[Reintro of sorts] Insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity

[longlasting]

Adam Brooks is one for following the rules.

Not the inherent rules set out by law enforcement and people he is far above, no. Those are all based on an unwavering idea of morality that Adam refuses to see as productive. No, he's one for following the rules his mind has constructed in order to further himself towards a goal. These are rules that are based on his observations of the world around him, ones that make sense and help him make sense to others.

The rules help him look like a normal person. They're honestly quite helpful in a place like this, where Adam doubts his appearance would be taken well. Barnaby certainly hadn't taken it well, but Adam couldn't imagine any scenario where he would. It's not everyday your brother comes back from the dead, after all. That is, regrettably, a rule Adam has had to break.

But other rules have been easier to follow. They remind him to remove Barnaby's clothes so he can wear them as a disguise, without anyone asking about any regrettable blood stains. They remind him to walk like his brother and talk like him instead of screaming for revenge. He is cautious and careful.

Kotetsu will be found first. He needs to check on him and gain his trust immediately, so that he has someone to back him up. To laugh off his strangeness towards other prisoners in this strange castle as social ineptitude. Toshi will be found afterwards, with Kotetsu still at his side. He doubts his disobedient slave will rebel for a second with Kotetsu already in his grip. He'll be sweet and kind to both of them, just as Barnaby would. Follow the rules. Soon enough his opportunity will come to strike.

So those who are around the hallways may see someone very much like Barnaby walking over to his room, straightening his clothes before peering inside in his search for Kotetsu.

After his reunion with his dearest partner and the android made in his image, 'Barnaby' will be all over the castle. He adores the library as much as he always has, and seems to have picked up cocking as well. He is deliberately careful to stay quiet and calm, so only those with a sharp eye will notice anything strange. For example, that bunch of berries from the garden can't be used as an ingredient in his soup, right? They're poisonous... Some may find it odd to find him coming out of the armoury with a crossbow, or practicing violin in the music room.

Or perhaps you may catch him wandering up the stairs leading down to the basement late at night. What would he be doing down there? Surely it's not a bad thing to ask.

((Okay, let's see if I can get this asshole to cooperate with me this time! Adam Brooks is impersonating his brother, Barnaby, and will be friendly to most everyone he runs into, if a little forgetful. Should anyone notice his odd behaviour, though, he may be forced to do something not so nice... so a trigger warning for possible character mutilation and death in here, as well as psychological mindfuckery which happens with a character like Adam. Should you not want him to tag you, please message this account to let me know!))

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[dustless]

"You're not supposed to be here either!" 'Okay' isn't addressed, there's no reason to bother, liar liar liar.

So many cuts, all over. They try to look for the worst so they can maybe--maybe yank their scarf off and use it, but they can't tell which wound's the worst.

They twist and stand in a single smooth movement. "What are you doing!" they shrill through the bars.

[longlasting]

"Frisk!" Barnaby cries out, fearful eyes turned to Adam, who thankfully lets Frisk have their outburst for now. The worst cut is probably one on his lower arm, straight down the middle of the inside of his arm. It spasms and bleeds when Barnaby tries to shout.

Adam, meanwhile, doesn't flinch at Frisk's voice.

"I don't really expect you to understand."

"Frisk, he's upset because... I forgot about him, okay?" Barnaby mutters. Adam sneers.

"Such a simple understanding of things. How foolish."

[dustless]

Frisk jerks their head between them--Adam-Barnaby-Adam-Barnaby-Adam--Barnaby, dropping back to their knees with a loud snarl and work with their scarf, since that arm's really bleeding all over and they hope so so so much their scarf's not too dirty and gets him sick too.

"Forgot him! Forgot what! That's not you, that's Maverick! He did that! Idiot!" Frisk launches the last word over their shoulder with another filthy glare. They don't know who Adam is and they don't care, nothing justifies this. Bunny shouldn't act like it does even a little bit!

[longlasting]

Barnaby winces softly as Frisk starts bandaging him. Even if the compression will help, it's obviously painful now. He tries to get Frisk to be quiet, panicked that Adam will lash out. And indeed, he's looking angrier the longer this goes on.

"If it's all Maverick's fault, then why can I so easily remember what Barnaby can't? He tried to make us both forget, but it seems I was the only one who cared enough to keep those memories! He couldn't be bothered to even wonder where his own brother went!" His fist slams into the stone wall, before he glances down at the copy of Frisk and reaches out with his other hand, gripping tightly at their hair.

[dustless]

The replica thrashes and shoves at his hands, but they're not any stronger than Frisk--less, even, without teeth or the occasional boost of strength Judgment's fragment of SOUL gives the original.

Frisk wraps the scarf and ties it with maybe more roughness than Barnaby should be dealing with right now and swears. They've never gotten so mad at someone so fast (except maybe Pitch only even that's different) and they launch to their feet and swing at his arm too. "Let them GO!" Both of them, all of them!

[longlasting]

Adam holds them firm, despite the copy's struggling, despite Frisk's yelling and punching. He moves backwards, out of the way, with a cold grin.

"I don't think you're in any position to make demands right now," he warns. "I'm going to take your little friend here and figure out what exactly it is. You stay put, won't you? If you're good, I won't see any need to reprimand you, so maybe this time, you'll learn your place."

[dustless]

"They're magic! That's it!" Everything about this man makes their skin crawl.

The copy's head slams against the bars, and they stop struggling.

"You can't take them!"

It's not a refusal--not just a refusal. He can't. They're linked and he can't take them far or they'll teleport back to their original, and then he'll have to come in and Frisk will deal with him.

[longlasting]

“Hmm… You are correct about that. I can’t just take it, or it’ll be transported back to you, won’t it?” He tugs the copy skyward, looks curiously at its eye.

“Well, perhaps I can bring what I need here, and try figuring this thing out while you observe.”

It isn’t even a threat, just a casual suggestion. As if he doesn’t realize Frisk and Barnaby don’t want to see what he does in the name of curiosity. He’s already turning and walking away, letting the copy fall back down to the ground.

[dustless]

Frisk screams at him. No words, just noise, scraping their throat raw, echoing through the cell and hall, pure rage like they haven't felt since they were a demon holding puppetstrings.

They won't let it happen. They won't they won't they won't. He'll have to get through them to their copy, get through them to Barnaby again.

[longlasting]

Barnaby makes a soft noise in the back of his throat, tries to speak and reassure Frisk, but none of his words are loud enough to be heard over Frisk’s desperation.

Adam doesn’t even flinch, walking steadily out of the room, leaving them alone, but only for a few minutes.

“Frisk, please, he’s gone…”