// 026. [video]

[girl_unlocking]

[A thunk. A jolt as the Forge strikes the ground and finds itself face up. Dropped in movement, the sounds of breath and the edge of a red sneaker in an uneven beam of light against brick and pavement. On closer inspection, the shoe's only half red - stopped in a skidded trail of the same red (darker, thicker, god it's almost black but for the

Comments

[lonestray]

[Scar has barely spoken to anyone since his "brother's" death. There were a few (poorly-typed) text messages to relevant people, and he's thanked Byakuya for allowing him to stay with him. He's found in doing so--searching through the network for the necessary numbers (hell if he could remember them now) that the people "returning" to Anatole really had been a trick of the city, of the mist. It wouldn't be the first time he thought he'd met his brother. (it had just seemed so real at the time.But it's been a week, and he's reached the point where he cannot stand the silence, anymore. Being left with nothing but his own thoughts, with the last few moments (fake or not, it didn't matter anymore) replaying over and over behind his eyes. He can't take it, and he checks the network again simply out of a need for distraction

[no reply]

[girl_unlocking]

[She might know his voice. But he's screaming and why is she smiling? Why is she smiling and can't stop as she nears the wall, puts a toe into a crevice and hefts herself up. Oh. Yeah. It's because he just gave voice to it. It takes a moment for her to realize that this is not coming from inside of her head.]

[sonvisage]

[That sound. Scrapes at the hollows inside her head - what's left - what's been pieced back together after the Shadows vanished. (Is that what they were, then? Shadows?) She's almost sure at this point that she's the shadow. The afterimage.

This sound. It is almost worse than what she remembers in the Mist, bent and keening and watchful over his brother's corpse. Had Commander Kuchiki dragged him out after all? (Yes?) Yes. She almost remembers that.

It's a melange of things she doesn't even begin to identify. Grief that isn't hers. Fear. What is this fear? An irritating tug beneath her chest at the realization that it's Riza again - that uniform again (Scar again) - and that he would never - in an eon's worth of borrowed time - show such a display if it were she on the screen.

A pause as she wishes it were - just barely - so fleeting the thought's gone before it really solidifies.

She's happy to let it go. On its heels comes a wave of self loathing and spite - this is a dead woman and a stricken girl - Alphonse's friend - and is

voice

[malfattore]

Oh my.

{... annnd steady your breath, man. Normalcy is crucial here. What you've done, injuries you've sustained [thanks, Riza. JEEZE.] and the knowledge that you're parading about with an even bigger target on your back than before? Yeah. Calls for some tact.

Normalcy. The breath. Control the breath. How's your pulse? Check it. She can't see.}

I would offer my services, truly I would. Though it seems... futile, at this point. That's how it looks, at least.

Who is she?

{Besides someone recently pummeled face first into a brick wall, and later julienned?}

video

[girl_unlocking]

[Hears the hitch in his breath, mistakes it for shock, horror - compassion, even. How could he not be shocked, sickened to his foundations? He's a doctor, for god's sake.

She draws her own ragged breath, steely at first but crumbling fast as the words leave her lips. Her voice is like the gravel she lately crouched in, harsh, rasping and bloodraw.]

She's family.

[Breath. And she's faraway again.]

Can ...a doctor tell what...who...did this?

video

[velvet_zealot]

[ Family? ]

...Don't cry, Dawn.

[ A tilt of his head, and the barest hint of a smirk. ]

It's much more fun to get even.

video

[girl_unlocking]

[He has family here, too, she remembers. He'd said they'd ...gone.]

Yours. Did they...

...is this how they left?

[Even. Like Willow did? No. No this was different. What Warren had done didn't even compare to this. No accident. Not a ricochet (and fuck him anyway he tried to kill my sister) Not a gunshot, not a little thing, a tiny bullet or a split second hairtrigger pisspoor coward's action (is that Riza's gun, over there in another pool of blood?) Jesus Christ how much blood is there and why? Why. Over and over and over again, the slashes, her throat her eyes---]

Oh god her eyes

Even.

Video

[wellsuited]

[The uniform is Elena's first clue -- she notices things like that. The rest only confirms it.]

Riza....no!

Video

[girl_unlocking]

[She only kind of hears you. Doesn't turn, but her head visibly bows at the exclamation. And she's up the wall now.]

Video

[wellsuited]

[Expect to see her soon. There's few places in the city that Elena doesn't recognize on sight. And when she doesn't waste time, well, she doesn't waste time.]

[ text ]

[stray_gunner]

[a full minute goes by after he sees the feed and before he finally sends something in response.]

where are you going

[ text : hours later, and her forge is sticky]

[girl_unlocking]

i had toget her down/

[ text ] 1/2

[stray_gunner]

okay

[ text ]

[stray_gunner]

[after a two minute delay:]

donnt sty for too long

Voice

[pratservant]

[In the few years since becoming Arthur's servant, Merlin has seen his share of battles, and all the atrocities that go with them.

But to see a woman...and such brutality. It takes him a moment to respond.]

Who would do something like this!

Voice

[girl_unlocking]

[Flaaaaat.]

I don't know. But I'm going to find them.

Voice

[pratservant]

You shouldn't go after them alone. You're in no state!

Voice

[girl_unlocking]

I'm not going anywhere now. I can't...

[Yeah, she's seeing something else right now. Flashes of it, anyway.]

...I don't want to leave her alone.