#unless y’all wanna see my stick figures (minimalism)

[mymitochondriaforpresident]

Spot the difference

[gureishi]

#6 Saeyoung / fm. Can it be kind of angsty with a good amount of nsfw please thank you

Your wish is my command! But for real though, I got a little carried away with this one because I just loved the scenario too much. Don’t raise the bar for me, y’all—these won’t all be this long! (Maybe. Unless they are. Who knows.)

six: just cause you don’t know what to say

SaeyoungXReader, M (sex!), words: 2846

Warning: this is NSFW! Don’t proceed if you don’t wanna read smut, pls~

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・

He’s hurt again.

Why is he always…

You thought you’d never have to see it again: Vanderwood delivering him to you unceremoniously, his shoulder bandaged; him limping toward you, holding out his good arm hopefully as if expecting you to run to him.

But here you are again. You stand in the garage, arms crossed over your chest. His expression falters as he takes in your posture—you’re certainly not leaping into his arms.

“H-hi babe!” He plays dumb, tries a big smile. You can see cuts and bruises on his face, and you don’t miss the way he winces as he gives you what he clearly thinks is an enthusiastic wave. You don’t move. He says your name, a little more quietly, a little more tentatively.

You force yourself to take a deep breath—in and out. You want to yell, to launch yourself at him and hit his stupid, beautiful face and make him swear never to leave you again.

“Where were you?” you ask instead, keeping your voice as level as you can. You don’t do a great job—he visibly recoils and you see Vanderwood already trying to slink off into the shadows.

Saeyoung takes another step toward you and you hold up a hand to stop him. There’s a pained look in his eyes, and you don’t think it’s from the injuries.

“You told me you were going to look at some files,” you say, hearing how cold your voice sounds, seeing the way it wounds him. “Did the files bite you?”

He tries to laugh and winces again and you almost take pity on him. He’s shivering a little—it’s cold in the garage, colder outside, and he’s in a t-shirt. Someone (presumably Vanderwood) has ripped off one of the sleeves to bandage up his shoulder.

Vanderwood has almost disappeared at this point—they’ve made it to the garage door, clearly hoping to dodge your wrath.

“Hey!” You point at them they jump, standing up stick straight. It would be almost comical, if not for the situation. “So what was the plan, then? Bring him along on some stupid half-baked money-grabbing mission and just hope I’d be able to track your bodies down if you got killed?”

Vanderwood’s expression softens, just a little. You realize there are tears in your eyes and you wipe them away furiously.

“I swear to god I thought it was going to be an easy one or I wouldn’t have brought him,” Vanderwood says in their calmest, most placating voice.

“Did you know he lied to me?”

Vanderwood slowly shakes their head. “To be fair, I didn’t ask.”

“Fine.” Clearly taking this as a dismissal, they duck their head and slip into the front seat of the car they’ve left running in the driveway. You hesitate, then: “Vanderwood?” They freeze again, turn to face you. “Are you hurt?”

Again, you see warmth in their eyes—just for a moment, and then it’s gone. They look between you and Saeyoung, who’s still standing stock-still in the middle of the garage as if waiting for instructions.

“I’m fine,” Vanderwood says. 

“And does he need to go to the hospital?” You’re not messing around; if it were up to Saeyoung, he’d try and mend a broken bone himself.

“No,” Vanderwood says firmly. “Flesh wounds.” You raise your eyebrows as if to say really? and they nod. “This is nothing for him. Give him a day, maybe, and he’ll be back to normal.”

Without giving you the chance to ask anything else, Vanderwood gives you a little salute and revs the engine. You look down at the pavement, pushing back your tears by sheer force of will. You wail till their car is out of sight before addressing Saeyoung again.

“If they say you’re fine, then fine,” you say, and you turn on your heel and stalk back to the bunker—you’ve left the door hanging open, and the cold air is getting in.

Saeyoung still doesn’t move.

“A-are you going to let me inside?” he asks in a small voice. For a moment, you want to tell him no. You want to lock yourself up in his huge empty house (Saeran is out, at a doctor’s appointment, so you really would be alone), leave him there, make him wait until you’re ready to forgive him.

But you don’t do this—of course you don’t.

“Come in, then.”

You leave the door open for him and slip out of your shoes, kicking them against the wall with perhaps slightly too much fervor. He follows you, so slowly, so quietly, like he’s afraid to make a sound. Again, you feel a twinge of guilt. You wonder if it’s too late to go back, to forget it all, to wrap him up in your arms and kiss his bruises and reassure him that he’s safe.

Not yet.

He follows you, silently, down the hall and into the living room. You cross your arms again and face him. He looks so pitiful. Don’t give in.

“Saeyoung, tell me why you lied to me.”

He fidgets, like he always does when he’s nervous. He taps out a pattern on his leg with one hand; his injured arm hangs limply at his other side.

“I don’t know,” he says finally, almost inaudibly. There’s a dark, hollow look in his eyes, like he’s receding into himself.

“Hey.” Finally—finally—you move closer, and he flinches when you reach for him. You run a gentle finger along a new cut on his cheek, which intersects with an old scar. “You put me through about eight hours of torture, wondering where you were and if you were even alive, after I finally figured out you weren’t just ‘looking at files’ at Vanderwood’s house. You owe me an explanation.”

He swallows; his throat is dry. “It’s the only thing I know how to do,” he says in that same toneless voice. You sigh loudly. There are a million emotions battling inside you: you want to scold him; you want to check his wounds and re-dress them; you want to scream at him; you want to hold him.

“Sit,” you say. He sits on the couch, a little stiffly, and you go to the kitchen, get him a glass of water. You know enough about the kinds of missions he used to go on for the agency to understand more or less what he’s been doing for the last day. “I thought the agency didn’t exist anymore,” you say, returning to him; he takes the water gratefully and drinks it all, a little too fast.

“It doesn’t,” he says. “This was, um. Somebody Vanderwood owed a favor to. I think they just want…a clean slate.”

“And?” You perch on your knees beside him. You don’t have to forgive him, but you do have to see what’s going on with his shoulder. He flinches, inhaling sharply, as your fingers graze the bandage.

“It’s done,” he says hoarsely. He hesitantly takes your hand off his arm and clutches it tightly in his own. “I’m—I’m really sorry I lied to you,” he stammers. “I shouldn’t’ve done that.”

“No, you shouldn’t have.” You slip your hand out of his grasp, return to the bandages. He tries his best to sit still as you unwrap them. Vanderwood was right—the wound is already healing. You’ve seen him with much, much worse. 

You leave him again, gather the supples you need. When you’d first moved into the bunker, it was bare—he had no food to speak of, minimal personal possessions. Even then, though, he had first aid supplies: enough to stock several small hospitals.

You sit cross-legged on the couch, and he’s quiet as you clean the deep cuts in his shoulder and arm, as you wrap them with fresh bandages. You don’t ask how he got these particular injuries, and he doesn’t volunteer the information.

Finally, you stand, eyeing your work. You’ve done a pretty good job.

“Now take off your clothes.”

His eyes, which had been half-lidded as you worked—he’s exhausted, you can see it written in every line on his face—shoot open. Wide open. He laughs nervously.

“Umm, d-does that mean you forgive me?”

He’s blushing. Oh god.

“Of course not,” you say, too loudly. The back of your neck feels hot. “I need to see where else you’re hurt, idiot.”

“R-right.” He looks crestfallen and you almost laugh, almost bend down and press a searing kiss to his cute lips, dry and cracked as they are. But you don’t.

“I’m serious.”

He gulps and tugs off his shirt. It gets stuck on his head due to a combination of his bandaged shoulder and the one roughly torn-off sleeve. He struggles a little and it’s so adorable and sad that you can’t stand it, so you help him.

“Thanks,” he says in a low voice. The shirt is off.

“Shit, Saeyoung…”

His shoulder is the worst of it, but there are little cuts and bruises everywhere. A dark bruise, already purpling, runs up his side. You touch it as gently as you can and he shivers.

“Does it hurt?”

“N-not exactly…”

You feel his eyes boring into you and when you look up you can’t help but shudder—there’s a very familiar dazed, needy look on his face.

“Babe, not right now…!” The pet name slips out before you can stop yourself. You feel yourself melting a little, scorched by his gaze.

“I’m so sorry I lied,” he whispers and he makes his voice sound husky in a way he knows always sends a shiver up your spine. “I won’t do it again.”

Oh god.

Tentatively, he runs one hand down your side, skating over your hip. Fuck.

“Will you promise me never to do that again?” you ask him, trying to keep your voice stern—but it still comes out breathy and desperate. 

“I swear,” he says. He’s getting more confident, bolstered by the yearning you can’t keep out of your voice. God, how you’d missed him. His slips his hand under your shirt, skating up your ribcage. You let him.

“What do you swear?” you ask. He takes your hips in both hands then and tugs you roughly onto his lap. You wriggle, straddling him, and he gasps, closing his eyes and tilting his head back.

“T-to never lie to you again,” he says. His hips are shaking. “To not do stuff that might get me killed anymore.”

“Even if Vanderwood asks you to?” He moans softly as you grind your hips against him; realizing you have all the power, you fumble with the button of his pants—unhook it, undo the zipper.

“No matter who asks m-me—ahhhh.”

You palm him through his boxers and he moans, wriggling beneath you. You take his good hand in yours and guide it to your leg, up your thigh, under your skirt, around your hip. You brush a hand over him again, feeling the way he’s straining against his underwear.

“And you’re really, really, really sorry?” you ask. You grind your hips against his erection and he mumbles something incoherent. He’s got a death grip on your thigh.

“What was that?”

“I-I…yeah, I…d-don’t know what else to say…” he mutters. You flutter your hips back and forth and feel his legs shuddering beneath you.

“Then don’t,” you say firmly. “Just touch me.”

He doesn’t need to be told twice. His hand springs to action, trailing up your inner thigh and ghosting over your already-wet underwear.

“Don’t tease me right now,” you say. He audibly gulps and then moves one calloused finger over your clit, through your underwear. You see sparks and your vision goes blurry. There’s a burning heat inside of you now—you feel swollen and needy.

He flicks his finger over you again, falling into a rhythm. He’s gentle yet persistent. You scrunch your eyes shut and fireworks burst behind your closed eyelids and you have to grab the couch for purchase, avoiding his hurt shoulder. Your toes curl.

“Goddammit, Saeyoung…!” you whimper, and he moves faster, stirring the burning, blinding feeling inside you. You can’t help the way your hips are shaking and you can tell it’s driving him mad, too; he moans, deep and low, as you brush against his trapped erection again, and the sweet sound tears you open.

It’s as if you’re floating just above your body, watching from outside yourself. You feel the warm ocean of sensations cascading around you; you see yourself from above as your eyes fly open, your arms trembling, barely holding you up as you crest into him.

The feeling recedes in bits and pieces, trickling away, and you pant as you come down.

“Th-that was so hot,” he whispers. His eyes are dark, his pupils huge; through both of your underwear, you feel him twitch.

“I’ve never come quite like that before,” you murmur, inches from his lips; and then you kiss him, searing hot like the longing you felt when he was gone, hard like the way you wanted to hit him when you saw he’d gotten himself hurt again.

There’s a moment—a brief, flickering moment—when you think about sliding off his lap and walking away, leaving him trembling and desperate. You could.

But you want to feel him inside you too badly—want to see the look of utter relief and release on his sweet, bruised face.

You slip from his lap and tear your underwear off, not bothering with the rest of your clothes. He gazes up at you, adoringly, as if waiting for confirmation that you’re going to allow him the satisfaction he so desperately craves.

You bend over him and slip his boxers down; he sighs with relief as he springs free of the constraining fabric.

“Stay still.”

You straddle him again and brush against his tip, just barely touching. Another little spark bursts behind your eyes.

“P-please…” he whispers, and you see he’s long gone already; he looks almost drunk, his eyes unfocused.

So you oblige him. You slide onto him, sinking him deep into you, and moans a string of incoherent syllables. You lift up your hips, using the couch for support, avoiding his hurt arm, the cuts on his chest.

He’s unraveling before your eyes and it’s beautiful to watch. You slide your hips up and back, down and forward, slowly and then faster, faster, and he whimpers, and you feel a little shudder deep inside you as he thrusts back against, pushing himself deeper. He’s gasping for air and you clench your thighs around his hips and take control again, moving in a figure-eight, excruciatingly slow. 

He groans and suddenly his arm is around your waist and, in an instant, you’re on your back on the couch, his face hovering over yours. Then he’s inside you again and the thrill of the moment gets to you and you moan along with him, clutching desperately at the fabric of the couch.

“S-Saeyoung, your arm—” you gasp. He holds up his injured arm and wiggles it in the air, showing you that it’s safe, and you laugh, clenching as he thrusts into you, and he’s completely undone.

He closes his eyes as he comes, head thrown back, and you skate your fingers over the exposed skin of his neck.

Eventually, he stills, panting—he lowers himself, collapsing against your chest. You wrap your arms all the way around him and nuzzle your face into his hair.

“So,” you say softly. “Was that your way of distracting me from scolding you?” He opens one golden eye and peers up at you.

“Did it work?”

“Saeyoung!”

“Ahhh! Sorry!”

You playfully bat at him and he rolls off of you, pulling himself up, running a hand through his sweaty, messy hair. His eyes are clear now.

“You can’t use sex to get me to forgive you whenever you do something bad, you know,” you tell him.

He waggles his eyebrows at you. “Can’t I?” 

“No!”

“I know.” He sounds serious now, and he carefully knees beside you, taking your hand. “I am genuinely sorry I lied to you,” he says, his voice soft but firm. “I am sorry I got myself in another dangerous situation and made you worry. I promise not to do it again.”

“Good,” you say. You press little kisses to each of his calloused fingertips. “Now go change and get emotionally prepared because Saeran’s going to be home soon and he’ll be even madder at you than I was.”

Saeyoung yelps, shoots up from the couch, winces, and stumbles to the bedroom, pants still bunched around his thighs.

You’re serious about the promise—you mean to hold him to it. But it’s so hard to stay mad at him, you think, stretching and collecting your underwear from where it’s gotten wedged between two couch cushions. He’s just too easy to forgive.

[harringrovetrashrat]

I Do Bad Things When I’m Jealous (And I’m Jealous)

They’d been at the party for only an hour and Billy was bored. Despite the thumping music and absolutely horrible “sangria” provided by the house, the party was not hopping. In fact, Billy had been able to see clear across the living room. He’d agreed to join Steve for a party at his friend Robin’s, and Billy had been blinded by brown doe eyes and forgotten why he Did Not like hanging with art majors. They were weird, uppity, and just all around awkward pretentious nerds. They had good weed at least. Billy had found the smoking room and planted himself there.

Billy took the joint from some chick with bright blue hair and sucked. He breathed deep, letting the smoke fill his lungs, a nice warm weight that burned in the best way. The smoke curled out of his mouth slowly before he exhaled through his nose, nostrils flaring. He took another puff and then passed it along, trying to smile as non threateningly as possible. He wasn’t sure he succeeded, seeing as the guy gave him a wary look, but took the joint nonetheless. Billy tapped his fingers anxiously on his knee before standing. He hadn’t seen Steve in a while and he was bored and stoned and not drunk enough, and he needed some fucking attention.

He gave a two fingered salute, a wink, and a Hargrove Tongue Waggle, tongue piercing on full display, and revelled in the way nearly everyone’s face turned red, for a myriad of reasons. He closed the door softly behind him, snickering when he heard their voices start all at once. Hushed and intense and fucking hilarious. Billy was an asshole, he knew that. A lot of what he did came off sarcastically, and he just had the face of a Bitch. So it made him hard to interpret, and exactly the kind of guy that bullied these kids in high school. Which brought mixed feelings. Billy couldn’t help but mess with them a little bit.

He licked his lips and made his way through the kitchen towards the back hall, trying to remember which room was Robin’s. He didn’t have to go far because he saw Steve in the corner of the living room, on a loveseat, smiling and talking with a guy who was getting entirely too close. Billy sucked on his teeth and tried to control his breathing. Steve was gesturing animatedly, oblivious to the way the guy’s eyes were roaming too far down, the way his hand kept getting closer to Steve’s knee, and Billy clenched and unclenched his fists.

Now, he’d been working on it. Been trying to control how he let it affect him, but Billy still got jealous. Really fucking jealous. The guy seemed to be ignoring the hickey he’d left on Steve’s neck and Steve still wasn’t getting it and Billy saw red. He was across the room in seconds, looming over the two of them, eyes and teeth glinting.

“Billy!” Steve slurred, smile wide and he reached out for him. “There you are!” The guy shot him a dirty look, but faltered when he actually looked at him. Billy knew he was posturing a bit, chest out, teeth bared, but this fucker had the audacity to try something with his boyfriend, so he figured if any time warranted posturing, it was now.

“Here I am,” Billy replied, not taking his eyes off the guy. “Who’s your friend?”

“This,” Steve said, “Is Adam. He transferred from, uhm, sorry dude I forget which school.” Steve laughed sheepishly and rubbed at the back of his head. Adam blushed as he watched and Billy licked his lips. “He’s also gonna be joining the social work program here! Isn’t that cool?”

“Who’re you?” Adam asked, voice also slurred, side eyeing Billy’s jacket and boots. “You don’t look like an art major.” Steve laughed loudly and Adam smiled, leaning in and resting his hand on Steve’s knee. Billy flared his nostrils and tried to remember the conversation he and Steve had had about trust and letting Steve handle himself.

“Billy and I’m in the Physical and Occupational Therapy Program,” he sniffed. Adam rolled his eyes and smirked.

“Well, unless y’all are leaving, Steve and I were having a wonderful conversation,” he slid his hand up Steve’s thigh and Billy’s breath stopped, “And I’d love to get back to it.”

Billy wasn’t really thinking anymore. That’s why he grabbed the guy by the scruff of his neck and dragged him away, Steve calling after him. That’s why he ignored the guy’s protests and each dude, what the fuck, shoving him out onto the front lawn.

“Billy!” Steve called out the door, voice tight with annoyance. “Babe!” Adam furrowed his brow.

“Babe--?” Adam cut himself off with a yelp as Billy grabbed his collar and yanked him face to face, baring his teeth in a deadly smile.

“Go back inside, Steve,” Billy called back, not taking his eyes off Adam. “Boy’s gotta learn what happens when you touch other people’s boyfriends.” Adam’s eyes widened before he let out a bark of laughter.

“You’re dating this fucking tool, Steve?”

“Ooh,” Billy heard Robin say from behind him, “Bad, bad move, my guy.”

“See,” Billy said, pushing Adam back some more, but not letting go of his collar, “Imma let that one slide, m’kay? But only because I’m feeling so fucking generous tonight.” He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned his head with a frown to see Steve frowning right back.

“Babe,” he warned softly. “He’s not fucking worth it.” Adam bristled and Billy just scoffed. Steve sighed and gave Billy’s elbow a small tug. “Come on, we talked about this.”

“Yeah,” Adam sneered, “You talked about this, Billy.” Steve shot him an angry stare.

“Dude, shut the fuck up.”

“You’re seriously more into this fucking violent asshole than me?”

“This ‘fucking violent asshole’ is still right here, fuckwad,” Billy snarled. He did shove Adam away, releasing him from his grip. With a dramatic show, he smiled at Steve and stepped back. “There,” he drawled. “I let him go. I’m trusting and being nice.” He was about to head back towards the house when a fist came towards him. He jerked back and it caught the edge of his jaw, though it barely even made him stumble back.

Robin whistled and Steve cursed to himself quietly.

Billy turned slowly, a feral grin stretching across his face. Adam looked shocked, like he hadn’t expected himself to do that, and he stepped back as Billy surged forward, tackling him to the ground. Someone, probably Robin, cheered behind him, and he let the anger that had been swelling and stewing for the past hour at this stupid party out. He punched Adam once, twice, and was gearing up for a third when Steve grabbed his arm.

“Billy!” He pulled at his arm, finally tugging him away as Adam curled in on himself, nose bleeding and eye already starting to swell.

“You’re fucking crazy!” He screamed, struggling to get up.

“You wanna bet? I’ll show you crazy, you stupid fuck!” Billy shouted back. Before either of them could continue, Robin tossed a jacket at Adam.

“Dude, I’d just leave now,” she warned.

“You’re taking his side?!”

“You’re both idiots,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “I’m not taking anyone’s side except Steve’s. And you felt him up pretty blatantly without checking to see if he was actually into it, so.” She shrugged.

“Y’all are fucking-- Ugh! Whatever!” Adam shoved his arms into his jacket and flipped off the entire house before stomping off down the street. Robin watched him go before she shooed everyone back inside.

“Alright guys, show’s over!” She called. There were hushed whispers, but Billy ignored them in favor of turning to Steve. Who looked unhappy.

“Baby,” Billy began, but Steve held up a finger.

“We have talked about trusting that I will say no--”

“I know, and it’s not that I just--”

“Then what is it? You know I love you and would never even entertain one of these fucks, so why?”

“Because,” Billy grit out, his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. He was usually a little more drunk when they talked about this stuff, because it was still hard to talk about feelings, but he swallowed and, “You’re probably the best thing in my life and I’m used to losing those.” He sniffed, looking away from Steve because it was easier that way. “And I just want everyone to know that… That you picked me. That I get to have this because you--” He cut himself off and hunched his shoulders in, feeling uncomfortably bare. Steve gripped his chin, forcing him to tilt it up. Billy still couldn’t meet his eye, looking away.

“Babe.” Steve’s voice was soft, which was the only reason Billy dared to look up. His eyes were gentle, lovely, and he had a small smile on his face. “You’re fucking ridiculous, you know that?” Billy shrugged, looking away again. “No, no look at me,” Steve cooed, kissing his cheek. “Of course I picked you. And just know you’re giving me permission to be all over you at any given moment.” He smiled against Billy’s mouth before kissing him. It was gentle, but heated, Steve slowly swiping his tongue against Billy’s, his breath hot. He pulled back and smirked.

“Wanna get the fuck outta here?” Billy whispered against his ear, gently nipping at the lobe. Steve’s breath hitched and he nodded quickly.

“Lemme just say bye to Robin--”

“She’ll understand, come on.” Billy tugged Steve away from the house with minimal effort, smiling at the peal of laughter Steve released as it echoed into the night.

[rpchive]

Ninety Seventh Encounter-- One Wrong Turn

time to get rid of another Bad Kleivenn

Maya is waiting in the console room with Rio; XL; Silky; and Nydins, much to their discomfort. She's carrying her guns with her this time, and has changed into a more subtle version of one of her suits, black and gray with lines of golden lights accenting seemingly random areas. Though she no longer has her armband, she's kept the red tie.

yeah, that’s uhh

this one! I showed y’all a log too early tbh but whatever

Collin walks out into the console room, rubbing the inner corner of one of his eyes. "Hey, any luck on y'all's end?" Silky: We've arranged a meeting, much to the confusion of the delegates. Nuru agreed to meet up with us; she said that Lana's calmed down since our last encounter. Collin: Oh, she has? That's... surprising, honestly. Maya: Time passes differently the way you travel; it's been a few weeks for them. Collin: Geez, seriously? I guess it's never been that drastic before or something. Nydins: Depends on where we go. Sometimes it's more linear; sometimes it's ahead of us; but we never travel backwards. Silky: We'll probably be landing soon. Collin: Alright, guess I should go grab Jay then. I'll be back in a few minutes. Collin steps out of the room for a few minutes and returns with Jay and Fawkes in tow.

Fawkes: So, I heard things have improved since we were last here. Do they know where that mystery figure went to? Silky: That's what we're here to find out. She didn't feel comfortable discussing it anywhere but in person. Collin: Seems a little odd, but alright I guess. When the IT lands, the group finds Nuru and Lana by themselves. There is no visible security, and the other delegates are nowhere to be found. Collin: Uh, hey guys. Seems a little quiet here, doesn't it? Lana: Maybe in here; but this building is so heavily guarded right now that not even a gnat could find its way in alive. This meeting is strictly confidential; we can't even allow this to be recorded in any way. Fawkes: Why the secrecy? I understand that this probably shouldn't be common knowledge, but this seems a little extreme considering the circumstances unless there's some new reason we don't know about? Nuru: Whatever that thing was; it was more than capable of starting another war. Whatever it did to Lana, it wasn't even trying to do it. Literally anybody that thing is around has a chance to start acting weird; whatever it does to people is...tricky to deal with.

Lana: It's incredibly subtle to begin with; by the time you realize something is wrong, they'll be acting on something big, and you won't be able to stop it. Nuru was the only one who was able to stop me from doing something drastic... Collin: Well, that definitely explains that hallucination or whatever it was that Jay had the other day too. Still, it's good that Nuru was able to snap you out of whatever it was, at least. Nuru: What happened to Lana is impossible to replicate without that thing around; but there's no telling if it would react differently around inorganic life. If you're going to chase this thing, you need to be careful. We don't know how it did what it did; only that it could happen to anyone who meets it in person. Collin: Well that's... encouraging. So what, we just hunt it down and try to kill it before anything happens? Lana: Hopefully. I doubt it's come in contact with anyone else; and the less people it meets with, the better. Fawkes: Sounds like it. Do you know where it is now? Lana: It's...still looking for Asra Nox. It's very disappointed that it couldn't find what I asked it to, so it's just...looking anywhere it can.

Nuru: We think it might be heading for an incredibly crowded area; if it goes there, no amount of damage control will be able to cover what this thing is capable of. We need you to cut it off and stop it. Fawkes: Sounds like we don't have any time to lose.

Collin: But do we have any way to even track the thing? Lana: Of course. It has an apex ship, after all. Collin: Well, that'll work. Are we using the IT to chase it, or...? Nuru: Unless you'd prefer a different ship? We're more than willing to provide you with anything you need to keep this thing from reaching the public.

Maya nods slowly. "Then bring me the fastest thing you've got. I'm gonna go get my big guns; the rest of you just sit here and focus on Jay."

alienrabitt: Wh-what?! Why?!

Maya: You've been acting weird, right? Look, sending a huge crowd of people to deal with the thing that fucks with people is a bad idea; it was literally my job to bag and tag stuff like this; so don't you worry your pretty little head; I'll be back before dinner. Collin: Woah, hang on a second, you can't just go alone to find this thing! What if it has more backup with it? Maya: You're hilarious. Look; I can handle this. Worry about your boyfriend, will you? I mean, if you wanna tell me how to do my job; I can tell you how to do yours again if that's what you really want. Collin: ... Alright, fine. Just go get whatever you need.

Maya is..a lot to deal with, but she’s not The Worst Ever I guess. maybe she’ll mellow out over time

Maya heads back into the IT for her other weapons.

Lana: Who even is that girl? Fawkes: Someone we recovered from a wrecked spacecraft. She's, well...

Collin: I'm not saying it, even if I want to. Nuru: As long as she gets the job done; I don't care about her personality. Collin: You say that now... Lana: I'll make arrangements for her ship; as for this meeting, consider it adjourned. We'll let you know what happens; but for now, the rest of you are good to leave. Collin: Alright, I guess we'll... go back on the IT? This feels wrong... Silky: Hey, for once you don't have the world on your shoulders. Shouldn't it be a relief? Collin: You'd think, but... Ugh, I guess I should be sticking with Jay, given the situation. It just feels wrong sending someone on their own. That's not really how we do things, y'know? Nuru: I understand completely; but given the current situation, putting more people at risk would only create more of an issue. We need to minimize the damage done, and that's best done by getting as little people involved in this as possible. Collin: I guess. I just don't like the idea of what'll happen if she gets affected by that thing. Nuru: Are you saying she shouldn't go? Collin: No, it's... I'm just being paranoid. She said she'll be fine, so I guess it's time for her to prove it. Maya returns with her flamethrower and a couple of guns. Looking around for Lana, she waits patiently by Nuru. "Alright, I'm ready to roll; you guys can bounce."

Collin: Fine. Just don't get brainwashed by that thing or whatever it is that it does, alright?

if we’re being totally honest, I’m not entirely sure what this thing is capable of. I’d say it’s sort of on the verge of being up there with those dream/nightmare-based kleivenn in that it can sort of manipulate reality to a degree; in this case, it manipulates a person’s perception based on their desires

but why?

as it stands though, Karumet sort of explains what this thing is in a little bit

Maya: C'mon; have a little faith in me, will you? Collin: That's not- Nevermind. Just be careful. Maya: Yeah, you too. Collin: I guess we'll stay back on the IT for now, unless either of you need something from us? Nuru: We'll let you know if we need anything. Collin: Alright then, back in we go, I guess. The group returns to the IT, leaving Maya to deal with the problem.

Demo: Wow, didn't expect you two to come back so soon. Guess it was a bust? Collin: Maya insisted on going solo. Demo: Eh, no loss there. Did you find anything out about whatever that thing was? Collin: Well, apparently even just being near it can screw with your head, and it's hard to snap out of it once that happens. Demo: That's weird...I feel totally fine. Guess I really dodged a bullet there. Collin: Yeah, seems like it. Jay had a weird vision the other day though, so I'm gonna keep an eye on him just in case. Demo: Just be careful; the last thing you need is that idiot opening some weird door to a place we can't find you at. Collin: I think we'll be fine. It's not that easy to kidnap me now, at least I hope. Demo: Suit yourself; but if you lose another limb, don't come cryin' to me. Collin: I'll keep that in mind. How're you feeling anyway, Jay? alienrabitt: More than anything? Anxious. Pretty sure I'm just worried about Maya... Collin: I hear that. This just feels wrong sitting around. alienrabitt: M-maybe it'll work out, though! I mean, she used to deal with all those abmormalities or whatever; so I'm sure she can handle some weird...I guess it's a kleivenn...? Collin: I guess. That wasn't like any kleivenn I've ever seen before, though. alienrabitt: I don't think it was a saa or a Hermes...

Demo: Probably wasn't an Anubis either; it sure as hell wasn't listening to me. Fawkes: I'm not sure if Karumet would know anything about whatever that was either. Demo: It's worth looking into though, right? Maybe you should ask her. Collin: Yeah, probably should. C'mon Jay, let's go see if she's in her room. Demo: Nah, I wanna talk to Jay for a minute; you go ahead. Collin: Uh, alright? I'll be back in a few minutes then.

With that, he heads out down the hall for Karumet's room. Karumet answers the door curiously. "Collin? What are you doing here?" Collin: Hey Karumet. I have a kleivenn question I was hoping you could answer. Karumet: Well, I'll try to answer as best as I can. Collin: Are you familiar with any kleivenn that can, uh, mess with someone's head? Like, make them act in a way they normally wouldn't? Karumet: Well, no; but there's a type of kleivenn that could probably do that under the right circumstances. A maryein kleivenn could. Collin: ... A marr-ine? Karumet: Maryayn. Maryein kleivenn are kleivenn forged from ideals; created to carry a single task for the rest of their lives to the best of their abilities. Much like humans, maryein pick a singular skill to specialize in, then dedicate the rest of their lives to becoming so proficient with it that nobody can do it better. Maryein, however, take this to an extreme; to the point where the very fundaments of the ability itself seem to apply to them and everyone around them. Collin: That sounds... wild. I can't even imagine what they'd have to specialize in to do whatever this thing can. Karumet: In order to influence the actions or perceptions of others; I'm guessing they would've been a kleivenn that specialized in, well, helping others. Something like a councilor; or a guard... Collin: Seriously? That thing didn't sound like it wanted to be helpful. Karumet: From my understanding, it only asked for something it was asked to find; nobody got hurt in the process... Collin: Well yeah, but it messed with one person so badly that she was going to bomb us if we didn't help, and just getting close to Jay caused him to have this weird vision or something later on. Karumet: That does sound out of the ordinary. Shalvenn, maybe... Collin: Shalvenn? Karumet: A kleivenn corrupted against its original purpose; something like that could throw one's abilities out of whack. Collin: That definitely sounds more like what we saw. Still, I'm guessing by the sound of it you've never seen a kleivenn that could do that before? Karumet: Not that I remember. Shalvenn kleivenn are considered similar to...well...you have a human equivalent, but they aren't considered criminals. They're separated from society; locked away; frowned upon. To go against your purpose so strongly you lose yourself is always either an incredibly noble or shameful cause.

but either way, kleivenn still see shalvenn as the kleivenn they were before

Collin: Hmm... Well, at least we have a better idea of what we're probably dealing with now. Still, I can't help but wonder why they wanted to get a hold of Jay so badly. Karumet: Jay? Wasn't Demo the one that got kidnapped? Collin: Well, actually now that I think about it, I'm not sure it was going for anyone specifically. I guess it just wanted any of us for... whatever reason. I guess to pull us to its side or whatever? Karumet: It might've just been dissatisfied by not being able to get the answer it wanted. Collin: I guess that could be the case. I don't know, that whole exchange was just bizarre. I don't really understand this thing at all. Anyway, I'll go tell the others about this so they're in the loop. Thanks Karumet. Karumet: Of course. Hopefully this helps you. Collin: Yeah, here's hoping. Anyway, I'll see you later.

He gives a small wave and then heads back for the console room. Nydins and Rio are the only ones left in the console room. Collin: Oh, Demo and Jay left? Nydins: Yeah, Demo started trying to talk to Jay, but he wanted to sit down because he figured it'd be a long conversation, so they went off down the hall. Collin: Huh, I didn't see them on my way back. I'm gonna go check on them real quick. I'm trying to keep a close eye on Jay in case anything else weird happens. Nydins: Alright; I'll be here. Collin doubles back and stops by Demo's door, giving it a couple of small knocks. Demo answers the door. "Oh, there you are. Guess you wanna talk to Jay?" Collin: Yeah, I got a few bits of info from Karumet. Everything alright here? Demo: Yeah, he's acting alright, just nervous. I keep telling him to quit worrying about that asshole, but he won't listen to me. Collin steps inside the room. "Well, it doesn't sound /too/ bad, I guess? Karumet said it might've been something called a Shalvenn kleivenn. It's like a kleivenn that went against its purpose or whatever and its powers became corrupted as a result."

it’s a shalvenn maryein! consider shalvenn a status and maryein the species or whatever. you wouldn’t call a sick baby a sick, so you should call the maryein a maryein :7

alienrabitt: That just sounds sad... Collin: Yeah, but at least it's not some sort of like, world-ending kleivenn or something. Anyway, just wanted to let you know what I found out. How're you holding up, Jay? alienrabitt: I just really can't shake this weird feeling; it's like standing in the eye of a storm... Collin: Hm... Not sure if that's related to that vision thing or not. Well, the "good news" for now is that we're not even the ones in danger right now. We're just waiting to hear back from Maya at this point. alienrabitt: ...Y-yeah, right. Maybe I'll feel better when she's back... Collin: Is there anything I can do to help in the meantime? alienrabitt: I don't know, I just...ugh; I just want to stop feeling like this... Collin: Well, do you wanna go take a nap or something for a little while? I'm not really sure what else could help, honestly. Demo: He looks like he's ready to take a nap right here; dude, something's seriously not right. I knew that thing never had its eyes on me; you two are the only ones who it could rely on. Look, just...don't leave; don't try anything stupid. Whatever happens; we can handle it together.

alienrabitt: N-no, it's not that, I just...I just want this to stop; really...

Demo: And we'll figure out how to stop it, okay? Maybe it'll stop when the kleivenn is dead; please, just wait this out a little bit...

As Jay gets out of his seat, Demo immediately blocks the doorway to stop him from leaving, but fails to notice the wall behind her distorting. Breathing heavily, Jay staggers forward.

alienrabitt:  ...Get out of my way...I don't want to be here...

Demo: Too damn bad! Just sit down; we can handle this, I promise! You think you're the only one haunted by possibilities when you sleep? Back off; I mean it!

alienrabitt: ...Get out!!

Waving his injured arm, Jay knocks both Collin and Demo through the distorted wall, sending Collin crashing and tumbling into...sand. He finds himself in some sort of desert, with little more than a tiny, black ball beside him. The sun is high, and there is no wind at the moment. Collin: Wh... Oh God, what...

He blinks his eyes a few times as he looks around, readjusting his eyes. After a moment he turns back to the ball in the sand and scoops it up in one hand. "Fuck, alright... alone again, at least for now. Where the hell even are we...?"

He pushes himself up onto his feet and glances around for any sort of landmark.

There is something moving towards them in the distance; but it's slow, and seemingly small. Collin: ... Well, that's a start.

Collin starts heading toward it as well to investigate. There is a person dragging something similar to a sled attached to a staff by some rope through the sand. Nothing is attached to the sand sled, but the person still seems to be looking for something to place upon it. They have not noticed Collin yet. Collin: ... Can't be worse than being stuck out here, honestly.

He carefully stows Demo's marble in his pocket and then raises his hands up in the air, waving them back and forth as he calls out to try and get the figure's attention. The person stops in their tracks for a moment, placing the staff down on the sled as they look for something. They take a moment to stare at Collin before quickly picking the staff back up and starting to rush over to where he is. Collin also hurries toward them, quietly muttering under his breath all the way there. "Please don't hit me with the stick. Please don't hit me with the stick." Reaching the bottom of a dune, the person stops, stabbing their staff into the sand to keep their sled from sliding away from them. Raising their voice, they shout to Collin: "You really don't look dressed for this kind of place! Are you lost?!" Collin: You could definitely say that! Where am I? ???: Two weeks away from anywhere else! Well, except for my home; but that's still a bit of a walk! Collin: I can live with walks. Getting stuck out here with no clue where to go, not so much. But seriously, where am I? Sitting on their sled, the person stops to dump sans out of their boots.

"People call it the Sealess Sands. Used to be an ocean here about a thousand years ago, but the whole thing mysteriously dried up." Collin: ... Alright, I'm definitely a little out of place then. So you live out here? ???: Absolutely; since the day I was born. Collin: But... how? And why? It doesn't look like there's anything but sand here. ???: People come through our village to trade what they have. Back when the sea was here; this location was uninhabitable; but there was an island with some incredibly rare resources on it that people have been traveling to get their hands on for centuries. Collin: Oh, so you live where that island used to be? ???: Yes, we do! Right on top of it. Collin: That makes sense. Oh, uh, I'm Collin, by the way. ???: Yaja. Collin: Nice to meet you, Yaja. Were you on your way back home, by any chance? I wasn't exactly prepared to be in a place like this long, as you can probably tell. Yaja: Not really, but I haven't found any traders either, so I guess I can bring you home instead.

They pull their boots back on. "My father's going to have quite the talk with me about dragging home strange men out of the desert, though; but I never expected the man I found to look like you." Collin: Huh? What do you mean by that? Yaja: Something a boy wouldn't understand. Are you sure you'll be able to walk in these sands dressed like that?

THAT IS...MY FAVORITE JOKE...

Collin: Uh, give me just a second.

He glances down at his left leg as the green shard inside it glows faintly. The sand beneath his feet seems to shake slightly for a moment, becoming just solid enough to make his footing easier. "Okay, I think I can manage with that." Yaja gives him a curious look before turning around and heading back up the dune. "Stranger and stranger..." Collin starts to follow them up but pauses for another moment, making the blue shard glow slightly as well. He seems much more comfortable as he continues back up after them, quietly commenting to himself. "Much better. That was getting pretty hot..."

this is another thing that makes me wonder what the fuck Collin is wearing since I know he would never wear shorts

are all the shards just bright enough to be seen through his pants leg?

Yaja: How did you even wind up in a place like this by yourself? Collin: That's... sort of a weird story. Let's just say I got dumped here, so now I need to try and find my way back. Yaja: Sounds like you're in more heat than the desert. Collin: You're not too far off, I guess. But for now I just need to not die in the middle of nowhere, which should be a heck of a lot easier with you here. Thanks again, by the way. Yaja: You just got lucky; if it weren't for me, you'd still be baking like a cake out there. Collin: Most likely. Never really studied desert survival, unfortunately. Yaja retains her curiosity as the pair returns to her village. Propping up her sled and staff by the door of her home, Yaja pulls the scarf around their face down. "Looks like nobody's home yet; lucky for you." Collin: Why's that? Are you guys normally not a fan of visitors? Yaja: Oh, on the contrary; my mother would be thrilled to have you. Collin: Oh, well that's a pleasant change of pace. You had me worried for a second there. Yaja: I'm not sure what glowing thing is in your pocket; but it seems to be getting brighter now. Collin: Huh?

He glances down and then hurriedly pulls it out of his pocket. "Oh boy, uh, you might have another guest here in a second." The black ball unfurls like flower petals, but a flower does not bloom forth; rather, it is a leafy sea dragon that is made from small, black, plastic bricks; its fins a glowing, translucent lime green material somewhere between plastic and rubber in terms of texture. Between the bricks is a more pronounced glow, but this is muted by the sunlight coming through the windows.

this isn’t Demo’s Actual True Form but my old inside joke is true. I am made of legos

Yaja: Congratulations; your egg hatched into...a seahorse? Collin: That's... not exactly what I was expecting. Uh... Demo? The sea dragon lies there for a moment before the familiar black sands of Anubis blow in, and Demo returns to her normal form, accompanied by a concerned Anubis.

Demo: Wh-what--?! Damn it; he just threw us out here...?! Ugh...! Collin: Woah, easy there. Look on the bright side, we're already out of the desert. Demo: Y--... Demo glances over to her Anubis. "How long has he been there? Did he see me? ...He did?" She looks redder than usual. Collin: Look, it's not that big of a deal. Honestly I'm just glad you weren't actually hurt or something. I don't remember that marble being black before. Demo: That wasn't my marble; I don't keep it on my person! Collin: ... Wait, then what was...? Demo grumbles something quietly. Collin: Huh? Demo looks at the floor when she answers.

"...--url up when I get--..."

c....cute......

Collin: ... Ah. Well uh... A-Anyway, this is Yaja. She's the one that bailed us out of that desert. Yaja, this is Demo. Yaja: What is this demon and why is it summoning more?!

Demo: Hey, I'm not the demon; she's still at home!

yeah, because telling someone you consort with Actual Demons will make them feel soooo much better

Collin: Good lord, everyone just calm down for a second. Demo, can you dismiss your friend? We're already kinda pushing the comfort zone here. Demo: ...Fine.

The Anubis vanishes, but Yaja still looks a little concerned. Collin turns back to Yaja. "Demo's not a demon, I promise. Kind of a jerk, but not a demon. We both got dumped out here, I was just keeping her safe in my pocket until now." Yaja: I don't know where you actually came from, but you should go back...something like this is too much for me to hide. Collin: I understand. We'll try to get out of your hair as soon as we can. Demo, how are we gonna get back anyway? Demo: If I can find any kind of fake door, I can get us home. Collin: "Fake door"? Demo: I can unlock any doors; but a door with no destination needs somewhere to go; and where else would a door to nowhere lead than a place with no set exit? Collin: That's... a really weird condition, but I guess it makes sense in a way. Uh, Yaja, do you know where we could find something like that?

this is the whole “Roger Rabbit Trickster Factor” thing I tried to explain when Daedalus got res’d; while he can only do it to a lesser degree, Demo is capable of manipulating reality to hilarious degrees, making the impossible possible...but only in cartoonish ways, like this!

Yaja: There's a mural in town that has a few doors on it. You could probably use that... Collin: Would a drawing of a door really work, Demo? Demo: If it's big enough. And a mural sounds big enough for me. Collin: Alright, guess it's worth a shot then. Can you take us there? Yaja: ...Yes, but you'd better not bring out any more weird things; people I can cover for; those? Definitely not.

Demo: Calm down; I'm not gonna call anything here on purpose. I can open doors all by myself.

Reluctantly, Yaja heads back out of her home. Collin heads for the door but glances back at Demo for just a second. "... A seahorse, huh?" Demo: N-nobody will believe you; so keep your mouth shut! I'll leave you here!! Collin: Your secret's safe with me, don't worry. Demo: Not all of us get to be dragons, you know...that's actually really uncommon... Collin: I mean, Jay was a bunny for a little while. I'm... not sure what he is now though. Anyway, Yaja's waiting on us.

cannocly, Demo’s True Form is...bass boosted cat

Demo: ...Right, no reason to keep a lady waiting and all that.

Demo heads outside. Collin follows her out. The trio arrives at the town mural; the redundancy of a building being painted on another building easily capable of being overlooked in favor of the style of the building in the painting itself; large and crystalline with an endless expanse of ocean surrounding it. Collin: Woah. What is this mural, exactly? Yaja: Supposedly, the place that was here before the ocean dried up. The people that lived here were also rumored to be inhuman, though none of them remain. Collin: So what happened to the giant crystal building? Crystals don't usually evaporate, to my knowledge. Yaja: It was swallowed by the sands. We haven't found most of it; but the things that we have found, everyone around us wants. Collin: Makes sense. You wanna try opening this thing up, Demo? Summoning forth her Candy Cane, Demo uses it like a crowbar, prying the painted door open and making a way into the Grief House instead of the IT.

Demo: Not home, but it can get us there. Didn't really wanna walk right in anyway... Collin: I guess that makes sense, yeah. Well, thanks for bailing us out of that desert, Yaja. Hopefully we weren't too much trouble. Yaja: So long as nobody sees you on your way out, I think we'll all be just fine. Collin: Alright, we'll get out of your hair then. Take care!

He ducks inside the doorway and waits for Demo. Carefully closing the door behind herself, Demo let's out a sigh of relief. "We're lucky we had a way out of there..."

Collin: No kidding. God only knows what's happening on the IT right now... Demo: ...Are you sure we should just run in there? Collin: I mean, we could try sneaking in from somewhere, but I'm not sure how much good that will do us. Unless you had some sort of other plan in mind...? Demo: I mean...if we don't know what we're dealing with, should we? Maybe we could sneak a look like we did before OZ? Collin: I... forgot about that, honestly. That might be worth doing. Turning around, Demo grabs the handles of the double doors, takes a deep breath, and addresses them: "Show me Jay."

The doors oblige with their projected screen, but Jay seems to be staring right back. "There you are! I was worried you two had been sent somewhere we wouldn't be able to find you! You're alright, right?" Collin jumps slightly as Jay pops into view. "U-Uh, yeah? How're you...?" alienrabitt: "Nydins is right here, after all. Besides, is there anywhere else you two could be?" Collin: I mean, we were in a desert for a little while. alienrabitt: "Huh? Did I send you to Kujaar?" Collin: I'm... not sure where you sent us exactly. But that's not really important right now. I'm more concerned about the fact that you just tossed both of us out of the IT!

I thought it was kinda obvious

the Sealess Sands are the remnants of Atlantis

"Hey, I didn't do it on purpose! I'm glad you're okay, though!" Collin: What about you? You seem... well, better since we last saw you, that's for sure. alienrabitt: "Well yeah; I worked out the problem!" Collin: ... What problem. alienrabitt: "Jay, obviously. Though Demo is just as much of a problem; but now that I know where she is,  it's not a problem at all anymore!" Collin: Wait, what the hell are you talking about? ???: "I'm pretty sick of you guys ruining my life; I mean, I didn't take my second chance to lose everything I had a second time, y'know. This is my family too; and I can't have my family getting torn apart all the time! So you're staying right there; at least, until we can figure out what to really do with you all." Collin: Who are you? Why is Nydins not saying anything? ???: "Oh, come on; you called Jay my name for like, a year. I'm Tori; you know that. And, well, don't worry about that! She's busy; that's how I can talk to you."

so, I thought this plot twist would be interesting for a multitude of reasons

we know Jay’s wish-based powers (the ability to see any future events that could separate him from Collin); his powers as a hermes (the ability to create illusions/diversions); and his powers as a saa (the ability to open doors to anywhere)

we don’t know Tori’s abilities as a saa or even what their own personal wish was when they were brought back as a hermes/recycled into a saa again (so we don’t even know if they’d die if/when Jay and Collin did)

since they’ve been pretty dormant, nobody would expect them to be plot relevant, even if Jay and Demo have pointed out on multiple occasions that they very much are to both of them personally

Collin: Well, you've got us. You just plan on keeping us in here or something? ???: "Uh, yeah; what did you expect me to do, let you come back here and stop me? Nobody's gonna find you way out there; and you can't mess with my stuff, either!" Collin: Your stuff? You better not be talking about everyone else; they're not just things! ???: "Whatever. At least they listen to me when I try to get serious. Look, just stay there, okay? Don't do something we're gonna regret." Collin: Demo, just cut this off... The screen on the door vanishes, and Demo places her back up against the wall. "...What do we do now?"

Collin: Well, we stop them, obviously. We've got to get on the IT and... I don't know, snap them out of it or something? God, some things just never change, do they... Demo: Sounds like we'd have to get through everyone else to do that... Collin: Shit... I guess whatever that shalvenn did to Jay hit Tori too. Maya's already hunting that down though, unless something went wrong there too.

oh no, you’re misunderstanding, it didn’t bother Jay at all since we both know what happens when it messes with Collin and Jay, it only messed with Tori

Demo: They do share a body. Should we just wait for Maya? Collin: That seems... I don't know, can we at least check on her from here or something? Surely we can't just sit here. Getting up, Demo turns back to the door. "Show me Maya."

The screen reappears, and Maya is meeting back up with Nuru.

Nuru: "...Well, you managed to destroy both ships, but the...kleivenn, was it? Was successfully exterminated. I suppose we should be congratulating you..."

Maya: "Save your parades. I need to get back to that box..."

Nuru: "Those guys left a few hours ago...I don't know when they'll be back."

Maya: "So much for not leaving me here. Well, this isn't Earth, right?"

Nuru: "Oh, no; the Earth was eaten--"

Maya: "Finally; something's working out for me for once! Alright, take me to a bar." Collin: ... Well, it's dead, and Jay isn't back to normal. So much for that plan. Demo: So, we storm our home, huh? Collin: It's looking like it. Can we get to Maya from here? It'd be nice to have anyone else on our side. Demo: Worth a shot.

Demo opens the doors to the room Maya and Nuru are in, much to their confusion.

Nuru: ...That's not your vending machine...

Maya: Jeez, what the hell? You guys tried to ditch me in space too! Collin: Not our choice. Whatever that thing did to Jay has only gotten worse, and he wound up throwing us out and taking the IT and everyone else with him. Maya: Oh, you got housejacked! Well, can you find them too? Collin: We can, and we could probably get in too. The problem is that I'm not sure what we're gonna be dealing with once we get back. Maya: Nothing guns can't fix.

Demo: Do not shoot his friends!!

interestingly enough, the guns Maya uses only do white damage, which means...it’s strictly mental damage! the guns also don’t do much raw damage, but they have a high fire rate :7

Maya: Didn't you have some gods or something with you? Can't you just tell them to fix it and bring home to you? Collin: I... Maybe? I'm not sure what's going on over there but give me a minute.

He closes his eyes and rubs one side of his face slightly. His brow furrows a couple of times over the next minute or so before he finally opens his eyes again "Alright, Fereldir was able to manipulate the IT's controls. It should be back here in just a minute."

Maya: H-huh? You could've done that the whole time? Why'd you even bother coming to me, then?! I could be drinking right now! Collin: I wasn't even sure I'd be able to reach them! This stuff isn't exactly second nature to me yet anyway. Maya: ...So what exactly is the plan here, anyway? Walk in, find your...uhh...date? And do what? Collin: I don't know. We've gotta snap them out of whatever this is somehow. Nuru, how'd you get Lana back to normal anyway? Nuru: She wouldn't listen to anyone else, but she calmed down more around me. She wouldn't quit talking about Asra, though, so I just punched her across the room. She crashed through a table, spat out some blood, and started talking like herself just fine. Didn't even have to drag her home.

Maya: I'll punch a kid; I don't care. Collin: I was afraid that was gonna be your answer. Alright, let's just wait for the IT to get here and if push comes to shove... we'll fix it. Nuru: Just...be careful. She sounded like she knew what she was doing...I'm sure your friend does too.

With that, the IT reappears. Collin: We'll do our best. Alright, no sense in waiting any longer, right?

He steps forward and pulls the IT door open. Nydins is at the console, but she seems to be half lying on top of it. She does not respond to the door opening.

Maya: ...I still have loaded guns, you know. Collin: Do. Not. Shoot. Anyone. Maya: Fine, fine; but if you die, it's not my fault. Collin: Dying is the least of my concerns right now. Demo cautiously approaches Nydins, checking for a moment before sighing in relief. "She's not dead, but she's not awake either...I don't know what happened to her..."

Collin: Maybe Tori knocked her out or something. God knows what they're capable of right now. Where are they, anyway? Demo: Don't know...you two go ahead; I don't want to leave her alone like this... Collin: Alright, I guess we'll try our room first. Maya: I've got your back. Unless you want me to go first... Collin: I'll go first. They might not immediately try something if the first person they see is someone they recognize. Tori is in their room, along with XL; Firefly; and Rio. Nobody seems to pay the door any attention besides Tori, however.

alienrabitt: ...You came back. Why are you like this? You know I'm trying to help you, right? Collin: Help me? By throwing me in a desert and doing whatever this is to my friends? alienrabitt: Ugh, you don't even know what's good for yourself. Jay's gonna spend the rest of his life holding your hand if I can't figure this out...look; nobody's hurting or anything; I mean, I'm just asking them to do stuff they've already done before. Finding solutions to complex problems, that's what you do, right? And you're still doing it, just for a different reason and place. Collin: And what is that supposed to mean? alienrabitt: It means that doing all this is the right thing to do, obviously! So...just let me do it! I don't want to make a mess out of this, alright? Collin: I'd say you've already made a mess of whatever this is you're doing! Nydins is out cold in the console room, and everyone else here is just... mindless! alienrabitt: Hey, they can't fight or anything like this, can they? I'm doing them a favor! I'm doing all of you a favor; why can't you realize that?! Collin: Look, just stop this. All of this. The only thing you're doing is taking their lives away. This is the only warning you're getting. alienrabitt: What if I don't want to? What if I never wanted to do what I was told, huh? What if I just want to do what I feel is right?

Tori just...wanted their family to be safe, and that’s what got screwed up

Collin mutters something under his breath for a second before he speaks back up. "Fine, then see how this feels!" He holds up one hand toward them and unleashes a strong blast of pure force straight at their chest. As Tori goes crashing into the wall, it seems like everyone else in the room suddenly snaps to their senses.

Firefly: Wh-what happened?! Collin? When did you get here?

Rio: What happened to Jay?! Collin: It's a weird story, just give me a minute.

He quickly rushes over to Tori and kneels down next to them, trying to make sure they weren't too badly hurt. alienrabitt: Ughhh...Collin? I...oh, god, I am so sorry... Collin: It's fine, don't worry. It doesn't look like anyone was really hurt. alienrabitt: Ugh, I just wasn't expecting...that. Guess I made a pretty bad impression here...this is definitely not what I wanted; but I guess I'm gonna keep drawing that straw...I'm glad everyone's okay, though. Collin: Hardly the first time something's made you go off the rails. I was just worried I'd hit you too hard. alienrabitt: I'm...a lot sturdier than I look now. I'm not the same as Jay, after all. Collin: What, you're stronger than him or something? . alienrabitt: ..Or something sounds about right. I have different abilities. He wanted to be able to be with you; but the only thing I've ever wanted is just...to be safe, and to be able to make a life worth living. He's capable of seeing things that are able to happen; and capable of surviving anything, so as you're alive. Collin: Well, you certainly seem to have an interesting way to keep your own wish, huh? alienrabitt: ...What's that supposed to mean? Just because I share a body with Jay doesn't mean I'm not separate... Collin: I mean, I've never seen Jay do anything like what you were doing just a second ago. alienrabitt: Jay can't do that. What I'm capable of is entirely separate...but I don't do that sort of thing. I try not to do much of anything, really... Collin: We can talk this out more later if you want. For now let's get you out of the floor. Still gotta fill in the others after all.

He stands upright and holds a hand out to them. Sighing, Tori allows him to help them up. "...Yeah, right..."

and they never talked again

I wish that was a joke, but no, we...forgot to talk to them again

anyway next log is Maya going back on her bullshit, lmao