[those are his first words as he starts to look around, more frantic the longer he doesn't see the other three, but. then he hears that voice, and he practically freezes. it's not - caleb mentioned illusions, so there's a place deep down where he knows it isn't her, that it isn't real, but - he can hardly think about that as he starts moving towards that arcade, towards the sound of her voice, mic still clutched in his hand.]
[ and sure enough, when rupert rounds the corner into the arcade, he will see a familiar young lady! it is in fact lila rossi, who turns around when she hears the familiar voice from where she's looking at a "GAME OVER" screen on a racing game. she is perfectly healthy, looking exactly as rupert may have seen her on saturday night. ]
Oh... Rupert! Thank god, I was starting to get worried I was going crazy...
[ she turns around immediately and hurries over to him. ] It was so weird! I just talked to that kid with the pink hair, and then suddenly, I was in this weird arcade,in Ikebukuro of all places, and... are you alright?
[ a beat; she pauses, brows knitting together. ] Why are you looking at me like that...?
[that expression stays, actually! until he impulsively, without another thought, starts moving forward until he's reached her, trying to pull her into a hug.]
[ sure??? lila seems a little confused by this sudden hug, but she lifts her hands up to hug him back, fingers curling in the back of his shirt. it's a nice, warm, tight hug. she's very warm, very uninjured, and very, very alive. ]
[ around them, the arcade, vibrant and full of life, seems to buzz just a little bit less. but otherwise, nothing else is off besides the recently dead girl. ]
[ she gives him a little smile? hopefully it's reassuring... and then looks around them at the arcade itself, slowly shaking her head. ]
No, I... I talked to that guy, Easy R? And he gave me this. [ lila reaches into her pocket and pulls out a microphone - it's orange, and has a cute little fox face hiding the mic apparatus itself. ] I know that I rapped with Ichiro last week, but... I don't think I can do it that well. Apparently, they use it like a weapon here, or something.
I guess this must be... a "division", right? That's what he called it. Do you think we're going to be attacked?
[ if rupert is looking around, he'll see lots of other people around, playing games.
but it seems that lila is the only woman in the crowd? interesting. ]
Let me get my bag. [ and goes for a little purse with a cute fox logo on it, turning back towards the machine.
for a moment, she pauses, and looks at the screen, and falls silent. the arcade's music gets a little tinnier, a little higher pitched, suddenly, and then evens back out again. ]
[he sees that happen, sees the obvious warning sign that something is wrong about this, and - he moves to reach for her arm, to pull her away from the machine.]
[it's both quieter and more insistent, nervous - he knows this is wrong, and he can't ignore how wrong it is for much longer, no matter how it feels to see her again. he tries to pull his hand away, to take a few steps away from her.]
[ lila's voice is quieter, now. the world seems to get quiet around them, even, to let rupert hear it. ] Why you always run away.
[ she turns around on her heel, and faces him - and the first thing rupert will notice is that lila's eyes aren't their usual vibrant, bright green. instead, they're almost completely black, no light flickering across her pupils at all. ]
People suspected me in the trial. They thought I did it. I didn't do it, Rupert. Why didn't you stand up for me? Maybe that's why I got picked.
the person he knew wouldn't say that. she wouldn't blame him. he knows that, and in a place further away, he knows how dangerous this is about to become. he takes another step back, but - why you always run away. it's not her, not with what she's saying or the way she's looking at him. he has no reason to think that's the reason she was chosen. all the same, there's that doubt - what if she's right? if he'd found the right words, maybe the girl this imitation is based on would be—]
I'm sorry. [he looks at the microphone, but he still doesn't know how to use it, and as he backs away, voice cracking a tinge:] I'm - sorry.
[ lila snaps, this time, throwing her arm out. she has her microphone in her hand, still - there's a sudden slam noise, as the doors to the arcade slam shut behind them. ] Useless. That's all you are, you know that? Just useless. Other people tried to defend me. And then I got picked, and now I'm dead.
[ the word seems to reverberate - because she says it into her microphone. it's not a rap, just a word - but the delivery of the anger is powerful enough to send out a wave of some kind of energy. to rupert, it'll feel like being punched in the gut, just as real and visceral and brutally painful as a fist might be. ] What are you even doing here, Rupert? Are you here to save me? Am I supposed to be counting on you for that? Ha!
[ she takes a step forward. ]
What're you gonna do? Run? Are you gonna just try and run away from me? Don't I deserve this? Coward!
[ rupert does have his mic. he might also notice there's a weight in his pocket that wasn't there before - and should he check it, he'll find a switchblade. ]
No, I... I never wanted you to get hurt, that wasn't - if I had any control over it, it wouldn't have been you, I...
[by contrast, everything he says is quieter, dismayed in a way that's much less angry than her. he winces as he feels that word make physical contact, doubling over as he gasps for breath after the blow - and feels something in his pocket. when he takes it out and sees what it is, though, he just stares at it for a long moment, looking between the doors and the weapon and back to her. wheezed:]
I'm not - I'm not going to hurt you. Open the doors and you won't have to see me again.
[ that bizarre, dark void of lila's eyes remains as she grips the mic in her hand tighter. ]
Open the doors? Do you think I did this? Do you think I wanted any of this? [ her voice rises in pitch again - there's another blow from the mic as she takes another step - another punch, one to the face, another to the stomach, again, again ] Maybe I'll just kill you inste-
[ and then, as she's opening her mouth to speak again, lila takes a sudden, jerky step back, and gasps like she's coming up for air. she blinks, her eyes returning from blackish void to their usual green, and for a moment, she looks utterly, completely terrified. ] Rupert - Rupert, help --
[ and then it's gone again, and her eyes are black, and she almost snarls. ] A useless piece of garbage like you gets to live and I had to die? It's time for some karma!
[both hits land solidly, and he moves backwards again, grabbing his face with his free hand - but then he notices what happens to her, the way her eyes flicker from black to green for just a moment, and he pauses again before the words come out in a rush.]
How? How, come back and tell me how to help you, I'm right here, I... [with rising anger:] Whatever you are, let her go!
[ lila's head cocks to the side. it's not an unnatural movement save for that freakishly dark void in her eyes. ]
Are you stupid? I'm me. And I. Can't. Stand. You!
[ the word "you" is shouted into the mic this time - the psychological pressure of it is dizzying, this time going for the throat. it will feel like rupert's being choked by a hand in real time, and then suddenly thrown backwards with an unbelievable amount of force into the back wall.
lila advances on him until she's directly in front of him, and grabs him by the front of the collar. ] Look at you, you get to live. To do what? Nothing? You're never going to do anything. You've never done anything. And you can't even do anything now!
[ another shout, this time the punch blows repeatedly coming to the ribs - over and over and over. there's a brief flicker in her eyes and the repeated agony stops, another ngh noise, and lila looks desperate for a moment, green eyed and begging. ] I can't stop! Make me stop, please, anything - I can't stop!
[he reaches for his throat as this happens, clawing at a hand that's not even really there - and when he's thrown back into the wall, he falls to the ground with a sharp cry, curling in on himself a little on the ground for just a few seconds before she grabs onto his shirt. half fearful, half agonized, though more by her words than anything she's doing. after the blows to his ribs stop—
well. he has an idea of how to make her stop, especially after what he's heard about what the other two groups went through, but - no, that can't be the answer. he can't hurt her, not after everything, not when she's already been... when he speaks, it's wheezed out again, pained.]
How? Just - tell me what I have to do, I want to help you, you're... You can fight whatever this is, and I'll do whatever you need me to, okay? I'm right here.
[ up as close as he is to lila, now, he'll see the way she's struggling. that black seems like a creeping shadow in her irises, and she's fiercely trying to push it back, but it's not working. she looks desperate this close, desperate and terrified and so, so young. ]
I can't, I can't be awake - I can't -
[ and then, like something just snaps, the dark void returns, and the lila who isn't quite lila finishes her sentence for her with a screamed - ] Die!
[ and up close, that noise from that microphone is screamingly painful - it will rattle his eardrums and run through his body like an electric shock, the reverberations slamming his head into the wall as lila shoves him again, and the blows keep coming with every sentence. ] You useless - pathetic excuse for nothing - it's all your fault, you couldn't even snap me out of this if you tried! You aren't strong enough!
[ the switchblade in his pocket and the mic alike start to feel a little warmer. ]
[whatever he was about to say, it's cut off from the pain of that word, the disorientation from the impact as she slams his head into the wall. blood trickles down his scalp and tears start to form as he feels the weapons start to grow warmer. he doesn't want to hurt her, but he can't just - he can't help anyone if he doesn't make it out of here, if he just lets her kill him. he ignores the switchblade, because he can't use that on her, he can't, but into the microphone, loud and desperate, he finally yells—]
Stop! I know you're in there, and you don't want to do this! You're stronger than this!
when rupert uses his microphone, it doesn't cause sonic booms or thunderclaps. it doesn't create lightning, it doesn't make anyone feel like they've been stabbed. instead, a light comes from the microphone itself, emanating from the gentle, fluffy cloud shapes built into the microphone, and the first sensation that washes out is warmth. it fills up the entire arcade, a soft, golden glow to the fluorescence of ufo catcher machines.
the world around them seems to pause, almost humming softly; his words echo around the room. you're stronger than this. lila looks up at rupert; her eyes are dark and voided, still, but her mouth falls a little open, and slowly, the black shadow starts to recede. she looks stunned where she holds still, and the mic clatters out of her hand. ]
...Rupert? [ the black shadow over her eyes expands and contracts, pushed back by light and attempting to claw its way back in, back and forth; tears fill up lila's eyes, and she stares at him, temporarily paused.
whatever tried to take her over is still trying to maintain its control; she makes a soft, hurt noise, but isn't attacking back again, clearly struggling with holding it back. ]
[there's a stunned silence from his end, as well, but as soon as he realizes at least that the microphone is helping, and that she's free for a moment - the words start coming out in a rush as he tries to stand up, even though everything aches, even if there's blood dripping down from the injury on his head. again, into the microphone:]
Yes! Yes, it's me, I'm here - and you're here, too. You're okay. You're going to be okay. Just keep fighting!
[ slowly, the golden light in the room intensifies. lila looks at him, and her hands come to her heart, clutching together tightly; a tremor goes over her body. she takes a step forward. another, and another, and the black void in her eyes suddenly takes over her entire pupil -- and then disappears.
the light remains in the room as long as rupert talks, and a tear drips down lila's cheek, but her expression softens into something warm and soft and utterly, completely thankful. the magic from the microphone lifts her off of her feet, and she floats, across the room, reaching out for rupert again.
and this time, when her hands lift, one comes up, hesitates in mid air, and then reaches out to cup his cheek. ]
... Thank you. [ she says, her voice soft and hoarse. her voice. uncontrolled, untainted; the microphone with the fox details on the floor changes back into a plain silver mic, depowered and out of her hand. ]
[he - relaxes and reaches up to touch her hand as she comes closer, blinking back a few tears himself. the hand that's holding the microphone drops down to his side.]
I wish - I should have been able to do more. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
[it wasn't her, but everything that illusion said - it's not so easy to forget, even as his hand tightens on hers. it feels so real, and so present, even though it can't be.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[those are his first words as he starts to look around, more frantic the longer he doesn't see the other three, but. then he hears that voice, and he practically freezes. it's not - caleb mentioned illusions, so there's a place deep down where he knows it isn't her, that it isn't real, but - he can hardly think about that as he starts moving towards that arcade, towards the sound of her voice, mic still clutched in his hand.]
Lila...?
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[ she turns around immediately and hurries over to him. ] It was so weird! I just talked to that kid with the pink hair, and then suddenly, I was in this weird arcade,in Ikebukuro of all places, and... are you alright?
[ a beat; she pauses, brows knitting together. ] Why are you looking at me like that...?
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[that expression stays, actually! until he impulsively, without another thought, starts moving forward until he's reached her, trying to pull her into a hug.]
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[ sure??? lila seems a little confused by this sudden hug, but she lifts her hands up to hug him back, fingers curling in the back of his shirt. it's a nice, warm, tight hug. she's very warm, very uninjured, and very, very alive. ]
Hey... hey, it's okay. It's okay, Rupert, it's okay. We're okay, right...? Everything's okay. What's the matter?
[ around them, the arcade, vibrant and full of life, seems to buzz just a little bit less. but otherwise, nothing else is off besides the recently dead girl. ]
no subject
[he lets go after a long moment, taking a step back, and looking around.]
...Do you know why we're here, or what we're supposed to be doing?
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[ she gives him a little smile? hopefully it's reassuring... and then looks around them at the arcade itself, slowly shaking her head. ]
No, I... I talked to that guy, Easy R? And he gave me this. [ lila reaches into her pocket and pulls out a microphone - it's orange, and has a cute little fox face hiding the mic apparatus itself. ] I know that I rapped with Ichiro last week, but... I don't think I can do it that well. Apparently, they use it like a weapon here, or something.
I guess this must be... a "division", right? That's what he called it. Do you think we're going to be attacked?
[ if rupert is looking around, he'll see lots of other people around, playing games.
but it seems that lila is the only woman in the crowd? interesting. ]
no subject
[he frowns, though.]
Do you want to leave? Not that I know where else we could go, but...
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Let me get my bag. [ and goes for a little purse with a cute fox logo on it, turning back towards the machine.
for a moment, she pauses, and looks at the screen, and falls silent. the arcade's music gets a little tinnier, a little higher pitched, suddenly, and then evens back out again. ]
....
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...I'll get your bag, so let's go, okay?
[and he'll reach for it!]
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[ all of a sudden, lila reaches out - and her hand covers his. it's a quick gesture, the hand snapping out, and gripping it a little too tight. ]
... I just don't get it. [ she says, her voice a little lower, still staring at the screen. ]
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[it's both quieter and more insistent, nervous - he knows this is wrong, and he can't ignore how wrong it is for much longer, no matter how it feels to see her again. he tries to pull his hand away, to take a few steps away from her.]
no subject
[ lila's voice is quieter, now. the world seems to get quiet around them, even, to let rupert hear it. ] Why you always run away.
[ she turns around on her heel, and faces him - and the first thing rupert will notice is that lila's eyes aren't their usual vibrant, bright green. instead, they're almost completely black, no light flickering across her pupils at all. ]
People suspected me in the trial. They thought I did it. I didn't do it, Rupert. Why didn't you stand up for me? Maybe that's why I got picked.
no subject
the person he knew wouldn't say that. she wouldn't blame him. he knows that, and in a place further away, he knows how dangerous this is about to become. he takes another step back, but - why you always run away. it's not her, not with what she's saying or the way she's looking at him. he has no reason to think that's the reason she was chosen. all the same, there's that doubt - what if she's right? if he'd found the right words, maybe the girl this imitation is based on would be—]
I'm sorry. [he looks at the microphone, but he still doesn't know how to use it, and as he backs away, voice cracking a tinge:] I'm - sorry.
no subject
[ lila snaps, this time, throwing her arm out. she has her microphone in her hand, still - there's a sudden slam noise, as the doors to the arcade slam shut behind them. ] Useless. That's all you are, you know that? Just useless. Other people tried to defend me. And then I got picked, and now I'm dead.
[ the word seems to reverberate - because she says it into her microphone. it's not a rap, just a word - but the delivery of the anger is powerful enough to send out a wave of some kind of energy. to rupert, it'll feel like being punched in the gut, just as real and visceral and brutally painful as a fist might be. ] What are you even doing here, Rupert? Are you here to save me? Am I supposed to be counting on you for that? Ha!
[ she takes a step forward. ]
What're you gonna do? Run? Are you gonna just try and run away from me? Don't I deserve this? Coward!
[ rupert does have his mic. he might also notice there's a weight in his pocket that wasn't there before - and should he check it, he'll find a switchblade. ]
no subject
[by contrast, everything he says is quieter, dismayed in a way that's much less angry than her. he winces as he feels that word make physical contact, doubling over as he gasps for breath after the blow - and feels something in his pocket. when he takes it out and sees what it is, though, he just stares at it for a long moment, looking between the doors and the weapon and back to her. wheezed:]
I'm not - I'm not going to hurt you. Open the doors and you won't have to see me again.
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Open the doors? Do you think I did this? Do you think I wanted any of this? [ her voice rises in pitch again - there's another blow from the mic as she takes another step - another punch, one to the face, another to the stomach, again, again ] Maybe I'll just kill you inste-
[ and then, as she's opening her mouth to speak again, lila takes a sudden, jerky step back, and gasps like she's coming up for air. she blinks, her eyes returning from blackish void to their usual green, and for a moment, she looks utterly, completely terrified. ] Rupert - Rupert, help --
[ and then it's gone again, and her eyes are black, and she almost snarls. ] A useless piece of garbage like you gets to live and I had to die? It's time for some karma!
no subject
[both hits land solidly, and he moves backwards again, grabbing his face with his free hand - but then he notices what happens to her, the way her eyes flicker from black to green for just a moment, and he pauses again before the words come out in a rush.]
How? How, come back and tell me how to help you, I'm right here, I... [with rising anger:] Whatever you are, let her go!
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Are you stupid? I'm me. And I. Can't. Stand. You!
[ the word "you" is shouted into the mic this time - the psychological pressure of it is dizzying, this time going for the throat. it will feel like rupert's being choked by a hand in real time, and then suddenly thrown backwards with an unbelievable amount of force into the back wall.
lila advances on him until she's directly in front of him, and grabs him by the front of the collar. ] Look at you, you get to live. To do what? Nothing? You're never going to do anything. You've never done anything. And you can't even do anything now!
[ another shout, this time the punch blows repeatedly coming to the ribs - over and over and over. there's a brief flicker in her eyes and the repeated agony stops, another ngh noise, and lila looks desperate for a moment, green eyed and begging. ] I can't stop! Make me stop, please, anything - I can't stop!
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well. he has an idea of how to make her stop, especially after what he's heard about what the other two groups went through, but - no, that can't be the answer. he can't hurt her, not after everything, not when she's already been... when he speaks, it's wheezed out again, pained.]
How? Just - tell me what I have to do, I want to help you, you're... You can fight whatever this is, and I'll do whatever you need me to, okay? I'm right here.
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I can't, I can't be awake - I can't -
[ and then, like something just snaps, the dark void returns, and the lila who isn't quite lila finishes her sentence for her with a screamed - ] Die!
[ and up close, that noise from that microphone is screamingly painful - it will rattle his eardrums and run through his body like an electric shock, the reverberations slamming his head into the wall as lila shoves him again, and the blows keep coming with every sentence. ] You useless - pathetic excuse for nothing - it's all your fault, you couldn't even snap me out of this if you tried! You aren't strong enough!
[ the switchblade in his pocket and the mic alike start to feel a little warmer. ]
no subject
[whatever he was about to say, it's cut off from the pain of that word, the disorientation from the impact as she slams his head into the wall. blood trickles down his scalp and tears start to form as he feels the weapons start to grow warmer. he doesn't want to hurt her, but he can't just - he can't help anyone if he doesn't make it out of here, if he just lets her kill him. he ignores the switchblade, because he can't use that on her, he can't, but into the microphone, loud and desperate, he finally yells—]
Stop! I know you're in there, and you don't want to do this! You're stronger than this!
no subject
when rupert uses his microphone, it doesn't cause sonic booms or thunderclaps. it doesn't create lightning, it doesn't make anyone feel like they've been stabbed. instead, a light comes from the microphone itself, emanating from the gentle, fluffy cloud shapes built into the microphone, and the first sensation that washes out is warmth. it fills up the entire arcade, a soft, golden glow to the fluorescence of ufo catcher machines.
the world around them seems to pause, almost humming softly; his words echo around the room. you're stronger than this. lila looks up at rupert; her eyes are dark and voided, still, but her mouth falls a little open, and slowly, the black shadow starts to recede. she looks stunned where she holds still, and the mic clatters out of her hand. ]
...Rupert? [ the black shadow over her eyes expands and contracts, pushed back by light and attempting to claw its way back in, back and forth; tears fill up lila's eyes, and she stares at him, temporarily paused.
whatever tried to take her over is still trying to maintain its control; she makes a soft, hurt noise, but isn't attacking back again, clearly struggling with holding it back. ]
no subject
Yes! Yes, it's me, I'm here - and you're here, too. You're okay. You're going to be okay. Just keep fighting!
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[ slowly, the golden light in the room intensifies. lila looks at him, and her hands come to her heart, clutching together tightly; a tremor goes over her body. she takes a step forward. another, and another, and the black void in her eyes suddenly takes over her entire pupil -- and then disappears.
the light remains in the room as long as rupert talks, and a tear drips down lila's cheek, but her expression softens into something warm and soft and utterly, completely thankful. the magic from the microphone lifts her off of her feet, and she floats, across the room, reaching out for rupert again.
and this time, when her hands lift, one comes up, hesitates in mid air, and then reaches out to cup his cheek. ]
... Thank you. [ she says, her voice soft and hoarse. her voice. uncontrolled, untainted; the microphone with the fox details on the floor changes back into a plain silver mic, depowered and out of her hand. ]
no subject
I wish - I should have been able to do more. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
[it wasn't her, but everything that illusion said - it's not so easy to forget, even as his hand tightens on hers. it feels so real, and so present, even though it can't be.]
(no subject)