thisavrou_log | ( may event log )

Entry tags:

( may event log )

Who: Everyone
When: May 19th and on
Where: The Moira + Amissis-Re
What: The aftermath of visiting the barren planet of Amissis-Re.
Warnings: Death, psychological trauma

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imbibe the truth
"if you must leave a place, leave it any way except a slow way; leave it the fastest way you can."

This is known to be true: when looking at the calculations, combining theory and science and magic, attempting to prove or disprove something that has spent over a hundred lifetimes trying to perfect, continuous disappointment and failure are persuasive motivators. The Ingress has been called many things and has never been approached with any kind of certainty.

The host, who has generously allowed the crew to come and go as they please, who has stood beside the Ingress and assisted in temporary travel, is abruptly nowhere to be found. Their normally empty work station has three notebooks resting on it, different sizes and colors, and anyone that has paid attention will recognize them as items the host was constantly jotting down notes into. The first crew members to take them may keep them forever. And not long after noticing the host is missing, the Ingress begins to hum and turn, its once blue swirls twisting black and deep purples. Some will hear sounds coming from inside, echoing up from below the ledge, and some will see wisps of smoke. Others, the unlucky few, will be awestruck, unable to utter a single word.

Communication between the ship and Amissis-Re will be broken, meaning that the captains won’t know what’s going on in time to stop crew from jumping in. The choice, and the consequences, are completely up to each Moiran.

☄ BACKWARDS & UPSIDE DOWN

You’ve jumped.

This is your world, clear to you by the buildings, the people, and all the small details that tell you that this is home. Everything is off, but at first, you can’t place it. You take a step forward, but your body moves back. You lift your hand up, and it moves down. Every single, aching second that passes goes in the wrong direction. Your body feels younger, rather than older. What you might have known at twenty-five fades away, a distant memory that you can’t quite remember. Time is backwards. The world is upside down. The longer you’re there, the harder it is to remember who you are. Getting home is the same as it was before, but you’re completely at the mercy of the Alter-Ingress.

☄ THE WORST OF BOTH WORLDS

Leaping into the Alter-Ingress at the same time has shown Moirans a combined world, a perfect mix of both crew members’ homes. This jump is much the same, but the differences are abrupt and immediately noticeable. This isn’t equal proportions of good and bad, of both worlds swirled together seamlessly. It’s worse. It’s jarring. A jumbled-up mess. Buildings are cut up and smashed together, though nobody seems to notice that it’s not normal except you. Crime runs rampant. The very worst parts of both worlds exist in this one, and absolutely nothing of the good can be found. If you come across someone that you know, they, like this world, will only exhibit characteristics of what’s wrong here.

Be very careful about the choices you make here. Injuries will leave a lasting mark. Deaths will be semi-permanent.

☄ THIS ISN'T HELL, IT'S MY HOME

What is the worst reality that you can imagine? Death, loss, or misery? Perhaps physical or mental torment? That is not this place. You’ve dove through the Alter-Ingress and landed in the host’s home—minutes before it’s gone. The world inverts, folding in on itself all around you. People bearing a resemblance to the host run, some fall, and some are already gone. The host stands in the middle of it all and watches, taking no action. Those that are close enough will hear them speak, but to no one in particular.
“Time isn’t easily bent or controlled. The Ingress technology, this Alter-Ingress that I’ve made, it lacks permanency. No matter how many times I come back, I always end up right here.”
The insight is followed by the sound of metal against metal, rock crashing against rock, and the ground below you splinters and moves. Whether you fall, are crushed, or some other horror is sprung upon you, you’ll wake up on the jump pad above the Alter-Ingress, breathless and alone even with the crew around you. Choosing to stay in a loop of loss that can’t be changed rather than never return to Amissis-Re again, the Host never comes back from within the Alter-Ingress.

The captains ask crew to help make her creation unusable but not to turn it off.

( ooc: For questions, go here. )

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[Eggsy's made more trips than he probably should have through the Ingress. Every day almost, with whoever would go with him. The thing was that every time he came back out, he'd feel a little messed up and confused about it all. The places he'd go to, the people he'd talk to, they all felt real. His mum and sis, even Dean when he'd stumbled across him. Merlin and Roxy. Coming back out felt less and less like it was right.

But he didn't really think he was that bad off until the Host fucked up the Ingress and his trips back home came to a grind halt.

It scared the hell out of him, the idea that he might never see them again, that this was his one and only chance, and maybe it won't be permanent, but he wants to try again at least one more time. He'd jumped because he needed to but he hadn't expected anyone to come after him. When Eggsy lands, it's feet first and he doesn't tuck and roll as quickly as he should. His ankle jolts, pain shooting up his calf, and he tumbles to the ground.

When Bruce gets close, Eggsy's got his hands curled around his ankle, head tipped back and jaw slack as he stares up above him. He doesn't think this is home at first, but then he'd seen the London Eye, broken and burnt, touches of another place he doesn't know. But what has his attention is the big portal tearing open the sky.]

Bruce?

[His voice sounds small, shaky, younger than he normally acts.]

What the fuck is goin' on?

[ Bruce sees Eggsy's expression and immediately knows what's causing it, what's making his voice shake and fear bleed into his tone. He doesn't look up, though, and that alone should be a sign that he knows what it's there, and it's nothing new for him.

Unfortunately so. ]

I don't know. This place is all wrong. [ He reaches up and cups Eggsy's shoulder, tugging and trying to get him to look at him. ] Eggsy. Come on, we have to... can you stand up? We need to find somewhere to hide.

[ He suspects they won't find any place to hide that's safer than being out in the open, though. And he can already hear the distant roar of the Leviathans floating through the portal. Definitely not good. ]

[Eggsy's eyes drag down to meet Bruce's, reluctant to look away from what's above him. He's pale, but the pain isn't anything to keep him from getting out of there, not when Bruce is out in the open, too.]

Yeah, here.

[He throws his arm around Bruce's shoulders, there's really no time to be shy or keep those boundary lines in place, and he uses the other man to get himself standing.]

What the fuck are those things? Ain't seen nothin' like that before.

[Keeping his arm around Bruce's shoulder, he half tugs and half stumbles towards an alley.]

See, I know that. Over there. [The Eye of London. He nods to the left.] That looks like somethin' from the states.

[ At least he manages to get some of Eggsy's attention, so he'll call that a win. Nodding, he lets Eggsy lean all of his weight on him, an arm curling around his side as he helps him to safety.

Well, not safety, but at least a darker corner or an abandoned store somewhere. Not that Bruce wants to venture into one of the buildings when they all look like they're about to come tumbling down.

Before Bruce gets to answer the first question, Eggsy's nodding to his left, and his eyes move from the London Eye to the other building. ]

That's... yes. The Flatiron Building. [ Or it's supposed to be, anyway. It's all crooked and twisted and it really does look like a gust of wind could knock it down.

Bruce's eyes flicker upwards briefly, catching a glimpse of one of the monsters floating through the portal. ] And those are Leviathans. We— this happened in my world over a year ago, only with a smaller portal. We had an alien invasion, and we had these show up, and the Chitauri— [ A frantic glance over his shoulder as he tenses. ] They must be here now, too. We really need to find a place to hide.

[Eggsy clings to Bruce, more out of confusion than fear, because he's seen some messed up shit, but this takes the cake. They've met aliens, and he think that's what these are, but this is Earth and it's being invaded and everything is dark and broken.]

The Flatiron Building. Leviathans. Chitauri. That's a whole lot of words that aren't all familiar.

[He repeats Bruce as if saying the words will make everything clearer, and then he shakes his head, trying to get his bearings.]

Yeah, let's get outta here. We have to wait for the Ingress to pull us back and who knows how long it'll be. If them things are dangerous, we need to hide.

[Eggsy tries to take some of the weight of Bruce, limping forward further towards the buildings.]

[ Bruce forgets he hasn't told everyone what happened in his world sometimes. Even then, this is something on a much larger scale; the portal had never grown to this size, the city hadn't seen this much destruction, or at least not this widespread. As they step into the small alley and look for shelter in one of the smaller and steadier-looking buildings, he can see the ground start to crack, and part of him wonders with some horror if it would just rip itself open and swallow everything whole the same way the portal almost seems to be doing. ]

Sorry. I never told you. There was an invasion back in my world, but it wasn't... we stopped it before it got to this.

[ Even then, he knows this is all far worse than it could have been. Loki had wanted the Earth for himself, it had never been his plan to completely obliterate it.

They manage to find a corner somewhat hidden from sight, and he helps Eggsy sit down and lean against the wall, stepping away again so he can glance up and down the street for any danger. ]

Might take hours, or even days... [ He pauses, puts a hand over his chest. A different kind of tension takes over him, and there's a new layer of worry in his voice when he speaks again, back turned to Eggsy. ] We have another problem.

Don't apologize. It's not like you'd know this would happen.

[Eggsy hasn't told everyone about the world he came from. V-day, the way he grew up. He knows people keep their secrets and he doesn't expect anyone to tell him everything.

He props himself up against the wall, immediately leaning forward and touching his ankle. Eggsy was trained in first aid, and he utilizes that skill now to feel for any broken bones and sensitive spots. He doesn't want to drag them down, so he's gotta figure out what to do.]

Yeah, you're right - [Eggsy glances up sharply.] What kind of problem?

[He presses his palms to the ground, ready to stand if he needs to.]

Bruce?

[ Still, if Bruce had thought of telling him about it, then maybe Eggsy wouldn't be so shocked at the sight. Or maybe he would— it's still a pretty overwhelming scenario, even to someone who might know what to expect.

Bruce's mind is focused elsewhere now, though. His heart beats fast, and faster when he starts to panic, and nothing changes. He makes a conscious effort to have it pick up pace, but the rush of adrenaline changes nothing.

He looks down at his hands, like he expects or hopes to see the faintest trace of green, but there's nothing. ]

I can't turn. [ There's no relief in his voice, just worry. He turns to glance at Eggsy, looking almost lost on what to do. ] I can't— the Hulk's gone. He's gone. I can't fight.

[ For all the times he's wanted this, hoped for this, went to the ends of the world to try and find a cure for his condition, right now this couldn't be farther from what he wanted. Right now, more than anything, he wants to have the monster— and now it's when he's not there.

Story of his life. ]

What's that mean for u- oh. Okay, that's alright.

[If something attacked, it'd just be Eggsy and Bruce. No big green back up.]

Look, I ain't got any weapons. There's things movin' around out there, and them things are gonna wanna come in here.

[Eggsy knows what he's going to do before he's even finished speaking. He's going to protect Bruce. He'll fight until there's nothing left in him.]

Let's get some place with only one way in and one way out. We can fight 'em off til the Ingress pulls us back through.

[ Actually, it's not alright at all. But Bruce appreciates Eggsy trying to act like it is, even if it doesn't do much to calm him down or make him feel any safer right now. Not that he cares about his own safety so much as Eggsy's, but anyway. ]

Alright. I'm... alright, that sounds good.

[ He doesn't even ask Eggsy about what he means by weapons. He still remembers seeing him fight, after all, so even though he never asked for specifics, he knows that Eggsy's skilled. He just doesn't think he's skilled enough for this, but he's not going to tell him that just yet. Any place that's easier to hide than here is better anyway, and hopefully they'll get pulled back before they even cross paths with a single Chitauri.

He moves back to where Eggsy is, reaching out to take hold of him and offer some support. ] Let's go.

[Eggsy has no idea what's going to happen, and maybe it won't be alright, but he's going to do whatever he can to make sure they make it out okay.]

Don't be afraid to like, be rough, yeah?

[He's no delicate flower, Bruce. If a Chitauri comes their way, Bruce'd better let him go so that he can protect himself. He loops an arm around Bruce's shoulder, tests putting some weight on his foot. It hurts, but when it comes down to it, he's not going to let it stop him.]

When we get back, tell me about who was waitin' in your room for you. Didn't ask, but it's been killin' me.

[Eggsy takes a careful step forward.]

And, um, we should go on one of 'em double dates.

Duly noted.

[ He says that, but he really doesn't plan on letting Eggsy fight unless a swarm of Chitauri is literally catching up to them. Until then, running (or walking as fast as they can, in this case) is undoubtedly their best bet.

Bruce's smile is a little forced there, too tense. He does appreciate the effort on Eggsy's part to distract from their situation with some casual talk, but it's difficult to ignore the mess they're in. And Bruce can't help thinking it's all because he jumped in after Eggsy— that if he'd let him go on his own then maybe he'd have been just a little safer, maybe he'd be somewhere at least more familiar, and maybe he'd have found a way back more quickly and easily.

No point focusing on what if's, though. What's done is done. He'll just have to think of the quickest way out. ]

A double date? [ This time he tries to sound amused himself, raising an eyebrow at Eggsy. ] Don't tell me you're already over your huge crush on me. You break my heart.

[Eggsy stays focused, listening for the sounds of anything getting too close, or that they're heading in the wrong direction. There's the creatures he can see in the sky and those that he can't, he's worried about the latter.]

Course I ain't, but a bloke's gotta move on eventually.

[He grins at Bruce quickly, then glances behind them as they step back out onto the street.]

Was waitin' and waitin', thinkin' Bruce'll return my affections now, but nope.

[Things get a little quieter after that for Eggsy, because it's harder to pretend like they won't die when there are aliens attacking all over the place.]

Uh, you know. Just in case. Promise me that if somethin' happens, you'll tell Harry that I love 'im and Gregor that he's amazin', too.

[He says it fast, low, like it's not important.]

[ Bruce wishes he could focus his senses right now. They're sharper than most people's, thanks to the Hulk, but even then it's difficult to concentrate right now, like there's just too much information for him to process. ]

So I lost my chance. Damn it.

[ Humor does very little to distract from their situation, and when after a pause Eggsy speaks again in a lower tone, Bruce can't bring himself to dismiss it. Other people would probably tell him it's fine, but Bruce isn't going to ignore the gravity of their situation. He just nods, not looking at Eggsy. ] I will.

[ There's a brief moment where he thinks about his own situation— without the Hulk, is he really indestructible? Or could he die too right now? Before he asks Eggsy for the exact same favor, though, a large figure turns a corner, a creature covered in metal and armed with a long spear, taller than either of them even while hunched over. There's some good feet of distance between them, but the moment it sees them, it starts making its way towards them fast, jaw opening as it lets out a threatening growl. ]

Shit. Shit, we need to— [ To what? Run? Like the Chitauri wouldn't catch them. He just knows he can't let Eggsy fight it, much less so when he's injured. ]

[Well, there really was nothing for it.

Eggsy didn't want either of them to get hurt, and he remembers what it felt like when he'd died before. Like everything all at once and then nothing. He thinks of the way it keeps him up sometimes, how hard it was after, but it's nothing compared to what it's like when he thinks of something happening to Bruce. What it would be like if Bruce died. If he got hurt on Eggsy's watch, and wasn't able to go back to whoever it was that was waiting for him on the Moira.

He makes the decision without much pause, a quick flicker of thought and emotion and then he's pulling away from Bruce, pushing him back and lurching forward.]

Get the fuck outta here, Bruce.

[Eggsy runs towards the creature covered in metal, determines what he'll need to do to avoid the spear, and then he's ducking, ankle forgotten, fist colliding with the creature's side. It's like striking stone and he stumbles backwards and to the side.]

[ Eggsy pulls away from him before he can even say anything, let alone react, and he's lunging towards the Chitauri at a speed much quicker than Bruce's mind right now.

By the time his thoughts catch up, he's already too close. Much closer than he ever should have been. Bruce feels his stomach hit the floor with such a sudden violence that he almost throws up from pure fear, and when he opens his mouth, his voice is unstable, wavering, the single word a mangled thing spilling from his lips. ]

Eggsy!

[ He's useless. He's watching his friend practically sacrifice himself for Bruce's sake, and he's just standing there, unable to do or say anything to change any of this.

He looks around, frantic. There has to be something, anything— he finds a piece of metal, some kind of broken crowbar, and he picks it up. Instead of doing what Eggsy told him, he runs towards the pair. The Chitauri is barely affected by the initial blow, and Bruce knows that given the chance, he won't hesitate to kill Eggsy. So he can't hesitate either. ]

[Eggsy feels a swell of panic wash over him, cold and thick, when he hears his name, sees Bruce running towards them. This is why Kingsman trains them to be as detached as possible in the field, to practice separating emotion and feeling when trying to take down a target, because fuck everything, the fear is almost paralyzing.

It takes all his skill and how much he doesn't want Bruce to get hurt for him to manage to keep on fighting.]

NO! Get the fuck outta here.

[Because as much as he knows that Bruce is tough, the hulk isn't around and Bruce is just skin and bone. He can be hurt and Eggsy couldn't stand it. He kicks and swipes out at the Chitauri, he's outmatched, but the creatures attention is on him. He sees the spear go up, and Eggsy lifts his hands defensively.]

[ Eggsy may as well be talking to thin air, because Bruce doesn't even so much as slow down, even if he knows this isn't going to end well for him. But at least Eggsy will have a more decent chance of making it through this, and even if it's only one percent higher, it's still worth it. He can't let Eggsy die like this, not again.

There's no time to think, and that's probably a good thing. If there were then Bruce might have hesitated for long enough to not do anything on time, as it is he simply rushes and steps in, placing himself between Eggsy and that spear. There's a blunt and sharp pain as the pointed tip pierces through his stomach, his gasp breathless and choked, one hand clinging to the arm of his attacker.

The Chitauri opens its jaw and growls loudly at him, in some kind of... victory cry? Annoyance? Bruce doesn't know. The crowbar is tight in his other hand, and Bruce knows he has to do this. One last act to make sure this creature won't be able to go after Eggsy afterwards.

Putting all the force he has into one single strike, he shoves one end of the metal through the side of the Chitauri's neck, on the weak spot of its armor where the flesh is exposed. The spear impaling him shifts and pushes in deeper at the effort, and he cries out loudly in pain, though not stopping as he yanks the crowbar back out and lets the creature bleed to death. Shouldn't take too long, anyway.

Shouldn't take too long for him, either. ]

[He knows he's fucked up, miscalculated his opponent, not made the best call in the situation. Everything happens so fast that at first Eggsy's not sure what's going on. Bruce is in front of him, the spear, and then the creature's been stabbed, is moving away from them in a panic.]

Bruce?

[Eggsy grabs Bruce from behind, his hands curling around the spear to hold it against Bruce's abdomen. He's not supposed to move it. Leave it. That's right, isn't it? He tries to support Bruce's weight, tries to lower them both to the ground gently, but he's clumsy with it, his ankle gives out and he hits the ground hard, Bruce sprawled out somewhat on top of him.]

No, no. [His hands circle the spear, pressing down, applying as much pressure as he can.] Bruce, please. You're gonna be okay.

We need hel-help. Somebody help!

[There's blood on his hands, and emotion is getting the better of him. Logically, he knows there's nobody around to help, they're too far from the hospital, but the Ingress could pull them back, it could help them.]

Y-you gotta breathe, can't die, Bruce. [His eyes well up.] Oh, fuck this is all my fault. I should've been more careful. I need you, yeah? Just hold on til the Ingress pulls us back.

[ The Chitauri's running away, bleeding out, hopefully it'll die before it manages to get any of the others to come to him. That's good, Bruce thinks. Blood stains his clothes but it's fine, he can't even feel pain anymore, can barely even feel it when Eggsy uses the weight his own body to gently lower him to the ground.

His heart keeps beating fast in some desperate attempt to keep blood pumping through him, but in the end he only keeps losing more and more. But it's fine. He managed to stop the creature, and save Eggsy too. Whatever happens now... is an acceptable price to pay. ]

It's alright. I'm— I'm okay. Eggsy. I'm okay. [ His voice is quiet but shaky, almost as if it trembles while his body's still in Eggsy's hold. His eyes can't focus on anything, so he doesn't bother trying to look up, just resting his head against Eggsy's shoulder. ] Doesn't... doesn't hurt.

[ Which really only means that he's dying all the faster but he's not scared. God, he's been scared of so much in his life, but he's not scared of this. ]

It's not okay, Bruce. It's not.

[Eggsy can't seem to catch his breath or focus on anything. It's like the moment his mind calculated the damage to Bruce's body that it completely refused to take an active approach to get him help. That he knows he can't do anything, even if he can't admit that there's nothing he can do.

It's only moments that pass but it feels like hours, everything all down to right now.]

You gotta be okay. Wait, yeah? Just wait. We'll go back soon.

[He presses the side of his face to Bruce's, gasping as his body shakes, tears spilling out. Eggsy feels it, the familiar tug of the Ingress at the base of his spine, the pull, but it's slow, too slow.]

[ Bruce mumbles something but it's practically unintelligible, when he can barely gather the energy to keep his eyes open. One word keeps coming over and over again, when Bruce tries to say Trish's name, but he has to give up eventually. Each breath comes with more of a struggle, and every inhale is shallower, as if he can't really fill up his lungs completely.

His body goes from too heavy to nearly weightless, and he groans softly, closing his eyes and welcoming whatever follows. It's unfamiliar, but Bruce isn't scared— he's just sorry that Eggsy is, that he's making his friend cry right now.

But it'll be alright. He'll be alive and if Bruce doesn't come back, Eggsy will work through it eventually, and at least the Hulk will be gone for good. Or he will come back, like others have in the past— either way it goes, the sacrifice will have been worth it.

So it's with no fear and a sense of peace that he takes one last breath, exhales, and simply slips away. ]

[Eggsy's not sure what he's hearing, a name he thinks, but it's hard to make it out with the sudden movement of wind and noise. They're being pulled back, pulled back to the planet with the weird Ingress, pulled back when Bruce is already gone, limp in his arms. Not moving and Eggsy can't breathe.

The spear disappears on the way back through, but his eyes are closed, doesn't notice. He doesn't open them until they're back, the platform familiar, and numb fingers press the buttons on his MID.]

harry help

[When the Host approaches them he yells something, something crude and disrespectful and broken, doesn't want her touching Bruce. Then he doesn't move, just waits, holds Bruce close. ]

I'll be there soon. Are you hurt?

[ There's something to be said for the kind of haste one can manage when someone dear has called for help. Harry is moving before he's really thought about it and then he's moving very quickly indeed. Once he's on the planet he makes his way the Ingress room as a quick clip. There is a time for a calm pace and this is not it.

The Host is just outside the room and Harry does his part to apologize. A promise that he'll take care of this as expeditiously as possible before he goes in himself. And sees Eggsy holding the dead body of Bruce.

Fuck. ]

...Eggsy. You can't stay here.

its not me

[Eggsy sends the message, time seeming to melt, and he's not really sure how much time has passed when Harry shows up.]

What?

[He glances up sharply, wrapping his arms around Bruce tighter, glaring at Harry's through the tears running down his face.]

Where am I supposed to go then? I can't leave 'im here like this. [He chokes down a sob, all the heat leaving his expression.] Harry, I couldn't save him.

We've gotta do somethin'.

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wordstoliveby - 2016-07-28 14:40 (UTC) - Expand

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