( open ) i just can't take another day

[maximumlegend]

WHO: Fabian and you!
WHEN: While mission 006 is ongoing.
WHERE: Pretty much anywhere! All over the place!
WHAT: Fabian is willfully sitting out the mission and absolutely not having a great time. And he's willing to let everyone know about it.
NOTES\WARNINGS: Mentions of demonic possession! Though like, in a fun way, not a creepy Exorcist kind of way.

[ No matter whether you've been busy with the current mission or not, it isn't very difficult at all to spot Fabian pretty much anywhere. Maybe you know him and are actually looking for him, especially when you might not have seen him at work for the mission. Maybe you don't know him, and you just happen to come across him. It's pretty easy to notice him either way.

Because you might spot Fabian - or, if you don't know him, a teenage with an eyepatch over one eye, weird pointy eyes and a golden neck tattoo that seems to spell out 'maximum legend' - sitting somewhere and.. talking to himself? ]

Look, I can't stand just going along with this place anymore, okay? Do you know what they're having us do now? They're making people build cars and race! Like people didn't go through hell and back just the other month!

[ .. the sight of a teenager ranting out loud to himself might seem a little concerning. Like maybe Fabian is losing it.

Then something else happens. Something speaks back to Fabian, even though there's nothing around - just the teen sitting next to a motorcycle. Presumably his motorcycle. But despite the fact nothing else seem to be around, there's a deep, kind of demonic voice answering Fabian. ]

Master, you are as right as ever! Just say the word, and I will do what I can to annihilate your enemies!

[ You know. Clearly a very normal scene to witness.

Except, if you were watching.. Fabian only now happens to notice as much. He glances up and over at you, staring for a moment to determine you were looking at him, and then says - without even a single hint of surprise about being caught in the middle of.. whatever weird thing was going on here: ]

What's up?

Comments

[revengeisalie]

[ Well.

Uh.

That's not at all disconcerting or anything.

That's a lie, it was disturbing enough to keep Rin rooted to her spot, not saying a peep until Fabian noticed her. Now that he has done so, she has the decency (???) to blush faintly. ]

Uhm. I just saw you there and thought I'd say hi. Who were you talking to there?

[maximumlegend]

[ Well, at least it is nice of her to want to say hi. Especially when Fabian figures that most people are busy trying to build cars or whatever. It's all he ever sees anyone do while he's driving around town himself for the past few days.

So Fabian gives a little nod at her answer, and then says, casually: ]

Oh, just the Hangman.

[ At least he doesn't seem all that disturbed by realizing someone overheard him. Instead the half-elf gestures with one hand at the motorcycle standing next to him.

Yes, Rin, he was talking to his motorcycle. He's not even lying, because said motorcycle just.. lets out a revving sound all by itself.. Fabian isn't even touching it, considering he's sitting next to it, rather than on it. ]

[revengeisalie]

[ Rin, knowing nothing about cars, has taken over the "looking for parts" part of the operation -- armed with descriptions and rough illustrations from her teammates, which only somewhat helps her. She's so confused. Help.

Of course, she's even more confused when Fabian points at his... thing. It has wheels, so it must be a vehicle. Okay, so he talks to it. Her nose scrunches up a little as she tries to make sense of it. ]

Is that thing... like the bots?

[maximumlegend]

[ Fabian is pulling such a fact when she says that, for the record. Not a face that's too pleased, especially since it comes with a very quick-- ]

Of course not! [ Like even thinking about the Hangman being compared to the bots here feels insulting to him in some way. Not that Fabian is mad at Rin, it's just the way he's so mad at this place. ] The Hangman is my bike. And he's also--

[ The morocycle is definitely speaking.

Not that you can tell, since it's a bike, but.. it's definitely coming from the direction of the motorcycle, and the voice is definitely not Fabian's. It sounds way too deep and demonic for that to be true. ]

I am my Master's most loyal servant!

[revengeisalie]

[ The voice suddenly coming from the direction of the machine makes Rin jump. ]

Uwahhhh! It spoke!

[redheadcarrier]

Uh.

Do you normally talk to the air?

[ Asuka wouldn't put it past him, but she's also, you know... concerned. Because it's Fabian. They had some Very Serious Conversation about life a few weeks ago and since then he's not been far from her thoughts despite herself. ]

Not that I disagree with you about building cars and everything, but still...

[maximumlegend]

[ His jaw drops, making him look a little bit startled, but mostly just kind of offended. Not the kind of offense that makes him seem genuinely angry though - it's just the kind of flustered offense she has seen from him before.

Pretty much Fabian being dramatic, really. ]

I am not talking to the air! [ He says it like it's a crime. Like she's here to fine him for it. ] I'm talking to the Hangman, of course!

[ Fabian wildly gestures with his hands at the motorcycle next to him. ]

We were having a discussion about the whole matter. He wanted to weigh in!

[redheadcarrier]

...you named your motorcycle "Hangman"?

[ What's worth, Fabian? Asuka thinking you're nuts or thinking you're incredibly lame? ]

Who even names their motorcycle...?

[maximumlegend]

[ ASUKA...

Girl, please. Why do you never understand that he is clearly and totally cool? Without a doubt? That he's not crazy nor pathetic? ]

It's a Seacaster tradition! [ He protests. Even though it sounds like he's just being dramatic, he really is feeling this one. It's important to him! ] My papa named his ship the Hangman, so of course I am naming my bike that as well! Not to mention that he is actually an infernal being, you know!

[redheadcarrier]

...it's a motorcycle.

[ Asuka sighs. ]

Boys. Or maybe men. I don't know. You and your toys...

[ Like she's one to talk, considering how she fawned over her Eva unit. But right now she's judging him. Really hard. ]

un: gorgug, text (i do what i want!!!!)

[tinflower]

[ Hey, Fabian. Know what Gorgug is trying to do even if he's been incredibly busy putting his everything into vehicle building?

...think about his friends. Remember them. He's opted for sleeping inside the garage as often as he can get away with (he'll get a good excuse once sabotages start happening, but, still!! ]

how
how are you

[ Have a text. Either during or after or before your current tantrum of the day. ]

i couldn't possibly stop you!!!

[maximumlegend]

[ Gorgug, you fool. The tantrums never stop. The texts will always arrive mid-tantrum!!

Though Fabian is a little surprised by the text all the same. Not that Gorgug is totally ignoring him, but.. well, Fabian knows the other is participating in the mission, unlike him, and that he also seems to be very busy with that. It's certainly something to go from spending so much time with your friend in an attempt to help him settle back in to normal life and being in control of his own mind to said friend being gone from home so often.

But it's a good thing, he tells himself. Gorgug getting out there means he's feeling better again, right? He can work, get in touch with people-- Maybe it'll be good, as much as Fabian hates everything about this mission since the moment it got announced.

That's why he's saving his rants for the Hangman though. In the wake of the last mission - if you can even call it that - he doesn't want to bother his friends with it. And god knows the Hangman will bug him about it even if he doesn't talk, considering how in tune the bike seems to be with his emotions.

So the text catches him by surprise. A.. little while after receiving it, because this is Fabian and he will never spot it in time, but it surprises him all the same once he does notice it.

It also takes a moment to even think about how to answer this. ]

fine

[ A lie it is, then. ]

i should be asking you that dude
how are things out there

good [hamster with flora crown.gif]

[tinflower]

[ Gorgug isn't as quick to get to the text himself once Fabian does, but it takes about ten or fifteen minutes. He feels the vibration in his pocket, then needs to take himself out of his work to check it. ]

its okay. my team is fine [ ... ]
you and riz make a better team

[ It feels a little rude to be talking about other teams in front of The Team, okay! Bad Kids before any other hos. ]

*hey

[ But also: delayed word fix. Anyway. ]

they let us have regenerative wheels for a dumb task
i thought you could get some cool parts for the hangman by pretending to do them for the mission
?

[ That still counts as showing the AI, right. ]

[maximumlegend]

do you know where the parts are coming from?

[ Honestly, Fabian hadn't really stopped to think about the mission. The moment he decided that he and his assigned team could just not participate, that's the moment he noped out entirely. He isn't even spending time thinking about it, or how parts of it could be useful.

Granted, now he is thinking about the latter, Fabian can't help but just be suspicious of it. It's hardly ever a good sign when this place gives them anything that doesn't come directly from one of their worlds. ]

you know i don't want to mess up the hangman

[ That's his pal, Gorgug!! His little buddy!! His pet motorcycle!! ]

[tinflower]

i can make sure theyre safe for him before we put anything on
he has to agree too

[ Since that's the one thing about working on a living motorcycle: he can be opinionated. But it's okay, since Gorgug likes the Hangman too. The Hangvan is only opinionated if he can tell that Gorgug's fucked up, which is usually good help. Thanks, angel dude. ]

but we ask for parts and the bots give us them
i dont know anything else about it
id guess its the same how they get anything we ask for? from aurora

[tocastashadow]

[Shadowheart doesn't usually apologise. As far as she knows, anyway. But between something evil possessing her and Shar trying to dig her claws back into her... Well, Shadowheart hasn't been at her best recently, and she's not exactly delighted about her most recent interaction with Fabian.

Even as new as she is to the concept of friendship, she knows you're not supposed to try to kill your friends.

Scratch trots alongside her, the big white dog's ears perking up curiously at whatever Fabian's talking to.]

You don't strike me as the type to have a fiendish familiar. [Though, come to think of it, though the voice certainly sounds fiendish, she doesn't see a familiar.]

[maximumlegend]

[ Fabian doesn't seem too surprised by her words. Mostly because she's guessing better at what's going on here than most - sure, he wouldn't call the Hangman his familiar, but he imagines the Hangman wouldn't exactly take offense to the term either, given their relationship - and.. well, she's a cleric.

If anyone in this place is going to be able to tell that the being Fabian is talking to is fiendish, it's her. ]

.. oh. [ If there's anything he's making that small noise about and blinking at, it's seeing her at all. And seeing that she's doing relatively better.

At least she doesn't seem evil anymore, for one. ]

No, I rightfully gained ownership of the Hangman after besting his previous owner in combat. [ Read: murdering him.

To be fair, it was in self defense.

Fabian gives a sideways pat against the motorcycle as he says it, causing the bike to rev all on its own, the voice this time more clearly coming directly from the motorcycle. ]

Since then, Master and I have been inseparable!

[tocastashadow]

[Well. That is unexpected. A fiendish creature taking the form of a machine, the likes of which Shadowheart has never encountered. From electricity to guns, she keeps being subjected to strange new technologies that don't exist in her world, and this is yet another abnormality which she'll apparently just have to get used to.

At least Fabian, being from a world a little like hers, may be better able to explain it in terms she'll understand.]

What is he? [she asks skeptically.]

[maximumlegend]

A hell hound. He's from the Nine Hells.

[ Maybe it's not exactly the most elaborate explanation, but Fabian figures the same thing. Shadowheart's world seems more like his own than the worlds of many people in this place, so he probably doesn't need to explain to her what the Nine Hells are in the first place. ]

He can shift back to that form, but he prefers this one.

[ Fabian leans a little bit closer to her, dropping his tone to a whisper, almost like he's trying to keep the possessed motorcycle from overhearing this. ]

The Hangman is kind of shy about his hound form.

[tocastashadow]

[A shy hell hound? The idea is almost... cute. In a way. Shadowheart has dealt with devils all too frequently, and while she's never met a hell hound, she knows they're just another sort of fiend. But at least they're dog-shaped, rather than deceptively-attractive-humanoid-shaped.

Scratch tentatively starts to approach the Hangman, snuffling curiously.]

And what is... [She gestures to the machine, still not understanding what it is she's looking at. It has wheels, so presumably some sort of transport.] ...this form?

[stresstokens]

Just scouting the place out. Hi, Hangman.

[ Riz eyes the Hangman a little cautiously, as though expecting to get growled at (not an uncommon state of affairs, especially when he makes the meager attempt to get too close for the Hangman's own comfort), reaches a hand out as though to touch him, and then seems to think better of it. He may not be able to bite Riz in his motorcycle form, but he's not taking any chances. He and Fabian had decided to opt out of this whole ordeal together -- it was Fabians idea more than Riz's, but he had no problem going along with it. He's not as frustrated as Fabian is, too single-minded about his self-appointed mission to allow himself the luxury of taking anything too personally, but he's still pretty fucking frustrated about the whole thing.

Besides, Fabian could clearly use the moral support. ]

I know the Hangman just agrees with whatever you say anyway, but for the record, you're right this time. [ Not that Fabian needs to be told a second time. Riz is sitting out with him too, after all. ] I'm pretty sure Hell makes more sense than this place does.

[ It's both the truth and a bid for the Hangman's support. C'mon, buddy! Remember the field trip to Hell? They're friends now! Right? Right? ]

[maximumlegend]

[ There is thankfully no biting! .. partially because the Hangman indeed doesn't really have teeth in this form, but its reaction seems to be pretty mild, despite the near-attempt to touch him. Instead the bike just moves away from Riz, over to Fabian's other side - almost like he is trying to get Fabian's attention instead of Riz.

Not that it's working. Fabian is still patting the ground on his other side, like he's inviting Riz to come sit with him. He'd understand if the other person wouldn't, since he imagines Riz is usually investigating some thing or another while he's out, but--

Well, maybe Fabian is a little bummed. Just bummed enough to need the company of his bestie.

Not that he'd ever admit to it. ]

Have you been looking [ - investigating, more like - ] at what they're doing for the mission?

[stresstokens]

[ Hah! Take that, Hangman. You may be Fabian's beloved pet, but Riz is his best friend, and he was here first (if not only by two or three days). He takes a moment to silently, privately celebrate the win that is gaining the same honour as his friend's dog before plopping down next to him, legs stretched out in front of him, the tips of his dress shoes clacking against each other.

It is admittedly a short-lived celebration. Riz is sitting out of this particular mission for Fabian's sake and Fabian's sake alone. That doesn't really bother him - he's not that eager to go racing, and he's deeply sympathetic to Fabian's disgruntlement with this whole thing - but it does bother him that Fabian's been so beaten down by everything.

Not that he can blame the guy. Everything he's been worked up about is reasonable. Which is a problem. Riz likes Fabian best, knows that Fabian is at his best when he has the luxury to get worked up over shit that doesn't matter at all, the sort of thing they can tease him about and laugh off. This... this is not one of those things. ]

Yeah, I've been peepin'. [ Nobody's minded him lurking around very much, or they haven't noticed him at all. Not that it matters; he's not participating, so nobody has anything to hide. ] I could be wrong, but it seems negligible to me. Busy work for the sake of busy work. [ He glances over at Fabian. ]

[maximumlegend]

[ He shakes his head a little. ]

I don't think you are wrong.

[ Not even just logically speaking, but more on a trust level. Fabian knows what Riz's abilities are, and he knows how good the other is at the things he does, and he trusts those enough to know that Riz is likely on to something when he says that.

If there was a sign of anything being off, of there being more to this mission, then surely Riz wouldn't have overlooked it. ]

I wonder why that is. Usually the missions are more dangerous than this. [ Well, technically they made the Moorecroft mission more dangerous than it had to be all by themselves-- But ignore that part, it was necessary! Some shady shit was going on then, and Fabian had fully supported Riz in wanting to get to the bottom of it. ] Maybe they are trying to distract us from how badly they fucked up. Or they are trying to pretend this is all normal.

[ .. He pauses, and as the half-elf seems to recollect something, he sighs and pulls a hand through his hair. ]

You know, I tried telling someone about all of this a little while ago. Back when the city was still messed up, so the evidence of all of it was all around us. And you know what he did? [ Fabian looks at Riz, his eyebrows knit together into a frown. ] He told me I was being dramatic.

[ Which, to be fair, Fabian often is.

He feels like he's even more justified being dramatic right now than he usually is, though. This place is nuts - and when people keep dismissing him about it, sometimes all you have is your bestie to confide in about it. ]

[stresstokens]

[ The thing is is that this isn't Fabian being dramatic, and somehow he doubts that he was being all that dramatic with the other guy too. Fabian being dramatic would have to involve a lot more swooning about, vicious stomps of the feet, wailing and flailing and carrying on in a way that he doesn't typically do about something that carries as much weight as being here does. It's nonetheless an insult that is laser-targeted directly at who Fabian is.

At least Fabian's secure enough in himself not to be swayed by that sort of thing. He knows something's wrong and he's trusting his gut, even if everyone else seems happy enough to play along with Aurora's - or Echo's - stupid little games. ]

Fuck that guy! [ Riz says with more ferocity than is strictly necessary, lip curled in derision. Only they get to make fun of Fabian. And never (well, they shouldn't) when he's actually in distress... okay, maybe only he and Gorgug are allowed to make fun of Fabian. The girls aren't so good at it. ] Fuck that guy, and fuck anyone else who wants to insult the people who're just paying actual attention to what this place is doing. If he thinks this place is so awesome, maybe all that bullshit should happen to him next.

[ Reel it back, The Ball! People don't deserve physical violence for making fun of your friend just a little bit! ]

Hangman agrees with me, don't you?

[ That's the opposite of reeling it back!!

He huffs, shaking his head. ] I thought some people were just keeping quiet about being unhappy here. Keep it away from Echo and Aurora, keep it undercover. I didn't realize how many people were actually buying into this whole thing.