All at once/not a whisper, nor word
WHO: Erza Scarlet [thetitania] OPEN to whoever offered to help her.
WHAT: Nightmare the second: Gerard and the exile.
WHERE: The beach...eventually.
WHEN: Backdated to Tuesday, September 29th. Early dawn.
”Erza…” Gerard’s eyes glittered with sadistic, mad triumph. “Let us complete the R-System…no, the “Tower of Paradise,” together!” He laughed, a hysterical, insane giggle. “And then we can revive Zeref!”
Erza was exhausted; both from the over-usage of her newfound magic and the injuries from all the torture being in this place had put her through, but what Gerard was saying was more than what their shared emotional stress had brought on: it was insanity. “Stop talking such nonsense! We’re leaving this island, forever!” She saw Gerard’s eyes widen, and then, suddenly, she was snapped back by a blast of his own newfound magic. She was slammed against the rocks, landing in a rumpled heap. Even through the pain ringing through her head, she could hear Gerard speaking, his voice low and harsh. Hateful. She’d never heard him talk like this.
“Go ahead.” She lifted her head to gaze at him, and he was smiling. “If you want to leave so much, then you go ahead and leave on your own. Don’t worry.” He was walking toward her, the chains on his ankles clinking with the movement. She couldn’t manage to move, and something was screaming into her to move. She had to get away from him. “I’ll give them all clothes. I’ll give them food. I’ll let them rest. Controlling your workers through fear and through force is incredibly inefficient.”
Erza managed to lift her head, staring at him in disbelief. “What are you saying…? Everyone’s on the ship already! They’re waiting for us!" Shock and disbelief gave way into bewildered anger. "There’s no way anyone’s going to come back and work here anymore!” Gerard’s smile only widened, and Erza realized that whatever had him…he was completely lost in it.
“They just got it all wrong. They never gave us a reason to work. I’ll give them that reason. They will work for the sake of the mighty mage, Zeref!”
“Gerard…please, open your eyes…”
“I don’t need you anymore.” His voice was flat, and Erza felt her stomach drop. She shrunk away from him, but it was too late: in an instant, the shadows beneath her feet morphed into hands, wrapping around her neck. She choked, and the arms lifted her up. “But I’m not going to kill you. I appreciate what you’ve done, eliminating those nuisances for me. You can leave the island. You go and find your fleeting ‘freedom.’”
“Gerard…” her eyes filled with tears. Where had he gone? Where was the brave boy she knew?
He didn’t seem to be hearing her. “I doubt I need to tell you that you must never speak of this to anyone.” He moved his hand in a twisting gesture, and the shadow hands around her neck tightened. She gagged. “If the government were to found out about the Tower of Paradise, the plan would be ruined. If we were to be discovered, I would have to destroy the evidence of this tower…and everyone on it. And you must never return to this place. If you are ever sighted in this area, I’ll start the killing.” He grinned. It was a far too cheery grin, a sadistic grin. “Let’s see…yes, I think I’ll kill Shou first.”
The tears finally came, unbidden. She tried to plead again, tried to reach him. “Ge…rard.”
“THAT IS YOUR PRECIOUS FREEDOM! LIVE ON, WITH THE LIVES OF YOUR PRECIOUS NAKAMA ON YOUR BACK, ERZA!”
The hands tightened once more, and suddenly she was flung out and away, off the Tower and into the sea. Gerard’s laughter, mad and ecstatic, rang in her ears. He thought he had won, she remembered thinking. He thought he had won, and he had…she’d never come back, as much as she wanted to save her nakama. She’d never go back to that terrible island. Better to leave them now, as the thing inside Gerard’s head had commanded. Better to leave them, than risk their lives by returning…
And that wild, mocking laughter rang still, even while she fell from a cliff high above the ocean. She woke up just in time to realize where she was, just long enough to scream. She hit the cliff face, and that made her screams catch in her throat.
She plunged into the ocean next, and floated limply in the water before she floated to the shore, motionless. Her arm sat at an odd angle, and bright red welts and bruises stood out against her skin. Her breathing was pained and shallow, and though she knew she had to move, she couldn't work up the strength to do so.
[ooc: She's got a broken arm, numerous welts and bruises...probably a concussion, and the eyepatch is not for show. D: So be gentle plz. Sorry this is late, was mad busy.]
WHAT: Nightmare the second: Gerard and the exile.
WHERE: The beach...eventually.
WHEN: Backdated to Tuesday, September 29th. Early dawn.
”Erza…” Gerard’s eyes glittered with sadistic, mad triumph. “Let us complete the R-System…no, the “Tower of Paradise,” together!” He laughed, a hysterical, insane giggle. “And then we can revive Zeref!”
Erza was exhausted; both from the over-usage of her newfound magic and the injuries from all the torture being in this place had put her through, but what Gerard was saying was more than what their shared emotional stress had brought on: it was insanity. “Stop talking such nonsense! We’re leaving this island, forever!” She saw Gerard’s eyes widen, and then, suddenly, she was snapped back by a blast of his own newfound magic. She was slammed against the rocks, landing in a rumpled heap. Even through the pain ringing through her head, she could hear Gerard speaking, his voice low and harsh. Hateful. She’d never heard him talk like this.
“Go ahead.” She lifted her head to gaze at him, and he was smiling. “If you want to leave so much, then you go ahead and leave on your own. Don’t worry.” He was walking toward her, the chains on his ankles clinking with the movement. She couldn’t manage to move, and something was screaming into her to move. She had to get away from him. “I’ll give them all clothes. I’ll give them food. I’ll let them rest. Controlling your workers through fear and through force is incredibly inefficient.”
Erza managed to lift her head, staring at him in disbelief. “What are you saying…? Everyone’s on the ship already! They’re waiting for us!" Shock and disbelief gave way into bewildered anger. "There’s no way anyone’s going to come back and work here anymore!” Gerard’s smile only widened, and Erza realized that whatever had him…he was completely lost in it.
“They just got it all wrong. They never gave us a reason to work. I’ll give them that reason. They will work for the sake of the mighty mage, Zeref!”
“Gerard…please, open your eyes…”
“I don’t need you anymore.” His voice was flat, and Erza felt her stomach drop. She shrunk away from him, but it was too late: in an instant, the shadows beneath her feet morphed into hands, wrapping around her neck. She choked, and the arms lifted her up. “But I’m not going to kill you. I appreciate what you’ve done, eliminating those nuisances for me. You can leave the island. You go and find your fleeting ‘freedom.’”
“Gerard…” her eyes filled with tears. Where had he gone? Where was the brave boy she knew?
He didn’t seem to be hearing her. “I doubt I need to tell you that you must never speak of this to anyone.” He moved his hand in a twisting gesture, and the shadow hands around her neck tightened. She gagged. “If the government were to found out about the Tower of Paradise, the plan would be ruined. If we were to be discovered, I would have to destroy the evidence of this tower…and everyone on it. And you must never return to this place. If you are ever sighted in this area, I’ll start the killing.” He grinned. It was a far too cheery grin, a sadistic grin. “Let’s see…yes, I think I’ll kill Shou first.”
The tears finally came, unbidden. She tried to plead again, tried to reach him. “Ge…rard.”
“THAT IS YOUR PRECIOUS FREEDOM! LIVE ON, WITH THE LIVES OF YOUR PRECIOUS NAKAMA ON YOUR BACK, ERZA!”
The hands tightened once more, and suddenly she was flung out and away, off the Tower and into the sea. Gerard’s laughter, mad and ecstatic, rang in her ears. He thought he had won, she remembered thinking. He thought he had won, and he had…she’d never come back, as much as she wanted to save her nakama. She’d never go back to that terrible island. Better to leave them now, as the thing inside Gerard’s head had commanded. Better to leave them, than risk their lives by returning…
And that wild, mocking laughter rang still, even while she fell from a cliff high above the ocean. She woke up just in time to realize where she was, just long enough to scream. She hit the cliff face, and that made her screams catch in her throat.
She plunged into the ocean next, and floated limply in the water before she floated to the shore, motionless. Her arm sat at an odd angle, and bright red welts and bruises stood out against her skin. Her breathing was pained and shallow, and though she knew she had to move, she couldn't work up the strength to do so.
[ooc: She's got a broken arm, numerous welts and bruises...probably a concussion, and the eyepatch is not for show. D: So be gentle plz. Sorry this is late, was mad busy.]