(Untitled)

[oliverplus]

Characters: Oliver Day (oliverplus), Asch (promisedsomeone) and Leela (anoblesavage)
Location: Outside the shop
Time: Just after receiving the uncandy note
Summary: Oliver, Asch, and Leela go through trials to save their friends.
Warnings: Horrible emotional trials and whatever they may contain.

Comments

[anoblesavage]

[Leela had not been able to read the note herself, but she had heard Meredith's earlier message. She made her way to the shop - a place to meet the other visitors to the Plane, as well as the puppeteers that controlled them - in the absence of any other plan.

It had not been difficult to put the pieces together. Others had told her what she needed to know but, before she could step inside and begin the fight for the cure - for Hiccup and for whoever else needed to be saved - Oliver ran up beside her.]

Yes. I think that is why we are all here.

[promisedsomeone]

Let go of her!

[Leela's in a bit of a compromising position. Asch doesn't hesitate to run forward, trying to tackle the crazy guy to the ground. Too bad there isn't a chair to throw at him or something.]

[oliverplus]

[Sukhrit takes a moment to grin at Leela, but Asch's cry alerts him to the other man's advance. he spins, managing to step so that Leela is between him and Asch. this doesn't prevent Sukhrit from getting knocked to the ground and losing his grip on her, but it should at least mean Leela took the brunt of the force]

[and Oliver, horrified, has had enough] S-stop... Everybody, STOP!

[for his part, Sukhrit stays where he is on the ground. but he does turn to look up at Oliver with a grin]

[anoblesavage]

[Winded as she was, Leela was able to roll away from Sukhrit when they both hit the ground. She took advantage of his sudden stillness when she paused, her knife against his throat, but something in Oliver's tone made her still before pushing the blade home.]

Oliver?

[promisedsomeone]

[Well, that was predictable. Asch figured he would pull something like that. What mattered was that Sukhrit let Leela go, and no one was actually hurt. Yet. Throughout all of this, Asch has yet to forget that this is an illusion and they're being toyed with. However, they might actually be fighting some kind of monster and not be able to see it.

He gets to his feet and looks at Oliver as well, already back in control of his sword. Asch watches and waits from his spot between Oliver and Sukhrit-- quiet, but ready to act.]

[oliverplus]

[Sukhrit starts laughing again] Do you really think that'll work? [not moving, he shifts his gaze to Oliver] What do you think, Oliver? Where will the knife end up?

Stop it. [Oliver's tone is flat now--determined. he can't let this continue] What do you want, Sukrhit? Why are you here?

[Sukhrit giggles] I already told you! The Puppeteer was always meant to go from me to you. [but his smile abruptly disappears, and he sneers] But if you're going to stay in denial, then I'll kill them for you.

[Oliver's eyes widen] NO! [he swallows hard, trying to think what to do. and then he realises what Sukhrit means] If I let you give it to me, you won't hurt them?

[Sukhrit starts to smirk again] It's you, Oliver. I told you! You can't get away from the darkness. It's meant to be in you.

[Oliver nods, knowing that's all the confirmation he's going to get. the idea of what he's about to do terrifies him, but it's the only solution he can think of. despite the fear in his eyes, he keeps his tone very firm when he speaks]

[anoblesavage]

[Though Leela knew that he was an illusion, the flesh beneath her knife felt real enough. Maybe it was another trick. Or maybe he was more real than they believed. Until she could be certain, she could not move for her current position.]

No. No, Oliver. We will fight him together!

[Needless to say, she ignored his request. She was too stubborn, too old, too determined to help whether Oliver wanted her assistance or not.]

[promisedsomeone]

[Asch was there, once. Facing down his own personal darkness. He had his own issues with accepting it and embracing it. Besides, there were more important things to worry about, like stopping Van. His issues with the replica wouldn't interfere with that.

Would they?

Oliver and Asch have a lot of contrasts. Their backgrounds are different, their choices and experiences often disagree. But Asch understands that in order to gain anything, he has to reach for it himself. And that's what Oliver wants. He needs to make a path with his own two feet. He needs to see the truth with his own two eyes-- a truth that Asch and Leela can't possibly understand.]

No. I'm not going to stop you, Oliver.

[Asch doesn't sheath his sword, but he keeps his gaze solidly on Oliver.]

Because you aren't going to fail.

[... Only Asch can make that sound both inspiring and mildly threatening.]

[oliverplus]

Leela, he'll hurt you! You don't understand! He doesn't want to kill me!

[he only wants to make Oliver into a monster--and Oliver knows the only thing he can do is let him. he sighs in relief when Asch steps back, nodding to him gratefully. from Asch's words, he doesn't think he really understands either, but he won't stop him, at least] No. [he smiles weakly] I won't. Leela, please-

[but Oliver cuts off as, without warning, Sukhrit brings up a hand, hitting the hand in which Leela is holding her knife with inhuman force]

[anoblesavage]

There is a difference between killing to save your friends or because she have no other choice than killing for the sake of feeling blood on your blade. A true warrior knows that.

[Leela trusted Oliver, but he had been through so much that she was determined to stand between him and any danger that came his way. It was the least that she could do.

She growled in pain and anger when Sukhrit made a sudden move, cursing her blindness for stopping him from keeping one step ahead of him as she once would have done. The knife flew from her hand, making little noise on the padded floor and making it difficult for her to find it when she scrambled off in search of her weapon.]

Then what does he want?

[promisedsomeone]

[A blind warrior. Still, she's not doing too badly. Asch can see perfectly fine and he's STILL having trouble.]

He wants Oliver.

[Sukhrit's words might have been crazy even in context, but his companion's reaction is very telling. Asch's gaze shifts to Oliver.]

Doesn't he?

[oliverplus]

[Oliver nods numbly] Sukhrit... The Puppeteer possessed him before me. It shouldn't be possible--I mean, it's dead. But he has it now, and...he wants to give it to me. [he swallows hard] I'm the one you're supposed to fight.

[Sukhrit bursts out laughing again and starts to get to his feet, seemingly unconcerned by the possibility of retaliation from Leela] That's it! Stop running from your darkness, Oliver. You know you can't get far--and other people get hurt.

[Oliver cringes, but he fixes a firm gaze on Leela] Leela, you have to let him. Look, you did this for me once! [and he remembers every moment of that awful experience--his hallucinating the Puppeteer, and his friends stepping in and offering to take it from him. and while he's sure he's not as brave as Leela is, he can't let his fear stop him] It's my turn.

[anoblesavage]

[She found her knife again, but she had lost Sukhrit. Worse than that, she had lost Oliver.

He was brave. Braver than he knew. But he was right when he said that this was his battle. She could not stand in his way if Oliver wished to fight it, only stand beside him no matter happened.]

I trust you, Oliver.

[promisedsomeone]

[Asch shakes his head slowly. Every bit of this is something that disturbs him, but it's also something he doesn't understand. There's quite a bit about Oliver that he doesn't know. But, like Leela, he recognizes that this is Oliver's fight. This is something only Oliver can do. That kind of resolve... It frustrates him, but he understands it.

There's something only Asch can do, too.]

This looks like some kind of test. [He looks at Oliver again.] As long as you're ready.

[oliverplus]

[he nods to Asch] If this works... I meant what I said. Have your sword ready--not for him. [he gestures at Sukhrit] But for me. I'll hold it back long enough. And...Asch, Leela? Thanks for this. I'm sorry.

[and then he steps forward, toward Sukhrit, taking a deep breath] Do it.

[Sukhrit, grinning, steps closer to Oliver as well] What, you're not going to fight this time? [he laughs] Do you finally understand? Let's see your destiny, Oliver.

[Oliver nods, his expression set. he's terrified, but he refuses to let it show. he stands still, unmoving--determined]

[and without any more warning than that, Sukhrit leans his head back and a fat, black worm starts crawling out of his nose, bringing with it a trail of blood and mucus. the worm drops to the ground, and Sukhrit crumples as well, unconscious]

[Oliver squeezes his eyes shut tight, his heart beating fast. he's concentrating, as hard as he can, on all the things he loves in life. it won't find his darkness when it enters him. it won't!]

[but unbeknownst to

[anoblesavage]

[Leela could not see the door or Sukhrit or the worm. She could not see expression of determination on Oliver's face as he closed his eyes and faced up to what he could no longer fight.

She could only wait.]