EVENT: MELPOMENE ▒ HOME

[ataraxites]

CHARACTERS: Ensemble production!
LOCATION: Corridors in the belly of the Tranquility
WARNINGS: Creepiness, disturbing imagery, violence, etc.
SUMMARY: Characters discover slices of sanctuary deep in the maze.
NOTES: Open to all! Covers Stage Four of the plot & Escape.

You've been running and fighting for what feels like weeks now. Exhausted and desperate, you find another door, stumbling through into— You're home, finally, far away and safe from monsters or spaceships. You're not alone, someone here who's been waiting for you, and they're so happy to see you. Relief overcomes you; you just want to rest, and there's no reason to believe anything here isn't what it seems, is there?

Comments

[hisowndream]

As Luke starts forward to shield him, Biggs feels a great, crushing concern overpower him, superseding all of what he had felt for Kandji. The spectre raises her arms to strike, perhaps to take his friend in his place- It isn't right, he shouldn't be the one who needs protecting, and the hand that Luke has left holding instinctively tightens.

"Wait!"

His other unflinchingly unholsters the handgun at his side.

It's beyond difficult to stare down a barrel at Kandji, but it isn't her anymore, if it had ever been her - his sights trained on her approaching Luke, it is far easier to pull the trigger. More than ever, Biggs is grateful for his impeccable aim - the bullet finds her between the eyes and while a shot to the head cannot kill an illusion, her imitation flinches long enough to give Luke an opening.

[last_ofthe_jedi]

Luke starts slightly at the gunshot that comes from behind him, but his reflexes are sharp and he doesn't waste the time that Biggs bought him. Still, he only manages to move back a step or two and barely gets his lightsaber in-hand before the Kandji illusion reaches out for him. He's not close enough to grab but her nails are suddenly like claws and they tear gashes in his shirt as she swipes at him. Luke gasps in pain and flinches back even further, just about backing right into Biggs.

Well, that's certainly a very good illusion. It may not be the real Kandji, but it's definitely a very real thing capable of injuring them. Luke ignites his lightsaber and makes a quick, one-handed slice through the illusion's torso. She shrieks and crumples to the floor, her body splitting neatly into two pieces.

Luke watches her warily. That was a bit too easy and he gets the feeling that their troubles aren't over yet. Vaguely, somewhere in the back of his mind he realizes that he and Biggs are still holding hands with a death grip. He turns to Biggs with a weak, half-smile and finally releases his grip. "You alright?"

The words are barely out of his mouth when the floor begins to tremble. Within seconds it becomes a roar and the world around them begins to split at the seams, starting at the glowing white doorway. On the floor the illusion's body seems to liquidize and seal itself back together again as she slowly climbs to her feet.

Luke's eyes widen and he begins pushing at Biggs. "Run. We need to run!"

[hisowndream]

Heart hammering in his chest, seconds pass like minutes as Luke and Kandji fight. She's too close to Luke for Biggs to take another shot - he can only watch and hope, reeling as his friend is injured. Then Luke strikes her down, and Biggs releases a breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding. He thinks that this could have been avoided, if not for his soft heart.

Reassuring himself he hasn't gotten Luke killed, Biggs keeps his hold for a second longer than the other. He doesn't have time to reply. Once the world begins to fall around them, he finds no arguments with Luke's suggestion, now.

Biggs doesn't so much as take a second glance back at Kandji before he's in a dead sprint back the way they came. All the while, he ensures Luke is never more than an arm's reach away.

[last_ofthe_jedi]

fast-forward to escaping the maze into the ship's hallways;

They've been running for what seems like hours, trying to re-trace their steps and remember the way back to where they came from. Luke's not sure what they'll do once they get there since the very reason they made their way in here in the first place is because they couldn't seem to escape the hallways. Still, he'd rather be lost than sucked into a giant, glowing, white nothingness. The halls are definitely a lesser evil.

Yet another door that Luke throws himself through and he finds himself in a corridor that's decidedly not falling apart at the seams and appears to hold true to the typical design of the ship. He collapses in an exhausted heap against the wall and slides to the floor, sweating, bleeding, and desperate to get air in his lungs.

Before he can relax, however, Luke watches the doorway to make sure that Biggs makes it through, too. Since they got away from the Kandji illusion he's hardly let Biggs out of his sight. The experience was traumatic to say the least.

[hisowndream]

Biggs passes through the door at last, unable to believe his eyes. He slows to a stop long enough to survey the hall and conclude that they're safe, that the illusions have come to an end - then he's on his knees, energy spent, before he's realized he's fallen. Their rescue mission had failed, but Biggs was thankful they had at least escaped with their lives. That was not something they could have prepared themselves for.

Arms bracing him upright, it takes him a minute to catch his breath, to stop his heart from reverberating into his throat. His guilty conscience reminds him of something he hasn't allowed to slip his mind: Luke is injured. With barely enough time to rest himself, Biggs forces himself up from the floor and approaches him.

The memory of the illusion's claws ripping into Luke flashbulbs in Biggs' brain and the injury leaves a visceral sting in his own chest. They don't have adequate supplies to treat it presently, and will have to return to the populated area of the ship. Biggs knows well that they shouldn't waste any more time, and yet...

He doesn't wish to move until he's made it up to Luke. He'd never expected the scenario to escalate so far out of control, and now at Luke's side, Biggs draws his arms around his neck. Minding the wound, he slips wordlessly into a hug. He feels heavy with responsibility, struggling with the reality that he'd made a serious mistake. The sting of near-loss is strong, and he recognizes it as the very same he'd felt when he'd heard Kandji had been abducted, when he still had hope for her left. When she'd died, all of his affection for her had been overshadowed by anguish, and in time those feelings had slipped away. But the possibility of reuniting with her had dredged them from below the surface and he slowly comes to realize that how he felt for Kandji and Luke perhaps weren't as different as he had thought. It's an alarming idea... but not entirely unpleasant.

Keeping this to himself for now, he focuses on the present. "I'm sorry, kid," he sighs. There's more to say and in a sense, it's a lie of omission; but what he withholds is something he must come to terms with himself, first.

[last_ofthe_jedi]

Luke watches Biggs survey the halls and then finally collapse on the floor. He watches him because maybe there's a part of him that still can't believe he has his best friend back... and then nearly lost him again. The emotional exhaustion is overwhelming and his eyes well up with moisture even though he can't find the energy to cry at the moment. It's the pain, both inside and out.

Now that he's no longer running for his life Luke remembers why his chest is stinging. He peers down at the wounds that the illusion left and gingerly begins peeling away his ripped shirt which is stuck to his skin with dried blood. There are three gashes, two of which went deep enough to possibly scar, but none of them are bad. Luke lets his head rest against the wall and tries to ignore the pain. He'll live and they can deal with it when they get back. When they get back.

He hears some movement to the side of him and Luke looks up just in time to see Biggs reaching for him. The hug brings about some turmoil inside. He wants to be angry with Biggs, to blame him for what happened and scream about the pain of watching him with Kandji. His eyes well up again and his brows furrow but he simply can't be angry. He doesn't have the energy and he just can't bring himself to be anyway. Biggs is alive and he's here. Luke would be an idiot not to appreciate that and just forgive him.

Slowly he circles an arm around Biggs, pressing his hand into his back and pulling him closer. His head comes to rest against Biggs' and he closes his eyes. Luke just wants to forget about this and focus on being alive and being here, both of them, together. When the stinging in his chest settles down enough to move his other arm he reaches over and grasps onto Biggs' sleeve like an anchor.

"You just stay right here and we'll call it even."