i walk around all day inside a dream,

[agogemod]

WHO? Everybody!
WHAT? Time to do that stuff you voted about.
WHEN? BASE, home sweet home.
ANYTHING ELSE? Violence, as always. Please warn in subject lines for anything beyond physical violence, and move to a personal journal if things go beyond PG-13. Also, potentially, alien... animal.... murder........

TOUCH BASE;

backfill armed services echelon
COST re-appropriated vehicle 854A-5.2

hey remember this thing.

CATCH AND RELEASE

Because YOU demanded it!

Well, most of you anyway. The poll is closed, and mercy won the day; the DACTYL droids now patrol the corridors, beeping and blinking when they detect a nest of Shapers in the walls. It's your job to dismantle the wall (the DACTYLs will help) and shock the things with the provided implement. Only one per person; the DACTYLs will remember if they've already given you one.

Of course, as always in COST, there are tons of ways this could go wrong. The Shapers send you to sleep before you get the wall open. You accidentally shock yourself. The wall stays closed. One of the DACTYLs malfunction and send you to an empty hole (or did the Shapers just escape in time?).

Or maybe you just really like murder and keep killing the little space frogs instead.

Whatever you do, be careful. Shapers can still send people to sleep as a defense mechanism, and this late in the game, it'll be a sleep very difficult to wake from.

Oh, and if you shock another person with one of the batons? The DACTYLs will let off a klaxon noise and begin escorting you to the brig. Breaking the droids or trying to escape will not make them happier.

As always, if you have any questions, ask away. For those of you keeping Shapers, remember to let us know here by the end of the day (ish, it's a soft limit, but still a deadline). For those of you going Norman Bates on the fuckers, tell us about it. Oh, and if you're morbidly curious about what Shapers look like from the inside, here you go.

And don't call Animal Control. You are Animal Control.

NAV. NETWORK LOGS OOC PLURK DISCORD

Comments

[dipolar]

(two voices from the right. if he channelled his now active ability into the floor, he could stop them there and beat a quick retreat. the soles of their shoes would melt to the metal hall and leave another stain, their bodies would seize up and release them after he was out of sight. but he could just kill them, if they're powerful then do a good job trying.

his head jerks in their direction mechanically, shoulders sinking at the sight of noctis and akira. recognition's there, hei is in complete control of himself despite how manic he looks soaked in blue. what have they come to do? stop him, that's quite clear. but how? does he need to fight back the way he did with ashitaka? with full-blown deadly force? he doesn't want to. these two have done nothing to warrant treatment like that and they're his comrades for better or worse.)

Stay where you are... (akira's right; a warning is issued and he doesn't sound particularly pleased about it, voice traitorously soft.)

You two don't know what the hell you're doing.

[fessus]

[ The scene they come across is ghoulish in sight, sound, and smell but it's far from the worst Noctis has seen. He steels himself, fists clenched at his sides, stance slightly hunched. Ready to move. ]

Yeah, we do. Just like you do. [ Hei's actions are understandable when framed by the potential consequences, too, but isn't there a better way to do this? ]

... I don't wanna' do this with you but I'm not gonna' back down either. We can catch and release the rest and then you won't have to deal with them, none of us will.

[masque]

[eyes narrow as he watches hei's every move; he's obviously irrational and not willing to work with the situation. where does that leave his state of mind right now? "pissed off" probably doesn't cover it.

he's lived a life of approaching unstable people at this point, but this is different.]

Back away from the wall. He's right, this doesn't have to escalate.

[dipolar]

(they don't, he's told himself. they don't understand what it means to have two hours of sleep threatened by less. to be tired to the point where it feels like nothing's real, everything has its own fog to stare through. the two end the end of the hall swim in unreliable vision and hei tries to focus on them.)

One step closer and I'll take the steps I need to to disable the both of you. (a final warning, following akira's instructions but only so he can take a hand away from the wall and hold his arms by his sides.) Don't you understand that this is an infection?

[fessus]

[ Hei's exhaustion is written all over his face and Noctis still feels it in his own bones, unconscious due to the combined close-range effects of at least two dozen shapers not even half an hour ago. Akira sounds sure of himself, however, and it keeps his sympathy from clouding his judgment. He knows what he's here for, and he slowly withdraws the magic flask at his hip. ]

One that we're dealing with in the way that was picked by the team. We're gonna' do what we have to do too, Hei.

And whether you willingly leave them alone or we force you to, the result's gonna' be the same.

[masque]

Right. Let's talk about it with the higher-ups if we need to, but for now, you're not killing another Shaper.

[at least "disable" isn't "kill" or "torture". seems like hei would deal with them in the least problematic way possible... that's good, it means akira and noctis can do the same if it came down to that.]

How about you come over here?

[dipolar]

(eyes drop to the bomb in noctis' hand and he feels a tight panic in his chest when he realizes that he trusted these kids. if only for a second, he had faith that he could make them understand. they shared jarring dreams with him too, they know what it's like to be helpless in that scenario. but he knows what that item is, instinctively he can tell. it's round, like a ball — what else could be done with it? whatever its effect, it's the last straw. before electricity crackles off of his fingers and the situation gets many, many times more dangerous.

snaps at akira,) Don't patronize me, boy. If you two want a fight, you'll get one.

(before throwing his shoulder against the wall with a press of the palm of his hands onto metal.) So long as those people on the network are hoarding them on this ship, I can't stop. I can't see them anymore. And whoever helps the enemy is my enemy...! (exhaustion prevents him from doing it immediately, having to dredge up the aptitude from the gut.

but on gritting his teeth, he channels a brutal shock into the hallway floor. it worked for ashitaka, so why it wouldn't for more of his land-bound comrades doesn't exactly come to light in a spent mind.)

[fessus]

[ Hei's words at least give him plenty of warning as to what's about to happen, every muscle in his body tense and waiting for what he knows is coming.

Even if it was just a dream he'd seen bits and pieces of what Hei could do and as such is aware that he favors shocks and hasty debilitations, arm already posed to throw that spell the instant sparks travel down the length of Hei's body... and not a second too soon. The spell hits that floor and explodes outward in a vicious gale of blizzard force winds, freezing metal that hisses from the electricity and whirling after Hei to tighten his muscles and slow if not halt his movements altogether. ]

Akira! [ With an arm raised to shield himself from the ice spell's effects too, directing him in for the next blow. ]

[masque]

[so he is gonna fight. ugh...

already had trumpeter mentally equipped to repel the electricity, he knows his advantages well by now— but what he wasn't expecting was a blast of ice around him, not touching him, but shooting for hei in a flurry. well, that's one way to immobilize.]

Yeah. [the mask he's holding near his face disappears in a bright blue flame, and nothing seems to happen. a dark mass of energy becomes visible around hei after a second, only lasting for a flash, but he knows the effects worked. hei no doubt now has a weaker body, and after noctis's hit, hopefully that's enough.]

[dipolar]

(there's no escaping something like this and he's reminded of another contractor. his ice, how his own ability could melt it through, how it stuck him to the ground, how it was shoved through the chest of one of his comrades. he tries to repeat the actions, superheat the metal beneath him and listen to the frost sizzle, but it's too fucking much.

the biting cold slows his limbs and his body seizes with it and something else. a fog, potent enough to choke him. energy that sits on him like a physical weight and makes him growl through the stress it has on his body.

is this how he dies? are they going to get it over with? is this inglorious way suitable for him? yes, he thinks, after brief consideration. yes. he doesn't have the capacity to take them out, not as exhausted as he is. weak, slow, defenceless, and freezing. all he can do clutch at himself as he takes a knee in the ice, shiver brutally, pant in his own clouds of breath with a wide stare.)

You don't kn-kn— you don't underst-stand— (a shake of flurry-flecked hair, teeth chattering before they grit together,) the gravity of this. N-Naive...!

[fessus]

[ He's incapable of processing exactly what Akira's done but he does notice the shift in Hei's posture, the way he drops faster than expected and how the fight is slowly leaving him -- even if his will isn't. Noctis trades the flask for the knife on his other hip, willing to face the blistering cold as well as he flings it towards Hei and warps after it in a flurry of movement.

One hand presses flat between Hei's shoulder blades, suddenly, while the other is outstretched to seemingly sap up some of that icy energy back into his palm and leave the corridor thawed and bearable again. Less obvious is where most of that energy is now going, shaper blood frozen to a man who's now enduring more of that frigid magic right against his body. ]

Akira, do you have anything to restrain him with? Anything like that-- we have to get him to the brig.

[masque]

[whatever noctis is doing, it's impressive. yusuke is strong with ice magic, but he's never seen it controlled that way, and briefly wonders if he can ask noctis to teach him. the thought's fleeting as he watches a shuttering hei, all bark and no bite at this point, and that's exactly why akira steps towards them without batting an eyelash.

god it's cold.

looks back up at noctis, thinking for a second before he pulls a long scarf— one he picked out with shinobu— and leans down to jerk both of hei's wrists together. he's a broad guy, but the lack of energy makes it easy for him to start tightly wrapping the fabric.]

"Naive"... you tried to fight in a two against one. [stands back up.

how are they... going to take him there...]

We might have to drag him. [god]

[dipolar]

(the concentrated chill stifles his ability, but it doesn't stop him from tensing bodily at the touches between his shoulder blades and wrists. no, if only he wasn't so goddamn tired.)

So, (huffed out sharply,) I should defer to your c-countless years of experience.

(doesn't fight against the bonds, but sits back on his feet waiting for the genius verdict they'll no doubt come up with.)

Well?

[fessus]

The fight's over.

[ His own voice sounds tired, strained, but really he just feels frustrated. There should've been a better way than this, but he can practically hear the voices of his teammates in response to any potential backtracking. No, this is what he had to do in response to Hei's actions; there wasn't another option and self-reflection would be useless right now anyway. ]

I have enough ice magic stored to keep you immobile until we reach the brig, so it's better that we make it quick and painless. [ He looks to Akira then, nodding once. ]

It's not far. Help me grip under his arms. [ So he can stay in contact with him and keep using that elemancy. ]

[masque]

[akira, on the other hand, has no issues with knocking a grown man onto his ass for throwing a fit. this suits hei just fine, but he pauses when he gets into position over hei's opposite shoulder. he's not going to try and zap them, is he? the debilitate would make it weaker, but still...

sighs, whatever. grips him by the jacket and slides him around, clockwise, until they're ready to drag him into the direction they need to be going.]

I knew you were upset, but going on a spree? God, he's heavier than he looks.

[dipolar]

(he's far from humiliated, but the fact that he's about to be collected up and dragged down the hall like a wild animal is settling wrong. feeling inhuman is something he has to cope with and it seems like sure fact now, creeping back in as he trembles uncontrollably against a breath-stealing cold.

bristles hard when they touch him and it's obvious why: his skin looks burnt with the prolonged exposure to frost.

still, hei has nothing to say to them, so his jaw stays clenched behind lips that press into a firm line. anything he does add will be bitten back at. his words mean nothing now and they likely won't mean much in the future.)

[fessus]

[ Hei's silent and he's not sure if that makes it easier or more difficult, hooking an arm beneath his in a surprisingly sturdy hold to make this as painless as possible. Only then does he start to slide him with Akira's help, keeping his grip and expression firm. ]

Not really how I planned for this to go either... Thanks for helping out, Akira. Ah... We're gonna' have to round up the rest of the shapers pretty quick after this too. We can keep working together for that if you want.

[masque]

[has to carefully keep the same pace as noctis so he won't hurt hei any further... he's not saying anything, just quietly being angry, and it's weird. hei's the first person he met when he arrived, after all.]

We're gonna — ugh — have to. Hei might not be the only one pulling a stunt. [looking down at hei...]

Tell the truth, are you just going to try again or no?

[dipolar]

(it's unfortunate to be kept in the dark where hei's future motives are concerned, but he remains silent despite the question posed. he's trying to concentrate on preserving body heat, huffing repeatedly with low-lidded eyes. it's exhausting, he's so tired, each point of contact numbing. he can remember being this cold, but he can't remember when or how he warmed himself up.

thankfully, they're near the cells at a very far corner of the ship.

hei doesn't know what'll be done with him, his guess being solitary confinement for however long it takes for him to realize his errors but — doesn't feel he's made any.)

[fessus]

[ There's a brief shake of his head that he realizes a second later is probably too easy to miss, forcing himself to speak up. ]

Nah, don't think he is... So one thing at a time. I don't think he's gonna' talk and I wouldn't want to if I were him either. But I can say if anybody tries again then I can do this as many times as I have to, too.

[ Another line in the sand. Should Hei leave the brig, regardless of how he manages it, Noctis will be just as ready and willing to face him again. Rethinking his stances has never been something he's quick to embrace.

Hei's leg knocks against the wall as they urge him around a corner into a tight turn, cells looming with doors cracked wide. Noctis's aim is the nearest one, ready to deposit him and give him the chance to hopefully rest as soon as possible. ]

[masque]

[it doesn't take them much longer, thankfully, as akira enters the nearest cell, deciding to prop him up against a wall for him to lean on. pretty intent on not talking, yeah, which is probably a good thing.

shakes out his arms when they're finally free, eyes on the man who's still struggling with the cold... hopefully noctis does something about it.]

We should let the commander and sergeant know. I don't know if they'll do anything, but somebody has to be aware that he's in here.