For Thine Is; Part One

[animusmods]

Characters: anyone outside of the Tower
Setting: outside
Format: any
Summary: You have been transported out of the Tower, and you must return quickly.
Warnings: psychological horror

It's pitch black here, though the ground is made of dirt and the Tower gleaming in the distance provides at least a sign that light exists somewhere. It's completely silent. It feels as if things might jump out at you--but that's probably your imagination.

Comments

[fragileprophet]

[Ion is, of course, mortified by himself. He had thought, or at least hoped beyond all hope, that appearing in this place outside the tower in his wireframe state would allow him to manage the desperate trek back to the Tower with relative ease.

This turned out to be the opposite of true. Yes, he kept up easily at first, but even with his body in the state it was, he was still so wholly unused to physical exertion that it wasn't too terribly long before he was trailing behind and losing speed quickly.

He doesn't want to have to be carried, but there really isn't any room for him to complain, given the circumstance.]

I am awfully sorry about this...

[Resolved to hanging on to Asch as best he can or not, Ion still can't help but offer his sincere apologies for his weakness. All he could do was try his best not to burden Asch any further.

When Rick appears and addresses them, he offers his best wireframe smile (though it is somewhat visible beneath the layer of twisted metal).]

That's very kind of you to offer. [Having anyone carry him was a bit embarrassing, but as he honestly had no preference, he'd leave it up to the ones doing the carrying to decide where he went.] I hope that I can walk again on my own shortly...at least for a little while. I wouldn't want to suffer either of you being slowed down on my behalf.

[bloodyashes]

[Aside from having to shift Ion's weight now and again, Asch doesn't seem to be having much of a problem. He glances at Rick when the other man speaks before returning his eyes to the road - he can identify the man by his voice and stutter, anyway.]

I'm fine. At this point, stopping to switch would take more time than it's worth.

[His words are brisk, but mostly because it's easier to balance his breathing if he's not trying to speak. He does fix Rick with another look briefly, though - it's easy to take it as harsh, especially with his "face" being a wireframe, but it isn't really intended that way.]

Save your strength for later on. There's going to be more people who get tired later.

[bashfulshifter]

[...Ah. Yes, that was the response Rick was expecting, and it is just as unsettling and embarrassing as he anticipated it would be. If only his powers were working--then he could offer to carry them both! Predictably, though, his mind is as silent as the darkness around them; he has little else to offer that Asch can't bring himself, if not less. But he would feel dreadful for not offering anything at all!]

[Born of some stubborn niceness, Rick insists.] ...A-Are you s-s-sure? [The words suddenly tumble from his wireframe lips, and the faint image of his face flushes noticeably red.] --I-I m-mean--I d-d-don't w-want b-b-both of you t-to f-fall b-behind. I--I d-don't know w-what I w-would do if...

[Realizing that he's gotten melodramatic rather quickly, Rick trails off, awkwardly falling back into pace.]

[fragileprophet]

[It doesn't take someone particularly perspective to realize when things are getting a bit tense. Hoping to calm Rick down before anything gets out of hand, Ion clears his throat and tries to sound optimistic.]

Your concern really means a lot, Rick, but I'm sure that it's fine as it is for now. None of us are going to fall behind; we're in this together. [His smile is a bit more strained now as he worries that Asch may become cross, but it stays on nonetheless.] If Asch gets tired he can put me down and I can come find you when I get tired again, to take you up your kindness? I think that sounds fair for everyone.

[bloodyashes]

[Rick, calm your tits, Asch is a professional and even his replica could carry a person down a mountain with no trouble. There's a grumpy noise.]

I've had worse marches. It's not raining, the ground is even, and so far there's not anything trying to eat us.

[If they were anywhere but the Tower, that last would seem like a distinctly Auldrant danger.]

I crossed a continent on foot at ten years old. Through a marsh. Alone. I can handle carrying a small person for two or three days.

[Ion, you attempts to smooth the situation over are no unappreciated, they're just kind of ineffective.]

[bashfulshifter]

[Ion's attempts are helpful, but mostly in that they give Rick a convenient escape mechanism for when Asch assaults him with the scathing level of grump he was fearing. The blonde man flinches back, visibly wilting.]

...Y-Yes. [He bites his lip and stares at his steady feet, which he very much wishes he could shove into his mouth right now.] I...s-s-sorry.

[fragileprophet]

[Asch's curt words even make Ion feel a bit uneasy. Not that he isn't used to them. Or Asch in general. He can't help feeling bad for Rick; he had wanted so very much to help--both of them, even when he was still just getting to know Asch.]

Please don't apologize...you haven't done anything wrong. [It's of course hard to discern Ion's pleading expression from beneath the harsh bend of wire, but he makes one nonetheless.] No one meant any offense.

[bloodyashes]

[Ion frames it more gently than Asch would have, but the thought is the same. And it's not the first time Rick has made a needless apology, so maybe they should get that straightened out.]

Don't apologize for the things you say unless you actually hurt someone. Keep the words meaningful or they're just noise.

[Why is it so hard for people to understand that he doesn't want their apologies, he wants their actions? Asch hmphs and kicks at the ground on his next step, probably jostling Ion a bit.]

You offered, I said no. There is literally no reason to you to apologize in this scenario.

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick wants to answer, he wants to justify his choice here, but he's terrified that his response will be interpreted as an argument and cause even more strife. Which is what his position is anyways--he has hurt someone in this interaction. He's made Asch and Ion very uncomfortable for no reason; that's damage, right? And he's responsible for that damage? So why shouldn't he apologize for it?]

[Obviously Rick isn't comfortable enough to even begin to articulate this, so instead he nods, slow and numb, and remains staring silently at the blank dirt in front of him. Unless the others have any objections, he'll start to trail behind them as well to give them some space.]