|002| I have seen the dark universe yawning.

[primordial]

Characters: Sam Erstwhile and YOU
Setting: All over the tower- you choose where!
Format: I'm doing action at first, but I'll follow whatever you have!
Summary: Sam comes back...not quite himself.
Warnings: Extremely serious body horror (there's a picture you can click to see included in the description), as well as the usual brainwashing related to what he went through. Possible extreme violence, gore, body limb removal and death due to malfunction, if you want to risk that. Also disorientation and dizziness due to his impossible appearance!

LUCIDITY
[Out of all the horrible things that were once your friends going around the tower...this might be one of the worst.]

[Because at first, you can't even believe that what you're seeing is human. It's just a mess of body parts- eyes where they shouldn't be, multiple arms, some of which belong to monsters, jutting out from random places, teeth snapping in the folds of skin, so obviously warped. And one of the worst things is is that it constantly changes. Blink, and some of those arms are gone, to be replaced by spikes. Blink again, and the eye which was staring at you is now an open toothy mouth, dripping saliva. It hurts, it honestly truly hurts to look at, because unless your brain is used to such impossible sights, then it's going to be aching with trying to figure out what it's looking at.]

[But somewhere in there, if you can manage to look close enough, there is part of a human face, a young man with the saddest blue eyes you have ever seen trying its best to stare back at you. And it's crying, it's voice filled with absolute fear and sorrow.]

Oh, god, oh god, please don't hurt me!!! Please help me, it hurts, please, please, I don't mean any harm, I don't...

[What do you do? He doesn't seem to mean any harm, despite his grotesque appearance...]


COMPLIANCE
[Other times, though, this monster succumbs to that brainwashing chip in his mind, and he can be found wandering around, his eyes blank as he goes around doing what he should be doing-ordering others around. He must keep things working smoothly. He's in charge. He's always been one of the ones in charge.]

[And he will make sure that every drone he comes across is doing it's job well. Or else he'll have a few words with them if they aren't.]


ERROR
[And then, at the height of those moments of sanity, something kicks in, something primal and fierce and full of greed.]

[Don't even come near Sam when these malfunctions hit. Because to him, every limb, every body part...he has to add them to himself. He has to collect them, delight in their beauty, allow his body to absorb them all and become a part of himself. Any body part will do. Arms, legs, eyes, noses, brains, hearts, hands...all is fair game.]

[Under that sorrowful gaze, there's a beast just waiting to take the prey it so deserves.]

Comments

Lucidity, Floor 48

[tohko_amano]

[People usually frequented this floor, so Tohko was patrolling it as usual, making sure that none of the residents were acting up. However, when she saw one of her fellow workers, she had to look away for a moment. While the Administrator's modifications were always for the best, that one hurt a little to look at. Not that it meant that it was bad. However, when she heard that person cry out in pain, she spoke.]

Why are you in pain? The Administrators have given you a wonderful gift in order to better help them. Be proud of your gift. Why are you in so much pain?

[primordial]

[Many eyes snap to gaze at her, looking her over- well now, that was...disgusting. Not as disgusting as he was, but still, pages for skin and muscle must not be too good.]

[Many of his mouths open and close, though it's hard to tell from which one his voice is coming from.]

Because...it hurts. Why do you think?

[A slight growl from him that doesn't sound at all human. Honestly, he has no problems with the modifications, horror he already was from the beginning. It's the fact that he's being controlled that he has a problem with.]

This is the last thing from a gift...I want t-this chip out of my head, and I want it out now!!

[tohko_amano]

[It wasn't that good, but Tohko bore with it. Her brainwashing had worked, and she had bought into it, hook, line, and sinker. A bit of blood poured out from a leg joint as Sam spoke, but she paid it and the pain no mind.]

You cannot have it out of your head. It is to help you with the Administrators. To want it out is go against the Administrators.

[Tohko put a hand on her daggers and readied one of her fingers. Even though it was made of paper, she had still managed to shove her lighting ring on a finger.]

Are you against the Administrators?

[primordial]

[He was about to spit out that yes, he was against them, but when he sees her move, probably towards her weapons, he reconsiders. He could take her on. But maybe...maybe it was best to still play the victim like he always did when he was just himself.]

[There's a long pause before he gives her a wide reassuring and very toothy frown, eyes narrowing in slight condescension despite himself.]

Oh. Oh no, you've got it wrong. I-I'm not against the Administrators, don't worry! I just don't like the chip. The chip is the problem...

[He holds up a variety of hands in vivid apology, some of which as jutting out of his chest and other strange places.]

Don't hurt me, please don't...

[tohko_amano]

[The hands and the frown meant nothing to Tohko. All she was concerned with was loyalty and words. It seems that this drone did not have enough loyalty for his higher-ups and needed to be taught a lesson.]

The chip was a gift from the Administrators. It allows you to do your job better. To hate it is to go against them.

[As she spoke, Tohko concentrated, and a large storm cloud formed over Sam. Even if he jumped, it would still follow him. As Tohko snapped her fingers, a rain of lightning came down to meet the boy.]

[primordial]

But it's a chip that brainwashes you, are you even listen-!!!

[Okay, the rain? He can deal with that. He loves rain. Rain and him are best friends, having lived underwater for god knows how many years.]

[Lightening, on the other hand...?]

Agh! No, no, stop that!

[He cringes, numerous arms and hands and such reaching upward in an attempt to stop the lightening from hitting him. Ugh, when this was all over, he was going to hurt people, he really was.]

Okay, okay, I love the chip, you can stop now!

[myblueskies]

I wont. I wont ever hurt you. [Romeo feels ill and dizzy but he tries to keep staring at that face because he almost recognises it. But he can't place it and it keeps moving and he feels sick but he tries not to be because it's crying and mister Jason hurt this person. And Romeo doesn't know what to do.]

[primordial]

R-r-romeo?

[He tilts his monstrous head, eyes narrowing all over his body. Even the brainwashing couldn't get rid of all the memories of the Tower, and...ah, this was one of the people he had woven into his web before. This boy, ever so kind...]

[Time to test that kindness, really.]

It's me. It's Sam. [A sob as he lowers his upper body slightly to be on the same level as the boy.] Y-your friend.

[myblueskies]

Sam! [It was Sam, the man he had promised to protect.] Try not to be scared sir...

[primordial]

Romeo...oh god, I'm so glad it's you.

[He nods, tears falling from the various eyes peppering his chest and limbs.]

I-I'm trying, but...I'm so afraid, Romeo, I'm so afraid I'll hurt you.

[myblueskies]

I know. Mister Jason is really bad...

[His head is hurting more but he can't turn away from him, not when he's crying]

If you do... it's not you sir, it's the bad people and it's not your fault and I wont be mad.

ERROR

[neverbeamemory]

[And just is how a drone to know that a higher-ranked drone than him is malfunctioning, looking around and being cautious is not part of his programming. Sephiroth is just completing yet another cleanup on whatever floor Sam happens to be on. It's impossible to see due to the black-feathered nature of his wings but the tips of the feathers are soaked with the hot bloody water of a day doing the same task. Just how much blood and gore can a Tower produce in one day? About as much as has more-noticeably stained half way up his silver hair where he's been knelt down on his knees most of the day cleaning.

I'll make them drink all of it and more...how dare they...

Outwardly there is no such rebellion. Only unquestionable compulsion to complete one task after the next.]

[primordial]

[Ah. A drone. A lovely, lovely drone.]

[Sam stares, because everything about this being in front of him...there's a need. He needs to have something from him, perhaps an eye, perhaps an arm, perhaps...]

[One of those wings?]

[Yes, yes yes! Yes, he shall clip the little bird, and shall make that wing part of him. Like it should. He smiles, and his mouth twists up to where his ear originally was, now replaced by a part of a face with fish eyes and a toothy grin.]

Drone. Please come here. I need to talk to you about your...behavior.

[Yes, yes, yes, use his own position to order the pathetic little drone around. Good.]

[He'll get what he wants no matter what.]

[neverbeamemory]

[The drone stops what he's doing as soon as he's addressed. Sephiroth leaves the bloodied rag on the floor as he raises first one knee, and then the other - levering himself up into standing with all four black feathered wings outspread for balance. Once standing on bare feet and stable, the wings fold back in. Then he looks up, he can't not look at the at the monstrosity that had summoned him hither; he needs to listen to what is going to be said after all.

Woah...man... The dizziness was like a great wave, causing Sephiroth to falter in his steps towards Sam. It became too much after the third step and his body crashed to one knee again just in front of it's master, leaning precariously forwards as the wings sprung outward again to find his balance by beating hard at the air around him. What the-

The drone had it's gaze ripped away in the meantime. Per it's programming it moves to get back to it's feet.]

[primordial]

[How pathetic.]

[He can't help but sneer slightly at the sight of the drone faltering just at the sight of him. A hand whips out from his side, grasping Sephiroth's chin roughly and turning it towards him. Another bunch of hands move towards Sephiroths back as he pulls the drone forward, brushing through the feathers of the wings on his back...ah, yes, so soft. The blood is a nuisance, but this wing will do. Yes, it will do.]

Get up. Look at me.

[He's in power, and he enjoys it.]

Unless you want me to punish you for disobedience?

[neverbeamemory]

What?
[How dare this person grab at his face like that. There aren't any ways to tell who exactly it is though, it must be a monster though. But the way it commands him in this drone-state...

Between the hands holding at him and those impossible eyes, the drone manages to get it's feet back underneath it enough to at least obey and stand back up. Though he's pulled oddly forward now. The disorientation returns with a vengeance, as drawn in emerald eyes get lost with the impossible-ness of how it's master looks - how mind bending his eyes are. The room was starting to lurch at the edges of vision but it was out of Sephiroth's attention now, he has to look and his body is all too keen to obey.

MOVE. YOU NEED TO GET AWAY NOW. He screams at himself, inside. Of course the body doesn't comply to his own will. Sephiroth doesn't need to interpret anymore warning signs though and inside he's close to desperate. The way this person creature was touching at him; something was definitely wrong.]

ERROR; graveyard; the 16th so as not to cause a time paradox with the group A meetup

[ghostytrainer]

[Shit may have hit the fan once again, but John isn't curious to find out what will happen to him if he neglects his duty as a gravekeeper. In fact, if anything, all the modified residents run around only reinforces this.]

[He's cleaning off his own grave...or one of his duplicates, he guesses. However this works. Some John that was here long before him but isn't anymore. Though he would usually let them roam free during this time, all of his Pokémon are confined to their balls for the time being. They attract way too much attention, unfortunately, especially Chandel being a candle and all. His hammer is slung around his back with a crude tie of some sort, and though he doesn't appear to be paying any attention to his surroundings, he is actually listening for the sounds of footsteps or anything else that would signal the approach of another person.]

[primordial]

[Sam doesn't walk...well,not in his current state, at least.]

[He slithers.]

[It's mostly because the amount of legs he has changes at any given moment, so instead it all becomes a mess that he uses to slowly travel over the ground, like an amoeba. If John could hear anything, it would be the weird wet-sounding noises of his body constantly warping, growing eyes and mouths where there were none, limbs being absorbed and extended from the horrid mass of things he has become.]

[And...ah, he knows this boy. Many eyes look him over, and...yes, yes yes, he'll do! He'll do quite nicely.]

[Don't look now, John, but there's a tendril around your arm, grasping it hard like a boa constrictor would. The voice that comes from Sam, though, is the same one hes always had: pathetically wimpy, with a touch of nervousness and sorrow. Just what everyone wanted to hear. But not what was actually underneath...]

H-Hello, John.

[ghostytrainer]

[Unfortunately, John isn't exactly listening for gross, wet, warpy-body noises so it's not until Sam speaks that he notices him, even if he is on low alert. Note to self, don't just listen for footsteps and voices. Listen for EVERYTHING.]

[He stiffens as the tendril wraps around his arm, though the voice puts him at ease. He relaxes visibly, breathing a quiet sigh of relief. Not a monster, he's fine. It's just Sam. He probably had his Persona buddy grab his arm in an attempt to scare him or something.]

Haha, hey Sam! 'sup du-uu--eeiiaaahh!!

[Then he actually turns around.]

What in god's name did they do to you!?

[primordial]

Ahhh! Ah!

[At John's scream, Sam lets out a cry as well, tendril retracting back to himself as he moves back, whatever is left of his original face filled with what seems to be fear. As soon as that passes, though, he holds up his hands (all ten or so of them) in a gesture of apology.]

I-I don't know! They took me down and did things to me, and please, please, don't be afraid!

[It's not like he's acting this way so he can tear you into pieces sooner or later, not at all.]

[ghostytrainer]

I'm not scared! Just...

[When you hear someone's voice and they sound more or less normal, you kind of expect them to LOOK normal as well. Though with everything that's going on right now, maybe he really shouldn't have been.]

Holy hell, I wasn't expecting that. It seems like every alteration I see gets progressively more and more horrible...are you hurting?

[He has some pain pills if you are. Not that they'll probably do much good but hey it's the thought that counts, right?]

Error

[theredrose]

[She'd just focused on running. Her chest and arm burned with pain and she knew she was bleeding, but if she didn't run then that guy with the chains might catch her again.

She'd trusted him despite how scary he looked and he attacked her. So now she was running...but her feet took her right into the path of something even more horrifying than that man had been. She couldn't even describe it in her own head, like her mind didn't want to register what her eyes ere seeing. The only thing that stuck out and stayed was the creature's sad eyes.

She froze and stared, the hand that was wrapped around her wounded arm tightened a bit, and her heartbeat thumped in her ears. She should keep running, even with those eyes, this thing could attack as well, but she couldn't move.]

[primordial]

Oh?

[Well, now, what was this? A fly had wandered into his web, an ant had fallen into his lion's trap.]

[Excellent.]

[It was a young girl...before, in his sane state, Sam would've maybe hesitated. After all, his sister was also young, and often times he would be reminded of her...but not now. This was merely prey for him. A perfect opportunity to get the body parts he wanted.]

[Time to put on his show. He holds up a changing hand, shaking his head.]

I-it's okay! Please, I won't hurt you... [Ah, a wounded arm...] Are you hurt?

[theredrose]

[She should have run when she first thought of it, now it was talking to her and, with the way he spoke, she was hesitating.

Still, when the creature reached out to her, she shied away a bit. The courage she mustered was enough to make her voice heard, though it was quiet and certainly not as confident as she normally was.]

...I'm fine. I'm just trying to-

[What was she trying to do, where was she going to go? The man with the chains was in the hallway where her room was. Her mind raced, trying to think of a place she'd found recently that could work.]

-trying to go to the library.

[primordial]

Library?

[He blinks. Ah, how to get her to not be afraid of him, how to make her see him as not a threat until the time comes and he rips every limb from her little body to use for his own.]

I-I can escort you there. I swear, I won't hurt you...I'll even fight off any monster that comes, heh...

I'm not like this usually, you see...I'm a normal human being. Well, I used to be. Then they changed me.