public video / semi-private action

[ubiquitously]

 [public video]
[Despite that scary top icon, Uai is smiling for this public video segment. He's settled in his Fayren apartment with some empty notebooks, the plain white sheets being visible in the camera frame.]

Hello, everyone. I'm not interrupting your weekend, am I? My name is Uai. I'm used to traveling between worlds, but this is my first time being captured in one. I was hoping to hear more about the worlds all of you come from. I somehow doubt we're all even from the same multiverse, so it would be interesting to hear what is "normal" for you all. For myself, Attleton and Genessia are the closet I've come to 'home.' What about you?

[semi-private action / forests of Fayren]

(( OOC before I delve into this: This action prompt involves Uai being villainous. HOWEVER: Please do not treat this is a wide-area thing. If you want to get involved in attacking Uai's monsters, please PM me or hmu on plurk. I'm very friendly and open, but I don't want to be balancing 100 fight threads. Thanks so much~! ;v; ))

[Uai had scouted out the least populated area that he could. There's plenty of space between himself and the nearest town. While Uai can be shameless about his problematic magic, and is perfectly aware this will 99% fail, he doesn't want to be arrested or labeled a villain. Not when it isn't to his benefit. 

He's set up a rock barrier around himself before he even starts casting magic. His last attempt to escape Genessia got him hurt. This time, he's changed his spell outline. Uai knows he won't escape, but he won't be satisfied until he's tried his hardest. As he expected, the spell backfires and he suffers a recoil. Uai stumbles back with a gash in his stomach. The physical damage isn't the worst of it.]

... Hm~! That's frustrating..!

[The barrier he had put around himself shatters. His 'blood' from the wounds forms into four other 'Uais.' Unfortunately, they don't keep human form. Instead, they take the forms of skeleton dragons: Decaying, gross af, and covered in shadowy gunk. ]



[The four take off to wreck minor havoc in the forest, while the original Uai sinks to his knees. Despite his efforts, his feelings of concern and panic regarding the unleashing of Glitches are quickly consumed by his anger and hatred for Genessia. With his soul tattered and split, Uai can't control his Glitched personality either.

He exhales calmly and smirks, watching his four Glitches take off.]

It's fine. Playing nice is getting me no where anyway. 

Comments

[ubiquitously]

[Seeing her dress is a gross reminder of how much he's in her debt. It also reminds him that he had bleed pieces of his soul before, and he needs to find them. He can feel that three have been destroyed, but one is still wandering around.

He's rather not lose anymore of himself.]

If it was just sound, it wouldn't have reached me. That 'thing' can't sense anything.

[Uai averts his gaze, ashamed that she's seen him that way.] It doesn't feel pain either. Sorry you wasted your pity on it.

[lazuline]

[There's a frown on her face as she steps around to offer him her shoulder to lean on. One hand lifts to touch the side of his face—out of character for her, but done none the less.]

I have no pity, just concern for you. [She wonders how much it must hurt to reject part of himself like that, scary as it is.] Come on. We should get you better care than I can give.

[ubiquitously]

[Her answer startles him.

He shakes his head, trying to dismiss it. He would rather not feel concern directed at himself. There's a chance he might accept it.]

This is more than fine. Like I said... It's not a real wound. My soul was leaking, but I think the song fixed that. [No biggy.] I probably hurt others way more.

[lazuline]

Your soul?! [that's... alarming to say the least, and the growing concern is evident by her startled expression.]

Are you certain you dont- [Her breath hitches slightly, and she more or less crumples like wet paper, several strange patches appearing on her skin as she grimaces in pain. Ah. She hadn't expected this so soon after... How embarrassing.]

[ubiquitously]

Yeah. So the blood is irrelevant—- [Uai would have happily continued to be a smartass, but pause when she falls. Also, moves to catch her. Which may or may not end well, given they are both fairly weak.

But he doesn’t want to let her fall either.]

Are you okay? That’s not... natural.

THE BLOOD IS **ENTIRELY** RELEVANT

[lazuline]

I'll be fine. [She answers, but her voice is hardly above a whisper. The shimmering patches flicker over her skin, some slowly dissipating.] It happens after I use the magic of the amulet sometimes.

You don't need to be concerned, I promise. I thought I had more time before it would happen. [Luckily, she doesn't cause the both of them to tumble to the ground again. She sets a hand lightly on his arm and does her best to rise to her feet again.]

ITS JUST AN AESTHETIC CHOICE

[ubiquitously]

[That only serves to increase his concern. Uai decides that they can support each other for now. It hasn’t crossed his mind that he could hurt her through touch, since he has been so self absorbed after losing part of his soul. Worrying about her is gradually bringing him back together in that department too.]

That doesn’t make it okay. You shouldn’t have wasted yourself on a Glitch. [He moves an arm around her to offer proper support:] Is this fine? Can you walk?

UAI I SWEAR TO GOD

[lazuline]

[she wobbles to her feet, but does her best to support herself, as the strange patches begin to slowly become smaller. The pain, too, starts to give way to relief.]

We've made quite the pair... [she's still mortally embarrassed, but is handling it much better than she has in the past. Once she's gathered her wits, she returns the gesture by offering an arm around Uai in return.]

But, between the two of us, I believe we can get to town safely, right?

DON'T JUDGE MY BLOODY FASHION

[ubiquitously]

[Oh, right-- He really ought to be taking her to town!

Then scratch any plans regarding finding his soul fragments. Azura takes priority. Hopefully the missing pieces can last until he has her returned to safety.]

... Mm. We should be able to make it. Just don't sing anymore. [Those strange patches are still haunting his memory: They remind him of Glitches. He's glad she explained this quickly, or he would be worried that he had broken her too.]

[lazuline]

Are you certain you have no requests? [for songs. And she's teasing, judging by the amused (if still somewhat pained) smile on her face.]

Your soul, though... is there anything I can do to help you recover the pieces you've lost? That is concerning, I would think... for anyone.

[ubiquitously]

I'll drop you-- [He bites his tongue, not sure if it's okay to fight jokes with jokes. Should he fight Azura at all? She's been so kind and he's beginning to feel guilty.

Especially as she mentions that worrisome fact he burdened her with carelessly.]

Too late now. Most of them feel like they were destroyed. [Waaay too nonchalant about that.

The damage isn't going to vanish overnight. He would normally go find a Hana variant to heal him, but that won't work this time.]

You can still be helped, though. [So she's his priority.]

[lazuline]

[she almost laughs, perfectly able to take as good as she gives, but the subject at hand is concerning to say the least.]

... What kind of affect will that have on you? [she stops walking, her gaze fixed on Uai, her expression tucked neatly into concern. Missing parts of his soul...]

Surely there's something that can be done for you. [She isn't going to deny the help, even if she's certain given time she will be fine.

[ubiquitously]

It'll be a surprise.

[Is his way of avoiding the question! Uai knows that he's about to become very unpleasant. When the last few wandering pieces are inevitably destroyed, he knows that he will throw a fit. His mood will tank, he'll lose his positive thought processes, and he'll become a monster on the inside to match his true form.

But Azura never has to see that. He never wants her to see that! He plans to have gotten far away from everyone and maybe Chinese finger trapped himself to the woods by then.]

I can get better, but it won't be overnight. You? Will there be lasting effects to the song?

[lazuline]

I have a feeling you're lying. [about the surprise part. She's frowning, some what disappointedly in Uai's direction. Azura frowns a little at his next question though, not at all relieved by his answer previous.]

No, not this time. The consequences vary, depending on how much power I put into the song through my amulet.

[ubiquitously]

[How did she see through his lies?? He's only... okay, yes, he is quite transparent. Uai is aware that lying is not his strong suit.]

I see. A useful trick, but you shouldn't have to use it on me twice.

[That wasn't a case of "shouldn't, because it won't happen again." But that he doesn't feel she is morally obligated to bail him out of his own mucky soul problems twice.

As she saw through his lies and isn't someone Uai wants to annoy (immediately,) he decides to remedy his answer:] I can recover by indulging in my hobbies and meditating over time. Regular music, baking, and reading will all help gradually. Until then, however, my emotions will be unstable and I'll be a miserable brat.

I should be fine until I get you to town, in any case.

[lazuline]

[Seeing as how they're walking arm in arm, she squeezes his side gently where her fingers are currently resting.]

But should you be in trouble again, I will. [That's the matter of it, in the end. But she hums thoughtfully as he lists how to resolve his problem. That's a lot better than the alternative.]

You can be more of a brat than you already are? [again, with the teasing. This time she follows it up with a laugh.]

[ubiquitously]

[He has to avert his gaze again, embarrassed by her teasing. Is he really a brat? Is that the impression he wants her to have of him? It certainly beats "dangerous" or "creepy, but also... does it really?]

I-- Yes, I can. Okay? It's bad. And embarrassing, so just let me go through that alone.

[The offer to sing again leaves him conflicted. Selfishly, he realizes he did appreciate the 'feeling' of her song... But it hurt her. He doesn't want her to sacrifice herself for someone like him. This ritual of taking and not giving back really needs to stop.

Which is why he ends that tsun'ing and bratty statement with an attempt to 'give back' and be good:] P-Please. Please, let me go through it alone. or something.

[lazuline]

[His reaction gets more laughter from her, an airy giggle that hopefully gives away that she hadn't TRUELY meant he was a brat. ... mostly.]

You aren't that bad. [but then he begs, and Azura sobers up.] Why would you want to go through something like that alone? Is it that you want to punish yourself? You seem to shun that part of yourself wholeheartedly, it must be painful to reject yourself.

[Azura sometimes you're a little too blunt.]

[ubiquitously]

[He has to pause after that, because he can't exactly say she's wrong. In an attempt not to focus on his own pain, he decides to worry about how she guessed so quickly. Hopefully it isn't that she herself rejects part of herself, but that she knows someone else... He can't wish this misery on her, but her friends are apparently free game.]

I think it would be more painful to call that thing 'me,' would it? [Uai knows that when he accepts his reality, he is going to lose his will to fight his Fate anymore. He would rather call his true form a 'thing' and detest it, and never accept it.]

You might be able to stand looking at that monster, but I can't stand being it.

[lazuline]

[Those who have been through painful situations often can see through things a lot easier than not, Uai. She frowns though, noting that she probably pushed a little hard here.]

I see, I'm sorry if my concerns hurt you. But I would still rather not see you suffer alone. Can I at least ask to check on you, during this process?

[ubiquitously]

[To be quite honest, that isn't something that Uai wants. He knows he will get worse before he gets any better, and that it isn't fair to put Azura through that.

He also knows she is kind, persistent, and probably going to come anyway.]

... Fine. Just call first, I guess. [So he can try to be sane.] But I'll really get over it. It isn't the first time this has happened.

[lazuline]

If that's what you would prefer. [By now surely they've wandered into the beginnings of the city. It's a bit of a relief for Azura, even though her concern for her companion is still fairly high.]

To me, it isn't something you should have to feel comfortable facing alone. It would make me feel better to know I can help, should something terrible happen.

[ubiquitously]

It's something I caused for myself. I don't need any pity or concern for that.

[He can hear his voice going from controlled but timid to suddenly snapping with anger. Feeling his control slipping makes the sight ahead even more reassuring: Hopefully he can convince Azura to rest someone, while he himself gets far away from everyone.]

... Sorry. You can save your kindness for people who deserve it.

[lazuline]

[the sudden turn in his tone catches Azura off guard, and she looks at him with wide golden eyes. She doesn't judge, not yet, and instead turns to look away, towards the town.]

Truly, I can't imagine thats what you really mean. [or what his heart really wants. But she will avoid poking the cactus further for now. She, herself, is quite exhausted and she can only imagine that Uai is also feeling the same]

[ubiquitously]

It is. [Do you see all of this edge, Azura???

He knows she's right. He would rather if someone cared enough to save him. For all of his talk about things being "better this way," he wishes Hana had come after him and rescued him.

But that would be really high maintenance of him, and he doesn't want to hurt his loved ones any further.]

Do you live in Fayren? I can walk you home.