[CLOSED] Oh look it's TRAUMA O CLOCK

[candyapplechild]

Who: Eri & Closed to Housemates
What: Eri is seeing ghosts now and im being horrifically mean to my own character
When: Early May
Where: Fire Emblem 3Houses... polycule + adopted kids house? I dont know what to call it still
Warnings: TRAUMA OH BOY TRAUMA, MHA Major Character Death Spoilers, mentions of torture via ptsd flashbacks, me just being absolutely terrible to this poor child im so sorry—

[ She had just been playing outside. That was all... it was something she always did, living and playing happily with all of her Pokemon with a bright smile on her face. She was starting to open up to people in the house... less shy, less wary.

She is suddenly throwing the door open, a look of pure terror on her face as she dashes into the house.

Following her are numerous figures. Big men, small men, a number of different everyday people... all of their faces covered by masks of some kind, most of them similar to masks worn by Plague Doctors. They are all silent, aside from the occasional grumble or curse, but they all wordlessly follow Eri as she races through the house. ]

N-No...! NO!! GET AWAY!!!

[ Tears are forming. She's desperate. This isn't the usual, playful Eri... she's genuinely terried as the ghosts phase through walls to slowly follow her. ]

Please...!! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!! Please leave me alone...!!

[ If anything is within reach, isn't clearly fragile, and can be thrown... consider it thrown, as she desperately tries to get them to go away, but to no avail. She's not listening to anyone right now, and she's not sticking around in one place... running fast, as if her life depends on it. She doesn't let herself be caught by anyone, living or dead... she can't let herself be caught.

She keeps running, running wherever she can within the confines of the house that doesn't lead to a dead-end. Tears are running fast down her cheeks, her breathing is fast, and yet she doesn't let out any loud sobs... only desperate pleas for the ghosts to leave her alone. Pleas that fall on deaf ears.

She only stops when, suddenly, the ghost of an unmasked professional-looking glasses-wearing businessman appears in the center of the room she just ran into.

And Eri freezes.

And she drops to her knees, her legs suddenly giving out beneath her. The bangs of her hair, now unkempt and falling over her face somewhat, falls over part of her face as big ghibli-tears continue to silently stream down her face. ]

N-No... you're not...

[ Her breathing quickens, more than before. Her heart is racing. No, this can't be true. She hasn't... she hasn't thanked you yet. You can't be dead. ]

No... no nO NO...!! YOU'RE NOT...!! I DIDN'T...! I...!!

[ With how she's finally stopped running, the masked men close in around her... not touching her, but hovering just around her... with a space open for her to see the silent, stern-looking businessman. She gasps, realizing too late that she's surrounded, and her breathing quickens further to the point of hyperventilation. ]

No...

[ Her mind flashes back. Long and unending white hallways, everything looking the same no matter where she went, a dark room painted in numerous colors in a fruitless attempt to make the awful room comforting, random unopened toys strewn about the room in a desperate attempt to bribe her into giving her trust, another room with an uncomfortable and cold metal chair...

The men that would guard the first room, the one where she slept. The guards. The men that are surrounding her now.

Men that were killed because they couldn't stop her from trying to escape.

"This is the result of your selfishness, Eri."

"Someone else is about to die because of you! Is that what you want!?"

"It's easier to be hurt yourself than have others get hurt for you, huh?" ]

Please...

[ Sitting in that cold, unforgiving chair. Memories flashing through her mind of being mutilated, torn apart, coming so close to death that everything would almost go dark... only to be brought back.

She feels dizzy, black spots starting to appear in her vision as her eyes remain locked onto the businessman.

She blinks once, his once-neat suit is now open, showing an impressive pair of abs... but more shocking than that, a large hole in his stomach. Blood pooling out, his hair unkempt, his glasses cracked, a horrific gash on his left arm. ]

...that man wearing glasses... all of you... were injured badly because of me...

[ His death was kept a secret from her. To keep her from blaming herself for his death.

As a price for her being saved, another person died. ]

I never wanted this...!

[ She screams. She screams as memories flash by. Men desperately trying to reason with that man, making excuses only to suddenly go silent while Eri closed her eyes and held her ears. All of the people that died because of her selfishness.

And now him... that nice man that helped save her... the man that Lemillion cared about...

Something inside her just... snaps. ]

Comments

KICKS MYSELF IN HERE A WEEK LATER

[nastyboy]

[Dimitri had only meant to drop by their home for a short while, to take some simple measurements, write down some lists, that sort of thing. Building a home takes quite a bit of work, as it turns out, and Dimitri wants to make it absolutely perfect.]

[Granted, it's been a little bit difficult, because some of the others have been rather insistent on keeping him indoors for whatever reason. That's a problem, when he has so much he wants to do, but, well... Going back home for a short stay, just a day or two, had worked in with his plans anyway. What harm could there all be? And he wanted to see Chip and Eri again as well, so this would be a good time for it.]

[But... He hadn't wanted to see Eri like this.]

[The sound of a door slamming open, of frantic cries, has Dimitri jerk up from where he's in one of the living room areas. He doesn't think twice about it, rushing over to her immediately.]

[He doesn't know all of these strange, eerie people that have suddenly manifested in their home - except, he thinks, he might. From a foggy memory, one not his own and yet which he had nonetheless lived through.]

[That doesn't matter. Dimitri reacts on instinct, grabbing a nearby broom and slamming it against the body of the nearest couple of men - no, through them, no impact, not the faintest trace of something physical. Dimitri's blood goes cold, even as it continues its hot pace through the rest of his body.]

Eri!

cw: self harm

[candyapplechild]

[ Eri barely registers the sound of Dimitri's voice, drowned out by the memories of scoldings, fake kindness, screams of terror before being abruptly silenced. Words form in her mind and try to escape through her voice, only to pathetically fail under the pressure of how fast she was breathing. ]

I'm sorry... I didn't mean for it to happen...

[ Her blood runs colder, she can feel her entire body shaking violently. The ghosts seem to start getting more and more restless. She can feel herself growing faint. It feels like she's forgetting how to breathe. ]

But if I hadn't, nobody would have...

[ The businessman frowns, silently clicking his tongue as if he had gotten off on the wrong train stop and was now going to be late. He didn't want to be here, yet here he is, and it's causing all sorts of problems now.

The world in Eri's vision starts to spin. It feels like she's about to throw up. One of the masked men starts to move forward, the plague doctor mask suddenly changing shape and form as if into a grotesque beak, pitch-black smoke rising out of the new opening, along with pitch-black saliva connecting the inner parts of the beak. ]

Guard the kid... keep her from escaping... gain her trust... damn it, how the hell was I supposed to know that job was a death sentence...!

[ Two more move forward, their masks changing in a similar way. ]

Just a second... I looked away for one second and she suddenly bolted...! Damn it... I wouldn't have died if she'd just behaved...!!

I'm a fuckin' Yakuza, damn it! I didn't sign up to babysit some brat and get killed when she doesn't fuckin' like me...!

[ Everything is crumbling. She can feel it all crumbling apart. The happiness she had felt, the smiles she gave, the warmth of all the people who care about her... a dark figure from the deepest recesses of Eri's mind to wrap his arms around her and whisper in her ear. Not a ghost, not someone who can be seen like the men surrounding her... no, the lingering will of a man who she could never forget. ]

Do you remember now, Eri? You're selfish. You're a selfish, cursed child, who has only ever brought pain to the people around you. How do you think Lemillion must have felt? When his Mentor died... died to save you. Do you really think your life was worth more than his? Was his life a worthy trade for yours? I wonder what Lemillion must think...

But don't worry, it's fine... because you remember now. I'm proud of you, Eri... so proud that I won't even punish you for this... so long as you continue to remember your worth... how much of this you will never deserve... and who you'll always belong to, Eri...

[ She throws her head back and screams, hands shooting up to her head, grabbing at her own hair and starting to pull. It can't be true, he can't be right, he can't be back. She tries to tear him out, tear herself free... even though she knows that she can't. ]

[nastyboy]

[That is it - Dimitri snarls, sending the broom through the head of the man in the suit one more time. But it won't do - nothing is doing, it's - ]

[In his chest, his lungs' pace quicken, and he scrambles desperately for any sort of calm. This isn't real. This is like Mononoke, taking on his face, his voice, gambling with his money. What is Mononoke's type weak to?]

SANTA!

[There's the sound of thundering heavy paws against the floor, and Dimitri leaves it to him, pushing past all these fakes. These illusions. That's what they are, just illusions, inconsequential as his hand pushes through them until he's right there before Eri. Immediately, he falls to his knees, pulls her trembling body into his arms. His hands are so much bigger than his; her wrists practically disappear into them as he takes her hands from her hair.]

Eri, I am here! I am here, and it is going to be all right! You belong to no one but yourself. These are just lies meant to distress you -

[And that's approximately when Santa the Obstagoon bursts into the room, already screeching in pre-emptive rage from the frantic panic he'd heard in his trainer's voice. He's already trying to slam a kick straight against someone's back.]

[This does not work.]

[This does not stop him for a good few minutes as he just flails his arms and claws through the various ghosts gathered about, yelling louder as only bipedal hard metal murder ferrets can.]

[Dimitri lets him do whatever, focused on untangling Eri's fingers from her hair as best he can.]

[candyapplechild]

[ She’s partially successful until Dimitri is there, his large hands grasping at here and keeping them away from herself. She’s already pulled out some of her hair, the sharp pain providing a brief distraction and respite against the hell inside her own mind.

So she thrashes at him, suddenly kept away from the only thing Eri had to tear her mind away from this hell. It’s not much, she’s much smaller than Dimitri and can’t do much even as she kicks and screams, tears and snot running all at once without pause.

The ghosts continue to voice their grudges, their anger… but are unable to raise their voice higher than a restrained rage. This is fortunate, because as their masks merge with their faces and become gaping maws, Santa’s increasing volume does drown them out.

With how loud it is, it’s not exactly calming Eri down, but it’s a start.

Still, she’s still screaming… not stopping, barely even stopping for air. Her throat isn’t going to appreciate this later, but at the moment that isn’t important… as the grievously-wounded businessman eyes Dimitri holding the thrashing girl and seems to silently sigh.

He holds up his hands, unable to speak or even make a sound, but providing some gesture to communicate his intentions in meaning no harm as he starts to approach. Granted, he’s going to continue approaching regardless, since being a ghost and all… there’s not much anybody here can do about it. ]

[nastyboy]

[It doesn't matter if she kicks him. She could even claw at him, and Dimitri would accept that. If she's hurting him, then, at the very least, that means she's not hurting herself. It doesn't matter even if she took out one of his other eyes - not to him, at any rate. So he leans in close, speaking to her over the sounds of Santa's yelling.]

Eri! It's Dimitri! I am here! Let me help you!

[And so is Santa, still putting himself between her and the multitude of ghosts whose masks and flesh seem to have no true separation. For all the sight before him is monstrous, nauseating in its combination of leather and blood and plastic and flesh, he does not budge in the slightest. All he does is cross his arms defiantly before him, raising his voice over the sound of their complaints, a high roar to deafen his opponents.]

[Of course, this still does nothing to actually.... stop any of the ghosts. Not until something pale and small slips past all those feet, and it is Mononoke the "Zorua" with his dull eyes. His glance upon Santa is almost annoyed, dismissive in ways, and he makes a few small yips at the much larger Pokemon. It makes Santa pause, screaming no longer, before he makes another loud yell... and turns around to tromp back over to where Dimitri and Eri are.]

[There Santa, curls possessively around them, and he raises his lip to snarl over at the businessman. Dimitri, curled in turn around Eri, looks past one furry arm with a deep and dark look, one of untold violence.]

Wretch, step closer, and I shall hunt down whatever sorcerer is responsible for your false existence, and - [Do not swear graphic violence in front of the child - Dimitri nearly swallows his tongue, and growls, pulling Eri close to his chest.] And you shall find yourself only wishing that your existence was nothing more than a tale in a fable, for what I will do to you.

[Meanwhile, past Dimitri and Santa and even the businessman, who does not seemed to have drawn his attention at all.... Tiny little Mononoke the "Zorua" stares up at the group of men in their warped masks, anonymity digging into physical bodies. Unlike with Santa, he still seems apathetic.]

[But, much like the other men, his tiny little form soon too begins to warp. To grow, fur bristling and rippling, expanding, becoming larger and larger until it is the form of an enormous Hisuian Zoroark that seems to fill the room, towering over them with exaggerated claws and eyes with blood red pupils like a newly made wound in his sclera. So massive, he seems to fill up the room.... and block sight between the masked men and the other group. When his mouth parts, it parts like flesh ripping from itself, revealing the ugly jagged rows of his teeth. The voice that crawls out, low and rough and cold, sounds... rather like Dimitri's.]

[And yet different, somehow. Low and deep, like hatred dragging something down into dark depths where it can suffocate.]

"What arrogant maws lie in the skulls of such pathetic things - you who meant nothing in life and now are even less than nothing in death. Can you bear bruises upon the skin of living things, destroy their possessions? No - all you can do is dog the steps of the child that surpassed you, that was better than you and whose lungs were that which kept breathing instead of your own.

You will never be able to sate that paltry rage inside you. If this is all you can do, then you may as well do nothing, you would-be wretches, lest you embarrass the true and powerful dead."

[It is all an illusion, of course - at least, how big Mononoke is right now, and the way he steals Dimitri's voice for his own. But it is certainly realistic enough... and powered well enough by Mononoke's own ghostly abilities.]

[candyapplechild]

[ Though it may be an illusion, it's evidently more effective than anything else that's been attempted so far. Maybe it's because of Mononoke's closer connection to wrathful souls...? The grotesque figures turn to face the illusion, starting to meld together, along with their voices... growing more and more distorted, mixtures of different curses, grievances, and grudges.

Neither can truly interact with the other, but they aren't so easily frightened... their rage not so easily chased away. The frustration at how there was nothing they could have done, how sudden it had always been, how nothing they said had mattered even in the end. It all starts to meld together into one large, black mass... vaguely representing the shape of their masks.

Evidently, this has now turned into a massive staring contest between two horrific figures representing wrathful souls.

Eri is starting to slow down, but she's still sobbing, screaming, kicking and scratching at whatever has begun to cover her... keep her from herself. It starts to feel worse as she vaguely feels her nails draw blood... she's hurting someone, she's hurting someone other than herself, what is she doing...!?

The businessman—Nighteye, that's his name. Nighteye looks Dimitri right in the eye, acknowledging the threat... but what kind of Hero would he be if threats were all it took? He's heard them all at this point, Dimitri's is no exception.

Still, his protectiveness of her sparks... something in him, even if he doesn't show it. Instead, he pauses for a moment... his eyes flashing black and purple as he sees into their future... not even paying an ounce of attention to the rageful souls now behind Dimitri and Santa.

He lets out a sigh of relief, maybe even... smiling for a moment? But then he just takes one more step forward. Vocal communication may be off, but there are ways to communicate that your threats don't scare me, asshole. Still, that's where the silent 'rebuttal' ends. He's close enough. Still a few feet away, but it'll do. If only there were an effective way to point out the fact that, unlike the other souls present in the room, Nighteye is maskless. Unless you count his broken glasses, which would almost be comedic.

Almost.

Still, that's the end of his indignation. He can't afford to waste any more time on being indignant to the man currently taking care of this child. He kneels down, now squatting and at both Eri and Dimitri's current level on the floor. His face is still stern, but now that he's closer—and his glasses are helpfully shattered—his eyes are... sympathetic. Betraying the harsh lines of his face.

Still, he looks Dimitri in the eyes, places a hand on what's left of his chest, and looks down.

He's thanking him. This girl meant a lot to Mirio, and seeing as how he's dead, there's no reason to try and hide the fact that he's glad as well. Especially not at a time like this. ]

[nastyboy]

[Quite frankly, Dimitri isn't entirely sure what he can do in a situation like this. For all the threats he would normally give, that relies on something rather physical. For these - not ghosts, they are not ghosts, they are just, fakes, illusions, some form of tricky meant to distress and beguile, but they are a form of trickery he cannot easily grasp within his hands.]

[So there is no foe he can attack, no body he can sink his fingers into and rip shread to shred. Just images, things that frighten and upset a little girl.]

[Oh, if he would sink his teeth into their throats, especially as the blasted fiend steps closer - ]

[...Only to sink to his knees, movements quiet and more passive than antagonistic, or even properly defiant despite the prior and rather confident step forward.]

[Dimitri is bleeding a bit, somewhere. Distantly, he is aware of it, how cool air hits exposed hot blood. It doesn't really matter, however, and won't even when the adrenaline fades and he is left with its aching aftermath. Instead, he just cradles Eri close, strokes her hair even as nails dig into clothing, into skin.]

Eri. It is going to be okay. Eri. I think... he is happy for you, Eri.

[Not that he has any idea, honestly, but... he knows body language well enough, can recognize it from years spent in the wilderness where he had to watch for every little detail so that he could have some measure of advantage against his opponent. This is nothing like what he is familiar with.]

[Santa is still growling, bristling, but at Dimitri's soft words spoken to Eri even as the blond is still glaring at him... He does relent a little bit.]

[He also, after a moment's consideration, moves his arm over so that he is slightly covering up the gory sight of the businessman's stomach.]

[Helping (tm)]

[candyapplechild]

[ He'd show relief at knowing his body language got across, but he already knew it would. Seems the quirkless effect of this world doesn't apply to ghosts. Still, it's good that he's not being faced with immediate aggression anymore. Wariness is going to be warranted no matter what, obviously. Nothing to be done about that.

He looks up again, his stern expression returning. He's looking directly at Eri, waiting as the young girl continues to struggle and sob... but she starts to calm. The presence of the ghosts are further now, busy with Mononoke. She can still hear them nearby, but it's fainter... not aimed at her.

Eri isn't looking at him, she's bundled up with her face against Dimitri's chest as she claws at him. There's blood on her hands... his blood. She hates it, she's hurting even Dimitri now... she'd run from him if she could, get away from him so that she doesn't hurt him anymore.

After a moment of time, the thought remaining in her head a little longer, she turns her head to try and find an escape route from Dimitri... only for her to suddenly freeze at how much closer Nighteye is now.

Tears still run down her face like rivers, staining her face red as she still trembles. Her screams suddenly cease, and her sobs turn quiet.

With her attention, finally, Nighteye comes a little closer again before opening his mouth. ]

...a

...a...!

[ It sounds like he's clearing his throat, maybe even about to cough up blood considering his physical state, but then... ]

Fu... ture... you... changed... it...

[ His cold expression is now twisted in effort, as if speaking any sound at all is a struggle. ]

Thank... you...

[ A silent gasp, as if coming up for air... and then he looks up, and gives her a genuine smile. A smile that looks out of character on his face, and yet there it is... the same as when he drew his last breath.

Eri's eyes widen and her tears quicken. ]

N-No... it should have been...!

[ The only message he could give her, forcing himself to speak in spite of being known even less than the wrathful specters still in the room. Still, it was delivered... but truly, what a pain, being here in the first place. With such a shitty message, this surely won't have solved anything, but... ]

Me...

[ The black spots in Eri's vision grow again, covering it entirely... and she suddenly goes limp in Dimitri's arms. Her guilt remains, it should have been her... if she had just gone back, then Chisaki would heal everyone... he would've still been alive.

But that look on his face, the words he barely managed to spoke. Her head suddenly spun even further, and then... it was over. She slumps over, her face still stained red by her own tears... her small fingers still trembling from the force put into them during a rush of adrenaline... Dimitri's blood covering her nails.

She looks far from peaceful. Even now, she whimpers and whines, still not free from her own mind... but it's better than nothing.

But the ghosts are still there, albeit distracted... but not for long. Nighteye's face is back to normal, and he's standing up straight again, pulling out a number of... stamps? One between each finger as he glares up at the amalgamation of spirits. ]

[nastyboy]

Eri - !

[But there's no stopping the fainting of a small child who's already been through so much, both physically as she's worn herself out from her thrashing, and emotionally from all that she's been through. Dimitri gently cradles her close to her chest, tucking her face against it so that she may not see any more horrors should she wake.]

[Yet while she rests... the illusions, the fakes, still haunt them, and do not seem as though they will leave for now. As Dimitri gets up to his feet, Santa growling over his shoulder, he glares over at the lot - ]

[Wait is that his fox]

[It is, as a matter of fact, his fox, still in his warped and bloated illusionary form. While he appears to be focused purely on the amalgamation of revolting figures before him... although perhaps the twisted smile that spreads across the Zoroark's own face, a nasty and arrogant grimace of a thing that distorts flesh and bares fangs, is a match for it.]

"Haaaaaa... And now the child slumbers. There goes your chance to make even the slightest mark, that which you could not even accomplish alive. Where goes your hatred now? Perhaps into yourself, so that you may carve out chunks of your own spirit and feed it into your blubbering gullet for all the good it shall do you."

[...So, you know, at least someone is having a good time!]

[candyapplechild]

[ That seems to annoy the spirits, and they start to increase in size... the shape of arms beginning to form from within the growing maw of the spirits, until...

Nighteye suddenly waves his hand, the stamps in his hand suddenly vanishing from his hand, and along with their disappearance, four large holes suddenly appear in the combined form of all the spirits.

He turns, adjusts his ruined and bloodied jacket, and starts to walk away.

The spirits let out a sorrowful groan as they begin to dissipate... turning to ash and blowing away in the wind as Nighteye starts to walk through a wall... and fades.

It's over. They're gone.

Eri's face is still twisted in a fearful grimace, but her tensed-up body starts to relax. ]

[nastyboy]

[And the last thing those spirits will see will be an asshole fox spirit flipping them off with both hands. At least something is dead and having a decent time.]

[Dimitri can only stare at All Of This as it happens, clinging to Eri. Mononoke seems to finally realize there's nothing distracting his trainer from himself, as he peers over his shoulder for a moment.... only for it all to whirl away like wind caught up in a storm, leaving behind just the appearance of a tiny little Zorua.]

[Totally what he is! Nothing else!]

[The fox bolts for it.]

[Dimitri crouches there for a moment, still staring, brain re-calibrating as best as it can to dubious success. It's only when Santa starts fussing at him, making soft whining noises, that he finally rouses himself up to his feet.]

[That... is something he is going to deal with later. He will have to find Hafren for it, he suspects. But for now, the most important thing is Eri. All he can do is carry her, gently, back to her room and lay her down to sleep.]

[He will have to get Kent. Tonight, he can forego sleep, forego a nightmare-less rest, if only so that she can have one of her own.]

[candyapplechild]

[ She's curled up in his arms, tense despite the fact that she's fallen asleep. Her whimpers don't stop, but she clings to Dimitri like a lifeline, as though it shields him from the horrors of her own mind in some capacity.

A nightmare-less rest is asking for too much at the moment, but she'll get a rest regardless, at least. ]