♋ PCG 18

[crusthatecean]

[He isn't familiar enough to think twice before eating what just looks like another strange type of fungal food product. He doesn't feel the effects until later, when the feeling of intense terror and hallucinations overtake him. Even then, plagued by horrifying visions and the sensation of his vascular sac beating in his thorax so violently that he feels it might burst, he isn't aware this is not real or unusual.

In his visions, the walls are splattered with colorful gore. He's hunted by unstoppable predators he can't hope to flee or leave behind. He and everyone he knows is going to die. And worst of all? Preventing this was his responsibility, and he's failed. He's more than failed. All of this was his fault. The red lines cracking through the sky, destroying everything and everyone and ensuring their last safe haven will be gone is the same color as the red running through his veins. He is the cancer, and he will destroy everything he loves.

The sensation and knowledge is unsurprising. His worst fears come to life is something that by now, he is all too familiar with.]



[Action; 1338 Benny]

[Early in the afternoon, soon after the mushrooms have taken their effect, Karkat can be found in the family room of the house. He's still lucid, but he's pacing and clutching his garden sickle, and occasionally looking around at the walls and jumping at shadows. There's something clearly very wrong here; he looks either like he's about to bolt or like he's about to be sick, and he's muttering to himself.]

Oh god. Oh man. Fuck. Fuck. Oh man. Oh god.

[Phone]

[Karkat's voice over the phone is trembling badly; rather than his usual angry and loud tone, he sounds panicked and hollow.]

Okay. Fuck. Okay. I need everyone to fucking listen right the fuck now.

Those red lines earlier mean that Mayfield is going to be destroyed. We're going to need to find a way out, everyone, that's...that's something we can do. Shit. Okay.

If that's not enough, Gamzee, he's gone completely shitfucking off the fucking deep end again. He...fuck fuck fuck. If you see him around, stay away from him. Oh god. He's incredibly dangerous. I...shit, shit, I'm sorry, I promised I wouldn't let this happen, it's all my fault for not...I'm sorry...

You probably won't hear from me again, so don't wait for me to find a way out of here any way you can. I'm so sorry, you guys, I fucked up everything.

...Bye.

[He hangs up and won't answer any calls, but you may find him at or around 1338 Benny. He has definitely deteriorated from earlier, though, and it's evident from the way he'll react to anyone who approaches him that he may attack you with the sickle he's brandishing.]

((OOC: Sorry to post again so soon! I will still backtag the other post too. Feel free to action tag in response to the phone call or just in general, he'll mainly stay around his house but if you prefer he can be outside. Thanks!))

Comments

[crusthatecean.livejournal.com]

[No response; he hung up right after finishing speaking.]

action;

[foretastes.livejournal.com]

[now the question is- is he at his hive or not? Terezi doesn't know, and she's kind of hallucinating the town as the lab instead, but she's going to try to find him.

eventually she's able to connect the dots and find his hive, but she can't smell him or his sickle.]

[crusthatecean.livejournal.com]

[She'll be able to find him inside, in the family room, sitting against a wall with his eyes closed.]

[foretastes.livejournal.com]

[she smells him there, although the house itself just seems to be more of the lab, more endless grey walls. she gives a cry and kneels next to him.] You're alive!

[her voice is small and strained, and she throws her arms around him, trembling.]

[crusthatecean.livejournal.com]

Terezi! Oh god, fuck, I thought you were dead...

[He returns her tight embrace, unwilling to let go as though she'll disappear.]

[foretastes.livejournal.com]

I thought you were dead. [she buries her face in his shoulder.] I figured it out. I think I understand everything now. It was never Vriska's fault.

[crusthatecean.livejournal.com]

Gamzee killed them. I tried to tell you, but he killed you before I could. He's been sending me these awful messages.

[He runs his fingers through her hair, looking blankly across the room over her head. He can clearly see what's written in wet dripping letters on the wall:



She's not really here with him, he knows that. But it's nicer to think she is.]

[foretastes.livejournal.com]

He...?

[her voice trails off into a numb, blank silence.

maybe she is dead, after all. she wouldn't be surprised. what is this, then? a dream bubble?

maybe she was too late either way.]

It's my fault. I didn't see through it.

[crusthatecean.livejournal.com]

No, no, of course it isn't your fault. He was my responsibility and I failed him. And you.

[He continues stroking her hair. Even if she's dead, he's confident he isn't. Because he understands now that the only way to prevent any more of his friends from being hurt is to die himself, and yet somehow he's still clinging on to life.]

[foretastes.livejournal.com]

I should have seen it.

I should have... [she buries her face in his shoulder, overcome with her failure. she was their Seer. she was supposed to prevent this from happening.]

[crusthatecean.livejournal.com]

It's not your fault. It's mine, Terezi. I'm so sorry.

[foretastes.livejournal.com]

...

[she wants to tell him 'no it's not', but she knows that's a conversation that could go on forever.]

I wish things could've been different.

[crusthatecean.livejournal.com]

I know. So do I.

It isn't fair that you have to die.

[foretastes.livejournal.com]

...We'll get to be together again soon, right?