world was like.

"... I never meant to consider myself part of your group. That week affected all of us, you know that. But I do consider both of you people who have good hearts. You stepped up to fight when it was needed. And... any world could use more people like that."

He continued moving closer, laughing again.

"You seem to have misinterpreted my intentions. I care little for what happens to the pathetic residents of this place who would be powerless to put an end to those Shadows. I fight because I find the effects of the full moon as personally annoying as the rest of you and because it allows me to indulge my instincts as a weapon without having to deal with the pesky legal system that actually manages to hold some sway over me in this place."

Ryu frowned at the man's words, looking back up at him.

"You're more than a weapon. So am I. I was summoned to be used by the Empire - but I'm more than just an Endless. I'm a person. You don't have to be a weapon if you don't want to."

He balled his hands into fists. He just wanted to help, but how? That was the question. Maybe if he kept talking... though talking was never what he was best at...

"Ahh, but you assume I have a desire to shed my role as an inhabitant of the battlefield. I am indeed more than a weapon, but no less one for being a man as well."

He crouched down to try to put the flat of his blade against the bottom of Ryu's chin.

"You'll find I rather enjoy my status as a weapon lacking in a wielder."

He didn't move, didn't flinch away from the knife against his skin. He'd faced worse - granted, he usually had backup, and someone with healing skills, but still. He looked back up at Albedo.

"You need to get healed. I don't want to see you hurt. Even if you want to be a weapon... you're not going to be able to fight for long in this state."

He knew he wouldn't last much longer. That was the point. But this boy had too close of a connection to Nigredo for him to admit what he was doing. Even in his insanity, he knew that if Nigredo found out what he was doing and found him, he would try to stop him...he didn't want to deal with that.

Instead, he turned the blade and swept it down over Ryu's chest.

"Even with this human body, I'm more than capable of dealing with a few pathetic injuries."

Ryu hissed and lashed out with his fists, wishing he had his sword. He knew he couldn't deal a lot of damage like this, but he didn't want to get too hurt. Nina wasn't here, so he didn't have healing magic available. This wasn't going to end well, and he knew it.

"Hng!"

He could feel the blood dripping down, and his stomach flipped. It was such an unsettling feeling that he was unused to.

He brought the blade up to his mouth and slowly licked the blood off of one side of it, savoring the metallic flavor of it.

"And as you can see, I'm in well enough condition to deal with irritating little pests that seek to interfere with my fun."

"This isn't fun, and this isn't funny. We're all mortal here... you don't want to die, do you?"

The thought of someone actually wanting to die... he can't even imagine it. It seems terrifying.

Albedo tensed, his expression shifting from sadistic amusement to annoyed curiosity.

"And what if I do? Are you going to stop me? Rubedo couldn't stop me the last time, and you're of far less worth than him."

"But -"

Ryu cut himself off, shaking his head. He knew he didn't have the power to stop Albedo - he was still weak here. There wasn't really anything he could do...

"I... I just want to help you... to help everyone..." That was his purpose, right? To bring great joy? He didn't want to bring destruction, so...

"You want to help everyone, do you? That would be quite the feat, considering helping one nearly invariably brings harm to another. Some are even beyond help altogether~ Or do you believe a revolt brings no harm to the former leaders merely because they had already earned the animosity of their people? Or that a man so overcome by the desire to escape the prospect of death that he manipulated an entire galaxy, his own children included, so that he might become a God could be reformed?"

His tone on the last word made his opinion on the matter clear even beyond his phrasing.

"To extend my life would be to extend my own suffering, and to ensure Nigredo's as well. I might even wipe out everyone on this entire pitiful island. That sounds like fun, actually."

"... I know some people are beyond help. But to help bring peace to as many people as I can... that's what I want to do."

At his last statement though, he stiffened and frowned. "Don't. Please." Why didn't he have enough power, he needed more power to be able to make sure things would be all right...

"I... you'll have to go through me if you want to try to harm people here."

"If you insist~"

Two things made Albedo unpredictable in combat. First, his movements had a spontaneous appearance, not only making it difficult to tell what he was about to do, but also making it hard to figure out if even he knew. Second, he was fast. Not as fast as he had been as a URTV, but his body was still built for this kind of activity. Ryu would have a couple of second's warning as Albedo closed the remaining distance between them to dodge the knife aimed for his chest.

Ryu was also fast, but not used to this body yet. He dodged to the right, but a little to slow to prevent from getting cut.

"Why?" That was his only question. He didn't understand this. He didn't understand anything...

"Why?"

He stalked after Ryu, bloody cape flaring out behind him.

"Why should I explain myself to you?

"Because... because I want to understand. I don't understand..."

He needed to make sure no one else got hurt. He couldn't just back away from that...

"What makes you think an idealistic creature like yourself could grasp my intent?"

He swept at Ryu again, though not as fast. The impression he gave off was more akin to a cat toying with its prey than a determined killer.

Ryu jumped back, breathing hard, trying to find words.

"At least try to explain!"

He followed, steps slow and leisurely, as if he was sure his victim couldn't do anything to stop him or escape.

"I have no desire to prolong my existence. If you can't comprehend that, it's of no worth trying to explain."

"I -" He couldn't understand that, no. He didn't understand, he didn't really want to understand something like that.

"I don't want you to die, though..."

"Oh really? Even though you know what I might do should I survive long enough?"

Ryu hesitated. Did he really? ... There was always a chance he could change his mind.

"Yes."

"Even knowing that such an act would pale in comparison to my actions prior to my arrival here?"

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amnesiadragon - 2012-02-15 03:32 (UTC) - Expand

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