☆ // master of tartarus

[fionnuisce]

WHO: Waver + semi-open
WHERE: The network/his apartment
WHEN: over 5/18~5/20ish
WHAT: he might have been asleep since the bossfight
WARNINGS: None yet, will mark subject lines appropriately

[5/18 action; closed to diarmuid]

[For not the first time, the world was the black of a dreamless sleep pulsing red agony with the rhythm of a heartbeat. Burning heat--of a lessening fever, not a cataclysmic inferno. Agony, but of a deep full-body ache rather than a narrowly averted death; the kind that warned him not to move, because he still had strength enough to do that. The pull of a contract like an anchor around his neck; still there, which was all that mattered to him.]

[What was it that had happened? Somewhere between sleeping and waking, Waver tried to piece together what he could remember. A knight in silver? No...no, this wasn't the pain of mortal injury and broken bones., but the exhaustion and burn of mana deprivation. If he focused on that, he could start to recall what had transpired-]

[Hear the song of fury-]

[--The tower, the Shadows, the Black Order, that goddamned clown. Reality began to creep its way back into his head as he stirred with a quiet groan of pain, arm draped heavily over his eyes.]

...did we win?

[Early into the evening on the 18th, a quick sign of life popped up on the network:]

un: silverrose

still alive

glad to know thats settled with minimal casualties

things will get worse before they get better so be cautious

[5/20 action; closed to ritsuka]

[Once he was actually able to move safely, a little bird flew its way to Hyrule--Diarmuid had told him where to find her, and it was an easy enough path to trace from the air. Easier still where letting the curse take over meant he didn't have to walk.]

[However he got there, the small phoenix fluttered in and landed on the ground before transforming in a flash of fire, back to a worn out-looking Waver in casual clothes and with a bag hanging off his shoulder.]

Hey, kid. How're you doing?

Comments

un: Thorn

[poisontippedcure]

I’m afraid you’re right.

After that, though, I don’t want to imagine what “getting worse” looks like.

[fionnuisce]

one thing at a time

this went as well as it possibly could but it wont help us to veer off into either full paranoia or complacency

all we need right now is caution

[poisontippedcure]

That is well-said.

Caution is important, I’m going to be more selective about who I trust going forward.

[fionnuisce]

good to hear

it wasnt your fault though

mistakes are normal especially with people like that

private; un: kesitakame

[hoshikiri]

[Waver is very right, that didn't need to be argued. But.]

Waver, what in the world happened?

private;

[fionnuisce]

you know how i always say im a terrible mage

i mean my mana capacity is terrible

i just need a couple more days to recover thats all

private;

[hoshikiri]

[... That part Takame could understand in a logical sense. With his magic sense it was clear Waver had a rather limited capacity for it despite the fact that Takame found him to be a good mage. Granted his definition of one was different.]

Did something happen that required you to exhaust so much mana?

private;

[fionnuisce]

yeah

we decided the clown deserved a noble phantasm to his smug fucking face

action

[twofoldfury]

[Their victory was earned... but ever since bringing Waver to the tent being watched by Shio and Eunie, Diarmuid has been worried. Did he not hold back enough? Did he use too much mana? Please, please do not take the lord who found him worthy from him.

Heartbreak is a constant in his life, but he cannot face it like this. As a failure again. He's been sleeping, fading in and out of consciousness and every time he stopped moving for just a little too frighteningly long Diarmuid was right there checking his pulse against a too warm body.

Hasty, but still there. Still alive. Next to both his Pokemon, the smaller of which kept kneading at his side and trying to steady Diarmuid's concern with its ability as he checked on his other friends in the meanwhile.

When he stirred, much like Diarmuid's time waking in February, he did not let go of Waver's free hand.]

Waver...! [There's a relieved sigh, tension visibly disappearing from his shoulders. Of course, though... of course he would ask that.]

Yes, we did. Ashiya Douman and Alaric Dickson are no more, and with them the Dark Hour has disappeared.

[fionnuisce]

[It was kind of a relief that everything hurt like it did; it was a reminder he was actually alive and not necessarily on the brink of death. If he was able to complain, then he was fine.]

[Shit, this hurts.]

[...Yeah, he'd be okay. He squeezed Diarmuid's hand--of course he was here, where else would he have been--and tried to keep his breathing steady.]

Can you--there's a couple green vials in the nightstand, just hand me one?

[twofoldfury]

Right, of course. [The squeeze to his hand was confirmation he didn't know he needed, he was alive if still roughed up and even Diarmuid felt the stress on their connection. Still, he opened the nightstand drawer to pull one of the healing vials out and give to Waver, hand still lingering over his.]

Here.

[fionnuisce]

[He dragged his free hand away from his eyes, taking the vial and drinking it in barely a breath, letting out an exhausted sigh as his breathing evened out and the constant pain dulled to something more bearable. As long as he was exceptionally careful not to move his right leg for a while, he could stand it well enough.]

...fucking hell. Is everyone okay?

action

[prunedworlds]

Flying definitely had its advantages, though Ritsuka herself still hadn't properly gotten to experience doing it herself first hand. Much to her continuing disappointment. In any case, Ritsuka was lounging streaming something or another on her phone when a familiar-looking phoenix flew into the teapot abode.

"Waver!" Her expression positively lit up to see him, phone promptly set aside as she scrambled to her feet.

Or, well, started to scramble to her feet, got reminded of why she shouldn't be moving that quickly just yet, and went the rest of the way at a bit slower pace. But the sentiment was there, at least.

[fionnuisce]

"Relax, I'm not going anywhere--don't break something, there's nothing to rush for."

He set the bag down on a table, starting to go through it.

"Hope you're hungry, as soon as I was able to stand I started cooking--and I always end up with far more than I plan to."

[prunedworlds]

"Ah, it's fine, I just get a little dizzy if I move too fast still..."

It took time to replenish the sheer amount of blood she lost. Though in any case, he definitely had her attention with his talk of cooking. She really wasn't one to turn down food, after all.

"You brought something? You didn't have to do anything like that, you know."

Especially after all he'd done that had meant he had to recover in the first place.

[fionnuisce]

"Too bad, I did. It's nothing too complex--do you like apple curry, because I have a hell of a lot of it."

Eventually, he'd figure out his Vision was occasionally doubling his cooking. But that was not today.

text; un: captainkenway

[jackdawvision]

Are you and Diarmuid and all the rest well?

Ritsuka’s all right. Fatigued, and still recovering, but all right.

[fionnuisce]

just fine

sounds like everyone else is too

thanks for looking out for her

[jackdawvision]

She’s a friend, of course I would. I’m only sorry I couldn’t come along.

And I’m aware that would not have ended well for me, thank you, I’ve had other friends tell me as much. I’m still sorry.

Text: un: bar_cat75

[wiseoldbartender]

[He is at least vaguely aware that it's thanks to Waver and Diarmuid that the hold Douman had on the demons in the battle was lifted. That had been an extremely unpleasant experience and he's glad it had ended before he'd completely lost his shit. So.]

Good to hear it. Dunno what you two did, but thanks.

Yeah, it's gonna get considerably worse. We might get a little breathing space for a couple weeks or so. But this shit won't stand, they won't let it.

[fionnuisce]

long story and longer explanation

of course it wont and i would have been shocked if it did

it was nonetheless important to stand our ground now rather than let them run over us

[wiseoldbartender]

That's fine, don't need one. It worked and that's what matters.

Sure. Because even if we had rolled over and played their game, they would've still screwed us. It's a matter of principle, has been since before Teresa got sent here. You guys have just got caught in the crossfire.

text · un: vinviv

[mehjin]

dare i ask boss

[fionnuisce]

oh you know the usual

catastrophes and all that

howve you been

[mehjin]

yeah sounds about right

blissfully ignorant apparently