the danger is i'm dangerous

[respired]

CHARACTERS: Koltira et al

DATE: Jan 27 - onwards

WARNINGS: violence; blood; general gross (dead things and decaying things etc)

SUMMARY: Blood frenzy.



GENERAL PROMPT: THE OUTSKIRTS, NEAR THE WOODS;

[It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts--

It's his only sensible thought, a continuous scream in his mind that never quiets; never stops. He just wants to stop. The pain, the noise, the press of life and energy and movement that surrounds him. His own body. He'd give anything for exhaustion. For sleep. But a death knight was not designed to yield. No matter the depth of his injuries, no matter the blood smeared on his face and armor and across the long curtain of his bone-white hair, he does not fall. No matter the cracks in his armor, his split lip, his wounds. He is relentless, because he has no other choice.

Koltira staggers among the fields that border the woodlands; they are silent, and largely abandoned.

Eventually, he presses into the woods, thinking--thinking nothing, still, really. His mind is static and incoherent whispers and begging. Animals cross his path: a rabbit dances away from him, but a deer is not so quick. He lets Byfrost linger in its belly for too long, watches the corpse rapidly decay into so much meat and slime.

He leans against an oak, and plague seeps from his fingers, steals past the bark and down to the root. The wood begins to hiss and melt beneath his palm.]


[ooc: individual starters are below! the above is a general prompt for encounters in the woods or the outskirts. if you would prefer something else, or even a thread set AFTER this whole mess, let me know. you can grab me on plurk at runehallow.]

Comments

[boneafide]

STOP IT!!

[Papyrus cries, running full steam at Koltira. Which, you know, when someone has an added sixty-or-so-added pounds to them, stopping isn't exactly easy. He's realized as he nears the two, he won't exactly be able to stop on a dime. Rather, he's going to need to crash into something to finally stop his inertia.

Maybe something like a six-foot-five elf.

As Papyrus decides to take this action, the sprinting becomes more of a charge. The other weighs a lot more than him, especially when he has his own armor on, but he has to try. He just needs to be enough of a distraction so the girl can get away.]

KOLTIRA, LET HER GO!!

[respired]

[Koltira knew that armor was sturdy. He'd selected it himself, after all. That thought doesn't quite register with him yet, though it's there, unformed, slowly wending its way to the surface. For now, he can process only the solid thump of Papyrus's body clanging into his.

It doesn't knock him down, but he stumbles, and the desired effect is otherwise achieved: he lets the girl go. She falls to her knees for a few moments, gasping for breath. Once she's got air in her lungs, though, she's up and out of there like a lightning bolt.

Koltira whirls on Papyrus, scowling, his teeth bared like a wolf. Some part of him is grateful. But the rest of him is just pissed off.]

[boneafide]

[Typically, this might be where Papyrus would wrap his arms around Koltira to hug the other, but two sets of armor doesn't lend well to that. Instead, he takes a few steps back, slowly and carefully. The expression on the other's face... it was as if he didn't recognize Papyrus at all.

But that's no reason to be afraid, right? Steeling his voice and his nerves, he plants both feet on the ground firmly.]

K... Koltira. You look... like you're not having such a good day! But fear not! The Great Papyrus is here now, and you don't need to... uh... get mad at sales people! I'm here to help you, in any way I can!

[respired]

[Koltira doesn't say anything immediately. He's staring at Papyrus as though he can't quite make sense of him. The low, blood-mad cunning that's subsumed his reason finds itself off-guard. Papyrus has no flesh to tear; no veins to taste. He is bone and armor and little else. Koltira inclines his head to one side like a confused predator.

He takes a step towards Papyrus. A skeleton. Bones to crack. Marrow, perhaps. A voice, still, a loud voice. The distress is something.

But then his eye catches on the armor. Some glint in the sun. The working of the breastplate tugs at him. The thought from before breaks the surface, and a piece of memory breaks through like a dagger.

Koltira squeezes his eyes shut. He clutches at his temples in pain.]

No--go--go away.

Gently plays https://youtu.be/IXlDDlEJP8c

[boneafide]

[It hurts to see his friend in such pain, from some unknown source. It isn't as if the other is physically injured, Papyrus can tell that much. But something is wrong. Koltira was suffering from something, and surely that's why he must have... unintentionally hurt that girl.

Never one to turn someone away because of his own fear, Papyrus suppresses a flinch as Koltira takes a step closer. His boots, firmly planted on the ground from before, remain there.]

Koltira...

I am getting the feeling that...

That you may be heading down a dangerous path.

But we're friends! And as friends, it is part of our friendship clause that I help guide you in your times of need! That is what I'm here for! So...

ooomfffg

[respired]

[A spike of pain jolts up his spine, slices between his eyes. He groans, digging the palm of one hand against his face. Papyrus is a blur of white bone and gleaming armor. His voice, so solicitous and kind, rings in Koltira's ears like fragmented thunder. It hurts. It hurts.

And can't Papyrus help him? Can't he scream? Can't his bones decay, turn to dust, turn to so much nothing?

The image burns in Koltira's mind, vivid and terrible. He recoils internally, and physically takes several steps back. No. No. He will not do this. He has to get out of here.]

You cannot help me. No one-- no one can--

[His words are halting, interrupted by sharp, high pitched gasps. There are so many people around them. Milling about. Minding themselves, going about their business. Too many. He can't; he can't.]

[boneafide]

We won't know until I try!

[But this is good! A step forward- in the metaphorical sense, of course, because in the literal sense, Koltira is stepping back. Which is... Maybe good? But he's using his words! Which is better than the growling he was doing, moments ago.]

Now, let's start with taking a deep breath-

[ Ah... he's... gasping a little. ]

Okay, uh... good job! See, you're already doing a little better! I knew you could!

[ Papyrus takes a very slow, half-step forward. ]

Something that helps me, when I'm feeling ... claustrophobic- is running! I like to run! So maybe, we should run together! How does that sound?

[respired]

[Koltira just swallows, hard, uncomprehending. Papyrus talks and talks, but it's translating as pure static in Koltira's head, lost amid the rolling, wracking spasms of pain. He can't think. He can't see. He needs it to stop.

Koltira slams his open palm against Papyrus's chestplate, hard, though not hard enough to necessarily knock Papyrus off of his feet. Just to stop him.

The claws of his gauntlets curl against the metal, screeching, scraping. Koltira bites the inside of his cheek.]

[boneafide]

Oh-

[ Papyrus wasn't expecting that- feels the shove of a palm, and then the ensuing shrill sound of his new armor being dug into by sharp nail-like gauntlets. It didn't hurt him, this armor is quite heavy and thick, but he gets the feeling that Koltira could simply tear through it easily, if he wanted to. ]

I see... P...Perhaps...

[ The skeleton raises a hand, still slowly, like one does around a wild deer as to not frighten it- ]

I shouldn't have done that...

[ He tries to level his breathing, since this is very much a scary situation he's in, but showing fear is one of the worst possible things he could do right now. ]

I will... respect your boundaries a little more thoroughly! Sometimes the best thing you can do with someone is unhug them...

[ He'd step back again, if Koltira's grip on his armor loosened. ]

[respired]

[Koltira does not loosen his grip. In fact, he grabs for Papyrus's hand, aiming to snatch him by the wrist, to hold him firmly in place. His other hand makes a fist against Papyrus's breastplate. He doesn't draw back for a punch; rather, he just starts to exert force against the metal, pressing against it, as though seeing if it will buckle or crack.

If he gets hold of Papyrus, he'll lock his thumb and pointer finger around the skeletal wrist bones.]

Be still.

[Nothing Papyrus has said seems to have gotten through. In truth, his voice is still so much anxious noise in Koltira's ears; he's not grasping the words in the least. The only thing he's responding to--capable of responding to--is the tremble in Papyrus's tone. The wavering, the fear. His white pupils, visible like a scar against the ice blue of his eyes, dilate.]

[boneafide]

[Be still.

He's afraid, but the only giveaway is his voice. He has no heart to beat faster, no breath escapes his mouth, and his jaw is tightly locked.

Maybe... maybe Koltira just wanted him to stop talking and moving around so much? He knows he can be a little fidgety sometimes. And he does talk a lot. Maybe that's not what Koltira needs right now?

Something inside of him is screaming at him to pull away, to run-

But friends don't run. So he'll be obedient, allows Koltira's tight grip on his wrist. It's like... like holding hands. Yeah.

But even if he wasn't intentionally ignoring that voice, Koltira still has his chest plate in his grasp. He can't actually leave. The further the elf digs, the worse the sounds that come from his armor piece, like nails against a chalkboard. It's mean to hold up to blunt weapons and duller swords- the piercing of claws are particularly effective against it.

He's... a little in trouble, isn't he?]

[respired]

[Koltira's grip on Papyrus's wrist tightens. The force isn't enough to break the bone, but there's a cracking sound nevertheless. A thin fault line, perhaps. Though Papyrus is not traditionally alive, he is still obviously tense. Anxious. It's not suffering, precisely, but it's something.

Koltira digs his thumb into the armor. It seems almost like an academic exercise, this slow, careful attack. He's more focused on Papyrus's face than on what he's doing. On Papyrus's reaction. Whether he'll pull away.

If he'll scream.]

[boneafide]

[He can put on a brave face well enough in a lot of circumstances. When he's afraid, when he needs to be strong...

But a Royal Guardsman, he is not. Sure, he's fought against Undyne in training exercises, and he's pretty strong...

This is different. This is just pain, which he didn't even realize it was happening, until he already heard the crack, and then it shoots through his arm. He chokes on air for a moment, his fingers twitching as he tries to pull his wrist away.

But he doesn't scream.]

Let go- Koltira, please...!

[respired]

[That's it. That's what he was looking for. Not just fear contained, but fear expressed. Begging. Koltira's eyes widen, and at first he doesn't let Papyrus go. At first, it seems like he's about to snap Papyrus's wrist clean in half.

But his claws puncture the armor. Not deeply, but enough so that the metal pops in his ears as it gives way. He exhales, hard, staring at the break, going suddenly still. Papyrus's voice echoes, plays suddenly on loop.

Please.

In the next instant, Koltira's stepped abruptly back. A brief expression of absolute horror crosses his features as he sees, just for a second, what he's done.

But then the curtain falls again, brought down by another wracking spasm. He claws at his own face, drawing blood from his cheeks.]

Get away! Get away, now!

[boneafide]

[ He steps back again, and again, instinct to protect himself finally taking over. His wrist still hurts, would probably throb, if he had blood to flow through it. But instead it just aches, and he tries not to move it too much, aside from holding it lightly with his other hand. The front of his armor is decidedly ruined as well, with so many finger-shaped holes through it, it would only serve as a means for him to be caught with than protected by at this point.

Koltira keeps yelling at him to go away.

But friends don't run-

Koltira is bleeding, scratching at himself, there's dark liquid on his own claws, coming from his face...

Friends don't-

He isn't sure why Koltira had let him go, when surely the elf knows he could have very well not. And that expression on his face... Koltira is in there, somewhere. Right now, this isn't him. It's... this is someone else. He wants to reach out, to talk to him again, maybe he just didn't use the right words, or maybe he just needed to try harder...

It seems talking won't do any more good.

He feels useless. He takes another few steps back. He's quite far away now, as per Koltira's wishes and... reluctantly, his own. ]

I'm...

I'm not going to give up on you! I won't do it!!

I believe in you, Koltira!

[respired]

[Why? Of every thought, of any scrap of reason left to him, that's the one pushing through to the surface. Why this effort on his behalf? Why this willingness to sacrifice? Why this kindness? Koltira doesn't deserve it. He deserves nothing from these people, and from Papyrus least of all. He'd returned friendship with violence; faith with betrayal. Worst of all, he knew he would. It was why he tried to distance himself: to do the job assigned, and leave the rest.

But for all he's transformed, and for all he's suffered, Koltira still longs for companionship. Understanding. Someone to look at him and know the truth of him, beyond the monstrous exterior. He cannot say that Papyrus understands. But Papyrus hadn't even seen a monster to understand in the first place.

Koltira screams, in frustration, in pain. He has enough of himself to see a path--out of the trade district, out of the city. It's time to take it.]

Don't follow me, Papyrus. Don't think of me.

[He turns around, exhaling hard.]

Take care of yourself.

[He takes a few steps towards the (quickly thinning, given his appearance) crowd, and then he breaks into a run.]

[boneafide]

[ Much like earlier, when Koltira was waiting to hear Papyrus' agony...

Take care of yourself.

That was what Papyrus was waiting to hear. Proof that Koltira was still there, still capable of listening and hearing him. Not that he didn't already know, and not that he doubted the other for a second, but this was just the reassurance he needed. Even through the pain in his hand, Papyrus smiled wide, cheered on by the fact he hadn't completely lost the other. But as he opens his mouth to continue, Koltira begins to run into the crowd. ]

Ah!! Koltira, wait!

[ Shaking off his surprise, the skeleton begins to run after the other, his armor heavy and lacking flexibility. Surely, he could run better than this without the armor... But it wouldn't be so easy to shed in a time like this, and already Koltira was disappearing from his sight fast. ]

Wait!! I can't- keep up-

[ But that was what the other had planned, wasn't it? Maybe if he hadn't backed away so much, maybe he would have been able to catch the elf before he was too far away...

But he was gone now. Out of sight, and nowhere to be found.

Papyrus spends the next two hours searching the human side of town for a sign of Koltira, but as luck would have it, he'll only find signs of where the other had already been and left, and the words of frightened townspeople who witnessed the destruction and violence firsthand. ]