2 ♊ Forever failing

[polariity]

[Phone]

[Early in the morning of the 30th, pick up the phone, and you'll hear the Psiioniic's breath, ragged and desperate. His voice is no better; he's clearly spent quite a bit of his time shouting.]

[Every day since this whole mess has happened, he's made sure to check on his friends, to make sure they're alright. Signless and Disciple are some of the most important people in his life, and knowing what happens in the future... after what happened to Milla because he was careless... He doesn't want to fail again.]

[It happens anyway.]

[The rage and despair in his voice could tear him apart if it were physical.]

They fucking took him.

[His voice shakes. He doesn't explain further.]

[Action]

[Almost immediately after that little announcement, anyone loitering near the factory will notice one figure in particular making run after run against it.]

[The Psiioniic doesn't have his troll body back. He doesn't have anything. Certainly nothing to get him past the electrified barrier protecting the factory, and each attempt shocks him backwards, body smashing against the ground and rolling until he lays there for a few minutes, a twitching mess.]

[Each failed attempt, he gets back onto his feet. Each time, it's more unsteady than the last.]

[Unlike his earlier phone call, the expression on his face isn't angry. It's just pure focused concentration...]

[And if you can see his cheeks shining as if there's something wet there, well, pay it no mind.]




[ooc: edit trigger warning for self harm in the Condesce thread]

Comments

action;

[darrrling]

Psii! You're not helping anyone by hurting yourself!

[ Yeah, there wasn't any way Milla was going to follow him in her wheelchair, so she Levitated to do it instead. Now she encases him in her Levitation ball, frowning. ]

Really, you lecture me about being careless and then you pull something like this! I know you're worried about your friend, but what you're doing isn't working and I'm sure he wouldn't want you tearing yourself apart! Now, really, that is enough!

action;

[polariity]

[Clearly, the Psiioniic isn't listening to Milla. Not until he suddenly finds himself lifted right off his feet, and not by the shock of minor electrocution. Encased in the bubble, he just presses his hands against the translucent surface, breathing ragged.]

[His eyes still haven't left the factory.]

[His voice is hoarse, but still extremely, disconnectedly calm.]

Put me down, Milla.

action;

[darrrling]

Not until you stop trying to hurt yourself.

[ She crosses her arms and, awkwardly, her leg stumps, frowning. ]

Do you think you're doing him any favors here?

Re: action;

[polariity]

I'm not trying to hurt myself.

[Perhaps that is something of a lie. But he doesn't expect anyone else to understand the things Signless has done for him, the places he had pulled him out from both literally and mentally. Without him... Failing him... Having the words from that witch become something true...]

[The Psiioniic curls his fingers into the palms of his hands and clenches hard. He doesn't notice the biting pain.]

Jutht put me down. I'm going to get him back.

[cullionfish]

[Condesce made sure to hide the trident after she had done the deed against Feferi to avoid questioning from her so called 'husband' on top of the other remaining trolls. But she hadn't missed Psiioniic's little episode over the phone.

Which is what brings her to watch him run repeatedly into the wall. She makes absolutely no effort to stop him. In fact, she might even be enjoying watching him.]

[polariity]

[And her presence doesn't go unnoticed.]

[Ignored, that's a different question. He ignores her quite a few times, focused on abusing himself as much as possible. Finally, however, when he gets to his feet, he doesn't immediately rush forward.]

[Instead, slouched, he just tilts his head in her direction, eyes dead. A flick of his wrist, and there's a knife in his hand.]

[No words. Just an empty stare.]

[cullionfish]

[Yes, she remembered this. She remembered how much he fought, how much he screamed, how much he had carried on over Signless in his early days of Helmsman conditioning. It was almost cathartic to watch him continuously throw himself against the barrier to receive those shocks. Still, there was no real outward display of amusement.

The Empress's eyelids lower expectantly when he makes the knife appear, almost daring him to make a move. Her hands fold neatly in front of her, and she doesn't indicate any interest in moving towards him just yet.

She just keeps her eyes locked with his, unarmed to the naked eye. Condesce's chin dips slightly as she seeks out that dead stare for eye contact.]

[polariity]

[Eye contact will be easy enough to make; there's no flinch away, no fear and anger. No nothing.]

[The Psiioniic stares at her as if she's just a wall.]

[Finally-]

Make a way inthide. Open it.

[His words may be rough and haggard with how his throat is, but there's no denying that tone- that order.]

phone.

[masonry]

... Psii.

[ His voice is quiet and strained. ]

I don't know who you're talkin' about, but he'll be back. Tomorrow.

phone.

[polariity]

But what if that'sth even worthe?

I'm not blind, Kid, I've theen what they've done to the people who come out of there.

[A snarl, more animalistic than human.]

Death might be better.

phone.

[masonry]

I know. Been through it already.

[ He sounds too weak and too tired to try to go into detail. You could only loose so much blood without it getting to you. ]

Might not be bad. Might not be good, either. But ya can't let it get you riled up. Not yet.

phone.

[polariity]

[Hearing that confirmation makes the anger ebb away just a little, enough for some worry to worm in and bring him back down to earth. Just for a little while, anyway.]

...You alright?

[disciplewhomsignlessloves]

[No.

No. No. No. NO.

They couldn't, they can't have--they will---She will make them pay.

But she can't. Not from out here. Not while he's in there and she's watching Psii is slowly destroying himself on the fence and she feels like she's break a little again. The people come back, but they aren't alright.

Disciple strides up beside him. If Dolorosa was here, they'd probably have the calming influence. But she and Psii, well they love too much to be calm and just wait and hope he'll come out okay on the other side.]

Give me a boost, I'll try to get over the top.

[polariity]

[He's not surprised when he hears those familiar footsteps, and maybe there's some faint relief in his eyes when he looks up at her, more transparent now that his irises and pupil can be seen in this human body.]

You'll jutht get hurt too. I've tried it already.

[disciplewhomsignlessloves]

I'm in my own body, I can manage. The squishy things humans have are less durable. He's in there right?

[She sheds her gloves and sets them to the side neatly, approaching the wall]

I suppose I can just try to jump it.

[polariity]

No.

[Stepping forward, he grabs her hand and entwines their fingers together. He gives her a small squeeze.]

I'll help. If we do thith, we do it together.

action;

[crusthatecean]

[Wow okay, he's gone there for not unsimilar reasons; he doesn't know about Gamzee, but he knows they took Terezi, and he wants to get her back.

But then he sees this idiot making an ass of himself and realizes it isn't going to happen.

The next time he tries to throw himself against the fence, Karkat will be in his way brandishing a sickle.]

You're embarrassing yourself and probably him, too.

action;

[polariity]

[Stopping so suddenly nearly makes the Psiioniic topple over in his condition, but he can't help it. It's one thing for there to suddenly be a person in his way, and another entirely for them to so strongly resemble the very person he's so desperate to find. It's like a splash of cold water right to the face. For a moment, he just stands there, shaking and out of breath, before he finds his voice again.]

Move out of my way, Vantath.

Re: action;

[crusthatecean]

I don't know anyone named Vantathhhhhh, try again.

[He's assuming a fighting stance, at least appearing as though he'll actually attack him if he goes for the fence again.]

Can I just say how cool you look right now, ramming yourself into an electric fence like a disoriented hoofbeast?

[eternalfuture]

[Usagi's voice is weak, because she's just revived, but it's still angry. It's angry and upset that the town is still hurting people.]

Who, and where?

[polariity]

[He can remember that voice, and he can remember what happened to her last time. Dammit, why are the people he wants to look after calling him as well? The Psiioniic wishes not for the first time that he could split himself into two and just watch after everyone.]

Never you mind, where are you? Do you have thomeone looking after you to make thure no one metheth with you?

[eternalfuture]

I'm fine. I've been - well. Never mind that. But I have friends I'm staying with two out of three nights, just so I don't get droned.

Now where are you? You helped me out and I want to repay the favor!

Action; Always tag ancestor

[a1a100]

[Sollux had been tired of just staying in his room. He decided to check the factory out for himself. So he took his cane, asked for some directions, and eventually made it there. He walks up as Psii was shocked back again and landing on the ground. Concerned, Sollux walked over to him.]

Uh, are you alright?

[He couldn't see what was going on but he could definitely hear it.]

Re: Action; Always tag ancestor

[polariity]

[There's a pause, filled with heavy breathing as the Psiioniic lays curled up on his side. This isn't the first time he's been shocked before, and he doubts it will be the last given his track record. But that doesn't mean he isn't in pain. Finally, he manages to push himself up from the ground.]

[Sollux...]

[He wishes the younger troll didn't have to witness this.]

No. [A cough. His voice is hoarse.] I'm not.

Action

[a1a100]

[Oh shit it was his not!dad. Cue him hurrying over even more.]

What happened?