05 | I will stay unless I may

[alephbet]

Characters: Aleph and you!
Setting: Anywhere in the tower.
Format: Starting with action brackets, will match anything.
Summary: Aleph tries to make his candy-collecting services known.
Warnings: Probably violence later.

[Aleph can be found anywhere in the tower, from the dormitories to the cafeteria, but a few things are constant. He's dressed normally, not in any kind of costume - deformed or otherwise. And he's carrying a sign.

'WILL HELP FIND CANDY FOR FREE
seriously let me help you all I'm worried about you'

He seems like he's looking for people in normal costumes, or else hoping for people to approach him. Of course, anyone outside of a costume is welcome to talk to him too. As far as people in twisted costumes who are in possession of candy... Well, how that goes will depend on the person in question.]

Comments

[pointerpixl]

[For a while, you may or may not notice a small rainbow butterfly following you around as if curious, until she finally perches atop the sign and... well, does the closest thing she can to staring Aleph in the face.]

Please let me help, too! I could help sense who has candy... Please, I want to do something to help the people who are left...

eeee Tippi

[alephbet]

[He's surprised when the butterfly starts talking, but deals with it pretty quickly. He's seen weirder.]

I'd be happy to have your help. What's your name?

<3

[pointerpixl]

[...Oh. That was easy! And here she was prepared to beg.]

Thank you... My name is Tippi...

I need to do something about this, even if I can't fight... So I'll use what I can do to help the people who need it...

[alephbet]

Mine is Aleph. I can fight, so I'll protect you and everyone else as much as I can.

[pointerpixl]

You will?

[The relief that follows is like a breath of the freshest, non-corpse scented air she's had in a while now.]

Thank you so much... Let's work as a team! I can pick out who has something, so I'll give you as much information as I can...

But Aleph, please stay safe, yourself... Don't get yourself a Game Over just to help someone else... What if someone sees your sign and decides to attack you because of it?

[alephbet]

It's worth it just to find the people who are in need of it, isn't it? Besides, I've fought more difficult enemies than most of the people here. If I need to, I can defend myself.

[pointerpixl]

It is, but it wouldn't do at all to see anyone sacrifice themselves now... Still, that is very reassuring...

Have you, really? You sound well traveled, then...

[alephbet]

I've been traveling and fighting for most of my life. [Probably because it's been a very short life.] You don't need to worry about me - there are many more people here we should be concerned about.

[warriorscribe]

*On passing the new-ish gym floor, Aleph may see a familiar, albeit glowing, someone perched somewhat precariously on the top bar of a piece of equipment, wings flared for balance.

He's watching the floor like some strange glowing gargoyle, and his eyes lock onto Aleph as he emerges from the adjacent floor with his sign. Even one who commits the ultimate sin can be so kind...a pity, that sin.

Enoch leaps from his perch and spreads his wings to glide towards Aleph, opening his Arch along the way.*

[alephbet]

[There's not enough room to easily maneuver in the gym, but Aleph does take a few steps backwards, enough to put enough distance between the two of them for a moment of safety. His hand goes to his sword hilt.]

I see... I'm sorry.

[Enoch didn't have working wings before.]

[warriorscribe]

So am I.

*Enoch lashes out then, a leap forward with the Arch sweeping out as far as it could reach, his new wings serving him well to balance him where his former self could be easily knocked over in such a maneuver.*

[alephbet]

[Aleph's sword doesn't come out fast enough to fully block the hit, and he winces. It doesn't keep him off balance for more than a moment, however.]

Beelzebub!

[Thankfully his Arm Terminal is voice-activated. The fly emerges, immediately sending a blast of electricity at Aleph's attacker.]

[warriorscribe]

*Aleph is lucky that that particular demon is still technically an angel doesn't exist yet in his time. No need to stack the "ally with demons" sin on top of the one he's attacking for.

Enoch attempts to leap away from the giant fly's magic, but it manages to catch, of all things, his foot. Electricity being what it is, Enoch is brought to his knees, for the moment stunned as he tries to get its painful effect on his muscles under control.*

[alephbet]

I hope you'll forgive me for this. I need your candy more than you do.

[Aleph presses his advantage as he speaks - Enoch's not an opponent to underestimate considering he knows very little about his abilities. He strikes out with his sword, aiming to pierce through Enoch's unarmored chest.]

[warriorscribe]

*Enoch manages enough control to fall to the side, raising his arm to protect himself - the edge of the sword opens a wound near his shoulder. Despite his pain, he retaliates as well as he can, pushing himself forward and bringing his Arch out, trying to catch Aleph's legs.*

[alephbet]

[They just barely do not connect, Aleph having retreated enough at the last second. He directs Beelzebub, who sends out a blast of more powerful magic.

Megidolaon. If this battle can be over quickly, Aleph wants it to be.]

[warriorscribe]

*Enoch is most mobile in the air, especially with his wings letting him fine-tune his movement like never before. So his first dodging instinct is to jump.

Except he completely underestimates the range of Megidolaon. There's a scream of pain from the edge of the blast, and Enoch is shown when it clears to be draped over a rack of weights, surrounded by blood. There are only tatters remaining of his skirt on the left side and even that just at his hip; the leg beneath is still there but barely and certainly not functional, bloody bone visible along the left side.

Doggedly, Enoch limps towards him, wings and Arch dedicated to balance. There isn't any way he can possibly fight in this condition, but he tries anyway, a feeble swing of the Arch all he can manage between the trail of blood he's leaving and the bad leg bleeding it.*

[technologic]

[Welp. That was one thing she wasn't expecting to see as she woke up from a nap in the meadow. Which is why she just blinks blearily at him and his sign from her seat under a tree.]

... Aleph?

[alephbet]

Hi, April.

[A friendly wave.]

[technologic]

[She rubs her eyes and waves back, before pushing herself onto her feet.]

... Do you think this'll work?

[alephbet]

Somebody will notice. It's a big enough sign.

[technologic]

It depends on who sees it though. The people who're loopy might... well, considering how some seem to be hoarding candy, it might not go down well with some of them.

[alephbet]

If they attack I'll fight back, and if I win, I'll have candy to give to those who need it. I don't see the problem here.

[technologic]

There would be one if you lost... But either way, would you want any help?

[alephbet]

Do you want to help? I can probably handle it on my own.