(semi-open)

[debtor]

Date & Time: January 15th, or whenever
Location: somewhere in the creepy castle/hotel/museum
Characters: Allen Walker, Howard Link, Rosette Christopher, Chrono, and anyone else in the castle who feels like dropping by at any point.
Summary: SOUL SHENANIGANS and whatever else your heart desires. Open to castle antics.
Warnings: ALLEN WALKER IS FINE

[Allen sure is super unconscious suddenly.

And gray. For some reason.]



[And you may have heard someone screaming "I'M FINE" repeatedly at themselves near the castle grounds a short while ago, strangely.]

Comments

[debtor]

[And she's greeted with the GIANT LOOMING FIGURE OF CROSS MARIAN

slapping Allen Walker's face.]

[soul_sister]

[THAT MAN AGAIN!!!!




NO REALLY. THAT MAN AGAIN!

Her hands clench on the tent flap. Allen is quite a bit older... so something must have been ........... slight.............ly................. better?]

[debtor]

[YES

no.

No, not really.

The memory continues, uninterrupted for as long as she remains quiet, as Allen's back is to her and Cross doesn't take note of her at all. Allen, crouched on the floor and reeling from the hit, asks,]

I was... implanted...

When...?

[Cross just shrugs. "Huh? Oh... Sorry, I have no idea." And then the bickering starts - at least it seems they give each other as good as they get, now...?]

[soul_sister]

[This one, she stays by the door, listening quietly. The part about erosion...

Just like the Mind Eater, but far... far more powerful. But if it's like that... then this isn't hopeless, not even a little. Still, she hesitates, to hear the conversation out.]

[debtor]

[It continues on, until Cross crouches down and pulls Allen into a hug. It's a tender, fatherly gestures, for the first time (and quite probably last.) Though he's also telling the kid he's going to be erased by some evil spirit and die, but. Points for trying.

It fades away, leaving nothing but an empty circus tent behind.

Although if she turns back around, she'll suddenly find herself in a forest, at night. Allen's standing a little ways away (looking much the same, although his hair's a little longer), and besides Timcanpy, there's no one else in sight.

There's also some flat, massive glowing-white geometric shape floating in front of him, without explanation. At least it's a handy source of light.]

[soul_sister]

[She gives off her own light in the forest, bathing the trees around her in a soft hue... though her dress and hair begin to shred and fray. Time has gone long.]

Allen.

[She walks forward, towards him, without hesitation.]

[debtor]

[He pauses, before glancing at her over his shoulder. He clutches his left arm, which is bare and... appears to be sprouting ghostly feathers. Long story.]

You have to go back. [ years may have passed between memories, but the sentiment hasn't changed. ]

[soul_sister]

I'll go back when you go back with me. I'm not leaving you behind.

[It phases her less than it possibly should, sudden feathers and wings are something of a common occurrence in her life. On the other hand, she's never met anyone that there wasn't a price to them.]

If you go forward, I will too. If you close the way, I'll just find another one....

... I know what it's like to keep running, you know.

[debtor]

[He shakes his head. Adamant. Trying to keep his voice steady.]

I need you to stay away, Rosette!

I can't let you get hurt. Don't do this... If it's already begun...

[ in the background, Lenalee calls out. Allen moves closer to the Ark gate. ]

I was wrong to think I could come back. I need to keep moving forward, on my own.

1/3

[soul_sister]

[A hand grips his shoulder hard, and spin him around. As much as Allen possesses monstrous, inhuman strength, there WAS someone who could keep up with him on those snow fields.

Rosette reaches out, cupping both sides of his face in her hands before he can pull back. Her grip is firm, but gentle, her eyes looking over his face- lingering on the mark on his forehead- and...]

[soul_sister]

[CRACK!

SHE DELIVERS THE MOTHER OF ALL HEADBUTTS.]

[soul_sister]

THERE! RIGHT!? It hurts to be near people! To be friends! To love each other!

Glad we got that part over with!

1/3

[debtor]

[Staring back—]

[debtor]

[ OW FUCK WHY

THIS ISN'T EVEN HIS ACTUAL BODY how does that hurt so much ]

[debtor]

[There are tears in his eyes now, and not only because she might've broken his skull.

His face is rapidly heating up.]

It's safer to stay away! That's why- I can't let anything happen to you!

[Lenalee has landed in the grass nearby, asking him where he's going, does he understand what he's doing...

But on the other side, the Ark gate begins splintering and breaking apart, shards flaking off it and disappearing before they hit the ground. In fact, the forest itself seems to be having a rough time of things. Trees creak and crumble, and the sky starts to look a lot like canvas.]

[soul_sister]

No! It's easier!

[She braces herself, only looking away when a heavy pine trunk slams into the ground nearby behind her.]

I know... I know! It's hard. It's hard knowing that the struggles you go through hurts other people to watch. It's hard knowing that your presence may be what hurts, maybe even kills other people!

I know... sometimes standing in one place is so much pressure it feels like it's going to kill you.

But when all you do is run... when you leave them behind... they don't stop caring for you! They don't stop fighting for you.

1/2

[debtor]

[His shoulders hunch, gaze dropping. There isn't an ounce of joy in this smile.]

Mr. Break was right about you. [ reckless girl.

he takes a breath. ]

I made a promise, to never stand still. I can't stop moving forward. But I don't... I don't want to run away.

I want to fight for them. How can I do that, like this?

[debtor]

[Whoops, no.

A gloved hand grabs for her face and shoves her back, seemingly out of nowhere at all - and it's attached to this gent. Although he appears more mildly annoyed than anything else right now.

It's a nice speech and all, but you're getting in the way. He's just about had enough.]

Persistent, huh?

[soul_sister]

You- [Whatever she was going to say is cut off in a startled yelp as she is pulled back by her face like she weighed nothing at all. Her hands immediately come up and start prying at his grip, struggling to move forward again.]

Get off!

[debtor]

[He slowly removes his hand, as he glances her up and down, frowning to himself.]

How did you get in here?

[The forest is gone now. Behind him is some sort of... chair - it looks terribly uncomfortable, not least of all because Allen chained to it, struggling to keep his head up. Right in the middle of a big-top tent, in the center ring, surrounded on all sides by empty seating. Both he and the other man (who's really just a boy, himself) are dressed exactly alike.

It's probably safe to assume this isn't a memory.]

Rosette!

[soul_sister]

[No, no. Not a memory at all. The true soul always feels different. More real. She turns to the other boy, and just quietly, plainly.]

The Magdalene Order have more direct routes.

[She takes a breath, willing to try, at least.]

Please, unchain him.

[debtor]

[Nea cocks his head at her. 'Magdalene Order'? This is news to him.

He smiles though, not at all comfortingly. As a challenge,]

Or-? What will you do?

[Allen's struggling in his seat, wide eyes locked on her. This is all his fault, he can't do anything, he can't fight like this...]

[soul_sister]

There are ways, weapons of holy infused energy, based out of the soul. Sealing spells, expulsion rituals.

[She grins up at Nea, almost sheepish. She reaches out towards Allen, a gesture, seemingly innocuous, that she'd repeated in Allen's memories... She's not far, but the chains...]

But the truth is, I don't know any of them. I just want to know why you can't work together.

[debtor]

[Bright, inhumanly gold eyes watch her every movement, narrowing. Sealing spells don't work, he'd almost welcome her to try an expulsion ritual. Ha.

But he doesn't have time to bother with this. Shadows in the ground begin to ripple.

His posture's nothing but relaxed,] We are. I'm taking what was given to me.

[Allen has no idea what this guy is talking about, he didn't give this bastard anything; just ignore it, he tells himself. He stops himself, from yelling at her to run again, to get out of here before something happens, why would she risk anything...


no, that's the easy way out, isn't it. And she's much too stubborn to listen.

His forehead's still throbbing.

If she's going to insist, then he has to fight back for her. He yanks harder, rattling the chain links, trying to reach. If he could only move—]

[soul_sister]

[Her jaw tightens as she scowls at Nea. She's familiar with that face, every demon, every spirit, every ghost she'd stared down at her who assumed a puny little human like her couldn't hurt them...]

Everyone falls now and then, don't mistake it for giving up! This is just theft.

[With the last move she bursts into action, throwing all of her willpower into a punch, aimed at his STUPID, SMUG FACE.]