element_wizard | (no subject)

(no subject)

The other side of the portal lead to the end of everything. Or an everything. It was a surprisingly nice end of everything. A bar with plenty of tables, booths and comfortable chairs sitting by a fire with fish swimming within the flames. Rats wearing little suits scurried around carrying trays with food and drink on them to various patrons at various locations.

There's a scattering of people around with friends or by themselves. Doing everything from nothing, to eating to reading to making a mess on the table because they've pulled apart a machine. The rats are not happy about that.

And of course there's the Window where the end of the universe can be seen in all its glory. As it is the natural time of death for the universe, it won't do anything to Zack beyond looking beautiful. Repeating every few minutes or so as time is rewound. People pay to watch the universe end, not be there when it ends after all.

Alec stands on the other side of the portal, which also corresponds to a doorway, even though he was behind Zack a second ago.

"Welcome to Milliways. The restaurant at the end of the universe."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He wouldn't call himself a predator... he just... helps people see things... that's all. Nothing wrong with that. Okay. Sure sometimes people get hurt, but people get hurt all the time.

At least he's not eating Alec's food.

Yet.

But, the man isn't really mortal, no. "To you perhaps," he said. "You can call me Karan."

If he does touch Alec's food, Zack may well stab him with a fork. He'll forget the bar doesn't allow violence.

"Zack," he says, reluctantly. "To me perhaps what? Just a mate? or he's something else to other people?"

He's not going out of his way to be rude. Social conventions escape him, and he's naturally gruff and wary until he finds something to like in somebody else. With Alec - he realises now - it was when he slipped and fell on his arse back on that world they destroyed. It was funny, vulnerable even, something kinda cute and so very different from the demons of Antillioch, Zack had warmed to it. That and Alec was pleasant from the start.

This guy is pleasant, sure. But Zack is feeling slightly paranoid about Alec for some inexplicable reason, and it's making him want to sit in a corner and growl at everyone. Including the Perfectly Okay person who's just joined him.

Tsk. No need to be rude about it.

"Everyone is something else to other people. No two people see something the same way. It's all about experiences. Your past and with the thing you interact with changes how you see things," Karan said with a shrug. "But this case, I do mean that you might see him as a friend but as I said he appears to have mentally adopted you - accidentally, I'm sure - as he would a child. Not that he sees you as child like that."

And he points to a random child in the room.

"More like someone he's decided to protect and help learn how the world works."

This - despite himself - actually gives Zack the warm fuzzies. If Alec cares that much... well nobody ever has, since Zack became what he is, and it's really nice.

Zack glances over at the child and feels a stab of... something. Something wistful and somehow cheated at the same time.

Yeah, he may be crushing on Alec some. Not in a romantic way, but it's been a bit like having a really nice brother. Zack doesn't like to admit this to himself and he wouldn't want to embarrass his friend with it.

"Didn't realise that. Thought he just saw me as a mate." Zack sits back a bit in his seat, still gripping his drink for some feeling of security. "How well d'you know him?"

Warm fuzzies. Yes. Good. TRuUuuUUussst him. Sure there might shifty things going on. But he cares about you. That's a good thing! At least someone cares about you. And doesn't hurt you. He says you're good and smart. He wants you to learn.

Make yourself better.

That's good.

You're a good boy.

Crush and all.

"Age thing, in a weird way. I'm sure he'd like to be a brother perhaps... but in any case, he's protective. I'm sure you've heard him threaten people who might hurt you. Or insinuate," he said, leaning back in his chair for a moment.

"How well do I know him... hmmm... better than some might think. Better than he'd like. Perhaps a like a parent...," he mused.

He does feel a little better and is putting it down to simple acclimatisation of the bar.

Looking back, he can't actually remember if Alec has insinuated any threats. It's clear he thinks Abe is abusive, and Zack is beginning to see that for himself. It's a difficult situation, because Abe is more powerful, he can kick Zack's arse from here to the Big Bang. It's only his fear of Alec that has prevented Zack from getting a punishment or three. "He's not fond of Abe's behaviour," he admits. "I c'n tell. But he's not threatened him."

On the other hand, Abe is Zack's brother, even if technically he's not. Adopted brother then. And Zack wants to love his brother as much as he wants to be loved. When Karan suggests he has some kind of parental relationship with Alec, it gives Zack pause. His own real parents were selfless and loving. Abe may be family, but he's not blood, and is abusive.

It follows that Karan might not be all he says he is to Alec. So Zack will retain a little scepticism. "He's not mentioned you." Although Alec has mentioned his da.

Zack's head begins to ache again. He puts down the water and with his right hand, pulls at his hair.

Edited 2021-08-03 13:03 (UTC)

And yet what was with that penguin... A nonverbal threat, wasn't it?

Abe certainly took it like one.

Fists and crackling powers with blood flying all over the place isn't the only way to make a threat.

"Mm... yes. That's good."

From out of a pocket in his very nice jacket he pulled out a ... knife... Zack has probably seen quite a few knives and weapons. Threatening and magical as well as dull and mundane. All that screamed violence. The one Karan is holding is simple. It's a dull black blade that looks like a flint napped stone with a bone handle. And it just feels like murder. This is a knife made just for murdering people. Not killing; murdering.

He starts cleaning his fingernails with it and then laughs. "No. I imagine not. He's not fond of me." The cleaning stops as the hair pulling starts.

With the knife he gestures. "Does the hair pulling help?"

Zack is just not that sophisticated. Abe did freak, and when he thinks more about it, Zack might understand it was ... well, at least a reminder, calling card, whatever. But his head is too thick with pain at the moment to mull anything over.

He does wonder what's good though, that Alec thinks Abe is abusive, or that Alec hasn't threatened Abe.

It doesn't matter. Once Zack sees the blade, Karan will get the whale-eyes. It is a disturbing blade, and nice people don't usually pull out something like that, even to only clean their nails.. especially not to just clean their nails. Zack may not have the first clue about what motivates nice people, but he knows enough about demon behaviour to know when something is wrong and creepy, and... sitting forward a little, Zack's left hand goes to the hilt of demon blade at his back, under his jacket. It sits in a sheath upside-down, so he can pull it with ease.

He's not about to attack the bloke, but Zack is quick and keen. He can defend himself, so he believes. And if Alec is not fond of Karan, there's got to be a reason.

"Some," he says, tight-lipped and even more tightly-wound now. "Moves the pain." Well, it gives him a different focus, but he's not really thought about it much. He just does it.

Edited 2021-08-03 14:31 (UTC)

The movement to the hidden blade earns Zack a smile. It's perfectly pleasant and at the time it makes sharks look toothless. Nothing in his body language changes suggesting that he thinks that he's threatened Zack with the knife. In fact he goes back to cleaning his fingernails with it.

"I suppose there are worse habits to have," he says, though he does sound like it's one that should be broken. "Has he mentioned anything about what you really are?"

Karan will just get a glare in return. Even if he is hellspawn, Zack tends not to go around being creepy to everyone. Or does he? Okay, maybe he does a bit of snarling, but that's at least honest, in his eyes.

He now realises he doesn't just have to sit here and feel uncomfortable. He's animalistic still, in so many ways, and the fight or flight response does carry two options. He can always just walk away.

He does extract his fingers from his hair though; having more than just a headache to concern himself with.

Zack is about to leave the table, but Karan manages to keep him in his seat with that perceptive remark. "How the hells d'you know that?" This time it is a snarl... but one of confusion. If Karan knows about that, could he know what Zack is meant to be? Pure curiosity keeps him in his seat - for now.

What's wrong with the smile? It's just a smile. Not at all creepy. (Sure it's the smile of someone who is looking forward to the chance to kill you later, but it is just a smile.)

"I told you, I know him. Better than he thinks. He likes trying to do the whole mystery thing, but he's not very good at it." Is he having a good time? Yes, yes he is.

He knows that Zack isn't what he thinks he is from what he gathered with his shadow. He knows what Zack is supposed to be because he is betraying his nature as he is and Karan knows all about betrayal.

Creepy is in the eye of the beholder, in this case, at least. Zack is positively bristling in the presence of this ... person, who is decidedly not mortal. As Zack has no way of divining what powers Karan might have, he's not enjoying the encounter at all.

This, however, does make him snort, remembering Alec slipping and falling on his butt. "Tell me stuff I don't know," he grunts, adding, "or I'm walking."

Blah, blah, blah. Zack is just overly sensitive.

On the other hand he did get Zack to "smile" so there is that.

"You should try eating the dust of a world you've not destroyed," he suggests. "Your nature has been, as he said, changed. You are connected to worlds, but not in their destruction, but their life. By eating the dust of the dead you betray the life you should have."

Edited 2021-08-04 13:59 (UTC)

Well, that wipes the snarl off Zack's face.

Give him a minute to let that sink in and maybe wonder if Karan is pulling his plonker.

"I don't eat it," he protests, somewhat feebly and just to be contrary. That's not how it works...

But it's also completely beside the point.

"That's against the rules." Not strictly true. Abe has pounded it into him to replenish after a task is fulfilled. Must be done. Rule number one. Prime Directive. And all that. But Abe has never once forbidden him to replenish from a living world. He's never even mentioned it. Which might be suspicious in itself. "Might poison me."

His arguments are getting weaker and weaker. Zack chases Karan's words like he's trying to herd cats. It's hard to take it in, and it makes his head... hurt. Not the usual throbbing pain, but a sharp stabbing at the nape of his neck, rising up through his skull.

"Ugh Even talking about it's ...toxic."

Edited 2021-08-04 14:10 (UTC)

Take all the time you'd like, there Zack. Please do. Think about it.

"Eat, absorb, take into your essence, put it in a bag and hide it under your bed. The point stands, you still take some of it with you." He then gave a bark of laughter. "Poison you? Did you just hear what you just said? Something like you get poisoned?"

Leaning forward, knife still in his hands, he asked, "Is it toxic or is it something keeping you from thinking? Your brother did this to you; why? And why does it hurt to think about why? What do you have that he's afraid of?"

There are ways to poison creatures like himself, he's pretty sure. Zack isn't impervious to magic, or the powers of godlike beings. Or maybe he's got it all wrong, because at present, it's agony and he can't even see straight.

In a haze of pain, Zack stands, tipping back his chair so it falls noisily to the ground. He catches the table too, which doesn't get flipped, but it does get knocked, disturbing all the plates and cutlery. The near-empty glass of water falls over, as does Alec's cider.

"I don't know, okay? I don't know!... Stop!"

People are turning to look at the disturbance, but Zack can't see them. His bead feels like the bumping and grinding of two tectonic plates, of a supervolcano straining below the surface, just before it erupts. "I don't want to hurt anyone!"

Edited 2021-08-04 15:31 (UTC)

And at that, Karan grins a wider grin than should be possible. Tucking his knife away, he stands, not at all bothered by the attention driven their way.

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I do have other things to be about," he said. Giving a bow, he adds. "Oh, sometimes I go by Death's Shadow. Do have a lovely day."

He saunters off, hands in his pocket. His shadow gives Zack a wave before following.

The attention doesn't bother Zack either. He has no sense of embarrassment in that way. All he wants is for the pain to stop, and he has to lean forward, bracing his hands on the table for stability.

Wait.

What?

"You fucking bastard!" he snarls as Karan - Death's Shadow - bids him a calm goodbye and strolls off, calm as you like. And your shadow too, mister smug-arsed shithead. Yeah, 'course he'd have walked away straight-off if he'd known who it was. But it's obvious now that Karan knows that and is a sneaky git.

Dimly, Zack hopes what he's just done isn't counted as fighting. Not because he gives a shite about being banned (not at this moment anyway) but because he may have let Alec down. He'll just pick up his chair, sit down and groan a bit, hoping the pain will subside now he's trying not to think. Or that now he's too mad to think.

He walked straight into that one. Though to be fair, it had walked into him first.

His work is done. Zack's reaction is perfect. Especially if he starts to wonder why Alec isn't there to drive him off. Where is he, anyway?

Turning around to walk backwards, Death's Shadow said, "Bastard? Me? No. At least I know who my parents are." Then he decides to add, "I hope to see you again!"

Just to mess with Zack's head a little more. And he's off in the crowd, vanishing from sight.

Fighting in the Bar constitutes actually attacking someone. Which Zack did not and which is a good thing. He would not want to be stabbed or cut or just have blood touch that knife.

Edited 2021-08-04 18:45 (UTC)

The phrase 'not if I see you first' may be a cliche, but it's true nonetheless. It's exactly what Zack mutters to himself as he nurses his head.

And where the fuck is Alec?

For the first time, Zack feels a flash of irritation at his friend. And then instantly hates himself for it.

But where is he?

Zack stops one of the wait-rat.. things, and does actually apologise for the state of the table. "Didn't mean no harm by it," he mutters, "Can I get another glass of water and a cider? Please."

Does he really want to see Death's Shadow again? Really? The guy is a bastard and delights in it. In the possibility of murder - not violence. He will cause violence in the hope of murder. And it is murder not killing someone.

The rat is fine, they've seen worse, and goes off to get the drink replacements.

Shortly after Alec does reappear. Literally. He's wearing a different t-shirt. "Oh. There you are. Good. I didn't flub up my timing that bad." And a pause. "What's wrong? You don't look so good."

He really, really, does not.

At least Zack is feeling slightly better disposed to the wait-rats. He can see they're too useful to be food. Given time, he may even respect them for the right reasons.

"M'not good." He peers at Alec's changed teeshirt, which sort of explains what he might have been doing. "Two words. Both of 'em Death's Shadow. Fucker."

At least the pain is subsiding. "Your timing could've been better. Just don't make me think too hard for a bit."

Grimacing, Alec gave Zack an apologetic look. He was about to explain that he'd been out a few days his time to pick up something to get rid of the magic on him, but that gets derailed with the mention of Death's Shadow.

"Ah, fucknuts. I'm sorry. I didn't know he'd show up, or talk to you." He is sorry. Dealing with Death's Shadow is never fun, as he knows very well. "What did he want?"

This makes it okay. Zack didn't know this about himself, but a genuine apology - even though it wasn't Alec's fault - appears to make him feel a lot better. Maybe it's not the apology itself, but the acknowledgement that something nasty just happened and that Zack's feelings are valid.

He never gets that in Antillioch. Even as a kid, crying would earn him a smack in the face.

"S'okay. You didn't do it." He's still nursing his head. Pressing a palm to his forehead, Zack is trying to find that line between focussing on the topic, and not thinking too deeply. "Dunno what he wanted. Told me I shouldn't eat dead planets. M'connected to living ones, not dead ones, or something. And about how much it hurts to think. That Abe did it and why did he do it."

It takes some effort to get out even this sketchy information. the pain keeps creeping back... though at least not to the degree it just did.

There are few people that Alec would wish Death's Shadow on. Zack is not one of them. Abe, currently, isn't one either. That being said, if the shadow did show up and...talk... to Abe, Alec would happily grab popcorn to watch.

He almost contradicts Zack, by saying mentioning Death's Shadow brought Zack's attention to him, but decides not to go into that sorrid little detail. He's got some investigating to do, if Death's Shadow has decided to creep out of his world...

Later.

Problem for slightly future him.

"Hard to say what he wanted. Problem is he thinks he's being helpful." Though seeing the pain on his face, he holds up a glimmering glass bead with what looks like clouds within. "But let's try getting rid of the spell on you first."