[does he not realize that it would simply affect him again, since he's the closest threat to her? she's not going to correct him if he doesn't, it's merely surprising that he wants to be a guinea pig again.]
[her grip on her cane doesn't exactly relax, but she shrugs.]
And it's not that easy. A pen wouldn't make the right kind of sound waves - they have to be big, so it can be as loud as it needs to be.
[to prove her point, she feels for a spare paintbrush for her free hand, and brings it down on the table. a sharp sound, but definitely nothing close to what had happened before.]
[it isn't nice at all, and she only manages to grab it because she hears him move, fumbling it in her hands and nearly having it cut her thigh. it's heavy, heavier than what she's used to, and Helena uses it to help her stand. she doesn't like sharp things, and her heart wants to pull itself out of her chest. please, please work. work, or her own cane will need to be snatched up, and she'll have to pray she figures out the quickest way down to the outside, to go lose him in the woods.
bloodlust is such a palpable thing, really.
raising it up as high as she can manage, Helena puts all her weight into bringing it down, and slams the end into the floor.
it's not an elegant thing, she nearly falls when she finishes from the unfamiliar balance of it, but it works. the same radiating sound, the perception, the sound that targets Dito directly to incapacitate him for the next ten seconds. ringing in his ears, unsettling and unsteady, ruining balance and coordination, and Helena doesn't know if he'll decide to kill her for it regardless.]
[ Dito almost collapses when it happens, having to push himself off the ground when he almost falls on his knees again. Akin to what happened during the meeting.
He hates this, really. His head feels like it's in a fishbowl, and it's way too familiar. So she can do the same thing with other objects. That's so annoying.
He sighs, still not entirely recollected when he moves to grab his spear back, whether Helena has let go of it or not. He's a bit disoriented when he tries tugging on his spear, his face a little closer than necessary to Helena's. ]
[her eyes are open, empty and clouded as they are, but her perception hasn't faded, and Helena knows how close he is. under normal circumstances, she'd stay very still, wait for him to back off, but yielding the spear means she has to feel for where she put her cane, to try and get it back-
her nerves must betray her, just a bit, because she tries to grasp the cane and it rolls away from her, hitting the floor with a clatter - behind him. meaning he's now between her and her sight, so to speak.
(wrists in restraints, barbed wire around the arms, and time is tick-tick-ticking away, counting down until the explosion-)]
[ Dito's still at least too disoriented to do anything, gripping tighter on his spear as he almost uses it to hold himself up, in a sense. He's accustomed to leaning on it a lot, anyway. Not that he's as relaxed as he normally is while doing so.
Briefly, the more logical part of his brain thinks he should distract her with what he knows until this wears off, but it's genuinely a challenge to restrain himself once he gets into his bloodlust.
He sighs, glaring up at her -- then he notices her cane rolling away. He grins, kicking it back behind him further. Just so she won't be able to use that trick again when this is over. ]
'Kay. Joshua Kiryuu's the one that messed with my bodies.
[ He still feels dizzy, but he tries to yank his spear back entirely at this point. ]
Oh, he's also the guy being annoying on the network. "Catphone" or whatever? That's him.
[ He might be trying to trip Helena at this point, just because it's obvious she can't see for shit. A slight of his foot kicking against her ankle a little too hard. ]
Lucifer did something with the two really messed up bodies. I only know because Komaeda said something. I don't know who killed the other ones.
[ He's at least keeping up on his end of the deal here. Although he didn't say he wouldn't kill her if she won.
Kind of a sleazy move, but it's not like he has any morals, here. ]
[suddenly, a few things become intensely obvious, echoes of words in the past that line up to now. but she doesn't have too much time to process it, because without the spear in her hands to steady her, Dito kicks her ankle out. as ill luck would have it, she falls forward with a gasp, towards him, and if they collide, that's entirely up to whether he dodges and lets her hit the floor or stays where he is.
she can't die here. that floods her limbs, fuels her - he's keeping up his side of the deal, but there were no promises about leaving her unscathed afterwards. whatever happens, she'll find a way to survive. no matter how pathetic it looks, no matter how beat up she gets. her heart beats so loud that she's sure he can hear it.
someone else would have asked for mercy. her, she keeps her mouth shut.]
[ He...didn't think this through, obviously. Because suddenly Helena is falling on top of him, and he's small, so he does fall backwards and land on his ass and back with a girl on top of him, his spear falling out of his hands as it also rolls away to the side -- although not before nicking Dito right across his own jawline.
Luckily, he's got his disciple body back now that heals super easy, but he's still super pissed off about it.
This is his worst scenario. He scoffs loudly, hands moving to grab at both sides of Helena's waist as he tries to roll her over and underneath him, essentially trying to flip their positions. ]
Fuck. Why do you keep ruining everything.
[ He would stab her so much right now, if he actually had a weapon on him. He'd have to get off of her though to grab his own spear, which he glances at out of the corner of his own eye. ]
[it's easily done, since she's about his same size, and she's only a human. still, she thinks she can guess at where her cane landed, and she's doing her best to try and get out of his grip - she has to get him off, has to crawl over and grab it, has to leave. her fault for choosing somewhere that someone wouldn't come investigate why there's such loud sounds, why using her power and falling and all the rest wouldn't raise so much an alarm.]
Get off!
[he's the one ruining things - he's the one killing people. he's the one nearly stabbing her friend in the middle of a meeting over a stupid severed arm.]
[ His hands actually move to grab Helena's wrists if he can, trying to pin her onto the floor. He's really excited for a second, knowing he has her in the defensive right now. Although this doesn't do him much good, since he doesn't have a weapon. He scowls about it, practically rolling his eyes after a second as he sits up, almost looking bored for half of a moment.
God, maybe he should try mauling or something. But he's not Zero. He's not gross (he's totally gross). ]
Fine, prey.
[ He lets go of Helena's wrists if he'd managed to grab them, pushing against the floor on either side of her head with his hands as he lifts himself into an almost standing position at this point.
Of course the first thing he's dashing for in a half-upright position is his spear. ]
[it's easier to roll in her position, to move in the direction of her cane and grab it once it's solidly under her body. adrenaline is familiar, and while she's a touch slower to get up to her feet - precious fractions of a second, recovery - the layout of this room is still in her head, and it's faster to vault herself over a table to get to the door than to try and duck around him. no doubt he's grabbing the spear.
her ankle's on fire, and it won't be good later, but she has to run and keep running, aiming solely for the stairs. the third floor's a risk. the second floor, she can try to confuse him with.
the simplest way down was always how someone gets caught. if she can stay ahead of him, take shortcuts - there's a chance bruises will be the worst she gets away with. but it all depends on how fast he is.]
[ Dito sighs through his nose in irritation when he finally gets to his spear, noticing that Helena is already on her way out as soon as he grabs it. God. It's going to be a problem for him if she lives, because he's told her all of that and Joshua is a fucking bitch about what he does.
This is not what he wants to do per se, because he doesn't like exerting effort, but he also wants to kill Helena really, really bad. He's claimed dibs at this point, honestly.
He even bothers to sheathe his spear before he starts his chase, although he's a little slower than Helena is. He kind of wants to put her in a panic first and foremost, so she'll be easier to find.
[focus is in her mind. focus, as she runs down to the second floor. there's an elevator, but it could be in use - it's not something she wants to risk, and the stairs are more reliable. fear wants to take her, wants to choke her down, but it can't be extended. can't ruin her plan. there's a straightforward way to get there - but simply using the stairs means he'll have every opportunity to catch up, to strike from the high ground, and she's been hurt too many times that way to not know it.
instead, she turns on the second floor, practically throwing herself through the door that leads to the clock tower stairwell, and crossing into the left wing. it's classroom 3-B she ducks into, crouching behind the desks to try and catch her breath.
this won't hold him off, not if he's intent, but she has a reason for it. confusion has to be the game, if she wants to survive.]
[ This is among one of the worst scenarios, and he wants to get rid of her almost solely because she causes a lump in his throat when he thinks about his annoying ass, but he carries on his chase, anyway.
He huffs when he gets to the stairwell though, wondering if he should go down it or not.
He's really confused now, because he knows he heard the stairwell door open, but he has no idea where she's ducked into. Sickening, actually, but whatever. ]
Are we playing hide-and-seek now?
[ Dito slams his fist against a nearby classroom door, just to see if it will elicit any reaction, honestly.
[none, but the slam tells her he's a bit far off. all she has to do is get to the other door, because trying to unlatch the window in here is fruitless. instead, she crouches to the far door, the one away from his direction. all she has to do is quietly, quietly undo it, slide it open just enough with care. and then dart around into the next classroom, 3-C. it's a big loop in her head, and it would work -
if her cane hitting the ground didn't give a familiar tap, tap when she moves quickly and ducks into the next room. even though she's hiding behind the desks again in the next room, that sound still is enough to give a direction, an idea of where Helena's chosen to hide. not as loud as striking the earth, but a sound that follows her unless she takes great pains for it to not do so.]
[ He peeks inside the classroom he's just slammed on for a few second, not finding anything interesting. He's positive if someone where there he'd be able to at least notice. He sighs through his nose in an annoyed way, walking up to the next door to exhibit the same slamming motion on it, albeit a little harder due to how irritated he's getting.
If he finds out about this, then Dito's really going to be in trouble.
That's when he hears the light tapping, and realizes she's moving again. Dito doesn't even bother with further slamming, instead starting to dart toward the area he last heard the tapping end -- it's dark, which is annoying, but Dito practically kicks the door open, anyway. He's pretty sure she's in this one, now. ]
The longer it takes for me to get you, the worse I'm gonna mutilate you. Just so you know.
[ He says, his voice between irritated and ecstatic. ]
[he's right, but he doesn't know where. never before has she been so grateful for her height. she's concealed behind the teacher's desk, crouched and perfectly still despite the fact that she's registering on some level that her ankle hurts like fire, that she only has one shot at this. what she needs is for him to go back to slamming doors, to telegraphing his location overtly.
in her mind, Helena knows what window she needs. one she had cracked earlier in the day herself, thinking that she might like a breeze. the janitor hasn't been through yet, so no one will have locked it - her hand covers her mouth, so she'll even breathe more quietly. her heart hurts, it's beating so hard.
unless he gets bored and leaves, she's got only the slimmest chance. there's no shelves tall enough that a particularly determined person to bring down on Dito's head, and she hasn't the strength to try and kill him in return. the void isn't an option for that reason alone. she'll have to use surprise, to burst out and go and risk injury, something -
there is a definite creak from the floorboards outside the classroom, a little ways down the hall. almost as if someone is trying to be sneaky and put a little too much weight on their step.
if Dito steps towards it, goes to see that direction -
it's simply the wandering black cat that stalks the halls, pausing to look at him and then skitter off.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[the distinction feels important, and she doesn't loosen her grip on it at all.]
But yes. I haven't tried if other items could do the same thing, if I wanted them to.
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[ Dito doesn't like that, because it's something inherent maybe, which is harder to displace. But she did admit that she doesn't know.
He sighs, starting to stand up. ]
Wanna test it?
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[does he not realize that it would simply affect him again, since he's the closest threat to her? she's not going to correct him if he doesn't, it's merely surprising that he wants to be a guinea pig again.]
Your roommate - was he who killed the two Akiras?
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He also wants to murder Helena, so there's that, too. ]
You can't use a pen or something?
[ He pinches at the bridge of his nose thinking about that jackass, though. ]
No, he didn't kill anyone. I think. He's just annoying.
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[her grip on her cane doesn't exactly relax, but she shrugs.]
And it's not that easy. A pen wouldn't make the right kind of sound waves - they have to be big, so it can be as loud as it needs to be.
[to prove her point, she feels for a spare paintbrush for her free hand, and brings it down on the table. a sharp sound, but definitely nothing close to what had happened before.]
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[ Thinking about this.
He moves to grab his polearm now though, practically tossing it at Helena, which isn't...nice, considering she can't see. ]
Here. Do it. I wanna see.
[ He pauses for a moment, though. ]
-- If it doesn't work, I'm killing you. If it does, I'll tell you what I know.
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bloodlust is such a palpable thing, really.
raising it up as high as she can manage, Helena puts all her weight into bringing it down, and slams the end into the floor.
it's not an elegant thing, she nearly falls when she finishes from the unfamiliar balance of it, but it works. the same radiating sound, the perception, the sound that targets Dito directly to incapacitate him for the next ten seconds. ringing in his ears, unsettling and unsteady, ruining balance and coordination, and Helena doesn't know if he'll decide to kill her for it regardless.]
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[ Dito almost collapses when it happens, having to push himself off the ground when he almost falls on his knees again. Akin to what happened during the meeting.
He hates this, really. His head feels like it's in a fishbowl, and it's way too familiar. So she can do the same thing with other objects. That's so annoying.
He sighs, still not entirely recollected when he moves to grab his spear back, whether Helena has let go of it or not. He's a bit disoriented when he tries tugging on his spear, his face a little closer than necessary to Helena's. ]
Cool trick. I'm gonna kill you.
[ God, his head hurts. ]
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[her eyes are open, empty and clouded as they are, but her perception hasn't faded, and Helena knows how close he is. under normal circumstances, she'd stay very still, wait for him to back off, but yielding the spear means she has to feel for where she put her cane, to try and get it back-
her nerves must betray her, just a bit, because she tries to grasp the cane and it rolls away from her, hitting the floor with a clatter - behind him. meaning he's now between her and her sight, so to speak.
(wrists in restraints, barbed wire around the arms, and time is tick-tick-ticking away, counting down until the explosion-)]
But it worked, so tell me what you know.
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Briefly, the more logical part of his brain thinks he should distract her with what he knows until this wears off, but it's genuinely a challenge to restrain himself once he gets into his bloodlust.
He sighs, glaring up at her -- then he notices her cane rolling away. He grins, kicking it back behind him further. Just so she won't be able to use that trick again when this is over. ]
'Kay. Joshua Kiryuu's the one that messed with my bodies.
[ He still feels dizzy, but he tries to yank his spear back entirely at this point. ]
Oh, he's also the guy being annoying on the network. "Catphone" or whatever? That's him.
[ He might be trying to trip Helena at this point, just because it's obvious she can't see for shit. A slight of his foot kicking against her ankle a little too hard. ]
Lucifer did something with the two really messed up bodies. I only know because Komaeda said something. I don't know who killed the other ones.
[ He's at least keeping up on his end of the deal here. Although he didn't say he wouldn't kill her if she won.
Kind of a sleazy move, but it's not like he has any morals, here. ]
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she can't die here. that floods her limbs, fuels her - he's keeping up his side of the deal, but there were no promises about leaving her unscathed afterwards. whatever happens, she'll find a way to survive. no matter how pathetic it looks, no matter how beat up she gets. her heart beats so loud that she's sure he can hear it.
someone else would have asked for mercy. her, she keeps her mouth shut.]
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Luckily, he's got his disciple body back now that heals super easy, but he's still super pissed off about it.
This is his worst scenario. He scoffs loudly, hands moving to grab at both sides of Helena's waist as he tries to roll her over and underneath him, essentially trying to flip their positions. ]
Fuck. Why do you keep ruining everything.
[ He would stab her so much right now, if he actually had a weapon on him. He'd have to get off of her though to grab his own spear, which he glances at out of the corner of his own eye. ]
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Get off!
[he's the one ruining things - he's the one killing people. he's the one nearly stabbing her friend in the middle of a meeting over a stupid severed arm.]
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God, maybe he should try mauling or something. But he's not Zero. He's not gross (he's totally gross). ]
Fine, prey.
[ He lets go of Helena's wrists if he'd managed to grab them, pushing against the floor on either side of her head with his hands as he lifts himself into an almost standing position at this point.
Of course the first thing he's dashing for in a half-upright position is his spear. ]
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her ankle's on fire, and it won't be good later, but she has to run and keep running, aiming solely for the stairs. the third floor's a risk. the second floor, she can try to confuse him with.
the simplest way down was always how someone gets caught. if she can stay ahead of him, take shortcuts - there's a chance bruises will be the worst she gets away with. but it all depends on how fast he is.]
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This is not what he wants to do per se, because he doesn't like exerting effort, but he also wants to kill Helena really, really bad. He's claimed dibs at this point, honestly.
He even bothers to sheathe his spear before he starts his chase, although he's a little slower than Helena is. He kind of wants to put her in a panic first and foremost, so she'll be easier to find.
He stops at the second floor, rolling his eyes. ]
You know I'm gonna get you, right?
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[focus is in her mind. focus, as she runs down to the second floor. there's an elevator, but it could be in use - it's not something she wants to risk, and the stairs are more reliable. fear wants to take her, wants to choke her down, but it can't be extended. can't ruin her plan. there's a straightforward way to get there - but simply using the stairs means he'll have every opportunity to catch up, to strike from the high ground, and she's been hurt too many times that way to not know it.
instead, she turns on the second floor, practically throwing herself through the door that leads to the clock tower stairwell, and crossing into the left wing. it's classroom 3-B she ducks into, crouching behind the desks to try and catch her breath.
this won't hold him off, not if he's intent, but she has a reason for it. confusion has to be the game, if she wants to survive.]
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He huffs when he gets to the stairwell though, wondering if he should go down it or not.
He's really confused now, because he knows he heard the stairwell door open, but he has no idea where she's ducked into. Sickening, actually, but whatever. ]
Are we playing hide-and-seek now?
[ Dito slams his fist against a nearby classroom door, just to see if it will elicit any reaction, honestly.
He has no idea where she is. ]
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if her cane hitting the ground didn't give a familiar tap, tap when she moves quickly and ducks into the next room. even though she's hiding behind the desks again in the next room, that sound still is enough to give a direction, an idea of where Helena's chosen to hide. not as loud as striking the earth, but a sound that follows her unless she takes great pains for it to not do so.]
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If he finds out about this, then Dito's really going to be in trouble.
That's when he hears the light tapping, and realizes she's moving again. Dito doesn't even bother with further slamming, instead starting to dart toward the area he last heard the tapping end -- it's dark, which is annoying, but Dito practically kicks the door open, anyway. He's pretty sure she's in this one, now. ]
The longer it takes for me to get you, the worse I'm gonna mutilate you. Just so you know.
[ He says, his voice between irritated and ecstatic. ]
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in her mind, Helena knows what window she needs. one she had cracked earlier in the day herself, thinking that she might like a breeze. the janitor hasn't been through yet, so no one will have locked it - her hand covers her mouth, so she'll even breathe more quietly. her heart hurts, it's beating so hard.
unless he gets bored and leaves, she's got only the slimmest chance. there's no shelves tall enough that a particularly determined person to bring down on Dito's head, and she hasn't the strength to try and kill him in return. the void isn't an option for that reason alone. she'll have to use surprise, to burst out and go and risk injury, something -
there is a definite creak from the floorboards outside the classroom, a little ways down the hall. almost as if someone is trying to be sneaky and put a little too much weight on their step.
if Dito steps towards it, goes to see that direction -
it's simply the wandering black cat that stalks the halls, pausing to look at him and then skitter off.]