curriculum_fictae: (Default)
Martin K(nife) Blackwood ([personal profile] curriculum_fictae) wrote2020-06-16 06:15 pm

[PSL] time travel, time travel

[ Martin had always known that Lukas would kill him in the end. If not along the way, then surely at the end, once he'd gotten what he wanted out of Martin, whatever that turned out to be. When the Lonely rose up to swallow him, he'd accepted his impending death with ... what?

What did he have left, really? Numbness, mostly. A hallucination of Jon in the Lonely, looking for him, but - but that was impossible, ridiculous. His mind playing cruel tricks. He settled himself down in the frigid surf, knees drawn up close to his chest, unshed tears frozen to his cheeks and lashes.

And then. A door. A door that shouldn't exist, that couldn't exist. That he shouldn't take at all. The Lonely was terrible, yes, but it was quiet, and it was peaceful. Martin was aligned enough with it by now to very nearly enjoy it, in a strange and terrible way. The Spiral would be infinitely worse than this quiet beach.

But ... it was hope, too. In a strange way. Hope enough that Martin found himself turning the door handle and stepping through, leaving the false comfort of the Lonely behind him.

The transition was unpleasant. Long. But Martin couldn't remember it after; he only remembered stumbling out through the door of a supply closet somewhere deep in the Archives, blinking up at the dim bulbs that pretended to be sufficient. What time was it? Had he escaped? Where were Lukas and Elias now?

And where was Jon? ]
eyediot: (so I bookmark my DSM)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-27 08:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[As they've talked, Jon listens. He leans forward, elbows on his knees and ultimately folds his hands together to cover his face, thumbs pressing against both temples on the sides of his head.

It's so much. And he knows they wouldn't be bringing it up like this (and what is this? A family meeting? An intervention?) without good reason. They're worried.

But he's just as worried about them. What does it mean for after? What will they do?]


...Do we know what happens after, if I were to do it?
eyediot: (now that we've come so far)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-27 08:53 pm (UTC)(link)
But what about all of you?

Th-the three of you. The Institute, the Unknowing. What happens then.
kayakking: (045)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-27 08:55 pm (UTC)(link)
We... keep going until we hit that same kind of threshold, I guess.

[He gives a weak grin.] See if we can get the local hospital to staff an optometrist by the time we're done.
secreteary: (pic#14180211)

[personal profile] secreteary 2020-08-27 09:21 pm (UTC)(link)
The Unknowing can't happen. And maybe we try to do something about Elias? Or Peter Lukas? I can't think of how, but...

[never mind the thought that Algric and Martin won't change much. maybe they're too much in The Lonely to be affected by The Eye? and another thing--

...I can bring that up another time, maybe.]


...But. We take care of you, too. We're not just going to just. F-forget about you.
eyediot: (how can we ever start again?)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-27 09:25 pm (UTC)(link)
[At Tim's comment, he makes a strangled noise in his throat, covering his mouth. God. God, he doesn't want any of them to have to do it too.

But Martin... They all keep holding things back.]


How am I supposed to help if I'm not connected to it? Wh-what can I even do after that?
eyediot: (and to change what was real)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-27 09:39 pm (UTC)(link)
[Jon doesn't turn to look at Algric, but the words hit. It's clear they hit sharp and directly on their target somewhere deep between his ribs.

No. No, it's not all about him. It's about Tim and his brother, and keeping him alive through the Unknowing. It's about Martin, slowly being eaten up by the fog and ice eating away at his existence. It's about Algric, displaced in time and trying to find his place.

What's a pair of eyes compared to that?

His jaw trembles for a breath. Then a weight settles on his shoulders and Jon... stays quiet. Outwardly, it seems like Algric just put him in his place.]

Sorry.
kayakking: (019)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-27 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Right.

[He breaths out, a little shaky. God. Good. At least one of them's getting out.]

We're going to make this all work.
secreteary: (pic#14180223)

[personal profile] secreteary 2020-08-27 09:46 pm (UTC)(link)
[Martin watches Jon emotionally curl inward and he frowns, worried. but he has no idea what's going on through Jon's mind. that's what worries him most.

to Tim:]


What's next, then?
kayakking: (008)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-27 09:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Right. Either one of you, actually.

Which leaves the question- do we want to do anything to the Institute while this is going on. I've managed to find the original blueprints for the building.

[And watching a great deal of videos on demolition...] But no telling how much there's been alterations in the literal centuries.

... Mostly I'm worried about it being work hours.

[Killing Elias? Sure. The staff. Nooottt so much. He's not that far.]
secreteary: (pic#14180224)

[personal profile] secreteary 2020-08-27 10:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, let's...not get anyone else involved.

[that goes without saying, Martin, c'mon]

There are the tunnels to consider? Maybe there are bits that are underneath the structure of the Institute? If we have the blueprints, we could possibly figure that out...
eyediot: (I'm gonna be the man who's growin old wi)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-27 11:20 pm (UTC)(link)
[Jon, for his part, let them keep talking. Mentally trying to figure out the best way to handle his own problem without troubling them too much.

But he tunes back in at talk of the tunnels. He rubs softly at his closed eyes with his thumbs - getting used to... them maybe not being there much longer.]


There are.. Arrows. I left a few. And someone else has left others. Even if the walls have moved, there should still be some to follow.
kayakking: (045)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-27 11:24 pm (UTC)(link)
[At this point, Jon's withdrawn abstraction was enough to start to even catch Tim's attention. So Jon diving back in was welcome.]

Moving. Right... I don't remember it doing too much when I used them before. Maybe those arrows will be enough to keep us generally on track.
eyediot: (looking down I could say heaven sent me)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-28 11:55 am (UTC)(link)
[At the mention of Leitner, Jon glances up at Algric, then back down to some pattern in the flooring he was eyeing.]

I suppose so. He has a book that changes the tunnels, then?
kayakking: (048)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-28 01:11 pm (UTC)(link)
[Okay. Okay Tim knows DAMN WELL that Leitner is Jon's Circus of the Other. He gives him a long look, but it's Algric he asks the question:]

Right. So where do we find him?
kayakking: (001)

1/2

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-28 01:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Me! I have always been aware of my integral nature, thank you very much.
kayakking: (035)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-28 01:28 pm (UTC)(link)
More seriously though.

I am here if you need me.
kayakking: (005)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-31 10:35 am (UTC)(link)
So.. where we're setting up.
eyediot: (and I would walk 500 more)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-09-01 02:20 am (UTC)(link)
Yes. The tunnels we're setting up in.

[He sounds so pleased.]

I'm sure he won't mind us invading his hiding spot.