intervention (closed)

[bloodbathing]

WHO: carolina, drake holloway, ephemera, and maine. later, wash.
WHERE: ye ol' abandoned warehouse
WHEN: 26 may 2512
WHAT: an intervention
NOTES OR WARNINGS: violence, emotional trauma, emeto (labeled)

1. The Gathering
   
2. The Reveal
   
3. The New Target
   
4. The Aftermath
   
5. The Healing Hands

Comments

[requiemshark]

[ In a different fight, a different moment, Ephemera knows he would have ducked under the punch and tried to get in close. Used his flamethrowers, used everything in his power to tear the motherfucker apart. Make the sergeant proud. Get blood on the ground, go vicious to the bitter end.

But he promised. He agreed.

Ephemera dodges back with a snarl, takes the blow on the shoulder instead of directly to the face. It still staggers him but he keeps his feet, keeps moving. And he does not try to break Maine's skull into pulp.

This better fucking work. ]

[bloodbathing]

[ The punch hits, but not where Maine was aiming. He doesn't care. He'll keep trying, keep attacking until the threat is gone. Until he stands victorious.

He steps forward, pursuing. Starts to throw another punch, this one aimed at Ephemera's chest—

And then he freezes.

Something is happening. Something unexpected. Something Maine doesn't understand. He steps back. Falls into a defensive stance for the first time, then freezes again. His mind is torn between freezing and retreating, unable to figure out why he feels so … so heavy…

Maine doesn't look around to try and find what's causing the sensation. He doesn't think to. His gaze is still locked on Ephemera, the brown of his irises swallowed by his pupils, but he doesn't move to attack. And gradually, his breathing is starting to slow. ]

[braveoff]

[ Drake keeps projecting calm, feeling it wash through him and out to Maine, and it's more effective the more he's feeling it too. ]

It's okay, Maine.

[ He steps a little closer, eyes darting between Maine and Ephemera, until he's standing beside the latter and trying to catch Maine's attention. ]

It's almost over, just relax. You're fine.

[requiemshark]

[ Ephemera twitches, adjusting his grip on the baton. Staying light on his feet, ready, ready, ready. But the followup doesn't come. He sees the preparation, Maine getting ready to land a blow, and then the pause.

Then, nothing. Ephemera holds, adrenaline kicked up high. He waits, listening, watching. ]

[bloodbathing]

[ Drake steps closer; Maine doesn't react. He remains frozen in place like a living statue, his breath slowing more and more…

And then, like a switch being flipped, the glow from Maine's chest vanishes. His muscles relax, and he blinks rapidly as his pupils contract to their normal size. Then he grimaces as the pain from Ephemera's baton and every single one of Carolina's blows hits him.

It hurts. It really fucking hurts. But Maine finds that he's not concerned about it, really, even though pain shoots through his chest with every breath. He looks from Ephemera to Drake and back again, mild confusion knotting his brow. Then, calm as can be, he turns to look for Carolina. ]

[braveoff]

[ Drake is going to keep up the calming until he's 100% sure Maine is coherent again. He seems it, but. ]

Hey, are you okay? Let me know if I should stop.

[bloodbathing]

[ Maine hasn't set eyes on Carolina yet. He needs to, he knows, but it doesn't feel very urgent. He's not sure why. Doesn't feel like questioning it, either.

He looks back to Drake. Tilts his head slightly as he asks, ]

Stop what?

[ He sees the blue glow from Drake's chest, but he doesn't know what it's causing. ]

[braveoff]

I snapped you out of it. It's a stress response, I think, and my power neutralizes it.

[bloodbathing]

[ That should be a revelation. It should send huge waves through Maine's mind as he takes it in and processes it. Instead, he just says, ]

Oh.

[ A stress response that Drake can neutralize. Okay.

He looks from Drake to Ephemera, then back again, still mildly puzzled by their presence. He should really ask Carolina what's going on.

He remembers grabbing Carolina's shirt. He remembers lifting her into the air. He remembers winding up and throwing her full-force against a wall. But he's not … bothered by it. He should be, he knows, but he's not. And he's not bothered by that, either.

Still, he should find her. Make sure that she's okay. He turns again, muttering as he does so, ]

Where's Carolina?

[braveoff]

To your left... I'm going to stop, nice and slow.

[ The glow fades and with it the sense of calm slips away, leaving Maine to feel... whatever he's going to feel. ]