hadriel | [Video & Voice] cw: for mild gore

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[Video & Voice] cw: for mild gore

Why won't you work the way I want you to?

[ The video was mostly accidently, Will laying in his bed fiddling with the buttons on his phone. Will had been trying to dial numbers from home, all to no avail. He'd tried turning it off and then on again, hoping that resetting it would give him the means of calling home... Not that he had anyone to answer but still. Failing that, he was checking the contact list every 5 minutes, just in case another name was added that he might recognize, or the possibility that his own would vanish. ]

If I take you apart and you break...

[ He sighed and the video feed cuts off for a moment. It next returns a few hours later, after having accidentally, privately called a few people only to hang up quickly after having realized he was calling. As his finger lingered wearily over the connect button, having fallen into a light sleep while trying and testing his methodical and repetitive act. His finger pressed heavy with sleep and called the network, only to show the ceiling of his apartment, the uttered mumblings of his sleeptalking. ]

I wasn't... Thinking straight... I was... Upset... Angry...

[ The feed cuts off as Will's palm enveloped the device. Until a few hours later that is.

The feed seemed to be swinging, Will still holding his phone down by his side as he walked slowly into the night. Clues of his whereabouts in the City came in small sections as the camera swayed in motion with his steps. It was dark and a thick fog seemed to roll in from out of nowhere. Then the noise began. A loud and steady siren, yet Will remained calm. A dark blur moved passed the camera of his phone, steam from the breath of a large animal puffed out the nose and directly on the screen. It was anightmareish stag that dislodged the phone from Will's hand, becoming clear to those viewing as it leaned down and gave a snort from its nose.

Will swayed in his slumber where he stood, then took to walking again, just a few feet in front of the device, he was seen barefoot and dressed in only a sweat soaked t-shirt and boxers, the stag followed close to his side as other motions and shadows from the fog began to emerge. Human-like forms with their arms bound across their chests held in place with a sheath of discolored skin, yet Will continued to sleepwalk towards them. Ash started to gather around the small lens of his phones camera, distorting the view, yet just before it was covered and the screen went a static white and gray, something else from Will's deepest, darkest dreams, scooped the phone up before dropping it suddenly, knocking it hard enough to crack the screen and switch to audio only. Will's trembling, cold, voice in the near distance, speaking out softly as the sirens continued making it harder to hear. He sounded almost as if he was coming around from his slumber, confused and tired. ]

... I brought you a gift... Then thought better of it... I had no idea you were here... Abi- !!

[ Suddenly the sound of fast movement and heavy thudding. He'd fallen? Been pushed down? Something wasn't right at all. Nothing but the sounds of labored breathing and slight grimacing. Will felt out and found his phone in the thick settling ash, holding it up to his face to use as a light. The cracked screen flickering in and out of static and feed, showing a rather disheveled and confused looking Will who had no idea he was broadcasting this whole time. ]

She was just here... Where'd...

[ The screen showed Will's face as his eyes searched the blinding darkness of blackest night and ashfall. Though he was not alone. Something was lurking behind him, just over a shoulder, just at arm's length away. ]

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I'm unarmed and tired... They must not have been doing their jobs properly then if I managed to slip on by.

[ He was annoyed with her. Always her. Always sticking her nose in.

What happened next, happened in slow motion for Will. Her words we just a low burst of sound, followed by the trail her rifle made as it was fired towards him. Will moved to turn, looking over his shoulder and there it was, the monster with no face, claws spread open and wide, ready to strike.

Will raised his hands to his ears, falling down onto his knees, then his side as he curled up into a ball, shaking his head and yelling out from the deafening sound ringing like a gong in his head. ]

[Normally, Maketh doesn't say, the guardsmen can count on people to utlize their common sense and avoid the obvious death traps, thus focusing on the other threats. And in Hadriel there are many.

There's no chance to speak. Maketh lowers her rifle with a slow exhale. The automatic targeting software is proving effective. Not that she would have missed at this range.

She might have ruined Will's hearing, though.

Well, it was that or let him get his head torn off. He'll live. Probably.

Maketh moves over to toe him with her boot. There's blood and what might be bits of brain on the ground. On him. Maketh can't smell it through the filters in her helmet, but she's sure it can't be pleasant.] Get up. You're alive, you'll be fine.

[ Her mouth moved but no sound came through. Just the intense ringing and a slight vibration coming from her.

As she poked at him with her foot, Will moved to his knees. Seeing the blood and gore splattered over him made his stomach churn. He'd seen worse in a crime scene, but with all things considered, this was a little too close.

Grabbing her leg, despite knowing that she hated it when he touched her, even if it was unintentional. His stomach twisted and flipped about, the smell, the sights, and that painful sound! There was no way he could stop it, and before he could turn his head away, Will threw up over Maketh's boot. ]

[Do not strike him. That's her first thought. She cannot strike a civilian without provocation, it is not done, there are consequences you will remember your duty, soldier. She hurt him once because of her own weakness and that is not done. That is not done by someone with her responsibilities, it is not done in Hadriel at all, it is not--

Maketh takes a slow breath and then lets it out. She does not kick Will in the face or even jerk free from his hold. Instead she holds herself rigidly still and waits until he's done being sick. She waits. She's a goddamn officer, she will hold.]

[Maybe it was because she didn't retaliate? Or perhaps it was because she was right and that he was not in control of himself, but whatever the reason for it, once he'd finished sharing what little food he'd at, all over the floor, Will slumped to the other side of Maketh's feet and shut his eyes.

He started to drift off to sleep. He was exhausted and unsettled, it didn't matter to him where they were, he just physically could do nothing else. It was dangerous and again he was proving her right, making the case against him worse but what could he do!? He was helpless. ]

[Maketh takes a shuddering breath and lets it out. Has he really just passed out at her feet? She kneels, checks his pulse, doesn't care for what she finds. He's sick again, or perhaps never stopped being sick in the first place. Either way he's picked an awful place to do--whatever this is.]

Get up. Get up or I will have to drag you.

[He flinched instantly when he felt her fingers touch for a pulse. Going to swat her hand away but he was too slow and drained. ]

I'm getting up...

[ He was exhausted and knew all too well that Maketh had little empathy towards him. It was best to just do what she says. As he pushed himself up, something grabbed his foot! Will shot her a concerned look, just before he was forcibly yanked in the opposite direction from her. His palms still on the ground, scraped now, bloody and raw as he vanished into the fog. ]

[Oh, for the love of--

Maketh hisses a curse and drops into a crouch, rifle held at the ready. She hasn't gotten all of the armor's defensive systems online and unfortunately this model's heat-sensor is damaged beyond her ability to repair. She can't track him through the fog just by body heat.]

Will!

[Now is not the time for him to finally start obeying her orders. She needs him to either fight back or make enough noise so she can find him again.]

[ He still had that metal rail he'd dislodged from a fence! Managing to grab it just as he was pulled backward. If Maketh could hear that scraping and banging against the ground, maybe she'd be able to get a lock on him?

As for the monster, Will couldn't see it. He was face down to the ground, though he could feel that it's clawed hand didn't feel that much bigger than humans. He could also feel that they weren't moving all that fast. ]

Hey!! Hey! Over here!!

[ He cried out, hoping Maketh would follow. Whatever it was, it seemed to be taking him somewhere. Will mused that it was hoarding food and he would be stored in some kind of nest-like storage to be eaten at its pleasure when it pleased. ]

[There, over there. Maketh darts forward, rifle held ready. The heat-sensor isn't active but the automatic targeting system is. All she needs is to line up a shot and hope Will isn't in the way. The program doesn't know the difference between enemy and...whatever she's calling Will these days.]

Keep your head down!

[The moment she gets a shot, Maketh takes it. She hears the monster screech, an awful sound.]

[ Will covered his head with his arms and ducks as close to the ground as he can get. The sound of her fire soared over his head, it was close and had he not have moved when he did, the chances of him being wounded too were high.

The monster let out a ferocious sound. She'd wounded but not killed it. It lashed out in pain, only just missing Will where he lay. Large claw-like hand swooping and clawing at the floor before it scrambled backwards into cover, into the fog.

Will lay there a moment longer, clutching the metal pipe he'd had on him, ready to hit and fight back if it were to rush him. He was in shock. That was twice she'd fired at him now. ]

[The thing retreated with a squeal, no doubt to lick its wounds. Unlike some of the other monsters, this one appeared to value its own life over the potential of a kill. She moved, scanning the sight-lines and waiting. Thus far nothing else lunged out of the fog.

It wouldn't last. They had to move.]

Can you stand?

[Her voice is perfectly calm.]

[ He nodded. Using the metal pipe to aid him in getting up. He wasn't about to ask Maketh for that kind of help. He needs to be proving to her that he's in control and has got this! The last thing he needs is to have her on his back in a place like this.

As he stood up, wobbling a little then shivering, Will sighed and looked around. ]

I take it we're not actually supposed to be in here? .... Makes you wonder why the Gid's even have a place like this in the fist place.

[Maketh makes a disgusted noise in her throat. Apparently he's learned nothing.] Fear gets power whenever someone wanders in. Another one of their games. I'm sure you've noticed they don't care when we die.

[Something growls in the mist.]

Get behind me. We're leaving.

Only God I'm hearing about is Fear. Where are the rest? Or did I just miss the sign pointing to fluffy labrador land?

[ He's cynical and sarcastic, but he has a point. For as long as he's been here, it's been nothing but fear and death surrounding him. Where the other Gods slumbering or something?

Noticing Maketh went on guard, Will slipped behind her instantly. His back almost to hers as he held the pipe in both hands, that broken finger of his throbbing as he tried to get a better grip. ]

Y-yea... For once, I agree with you.

Get drunk at the bar. Delight likes that.

[Maketh, for her part, prefers to get drunk in the company of strangers. Hadriel is sorely lacking on that part.

But he obeys. That's something. Maketh nods just once.]

All right. Stay close. It's not far.

[Hopefully he's not stupid enough to bash her head in while she's not looking. At least not until after she's led him out.]

Yea? I might because right now I'm a one man buffet for Fear.

[ It was tempting, oh it really was, to just bonk her on the head with that pole and be done with it. let her know what it's like to have her head bashed in. But no, Will couldn't, he mustn't. She was helping him now and as much as it confused Will, he had no choice but to go along with it. ]

So.. About my gun?

[ He's not going to let it go. Will feels very strongly that he should be able to carry arms if he wishes. What if someone or something tried to attack him!? ]

Right now!?

[Oh, he's serious about it. Of course he is. He waits not until they've passed the threat to bring up the subject but right when they're stuck in the middle of it. Maketh makes a disgusted sound in her throat, so there can be no misunderstanding about her feelings on the matter.]

You're still banned from the armory.

Better time than ever if you ask me.

[ Part of him is doing it now because come on! He's just found himself in a nightmare world full of man-eating monsters, of course, he wants his gun! The other reason he asks is to see if her attitude on him has changed giving their current circumstances. ]

You've got to have a spare on you. I could cover you from the back. It makes sense.

[ He gives her time to think about it and possibly reply first. ]

..... You know, if I really wanted to, I wouldn't need a gun or weapon to cause damage.

[She has a knife hidden up her sleeve and a sword hooked to her belt, but it would no doubt surprise Will to learn that Maketh has no backup gun. The supplies in Hadriel are abysmally low on that count. She makes do with the rifle.]

It does not. Your hands are unsteady.

[Keep it entirely logical and he'll have to accept it. Besides, Maketh doesn't trust him at her back. Not with a gun. This moment is tolerated only because it is necessary.]

Oh, I'm well aware of that. But harming me right now mean you'd be stuck here.

[ Well, at least Will knew that Maketh wasn't using his gun and all its precious bullets. He'd prove his worth some day and hopefully, then, she'd allow him to have it back. For now, seeing as his head was clearing a bit and Maketh wasn't being as horrid as she could be, Will decided to let her win and drop it. ]

Okay fine. Just me and my pipe.

[ He gave it a few practice swings, struggling to hold it tight, what with his broken and dislocated fingers. Will decided not to pass comment on what Maketh was saying, he didn't actually want to hurt her, far from it. If anything he wanted to gain her trust, he just wished she wasn't so hard on him, it brought out the worst in him, like when Jack would push him back home. ]

[Your pipe and your own stupidity. But though she's tempted to, Maketh doesn't say that. There's no point. Occasionally there's some use in yelling at a person to make them behave, or some base amusement at watching them flail, but she can't justify it here. It's not professional.

Maketh grits her teeth and keeps moving. It shouldn't be far now.

Besides, she fully intends to yell at him once they're out of the fog.]

Stay close. We're almost out.

Yes, ma'am.

[ His voice was sarcastic, mocking even though he'd not meant to. He was tired, feeling drained and sore. He just wanted to get out of here then get away from Maketh before she can lay into him again. Will could actually do with going to see a doctor this time, not that he'd admit it to her, but her yelling at him when he's in this state isn't going to help either of them... Though Will has already assumed that's exactly what she'll do when they're out of dodge. ]

[That fucking tone.

Maketh grits her teeth and doesn't say a goddamn word. She leads him out of the mist like a good soldier in icy, furious silence.]

[ Will looked at the back of her head. Shit. He shouldn't have done that, but he couldn't help himself, besides, she's only going to lecture him more about how out of control he is. Why not get something out of it before the storm of her anger hits him again.

The silence and the coldness coming from her was almost as bad as the atmosphere in the foggy part of the City. It made Will uneasy, paranoid.... Her silence started to concern him and for a moment then, he wondered if she was real at all. Had he lost more time? Was he following a shadow of a memory? A dream?

Reaching out to touch the on the shoudler...]

...M-Maketh?

[Video & Voice] cw: for mild gore

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