neverplaysfair | Game 021 [Action] - Happy Six-Month Anniversary. Sucker.

Can't. Gotta fix you up, first.

[ He's attempting a soothing tone but it's tenser than before, between hurt and disgust and how he's just waiting for Joshua to Jesusbeam him. Still rubbing his back, though, and almost desperately searching for a way to fix this. He knows what it is, but the usual solution of drag him back to Shibuya isn't an option here. ]

[Man, when Joshua says that it's kinda... sad. Neku just shifts awkwardly, wondering if this was a good idea or not.]

[ Joshua is in no state to be using his own power. If he had been, he would have used it long ago.

There's almost a moment of hesitation, knowing that Neku's here, knowing what sort of impact this will have. But every muscle is shaking with an instinctual fear that he can't rid himself of, and he could swear he can feel Sanae's vibe and his power on his skin, and he's pretty sure that the taint on his Soul wasn't quite so large the last time he saw him, and is it growing even now? How many moments until that taint is too much, until Sanae's selfishness takes over again, until whatever this is claims Josh's body for just long enough that it's easy for Hanekoma to do something, something to Erase him and it would look like a simple accident to Neku, oh what a pity, dear old Mr. H. didn't make it in time.

And he gave Sanae warning, which in itself might have been more than he probably deserved. Joshua's body tenses for a moment, and then he forces his muscles into action, hoping that he can just get the gun pointed at Sanae before he's stopped, or before his finger twitches just a little too much.

The loud bang in his ears startles even Joshua himself. ]

[ He'd be able to settle Joshua's vibe, if that were all it were. But it's his connection to Shibuya that's in danger, it's an effect this alien world is having on him, and he's not sure just how to help. He can't dare to hold Joshua so close to him for much longer. It's only panicking the guy, he needs a solution now, and--

And he realizes what Joshua is doing an instant before he does it, but by then it's too late. Point-blank means he can't run, can't attack, can't teleport.

He doesn't hear the bang, too caught up in the impact.

It's something massive and jarring, enough to make the world flicker, and an instant later comes the hot harsh searing ripping tearing shooting pain. He's gasping, panting, clutching at the hole in his stomach and scrambling back away from Joshua. Fuck. It hurts the way he can't remember anything ever hurting, not for years, not since he died and even that is so faded that he can't be sure it was worse than this. ]

[The gunshot is loud and piercing even from Neku's point a few yards away. He can't hear himself gasp but he knows he must have, because his body is telling to exhale but he can't. He just shakes from shock, not able to believe what just happened. But then Mr. H scrambles back and Neku can't stop himself from darting forward to Mr. H's side. No no no no this isn't happening. Neku drops to his knees on the ground next to Mr. H, reaching for the man's shoulder.]

Mr. Hanekoma!

[ Joshua feels himself hit the ground and it's relief, sweet relief that he doesn't have Sanae so close to him any more. He's not even sure whether the shot connected until he looks to see that Hanekoma's reacting. Josh goes to lift the gun again, but he can feel the cold metal slip in his hand. It's heavy, much heavier than it was a moment ago. He looks for his phone to find it too far away, and he can barely lift his gun, much less himself to crawl over to it. His eyes slip shut and he drags his gun close to clutch it against his stomach, weakly vomiting again what little remains in his stomach. ]

Edited 2010-04-19 01:38 (UTC)

[ Hanekoma's still sitting, one hand clutching at that bullet wound and the other planted on the ground, propping him up. Joshua is throwing up again, he's bleeding -- bleeding a lot, it can't be good that he's bleeding this much, he's seen humans die this way and knows he's headed in that direction -- and Neku's touching him. Mr. H would really like for Neku to stop touching him; the world is pressing in on him enough as it is. There's a faint buzz of adrenaline in the back of his head and tips of his fingers, which at least helps the hurt to not be so sharp, and it slows the world down for him.

His vibe slips higher until there's a slight glow to his skin, faint enough that it might be imagined, and already the pain is easier to bear. Thinking is easier to do the further he is from human. ]

--Josh. I'm... I gotta fix Josh.

[ It's breathless, and he isn't even really keeping track of what he's saying. Too distracted by pain and adrenaline. ]

Him? What about you? You're...

[Bleeding. A lot. Neku knows it won't take long for someone to die from a wound like that, seeing as how that's the same way he died. The thought of Mr. H dying just makes him panic a little more. Plus Joshua still has the gun, what if he shoots again? Neku drops his hand from Mr. H's shoulder but stays right where he's at. Damn did he ever feel useless.]

[ Oh, don't mind Josh, he's just over here mostly passed out. Huh, the world is swirling in pretty colors. ]

Fine.

[ Finishing that sentence for you, Neku, but fine probably isn't the word you were thinking of. Still, Hanekoma's got no intention of dying from something as simple as a bullet to the stomach -- wouldn't have allowed Josh to even hit him, if it hadn't been point-blank. The hand clutching at that wound has taken up a visible shine, white-hot with energy, not unlike the Composer in his natural form. Mr. H is long past caring whether Neku sees him using psychs and powers.

Voice still less than steady: ]

...help me up.

[You really do not look fine, Mr. H. Though of course Neku will still help him up, he just pauses for a moment first at whatever that is that Mr. H is doing. No, no time for questions. Just helping Mr. H up now.]

[ Josh can sense that energy, but at this point, he's not even sure what to do about it. He can barely move, he can barely think, and he has no hope of aiming his gun again any time soon. ]

[ Just a healing psych, nothing unusual about that, right? Except maybe for the subtle shine to his skin and slight thrum of power about his hands, but with any luck, Neku won't notice or won't care. Still, it hurts. He wants to get out of here so he can let out his wings, his real wings, and heal himself fully and thoroughly without all the blood and pain and mess--

But Hanekoma's sticking to that maybe-irrational insistence to fix Josh. Just gonna put all his weight on Neku and make his way toward the guy, unsteady at first. That glowing hand drops from the wound, and the stain of blood on his vest doesn't seem to be spreading or darkening much further, now. Bleeding's nearly stopped. ...but he can feel his shirt clinging to the small of his back, hot and wet. Well. He'll get to that one next.

It's only a few steps and then he abandons Neku's support and drops to his knees in front of Joshua, and oh let's hope J is pretty out of it, 'cause Sanae is gonna try wrenching that gun out of his hands. ]

[Neku steps back some once he gets Mr. H over to Josh, giving him some room. Still keeping close enough just in case he needs him, though.]

[ Not out of it enough to not give protest in the form of a less-than-coherent disgruntled moan, but too out of it to do anything else. ]

[ Good, then he can switch the safety on and send the thing skidding a few feet away, nicely out of reach. Hands are back on Joshua, now, his shoulders and then his temple, and Sanae's letting his mind and presence press against Josh's. Trying to get into his head. Joshua needs to feel Shibuya, but an Angel with a flexible code is the best he's got.

He's tried things like this before, but never in this sort of situation and certainly not while tuned so low and getting dizzy with blood loss. Still, Hanekoma puts Shibuya's music at the forefront of his mind and tries to mimic it, tries to bend his vibe and presence to imitate bits and pieces of the city's song. He's still just one being and the changes are too shallow to be worth much, but it's the only idea he's got. ]

[He's just watching curiously, still mostly concerned about Mr. H. Don't overdo it man.]

[ It takes a few moments, but suddenly Josh can feel Shibuya. It's weak, and it's distant, but it's there. He's drawn to it and trying to get closer, he doesn't even realize as he reaches up and grabs Sanae's arms. Then he's trying to pull, trying to get closer, be closer to Shibuya, and oh how he's missed feeling his city, and there's tears on his cheeks and he doesn't even know why, just feebly reaching out and trying to touch his city once again. ]

[ Totally overdoing it, at this rate poor Neku is going to wind up the only conscious one. Always the lone sane man, isn't he? --but whoa Josh, the sudden contact makes him jump and lose focus on the song, back to being just a man. A man with slightly-glowing hands and a bloody vest and ragged breathing, one who's starting to wish he could get out of here and sleep for a week. ]

[This is hard to watch. In the back of his mind all Neku can think about is how he should have just listened to Joshua. And all he can do is continue to wait, and hope they both make it out of this okay. Damnit.]

[ In a moment, Shibuya vanishes again, and panic hits Joshua once more. He gives a startled cry, hands tightening, arms and vibe weakly pulling, trying to find his city again. It was there, he heard her, he felt her, she was there, and he was about to be with her again, finally, after the few months of separation and loneliness that have almost felt as long as his entire reign as Composer because there has been no Shibuya, not here. He reaches, clawing desperately for something, anything. No, she can't be gone. Not so suddenly. Not again. ]

Josh-- don't--

[ He can't manage any more. Later, maybe, he can try this trick again, but now it just hurts too badly and he's too tired. Mr. H is dizzy, exhausted, and whether or not he's managed to steady Joshua's connection to his city, that insane determination to help the guy is fading. There are holes in him and he's too tired even to be spiteful. It hurts. The world's going dim, despite the adrenaline. It hurts.

Hanekoma tries to push Joshua away from him with one arm, the other clutching at his stomach again. He throws a look to Neku for help, but not entirely sure what he's asking for. He doesn't particularly want to try standing up. ]

[Neku is back at his side almost instantly. There is probably no way Mr. H can stand right now, so Neku takes his arm (the one that he was using to push Joshua away) and tries to help him move back, just to get him away and out of reach. Neku is even trying to put himself between the two so Joshua can't reach Mr. H if he keeps trying to grab at him.]

[ Shibuya's gone.

It hits him, and suddenly Joshua goes quiet. Very quiet. And very still. No more gagging. Barely any shivering. Just quiet. His cheeks itch from the tears, but he doesn't even bother to scratch them. For the moment, it's as if nothing else matters.

Shibuya's gone. Again. ]

[ Totally slumping against Neku, sorry if he gets any blood on you, man. Would be thanking him but can't quite sum up the energy or willpower. He feels about twenty times weaker than he did sixty seconds ago, and his whole back is unpleasantly wet, and the world is definitely getting dimmer. Is he dying? Dying sounds incredibly inconvenient. He'd really rather avoid it.

He had to take this chance to fix Joshua, and he did. Mission accomplished. Teleporting on home to heal and rest sounds like a great plan, but he's not so sure he can manage a jump that big. For the moment, he's just gonna keep leaning on Neku and breathing shallowly, thinking about just how pissed he'll be at Joshua if he manages to die from this. ]

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