dappledleaves | THE WORLD: PSL LIFE

[ Oria wants to be selfish and tell Sinclair not to say that. It makes him think of the terrible nightmare when Sinclair died in the process of doing just that. With the loss that just occurred, he's not sure if he can handle Sinclair dying on top of his father dying and then turning into the monstrosity. He knows though, that this is the most logical step, and that's the protocol for hired help to inform the person that they're supposedly rescuing. It makes sense.

He hates how it makes sense, because he can't argue.

How many more loved ones will have to die in his presence? The mere thought of it severely depresses Oria. Here's your free gloom resource.

There won't be any words out of him unless he needs to speak to answer something. At least, until they catch up to the rest of the team. ]

[There's more in their way as they rejoin the main team, leading all the way to this underground tunnel. And all along the way are Christmas carols, the bodies of people - allies, enemies even - split apart in a mockery that have Sinclair gripping Oria's hand in a death grip, trying to keep his cool. Even Ryoshu seems unimpressed, her disdain for the 'kitsch' display evident.

They meet Dante and the others at the tunnel, and their expressions are grim as Sinclair fills them in with a few signs.

Then, Faust speaks.

"We must hurry. That abnormality may take over entirely if we tarry too long, rendering all our efforts useless."

Sinclair shivers, and nods.

Who would have thought Kromer would go this far in the end?]

...I'm ready. I wont lose myself this time.

[The memory of Fragment and what he saw with Michel...that wouldn't leave him any time soon]

[ Upon arriving, Oria looks at the others and shifts his gaze over to Sinclair. While they discuss among themselves, Oria brings something out from the bag after rummaging through it with a pause: a small spherical object that's the size of a marble. Oria knows what this is, but it wasn't his. It was a prototype that supposed passed its first trials. Before Sinclair heads out, Oria puts the marble-like object in his hand. ]

Emil.

[ His voice is quiet, barely a whisper. It's still mostly air. ]

Have you ever used a centrifuge in a lab class?

...not on my own. But the teacher gave us demos.

[ It was an expensive machine after all. He takes the marble like object, confusion written all over his face. But he knows what it's for and something like understanding begins to dawn on him]

What is this?

Edited 2023-12-25 00:17 (UTC)

If you put this inside a living thing, it'll split them into multiple layers of what makes them. If you need a gruesome example, if you put this inside a human, you'll be able to separate the skeleton, muscular, and nervous system of a single person. Obviously, this will kill them.

[ It's not meant to use on living things, but that's not the point. Anything that isn't meant to be used for its intended purpose is bound to be destructive for anything that's alive. ]

I don't know if it'll work against the things that you fight... but I think it'll be a useful tool one way or another.

[ Oria coughs a little. He's talking too much and his throat hurts. ]

You need to live too. If you leave me on top of my dad... I...

[ Oria can't find the words for once, but he sure looks upset. He tries to hide those sorts of expressions, but he can't bother doing that right now. ]

... I don't want you to be another person that I'll have to bury.

[ Physically and mentally. His voice gets quieter as he reaches the limit. ]

I won't make you promise me, since we know that's not realistic. Do your best to live... please.

[Sinclair squeezes the marble a little more tightly and nods. It's gruesome. It's nothing short of cruel, even. But they had reached their limit here, mentally and physically. ]

I wont be reckless. I intend on coming back from this no matter what.

[He lets out a shaky breath; he understood from the beginning why Limbus Company had selected those without homes, without people to return to. He doesn't want to be another nightmare for Oria to live through.

He wants to live, with Oria, with all his loved ones.

But this is the only promise he can offer. He pulls away at the impatient calls from Heathcliff and the others. If Oria meets Rodya's or Gregor's gaze, they give him a grim look and a nod.

No one here entered battle with the intention of dying. He pulls out the last bit of equipment from the case, a strange looking coat, that settled over him and had the vines twisting up further his arm.

As they descend down the stairs, he hears the movements, slithering and flesh like. And they descend into a cavern - Sinclair wondered if it had existed before this. No matter.

Kromer is there, hands stained with blood and whistles, as she reaches for the abnormality, eyes wide and fascinated, a flush of delight written all over her face. It's sickening. His grip on the Fae Lantern glaive tightens, and he trembles with barely restrained hatred]

Kromer...

["Ahaha...Sinclair. My Sinclair. You've finally come. I've been waiting such a long, long time for you."

He bites back a snarl, but the hatred in his eyes is all too obvious]

This ends today. No more.

[He's sorry Michel. But monsters were real here. And Kromer...

He watches in horror as the abnormality seems to reach out and draw Kromer in, bit by bit. Flesh, devouring flesh.

"The Fuck is that." That must have been Heathcliff.

"Soorrrryyyy Sinclair. You're too late. As always---"]

[ When Oria gets to the bottom with the others, he sees Kromer sink into the monster that he refuses to acknowledge. He feels that if he gives it a direct look, he won't come back from whatever hell it would send him to.

He won't wait for Kromer to finish her speaking or whatever monologue she planned while sinking into the abnormality. In fact, he gets out a specialized gun that looks like something between a specialized revolver, aiming and shooting an APHE (armor-piercing high-explosive) bullet right into the center of Kromer's body. He'll never wait for anyone to finish their speeches. They can die where they stand with their ego. ]

[Truth be told, no one was expecting that. Except for maybe Sinclair who was all the more aware of Oria's habits, as learned through their time in Fragment. Kromer screeches, an inhumane how before she laughs and laughs.

"Sinclair, I see that boy wishes to join his--"

Sinclair is already sprinting across the cavern, swinging up with his glaive to slice at an arm. The marble is within his pocket, seemingly burning a hole against his skin. He needed one opening. Just one]

Shut up---

[Venom drips from his lips, but his eyes are focused. If he lost himself now, then they would all pay the price. He needed to keep his calm, bind himself to the earth and focus. Kromer, who adored the rawness of humanity, was now beyond it. It was a little ironic. He's aware of the others falling into formation, taken aback by his sudden charge into the front lines. But they had seen more of this now, when his body said move, and his mind said guard everyone. They had just never seen how much hatred he had within him]

[ Despite his physical weakness, he holds his gun steady. He could be shaking with rage, but that's counterproductive to what he wants to do in the moment. So he fires another bullet at Kromer in junction with Sinclair's attacks so that Sinclair doesn't have to think twice about trying to dodge the bullets he fires. Oria meant it when he said that he wouldn't get in his way. He knows how Sinclair fights. He took notice of so many things about him in Fragment and whenever they were together. During Sinclair's possible openings when he doesn't attack, he fires at Kromer so that she can't make use of them. She'll continue to be barraged with attacks regardless of who they're from.

And that's what support really means--to have each other's backs and to cover for one another. ]

[There's a strange sense of steadiness that accompanies the knowledge that someone knew him so well had his back. Fragment had changed him, hone the knife's edge of his will, sharpened it with pain and blood.

He had been broken and remade so many times over. He falls back to allow Oria to shoot, he moves in to keep Kromer occupied. The rest are all scattered, whittling away at flesh, at accompanying creatures that spawned in response to the call of this inhumane creature who promised a rebirth with blood and flesh alone. They're exhausted. Sinclair is too. But he keeps fighting, carried forward by one thought alone.

In Fragment, fire had been his element. Burning cinders that threatened to reduce everything to ash. Here, he had asked for the Fae Lantern for a reason. Vines and flowers bloom in the Fae Lantern's path, little seeds of life against all the senseless death. He hears the call of the fae, gently welcoming all to the forest. Take care, take your steps carefully.

He shuts it all out.

He didn't need any of that.

He just needed one moment, one moment alone. When Kromer's arms reach out to strike him, he sees it. The gaping maw of the Abnormality, opening to consume and render all around her. And he tosses that marble inside, as he gets pinned to the ground. There's a shout. Someone yells.

"Weak, weak, weak. Sinclair. You are nothing without me. Nothing. You should have..."

The words die off, he feels the grip slacken on him, and he sees the moment that marble takes effect. Ah. So it activated that soon...]

...no. My choice was the right one all along. I needed nothing from you. And now, you'll be nothing too.

[There's a scream, inhumane, painful. And then flesh begins to twist and shift and--

This might haunt his nightmares too.

That's alright. He knew what he had to do]

Edited 2023-12-25 05:33 (UTC)

[ Kromer's "stage" seems to be gradually melting as the being fused with the abnormality separates into several layers of... flesh? And then there is an egg, but it's getting swallowed up by the melting area. Oria urges someone to get Sinclair since he's the furthest from them and near the epicenter of the melting environment.

During the meltdown, a path opens up. Surely it's an exit out of this cavern. It's their only way out, so they better take their chances!! Oria does his best to run with the group. ]

[Sinclair watches numbly as acid splashes down on the ground, lapping at his glaive, melting it away.

Oh. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. He sees the remnants of Kromer's body fall - alive? He's not sure - but he doesn't have time to wait. Gregor is grabbing him, hauling him over his shoulder as they all frantically flee the cavern and the world of the abnormality. He doesn't look back, fighting exhaustion every step of the way. They're all flagging now, adrenaline long gone. If Oria trips or stumbles, Don will be there to drag him up and off again, seemingly unburdened by the exhaustion afflicting the others.

But they emerge from the cavernous depths just as it collapses behind them - trapping the egg with it - and they all waver, and collapse, gasping as they remove their equipment - and they're met with Vergilius, and a team of Limbus Company medics. His red gaze studies each and every one of them, assessing their victories and failures in one swoop.

And Sinclair, aching from the battle, wonders if he had broken anything. It didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was...]

...Oria...

[ He moves across the field, from where Don had left Oria, as she goes to declare their hard won victory. His vision swims a little, but he stands tall, refusing to do anything else until Oria's hands are in his again]

[ Thanks to Don, Oria doesn't get trapped in the cavern. He can barely stand, but he hears Sinclair's voice and turns his head to that direction. There's a look of relief on his face, though it's short-lived after he holds Sinclair's hand. ]

You're...

[ His voice drifts, never getting to finish that sentence. His mental state had been ravaged by two abnormalities and the containment room happenings that the adrenaline can no longer put off until later. He collapses on the spot with the bag and his hold on Sinclair's hand loosens significantly, passing out. It was long overdue.

After Sinclair does what he wants to do (albeit with a fainted boyfriend), Oria gets pulled away by the Severine guards and is immediately carted off to the hospital. Yes, the Limbus Company medic team was there, but Oria gets taken to the hospital anyway.

In the meantime, Karelia, Oria's mother had rewarded Limbus Company quite handsomely in regards to money, connections, and will be notified of any abnormalities if spotted.

When Oria is finally set to rest at a ward, the limited visitors are Oria's family and Sinclair. Aria asked for Sinclair to be included on the list. It's the least she could do. Aria burst into tears upon seeing Oria on the hospital bed as Iria comforted her. Kaleria has a quiet moment with Oria. They visit every day despite their busy schedules now that Arvel has passed away. It was up to Kaleria and Iria to handle it all. Oria would normally join in, and he would despite his bedridden state.

But he hasn't woken up. It's been a week. The doctors suggest that it could be a psychological reason that Oria hasn't woken up, because his physical state doesn't show anything concerning apart from the areas that need recovery. ]

[He had wanted to argue it, to hang onto Oria no matter what. But reason took over when it was pointed out that the Severines could most certainly afford top of the line medical care and they needed to debrief. So Sinclair lets the Severine guards take Oria away, holding back his own hysteria.

Be strong. For Oria. He needed to be strong.

Nothing in the aftermath feels like a victory. The losses were unacceptable, the pain unfathomable. Sinclair makes a polite request for leave. He doesn't give himself a time limit. But his eyes are watchful and tense, and he gets into a quiet, firm discussion with too many higher ups about it (including Vergilius, their watcher). But the psychological and physical toll on too many abnormality fights on the Zwei team could not be underestimated. Dante too, pushes for it, in his Dante-like way of more gentle persuasion.

It's enough. Stand-by is granted, for the entire team.

When Aria wins him the visitors rights, Sinclair nearly cries with relief. He thanks her, and when he's cleared from his own bed rest, he spends his time in a silent vigil over Oria's bed, holding his hand. He leaves when Oria's family arrives to give them their space and returns when he's allowed. Sometimes he reads aloud, sometimes he just talks about the silly, stupid things the Zwei team had gotten themselves into during their stand-by. Apparently none of them were very good at just appreciating peace. ]

--and then Ms. Outis had to be dragged out of the building by Ms. Ishmael and Rodya. It was...[Funny? Scary? His words trail off as he rubs his thumb over Oria's hand. He's never liked hospitals, and the time where he had been forcefully sedated in them had left scars in his heart that wouldn't fade. And seeing Oria like this, so silent, so pale...]

You know...I asked for leave. They granted it, and put our team on standby. I don't know if it was coincidence or not, but...I'm here. I'm staying with you, no matter what. So...

[Please pull through. The words get caught in his throat and he draws in a shuddery breath]

Edited 2023-12-25 07:26 (UTC)

[ Around an hour passes. The heart monitor has been steadily beeping all this time along with an analog clock that's hung on the wall, ticking time away. If Sinclair had been holding Oria's hand all this time, there's a small twitch of the finger.

For the first time in a week, Oria finally opens his eyes. They're barely open at first, because everything in the room is so bright. His eyes don't move either and merely blankly stares at the ceiling. ]

[ Sinclair was about to doze off by Oria's side when he feels that slightest bit of movement ]

Ah.

[ Oria's eyes are open, and Sinclair blinks rapidly, as if that much would hold back his tears]

Oria...?

[ The hand feels warm. His line of sight moves to see a yellow blob in his vision.

It's Sinclair... probably. It stills difficult to speak, so he merely curls a finger in Sinclair's hold, hooking it around one of Sinclair's. ]

[ His vision blurs for a second, and it's like a dam had cracked within him, tears rolling down his cheeks, falling against Oria's hand as he squeezes it firmly.]

You're awake... you're really...

['Here'.]

[ Oria quietly breathes out when he hears Sinclair and one of his fingers move in his hold to say that he heard him. He's here. He's right here, awake. It doesn't seem like he can speak or just doesn't want to. Either way, he's acknowledging Sinclair's presence.

Though it may be best to call a nurse now that Oria is awake. ]

... I'll call the nurse for you. And your family--

[ Luckily all hospital rooms come equipped with a call button so Sinclair presses it without letting go of Oria's hand, and a nurse appears instantly.

Sinclair would have gotten Aria's number at some point so she's the one who will get texted as soon as the nurse finishes]

[ With the text sent to Aria, the remaining family make their way to the hospital as fast as they can. There are more tears and sighs of relief when they see Oria being awake and they hear from the doctor about Oria's condition. Sinclair would be able to listen in. It sounds like despite the multitudes of shocks, most things seem to be generally fine. The only problems that Oria seems to have are the neck/throat area and superficial burns on the skin. Since he slept for a full week, it really helped his recovery. Oria is extremely lucky in that regard.

That said, Oria will have to stay in the hospital for several days so that the nurses can keep an eye on his condition. They wouldn't want a new problem to surface after he's been discharged.

The family stays for a while, but they leave eventually. Aria waves a little to Sinclair and gives him something like an overnight bag with snacks, water, clothes around his size, toiletries, and more. It looks like she was expecting Sinclair to stay in Oria's room to that extent for a while...

The room becomes quiet again and Oria is found on the bed without having ever moved his limbs, continuing to stare at the ceiling without his glasses on. Doing so reminds him of that day, but it has no place in his mind right now, so he closes his eyes. ]

[ Ah. He hadn't expected he'd be given permission to stay overnight, but there's a relief that he doesn't have to go. Sinclair is quiet throughout everything, holding onto Oria's hand, leaving only when his family looks like they want a bit of privacy with Oria. He understands. Family was precious. But when everyone leaves, he's back at Oria's side, clasping his hand between his own again, the silence punctured only by the beeping of the heart monitor.

He watches Oria close his eyes again and bites his lip]

...I got approval for leave. They've put me on standby in the meantime. The whole team's on break now too. Everyone needed to rest and I...[Sinclair definitely fractured a rib or two in that fight but it's not something that can be bandaged up]

I'm going to stay. No matter what, I wont leave you. So...

[ His throat feels tight again and he shakes his head.

'We'll get through this'. He wants to say that but the words wont come out right]

I'm here. No matter what happens, I'll always be on your side.

[ Sinclair, maybe... consider using that healing EGO...

Oria turns his head just a little enough to face Sinclair. The arm that's connected to the hand that Sinclair is holding is luckily free, so Oria brings it up closer to his own face and nuzzles the back of Sinclair's hand a little. He deeply appreciates it in a time like this. ]

Are you... okay?

[ His voice sounds extremely scratchy. It's what he couldn't ask back then before he collapsed, and even now, he's worried about Sinclair. He doesn't even know which hospital he's in, or how long he's been out cold, or anything. Sinclair is still priority. ]

[ He will with some coaxing. Fae Lantern did help with the worst of it. He swallows a little and nods even though Oria can't see it. He cups Oria's face, rubbing his thumb over the curve of his cheek]

Mn. I'm fine. Just bruising mostly.

[ It was just like Oria to worry about Sinclair first.]

[ Oria looks relieved for the most part, relaxing as Sinclair cups his face and closing his eyes a little to really let the touch sink in. He stays like this for a while. ]

... What happened?

[ While he was out. Apart from the company taking a break. ]

Edited 2023-12-25 23:54 (UTC)

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