⇒ 021

[fastest]

[ there's the sound of a few notes of an organ being played...nothing fancy, but it does have certain ring to it. it suddenly stops for something, and joshua's voice can be heard as a slight echo ]

Bless me Father, for I have sinned.

[ there's a stretched out silence, as abel just walked into the church after looking all night and day, to find

Comments

1/2

[priestish]

[there is a long, pregnant silence as Abel stares.

the resemblances between Joshua's situation and Cain's were innumerable. and in the end... Abel doubted he'd afford the boy much greater mercy than he had his twin when he'd discovered what he'd done to Lilith all those centuries ago.]

[seeded_flame]

[Oh, good. Clark is here. The fire is getting cut off as soon as Abel hits the wall.

And Mai is listening to Joshua's rant as she walks closer, stepping over the blood on the floor, but she's completely and utterly dismissive of how crazy he's sounding as she crouches down next to him. The sight is enough to make a normal person sick, but she's just taking her hoodie off and reaching for his hand, moving it out of the way before pressing the clothing against his stomach, humming quietly]

[clarklike]

[Clark checks that Faith is looking after Abel, and he moves towards Mai and Joshua. He stands over them for a second, and then kneels down to their level. He reaches to help Mai stem the bleeding.]

No one won, Joshua. You'll be dead within the hour if the bleeding doesn't stop, and I hardly call that winning.

Turn Lilith, Lana and Ino back into themselves. Immediately.

[priestish]

[is like... smoking, over here, but most of the wounds have healed over before he killed the nanomachines. he pushed the limit by using them in the first place, and...

the skinny of it? he lost control.

he lifts his head when Faith drops down next to him, blinking hard and trying to make out her face properly before looking past her at Joshua. his half-crazed rant barely registers. he could've killed him. wanted to kill him. would've, if he hadn't been stopped.

there's definitive remorse in his eyes as he tries to say he's sorry but just sort of coughs a lot instead gdi pwned]

[fastest]

[ seems to calm down at the sound of mai's humming, resting his head against his arm. he's cold, and the pain seizing his body is raw and torturous. ...he doesn't care ]

And if I die? I'll be back, and they'll still be stone. He will still be a monster, you'll still be a hypocrite...and I'll still be the winner.

If I can't ever see her face again...neither should you.

[fiveby_five]

[Overhears Joshua, what the hell is going on over there? Clark has the sitch under control, so she focuses back on Abel, putting her hands on his shoulders, shaking him.

She's pissed; she knew this would happen and he did it anyway, but whatever. His ass-kicking kind of helped her rage. She'd vent later.]

Hey, you alright?

[luckyvalentine]

[numbly watching Mai and Clark deal with Joshua. She wants to help...she really does, somewhere in there. That's the whole reason she stupidly ran into this mess in the first place, but...can't exactly bring herself to do much more than get a couple steps closer. ...She's still gripping her gun, held nervously at her side]

1/2

[seeded_flame]

....

[she'll let Clark take over handling the wound]

[seeded_flame]

[so she can hug Joshua. It's awkward and stiff, but a hug nonetheless.]

This isn't worth dying over.

[priestish]

[oh god don't shake--

just puts his hands on Faith's arms, gently, trying to stop her and head leaning forward, forehead hitting her shoulder lightly.

give the man a minute. he just got blown up, shanked, shot, set on fire and thrown into a wall DID I MISS ANYTHING]

Li...lith? Is Lilith...

[fastest]

[ just stares blankly up at the ceiling, his breathing a wet rattle as he winces and struggles to reach up to grip at mai's sleeve, soaking it red. his voice is quiet, so only she and clark can hear this time...maybe faye if she's really listening ]

You...forgot to give me a birthday present...

[ a little sigh, and he lets go, eyes slowly closing ]

Sister...

[fiveby_five]

[dude, your dumb ass ran off and mutilated a psychotic kid, you don't get a minute. She lets him go, glancing back over to the mess behind them. Looks like the kid is out. Time to bullshit]

Clark's got it. She'll be fine, alright.

You gonna heal or keel over?

[clarklike]

[he shifts, tempted to... lecture and be angry and tell him off, but he's dying and Clark knows what's under the monster. He can't do that to him. It'd be despicable, and heartless.

He keeps the pressure on, considering the options. It's too big to cauterize. He could move him -- get him to the clinic, get Claire, get someone. Would Claire's blood work? It's a gamble, but if he lets Joshua die, there's a window there to save him.]

Joshua, please. Save them -- let them go. We can still help you. You don't have to die.

[fastest]

[ ff, sorry clark, he's totally passed out from blood loss at this point. but your women are free, you just won't know until one of them says something over the journal ]

[clarklike]

[Clark's not waiting more. He pushes by Mai and picks Joshua up, and gives her a cursory glance.]

I'll be back for you as soon as I can. Stay out of trouble.

[and he superspeeds Joshua to the clinic.]

[seeded_flame]

[nods and stands, stepping back. She's going to glance around the church in the meantime... yeesh, it's a mess.]