[CLOSED/OPEN] No words can heal a broken heart

[chronomancer]

Characters: [AU1] Eridan Ampora & [AU1] Equius Zahhak; Eridan Ampora and YOU.
Setting: Meadow floor (closed/backdated to the January event), Floor 64 (open/current)
Format: Starting with action but I'll match you.
Summary: Two logs for the price of one, lmao so I don't flood the comm: closing up aged up shenanigans, Equius is displeased and Eridan is about to learn just how much. Also back in real time, Eridan finds a deliciously tempting slice of home.
Warnings: Violence and swearing for the Equius log. Eridan being actually honest and pathetic and stupid, for the open one.

[Closed: Meadow floor.]

[He wasn't tired so much as he was trying to hibernate. He wasn't entirely sure trolls, undead or otherwise, actually did the whole hibernation shtick, but he could at least try. Save up his energy. Make his last feeding last. He was pretty sure things didn't really work that way but he was lazy and this was a good enough excuse. So there he is, as long as he is, lying on his back and sunbathing in the meadow without a care in the world.

Not that he didn't have cares. He had a lot of them, actually. But if he started thinking about all of them he'd probably implode. Or go on a rampage. Or both. Really, it was for the best of everyone involved, if he just laid there, soaking up sunlight and carefully thinking of nothing in particular.]

[Open: Desert floor.]

[It's so familiar it hurts, really. The heat, the sand, the occasional blast of wind. It's probably a bad idea to head out, and given the last few terrible ideas he's indulged lately, mostly as a result of the experiment last month, Eridan resists the urge to go.

But he wants to, dear god, he wants to so bad.

He's curled up on the sandy floor, barely two steps off the staircase, staring aimlessly at the distance and quietly drowning in nostalgia. He's never really stopped to sit down and miss life before the Game... but now he does and the wave of homesickness is almost entirely too much to handle.]

Comments

[chronomancer]

[Eridan takes a moment to think the conversation over and realize he's being a bag of pessimism again. Dammit. It used to be easier to be the optimistic one, didn't it? He nudges her a little.]

Hey, could be worse, right? You just gotta make the best of what you've got and it won't be so bad.

[fiesta_de_los_muertos]

[Aradia isn't exactly being a ray of sunshine either. She looks up from her feet at his nudging.]

You're right. There's no reason why we couldn't build a nice existence here as well.

[chronomancer]

That'd be a first.

[Enjoy some self-deprecation but it seems to be a joke more than anything else. Him, being right? Perish the thought!]

But it's... I mean yeah, it sucks at times, but it could be worse. And people really make it better than it could be.

[fiesta_de_los_muertos]

It can't be as bad as the Medium. Unless Jack is here as well.

[He isn't, right?]

[chronomancer]

I don't think he is, no.

[Eridan scratches his chin, thoughtful.]

It really depends on what it was like in the Medium for you, guys. I mean at least for me... yeah, Tower's better. Kinda.

[fiesta_de_los_muertos]

Hmmm, I think it's a combination of all the different ones for me. So far this placed is much better than that.

[chronomancer]

[He hums a little in the back of his throat.]

...I hope that doesn't change.

[He's almost near certain it will, but he doesn't want to rain on her parade. It's not his place, really.]

How long have you been here?

[fiesta_de_los_muertos]

[She sighs.]

It seems likely that it will though, if everyone's stories are true.

A couple of days I think, it's a little difficult to keep track of time.

[chronomancer]

[He makes a small amused sound at that last comment, though he only shakes his head.]

You'll get the hang of it, unless they fuck with your powers.

[He lets out an irritated sigh.]

Time fuckery is a thing sometimes, and it really sucks. But... like I said, not everything's that terrible. You just. Have to find the good things and stick to them, I guess.

[fiesta_de_los_muertos]

Still, I should be better at grasping it then everyone else.

Could they do something to my powers? [She leaves a question lingering there "did they do that to you?"]

And the good things are the people we know here and the safe places to go, right?

[chronomancer]

It's not like the game's time fuckery, though. Don't feel bad about not getting the hold if it properly.

[Eridan offers a soft shrug.]

The good things are anything you want it to be, really. People or places or things, it's. It's kinda personal, right? Some people take comfort in this or that, but that's okay so long as they get some.

[And it's okay if you take comfort in murder too, right? Right? He hopes so.]

But yes, they can fuck up with your powers.

[There's a pause.]

...they already have, technically. Kind of.

[fiesta_de_los_muertos]

I think that's a good way to look at it, it would be different for everyone.

[She looks puzzled at that.]

When?

[chronomancer]

[Eridan shrugs, fingers going back to play with the sand.]

A while ago. It... it wasn't you, really. Just. Another version of you.

[fiesta_de_los_muertos]

Oh.

[It's weird to think another her has been here before, probably a couple of times already.]

But she left?

[chronomancer]

After a few months, yeah.

[Eridan pressed sand against the inside of a claw with another, absently enjoying the soft crush of it. He was quiet for a long, long time, before he smiled.]

She was one of the first trolls I met here, when I arrived. I wasn't... really alright then. Upstairs, I mean.

[He made a careless gesture to his head. The implication of that statement being that he was better now, which was a sodden lie, but so not the point anyway.]

And she was nice. Like. Really nice. Don't think I'd ever had anyone being that nice to me for absolutely no reason, before I met her. Then a few weeks later we wake up and we're splitting up and leaving doomed selves all over the place. Couldn't give three fucking steps on a row before running into me or her or both.

[He chuckled wryly.]

Didn't last long but it was more than enough. We kinda laughed, once it was over, though there was a lot of jade and red on the walls, by the end of it. I did always regret not reaching out when she tried to be my friend.

[He winces.]

Took me a while, you know. To get the whole friendship thing down. But by then she was gone.

[fiesta_de_los_muertos]

[It's a surreal experience, hearing about what is essentially yourself like that. But she also feels bad for Eridan, he has had a rough time here and having a friend ripped away like that is terrible.]

I'm sorry about that.

[She suddenly feels really guilty about being here. Even though she is the same as the troll that was here before, she is not Eridan's friend. Not right now.]

[chronomancer]

Hey.

[As if suddenly realizing the downer tone again, Eridan offers a small smile and flicks some sand at her feet.]

's okay. You haven't done anything you need to apologize for. Shit just happens.

[fiesta_de_los_muertos]

[She raises her head to grin at him.]

I know that, but it sucks that she left at a time like that.

[chronomancer]

Yeah, but still.

[He offers her a small smile.]

You can't let it get to you. Not here, what with the doubles and the time fuckery and what not. Everyone you meet today might be gone tomorrow but that doesn't mean you're just gonna lock yourself up in your room and refuse to interact with anyone. Shit happens. How often it happens is up for debate, but the point is that it happens. So you kinda have to try, at least.

[fiesta_de_los_muertos]

That's a pretty depressing thought, but I think that works for this place.

I'm used to the doubles and time fuckery though, maybe it will help.

[chronomancer]

It's only depressive if you let the fuckers get to you. I say you don't give them the satisfaction.

[Eridan offers Aradia a small smile.]

Yeah. I get the feeling us Time people have an easier time handling that bullshit than most. At least from what I've seen, so that's a plus, right?

[fiesta_de_los_muertos]

[And she smiles back. Eridan is a lot more pleasant than she always thought he would be.]

I'll try not to. You are a Time player too?

[chronomancer]

Yup.

[Self-deprecation: the smile.]

Worst Time player you're ever gonna meet, too. I should probably give you an autograph or something so you can remember this fated moment of utter failure.

[fiesta_de_los_muertos]

[She giggles at that, covering her mouth with her hand.]

I doubt you are the worst! So did you ascend to godtier?

[chronomancer]

Oh no. God, no.

[Excuse him while he shudders.]

You look cute in red. Jade looks cute in red. I? I'd look like a fuckin' sin against nature. Thanks, but I like my red in moderation.

[Excuse him while he adjusts the jacket a little and continues to lie through his teeth because A. It was never about the color of the godly PJs, and B. Time Godtier Red is actually pretty close to his favorite color.]

Plus, I don't dig the wings.