Insanity Clinic: Season Two

[Through the Living Hope]

Just now, Exotic Almond said:

 

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Both

 

[Exotic Almond he/him]

Just now, Spark of Hope said:

 

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Understandable. Seeing your friend turn feral and kill someone is probably traumatizing.

Another soldier rushes in. Considerably greener than the other. "Oh rusts. This is bad. St-stay where you are!"

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Did I miss some hint at what Aventine wanted to do or overstep some boundary because if so I apologize and we can rewind.

 

[Through the Living Hope]

1 minute ago, Exotic Almond said:

Another soldier rushes in. Considerably greener than the other. "Oh rusts. This is bad. St-stay where you are!"

 

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She was going to try to get the guard to empathize with them, but this is fine. She’s probably going to ask for her jacket back

 

[Exotic Almond he/him]

Just now, Spark of Hope said:

 

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'kay. I completely missed that. Sorry. I will say this next guard will be a bit more receiving.

"Uh. What do I do now? Umm, you don't seem very murdery."

[Through the Living Hope]

Just now, Exotic Almond said:

"Uh. What do I do now? Umm, you don't seem very murdery."

“Yeah. I’m not.”

[Exotic Almond he/him]

Just now, Spark of Hope said:

“Yeah. I’m not.”

"But... that's not what they said."

[Through the Living Hope]

Just now, Exotic Almond said:

"But... that's not what they said."

“Who’s ’they’?”

[Exotic Almond he/him]

Just now, Spark of Hope said:

“Who’s ’they’?”

"The MCS. Where we are. They said all magic is bad and that the only reason the mistborn are left is because of their value. You seem... nicer... than that."

[Through the Living Hope]

Just now, Exotic Almond said:

"The MCS. Where we are. They said all magic is bad and that the only reason the mistborn are left is because of their value. You seem... nicer... than that."

“Well, thanks… I think.” She put her free hand to where a pocket would have been. Since there was no pocket, her hand slid a bit, then she made a sad look and put it back by her side.

[Exotic Almond he/him]

Just now, Spark of Hope said:

“Well, thanks… I think.” She put her free hand to where a pocket would have been. Since there was no pocket, her hand slid a bit, then she made a sad look and put it back by her side.

"Do you... need anything? Like, another cell maybe." He looks at the corpse and almost vomits. "Yeah, follow me to another cell."

[Through the Living Hope]

Just now, Exotic Almond said:

"Do you... need anything? Like, another cell maybe." He looks at the corpse and almost vomits. "Yeah, follow me to another cell."

She stood, and I’m assuming Lundyn, Pic, and Elan did too. She kept the one hand in Pic’s, and the other arm hung awkwardly.

[Exotic Almond he/him]

Just now, Spark of Hope said:

She stood, and I’m assuming Lundyn, Pic, and Elan did too. She kept the one hand in Pic’s, and the other arm hung awkwardly.

"O-ok. Follow me, and don't look to the right. A spoiler box would need to be used in an online forum. That's how bad it is."

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Never broken the fourth wall before thought it would be funny, but yeah maybe trust him.

 

[Edema Rue she/her]

1 minute ago, Spark of Hope said:

"I know it wasn't. I won't have a lot of time on this one." She put her hand on Tal's forehead, and a feeling of peace flooded his mind.

 

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Oo, I see...okay.

Tal gasped in shock, and suddenly he was thrown back to another time. A terrible time. A beautiful time. 

***

"How does it feel?" Tal murmured gently.

Ace shook her head. She was curled up tightly, as if trying to hold herself together with only her hands. She looked so vulnerable, the way she had when he'd first met her. "I'm not a poet," she muttered. "Words are your thing. I don't...I...it's so cold." Tal immediately reached over, pulling a blanket on top of her and holding his arm around her. She just shook her head again. "Not on the outside," she whispered. "It's like a piece of my heart is gone."

"This was a mistake," Tal said. "Look, we can find a way to undo it or something. We'll find another way to beat him."

Ace shook her head. "No, no we--we can't." 

"Ace..." Tal whispered, tucking a a strand of hair behind her ear. "I didn't--I shouldn't have--" But that was a lie. He knew exactly what it would do and how it would feel. She was more a piece of him than his own hands. He knew what would hurt her. Why hadn't he stopped her?

"Tal," she said. "Tal. I chose this." She looked at him, and she smiled, and it broke his heart. "You can actually save them."

"What if I can't?" Tal asked. "What if I hurt them instead?"

"I trust you," Ace said. "More than that, I know you. We'll get through this. Both of us."

Tal nodded. There was a long moment of quiet. "Ace?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I like it."

She blinked. "Like what? Me?"

He grinned at her stupidly. "No, I love you. But..." his grin fell away. "I feel what it feels. I feel the hunger. And the satisfaction."

She didn't pull away. She didn't look at him with disgust or mock him. "I know," was all she said. "It's awful, isn't it?"

Tal nodded, letting her fall into him. He didn't tell her how badly he wanted it. He didn't tell her how good it felt to have something that made him feel alive, even if that something was terrible. He didn't tell her that when the magic flowed through him he wanted to break the whole world. He didn't tell her that when it laughed in his mind, he laughed with it. He didn't tell her how badly it hurt to stop. He didn't tell her any of it.

***

Tal gasped for breath, then sank back into his mind.

***

Stars, it hurt.

She never said how much it hurt.

It wasn't just cold. It was lonely, and it was dark, and for the first time he could remember he was really, truly alone. 

Was this how they lived?

Every day, alone?

It was as if every reason he had for living was gone.

It was as if all the light in the world had been sucked away.

And the guilt.

Oh, stars and spirits, the guilt. 

He'd hurt so many people. He'd killed so many people. 

And he'd enjoyed it. He'd fed on it, let it sustain him, found ecstasy in their pain and terror. 

He'd found his greatest pleasures in their pain, then thought enough of the wretched creature that he was to mourn the deaths of people he claimed to care about. 

Tal wretched, then again. He started coughing. Ace...why me? WHY ME?! Why kill a hero and leave me alive to hurt all the people she would have helped?

Something inside him snapped, then. Burst and broke, letting loose a flood of emotion that could never heal. 

And ever so slowly, Tal slumped to the floor. Motionless.

He wasn't a hero. He never had been.

But he was trying.

And maybe, on some other plane, that was worth something, because he saw her there, wreathed in light. And she reached for him. And he wept.

***

A small velvet bag slipped from Tal's coat. It clinked on the ground. Inside it were dozens of keys in every shape and size, more than should have been able to fit inside. Room keys, waiting for a new doorman.

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Y'all thanks for going along with me on this fun lil emotional trip, I had so much fun playing Tal. I'll probably come back as another character at some point, whenever you guys need it, but for now...well. He's gone. 

...also Hope I'm so sorry to just leave you alone like that, this just...felt right. If you need me to finish anything up for you let me know  

 

[Exotic Almond he/him]

5 minutes ago, Edema Rue said:

Tal gasped in shock, and suddenly he was thrown back to another time. A terrible time. A beautiful time. 

***

"How does it feel?" Tal murmured gently.

Ace shook her head. She was curled up tightly, as if trying to hold herself together with only her hands. She looked so vulnerable, the way she had when he'd first met her. "I'm not a poet," she muttered. "Words are your thing. I don't...I...it's so cold." Tal immediately reached over, pulling a blanket on top of her and holding his arm around her. She just shook her head again. "Not on the outside," she whispered. "It's like a piece of my heart is gone."

"This was a mistake," Tal said. "Look, we can find a way to undo it or something. We'll find another way to beat him."

Ace shook her head. "No, no we--we can't." 

"Ace..." Tal whispered, tucking a a strand of hair behind her ear. "I didn't--I shouldn't have--" But that was a lie. He knew exactly what it would do and how it would feel. She was more a piece of him than his own hands. He knew what would hurt her. Why hadn't he stopped her?

"Tal," she said. "Tal. I chose this." She looked at him, and she smiled, and it broke his heart. "You can actually save them."

"What if I can't?" Tal asked. "What if I hurt them instead?"

"I trust you," Ace said. "More than that, I know you. We'll get through this. Both of us."

Tal nodded. There was a long moment of quiet. "Ace?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I like it."

She blinked. "Like what? Me?"

He grinned at her stupidly. "No, I love you. But..." his grin fell away. "I feel what it feels. I feel the hunger. And the satisfaction."

She didn't pull away. She didn't look at him with disgust or mock him. "I know," was all she said. "It's awful, isn't it?"

Tal nodded, letting her fall into him. He didn't tell her how badly he wanted it. He didn't tell her how good it felt to have something that made him feel alive, even if that something was terrible. He didn't tell her that when the magic flowed through him he wanted to break the whole world. He didn't tell her that when it laughed in his mind, he laughed with it. He didn't tell her how badly it hurt to stop. He didn't tell her any of it.

***

Tal gasped for breath, then sank back into his mind.

***

Stars, it hurt.

She never said how much it hurt.

It wasn't just cold. It was lonely, and it was dark, and for the first time he could remember he was really, truly alone. 

Was this how they lived?

Every day, alone?

It was as if every reason he had for living was gone.

It was as if all the light in the world had been sucked away.

And the guilt.

Oh, stars and spirits, the guilt. 

He'd hurt so many people. He'd killed so many people. 

And he'd enjoyed it. He'd fed on it, let it sustain him, found ecstasy in their pain and terror. 

He'd found his greatest pleasures in their pain, then thought enough of the wretched creature that he was to mourn the deaths of people he claimed to care about. 

Tal wretched, then again. He started coughing. Ace...why me? WHY ME?! Why kill a hero and leave me alive to hurt all the people she would have helped?

Something inside him snapped, then. Burst and broke, letting loose a flood of emotion that could never heal. 

And ever so slowly, Tal slumped to the floor. Motionless.

He wasn't a hero. He never had been.

But he was trying.

And maybe, on some other plane, that was worth something, because he saw her there, wreathed in light. And she reached for him. And he wept.

***

A small velvet bag slipped from Tal's coat. It clinked on the ground. Inside it were dozens of keys in every shape and size, more than should have been able to fit inside. Room keys, waiting for a new doorman.

 

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He will be missed.

 

[Through the Living Elan He/Him]

6 minutes ago, Edema Rue said:

Tal gasped in shock, and suddenly he was thrown back to another time. A terrible time. A beautiful time. 

***

"How does it feel?" Tal murmured gently.

Ace shook her head. She was curled up tightly, as if trying to hold herself together with only her hands. She looked so vulnerable, the way she had when he'd first met her. "I'm not a poet," she muttered. "Words are your thing. I don't...I...it's so cold." Tal immediately reached over, pulling a blanket on top of her and holding his arm around her. She just shook her head again. "Not on the outside," she whispered. "It's like a piece of my heart is gone."

"This was a mistake," Tal said. "Look, we can find a way to undo it or something. We'll find another way to beat him."

Ace shook her head. "No, no we--we can't." 

"Ace..." Tal whispered, tucking a a strand of hair behind her ear. "I didn't--I shouldn't have--" But that was a lie. He knew exactly what it would do and how it would feel. She was more a piece of him than his own hands. He knew what would hurt her. Why hadn't he stopped her?

"Tal," she said. "Tal. I chose this." She looked at him, and she smiled, and it broke his heart. "You can actually save them."

"What if I can't?" Tal asked. "What if I hurt them instead?"

"I trust you," Ace said. "More than that, I know you. We'll get through this. Both of us."

Tal nodded. There was a long moment of quiet. "Ace?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I like it."

She blinked. "Like what? Me?"

He grinned at her stupidly. "No, I love you. But..." his grin fell away. "I feel what it feels. I feel the hunger. And the satisfaction."

She didn't pull away. She didn't look at him with disgust or mock him. "I know," was all she said. "It's awful, isn't it?"

Tal nodded, letting her fall into him. He didn't tell her how badly he wanted it. He didn't tell her how good it felt to have something that made him feel alive, even if that something was terrible. He didn't tell her that when the magic flowed through him he wanted to break the whole world. He didn't tell her that when it laughed in his mind, he laughed with it. He didn't tell her how badly it hurt to stop. He didn't tell her any of it.

***

Tal gasped for breath, then sank back into his mind.

***

Stars, it hurt.

She never said how much it hurt.

It wasn't just cold. It was lonely, and it was dark, and for the first time he could remember he was really, truly alone. 

Was this how they lived?

Every day, alone?

It was as if every reason he had for living was gone.

It was as if all the light in the world had been sucked away.

And the guilt.

Oh, stars and spirits, the guilt. 

He'd hurt so many people. He'd killed so many people. 

And he'd enjoyed it. He'd fed on it, let it sustain him, found ecstasy in their pain and terror. 

He'd found his greatest pleasures in their pain, then thought enough of the wretched creature that he was to mourn the deaths of people he claimed to care about. 

Tal wretched, then again. He started coughing. Ace...why me? WHY ME?! Why kill a hero and leave me alive to hurt all the people she would have helped?

Something inside him snapped, then. Burst and broke, letting loose a flood of emotion that could never heal. 

And ever so slowly, Tal slumped to the floor. Motionless.

He wasn't a hero. He never had been.

But he was trying.

And maybe, on some other plane, that was worth something, because he saw her there, wreathed in light. And she reached for him. And he wept.

***

A small velvet bag slipped from Tal's coat. It clinked on the ground. Inside it were dozens of keys in every shape and size, more than should have been able to fit inside. Room keys, waiting for a new doorman.

 

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...

 

17 minutes ago, Exotic Almond said:

"O-ok. Follow me, and don't look to the right. A spoiler box would need to be used in an online forum. That's how bad it is."

 

Quote

Yay Fourth wall breaking

Elan nods. "You good? I think I have a bag here... somewhere... If you need it."

[Exotic Almond he/him]

15 minutes ago, Ancient Elantrian said:

 

Elan nods. "You good? I think I have a bag here... somewhere... If you need it."

"I-I'll be fine. I'm just *hurk* new here."

[Through the Living Elan He/Him]

9 minutes ago, Exotic Almond said:

"I-I'll be fine. I'm just *hurk* new here."

Elan flinches a little at the sound of throwing up. "Let's... let's keep going." He says, patting the soldier on the back and handing him a plastic bag like you would find on an airplane.

[Exotic Almond he/him]

5 minutes ago, Ancient Elantrian said:

Elan flinches a little at the sound of throwing up. "Let's... let's keep going." He says, patting the soldier on the back and handing him a plastic bag like you would find on an airplane.

"Thanks... guess I don't have what it takes to be a soldier. Not that I wanted to. Anyway this way to your new cell."

[Through the Living Elan He/Him]

Just now, Exotic Almond said:

"Thanks... guess I don't have what it takes to be a soldier. Not that I wanted to. Anyway this way to your new cell."

"You got it man, I think you could make a great soldier. Even if you didn't have much of a choice." Elan says, stepping back into the cell and smiling.

[Exotic Almond he/him]

16 minutes ago, Ancient Elantrian said:

"You got it man, I think you could make a great soldier. Even if you didn't have much of a choice." Elan says, stepping back into the cell and smiling.

"Heh, thanks. You know what. I'm done with this place! Come with me. I can help you escape! I have a keycard to most of the doors."

[Through the Living Elan He/Him]

7 minutes ago, Exotic Almond said:

"Heh, thanks. You know what. I'm done with this place! Come with me. I can help you escape! I have a keycard to most of the doors."

Elan grins, widely. "Thanks!" He says. 

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Dude is gonna die brutally, isn't he.

 

[Exotic Almond he/him]

2 minutes ago, Ancient Elantrian said:

Elan grins, widely. "Thanks!" He says. 

 

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Wasn't my plan but, maybe now he will (JK he won't)

"Come this way. The demon went right so we can go left towards the library."

@Spark of Hope

Edited May 20, 2024 by Exotic Almond

[Through the Living Elan He/Him]

Just now, Exotic Almond said:

"Come this way. The demon went right so we can go left towards the library."

@Spark of Hope

Elan follows him cautiously, glancing down the halls.

[Exotic Almond he/him]

Just now, Ancient Elantrian said:

Elan follows him cautiously, glancing down the halls.

Spoiler

The whole hallway is caked in blood and bodies where Almond left a trail of carnage in his rage.

Quote

You just had to look down the halls, didn't you.

 

[Through the Living Elan He/Him]

14 minutes ago, Exotic Almond said:

  Reveal hidden contents

The whole hallway is caked in blood and bodies where Almond left a trail of carnage in his rage.

 

Elan is just slightly green. I just had to look down the halls didn't I.