If it were the real me and you | OPEN

[lupusxylem]

Who: Wolfwood and YOU!
What: Wolfwood schedules a cult book burning and invites everyone
When: March 10th
Where: The Church
Warnings: Relevant info for this event can be found here, general warnings for: monster attack which could lead to blood/gore/etc in threads, please tag accordingly! Will update as needed



Netbook | Morning

Hey everyone, it's me Wolfwood. Nicholas D. Wolfwood if you're new.

So, here's the deal. The church I bought has a problem. It came with a bunch of religious texts inside of it, and while that's...you know. What you'd expect in a church, these ones are like

super fuckin culty.

Not exactly what I asked for. Not that I asked for them at all. I keep trying to get rid of them but they keep showing up again later so

Basically Im gonna be burning them again this evening if anybody wants to come to the bonfire, or help me in getting rid of them cause theres a shit ton. Bring marshmallows or whatever, I dont care.

and before someone comes preaching to me about burning books, again: its cult propaganda bullshit. read it for yourself if you dont believe me
just make sure you chuck it in the fire afterwards or ill do it myself.

Church | Evening

[Should you choose to come to the Church later that evening for whatever reason, you'll find the Priest himself already hard at work setting up a pyre in the yard just outside of it. (Just look for the massive bound cross propped up nearby, you can't miss it.) With the way he loads up the firepit he's created with kindling, it's clear he's already had to do this once before. It's a bit tricky to find anything dry given that the snow is still on the ground in a lot of places, but he's making do with what he's got. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Beyond getting the fire going, there's a matter of getting the aforementioned books out of the church. It's just as Wolfwood described, should you grow curious and crack one open. They're very religious, but strangely...plant focused. Like it's a religion that revolves around the Forest itself, almost. Definitely nothing orthodox about this, that's for sure. There are quite a number of them to take care of as they've all refilled the church pews since the last time he did this.

Or, perhaps you're just here because you think bonfires are cool and want to simply enjoy yourself for a change. The Forest seems to have had its fun with the animal race given that everyone's back to normal at this point, so really, why not kick back and enjoy the warmth of the flames while it isn't sub-zero temperatures outside anymore?

Feel free to mingle...or don't. Perhaps the distant unease in the atmosphere is enough to stop you.]

Comments

meanwhile in the clinic

[harmacy]

[It's only been a few minutes since Add was disturbed from his petty netbook religious debates by the sounds of chaos outside. And frankly, he's content to stay inside for a little while longer until shit calmed down. The flash of Elrian magic is enough to let him know that Elsword is dealing with it.

Or so he thinks... until he notices the mental link is acting up. That's not an immediate red flag, but it's unusual. A ping to Mizuki assures him that it's not something on his end. It could be a form of interference caused by the Forest, maybe something that only affects a small area, but...

Something doesn't seem right.

He looks outside, flashes of familiar light past the church, a stray blade shooting past his view... but why aren't there any monsters over there?

It's weird. Something isn't right.

He relays whats he can to Mizuki—go to church; on my way along with his own tracking data. He can't leave just yet, though, because it's not so easy to dodge monsters while also hacking someone's brain. He's already kicking down the mental back door when Elsword regains access, the presence of something else unwanted vying for control, that final cry for help answered with a resounding

STOP

an absolute command, cease, dispel, standby; do not move under any circumstances until further action has been authorized.

along with that, the biggest possible fuck you energy he can manifest through the mindlink and pelt the Creature with, that is HIS boytoy thank you very much you may LEAVE now]

meanwhile on the fucking ground-

[simplicitas]

[The mental command to STOP is given, and Add's going to feel that tug that means the Creature is trying to unstop. How do you unstop?? Now you went and made The Puppet all weird? He's just laying on the ground sadly like a ragdoll, bleeding out...

Ugh. This isn't even fun anymore! All of you suck, you're all the worst (Elsword is flopped in the grass like a sad cat), the Creature can't even have FUN???

The xbox controller is going to get passed back and forth for a bit. Sometimes Elsword twitches while the Creature tries to regain control, but the STOP command alongside the fact that the boy is literally bleeding out makes it impossible to regain control. Ugh ugh ugh. It wants Wolfwood to die so badly? It wants to kill him!!

The Creature tries one last-ditch effort to get Add off the brainchip, yelling into it a short and sweet, "I'M NOT DONE WITH HIM YET." Like a child throwing a tantrum because mom took away the action figures.

Since Elsword is unable to act, though, Detention automatically dispels itself, and the plants he was controlling go limp all at once. No more whippies for Vash.]

locked to livio & vash

[lupusxylem]

[For a full minute that feels like an hour, Wolfwood is unable to act. The sphere that he's been contained in is impenetrable both inside and out, and eventually he gives up trying to beat it with his fists, or kick it down with his feet, or even crush it with the edge of the Punisher. Nothing seems to affect it, and if anything, the surrounding walls only become more unstable as time goes on. Much longer, and the thing is going to collapse on him and then it's not even going to matter that he was able to heal himself, will it? It'll be like losing pressure on a deep sea diving expedition.

So he braces himself for it, feeling helpless as he watches the vines whip Vash away from Elsword. Watches him getting pummeled into the ground as chaos continues to erupt unchecked all around them. The flames of the bonfire continue to lick their way high into the sky, illuminating the surroundings in flashes of dull orange and yellow, an eerie dance of misery and destruction.

...then, like the snap of one's fingers, it all stops. The vines go limp and fall to the ground. The bubble of energy keeping Wolfwood trapped shudders and dissipates harmlessly, leaving him bloody, but physically unharmed. His wounds from before are gone, and if anything, only the tatters of his clothing and the blood saturating them remain to indicate anything ever happened to him at all.

He staggers a step before catching himself, breathing heavy. He's leaning half against the Punisher, yet he's still standing. Staring down at Elsword's limp, motionless body as he bleeds.]

cw: body horror, violents

[livlaughlove]

[close combat is more dangerous than distance. of course livio knows this. but he can't do anything about it, can he, when his enemy is just a corrupted animal? he takes a good few hits, its speed and strength as supernatural as his own. he only manages to take it down once it clamps its enormous mouth across his body, and only because he unloads both fangs at the hinge of its jaw, shredding black flesh until he can rip the rest of it apart with his bare hands.

by the time shit has calmed down by the bonfire, the monster is dead on the ground. the second it stops moving, livio drags himself toward wolfwood despite his torso and thighs pouring blood from where rows of fangs pierced his flesh. the torn flesh of his arm and back haven't healed yet either, but none of that matters right now. he gasps more from emotion than pain as he approaches.]

Wolfwood -- are you --

[he looks okay. a hell of a lot better than poor elsword. livio feels guilt tear at him even though he knows none of his bullets hit their mark.]

[oleaeuropaea]

[Dimly, Vash is aware of the world around him. But for what felt like an eternity, all he could process was the repeated, endless thrashing of the vines. His body aches with it, surely a rib or two has been busted. His nose might be askew. Who knows where his glasses have gone off to.

But eventually the world grows quiet. Not still, because Gods know his head is absolutely spinning, but silent nonetheless. As he crawls to his feet, his first thought goes to Elsword and his surely grievous injuries. But by the time Vash is able to focus his vision enough on the young man, he's well-tended to.

Wolfwood, then.

It takes some stumbling to get over there. Sorry, Livio, but you're getting a hefty amount of weight laid against your side as he tries to take their mutual boyfriend's appearance in.]

N-nick?

[He looks... remarkably undamaged for all of the chaos. It fills him with something sickening, but he doesn't yet vocalize it.]

[lupusxylem]

[Wolfwood glances up without moving his head when he hears his name called, his shades reflecting the flames back and shielding his eyes for a moment as Livio staggers towards him. He still isn't budging, more-or-less propped up on the Punisher for now, but...he does look okay. His wounds are still hissing distantly, steam rolling off his shoulders. His mouth feels tacky, and he can feel little bits of glass stuck to his lips that he quickly ducks his head forward and spits out. The vial fluid had dripped all down his neck and chest, but it's done its work. He has none left to spare.

He huffs, a deep sound in his chest, then looks to Livio first.]

What'cha doin'...callin' me that for?

[He still hasn't moved, still leaning on his gun.

Then, he looks to Vash, still without moving.]

M...M'fine. Stop...stop lookin' at me like that...

[He does look fine. Just like he had when he recovered after the rose hound attack, able to walk it off like nothing ever happened. He's winded from fighting, surely, sore from being attacked, and everything else...

Yet he still hasn't moved. He continues to lean on the Punisher, every breath he takes labored and quicker than the last.]

[livlaughlove]

[once he gets up to nick, livio sees the liquid staining his skin and chest. he sees the way his chest heaves.

livio's blood runs cold, and his own breathing increases rapidly. he hardly notices the flash of pain as vash puts so much weight against his torn muscle and aching bones. all he can focus on is the sizzle of nick's wounds and -- looking down, down on the ground, eyes darting wildly in an effort to find broken vials. his voice is uncharacteristically pitched, fast, when he speaks.]

Nicholas, how many did you take? How many?

[oleaeuropaea]

[Exhausted as he is, Vash's attention snaps forward as soon as he hears the panic in Livio's voice. Unlike the two of them, he doesn't have the ability to grasp just how dangerous the serums could be. He had guesses, but after watching Livio patch himself together easily, and Wolfwood downing his own repeatedly, surely it went further than this.]

What are you talking about?

[He doesn't really wait for an answer though. He steps forward, dizziness be damned. His hands come out to rest against the man's shoulders, trying to keep him balanced just in case his own failed. As he does, his eyes dart frantically over his form. Wolfwood should be calming down, not breathing so heavily. It's as if he's getting worse the further he gets from the battle.]

Nick?

[lupusxylem]

[Livio and Vash are approaching him now, yet Wolfwood remains still. Their voices come to him both muffled as if from underwater, yet loud and grating, like nails on a chalkboard at the same time. It isn't until he thinks for a moment that he realizes that ringing is coming from inside his own head, like he recently endured a bomb going off mere feet away. Livio asks him how many vials he took, and...it's hard to say whether Wolfwood tries to answer and can't, or opts to keep his silence. Livio can see for himself. The belt fell off sometime during the scuffle, now empty on the grass nearby.

His breathing is rapid. Not just labored, but frantic, like he can't quite catch it. And as Vash reaches out and takes him by the shoulders, he'll feel that the previously subtle tremble in his shoulders is more akin to a quaking that sends jolts up to Vash's elbows the longer he holds onto him.

And then, when Wolfwood realizes he doesn't need to hold his own weight up anymore, he just sort of...slumps forward a little. Not quite falling down, but definitely unable to stand up on his own anymore as the Punisher falls to the ground absent of his grip. Either Vash will have to support him, or Livio will have to support them both. Otherwise, they're all going down.

Regardless, he is trying to sit up himself. It shows in the way his neck flexes as he moves, trying to sit forward as his body fights against it. His glasses fall askew down the long bridge of his nose, another heavy huff escaping him.]

I'm...fine. I just...I need a...break.

[The light flashing off his glasses isn't enough to shield his eyes anymore, now that the shades have slipped down far enough for them to peek over the rim.

They're a vibrant, unnatural blue, almost glowing in the inconsistent light.]

[livlaughlove]

[wolfwood doesn't answer -- which is bad enough -- but sure enough, he sees the empty pouch, and sees the firelight glint off of all three vials. three.

livio cries out like a wounded animal. he hardly has the sense to reach out for the two of them, to steady their fall, though he doesn't quite meet them on the ground yet. he still needs to do something about it. he can't just fall to his knees and accept it.]

No. We gotta -- get it outta your system, we --

[despite himself, his chest begins to wrack with sobs. this can't be happening. not again. he told wolfwood to be careful. he all but told him this bonfire was a bad idea. he wasn't even strong enough to break through a few vines and angry animals.

he knows what's going to happen. even though he insisted otherwise when they talked about it before, he knows. but still, he wants to stop it.]

Help! [he calls out around them, as if anyone is uninjured and near enough to do so. as if anyone is actually capable of cleansing all of wolfwood's body faster than the serum can overwork it.] Somebody help -- please.

[oleaeuropaea]

[All of Wolfwood's weight seems to fall onto Vash, and for a moment it seems like they might fall. By some miracle, the Plant manages to keep them on their feet in the moment, but only just. It's a herculean effort to lower them to the ground without collapsing, but eventually he gets Nick down to the ground. He can see the way he fights to sit up, prompting Vash to reach his hand out and lay it square on his chest.]

Nick, stay down - Something's wrong. Something is -

[He can tell from Livio's panicked cries that it's something very wrong. But it's only his prosthetic extends and plucks the glasses from his face, when sees those eyes that he knows how bad it is. The blue is the exact glow of the serum that now stains his chest and the ground beneath them.

His head turns to Livio. His hand extends of its own volition, freeing Wolfwood.]

What's happening? [His free hand flops almost uselessly as Vash tries to grip at the fabric of the larger man's shirt.] How do we stop it?!

[harmacy]

[multiple things are happening and Add is occupied with checking on Elsword, but he can't exactly ignore a literal cry for help coming from 5 ft away. Elsword is stable and Mizuki is here, so—

Add sighs, standing up from his patient's side.]

Stop making a racket, there are still monsters around. What's the problem?

[he's keeping two drones attached to Elsword, but he can spare a moment to multitask. One of the dynamos does a quick spin around Wolfwood, light flickering across his body as it tries to assess the situation. Unknown substance, no visible wounds but vital signs are erratic, some sort of instability...

anyway, regardless of what anyone says he pulls a needle full of pale purple liquid from his medkit and injects it into Wolfwood's arm.]

[lupusxylem]

[Wolfwood is...pretty well helpless to the way Vash urges him to lay back down, because now that he's prone it's going to be much harder for him to move, much less get up. There's so much happening around him, so much noise...that, for a moment, he just wishes it would stop.

Until the origin of that sound finally makes it from his ears to his brain, and he realizes that it's Liv. Sobbing, crying out for someone, anyone to help them...Vash, frantically trying to be brought up to speed.

All your fault. This is your fault. They all warned you, and you were too stubborn to listen. You couldn't bear to be wrong.

His eyelashes flutter as his head thunks into the grass, eyes rolling up to look at the dark sky above them. It's cloudy, murky...he isn't even graced by the stars as Add comes over and stoops nearby, pressing a needle into his arm before he realizes what he's doing.

That, strangely enough, does perk Wolfwood up enough for him to snarl-]

Th'fuck'reyou'doin-

[His words are slurred, heavily, and once again he tries to sit up. He isn't pushing anybody away at least, and by some miracle does manage to sit up just enough that, perhaps, either Livio or Vash can help him stay that way for the time being. It's strange. He feels strange.

The shaking that Vash felt before wasn't mere trembling, but Wolfwood's body convulsing as the serum pushes his body beyond its mortal limits. It's...still doing that, actively, but the pain of it has been dulled somewhat. Wolfwood feels like he's a bit more present, if nothing else.]

[livlaughlove]

[admittedly, livio doesn't know what he was expecting. but it wasn't somebody actually, presumably, being able to help. even the eye itself didn't have a precaution against serum overdose, as far as he knows. but if wolfwood is regaining some sort of strength -- that's a good sign, right?

he tries to get a grip on his sobbing as he finally lowers himself to the ground above wolfwood. nudges his legs beneath his shoulders, so he has something big to lean back on.]

Sorry. I'm sorry. [he sniffles, both for causing a ruckus and for getting more blood on wolfwood. even if nobody actually cares about the latter. he reaches up to lay a hand on nick's shoulder, and his breath catches. even from here, he can feel that wolfwood isn't stable, but surely they just need to give it time, right?] Take it easy, Nico, please. Just breathe, okay?

[and to vash, and add by proxy, he finally finds the sense to explain.] The serum -- our bodies can only handle one dose at a time. More than that, and --

[harmacy]

[He was never yours. Get out.

shutting off the filters from Elsword's end, and within milliseconds his mind is flooded with blaring static noise, seething jealousy, clawing, possessive love, and as much plant gore as Add can pull out of his research archives, accentuated with a constant chanting command of get out of my boyfriend mine mine mine mine

he'll apologize later for the emotional flashbang. get the fuck out of his boyfriend!]

[mooninthewater]

[ To say Mizuki regretted not going to the book burning now would be one hell of an understatement. He didn’t want to go — his fear of fire made it hard to convince himself to go, on top of the, you know, collective “hey this is probably a bad idea” that a lot of them have been telling Wolfwood. Mizuki wasn’t about to tell him that, but…

He instantly starts for the “party” even before Add gives him the details of what’s going on. He just figures out “Elsword’s in trouble” and suddenly your jellyfish is set to German Shepherd. He’s slippery and incredibly tunnel visioned, which makes it easy for him to slide pat the chaos that was left in the creature’s wake. There’s a lot happening, but none, none, NONE of that matters. Just Elsword.

Sorry to the others who are suffering!

He does manage to slip past the vines around Elsword with ease and grab him with tendrils of his own. It’s okay, it’s alright, he’s here. He’s so focused on Elsword that he doesn’t have time to react to the things Add is feeding to the hivemind, but that’ll be a later Mizuki problem because Hoo Boy.

Hi, Elsword. He’s here. He’s so sorry he wasn’t here sooner. Everything’s okay now, he’ll make everything better. ]

I’m going to pick you up and get you to Add, okay?

[simplicitas]

[The Creature does not appreciate the emotional flashbang or the weird chanting or the plant gore! What is wrong with you!!! Why are all of you freaks, it thought that chip was weird but ew gross gross ewwwwwww blech!!!!

Mizuki getting closer only serves to cut its power off completely. It can't actually maintain control due to numerous factors here, and it slinks off again like >:(

Elsword immediately regains control of himself, luckily, for what that's worth. He's no longer trapped in his own body looking out, but everything really fucking hurts now. He appreciates Add's possessiveness... That's really sweet of him to do. Aww, he feels so cared for, amidst the pain of a concussion from being pistol-whipped and the numerous bullet wounds and his wings still trying to regenerate and the laser wound that took a chunk out of his thigh. There's acknowledgement into the hivemind, blips of I'm here, it's me, the Creature's gone, while he lies there, clinging to life because he knows if he doesn't, Add and Mizuki will badend the game go insane.

Being moved hurts. There's not much of a response because his body is still under the STOP command, but at least he's fine. He tries to focus more on Add and Mizuki...

There's an idle question. Is Wolfwood okay? He's fine, right? He healed? Detention didn't break his neck or turn him into a meat crayon? He can hear Livio and Vash yelling, but...]

[harmacy]

[The static fades to a bitter hiss as the presence fades. Add is on the move now—stay put is communicated to Mizuki, an update on his tracker, he's cutting across the Grove with his invisibility cloak. Better not to move the patient. Keep him safe, because there are still monsters around and the last thing they need is for the Forest to try and claim the body another way.

He's not used to keeping his channels so open. Add is rattled, high on his small victory but still anxious about the consequences, still rushing to cross the distance and check the situation with his own eye. He's only aware of bits and pieces, whatever he could grasp from his moments of partial control—

oh, right. That stop command finally ceases, like a weight has been lifted up. Sorry, you can move now, but also maybe don't move too much because he's detecting a lot of pain? Maybe he should've left it in place. Ugh.

He pings Mizuki, something needy and impatient laced into the signal. Status?]

[mooninthewater]

[ Mizuki answers less with words and more just… images. He's not a doctor, but at the very least he can let Add know what he sees. Bullet holes, blood, and far too many wounds for Mizuki's liking. He stops trying to wrap his arms around Elsword if he doesn't need to be moved, though. He would really like to get him away from all the fighting with the beasts around, but, whatever, it's fine. He'll just have to fight them off if they get too close.

He doesn't bothering answering Elsword's question beyond a quick Don't know, worried about you more. ]

Keep your eyes open for me, Elsword. You can't go falling asleep. Add'll fix you, no problem, okay?

[ He feels incredibly useless here… He should really talk to someone to teach him how to do some healing magic. ]

[simplicitas]

[Meanwhile, Elsword, who is only partially lucid at this point, is worried more about everyone else. That absolutely figures. He doesn't hear any wailing sobs those are for later :) and mentally figures that it must be partly okay. The sounds of combat drown out everything else, and there's a sharp ring in his ears. A distinct cold washes over him from where Gnosis is presumably turning monsters into icicles, and there's no way lightning and gunfire could ever be quiet, and he's pretty sure he just saw Josh launch a sky laser at something??? Unclear.

At least, when he looks at Mizuki with his good eye, it's no longer black. The Creature's hold is gone.]

Mmhm. [It doesn't hurt to speak, at least, but his brain feels like it's lagging behind him. His senses are dull, from blood loss or the concussion or both.] He's good at that.

[For once, there isn't a reassuring "I'll be okay" tacked onto the end of that.]

[harmacy]

[haha yeah that is NOT a reassuring assessment, his anxiety is spiking again. might be recklessly ducking past combatants that can't even see him but it's fine because he is getting here faster, it's fine, Elsword will be fine—

Dynamo swoops down next to them as Add tosses off the cloak, out of breath, already kneeling down in the dirt to start checking the injuries. There's a lot of blood, a lot of holes, scanning the wounds for shrapnel and bullets before he starts trying to heal it over...

Relief, as the data starts to roll in and he can see where this will end. He knows Elsword is resilient, but he's never been more thankful for it than now. It's going to be okay.]

Mana is low, vitals... [low, but on track to stabilization] Try not to move. I'm going to start with a painkiller. Elsword, tell me about the life cycle of Acanthocybium solandri.

[wahoo!

anyway, as soon as Elsword is distracted he is going to start pulling bullets out of his body.]

[mooninthewater]

[ Mizuki gives Add all the space he needs, of course. He even subconsciously makes an invisible next of tendrils around them so he can easily trap anything that tries to get close while there's chaos around. Realistically, he should be joining the fray, but all he can do is worry about Elsword.

He squeezes his hand gently. Briefly, he blames himself for not getting here sooner. Blames himself for leaving Elsword's side. But, it's only a very faint feeling, as the rest is just focused on the here and now. Besides, this is that corruption's fault. If only he had eaten it back then…

Is it too late to do that now?

Well, whatever the case, he's doing his best to stay calm, not for his sake, but rather so he can help send both his boyfriends little pings of soothing in hopes that'll help, even just a bit. ]

[simplicitas]

[Mana is low because he opened with his hyperactive, and by "he" I mean the Creature, also I'm pretty sure Detention is his lowest-cost skill but I'm not going to log in to look rn

Anyway, Elsword breathes out a sigh. The pain starts to ebb gradually, but Elsword can't help but wonder if that's because he's dying or something.

Acanthocybium solandri... his brain chugs, trying to sort fish into categories. Which one was that...]

You know I don't know all the fancy names, [he sighs, breathing laboured, but he tries to keep up anyway.] That's the Wahoo, I think... they're scombrids, like tuna, and their eggs are buoyant and you almost never find them in schools since they're solitary. They only live for five years...

[Anyway, while he rattles off facts about the Wahoo, Add is going to find So Many Bullets. He's lucky he has an arm at all, between Vash's shots and Wolfwood unloading an AR into him. Had he not dodged...]

[harmacy]

[They might have to cycle through a couple more fish to get through this. He's going to keep using those proper scientific names, too, though if Elsword seems to be struggling he'll find he suddenly "remembers" from a helpful mental ping. What matters is that Elsword is focusing, awake, not letting his mind wander and fade.

Once he's sure the last of the shrapnel is gone... he leans back, taking a moment to breathe for himself, performing one final debris check with Dynamo. Next, he should clean and disinfect everything, then apply the first dose of Cure...

...

anyway, we ARE going to skip to the end, so]

Vitals have stabilized... I had to apply an extra dose, so you're going to feel some side-effects. Mizuki, help me move him into the church for now. [he already checked on Wolfwood during this, but is he going to talk about that? hell no. tell him about more Fish Facts and ignore the dramatic death happening 5ft away please.]

[mooninthewater]

[ Haha get noodled idiot.

The good news about having an assistant with so many tentacles is that it's pretty easy for Mizuki to get Elsword in a position where he's not going to be in any more pain than he's already in. In fact, he can pretty much make a makeshift bed for him in the air for some time — if beds were slimy, anyway. Don't worry, the mucus is clean and won't infect anything!! Yayyy…?

If this weren't so time sensitive, he may have argued that the church is a bad idea, all things considered, but Mizuki and Add are here now, so it's probably fine. Alright, into the church, then. Hopefully they don't run into too many problems getting there, otherwise he'll have to put Elsword down. ]