sticks and bones. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sticksandbonesmods) wrote2023-07-28 11:44 pm
sticksandbonesmods) wrote2023-07-28 11:44 pm
Let's go in the garden...
Who: Add and the Claimed
What: Where's Add been?
When: Between his disappearance and reappearance
Where: The Garden
Warnings: body horror, parasitism, death, hallucinations
What: Where's Add been?
When: Between his disappearance and reappearance
Where: The Garden
Warnings: body horror, parasitism, death, hallucinations
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... So, something similar to a seal. Instead of falling into Henir, it's the forest...
And how might we unlock it?
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( she... deflates a little, as she speaks. it hurts, knowing that even telling her things is dangerous. it hurts that she was right to ask not to know. it hurts that even now her own mind isn't her own.
it hurts. )
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His steps slow, holding her hand tightly as they come to a stop, tugging her loosely to turn his way. When their eyes meet he smiles, something lopsided and shy that feels too natural, too honest... why does it feel so easy, when she's someone he only met today?
Add lets go, his hand moving up to her cheek.]
You've been very brave for everyone, Nene. Your big brother would be proud of you.
[so please, won't you smile for him?]
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here, anyway. maybe when she gets back to the church.
eventually she pulls back and manages a smile, even if some tears linger. )
He'll come back for me someday. I know he will.
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She let go of Add's hand. And that
means
he's breaking the rules.
Even as they linger in an embrace, something burrows through the underbrush before yanking Nene back. She balks, confused before horror dawns on her face- but it's too late.
There is a howl cutting through the fog.
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until she's ripped out of his arms and back towards the trees, too quickly for him to react
All at once he feels the weight of the air, the chill and the dark and the piercing howls. There's malice in it, something that shouldn't be so palpable yet is. His entire body goes tense in that moment of vivid dread, adrenaline pumping, turning around to try and face the direction of a yet-unseen threat.
He holds out an arm—a silent command for his trailing Dynamo to go straight to Nene's side—and calls two more drones from within his coat... but they fly too low, too sluggish, their energy already spent from something he can't even recall. His jaw is locked shut into a composed glare but deep down in his heart he knows how fucked he is.
the panic in his chest builds, drones drawn tightly to his sides. what is he supposed to do? he can't give up here, there has to be something—]
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Well, it is, actually, but he can't help that he's a nuisance.
Thundering pads of paws and claws rumble all around him before they stop, and through the mist steps a beast. Inky black sap drips from it's maw like drool and blood.
It's smiling. It's waiting.
Act, doctor. Act and draw your final breath.
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But at the end of the day, Add by himself is only one human. He know all too well how fragile the human body is, how easily such a beast could snap his neck before he could even move. He's nothing without Dynamo, and if his drones are too weak to fight...
In moments like these, someone else would always jump in. Elsword, Chung, Raven... he'd be scolded for getting too close, putting himself at risk when he's supposed to be hanging back. But deep down, they all knew he'd be safe. He always felt safe. Why take the risk, if he wasn't confident he'd come out alive?
His composure falters, one foot slowly sliding back. This time, there's no one here to save him. No matter how much he prays, Elsword won't come flying in through the trees.
... but he's not ready to give up. not yet, even against all the odds in the world—
His two dynamos slam together, and the last of that energy is spent on a blinding burst of sparks—if something catches fire, he'll take it, but either way he's taking the only option he has left. He's fucking booking it in the opposite direction.]
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( struggling in the tree's grasp, nene reaches out uselessly- her vision already starting to blur and worse yet, even if the forest wasn't holding her in place, she wouldn't be able to look away.
stupid. stupid stupid stupid stupid STUPID- you had ONE JOB. )
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The underbrush does spark into fire, but it does little to deter the beast- or rather, despite whimpering in pain (is it the fire or is it the wood and growth) it's too maddened to care.
Perhaps the only mercy is that it doesn't toy with him. It's speed far outclasses a human man, so it can catch up quickly. From there? From there it can tackle him to the ground (even the paw pads are covered in thorns and overgrown claws) and rip and tear. Thousands of needle-like teeth, the jagged bark along its legs and chest, everything digs into Add. Everything stains red. Everything tears.
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For what it's worth, Add is able to maintain that perfect and calm image he cares so much about. His throat is torn before he can scream, limbs pinned and crushed without a chance to crawl away.
... the drones cease their panicked circling.
A few seconds pass, and... with an air of great reluctance, the ones that still have the strength to fly leave their master to regroup at Nene's sides. The other two crash into the ground along the way, lights dimmed and spent.
They take care not to get too close to the vines. It's difficult to read the emotions of a faceless, voiceless array of robots—but they're clingy, weakened, searching for some sort of direction.]
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did the forest really hate this one man that much?
and yet nene can't make herself look away from bone and flesh. not until she remembers the drones- hesitantly, she reaches up to touch one, but... they're not going to last long, are they? )
Um- I... while you can, I need help. Carrying him. I can fix this, we just have to go back to the Garden... and when you need to sleep, I'll bring you along too. I promise.
( regardless of their answer, nene sits back, and takes a deep breath before touching the earth. and it answers her call, manifesting a stick-and-woven-grass stretcher. all she can do is try and move him onto it again, just like she did last time...
just like last time. )
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The exhausted drones shudder, one last fruitless attempt to do their part... she'll have to pick those ones up herself. They're heavier than they look, but not by too much.
Wherever she leads, they'll follow.]
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her hands are transparent. )
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He can smell his mother's flowers all around him. It must be a good dream, if it reminds him of her.
There's no alarm to wake him, this time... but as his mind starts to stir, he can hear crying. Slowly, slowly, the pleasant illusion melts away...]
Mom...? [His voice comes out hoarse and quiet. He tries to move, but between the weight on his chest and his limbs being half-asleep, the best he can manage is a tired wiggle. He blinks through filtered light, staring up at the leaves of the tree.
... it can't be mom, because she's been dead for centuries. Add groans weakly, trying to remember. Focus, stupid. Wasn't he with someone...?]
Where is... Nene? Is that...
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( she jolts immediately, sitting upright- despite the messy ordeal she must have gone through while dealing with... everything, she doesn't seem any worse for wear... save for the transparency. don't worry about it. and also the tear stains, how red her eyes are- )
A-Add- I-
( she chokes on the next word and instead opts for wrapping her arms around his neck instead, wailing with grief and relief alike. )
I won't let go again, I promise! I'm so sorry!
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he remembers... the garden... he was supposed to leave if he felt strange, but he didn't listen. she took him outside, and...]
... did I pass out again? [everything past that is a blur. He groans again, groggily bringing up his other hand to rub the sleep from his eyes.] It's okay. I'm fine now... I'm the one who should apologize.
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(
what... does she do?
does she tell him about the wolf and his brutal death? how she had to put him back together? how the garden wailed when they reentered, or how she had to ferry his corpse and the dynamos dropping one by one back to this little sanctuary?
her grip tightens.
she can't let him live in the dark completely. )
We- I let go of your hand and the forest attacked immediately.
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[he said something, and she looked so sad... he was trying to cheer her up, and...
he sighs sharply, shutting his eyes.
he can't remember.
he doesn't want to.]Attacked... what do you mean? We were chased back here?
It's okay now. I'm sorry for making you cry... are you alright? Did it hurt you? [he tries to sit up again, if she doesn't show him herself he'll find out about her fading hands shortly]
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( there's no hiding the fade of her body even if she wanted to- she's lingered in the garden too long, and maybe mom is being a little selfish and wants to offer the only protection she can. )
It... it caught you. I- I failed my one job in bringing people back, and you died again...
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It's this place, isn't it? We can't stay here... we have to leave, I can get up—
[he
really can't, he's going to immediately fall over if he tries, but the spirit is there. he'll make it up on the third or fourth attempt.]
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( even if this will kill her. maybe it'd be appropriate- oh, but then how would he get back to the grove...?
so she'll wait until he can. )
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[He's stubborn enough to make it on the second try... nearly falls again, but manages to stay upright. It's at this point that he notices Dynamo and the little flower beds scattered around him. Lights blinking, no response...
with a sigh, he kneels back down in the grass. okay. it'll be the third try for sure, as soon as he gets these drones back in storage.]
... It's my fault it happened like this. I'm sorry.
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( despite how soft and broken her voice is, there's a certain firmness too. like she can't budge on this- won't. she'll greedily take all the guilt in this exchange and won't share a crumb.
but once he begins to gather the drones, she stands up. she's not so far gone that the one she's holding will fall through her arms, but... )
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he picks up the last drone, looking at it for a moment before stashing it away... then, he reaches down to pull a knife from his pouch. he flicks it on, a faint blue glow lighting up along the edge.
just in case. he keeps it palmed, holding the other hand out to Nene.]
Come on. Let's get you out of here.
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1/2
cw: wow!!!! its eye-gouging time!!!!!!!
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