Alexander "I know how to people" the Great (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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thenearshore2019-02-23 02:10 pm
towards_okeanos) wrote in thenearshore2019-02-23 02:10 pm
farewell to the van [closed]
Who: Iskandar, Archer, Waver, Caster
When: April 1 (middle of the night) - April ? (tbd)
Where: outskirts of Tokyo Metropolitan area, near the cultist's compund
What: There's a pizza van of no morals, it needs to be returned.
After the battle is done, the enemy subdued, all ayakashi slain and all the Heavenly forces have either already departed or are preparing to depart, Iskandar has still one, final task to finish.
He needs to return the car to its rightful owners. To say it has served them well would be to risk a laughable understatement. So they drive Satya home and then, together with Waver, they embark on a mission to bring the van to its previous state. Or even an improved one if that's possible.
That starts with a visit to the car wash. Fortunately, it's a fully automated so there is no one to ask questions about the sorry, and bloody, state of the car. Even if Iskandar has to read the instruction for choosing a suitable washing programme twice, and ask Waver for help with some of the kanji, it's preferable.
Then it's to the gas station to refill the tank and buy all the necessities that a car like that might need. Simple things like windshield washer fluid, a couple of air fresheners, a tire repair kit. The car itself is meticulously maintained but it sorely lacks supplies. The owners clearly save on everything they can.
After that, Iskandar parks the van near the gas station building takes out his phone and calls Archer.
When: April 1 (middle of the night) - April ? (tbd)
Where: outskirts of Tokyo Metropolitan area, near the cultist's compund
What: There's a pizza van of no morals, it needs to be returned.
After the battle is done, the enemy subdued, all ayakashi slain and all the Heavenly forces have either already departed or are preparing to depart, Iskandar has still one, final task to finish.
He needs to return the car to its rightful owners. To say it has served them well would be to risk a laughable understatement. So they drive Satya home and then, together with Waver, they embark on a mission to bring the van to its previous state. Or even an improved one if that's possible.
That starts with a visit to the car wash. Fortunately, it's a fully automated so there is no one to ask questions about the sorry, and bloody, state of the car. Even if Iskandar has to read the instruction for choosing a suitable washing programme twice, and ask Waver for help with some of the kanji, it's preferable.
Then it's to the gas station to refill the tank and buy all the necessities that a car like that might need. Simple things like windshield washer fluid, a couple of air fresheners, a tire repair kit. The car itself is meticulously maintained but it sorely lacks supplies. The owners clearly save on everything they can.
After that, Iskandar parks the van near the gas station building takes out his phone and calls Archer.
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Iskandar leaves Waver to do his work and goes to sit beside Caster. Calm he may be but one would need to be blind to miss how deeply distraught Cú Chulainn is.]
Nothing like that happened before, haven't it?
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But he just can't fail yet another friend, another shinki who trusted him with their name. The worry is a strained note in his voice. ]
I've seen strange things in my life and beyond it- [ Let us never talk about ríastrad ] But man's body repairing itself with blades? That's the first one.
[ And probably a useful piece of information for Waver, just in case. Archer sprouted blades spontaneously but it got worse when Caster realizes that's how he heals himself. Another reason why he would not play a healer, he doesn't want to risk it going worse. ]
I've put a rune on him, to lessen the pain. Do you want me to remove it? [ That's a question directed at Waver. Just in case it could cause interference, or simply a wrong reading. He wants to go there and help, but he does know he needs this break. Maybe it will clear his thoughts. ]
cw: body horror
Waver has been right in bracing for pain, for here it comes, excruciating to the point of making one unable to breathe. It feels like gringing a bone against bone. When Archer realizes what happened blue lines flash brighter, and the pain fades.]
Are you okay?
[Yet there are consequences for overusing his abilities. On his hands appear a few small patches of what resembles scales, but, upon further examination, cconsist of numerous tiny blades.
Archer's magic circuits are overworked to the point where mana doesn't follow the right path, often jumping from one path to another.]
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[Waver slams down hard on the link to shut Iskandar out from this. Bone grinding against bone, the bright flash of acid through circuits. It's excruciating, and Waver's eyes fall shut and sweat breaks out along his brow as his teeth grit.
But at the same time it's bearable and he concentrates on the flow of mana.
It bucks and jumps like a wild beast between circuits but Waver can detect no snarl in the torrent. He sends his own mana through Archer's circuits in an attempt to steady the flow into something smoother and frowns as he finds no loops even there's a steady pulse of something being triggered again and again.
Not a single jam.
The pathways are something else, there is feedback, but it isn't physical.]
I'm okay. It's bearable.
[There are tiny sharp scales on Archer's hands and Waver frowns because fixing the loop while Archer's mana is still jumping around like a wild hare seems like too dangerous a course of action.]
Is everyone else okay?
[He may have not been fast enough to block everything out from Iskandar, and there's always the possibility of seepage of the agony from Waver to him. Not a pleasant thought.]
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And he'd rather not let him know that he might be failing. Not even to not damage his pride, or whatever- Archer doesn't need another thing to worry about right now. But that shield might be also a barrier that blocks help. ]
Hush. [ Caster walks close to Archer and tangles his fingers into short white hair, tugging him close. Closest to a hug he can give right now without getting stabbed.
Observing what Waver did gave him some idea. The other mage (the other Caster) is on a good track but there is one obstacle. Archer himself. The man is too used to closing himself off, especially in times of crisis. Caster lowers his voice to a whisper- be damned if others hear him or not, it's just because it's more personal. ] Archer, try to not resist. Go with whatever comes rather than struggling against it.
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His first instinct is to pull away and scold Caster for risking an injury, but Archer hesitates. His partner is well aware what he's risking. It's the instinctive need to protect that he's unable to shake off.
Caster's touch soothes and gives him something to focus on instead the pain. His words make Archer frown, though.]
I don't want you to feel this pain. [in a moment he remembers Waver and adds.] Any of you.
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[Because chances are he will get called out on it in a moment and right at this second Waver's... got an unique perspective on the issue and maybe it will help.]
... taking on the pain is easy in comparison, really. It's a burden I'm willing to bear to help you.
Sharing it? ... knowing I'm causing agony and sometimes literal harm [Blighting.] to him - [His eye slides.] to you - by the things I'm going through? So much worse and that isn't a bloody great place to be in itself.
[He huffs a sigh, and tries a smile. It's emotionally vulnerable but his bleeding edges aren't really weaknesses are they?
Used right... they are his strengths.]
I get it. Not an easy thing.
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What does shock him is Waver shutting him out. That hurts more than anything Archer might be projecting.
Iskandar’s first reaction is anger but he’s able to reign it in. The only sign of it passing is slight clenching of teeth. Just a moment before it’s gone. They’re not here for his personal comfort.
Caster is with Archer. As he should be. So it’s Iskandar’s turn to move from his spot.]
You don’t need to shield me, Waver. I’ll take anything from you.
[Coming here was his idea, he dragged you here without asking do you want it or not, and yet all he can do is sit and watch the torment play before his eyes. He can at least take some of it on him.
Easy or not just don’t block me, damnit. I’m not a child. I’m here for you.
It’s what he wants to say. He doesn’t. Nobody needs his irritation right now.
So he just sits beside Waver, puts a hand on his shoulder. A small gesture. Even if he wants to do so much more than this.]
If you need mana, take it from me. I’ve got plenty.
[Not exactly true but he wasn’t flinging spells all day and keeping a ceiling from collapsing on their heads .]
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If this is how he gets to Archer now, that's what he is going to do. His words are similar to Iskandar's in the end ]
I'll take it, so stop worrying about it. [ Caster says focusing on the confidence in his tone. Let not have Archer any doubt, he does not waver here. The multiple levels of their relationship might be intertwining. His fingers run again against the white strands and he leans down to maybe (who could tell but the recipient) place a kiss on top of Archer's head.
You had gone through something lot more. They both did. This small amount of pain? This is nothing. ]
So let us help- just trust us.
[ Next time Waver starts his magic again, he will have support following his steps ]
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Iskandar's action speaks of more than companionship, but it's neither time nor place. Someday Archer is going to ask.
Caster, on the other hand- they both share the uncanny ability to see through each other. It's what makes them such a well-balanced team at times and complete trainwreck at other. Archer despises showing weakness in any situation; Caster has gained his trust to the point where Archer doesn't mind it.
It's not that easy.]
As you wish.
[His expression changes slightly; not as closed as before. There's a subtle change in his body language, lessening his tenseness. He trusts Caster, and that is enough; the way he leans into the caress is a clear indication.
Now when he's not trying to supress it the pain increases immediately. Even with Caster's runes that dull the pain it's a lot to take in. Moreover, now that he's undoing it, it shows how he numbed nerves in his hands using Reinforcement to lessen the amount of pain sent to Waver.]
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He can't say where this need to keep Iskandar safe... need to see him well... springs from. Duty? Part of it yes, but... It's the same with Satya, this protectiveness, but it rears its head more with Iskandar. Perhaps because one has much more regard for her health than another, but...
(echoes... of that loss. echoes of the helplessness. echoes of thinking being bonded to him killed him... harmed him because he was himself. of not being enough.)
... it's not a matter of trust or who can bear what, even as he leans back into Iskandar's hand, saying a lot about how he feels without a single word. It's a matter of recognizing when you're in an unhealthy situation.
Neither of them likes it when the other suffers. Neither of them likes it when the other takes and takes and places the burden solely on themselves. Neither of them likes it when the other is put in harm's way or is harmed.
The link means that can get dangerous in so many ways due to its nature. Something has to change. It has to start with him.
Now the barriers have dropped. He can feel as the pain increases, that Archer is doing the same.]
After this. Right now I just need you here.
[That's the important thing. Not feeling things over the link or taking on every burden. Being here. Being not alone.
... there's a lot of people in this room, after all, trying to help each other.
Bone grinding against bone, circuits on acid fire to the point of blindness, Waver dives in again through excruciating pain to comb through mana and pathways...
... but... he wonders... if he can't find anything physical... that means the trigger for the spell is to blame.
And that's mental.
And in that case... he might be able to stop this in its tracks with a complete system reset, but he won't be able to fix the problem outright.]
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Yet there are things he does understand. He understands will. He understands that in a clash of body and mind it is always the mind that wins. He may not comprehend how Archer springs those blades because this is the realm of magic. But he's willing to bet he can grasp why. He pushed himself to the limits so many times in the past that he knows from personal experience the myriad of ways how one's body can break. Even if all of his were purely physical, Iskandar believes he can draw some parallels. Especially with that force of will that pushes through no matter what. The mind, the will that just would not relent.
Not that he can do much with that knowledge. Anything other than hope that it, whatever it is, can be reversed.]
arrives here after millions of years
The need to shield your friends, family, lovers, that's ironically something Caster very intimately gets. At times like these, they mirror each other too much, for Caster is sure if their role were reversed, he would be doing the same as Archer.
Caster follow Waver's lead, giving energy (instead of taking it, like is entire Servant's schtick), easing the burden but also being a familiar presence. Can he be soothing? This one time in the world he can try.
He gasps, maybe out of pain or maybe- because he notices the lack of movement in the bladed growth on Archer's shoulder. It's not receding, but it's forming has been slowed down, almost stopping. ]
It's working- we're almost there-- [ He puts his hand on Archer's cheek forcing the man to look at him and so he asks ] Endure.
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It's also past his limits to bare himself to others, to show what's usually hidden safely. Any hint of weakness, anything that he prefers to keep to himself. It's not easy to allow.
What grounds him enough to keep going is Caster, his presence, the familiar magic he can feel even through all the pain. Soothing touch on his cheek that Archer leans into as he looks up to meet Caster's eyes.
All that he can respond with is the brief nod. It's not for himself that he does; it's for Caster who desperately tries to help him.
Archer never wishes to become another burden for his partner to carry.]
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[Waver's quiet as he says that, voice surprisingly steady despite the sweat beading and tricking down his brow as he continues to endure.
And while he doesn't know how to deal with that... at least not yet, though it seems some of his abilities do deal with the mental plane, he does know how to buy time and let Archer recover in the meantime.]
I'm going to reset your entire mana system, and then keep it suppressed. It should stop the loop and the blades from forming.
[Maybe even reverse the process entirely. Who can say? Not him without his memories.]
That will buy us time to figure out how to solve the mental jam and help get you into better shape.
[As far as he knows, there's been no indication to healing abilities so far beyond that mysterious tea recipe (Grandmother's) he knows.
Perhaps it's in Caster's skillset... unfortunately, Irisviel is gone, because she would have certainly been a blessing here. He doesn't know of any other healers here... nor of anyone who could affect the mind, but that doesn't mean there's none. Everyone else in this room has been around so much longer than he has.
For now, he increases his mana flow and directs it to force a reboot of the entire system as gently as possible. Which may be as gentle as he'd like - Archer's mana still chaotic under his touch - but still it's better and easier to handle than a sharp, sudden shock. Or so instinct tells him.]
I apologize for being so late
You don't have to be so careful, I won't break.
[Luckily for them it's easy to force the reboot. Archer hisses and sags forward a bit, bowing his head. Pain starts to fade slowly and no new blades are forming. Those odd, metal patches are fading too, blades turning into skin. Such eerie healing ability caused by his magic going overdrive.]
Thanks. [he murmurs quietly once he's finally able to speak. It's not that easy to accept help, not when it's caused by his own miscalculation and weakness.]