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 Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2021 9:13 am
Destiny City’s youma and strange animal problem was inconsistent and unpredictable; his first night going out had been a constant flow of different problems, but tonight there didn’t seem to be anything, or anyone, out to cause problems.
Alastor wasn’t disappointed; he’d have rather had a peaceful, problem-free evening and liked to think this world was a little safer.
Except, he was still feeling jittery. The extra food on Earth meant he had extra energy, but it was more than just that. He was anxious.
He hadn’t been on Earth for that long, but the longer he was away from his world, the more concerned he was about it. And, he hadn’t found Percy, yet. But there was a plan to speak to people who might be able to help him, it was just going to take more time.
He sighed audibly, and a puff of white appeared before him as he walked next to Oberon and Michael. He was lucky he ran warm; the cold weather was a little uncomfortable. The shadows moreso, but they didn’t move and stretch and watch like the ones on his world.
It didn’t mean they weren’t able to, just that he hadn’t caught them moving. Yet.
He hadn’t noticed them on his world before it was too late. He wasn’t going to make the same mistake on Earth.
“I’m going to have to run around in a minute,” he said suddenly. It was a simple thing to him, he’d always run around when he needed to clear his mind, or work out just enough energy to mellow out. Walking was okay, but it wasn’t enough right now. They were away from the city, walking through a clearing surrounded by trees. It was wide enough that he could have comfortably jogged the circle without getting too close to the shadows, and still stayed in sight of Michael and Oberon.
He’d eaten a big meal not so long ago, but there was a short list of things that he seemed to do throughout the day–pace, nap–or, at least, close his eyes for a few minutes, eat, exercise, and ask questions. He didn’t seem to know how to slow down, and either his body was used to it or he was ignoring what he’d done to it.
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Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2021 5:42 pm
Alastor had indeed eaten a big meal not long ago. Michael had to order takeout because the man had already cleared out most of his refrigerator. If Alastor didn’t look like he needed a whole pizza to keep him going, then Michael would have just let him suffer with a box of pasta--
Which Alastor probably would have eaten anyway. Probably raw. Crunching on the hard pasta, blissfully unaware of how ridiculous he was.
No, he hadn’t gotten his hands on the pasta yet. Almost a box of rice, but thankfully he’d been stopped and traded something more substantial -- the rest of the potato soup from a couple nights before.
“Don’t go too far,” Michael mumbled, trying not to sound like he was being naggy or a worrywart or anything like that, but Alastor wasn’t from Earth and there could be all kinds of dangers he just wasn’t used to. He could… trip over a rock or something. Maybe his world didn’t have rocks? No, that was stupid. Either way, Michael shoved his hands further into his pockets. “Too much energy?” Oberon asked, because he understood. Sometimes you just had to run around and get all your energy out. Besides, Devyn had been stuck inside for most of the day. They could have gone out, but Michael thought it was best of they kept Devyn somewhere he wouldn’t get into trouble by mistake.
So Peter tried entertaining him as best he could. He tried showing him how to use a microwave and how the television worked. He went over what Devyn should do in the event of a fire, and how to open the windows just in case. He even went over things like the seasons and what to expect from each of them. Not that he expected Devyn to stay long, but just in case he came back to visit, he wouldn’t be too surprised by summer.
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Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2021 6:20 pm
“It builds up. I have to work it out or I might get irresponsible. It’s a long story, it’s not worth getting into.” He didn’t necessarily seem like he was trying to avoid the topic, and he hadn’t been particularly suspicious up until that point, but he seemed quick to move on from it. Every now and then he’d sprinkle some bit of information about himself or his world in conversation, but aside from the fact that he was looking for Percy and his world was infected with Chaos, everything else was fairly superficial.
“I’ll be back,” he promised, and jogged off without wasting any time. He stayed closeish and ran in a circle within the clearing. He picked up the pace about halfway through his run and then returned to the two of them. He stood for a second and then said, “No, sorry. One more,” and ran off again. He didn’t seem to be running at full speed; when he returned he was only slightly out of breath and still didn’t look like he’d worked out enough energy.
“This usually works. I might need to go pick a fight.”
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Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2021 7:46 pm
Oberon exchanged a quiet look with Michael, who looked like he was going to be very angry if Oberon pushed for the long story when they were trying to keep their distance. Well, no. Michael was trying to keep his distance. He would love to learn anything and everything about Alastor.
But Oberon was good. He didn’t say anything. He just sucked in a big breath so he could let it out as an exasperated sigh when Devyn made his runs around the clearing.
“Why bother looking to pick a fight when you have the two of us?” Oberon shrugged. He thought even he could take on a new Senshi. Well, obviously not new, but one with not that much power.Michael frowned the entire time Alastor was running around. He couldn’t shake the guilt he felt at knowing and not telling him. But soon they would be able to tell him more information. He could meet Ganymede. He could meet Valhalla. He could be reassured by others that this was a new era and that he was welcome to live in it with them. Michael was sure his parents would offer him a room in their large house.
“That’s a horrible idea,” Michael grunted at the suggestion of Oberon fighting. The kid could barely punch. He was going to regret actually fighting someone who obviously knew how to fight.
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Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 4:46 am
“Is it?” Alastor asked, glancing between the two of them. “Are you very strong? I can take it,” he insisted. He didn’t want a real fight with them, he didn’t want anyone to get hurt. He just needed to work out whatever was making his skin crawl so he could get back to normal.
Oberon didn’t look particularly dangerous, but there was value in that if he was. Better to be underestimated than overestimated–and he had been the major reason that giant bird left them alone last night. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, not quite bouncing but obviously trying to just figure out how to burn out any little bit of energy he could manage.
“You took care of that owl. You must have a lot of power.”
Eternal Senshi usually did, but he knew that wasn’t the be-all, end-all of power. Michael was out here with them and so far as Alastor knew, he didn’t have any magic–except being able to sense energy signatures. Which, while useful, wasn’t exactly anything that improved his strength or capabilities in battle.
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Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 6:08 pm
“Oberon barely knows how to fight. He has magic, but that’s all,” Michael volunteered the information since it didn’t seem as though Oberon thought it was necessary to do so. “Maybe it would be a fair fight at first, but magic runs out.” “I can fight,” Oberon frowned, because it wasn’t fair for Michael to say he didn’t know how when he had been training. Just because Michael didn’t always see him fight doesn’t mean he couldn’t. And he survived this long, so it had to count for something.
“Come on. I’ll fight you,” Oberon offered, taking a few steps away from the path and into the clearing that Alastor had been running around in. “I won’t use my Eternal or Super magic, how about that?” Because it wouldn’t be fair to have that extra boost when Alastor didn’t.
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Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 6:36 pm
Alastor glanced at Michael briefly, as if he was considering this information, but he didn’t seem to do anything with it because he turned to trail after Oberon right afterwards. “Why not? You have it, it’s only fair that you get to use it. I don’t need a handicap.”
It didn’t sound like hubris, just logic. For whatever it was worth, it made sense to him; it was comfortable for him. He didn’t seem to mind if he was at a disadvantage. It’s not like they were fighting, this wasn’t something to win or lose. Oberon had proved himself to be honorable, if not a bit soft against his opponents, but Alastor didn’t hold that against him.
It wasn’t easy to pull your punches, or to have the willpower to leave an enemy standing when you could have just stopped them.
These weren’t Alastor’s enemies, he wasn’t used to them. He was a guest on this world, and he was just trying to learn what he could from it. Anything he could take home with him to use against his enemies was welcome. Was wanted.
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Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 7:40 pm
Since no one was going to listen to him, Michael just sighed and found a place near a tree to watch. Oberon seemed to think about it for a few moments, but then shrugged. If Alastor wanted him to use his magic and not give him a handicap, then that was fine. He didn’t need to give him a handicap.
“Alright,” he said and decided to start off strong by muttering, “Spirit of adventure.”
If he was going to have the opportunity to use his Eternal magic two days in a row, he might as well do it. And his other attacks were really only beneficial if he used them on himself. Quote: Eternal Sailor Attack: Spirit of Adventure
Like with any good adventure, his targets finds themselves facing a danger they must overcome, and they are hit with a crippling rush of adrenaline, as if forced to face one’s greatest physical fear; jumping from an airplane, or facing a pack of hungry wolves, or being caught in a wave, unable to surface, about to be sucked into the vacuum of space, etc. Like in all dangerous situations, fight-or-flight kicks in, but the attack itself removes the ability to physically react to that response. The physical symptoms may be comparable to that of an anxiety attack for some; shortness of breath, increased heart rate, dizziness. Chills and sweating are experienced, as if having a high fever, and chest pain as though in cardiac arrest. Other symptoms are unique to each individual. There is no outward damage done by the attack, but those that experience it get to "survive" their worst fear, and are left weakened and psychologically drained.
The attack itself builds up to its peak around 45 seconds and can be used on a single opponent within a twenty foot radius. It could be used twice if absolutely necessary, but is physically draining and only used as a last resort.
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Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 8:38 pm
Maybe it would have been wise for Alastor to see if there was a way to dodge the magic, but he hadn’t. He stood there expectantly, rubbing at his arms and shifting his weight again to try and squeeze out any ounce of energy he could.
The instant the magic hit him, and in the first instant he was washed in a burst of adrenaline that felt like it was going to tear him apart. “--That is the opposite of what I’m trying to do,” he said quickly. The urge to go back to running returned, accompanied by a sudden urge to try and pull out a tree, or hit it until his hands were broken and bloody, and there was a rational part of him that said that was a bad idea, but his feet were already moving. A few steps backwards at first, but his foot felt wet and he glanced behind him. He felt wet. Cold. Very cold.
There was only snow, the ground was solid. He didn’t feel like he had any balance, like he was in water–but on land? No, rationally he knew there was no water here, he’d just run across this whole area.
He opened his mouth to say something and choked on the words. He wasn’t drowning, he knew that. He was on solid land, obviously, but there were very few things in any world that made his heart beat like this. When he tried to breathe, there wasn’t anything there. No breath in, no breath out.
Alastor looked confused, but not scared. One hand went to his mouth, and then his throat, and then his chest. He coughed again, but nothing came out. The winter air felt so much colder, like his clothes were suddenly soaked through. He felt so heavy, like his legs didn’t want to support him. His muscles burned like he’d exhausted everything they had to give, and his bones ached like he’d ground them into nothingness.
He was stuck, and sinking, and frozen and–
Well, that wasn’t the worst of it.
He wasn’t alone.
Maybe there was a part of him that understood this wasn’t real, but it felt real enough, and it felt like his mind was being torn in two different directions anyway. He couldn’t see clearly; everything had gone black and he felt the weightless sensation of water taking. For a brief second, he felt a hand in his own, warm and desperate. And then, he lost it.
He couldn’t see Percy’s face, not really, but he knew his hand, and the panic that came with losing it felt like his heart was exploding. He couldn’t keep track of how quickly it was beating, he couldn’t even count that fast. It felt like his blood was ice as much as fire, and each heartbeat felt like it was shooting a jagged blade through his veins.
His mind felt like it was being chopped up into a thousand little pieces, and everything was so jumbled that he couldn't make heads or tails of anything. He couldn't breathe enough to scream, to call out a name. He couldn't move. He couldn't do anything but sink. Every muscle rebelled against him; everything had locked up.
At some point, the magic had ended, and Alastor had only realized it because he'd finally started coughing and the air filled his lungs with such force that he thought they might explode. Everything felt different, strange. It felt like he was breathing sand and tacks, not air. His vision was slowly coming back, but the his eyes stung and everything seemed like it was shrouded in some shadow.
He blinked two, three times, trying to clear his vision. The sound of blood in his ears was so powerful that it drowned out anything else. He was still standing when the magic ended, when he made the decision to sit down. The cold of the snow was still warmer than the chill of the water, and it still felt like it was sloshing in his mind. He coughed a few more times, but it did little to ease the burning in his lungs. Or throat. Or eyes. Or muscles.
He felt like he'd been trying to stay afloat for hours.
He felt tired. The extra energy was gone, only--so was the rest of his energy.
His curled his hand at his side but even when the magic faded, it still felt empty.
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Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2022 9:57 am
Oberon winced as he watched Alastor take the brunt of his magic. He waited and watched, and while he hadn’t had the opportunity to have the magic used on himself (although he was aware that he could probably make himself the target) he knew it was likely rough, given the state many were in.
Watching Alastor made him feel bad for that owl, although hopefully it didn’t get the same effects since it was, well, an owl. Michael frowned to himself, making a mental note to probably not underestimate an Eternal Senshi, much less his brother. That was his own fault for looking at Oberon and seeing not the young man he’d grown to be, but the little kid who always looked up at him with stars in his eyes, like Michael was someone special. Michael would disagree that he deserved any kind of praise or attention.
“Are you okay?” he asked Alastor, holding out his hand to him in case he needed help getting back onto his feet. “Come on. We can go home and I’ll make a snack or something,” he offered. It looked like whatever extra energy Alastor had been suffering from was gone for the moment.
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Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2022 10:21 am
Alastor waited for a moment longer and took a few careful breaths to make sure his lungs were still working. Finally, he nodded, and extended his hand to take Michael’s. Maybe he held it a little stronger than he needed to as he pulled himself up, and maybe he didn’t want to let it go when he was back on his feet, but he had his pride to consider.
It wasn’t Percy’s hand, and it didn’t chase away the memory of his fingers slipping through Alastor’s, but it was grounding.
“I’m fine, yeah. I mean, it got the job done.”
When he was stable on his feet he brushed both hands down his uniform, like he needed to feel that they weren’t wet. He still couldn’t believe that they weren’t.
“That’s good magic,” he said, and laughed dryly. It didn’t chase away the tightness in his throat or chest, or muscles. “You should lead with that in every fight.”
He rolled his shoulders and stretched a bit, this time not to get rid of energy, but to convince his body to keep moving. “I feel like I might sleep tonight. I am hungry though, yeah. A snack sounds good too, thank you.”
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Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2022 12:00 pm
”Probably a good idea,” Oberon agreed, offering Alastor a rueful smile. He felt bad. Adventure was supposed to be enjoyable, but he knew the magic was meant to defend himself and others. He couldn’t do that with cheerful pats on the back and offering encouragement all the time.
It certainly hadn’t helped get Caedus’ starseed back sooner. But he was glad they managed it in the end. As long as Caedus stayed away from those who still wanted him dead. Michael lowered his hand to his side once Alastor was back on his feet, but he remained close just in case he needed the extra support. Whatever Oberon’s magic did, it obviously affected him more than just physically. There was something in his voice that sounded lost-- not the first time Michael thought that about Alastor.
“You’re always hungry,” Michael pointed out, although there was no reprimand or exasperation in his voice, just a gentle observation. “We’ll make sure you eat whatever you want.” Since it was pretty obvious that Alastor had gone a while with barely enough to sustain him, even if he didn't say anything about it.
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Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2022 12:25 pm
Alastor laughed again, this time less forced. He hadn’t quite come down from Oberon’s magic but he flashed a quick smile. “I suppose you’re right about that. I’m lucky I ran into you two.”
He rubbed his hands together briefly and then curled his hands into fists. He uncurled them and repeated a few times before he shook his head.
“Yeah, I think I’d like to be done for the night. Sorry,” he apologized, but when they hadn’t found any trouble, maybe tonight was a good night to take it easy. That, and he didn’t want to admit that he was still feeling a little jumpy, and he was pretty sure the shadows weren’t stretching towards them, but he couldn’t focus for long enough to be sure.
“Thank you, Oberon. I feel,” he paused, and considered for a few seconds before he nodded. “Better.”
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