[Post-Event Post] I don't need safety, I've grown up

[itstheend]

They wake up.

They wake up, and for a moment it's a confusion as two sets of impulses try to sit up, try to roll over, what is this why can't I move-

It all comes flooding back, and the thrashing, twitching body goes still, glassy eyed, panting.

*...
*Hi Chara.

Breathe. Breathe.

*Sorry I kicked you out.

Chara groans and presses their palms to their eyes. There's a dual storm of self-loathing here, turbulence kicked up by the past crashing into the future. Things that neither wanted to come to light, exposed. Breathe.

Well then. Damage control. Lock this all away and focus on getting up. They've been sleeping under a bench in the chapel this past month - they touch the back of their head with their fingers where they just cracked it on the pew. Didn't notice, in the heat of the moment. It seems that the Castle always shoves Frisk back into Chara.

They get up, and start walking - no particular destination, but places they are avoiding. The library. The balcony. The swings, certain spots in the garden, the kitchens. They just need to run, and they do, and when running's not enough, when their legs burn and their lungs are filled with knives from the cold air they screech to a halt and scream and punch a window, bright glass shattering, before turning on a vase. Anything inanimate nearby is getting destroyed.

Frisk makes no move to stop them.

For Poke-Frisk and Sparks:

There's something that needs to be done, and it has to be done sooner rather than later. Frisk would prefer to give the apology in person but... that would raise some questions they don't think Chara would particularly want to answer right now.

While they do have control over the body (it aches - Chara themself has retreated to a ball at the far back, spent) they spend some time making enquiries - they don't know where the Frisk with red eyes and the dog monster live, and need to to slide this under a door. They've written an apology letter (and not a Bureau of Communication one).

They feel terrible about attacking Sparks -  they're pretty sure that was Sparks, even if he looked different - and it profusely says so.

Comments

[lawofcycles]

[The crash makes one particular human look up from her spot in some hallway or another and come running. Its Ms. Meddlesome to the rescue! There are so many fighting violent sounds in the castle, and Madoka just can't leave them be. She turns the corner, nearly slipping into the room with these ridiculous heels and catches sight of a grade schooler who looks to be a year below her standing bloodied in a room. ]

O-oh my gosh! [Her gloved hands go up to her mouth. She looks around at the smashed glass and the blood on their hands.] I uh, your hand! Oh, w-were you attacked! [She's nearly ready to draw her bow and start dashing down the hallways to find it. But helping people out first is more important, that's Mami's creed! ] Its ok, I can help with that!

permissions post on this account if u want to set bounderies

[collectyourfriends]

No matter who they ask, there'll be no leads for most of the day. Frisk isn't in the mood to be found, and neither are their Pokémon--Sparks for the same reason as his Trainer, and the rest due to feeling...strange. Being blinked out of existence due to not being born and returned was an uncomfortable experience, and the fact none can remember what happened left them all on edge.

Not all of them are content with hiding and sleeping it off, however.

Hush delicately steps from stone to stone in the garden, avoiding leftover snow and swathes of mud and grass.

He catches coiled distress and a thought of Sparks in a hall nearby, and chooses to float himself up to press against the window. He doesn't dig, as that's considered rude, but he wants to see if there's going to be obvious trouble.

[itstheend]

[There's nothing being fought here other than Chara's own inner - hah - demons. A blank encounter.

*But nobody c-

Somebody has come, and they slowly turn their head to look at her. Ordinarily they might mentally comment on the overwhelming impression of pink, or Frisk might point out how much she looks like a magical girl to catch Chara's interest.

Neither are in the mood today. Chara's mind is a television turned to channel Static, and the expression they fix her with is somehow simultaneously blank and withering. A drop of blood spats to the floor.

Their jaw works, as if shoving gears back into place. Jeez lady, you sure know how to pick 'em. An attempt must be made.]

No.

[Well, it's something. No, they were not attacked. No, she cannot help.]

sometime before my post. if this isn't okay, lmk.

[voidster]

Did someone call for a punching bag?

They're running. He can't. He's incapable of moving that quickly in this body made of voidstuff, even if he does away with his illusion of his old legs and chooses to glide along instead. He doesn't bother to try. Sorry, child, he tried to keep his promise, and his black 'coat' stands out like a sore thumb. He'll surely be seen. Mentally, he's facepalming, sensing disaster to come.

no worries! o7

[itstheend]

Over the course of a day without any sense of getting any closer Frisk has only been getting antsier and antsier. It's enough that it's been seeping through to Chara's side like liquid sandpaper, with snappishness as a result, and Frisk pushing back because they just can't right now okay and- it's a mess. The equivalent of a mental scribble.

They've been down this hallway before they think, but they just... don't care right now. They've become increasingly fixated on the letter and stopping only makes the restlessness worse.

But they do catch movement in the corner of Chara's eye, and turn to look. Oh. It's a monster they haven't seen before. Well, it's always worth asking. Maybe they'll know. They fold the letter into Chara's sleeve and then come over, waving as a hello.

Their face isn't really wanting to be as friendly seeming as they need it to be right now, stuck in a flatness, but they do their best anyway - the corner of their mouth twitching and going still.

[lawofcycles]

[She practically wilts under that glare, taking a step back and looking down, hands gripping her skirt. Oh. Ahahah. Stupid thinking then, that she could help. She kind of wants to wither up and dissapear. ]

O-ooh. Um, oh I'm sorry if I'm bothering you. [She gulps, fixing her eyes straight at the floor instead of their eyes. Internal screaming abounds. She doesn't find the red weird, but the way they look at her like she's the worst thing in the world hits a little hard. She fixes on a little shaky grin. ] I j-just meant I can uh, fix your hand!! I thought maybe you'd want that? You probably don't huh. Uh, I'm sorry.

[itstheend]

[It's easy for pink eyes to seem red in this light, especially since the glimpse was brief. Another one, then.

You're not the worst thing in the world, Madoka. That would be them.]

You can do healing magic.

[The tone is flat, more statement than question. This fits with what they've learned of demons in one sense and is odd in another.

The thought of foreign magic being used on them is about as pleasant as that of foreign touch, right now. They flex the bleeding hand, feeling the shards still in there move, and flick more blood to the ground and let it fall to their side. It hurts like a motherfucker, but that was largely the point.

*...she's like Alphys.

No response to and for that.]

What is it you want, Pinky?

[A nickname used previously for Mettaton, but very apt here, they feel. They would like her to get to the point, if there is one, and the tone says as much - not hostile so much as brusque. The talk of healing and bothering - it just feels like the lead in to a sales pitch, for Chara. Why is she here?]

[lawofcycles]

Uh! Yeah! That was my wish see! To heal something! So I can heal lots of things now! [She's not making a lot of sense but this kids gaze is making her feel so terribly nervous. She glances at their hand again and winces at the flick. ] Um you s-shouldn't do that!! You don't want to damage a nerve!

[She's the nurses aid after all, and having healing magic has only been a plus. She knows that there's a lot of important stuff in hands! Stuff you don't want to mess up! ]

Pinky? [She sounds befuddled.] Oh uh, you mean the outfit. It is a little much...isn't it? [Pinky is a little rude though, and she somehow deflates a little more. They're speaking English, she thinks, so it'd be best to introduce herself by first name. ] I'm Madoka. Madoka Kaname. It's nice to meet you?

....I just wanna help. It's my job.

(also probably going to be a lil slow whenif frisk themselves gets involved tbh)

[collectyourfriends]

Demon eyes certainly seems to be a theme, doesn't it? There's a pair of huge ones on this creature.

He doesn't need to press for their thoughts and feelings to ram into his space. Letters, words in a human way. Sorry, they whisper. Overlaying it is arguing, sharp and rough and smooth and red.

This window is one of those with glass, and Hush opens it with a graceful swing of an arm without a hand touching it.

The argument stains in his mind in spite of the focus turning to him. It echoes stronger than a memory or something imagined, and it was more than one voice.

His politeness isn't worth so much consideration in the long run. Still, he'll wait before pressing in too deep. What do they have to say?

One step inward until he's balanced on the very edge of the windowsill on the inside. He seems taller this way, and he inclines his head to show he's listening.

[itstheend]

[You shouldn't do that, she says, and Chara has the immediate and visceral urge to do the opposite, and a current deficit of fucks to give about blocking it.

They flick the hand again - ow there's definitely a twinge there - this time at her. She's probably not close enough for blood to get on her clothes, but it's a nice thought.]

It looks like you became lost on the way to an anime convention.

[Believe it or not, this is actually them being more willing to engage.]

If it is nice to meet me then perhaps you need to re-evaluate your life. Or your eyesight. Quite possibly your job, as well.

[THEY'RE A TOUGH INDEPENDENT RPG PROTAGONIST WHO DON'T NEED NO PARTY HEALER.]

[lawofcycles]

[She winces a little more at the flick, eyes squeezing shut. No no no! She's not as squeamish as some other girls she knows, but no normal middle schooler thinks blood being flicked at them is normal] P-please stop that.

Ahahahaaa. Yeah. It does, doesn't it? I guess my life is kind of like one of those.... [Tfw ur a magical girl in a universe where magical girl related media is a thing. Why did you make Madoka canonically read manga Gen. Why? ]

[The last statement makes her cock her head a little. ] Why?


[They kind of remind her of the way Homura gets sometimes. They certainly talk like her. This does not speak wonderfully for Madoka's standards. ]

[itstheend]

[That gets them to smile. It's not exactly a nice one.]

Well, you have not had the most pleasant experience thus far, have you? I can assure you it does not get better.

[This is Chara, take or leave them, hopefully leave them, etc. They do however, let their hand fall to their side again - the point's been made - and tilt their head, eyes narrowing in scrutiny.]

What do you mean by 'wish'?

[It makes them think of thousands of monsters futilely leaving their hopes on flowers and specks of crystal. Is her life that much like one? Ask for and recieve? Call and someone comes?

How lucky.]

[lawofcycles]

Well um [She fiddles with her skirt nervously. ] Just because you're being a little rude doesn't mean I shouldn't stop to see if you're ok, you know? What kind of person would I be if I didn't at least offer.

[A pathetic one, that's what. She's a hero of justice, not some cowardly little girl!! She's defeated things a lot spookier then a 7th year student! ]

Oh uh, for my contract! It was uh, part of my job? I had to make one if I wanted to get it. [She kind of side steps what it is. She doesn't know where she is and hiding it feels a bit silly when she's in this get up but...introducing herself as a magical girl feels so weird!! Especially when this kid is glaring at her like this. It doesn't make her feel very proud. ]

I made a wish and it came true and now I have magic and um, yeah!!

[itstheend]

A smart one, I should think.

[After all, no use wasting time, energy or soul power on people who are not going to reciprocate and who definitely would not be grateful. Or worse, those who would take overadvantage of such an offer. They'd be pleased to know they are coming across as somewhat spooky.]

You have to have a wish granted for this job. A job that gives you magic. And a costume.

[They know how magical girls work, broadly speaking. They arc an eyebrow (hours of practicing in a mirror paying off). Once more it's flat statements in lieu of questions. Their magic did not come so easily at all - is this what... envy feels like? It's a simmering kind, at the least.

*At least you can do it.]

What does this job entail, exactly, that you have such employment perks?

[There must be a catch somewhere. There always is. They refuse to believe there is a world where this is true at more than surface-level.]

[lawofcycles]

What!! No!! But thats so cruel!! I could never!! [Even if it was the smartest decision in the world to walk away, Madoka never would. It's what had made her such a pain to Homura from the very start and not the best magical girl in several other timelines. ]

Eh? [She looks so very flustered and buries her face in her hands. Aaaaaaaaah, so they did catch on!! How embarrassing. ] Oooh, um. Yeah.....

Uh. I think...you know. Fighting evil! Hero of justice! [She pumps a weak fist. Gotta be a good little soldier of hope.]

Ehehe, just fighting [A pause. Nightmares/Witches/Wraiths? Which was it again? Her face goes oddly blank for a second before she rightens. Perhaps if Chara is particularly astute, they might catch a faint purple gleam on the ordinarily pink gem at her chest. Oh of course, how could she have forgotten! Homura told her this one! ] ...creatures of despair!

[itstheend]

[She is reminding them of Frisk a great deal. Not in a way that's making them feel any fonder towards her, either.

She really does seem to be ripped from the animes. They can feel their interest in her waning by the second.

And then there's that flash of purple at her throat. Chara is tuned to those sorts of clues - monsters can't seem to avoid telegraphing their attacks with such things sometimes, and picking them up is often vital to a successful fight. And purple makes them think of KARMA and spiders, a binding effect of some kind.

They brace themself, but nothing happens. They half expected her to finish with "YOU!" and start shooting.

*Don't think she'd offer to heal you and then attack you, Chara.

Toriel, is all they think on the matter to Frisk. Perhaps it was just some kind of aid to memory, or some other passive effect. Or maybe it was just aesthetic, to accentuate the point. Still, they're a little more on guard. Creatures of despair, is that so? Very appropriate.]

Then you're in luck. There is one standing right in front of you.

[*Charaaaa

What, are they wrong?]

[lawofcycles]

Eheehe what? No you're not!

[She spreads her hands to accentuate her point. ] Those creatures just look wrong, like they don't fit in the world. And you would have attacked me by now, not stopped to talk or bled or-

[She's getting a little ahead of herself. Shes coughs into a hand. ]

Uh, sorry. I uh, didn't mean to uh, preach at you. Anyway....do you mind telling me your name? its ok if you don't want to...

[ She wants to know what to call them at the very least! Spooky and Mean Red Eyed Kid isn't much of a name. ]

[itstheend]

Oh, so like this?

[The tone is far too chipper. They are feeling especially contrary today, so they lift up the injured hand, concentration furrowing their brow. It's... harder, when they haven't had outside magic poured into them.

Fuck Kalak. They want to rip what they have of them out of their head, pour acid on it, and set it on fire. Just another piece of someone else jostling up their soul! What does that make it now, five? Come right on in! Nevermind the lock on the door, Chara's place is an open party!

They grit their teeth and push the energy forward even as they push the memories back. Blackness and redness starts at the tips of their fingers and curls inwards until it stops at the wrist, the pain receding with it. Maybe they should have used the other hand. It's too late now.

They wave the now very two dimensional looking hand at Madoka - no matter the angle, that's how it appears.]

My name is Chara. If you would prefer I attack you, I can certainly oblige.

[Do it you coward you fool. They are itching to break things. She did not mean to preach. A fight is just what the doctor ordered, or at least what the doctor was not heard to strongly advise against.

The doctor is Frisk, in this case. Frisk who is being very ignored, and resenting it.]

because intense first impressions are aaalways fun :>

[sassifist]

This... is unexpected for a number of reasons. Truth is, they just went looking for Papyrus and happened to stumble upon this castle by happenstance. They aren't entirely sure what's going on, truth be told.

The sound of shattering draws them closer. They don't mean to intrude. They know anger. They've tried not to be angry for the longest time. Tried to be the good kid. Friendly, fun, patient, appealing. But they know anger. They know what it's like to lash out.

It's not their place. They don't even know who this is. The smart thing to do is to run. To give 'em their space.

Foolishly, they approach instead.

"Um." Smooth, Frisk. Real smooth. "What happened?"

Because it's obvious that something did. Better that than to ask if they're okay when they obviously are not.

perfect, my friend. might tag u later for a twofer : D

[itstheend]

Disaster would be right. They are very much not in the best mood right now - their mind roars for LV, and half the reason they're running (bruises from crashing into corners too fast, they don't care) is to keep it down like bile. Difficult to attack and run at the same time. A good way of avoiding people.

Until it isn't, and- they know him. Their experience with him when younger wasn't unpleasant, but that's only churning up sick anger and hate now. He, or one of him, they can't be sure, saw them shelless.

It doesn't matter. Their Frisk presses the argument with scarf-Frisk into their mind and they toss it roughly aside.

"Doctor," they hiss as they slow to a halt in front of him. They don't make a move to attack - useless, just goes right through, but they are straight-backed and smiling and very, very pissed off to see him.

[lawofcycles]

"Um." [She doesn't look phased at all. I'm so fucking sorry Chara but you really don't measure up to any of the creatures of nightmares her conflicting memories supply as examples. Its just magic, even if she doesn't recognize. ] So are you a mahou shoujo as well?


[She starts a little, little neat gloved hands curling into fists.] Eh? What! No! I want to help! Not attack eachother, if you can use magic we're all on the same side, you know!

omg plz do I can never get enough frisk, driving chara or not

[voidster]

The best (only, really) damage control he has to offer is to turn and go the opposite way. Speaking is right out. Other than his eyelight fixing on their face for a moment, he doesn't acknowledge them at all.

Unfortunately, he's no faster than he was sixty seconds ago. He can't possibly outrun a young healthy child. What a blessing it is to have a physical body 99% of the time and how frustrating it is this very moment. So damned slow. He needs to work on recovering his ability to teleport, too.

He's not even concerned about himself. What will they do, stab him again? No, it's their feelings that matter. Even still. And poor Frisk, trapped inside the other child's body somewhere, having to feel the rage and fear ...

[itstheend]

[No!! They are scary!!! Fear them and their equivalent of puffed up fur!!

At the idea of them being a magical girl, Chara just. Starts laughing. And doesn't stop. This might go on for a while, before finishing abruptly with a-.]

No.

[They can feel Frisk entertaining the idea of being a magical kid at least. Traitor.

*We could ask one of the Mettatons for costume ideas.

They can tell it's mostly teasing but also, no. (If some part of them is relieved that Frisk is back to playful needling, it's kicked away.) If they were a mahou tsukai then they would be one of the dark, villain-y ones.

*Edgy.
*Your clothes even went all red and black too when, well - that's kinda like a transformation!

Speaking of... Chara lets their hand fall by their side. They aren't particularly inclined to dismiss the spell until she's gone - from the hollow sensation in their chest they can tell they aren't going to be able to do it a second time in this encounter if they dismissed it. But there's no more point in waving it around.]

The same side. Fighting these 'creatures of despair'. Is that the only thing you use your magic for?

[Which is to say, they don't entirely buy every single magic user being on the same side. People have differing motivations, and humans are terrible. Magic only adds another component into the mix.]

no worries! o7

[itstheend]

Silly, red eyes are normal for monsters. They can't be demons.

(Nobody is happy in this head at the moment, but the argument's subsided for now in favour of paying attention to the new interaction by both parties.)

Frisk watches Hush open the window with interest, but interest born of familiarity with mundane magic. They're getting the sense Hush can't speak, like Moldsmals, or just doesn't want to.

"Hi! Uh. Really sorry to bother you but I'm looking for someone? It's kinda important."

They fidget with the letter in Chara's sleeve, but don't withdraw it. It says something about their current off-balanced-ness that they haven't asked for the monster's name.

"A blue and yellow monster, um. About this high?" They indicate with a palm. "Or... a red eyed human with a bandanna? I need to give them something. D'you know where they are?"

There's the wheedling edge of stress in the words familiar to anyone who has been sent back and forth across a building with red tape, only this redness is entirely self-inflicted.

[collectyourfriends]

Stress scrapes across the air like a cat's tongue even without their words. It seems more happened than his trainer told them. Though Frisk told them all little in the first place before retreating into a silence, and he won't dig into their head easily.

...A monster, this human says.

Sparks is not a monster.

He begins by informing them of that.

Hush's pupils contract to slits.

In their head: a Moldsmal, since they thought of them already; a Snowdrake; a Froggit. All so very tiny, Sparks dwarfing them in a way he can't in reality, something far more solid, as well as the creature in front of them himself. Solid. Strong. (Smells like red.)

He advances in deeper than that, a soft breeze brushing across their mind--minds. There really is more than one human in here. He wonders why, but that's not what he's looking for--they're looking for his human and Sparks, and he needs to know why that is. In return, he filters a memory from just a few hours ago, silent and vivid:

Sparks lying down, Frisk sitting with their back against his side, a few other indistinct-yet-solid creatures huddled around them too. The air is filled with something buzzing--static, emotions fear-rage-confusion echoing and feeding into itself. Frisk is covering their face, red eyes wild and barred by their fingers, Sparks periodically jerking his head to look at them and back to glaring daggers in the wall.

Hush doesn't give them the information they seek--all there is is they're somewhere dark. The walls are stone. That could be anywhere.