If You Listen Close, You'll Hear the Sound / of All the Ghosts That Bring Us Down

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Who: Darin, Open to Close and Semi-Close CR!
When: This week
Where: Kauto: Region 5 Hospital
What: Darin's been comatose since his bout with his shadow and it's time to wake him up with SCIENCE
Warnings: Probable blood and physical trauma

While his condition has stabilized since the shadows were officially defeated, Darin definitely isn't in the best of shape. His wounds are taking much longer to heal than they normally should, his skin is pale, and he's showing no signs of any real mental activity. In short: he's comatose. But, there's a glimmer of light in this dark cloud. Using experimental technology, someone (or a group of someones) can reach into Darin's consciousness and maybe try and pull him out of it. The problem? This might not work at all. Or things could go from bad to worse for everyone involved.

What's the worst that could happen?

I-The Hallway-
Interestingly enough, Darin's head isn't just a massive void of empty space peppered with memories of some really great explosions. Nor is it a palace with massive golden statues proclaiming just how amazing he is. It's just...a really long hallway. Each door is unmarked and unlocked, but if you put your ears to them, you can hear muffled voices coming from within. The hallway doesn't seem to have an end though. Pick a door, who knows what you'll find?

II-The Night It All Went to Hell-
One of the doors leads to a rather quaint hillock overlooking a quiet port town. It's dark out, but there's plenty of light from the spattering of stars and the twin moons; red and white respectively, giving the scenery and almost ethereal violet hue. There's a modest home on the hillock itself...which seems to be the source of some commotion. There's the sound of a fight, then some yelling. And then, finally, the spark of a fire being started...

III-Life Goes On-
This door leads to a bustling street in the port town itself. At the end of the street is a rather large smithy, and there appears to be a full garrison of knights standing about the premises, waiting impatiently. The sea are brings the fresh smell of salt on the breeze, and some of the knights are complaining to an older, stout looking gentleman about the rust on their gear. Meanwhile, a beleaguered, blue haired youth, no more than ten years old, is doing his best to measure up an impatient knight for some new armor. Except he's gone and tripped himself up with the measuring tape and fallen into one of the large barrels of water, sending a mixture of laughs and groans rippling through the platoon.

"Why do you even keep this kid around, Acteon?! He's more trouble than he's worth!"

IV-Something's Not Quite Right-
This door leads to an even larger marketplace...not just a port side town anymore. No, this is a huge bazaar in some forgotten nation's capital. There's stalls selling any kind of wares you can imagine: exotic fruits and spices, weapons and armor, fine silks and furs, if you can dream it, it's likely being sold here! Some well armored and equally armed guards push by you quickly though and head towards what seems to be a throng of people circling up. Follow them and you'll see a large man looming over that stout smithy from the previous door, who is in turn standing in front of a gangly-armed, teenage Darin.

"What's all this about?"

"Your brat! He comes up to my stall and he...he breaks my weapons right in front of my paying customers!"

"Look, I was just showing these fine folk what inferior gear looks li--" Darin is cut off by the larger weaponsmith.

"MY GEAR IS THE BEST IN THIS REALM!! ACTEON, EITHER REEL YOUR FREAK IN, OR I'LL HAVE HIM IN CHAINS!"

Darin's smug look turns enraged, and he's already jumping over Acteon to try and throttle the man.

"WHAT'D YOU CALL ME YOU SECOND-RATE--"

The guards are already dogpiling on Darin which...doesn't necessarily slow him down. He pushes through them, and instead of attacking, just turns and runs for the nearest alleyway.

V-Chain of Command-
This door leads to...almost nothing, really. In fact, all that can be seen in this low light is what appears to be a massive steel gate. The bars reach up seemingly forever, and beyond the gate, there is nothing but blackness. The doors to the gate are pushed open slightly, but they're not fully open yet. Something appears to be keeping the doors themselves from being forced ajar completely. That something is Darin, hanging and covered in hundreds of chains, all of which are wrapped around the many massive iron bars. He appears to be hanging limp, but upon closer inspection, his arms are pulled taut, the muscles flexed and tight. As if, though unconscious, he's fighting to keep the iron gates shut.

-WILDCARD-

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Comments

[shiro2hero]

"All right, moving past that story..."

Talking about it might suddenly launch into more lectures and shouting. If only because they worry about you, you idiot.

"If moving dirt is out of your skill range right now, why don't we make actually building the training room part of it? Get you used to doing what you do with the ground before you work your way up."

A pause.

"And way before we let you try to stop lasers."

[patchricide]

It's this look.

Just... this look.

She doesn't even have to say or do anything, because hearing that 'donk' of Shiro dope-slapping Darin sums everything up nice and neatly.

"Yes, I think we have ample evidence on why we shouldn't start with the little guns, but with no guns. No combat until you've finished your chores."

That's it, that's your entire punishment Darin. Let it sink in.

Of course, the plans may have to change drastically in the near future, but none of them know that yet.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

"Look, I never said it was a good idea. And, let me get this straight. You're basically saying my punishment is 'no fight club until I build fight club?'"

If Shiro's whack was felt, Darin didn't show it. Honestly, he's probably taken so many shots to the head at this point, he has more of a carapace than a skull.

"Because I feel like the incentive here is a bit skewed."

[shiro2hero]

It's not whether or not it was felt, it happened, that's the principle of the thing.

"Forget the firearms, we're not even letting you go up against blades, or arms."

See what he did there? Did you see? That's your real punishment, Darin. Those jokes. Except he's sort of serious on that count.

"No training room until you can control yourself enough to build it. And if that's not enough of an incentive, if you don't practice building the room first..." He glances at Allura. "... we'll let Pidge actually experiment on you."

Go with it here, Allura...

[patchricide]

"Oh, now there's a fun alternative to training," Allura muses, in a way that is very difficult to tell if she's serious or not. "After all, the goal here is to build endurance, isn't it? There's really no need to get real combat and laser cannons involved at all. Why, with the right injections..."

She hopes this works, and this doesn't somehow also sound really cool to Darin.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Darin's response to the word 'injections' is to literally pick up Shiro and hold him up like a tower shield.

There is no mouthy response.

No lip or sarcasm.

Darin is deeply entrenched in the 'no injections' camp.

[shiro2hero]

Normally, there would be a struggle and he'd probably hit him with his right hand. Instead, Darin's got him in an uncomfortable, possibly painful position, considering someone is still in the hospital.

"Darin!"

And a wild glance to Allura -- save him.

"What is wrong with you!"

[patchricide]

She sighs.

"Darin, please! Will you relax? As long as you cooperate, there will not be any drastic measures. All right?"

She looks up at Shiro, like she can't believe this, but you know what, she really can believe this and isn't surprised.

"Set him down."

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Darin sets Shiro down (gently, surprisingly) and folds his arms in a huff.

"There are two things we don't joke about with me: needles and ghosts. Also, are you saying I can't even build the training room until I can do it with my powers? How am I supposed to train my powers in the first place without the training room?"

He grumbles and starts to pace.

"Fine. I'll build the room using only my powers. But that still means I have a ton of work to do."

[shiro2hero]

This is their lives, Allura, this is what it's come to. Why this. Why can't they just have normal people problems for once?

Fortunately, being set down doesn't jostle anything else. But he's going to hold onto the chair for good measure, just in case.

"You'll figure it out. Think of that as part of your training."

They'd all gotten a crash course in Paladin-ing. So why not Darin in... okay, there's not a good word for what it is he does. But his point stands.

[patchricide]

Since when do aliens have normal people problems?

"Don't you think this makes more sense? You can practice using it before we throw you headlong into combat. Rather than you splitting your attention between the method and the battle. Just... start small. With moving a spoonful. Then keep adding more."

The word is 'magic', by the way, Shiro.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

"Alright. Alright I get it. Slow and steady. I know."

He heads back over to his bed and sits on the edge, glancing down once more at the stitches just to the left of his abs.

"Once I'm back up to speed, I'll get started."

[shiro2hero]

Just one normal person problem. Just one. That's all he's asking for.

"Good. The last thing anyone wants you to do is overload yourself," he agrees. It's true. If Darin is just learning how to control himself, who knew what an overload would bring.

He's not sure he wants to find out.

"Don't rush it."

[patchricide]

She doesn't bring it up, but she certainly thinks about how 'overloading' normally mixes with Darin. Such as that lovely hole he created in the roof, that one time...

However, Shiro saying "don't rush it" gives her an idea.

"That goes for you, too. Until both of you are feeling better, I want you two to take it easy."

Maybe concern over their friend's well-being will convince them both to look out for their own.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

He sighs heavily.

"Yes, ma'am. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere for a bit."

[shiro2hero]

That hole in the ceiling that no one is going to let Darin live down ever again? Yep. Sounds familiar.

He holds up his hands, though. "I'm all right. Really. They took the crutches away and everything."

Haha, he'll make sure Darin keeps resting, but -- "If it makes you feel better, though, I'll stay here until they release me."

Even if he really, really hates being here.

[patchricide]

She looks incredibly pleased with herself. As if she finally figured out a way to get them to behave, and there's no possibility they'll get fed up, conspire and both leave early.

Right, guys?

"And here I was, worried that Pidge would need to install security cameras to keep tabs on the two of you. Despite how much trouble it was, I feel as though after everything that's happened, it's only helped to strengthen our trust."

[forgeabettertomorrow]

"Yeah well...you've both literally been in my head, staring at my memories. If I can't be an open book now, I'd have some serious trust issues."

He shrugs non-chalantly. It was true. He'd come to trust them both very deeply.

[shiro2hero]

"Hey, I know my limits..." He almost gets that out. Almost. But trails off before the last word actually finishes off.

"Okay, don't. Answer that. Let me ... say that I'm trying to know my limits."

Holding up his hands, he adds, to both of them: "I mean that. For everyone's sake, I'm... doing the best I can to figure it out."

[patchricide]

"And we all appreciate it Shiro. Though I think all of us are putting in our best efforts, too," she adds. Not to praise the team, but as a reminder that they all have work to be done.

She hums thoughtfully.

"So, if you're going to be an open book -- mind telling me what sort of adventures you and this 'Iris' got up to?" Her tone is attempting to be nonchalant, pretending that she didn't feel insulted by that memory.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

"Library's closed."

[shiro2hero]

Nope, sorry, buddy, he's on her side.

"Was it like the thing with the knight? Where you choked yourself with tape over having to measure her?"

[patchricide]

She gives him a puzzled look.

"What? No, I don't think it was anything like that. Unless she was incredibly overbearing as well."

Allura looks away so neither of them can see her pouting. It's just coincidence. I am nothing like that...!

[forgeabettertomorrow]

He shoots Shiro a glare.

"Iris was just some blue-blood I met on the road when I was tracking down Dromas before I even knew it was him I was tracking. She wouldn't leave me alone because she saw something in me, and if I tried to ditch her, she'd have her father's army tracking me. I mentioned her to Shiro once before. She's just some girl I was traveling with. Why are you so interested in her?"

[shiro2hero]

"Probably because when you mentioned her to me, you compared her to Allura."

Sorry, bro, you're not getting out of this so easy. Especially if she's upset -- the sooner they hash out disagreements or discomforts the better, right?