element_wizard | (no subject)

“Maybe, yeah.” Zack probably wouldn't mind if Alec punched Abe’s lights out. At least that's fair and won't result in any serious harm. Zack would kind of like to do that too, if he could ever work up the nerve. “S'pose it would make more sense when I talk about him, if you'd actually met him.”

Zack forgets about Abe though at the prospect of another exotic place to visit. Despite Alec's assurance, he realises he's actually scared to step through the portal, lest it suddenly decide to hurt him. While logically he completely understands it won't, and if it tried, Alec is powerful enough to put a stop to it... it's still an ingrained terror, so Zack is understandably a little bit... terrified.

But he needs to get over that if he's to have some freedom. It really really helps that Alec is suddenly in front of him as he steps through and not behind him. Having a friendly face on the other side is a relief.

Once there though, Zack's jaw drops as he tries to take it all in. It's like.. like nothing he's ever imagined. Although it is reminiscent of the restaurant in Whittier, only a lot fancier, with more people... so many different kinds of people. Zack's eyes are wide and wary with that slightly crazy look that dogs get just before they bite you. It's feral, and it does make some of the inhabitants of the place look at him slightly nervously. But it seems they've seen weirder shit than Zack because nobody really pays him too much attention. Although some continue to assess him and his odd facial markings, along with the whole post-apocalyptic appearance.

“Milliways,” he repeats, awkwardly. All gruff and prickly now he's faced with people he doesn't know. It definitely isn't aimed at Alec... who is suddenly Zack's oasis of safety in an alien environment. “Not the end of the universe like being at its edges, but the end of all things?”

So there’s people. He can get food here. People are also doing all sorts of interesting things, not just eating. And there's the most spectacular display outside the Window. It will fill him with awe once he stops to appreciate it. For the moment though, Zack is staring at a couple of the clothed rat-servant things.

“Are those for eating?” he asks, unfortunately within earshot of one of them.

Well. You can take the boy out of Antillioch, but you can't take Antillioch out of the boy.

"We can discuss that later, then. There are other things to do right now."

He's watching Zack's expressions when he comes through the portal, seeing if he came through all right. Any adverse affects. Not physical but possibly mental. Portals and him don't have a good time so he wants to make sure this one didn't bother him.

There are plenty of people who do deal with Threats and so gauging people's threat level is second nature for them.

"Yeah. The Gnab Gib... opposite of the big bang if I remember correctly. The ultimate apocalypse, I guess." Idly he wonders if the end of all... all... all things would be caused by him... but that is a problem for future him. Not even older him can answer that question. Nor would he ask himself that.

The wait rat gives him a withering look and scurries quickly off.

"No. They aren't the food. They bring the food," Alec says with a light laugh. "Come on, let's get a window seat.

There are no ill effects. If anything, stepping through has given Zack a little more confidence.

And yes, fortunately the universe’s end is part of the natural cycle, so Zack is no threat. Even if Aisaak took over, he’d just stand here without a clue as to what he should be doing. The only real Threat associated with Zack is if he’s suddenly required to bring armageddon to a world, the sentient portal would appear and drag other people in and kill them. If that’s even possible here. But it’s the end of the universe… Everything is ending anyway, so Zack is freed from such callings. A point which he realises now. Here, his work is done. Here, he’s truly at liberty.

And the fucking portal is being destroyed as they speak. Which is a nice bonus.

It briefly occurs to Zack too, that the physical embodiment of chaos itself might be the one to act as… well, as Aisaak does, only on a vaster and more impressive scale. It makes Aisaak look like an ant and Zack has no problem with that.

No rat has ever dared (or had the intelligence) to look at him that way and as it hurries away, Zack's predatory response rises inside him momentarily. It’s easily pushed aside though and he does manage a half- grin. “Better things to eat than rat, anyway.”

At the prospect of a window seat, he follows Alec eagerly, giving a couple of people a ‘what you looking at?’ glare as he goes. He’s still far from being housetrained, although the aggression probably loses a little in translation, seeing as he has a tiny phoenix in his hair. One that by now appears to be making a sort of nest.

"So... out there somewhere, I'm being ended too? and Antillioch? and you?" He's not unduly alarmed by all of this. Zack understands the natural order. It's all just a bit weird, knowing that trillions-of-years-old versions of himself and Alec are around somewhere.

Edited 2021-07-27 13:23 (UTC)

Fortunatetley for Zack the Bar won't let that happen. One of the reasons why Alec chose this place. The portal might be sentiant, but the Bar is too and she has the power of the Powers that Be on her side.

"Three rules, before I forget, no bothering the staff, no fighting and no outside business. The last one means if your worst enemy comes walking in here, you got to leave them alone and if they start giving you shit, you let security handle it. She's very insistant on those rules. Cause a big enough problem and she'll ban you," Alec said glancing over his shoulder. "I will uphold the ban and have the portal go somewhere else. People here like the fact they can come and go without having to deal with the outside."

He doesn't think Zack would intentionally cause any problems, and the Bar would take into account any unintentional stuff, but Alec still needs to give him the rules. Also on the off chance Abe shows up here. The guy can't come through Alec's portal, but that doesn't mean he can't show up through other means. Alec can't prevent that from happening. On the otherhand, he's fairly certain that Abe would behave if he did show up. He might even have heard of the place.

The little spirit does make Zack look less threatening. And people here have seen worse glowers. Even without little birds in a person's hair.

At the question, Alec tilts his head. "Well... not in this particular universe. Diffferent realities, right?" In the air he draws a few lines that glow, one shorter than the others. Pointing at the short line he says, "We're currently here. These other universes are still going on. Eventually there will be an end to you and to Antillioch. But I don't know what that end will be like." He doesn't want to know.

When he sits down at the window, a rat scurries over and gives Zack a glare before giving Alec its attention. Word got around. Alec gives a few hasty reassurances, that no, if Zack wanted to hunt something he'll go after the demon rabbits in the woods. Yes, he remembers what happened last time. No. He won't let it happen again. Yes, any problems can be put on his tab. And then he orders some fried paradoxes and cider.

The endless end is rather nice to watch and makes him briefly wistful for Phoenix. One of him should grab the angel and come watch the end for a bit, with drinks.

At least Zack understands that every place has its own unique rules. And once he's stopped gawking and glaring, he will be able to sense a little something of the sentience of the bar. Zack has no real psychic ability, apart from being able to tell who is mortal and who is not. He can't tell who is what, when it comes to species. With his Antillioch-given abilities though, he can just about tell when a world, or a restaurant, or even a square metre of ground is sentient.

He's clear on the last rule, it's a good one and Abe is the first person that pops into Zack's head. Naturally. It all seems fair. The first one needs a little clarification though. 'Bothering' someone could be defined as asking what time it is.

“When you say bother, you mean don't eat 'em?” Because the rat thing is kind of hard to swallow. Or not-swallow, as the case may be. “Or that and I shouldn't ask a load of questions?”

“Ow,” he grumbles as the phoenix decides to pull out a few of his hairs to make itself more comfortable. Zack lifts a hand and lets it hop back onto his finger. He then sets it on his free arm, and pushes his fingers through his hair - thus ruining all its hard work. To console the little thing, Zack gives it gentle head-rubs.

“So the end of this universe then, not the multiverse.” It's not so much a question as a confirmation to himself. And he's trying not to growl at the rat, even while Alec is apologising. The temptation to snap his teeth and give it a maniacal grin is almost overwhelming. Zack does want to keep visiting Milliways though, and he doesn't want Alec to have to foot the bill for his misdeeds, so he controls the urge. Then he wonders why he feels so tenderly towards the phoenix and not the rats.

“Sorry,” he mutters at the rat, then, “Can I get a cheeseburger and a big glass of fresh water?” Then, though it almost chokes him, he adds, “please.”

Once the rat has gone, Zack is dying to know, “what did happen last time?”

"Bother them... well, yes... as in don't eat them... and just... treat them like you'd treat anyone that's person shaped. They're ... people that happen to be rat shaped. Asking questions is fine. I don't know how much of an answer you'll get out of them. They can't speak anything but rat." But Zack could understand rat for all Alec knows.

Suppressing a grin at the antics, Alec does apologize, "Sorry about that. It's the friendliest one... and isn't afraid of anything. It'll do what it wants." Out of nothing, he created a small bowl and flicks a fire into it. The equivalent of a bird's perch.

Milliways is good for many things, including teaching Zack to use manners because the rats are used to rudeness. There are plenty of rude things that come through the place. "Yeah. Just the one. Yours could end before theirs. And you'd be gone." And he points to a random person in the room. Like I said, I don't know what the final one will be like. Beyond the fact that I'll finally cease to exist. Which'll be nice." There are times where he is just so beyond bone tired.

As for why he feels more affectionate to the bird instead of the rat is probably the interactions. The rat is business. The bird is friend.

On the subject of last time, Alec stares up at the ceiling. "So, you remember when I mentioned that Adrian and I got a bit drunk and caused some... problems with magic? My place isn't the only place where it happened. Adrian wanted to see if the transformation would be easier to happen here since it was in a place not created by chaos." A long embarrassed pause. "It didn't work."

Ohh-kay. Zack blinks a bit. There are a lot of person-shaped people that he would still snarl at. Maybe he should start treating them the way he treats Alec? That's probably a good refinement to the rule. At least until he gets the hang of society and can make judgement calls on his own. Zack doesn't speak animal languages as such. He can read their behaviour probably better than many people. As for communing with them... that may become possible, but isn't now.

“Animals,” he shrugs, “even spirits, gonna do what they do.” He can't help a grin as the fire spirit hops into the nest with an air of delight.

In regard to manners, Alec has actually made more headway with Zack in two meetings, than Abe has in seven billion years. He'll continue to try his best. Most of the time. Nobody is perfect.

It could also be to do with the fact that the phoenix isn't something Zack is used to eating. He probably couldn't eat it if he tried. In fact, while Zack could do with more animal interaction, innocent tactility and all that, it might be hard for him to stop seeing them as a meal. So... the more decent food he gets, the less he will probably want to eat anything that crawls, slithers, flies or hops.

Heroically managing not to laugh, Zack puts his hand to his mouth, just in case he can't help himself. He knows Alec well enough to be able to spot embarrassment and doesn't want to appear as if he's mocking his friend. “How many tables did you set fire to?”

As long as he's not treating people like he treats Alec because he's afraid that Alec might turn him into unnatural. And instead treating people like Alec because... it's a nice way to interact with them? Or something. Because they're usually not looking for a fight.

"Spirits, children, adults. People," Alec says with a grin and wave of his hand. No, the spirit isn't very tasty unless one likes the taste of fire.

Alec rightly deserves to get mocked and appreciates the fact that Zack is trying not to. "One. But one is more than enough."

It has never really occurred to Zack to be afraid that Alec will punish him. He’s begun to trust his new friend in a surprisingly short amount of time, and is only using him as the bar by which he sets his newfound principles. Once Zack realises that pleasant interaction is a lot more fun than picking fights with all and sundry, it won’t be long before he treats them properly for all the right reasons. That said, he’s still going to be wary of people he doesn’t know for a bit, and will find groups a little overwhelming. A reversion to his animalistic habits in the case of the latter won’t necessarily mean he lashes out though, unless somebody physically attacks him first.

Which, ninety nine percent of the time, they won't.

Alec has already told him that they burnt one table. Zack is just checking that he wasn’t playing it down. “I’ll try not to break shit,” he grins. “Don’t want you to have to foot the bill for me… hang on. I could prob’ly…” Zack pauses for a bit, thinking. “Don’t have any paper or metal money, and souls of the dead aren’t good currency outside the hell realms, right?”

Well, that's good. Alec would be unhappy if Zack thought he would try and hurt him. And there are worse bars for him to use. Alec isn't the best bar, but there are worse.

Hopefully.

Hopefully they won't attack.

Here they shouldn't attack ... maliciously. That's one of the reasons why Alec choose Milliways.

At first Alec is inclined say it's fine, Alec doesn't mind paying. He's got money coming out of his ears. But then realizes that Zack is an adult. For all his naivety, he is still one. And he does have money, of some sort. There's no reason for him to have to pay for things. "You know, Milliways might take it. They take lots of stuff. Multidemnsional place, you know?"

Rest assured Alec, there are far worse bars.

Zack frowns and starts rubbing the back of his head. He doesn't really want to start slagging off mortals again. Alec's reaction to him doing so hasn't been good, and Zack is trying to learn from it.

“Whatever I say about mortals, I always reckoned that once dead, their souls should be left alone, you know? I've got plenty, in name anyway, but they're kinda...” Cumbersome, Zack. Cumbersome is the word you're looking for.

“...too big for my pockets.”

Good enough.

“In the wastelands and cities, there's fucktons of shiny things lying around. Gems, bits of gold. Abe says they’re worth something outside Antillioch, but aren't worth shite in a hell realm. What if I used those? I can dig some out next time I'm home.”

He does own souls in theory, being a prince of Antillioch, and being the vessel of many apocalypses. But Zack has little use for them, and Abe tends to lay claim to them anyway, not that Zack cares. He doesn't have the head for business and deals. Even if he did, he wouldn't want to be a part of that. None of it appeals, and having to schmooze or suck up to other hellspawn really isn't his idea of time well spent.

He'd rather be exploring, hunting, or eating. Zack is too closely connected to nature for all that abstract made-up stuff. Currency is a construct and capitalism is truly hell. It's bad enough fighting off the demons, without having to constantly throw himself in as a sweetener for any given deal. This isn't vanity. The way some of Abe's guests leer at him, prompts Zack to be absent when they come to call.

Edited 2021-07-29 17:46 (UTC)

Alec has been to those bars. He knows them.

He stares up the ceiling thoughtfully at the mention of souls being left alone and perhaps even free. The Bar is generally a nice person. She does enjoy keeping the peace. There might be something to be done here. He'd have to talk to her, of course.

"Shiny things are doable, yes. But I could possibly do something to relieve your souls and set them free," he said. "I'd have to talk to the Bar, first. But I think I could finagle something."

What's the point of being Him and at a Bar like Milliways if you can't do something like that?

That's good, he does at least have material wealth that might get him somewhere outside of hell.

As for the souls thing though... "Huh." He wasn't expecting that. "Name only, remember? I never actually made a claim on 'em. Abe might let me have some, but he'd throw a shitfit if they were being set free."

Well, either the souls are his or they're not. It might at least make Abe give him a straight answer. Are they his by right? in which case Abe is stealing them from him. Or are they Abe's by right? which means Abe is lying about them being Zack's - which in turn creates doubt over Zack's actual status.

It makes his head hurt. "Being free's a problem for a soul. Any passing god could grab 'em up and lay claim. Dunno what's best. S'pose anything's gotta be better than hell though."

"Ah. Right. In name only. Annoying thing that," Alec admitted. Not something he ever had much of a problem with. He waggles his fingers in annoyance. "If they're yours in name, how could they not be yours? Even if you never claimed them, if someone says they're yours, they're yours, right? Otherwise they're stuck in some sort of limbo."

Maybe Zack has some responsibility to those souls? He should find out their status if only because of that. If he has control over them, then he can decide their fate, good or bad.

"She wouldn't let anything bad happen to them. Freeing them would send them on to somewhere good. At least if we put something together." We being, Zack, Alec and the Bar.

“I was thinking the same thing,” Zack looks around the place, seeing the rat bringing over their order. Good. His head hurts already. “Dunno, maybe they’re mine ‘cause I bring ‘em in. Or maybe they’re Abe’s ‘cause he’s the boss.”

He pushes his fingers into his hair again, gripping tight. “I'll do what I can to find out. Abe’s explanations tie me in knots most of the time.” A thought occurs. “Or I’ll just take ‘em and argue about it after.”

That might mean trouble but maybe he has some obligation towards these souls. Though he’s not sure of the technicalities. “I don’t cause their deaths, I’m just a vessel for what does kill ‘em. So I dunno. It’s prob’ly in the Accords somewhere but I can’t even read them.”

He’s not stupid. In fact Zack is quite bright, quick to catch on, and quite good at reasoning things out. When things are reasonable. So it’s odd that he should get all these headaches when he’s trying to understand or think something through. He’s never thought of that before. And now he is thinking about it, his head just hurts even more.

"Whatever you think is best. I can't say for you." Alec is not going to run his life for him. Though the hair thing is a bit interesting bordering on worrisome.

"No one ever taught you how to read?" Well, that makes sense. If he can read he can learn things. If he can learn things then Abe has less power over him.

There's a frown. Alec, with his dyslexia, is the last person to be able to teach someone how to read. He soldiers on but he wouldn't dare try and teach someone. If he can't keep the letters straight, then how could he help someone else do so. But there should be someway to do it.

"You all right?"

There's a bunch of things he needs to bring up with Abe. Zack will be running his own life a little more, he hopes.

"No. Abe did try, but it just made my head hurt." Which is another oddity. Abdiron actually trying? Zack has always wondered at it. It's not dyslexia on Zack's part either.

"M'okay." His elbows are resting on the table, and his fingers still in his hair as the rat delivers the food and drink. Zack does look up and murmur a small "thanks" though. He's trying.

Then he looks up at Alec. "Hurts when I try and work stuff out. But just now, I noticed it happens. Never thought much about it before. Anyway. It started hurting even more." A sigh, as Zack reaches for his glass of water. "I don't think it's 'cause I'm stupid. I'm not stupid, am I?"

At that, Alec snorts. "No. It's not because you're stupid. You're not stupid. Something is fucking with your head. I don't know what. But just because you don't know things doesn't mean you're stupid."

He takes his food and munches on a paradox before offering the basket to Zack. They don't taste like onion. That is really the only thing what one can say about them.

Sometimes it feels like it, but having somebody not of Antillioch tell Zack he’s not stupid goes a long way to helping some. “S’been happening for longer than I remember. Wouldn’t put it past that shitheel to have done this to me.”

It sucks, not just the head-fuckery, but the fact his brother did it, and the fact that as much as he tries to care about his brother, Abe just makes it harder and harder, especially lately, now Zack’s eyes have been opened, and he wants more for himself than just wandering the wastelands.

He tries a paradox. They definitely don’t taste like the onion rings they had in Alaska. “Want half my burger?” he offers, wishing he’d ordered something they could share.

Edited 2021-07-30 21:48 (UTC)

"Nah. I'm good, thank you," he said at the offer of the burger.

He holds up a hand, fried paradox in it, and asked, "Do you mind if I check to see what's going on?"

Next time, he'll order fries too.

Zack will regard the paradox in Alec's hand with a confused expression for a moment, then, "With my head?" He hesitates at that, unsure and still a tad troubled by magic - making the assumption that it's what Alec is going to use.

"Won't hurt, will it?"

"Nah. I just want your permission, you know?" Alec said. "For all I know you want it to stay mysterious. I'm not touching you. Just the space around you."

Briefly weighing up which is worse, mysterious pain, or an explained pain that still can't be cured, Zack goes for the latter, because it stands more chance of being helped.

And if it can't, at least that way he won't end up wondering about it for the next however-long. "S'pose it's better to know. Okay."

Knowledge is a dangerous thing. Which is why Alec is asking. It's also a bit invasive, to pick at someone's essence like he will. It won't hurt, but...

Eyes loosing focus, he peers at the space around Zack. The strings that make up his reality. All the connections that make him up. From him to Abe and everyone else he's interacted with. One of them would link to his headaches and then he could follow the string back to who did it. It won't do him any good to undo the problem if it could be redone, after all.

For a few moments, Zack just sits very still, but he is holding a cheeseburger. How can one have a cheeseburger and not take a bite? He does it slowly though, so hopefully it won't interfere with what Alec is doing. Too much.

The magic was used when Abe was making Zack, or at least modifying him. It may be from his very creation, but it's not part of what makes him Zack. In fact it's the opposite. It impedes what should make him Zack. It's a sort of lumpy, add-on, which suits its purpose very well but is hardly refined or elegant.