towerofanimus | Collapsing [Taiki, Eridan and open]

Entry tags:

Collapsing [Taiki, Eridan and open]

Characters: Taiki, Eridan anyone who wants to come visit Eridan or sick Taiki. (Willow, Sollux, Dualscars since you all said you wanted to meet the two of them together!)
Setting: Room 2-18, after Eridan is released from the infirmary
Format: You pick!
Summary: All this blood finally gets to Taiki, he gets sick.
Warnings: mentions of blood

Taiki was relieved when Eridan could leave the infirmary, the place smelt of blood and pain even worse than the rest of the tower. They went down to get the lift up to the dormitory floors, Taiki managed to last long enough to arrive in the coridoor before he collapsed.

It was all too much, all the blood, he had gotten blood on him, blood had been all around them. He had continued going because he had to save Eridan, because he didn't want to leave Eridan but his body couldn't cope any longer and he fell to the ground trembling, his eyes rolling back as he lost conciousness.

If Eridan touched him up he would be burning to the touch.

[A day or two later] Taiki finally started to recover, though he had no strength at all he was able to stay awake for a few hours at a time, and was well enough to recieve visitors, if anyone cared to come and see him.

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[Eridan scowls a little, but climbs back onto the bed and sits, watching with intense eyes, memorizing everything she does and filing it away to ask a million questions later.

At Taiki's question, he glances over at the boy momentarily, wondering what he wants to ask]

[Willow is too involved in what she's doing to notice Eridan scowling, and is actually a bit startled to be addressed.] Oh-- um, sure. Go ahead. This is just the setting up part, so you guys can talk.

While I'm doing the spell, not so much, [she goes on, setting things in place and mixing herbs and so forth, almost business-like as she speaks.] Ixnay on the talking during spells. But for now it's okay.

What's your question?

[Taiki smiled softly, he liked Willow she seemed nice.] Sorry... I was just wondering... why do you need all these things... [All the magic he'd ever seen came from inside people, they didn't need candles or herbs or anything.]

[Eridan has seen Willow do magic with no more than concentration, so he's curious about this, as well. This seems more like what he would expect, and he assumes it's necessary for this kind of spell. He doesn't interrupt, and glances at Willow to see what she says]

This is ritual magic, with all of the props and spell components. Since I want Eridan to be protected even while I'm not around, I have to make sure the spell will stick while I'm not focusing on it. I can't think about it all the time. Using objects gets you more permanence -- that's why I asked to use something of his; in this case, his ring.

[She glances up at Eridan right then, and gives him a smile, just slightly shy. Willow would think that once she was old enough this maybe-liking-someone process would get less silly and awkward, but apparently not.] Which I could use now, by the way.

[Taiki nodded, listening carefully. He was interested in this magic, it sounded more complicated than anything he had ever learnt. Well apart from binding shirei. But it made sense that she needed another object other than herself for the spell to be focused by. He watched quietly now, sensing the spell was about to start and not wanting to interupt.]

[Eridan smiles back, soft and eager, and jumps a bit as she requests the ring, scooting forward to hand it to her with eyes bright with anticipation]

So for short term stuff wwhere you don't wwant it forevver, it's okay to just use wwillpowwer, but for somethin' wwhere you're gonna givve it awway after and havve it last, you use a ritual?

You got it. That's why I asked for a goddess' help when we went swimming-- I wanted that to be a little more long term.

[There's the cliché finger brushing as she accepts the ring from him, and Willow fights down a twinge of blushing embarrassment. This is seriously like being in high school again. She hadn't realized it'd been so long since she went through this song and dance until now.]

Okay, magic time. You guys ready? This shouldn't take long, but remember, no talking once I start.

[Taiki watched carefully (completely unaware of Willow's embarrassment) and nodded staying quiet, he didn't want to break her concentration. He merely shifted to get more comfortable and wrapped his duvet tighter around him]

[He feels the finger brushing, too, and flushes purple just a bit. He feels like a wiggler with his first crush right now, but the anticipation of the magic that's about to start is at the forefront of his mind. He leans forward eagerly]

I'vve been ready my wwhole fuckin' life. Let's get on wwith it.

[She shot Eridan a brief grin at his impatience, understanding it keenly, and checked to make sure Taiki was still where she thought he was. Then she got to it.

There was a short line of black candles making a half-circle across from her, and in the middle was an etched stone bowl of gray, marbleized granite. She'd dumped a set of crushed herbs into the bowl, and had a branch from an apple tree, bark removed and no more than a foot long, set in front of her before it.]

Nemesis, [she began, voice taking on the rhythmic incantation of a practiced witch,] we come before you as supplicants in just resentment. The balance of fortune is uneven, and we ask you to right it. [Willow pulled a match out of a matchbook, lit it without striking it, and dropped it into the bowl of herbs. It caught flame-- more vigorously and more quickly than it should-- and the scent of burning herbs, sharp and bitter, emerged.

She picked up the ring and held it in her hands, inhaling. Steadily, her words grew louder.] Do not let the tragedy of fortune's goodwill continue. Give us revenge through protection-- give us equality. Give us our due!

[A flash of light, and when it dispersed, the herbs were completely gone and the ring was in its place in the bowl. The apple branch was burning instead where it was, slowly and without spreading, smoldering as it produced a deep smoke. Willow reached out over it carefully to pick up the bowl, and turned to hold it out to Eridan.]

You have to take it, as the wronged. Nemesis wouldn't accept otherwise. [As much as using a goddess of justice was perfect for something like this, they were awfully finicky.]

Edited 2012-01-06 04:59 (UTC)

[All the while Taiki sat with wide eyes. All of his magic was instinctive, even though being stuck on earth for so long had made it a lot harder for him to do things that should be natural. This sort of magic, ritualistic with words and gestures outside of basic bindings and arm movements, was completely strange to Taiki.

He was fascinated. He knew she must be calling to some sort of deity, but it was not the gods of the Twelve Kingdom who were nameless and he wondered if it would work at all, since they seemed so far out of the will of the gods. Any gods at all.

He watched, as she handed Eridan the bowl, trusting that Willow wouldn't hurt him but worried at the same time.]

[Eridan might have laughed and mocked this, if a) he weren't completely smitten with Willow, and b) he didn't actually believe that something was happening. It was strange and ritualistic and a bit silly, or would be, if it weren't real.

He gives the bowl a frightened look. A god called Nemesis wasn't really the sort of god he wanted to attract the attention of. What if she didn't like Eridan for some reason? What if trolls weren't allowed to worship human gods?

But he reached out and took the bowl]

[Apparently she'd struck them speechless, which Willow isn't entirely sure how to interpret; but she tries to give Eridan a comforting look. Nemesis might sound scary, but really she's about balance and justice, and is very easily on their side in this conflict.]

You can put your ring back on, [she says.] I figured we should test it out and make sure that it worked. Unfortunately that means I have to telekinetically throw something at you, but, well... better to know now than later, right?

[Taiki watched, he was less struck speechless than not sure if he was allowed to talk yet. When she mentioned attacking Eridan to test if it worked he frowned and raised his hand, not wanting to talk if he wasn't allowed to.]

[Eridan was in the same boat. He wasn't sure if there was something specific he was supposed to say or do and Willow hadn't told him yet. But at her words, he nodded and smiled, reaching in to take his ring and then slipping it back on his finger. It wasn't hot, like he might have expected, and he didn't feel any different wearing it.]

Wwell, I guess you'll just havve to test it. So do your wworst... [He pauses, noticing Taiki's raised hand, and nods at him] I think wwe can talk noww?

Oh! You can talk now. Sorry I didn't say that first thing, [she answers, sheepishly apologetic.]

What's the question?

[Taiki blushed] Oh... sorry... erm...

[He blushes even more] I am sure it worked... because I'm sure your magic is good but... erm... what if it didn't.... you might hurt Eridan [His tone might be timid but his eyes shows that that is Not An Option]

Ca...can I bring out Gohran... just in case... [The toutetsou would be able to lend some protection of the ring didn't work] Sorry...

[Eridan huffs a small sigh, but smiles a bit]

Wwell, I'm shore it wworked, but I don't mind if you wwant to take some precautions, anywway.

You can if you want, [she says doubtfully to Taiki,] but it's not going to be anything big. Just an eraser or something; I have one in my bag.

Not that I don't appreciate the vote of confidence-- just, better safe than sorry. [Willow's had that part drummed into her repeatedly.]

[Taiki blushed but nodded his thanks] Gohran! [A moment later a large red wolf appeared in the room] She's trying to help Eridan... so don't hurt her at all Gohran... [He sat and watched hoping that the spell had worked.]

[Eridan is relieved to hear that, though he isn't sure what an eraser is]

Is there anythin' I'm supposed to do, or wwill it wwork automatically?

[And suddenly, a huge red wolf? Huh.]

Nope, it's automatic, [she says cheerily, reaching over to rummage through her bag and find her eraser. After she extracts it, she carefully packs the remaining spell supplies into it, the branch having smoldered out while they were speaking.

That done, she holds her palm out flat, a small white rubber eraser on top of it. It doesn't take a moment's thought for it to start hovering gently in the air above her hand, and then it shoots out to zoom towards Eridan.

Whereupon it suddenly stops, mid-air, perhaps a foot from him and goes no further. Willow grins widely.] Score one for me!

[Gohran sat watching them silently and Taiki watched with wide eyes, it really wasn't dangerous what Willow was doing and he felt a little silly about insisting Gohran was in the room. He grinned though when it worked.]

That's amazing Willow!

[Eridan boggles as well, and then beams. He reaches out and catches the eraser in his hand. He turns it over, then tosses it lightly back towards Willow.]

That's pretty good, yeah. Wwhat if you try to pick me up?

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