[ it's not by much, but sundowning has provided as much of an incentive as agent choi had thought it might—for soleum to accept the necessary risk of tethering. even so, it's hard to get him up in the apartment, and that car of his isn't ideal either. combined, these factors have led them to a solution of meeting up in another, more neutral space, bringing agent choi tot he cafe that he waits in now.
he's a patient man, and responsible too, so of course this ace agent has shown up a little bit early for the occasion. unfortunately, that may not have been the wisest decision today, when—
click.
the already dim light flickers out, throwing the room into darkness.
within the dark confines of the cafe, the chill sets in without hesitation, sinking deep under choi's skin, and he can feel the energy slowly seeping out of his body as well. his eyes, still sharp and bright despite the low light of his surroundings, flit momentarily to the door, but...
that kid, he's not the type to worry about himself either. if he doesn't know which direction soleum is coming from, he doesn't know where to cut him off from either, and choi can't take him for the kind of well-behaved kid who will find his way out and patiently wait for a teammate from safety. on the contrary, there's never been a danger that kim soleum didn't throw himself into, and he does nothing in halves.
so, instead of fleeing to safety himself, agent choi props his feet up on the table in front of him...
— it only has to be me and you, friend! let's find somewhere to rest, this is an opportune time to let the show and the actors rest.
however, soleum ignores it. he wrings his wrists as he looks left and right, then down to his chest where there's nothing. lately, he's started scratching at the area, and he can't tell if blood as manifested or it's a trick of the light. closing his eyes, he takes a moment to calm down and digest the state of the city. it's dreary, some lights spark and others don't, somehow his skin feels colder that he's wrapping his arms around his body.
— it only has to be me and you, friend! you'll work yourself to death if you don't slow down. no one is here, go far over there, and you can think to yourself.
however, soleum ignores it. he's supposed to come to a cafe, a place that's been the interest of agent choi for some time. when he reaches it, it's absent, the life it once had replaced by a comforting darkness that soleum's unable to understand. it feels better than the voice in his head, that friend of his sounds off, or maybe because soleum wants it to be. if he can believe that there's nothing to guide him away from the goal he has now then he'll make it without interruption.
he doesn't go any closer, but he scouts around in search of agent choi who is meant to be here. ]
Hello?
[ he stands on the edge of this forbidden and unusual space, he doesn't say any less and he doesn't say any more. he does gravitate towards the anomaly, but is it worth it?
agent choi will hear a familiar voice that leaks inside that abandoned space. ]
Hello, I'm here. I came through the back way. Apologies for being late, Agent-nim. Hello? Is anyone here?
[ the moment the voice rings through the cafe, agent choi's chair clatters against the ground, sitting him straight up. his eyes aren't quite so bright or alert as they should be—on the contrary, they strain even in the familiar darkness, heavy and dry as an effect, he imagines, of remaining for so long.
but he can't simply leave his hoobae to fend for himself—not when agent choi knows what kind of person he is.
jingle, jingle.
the bells strapped to his back on the handle of his jakdu ring out bright and clear, grounding him for the first time today, and it's thanks to them that he can feel confident in his decision. even tired, even aching, even pessimistic about whether he had chosen to do the right thing, that voice alongside the cheerful ringing only reaffirms him.
[ the jingles resound in the darkness, it passes through various rooms, it spreads and the area shudders. perhaps the darkness shifts uncomfortably, it twists and curls that trained eyes can't see when it all looks the same. the voice that should still have the same cadence hesitates now, the reply slightly shaky from the sudden change from the room. kim soleum? a sharp exhale, as distant as it is, remains in a room opposite of where agent choi is.
it trembles, the voice is in pain, it reaches out almost helpless.
an echo. ] Agent-nim,ithurts.
[ clarity isn't needed, the desire to infect the mind is, corrode it more and more. ] [ on the other side...
— what are you waiting for, friend!
he raises his brow, eyes flutter back down to his chest where nothing is, but this isn't unfamiliar for someone like braun. not here, but able to be in his thoughts, though there's something bothering him. ]
What about my body?
[ soleum questions because aren't these the wrong types of complaints, and there's a playful "hm?" paired with the weight of a gloved hand on his shoulder to add as reassurance.
— what about your body, friend? enough questions, shouldn't we go?
yes, there are no proper reassurances here as soleum takes one step into the unidentifiable zone— it's like static as he enters, something pulls and tugs, and that connection towards agent choi trembles at the same time as "it hurts".
across the parking lot, he comes closer and closer to the building, and his body for some reason feels almost sluggish. he ignores it because if agent choi wasn't waiting outside, then where would he be if not close by? inside, preferably, or that's what soleum is guessing and with the situation as it is, he's unable to ignore it. ] Agent-nim, [ it clears its throat, now reassuring... or attempting to be. ] I can help you if we stay here and think of a plan.
[ agent choi can't help it. at that weak, shaky voice, a shudder runs through his entire body, causing his fur to bristle and his ears to flatten against his head. tentatively, he places his palm against the handle of his jakdu—not yet drawing it, but ready if he needs to all the same.
after all, this isn't the first time he'll have experienced something that isn't there, and this? this doesn't make sense to him at all.
typically, best practice tends to be leaving such things alone. don't reply. don't give it any ammunition. don't let it know that it's caught your attention, or your interest, but here... now... it's difficult for choi to do that. as wrong as it feels, to turn his back on the real kim soleum, as slim as that chance is... it's enough for him to call back once more, lifting his voice in a way meant to be playful even as his expression remains hard. ]
Ah? Why do I have to come over there? I told you to meet me here, didn't I, Grapes? Don't be shy~
[ the tether... agent choi feels for it, tightening his grasp around it so that he can give it a faint tug—a pull in his direction. where does it lead? ]
[ there's a tinge of disbelief, a familiar voice that seems almost ready to give up because they're scared, frightened. this voice could be a million things, but one of them is and will be is a void of a man coming from one direction close by, but unwilling to cross the distance.
hasn't agent choi always came to him?
it's like a loose thread, something tearing as kim soleum's hand comes to touch the door of the cafe, and the sensation sends a shiver down his spine. he's unsure, frightened himself at this invisible tug that pulls and he pulls back. it's like a small hair plucked, but still attached, it sends a shiver down his spine, but the touch is warm, alert, searching.
that tug comes from past the door.
— don't follow that, friend!
in agent choi's case, that thread leads in the same direction of the forlorn voice that's slowly giving up. ]
AmInotimportantanymore?
[ though, it's past the door, it's ... scary. what is that, what pulled? another step back, he should act against the voice in his head of his ... good friend, but what if it's right? some unusual voice trying to contact him in the tone of someone who tends to avoid leading him astray. rather than take the front, kim soleum knows there has to be other ways to enter. rather than listen to this "friend" of his, he'll trust his gut. if he can't follow the thread, then that growing, wary feeling will work for him instead.
he moves to the left, walking away from the front to the side of the building, wandering for which way he can get inside. the tether, unbeknowst to kim soleum has grown slack, and between agent choi's fingers he can feel that connection move, come to the side, and away from where the voice calls out. ]
[ of course he always looks for soleum. his soleum. not some cheap knock-off.
that's the feeling he has as the voice calls out; not only is this trick the sort of thing he's experienced before, even outside of sleep's domain, but the voice does a poor job of imitating his adorable hoobae to begin with. didn't they get the note that kim soleum is, if nothing else, infuriatingly independent? always determined to take risks on his own? even when his sunbae does want to help?
he shouldn't, but he answers with a laugh rising up from his throat. ]
Hey, don't be like that. I didn't know our Grapes was so spoiled?
[ he says this, but his attention is slowly being pulled from the direction of the voice. as the feeling of his tether follows one direction, tense and uncertain, so too does choi's gaze come after it. taking stock of where it seems to be headed... he'll take a few steps in that direction.
really, this could cause some problems, but if he can just get the real grapes and get out of here... his tail swishes impatiently with each step. ]
[ the voice becomes rougher along the edges, irritated, like something in that terrified voice is quick to anger when agent choi turns away. the sound of wallpaper ripping, a foul, pungent odor carries into the air now the more agent choi turns from the voice. the air grows hotter, the mute coloration of their surroundings turns greyer, darker, and the voice tries again. ]
COMEBACKDONTGO
[ there's something there now, it hides within background of this altered world. thinks shift into one thing, when agent choi blinks, another, but the thread he follows remains the same as always. constipated in feelings, a heavy weight from one side, but determination filters like drips from a faucet.
it ripples within their link, spreading.
finding a window, kim soleum peeks through the glass, and a hand pushes against the surface to see if it'll budge. it doesn't, a gelatinous substance grows on the edges from his side. the surface of the window is dusty, covered in pores, and when he looks inside he doesn't see anyone or anything worth checking out.
that's only on soleum's side, though. could certainly not be the case on agent choi's side, maybe he sees him searching in, how nothing stands out. underneath that window though is a sac, something shifting underneath everytime soleum thumps against the glass.
maybe the voice was helping, going this way is dangerous. ]
[ the voice itself is easy to ignore, whether that's the best choice to be made or not. even with soleum's own voice used as a cover, the uncharacteristic roughness of it, the demands, the feel of it—none of it is right. none of it is his soleum, and he fancies himself smart enough to avoid falling into such an obvious trap. even as something tears, the resultant sour air causing choi's sensitive nose to scrunch up, he's determined as he follows the lead of that tether.
their connection is the one thing he can trust in this place.
but his fingers are cold, and his breath comes out in puffs besides. even as he spots agent grapes on the other side of the window, peering through, he just as quickly spots the pulsing mass beneath it. and there, he's forced to make a decision.
does he fight, or does he run?
his instinct is the first. to drive his jakdu into the sac, he can handle it here and now, open the window, and leave with grapes.
his better judgment gives him pause, and he assesses the situation before him quickly. how far is he from the exit? are there other windows? a way for him to warn grapes without enticing him closer?
but it's a small place. it's not so large that he there's far to go, even if he does choose the proper exit closest to soleum. ]
[ there's nothing beyond this window, and kim soleum pulls away unsure because of that feeling which unnerved him not too long ago. whatever it was, it came through there, but that voice of his "good friend" remains close by reminding him he shouldn't go. he should find somewhere else to be alone. kim soleum is... bothered though, when it comes to agent choi, he wouldn't just lie like this. there's some craft in it, he would have told soleum to go to a much safer place, there's be one of the man's friends, but there's nothing.
that's why he can't just go and be alone.
his fingers press against the window to instigate the resistance, even though it doesn't budge, that doesn't stop him from trying.
what agent choi can assess from their situation: the pulsing sac has a lot of spores surrounding it meaning that the extra amount is leaking already. that could come from the light vibrations of soleum's pestering an unbeknownst to him what he's irritating. if agent choi attempts anything with his weapon here, it'll explode, and he'll be covered possibly.
a dangerous route if the case.
it's a small room, there's the door in the location of the voice that hasn't spoken up, offended that agent choi would go there. it's dangerous there. and yet agent choi doesn't listen. the last location for him to take is above, remove a panel and find his way out through the crawlspace out of the building...
but who knows what grows up there, what could be there.
that doesn't stop soleum from pushing at the glass, heavy-handed about it now there's the slight crack of dried flora along the edge of the window. for a minute, there's relief that runs through him due to progress. ]
[ ugh, talk about a rock and a hard place. there's really no choice for him but to pick up the pace and make his way back to the door, is there? rather than his usual, brisk steps, he takes it up a notch—dashing towards the sound of the place the voice had come from regardless of what may await him there.
jingle, jingle.
the bells on his jakdu continue to ring with each of his movements, and should all else fail, perhaps that sound alone might pull soleum away from his task.
if it doesn't, he's going to have to wait one more tag's worth of time for choi to make it out to him. ]
[ the ringing does, however. it breaks between the silence and soleum's eyes widen for a moment behind his glasses. that means agent choi is inside? this place is way too spooky, jarring to the eyes, and somehow he really decided to stay here. it does encourage soleum pushing forward on the glass at the same time the tug shifts away from the area.
that doesn't mean anything pleasant! the cocoon has ripped, the spores spread like blood splatter onto the window that kim soleum narrowly escapes having shot in his face. there's a vile stench that breaks through, the sound of his good friend warning him he should have left, and kim soleum bringing a hand to his nose to cover.
the vines along the walls race ahead to try and block any paths for agent choi to take, but out the corner of his eye, he'll see it. there's a window covered in black, fungal growth that's no different from ever growing mold— a dust of red coloring here and there, maybe an escape exit from sleep, maybe not. the outside isn't visible from the window, but whatever's weaving those wooden vines to stop choi from leaving through the door has yet to see this.
kim soleum has already stood up, wherever the jingling rings, he tries to follow that too. he's always at the end of it, the young man closes his eyes as he rounds the building, if he follows the bells then he should meet him. ]
[ try as they might, who do they think he is? can these growths really hope to cut him off from every exit? well, maybe, but without grapes around, he has much less to worry about in the way of caution. those vines slowly travel across the door, and agent choi? he takes a deep breath and lands a kick square in the center.
bang!
unfortunately, he's been in this darkness for white a while. one kick isn't enough to do it. by the fourth, though, the hinges splinter, the door gives in, and the thin brambles are the only thing between himself and the exit. he has no difficulty slicing through them, though the black ink that drips from the incisions as they fall limp is somewhat ominous, that's not a problem for agent choi to focus on right now.
he's quick to find soleum upon exit, and his words come low. tired. ]
Let's get out of here, Grapes.
[ taking his wrist and continuing forward without so much as a pause. ]
[ he's close, the inside is almost available to him until it's not— a hand swipes his wrist, and he's being pulled up and dragged along by someone familiar. he comes along, his feet almost tripping almost one another before he finds a pace to keep up with agent choi. ]
Not that way.
[ whether agent choi is moving blindly or if he's taking any path that's opposite of the building, kim soleum can hear something breaking inside of that place, maybe another thing being crushed, and a loud, piercing cry that erupts from there. one hand comes to his head, he covers his ear, and a shudder runs down his spine from how uncomfortable the sensation runs through his body.
his own tether trembles, the cause of it almost enough to make soleum slip. ]
...Braun kept requesting I go that way, so we shouldn't.
[ "braun" isn't here. soleum knows that.
however, he can't deny speaking the truth of the matter that it was braun who told him to come here and be alone. it must be dangerous if they're alone there or happen to split up, there's that unsettling feeling that won't pass too.
— you should be kinder, friend! that place is only meant for me and you, not with someone who will third wheel our reconnection. ]
Not with you.
[ there's some reluctance on soleum's end now, his heels digging into the ground as he wants choi to choose a different path if he can. ]
Braun, that's... Your plush rabbit friend. I remember now.
[ something that he didn't remember so well before—that there's a powerful entity residing in that plush.
instinctively, choi wants to ask why soleum would have ever listened to braun's advice in the first place, but at least in this case, he can agree. whether that thing was really speaking to soleum or not, he would agree all the same. they shouldn't be listening to that kind of dangerous being.
so he stops, pauses, assesses, and makes a sharp turn. his trembling fingers are cold around soleum's wrist, and his skin is almost as pale as that tail of his, but he doesn't hesitate in the least, even as his breath comes out in foggy puffs ahead of him. his eyes are well-adapted for their dim surroundings, and while he can vouch that he entered from that direction over there, that doesn't mean that they can't just pick a direction and leave.
right, because the most important thing right now is to leave. ]
You do. [ it reassures him some. when agent choi didn't know, when he would ask. there is no understanding between them, but knowing that he understands what's at stake makes things easier to deal with. ] You also remember that he wasn't with me at the cathedral.
[ dressed to the nines in his uniform, but no pink rabbit plush to be seen. even now, there's not one to be seen, but soleum talks as thought he's here to help. that's not why he does this, it's because he knows how odd the situation is to be with braun when then entire time he's made no connection to him at all while here.
there's something wrong with kim soleum, and yet he can't say that he needs help.
his attention leaves from his own degrading sanity to the cold sensation of fingers around his wrist, dark eyes lower, and they take in the sight. he doesn't know what's going on completely, but he can tell that either something in there, or this place in general is working itself into him.
the ground trembles, agent choi takes a sharp turn, and soleum's eyes dart from left to right in search of where to go. the ground trembles, there's an indent underneath that pushes up the soil where they are, and thanks to choi's quick thinking then that they managed to dodge it. it's only one.
underground it follows. ]
Agent. [ soleum tugs just a bit, if he's right, if agent choi's body is weaker at the moment, he could slip out...? ] We should split up.
[ his answer comes immediate, without hesitation. his grip around soleum's wrist tightens—enough to be painful, and a bitter smile curves against his lips. ]
Do you think I don't know what you're thinking?
[ because, for all his weakness, that doesn't mean that his senses are dulled. if anything, they're painfully sharp, and that fact alone makes his heart thud heavily in his chest with a not so distant memory.
so he continues pulling soleum along, and as he does, he sighs. his free hand runs through his bangs to comb out the stress, and maybe it's best to just say it aloud. he waited all this time for soleum to arrive just to ensure they didn't get separated, and as expected, he did. doesn't that show that choi knows soleum this well? that he knows best? ]
Keep an eye on that thing. If it gets too close, tell me.
[ but as long as they keep a brisk pace, maybe they can beat it to the edge of this place. ]
[ kim soleum dislikes it when he does that, agent choi always has insight on what soleum is attempting to do. he may not be in his right mind at the moment (the occasional braun in his ear ringing), but he knows that he should do something here even if the other won't like it. soleum's still fine, the color of his skin is nothing compared to the white of agent choi's right now.
and the ground is still pressed up behind them, something stalking behind their every move as though playing with them. when the cracks of the ground catch up with soleum's shadow, it melts into the indents of the ground like nothing is holding it up. a cold sensation runs through soleum's body, up his back, across his shoulders, down to his arm and even his hand that holds agent choi's. the tether too turns cold, heavy, but vanishes in a second as the shadow travels back up above land properly.
luckily, the shadow doesn't match soleum's shadow anymore so it's longer, deformed, and it gives time for him to speak. ]
Not yet.
[ he's already running faster so he isn't being dragged in a direction, but it's not long until the two will catch out the corner of their eye an arm waving behind a few bushes. the jacket sleeve around it is horribly dirty, even holes are visible, but agent choi's sharper eyes will indicate that it's some person signing for them to come their way. ]
[ how wouldn't he know? has there ever been a time since the two of them first crossed paths where soleum wasn't trying to throw himself in the face of danger for the sake of someone else? if there's one thing that someone can know about kim soleum, no matter what, it's that he'll save the person he's with—no matter the cost.
but choi is a bit stingy himself, he's not looking forward to paying anything upfront that he can get away with bartering down. just like an ebay offer that would get him shot, well, is the way he approaches disasters really so different?
that's why he's willing to take slightly more risk in venturing forward together, and in that way, surviving together.
and though at first when he sees that arm gesturing for them to come closer, he thinks it might be another vessel, his caution gets the better of him as he takes a few steps closer. when he stops, holding an arm out to block soleum from moving forward as well, there's still a good distance from the arm—enough that his sharp, catlike eyes will have a better sense of what it is than soleum's more human ones. ]
[ as they come to a halt, the stretch of choi's arm against his chest, and soleum stares out to the body that's waving in their direction. he doesn't have good eyes like agent choi, but he can tell that someone's moving and in the shape of a person. the ground underneath has stopped having gravel and such protrude up, and soleum looks out the corner of his eyes searching for where did it go.
his body feels cold as his shadow seeps between the cracks of the ground, limbs shivering from the sensation, and it raises the hair on the back of his neck. it's like a red alarm, and his free hand comes to choi's elbow tightening in its grip.
soleum feels funny, but he's trying to ignore the sensation. ]
It's... here.
[ whatever "it's" or "here" is, it only gives agent choi so much time to make a decision. in his eyes, he'll see repetition in the way the arm waves, how the mouth parts open when shifted up, and closes when pulled down. the gestures of a human being that loops the same body movements to urge them to come by to safety.
S.
O.
S.
a very human signal.
S.
O.
S.
S.
O.
S.
over and over, an endless loop with the jaw motions, the way the eyes look in their direction with interest, and how it avoids making too much noise in this location because whatever is after them reacts well to that.
around the face, it's dried with cracks from the mouth moving to the cheeks, there's movement underneath the skin, and out the corner of the man's mouth will choi catch something wriggling there before disappearing (hopefully he didn't blink). the light in the eyes have faded, the person's nails have turned purple and grown with cracks between, and underneath the shirt, the body appears bloated, and the fabric is already torn. ]
Should we go?
[ he can't see as far as agent choi, but he can recognize the signal of sos. a very human response. ]
[ his answer finally comes, firm, and he takes a step back. his arm still outstretched, he forced soleum back with him, spotted ears flattened back against his head. even as he moves, his gaze turns away from the ominous figure calling for help, and as painful as such a thing is, the attempts to locate that molehill of theirs.
right... whatever is wrong with that person is likely some kind of contamination. contamination caused by remaining in this space for too long—that's the only way to explain why it can remain unbothered while they're stalked by the likes of this thing. there's no time to waste here. they can't stay for any longer if they don't want to be giving their own SOS soon.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dark signs, week 2
he's a patient man, and responsible too, so of course this ace agent has shown up a little bit early for the occasion. unfortunately, that may not have been the wisest decision today, when—
click.
the already dim light flickers out, throwing the room into darkness.
within the dark confines of the cafe, the chill sets in without hesitation, sinking deep under choi's skin, and he can feel the energy slowly seeping out of his body as well. his eyes, still sharp and bright despite the low light of his surroundings, flit momentarily to the door, but...
that kid, he's not the type to worry about himself either. if he doesn't know which direction soleum is coming from, he doesn't know where to cut him off from either, and choi can't take him for the kind of well-behaved kid who will find his way out and patiently wait for a teammate from safety. on the contrary, there's never been a danger that kim soleum didn't throw himself into, and he does nothing in halves.
so, instead of fleeing to safety himself, agent choi props his feet up on the table in front of him...
and waits. ]
no subject
— it only has to be me and you, friend! let's find somewhere to rest, this is an opportune time to let the show and the actors rest.
however, soleum ignores it. he wrings his wrists as he looks left and right, then down to his chest where there's nothing. lately, he's started scratching at the area, and he can't tell if blood as manifested or it's a trick of the light. closing his eyes, he takes a moment to calm down and digest the state of the city. it's dreary, some lights spark and others don't, somehow his skin feels colder that he's wrapping his arms around his body.
— it only has to be me and you, friend! you'll work yourself to death if you don't slow down. no one is here, go far over there, and you can think to yourself.
however, soleum ignores it. he's supposed to come to a cafe, a place that's been the interest of agent choi for some time. when he reaches it, it's absent, the life it once had replaced by a comforting darkness that soleum's unable to understand. it feels better than the voice in his head, that friend of his sounds off, or maybe because soleum wants it to be. if he can believe that there's nothing to guide him away from the goal he has now then he'll make it without interruption.
he doesn't go any closer, but he scouts around in search of agent choi who is meant to be here. ]
Hello?
[ he stands on the edge of this forbidden and unusual space, he doesn't say any less and he doesn't say any more. he does gravitate towards the anomaly, but is it worth it?
agent choi will hear a familiar voice that leaks inside that abandoned space. ]
Hello, I'm here. I came through the back way. Apologies for being late, Agent-nim. Hello? Is anyone here?
no subject
but he can't simply leave his hoobae to fend for himself—not when agent choi knows what kind of person he is.
jingle, jingle.
the bells strapped to his back on the handle of his jakdu ring out bright and clear, grounding him for the first time today, and it's thanks to them that he can feel confident in his decision. even tired, even aching, even pessimistic about whether he had chosen to do the right thing, that voice alongside the cheerful ringing only reaffirms him.
so it's up to his feet, a step forward, and—
he cups a hand to his mouth, calling back: ]
Grapes? I'm in here~
[ marco! ]
no subject
it trembles, the voice is in pain, it reaches out almost helpless.
an echo. ]
Agent-nim, it hurts.
[ clarity isn't needed, the desire to infect the mind is, corrode it more and more. ]
[ on the other side...
— what are you waiting for, friend!
he raises his brow, eyes flutter back down to his chest where nothing is, but this isn't unfamiliar for someone like braun. not here, but able to be in his thoughts, though there's something bothering him. ]
What about my body?
[ soleum questions because aren't these the wrong types of complaints, and there's a playful "hm?" paired with the weight of a gloved hand on his shoulder to add as reassurance.
— what about your body, friend? enough questions, shouldn't we go?
yes, there are no proper reassurances here as soleum takes one step into the unidentifiable zone— it's like static as he enters, something pulls and tugs, and that connection towards agent choi trembles at the same time as "it hurts".
across the parking lot, he comes closer and closer to the building, and his body for some reason feels almost sluggish. he ignores it because if agent choi wasn't waiting outside, then where would he be if not close by? inside, preferably, or that's what soleum is guessing and with the situation as it is, he's unable to ignore it. ]
Agent-nim, [ it clears its throat, now reassuring... or attempting to be. ] I can help you if we stay here and think of a plan.
no subject
[ agent choi can't help it. at that weak, shaky voice, a shudder runs through his entire body, causing his fur to bristle and his ears to flatten against his head. tentatively, he places his palm against the handle of his jakdu—not yet drawing it, but ready if he needs to all the same.
after all, this isn't the first time he'll have experienced something that isn't there, and this? this doesn't make sense to him at all.
typically, best practice tends to be leaving such things alone. don't reply. don't give it any ammunition. don't let it know that it's caught your attention, or your interest, but here... now... it's difficult for choi to do that. as wrong as it feels, to turn his back on the real kim soleum, as slim as that chance is... it's enough for him to call back once more, lifting his voice in a way meant to be playful even as his expression remains hard. ]
Ah? Why do I have to come over there? I told you to meet me here, didn't I, Grapes? Don't be shy~
[ the tether... agent choi feels for it, tightening his grasp around it so that he can give it a faint tug—a pull in his direction. where does it lead? ]
no subject
[ there's a tinge of disbelief, a familiar voice that seems almost ready to give up because they're scared, frightened. this voice could be a million things, but one of them is and will be is a void of a man coming from one direction close by, but unwilling to cross the distance.
hasn't agent choi always came to him?
it's like a loose thread, something tearing as kim soleum's hand comes to touch the door of the cafe, and the sensation sends a shiver down his spine. he's unsure, frightened himself at this invisible tug that pulls and he pulls back. it's like a small hair plucked, but still attached, it sends a shiver down his spine, but the touch is warm, alert, searching.
that tug comes from past the door.
— don't follow that, friend!
in agent choi's case, that thread leads in the same direction of the forlorn voice that's slowly giving up. ]
Am I not important anymore?
[ though, it's past the door, it's ... scary. what is that, what pulled? another step back, he should act against the voice in his head of his ... good friend, but what if it's right? some unusual voice trying to contact him in the tone of someone who tends to avoid leading him astray. rather than take the front, kim soleum knows there has to be other ways to enter. rather than listen to this "friend" of his, he'll trust his gut. if he can't follow the thread, then that growing, wary feeling will work for him instead.
he moves to the left, walking away from the front to the side of the building, wandering for which way he can get inside. the tether, unbeknowst to kim soleum has grown slack, and between agent choi's fingers he can feel that connection move, come to the side, and away from where the voice calls out. ]
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that's the feeling he has as the voice calls out; not only is this trick the sort of thing he's experienced before, even outside of sleep's domain, but the voice does a poor job of imitating his adorable hoobae to begin with. didn't they get the note that kim soleum is, if nothing else, infuriatingly independent? always determined to take risks on his own? even when his sunbae does want to help?
he shouldn't, but he answers with a laugh rising up from his throat. ]
Hey, don't be like that. I didn't know our Grapes was so spoiled?
[ he says this, but his attention is slowly being pulled from the direction of the voice. as the feeling of his tether follows one direction, tense and uncertain, so too does choi's gaze come after it. taking stock of where it seems to be headed... he'll take a few steps in that direction.
really, this could cause some problems, but if he can just get the real grapes and get out of here... his tail swishes impatiently with each step. ]
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[ the voice becomes rougher along the edges, irritated, like something in that terrified voice is quick to anger when agent choi turns away. the sound of wallpaper ripping, a foul, pungent odor carries into the air now the more agent choi turns from the voice. the air grows hotter, the mute coloration of their surroundings turns greyer, darker, and the voice tries again. ]
COMEB ACK DON TGO
[ there's something there now, it hides within background of this altered world. thinks shift into one thing, when agent choi blinks, another, but the thread he follows remains the same as always. constipated in feelings, a heavy weight from one side, but determination filters like drips from a faucet.
it ripples within their link, spreading.
finding a window, kim soleum peeks through the glass, and a hand pushes against the surface to see if it'll budge. it doesn't, a gelatinous substance grows on the edges from his side. the surface of the window is dusty, covered in pores, and when he looks inside he doesn't see anyone or anything worth checking out.
that's only on soleum's side, though. could certainly not be the case on agent choi's side, maybe he sees him searching in, how nothing stands out. underneath that window though is a sac, something shifting underneath everytime soleum thumps against the glass.
maybe the voice was helping, going this way is dangerous. ]
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their connection is the one thing he can trust in this place.
but his fingers are cold, and his breath comes out in puffs besides. even as he spots agent grapes on the other side of the window, peering through, he just as quickly spots the pulsing mass beneath it. and there, he's forced to make a decision.
does he fight, or does he run?
his instinct is the first. to drive his jakdu into the sac, he can handle it here and now, open the window, and leave with grapes.
his better judgment gives him pause, and he assesses the situation before him quickly. how far is he from the exit? are there other windows? a way for him to warn grapes without enticing him closer?
but it's a small place. it's not so large that he there's far to go, even if he does choose the proper exit closest to soleum. ]
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that's why he can't just go and be alone.
his fingers press against the window to instigate the resistance, even though it doesn't budge, that doesn't stop him from trying.
what agent choi can assess from their situation: the pulsing sac has a lot of spores surrounding it meaning that the extra amount is leaking already. that could come from the light vibrations of soleum's pestering an unbeknownst to him what he's irritating. if agent choi attempts anything with his weapon here, it'll explode, and he'll be covered possibly.
a dangerous route if the case.
it's a small room, there's the door in the location of the voice that hasn't spoken up, offended that agent choi would go there. it's dangerous there. and yet agent choi doesn't listen. the last location for him to take is above, remove a panel and find his way out through the crawlspace out of the building...
but who knows what grows up there, what could be there.
that doesn't stop soleum from pushing at the glass, heavy-handed about it now there's the slight crack of dried flora along the edge of the window. for a minute, there's relief that runs through him due to progress. ]
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jingle, jingle.
the bells on his jakdu continue to ring with each of his movements, and should all else fail, perhaps that sound alone might pull soleum away from his task.
if it doesn't, he's going to have to wait one more tag's worth of time for choi to make it out to him. ]
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that doesn't mean anything pleasant! the cocoon has ripped, the spores spread like blood splatter onto the window that kim soleum narrowly escapes having shot in his face. there's a vile stench that breaks through, the sound of his good friend warning him he should have left, and kim soleum bringing a hand to his nose to cover.
the vines along the walls race ahead to try and block any paths for agent choi to take, but out the corner of his eye, he'll see it. there's a window covered in black, fungal growth that's no different from ever growing mold— a dust of red coloring here and there, maybe an escape exit from sleep, maybe not. the outside isn't visible from the window, but whatever's weaving those wooden vines to stop choi from leaving through the door has yet to see this.
kim soleum has already stood up, wherever the jingling rings, he tries to follow that too. he's always at the end of it, the young man closes his eyes as he rounds the building, if he follows the bells then he should meet him. ]
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bang!
unfortunately, he's been in this darkness for white a while. one kick isn't enough to do it. by the fourth, though, the hinges splinter, the door gives in, and the thin brambles are the only thing between himself and the exit. he has no difficulty slicing through them, though the black ink that drips from the incisions as they fall limp is somewhat ominous, that's not a problem for agent choi to focus on right now.
he's quick to find soleum upon exit, and his words come low. tired. ]
Let's get out of here, Grapes.
[ taking his wrist and continuing forward without so much as a pause. ]
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Not that way.
[ whether agent choi is moving blindly or if he's taking any path that's opposite of the building, kim soleum can hear something breaking inside of that place, maybe another thing being crushed, and a loud, piercing cry that erupts from there. one hand comes to his head, he covers his ear, and a shudder runs down his spine from how uncomfortable the sensation runs through his body.
his own tether trembles, the cause of it almost enough to make soleum slip. ]
...Braun kept requesting I go that way, so we shouldn't.
[ "braun" isn't here. soleum knows that.
however, he can't deny speaking the truth of the matter that it was braun who told him to come here and be alone. it must be dangerous if they're alone there or happen to split up, there's that unsettling feeling that won't pass too.
— you should be kinder, friend! that place is only meant for me and you, not with someone who will third wheel our reconnection. ]
Not with you.
[ there's some reluctance on soleum's end now, his heels digging into the ground as he wants choi to choose a different path if he can. ]
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[ something that he didn't remember so well before—that there's a powerful entity residing in that plush.
instinctively, choi wants to ask why soleum would have ever listened to braun's advice in the first place, but at least in this case, he can agree. whether that thing was really speaking to soleum or not, he would agree all the same. they shouldn't be listening to that kind of dangerous being.
so he stops, pauses, assesses, and makes a sharp turn. his trembling fingers are cold around soleum's wrist, and his skin is almost as pale as that tail of his, but he doesn't hesitate in the least, even as his breath comes out in foggy puffs ahead of him. his eyes are well-adapted for their dim surroundings, and while he can vouch that he entered from that direction over there, that doesn't mean that they can't just pick a direction and leave.
right, because the most important thing right now is to leave. ]
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[ dressed to the nines in his uniform, but no pink rabbit plush to be seen. even now, there's not one to be seen, but soleum talks as thought he's here to help. that's not why he does this, it's because he knows how odd the situation is to be with braun when then entire time he's made no connection to him at all while here.
there's something wrong with kim soleum, and yet he can't say that he needs help.
his attention leaves from his own degrading sanity to the cold sensation of fingers around his wrist, dark eyes lower, and they take in the sight. he doesn't know what's going on completely, but he can tell that either something in there, or this place in general is working itself into him.
the ground trembles, agent choi takes a sharp turn, and soleum's eyes dart from left to right in search of where to go. the ground trembles, there's an indent underneath that pushes up the soil where they are, and thanks to choi's quick thinking then that they managed to dodge it. it's only one.
underground it follows. ]
Agent. [ soleum tugs just a bit, if he's right, if agent choi's body is weaker at the moment, he could slip out...? ] We should split up.
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[ his answer comes immediate, without hesitation. his grip around soleum's wrist tightens—enough to be painful, and a bitter smile curves against his lips. ]
Do you think I don't know what you're thinking?
[ because, for all his weakness, that doesn't mean that his senses are dulled. if anything, they're painfully sharp, and that fact alone makes his heart thud heavily in his chest with a not so distant memory.
so he continues pulling soleum along, and as he does, he sighs. his free hand runs through his bangs to comb out the stress, and maybe it's best to just say it aloud. he waited all this time for soleum to arrive just to ensure they didn't get separated, and as expected, he did. doesn't that show that choi knows soleum this well? that he knows best? ]
Keep an eye on that thing. If it gets too close, tell me.
[ but as long as they keep a brisk pace, maybe they can beat it to the edge of this place. ]
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[ kim soleum dislikes it when he does that, agent choi always has insight on what soleum is attempting to do. he may not be in his right mind at the moment (the occasional braun in his ear ringing), but he knows that he should do something here even if the other won't like it. soleum's still fine, the color of his skin is nothing compared to the white of agent choi's right now.
and the ground is still pressed up behind them, something stalking behind their every move as though playing with them. when the cracks of the ground catch up with soleum's shadow, it melts into the indents of the ground like nothing is holding it up. a cold sensation runs through soleum's body, up his back, across his shoulders, down to his arm and even his hand that holds agent choi's. the tether too turns cold, heavy, but vanishes in a second as the shadow travels back up above land properly.
luckily, the shadow doesn't match soleum's shadow anymore so it's longer, deformed, and it gives time for him to speak. ]
Not yet.
[ he's already running faster so he isn't being dragged in a direction, but it's not long until the two will catch out the corner of their eye an arm waving behind a few bushes. the jacket sleeve around it is horribly dirty, even holes are visible, but agent choi's sharper eyes will indicate that it's some person signing for them to come their way. ]
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but choi is a bit stingy himself, he's not looking forward to paying anything upfront that he can get away with bartering down. just like an ebay offer that would get him shot, well, is the way he approaches disasters really so different?
that's why he's willing to take slightly more risk in venturing forward together, and in that way, surviving together.
and though at first when he sees that arm gesturing for them to come closer, he thinks it might be another vessel, his caution gets the better of him as he takes a few steps closer. when he stops, holding an arm out to block soleum from moving forward as well, there's still a good distance from the arm—enough that his sharp, catlike eyes will have a better sense of what it is than soleum's more human ones. ]
Hold on a sec. Something feels funny...
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his body feels cold as his shadow seeps between the cracks of the ground, limbs shivering from the sensation, and it raises the hair on the back of his neck. it's like a red alarm, and his free hand comes to choi's elbow tightening in its grip.
soleum feels funny, but he's trying to ignore the sensation. ]
It's... here.
[ whatever "it's" or "here" is, it only gives agent choi so much time to make a decision. in his eyes, he'll see repetition in the way the arm waves, how the mouth parts open when shifted up, and closes when pulled down. the gestures of a human being that loops the same body movements to urge them to come by to safety.
S.
O.
S.
a very human signal.
S.
O.
S.
S.
O.
S.
over and over, an endless loop with the jaw motions, the way the eyes look in their direction with interest, and how it avoids making too much noise in this location because whatever is after them reacts well to that.
around the face, it's dried with cracks from the mouth moving to the cheeks, there's movement underneath the skin, and out the corner of the man's mouth will choi catch something wriggling there before disappearing (hopefully he didn't blink). the light in the eyes have faded, the person's nails have turned purple and grown with cracks between, and underneath the shirt, the body appears bloated, and the fabric is already torn. ]
Should we go?
[ he can't see as far as agent choi, but he can recognize the signal of sos. a very human response. ]
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[ his answer finally comes, firm, and he takes a step back. his arm still outstretched, he forced soleum back with him, spotted ears flattened back against his head. even as he moves, his gaze turns away from the ominous figure calling for help, and as painful as such a thing is, the attempts to locate that molehill of theirs.
right... whatever is wrong with that person is likely some kind of contamination. contamination caused by remaining in this space for too long—that's the only way to explain why it can remain unbothered while they're stalked by the likes of this thing. there's no time to waste here. they can't stay for any longer if they don't want to be giving their own SOS soon.
the question is... where do they go? ]