i'm your source of self destruction

[restitchtime]

Characters: Rose Strider, her shadow, and anyone who wants to beat the shit out of it.
Setting: Floor 28 (september thirteenth)
Format: Action spam.
Summary: Rose finally tracks down her shadow. She doesn't waste any time getting on with things.
Warnings: Violence, blood, cursing, all that fun shadow fight stuff.

[it didn't take very long for Rose to find her shadow.

how could it have? ever since she'd realized just what these things were she'd been on high alert for her own, patrolling the tower with time clones to check for its inevitable appearance. she can't help but wonder if it had waited so long simply to spite her; it would certainly be something she'd expect from a thing wearing her face.

none of that mattered now, however. she'd finally found her, and in the blink of an eye had flash-stepped right in front of it. the shadow's taken aback despite itself, immediately tensing up.]

You-

[the shadow only manages to get a single word out before Rose's foot connects with its jaw, the sickening crunch confirming that the blow has done its job well. Rose shifts a little in place, entire body on high alert even as her expression screams smug confidence. no need to show any weakness, even towards a thing that claimed to be herself.]

Come on, we both knew that neither of us were going to be able to talk this shit out. Cut the crap and get on with it.

[that prompts the shadow into laughter, the sound harsh and dissonant through the broken bones. fogs rolls in thick and ominous as it steps back into the newly formed cover and begins to morph, the shape rising up like a monstrous shadow puppet.

after what seems to be an eternity it steps back out of the obscuring scenery, and only then does Rose allow herself a brief flash of fear and uncertainty as she grips her seam rippers until her knuckles turn white. this...thing may have been more than she'd bargained for.]

Fuck.

Comments

[knightime]

[Even if she never shows that side again, Dave will always know she has the capability to actually feel that way and show it. He just dodges the fireball and continues to run forward

At this point, he doesn't matter what amount of damage he goes through to take this thing down. Dave looked relatively upset and he grit his teeth. It wasn't her, but it might as well been her.]

His shit is going fucking down. I'm done with this fucking piece of shit.

[restitchtime]

Just make sure that it isn't done with you too, asshole.

[not that Rose really has room to talk. she's being about as careful as her brother, if not more reckless, skidding under a giant hand to continue racing towards her goal. this was going to end now.]

[knightime]

[They've basically done nothing but get injured anyways, so it doesn't even make a different at this point.

Dave leaps and aims a downward slash at it, but if he can convince it to block and retaliate to him, it'll probably give Rose an opening.]

[restitchtime]

[it's not difficult to goad the Shadow into attacking, and it does just as Dave wishes with brutal force likely fueled by its frustration at its weakness being put on display. Rose ducks the swinging fist and closes the gap between herself and the clockwork innards, jumping the last foot and jamming her seam rippers into the gears with a satisfying screech of metal on metal.]

[knightime]

[That is probably the most beautiful noise he's heard in a long while, even though he was severely knocked back by the stupid thing. He wasn't expecting it to retaliate so brutally, but he's alright for the most part.

He's back on his feet quickly, just in case, but he can't help but love the sound of gears stopping.]

[restitchtime]

[the blow to its innards sends the Shadow into a panicked frenzy, lashing out blindly at everything in a desperate attempt to pull out a win despite being irreparably crippled. one of its flails catches Rose across the face and she staggers badly, spitting out a mouthful of blood as she manages to barely remain upright.

she scoots to the side and hastily wipes her mouth with her suit sleeve, shooting a look back at Dave]

Pretty sure it's on its last legs. Ready to finish this fucker?

[knightime]

[He moves to a stance, ready to make a final leap.] This thing needs to go back in its grave already.

[He glances at her before leaping forward, ready to jam his sword into the Shadow one final time.]

[restitchtime]

Then let's start digging.

[she grins at him before making her own leap, probably one of the more genuine smiles she's ever let him see despite the circumstances. they were going to be fine. for all the bumps and bruises, they were going to be fine.

when their blades pierce the Shadow, she can't think of a more satisfying sound than the high-pitched keening of gears screeching into one another and ultimately to a halt. the Shadow jerks in place several times in some attempt to restart itself before giving up, slumping to its side with a mechanical hiss.]

[knightime]

[Dave is slightly surprised that didn't break his sword. He has a problem with breaking his swords after all. But he isn't really thinking about that so much the relief of hearing the gears stop and the creature slump over.

But what now? Wouldn't it start again if they pull away?] Okay. But now what? Does it just sit here like the piece of shit it is?

and then everyone knew i'd never played persona - how does shadow disappear??? IMPROVISE

[restitchtime]

I really don't give a fuck what it does. It can rust to the wall for all I care at this point.

[to underscore this Rose gives it a vicious kick, the blow containing all her pent up emotions that up to this point have been unable to find a means to escape. the inert shadow makes a dull clanging sound (and the pain shoots up her foot) and then, to her surprise, begins fading into more of that damnable fog.

she tries to keep her expression stoic, make it seem like she knew that was going to happen. there's been enough admitting to being without a clue for one day.]

BROFIST FOR NOT PLAYING PERSONA EITHER

[knightime]

[Yeah, no. Dave could honestly say he had no idea that was going to happen, but if he isn't going to watch it happily turn back into that crap fog. This has basically been the best thing that has happened since this stuff has started.]

Is this the part where we pretend we somehow learned something worthwhile? [Well. He guesses he did learn some stuff.] Because I can say this was all a bunch of shit.

HELL YEAH WE ARE BRETHREN IN FANDOM IGNORANCE

[restitchtime]

Pretty sure I'm supposed to have accepted the gross mechanical recesses of my heart as a true part of me or something like that. [she snorts. yeah, fat chance of her ever coming to terms with her insecurities in this place]

I don't know what you get out of it besides a good workout. Maybe there's a medal for participation waiting for you in your room.

brofist

[knightime]

I better get a gold star sticker for this shit. I didn't learn jackshit. All I got was that this was a lot of hoops to jump through for nothing. Like somehow having our lives in danger and them trying to kill us will teach us to accept things.

Maybe if I went philosophical and thought about it, I can make up some bullshit idea as to how that works. [He's so tired.]

o/**\o yeeeeah

[restitchtime]

Be sure to let me know when you come up with someone, will you? I don't think that I'm going to be able to come up with anything of my own this time.

[she doesn't want to think about this, doesn't want to think about what the shadow may have said before she caught it, doesn't want to remember that horrible moment when it was crushed. this whole thing makes her angry and sick. she just wants to move on.]

[knightime]

[Dave won't ever go into detail with what her Shadow said to him.]

I'm totally up for heading back to our respective dorms and maybe sleeping this off. And I usually fucking hate sleeping around here. [But he's exhausted and he doesn't want to think about all of this anymore.] Today was too long of a day.

[restitchtime]

This whole week's been way too fucking long.

[she falls silent for a moment, attention focusing in on her foot as she idly scuffs the floor with it. she looks up a little, glasses sliding down a bit and allowing her eyes to peek out, lending a little more sincerity to her next words]

...thanks, though. For sticking around.

[knightime]

[Dave can at least offer the same in return. Because he wants her to know what he says next is genuine.]

I wasn't going to ditch you. I got your back.

[restitchtime]

[she shoves her hands in her pockets and looks away, lips twitching up into a smile]

Yeah, I guess you do. That's a pretty dipshit move to make, I hope you know that.

[knightime]

Yeah, I know.

[He won't really tell her what her Shadow had said, but he's sure she can guess a bit.] But there's some tools that might actually do that.

[restitchtime]

And they're just the kind of assholes that I'd end up stuck with for the long side of forever, too. What a world.

[she doesn't sound particularly bothered by the prospect underneath the usual veneer of abrasiveness]

[knightime]

If I ever turn into that asshole, you're free to sock me in the face.

[Not that he would.]

[restitchtime]

Like I'd wait to ask for your permission to do it anyway.

[knightime]

I mistook you for someone who has manners enough to at least ask, even if you're gonna do it.

[restitchtime]

Fuck that. Underneath my prim exterior is an impatient bitch who gets things done when they need to be; I can ask for permission afterward.

[knightime]

Man, it's probably a fucking honor to have you even ask for permission afterward. They need to climb a damn echeladder for that shit.