singillatim | you can run but you can't escape

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you can run but you can't escape

THE DARKWALKER COMES

The Darkwalker strikes again. This time, it does not come for one Interloper — but four.

WHEN: March 2nd.
WHERE: Milton.
CONTENT WARNINGS: death of playable character; supernatural death; mention of dead body; themes of death; supernatural beings; themes of terror; themes of peril.

YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T ESCAPE

The sun sets on another day in the Northern Territories. The night is calm but cold, scant clouds drifting low in the skies promising snowfall soon. A waning moon sits in the skies amongst its sea of stars, and those looking up may notice it — slowly, one by one, the stars begin to go out.

Then the moon's light is swallowed whole, and a blanket of green gloom descends upon the town of Milton. One more, the sky is dark and green and terrible. Many of those will recognise it, what this means and what will come. Others will not understand it, not know what it is that awaits them all.

They will soon find out: the Darkwalker comes.

Fear washes over you like a cold wave, a vice-tight grip that squeezes the breath from you. Interlopers will find themselves over-come, and everything in their bodies and minds tells them to run. To flee. And so you run, heading for cover indoors. Curtains will be drawn, some may hide under beds, within closets or wardrobes. Some desperate attempt to conceal themselves, make themselves small, unseen. Some Interlopers, in that fear, may rush to friends or loved ones to hide with them, others may simply cowered alone — crawling and whimpering away from the night. The fear is irrational, unable to be overcome — even by the bravest or most stoic of Interlopers.

The Darkwalker howls: indescribable, unnatural, demonic. Low moans and groans. It comes from the east, the faint booms of footsteps in the distance growing ever nearer. It is coming, once more. It's coming for one of you. And still, you are powerless, unable to do anything. And it is an agony, awaiting its arrival. You cry, you whimper, you cower. Curling up for some shred of comfort, and finding none.

The footsteps draw closer and closer, and you feel like the ground itself may be threatening splitting open beneath you. It isn't you that it hunts, but you notice its path — a straight line from the east towards Milton Church. It seems to go on forever, building into a crescendo. Your heart beats so hard you fear it may burst from your chest, as if you might die of fright.

There is an almighty sound; the Darkwalker devours and suddenly the sky is alight: streaks of pale colour shoot across the gloomy green — almost blinding for one long moment. A woman's scream fills the air and then snaps into silence.

The skies return to normal, the green is gone, the fear melts away from you. It is done.

There is no body in the street. Interlopers venturing out will need to go looking for whoever it is that's fallen victim to the Devourer. The answer will be found within Milton Church.

Towards the altar, peppered amongst faint glimmers of intangible green that will fade by morning, lie the twisted and mangled bodies of Nicholas Wolfwood, Millions Knives and both iterations of Vash the Stampede. There's no blood, no physical wounds — simply the contorted bodies that lie dropped like ragdolls. Each of their faces stare with wide eyes, frozen in horror — just as La'an Noonien-Singh was.

The Darkwalker has devoured more. There is a story, told by Methuselah: It is said that the Darkwalker will awake from its slumber and swallow the world whole. One head will swallow the stars and moon and sun. Another will swallow the seas and lakes and rivers. The third will swallow the land, and every living thing upon it — and only then will the Darkwalker be satisfied and return to sleep once more.

It feels as if the Darkwalker is making good on its story: one by one, it will devour you all whole. And now the Interlopers of Milton must grapple with more death.

FAQs

1. Essentially, a 'party post' for reactions to the Darkwalker's attack, the immediate aftermath, and any funerary preparations. Have... fun???

2. Information on the Darkwalker's attack can be found here.

3. An OOC Rundown for the original Darkwalker's attack, which includes some FAQs can be found here.

4. Notes about the characters:

Wolfwood: He doesn't leave any messages behind. Folks are welcome to go through his house, which is the cabin by the pond -- there's nothing in there of his, and the only changes he made to the house was pulling a twin bed over in front of the fireplace. The wall of the cabin is also scorched from inside, from where his Lightbringer power erupted at one point.

Vash The Stampede (Trigun Stampede): He really didn't have much belongings or anything in particular of note, so it is a free for all situation in terms of possessions.

Vash The Stampede (Trigun Maximum): He'll be leaving behind his meager belongings. all of it can be found on either his person or in the church's living quarters which is also decently stocked with foraged foods. alas he's prepared no messages because he is absolutely atrocious at saying goodbyes.

Millions Knives: He'll leave behind sharpened hunting and skinning knives (hah), some fishing equipment, and scattered feathers around the church.

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Vash.

[ A continued tradition of honesty on Bigby's end in front of Konstantin.. But really, he has so little reason to keep any of this close to his chest, right. Even though he struggled to call Vash a friend while the other still lived - a fact he'd like to kick his own ass over right now - Bigby knows the truth. He knows that he really appreciated the way the other tried so damn hard to reach out to him, all the faith that Vash extended in him. The faith Bigby felt like he didn't deserve.

His name doesn't matter, and yet it does, all at the same time.

He deserves to be remembered. Even if Konstantin didn't know him, Vash deserves to be known, deserves to be remembered.

Bigby doesn't directly look at Konstantin, but he speaks on all the same. ]

He was a good man. Even when things got really rough here, he tried looking out for others wherever he could. He spread kindness to all those around him, yet denied himself the same thing.

[ It's a name he'll commit to memory — not that it should be too difficult; it's a pretty unique name. (The irony though that there was more than one 'Vash' in this place...) But he won't forget it. It's important not to forget that these men were here, alive and then taken, for whatever reason.

The greater part of him still insists that this is all by design, part of some experiment being conducted on all of them here by scientists, the military, whoever the fuck. ....But he can't help remembering the conversation he had with Bigby when they first met. A thing touching on the idea of who could be behind all of this, whether mankind or something higher. Now they're standing in a church, where four men have been killed, and no questions have been answered. All of this feels like a bad dream.

He looks back at Bigby as the man speaks, the other's eyes cast away from him. It's a heaviness, and he respectfully lowers his own gaze for some time, just listening to the other speak. ]

I'm sorry that I didn't get the chance to know him. He sounds like a light in this place.

[ There are so many questions he could ask, to try and solve this mystery — did Vash or the other three ever do anything that might've made them targets? There has to be a reason the people in charge chose to kill them.... but he doesn't want to ask such things when the other man is dealing with the loss of a friend. It isn't the time for that. So he slowly looks back up, towards the hall leading to the living quarters. ]

They were living here, weren't they? I heard someone mention it earlier. Maybe there's something of his back there. Something you could remember him by.

[ The other is definitely winning some points with Bigby here. It's not often that he runs into compassion. Maybe he runs into it a little bit more in this place than he ever did back home - but he knows that people bothering to say something kind in situations like these isn't necessarily the default. Far from it.

So the other bothering to say something nice about Vash, despite not knowing him, is.. a little nice. It won't bring Vash back, but Bigby hopes that maybe he can still hear it somehow, somewhere up or out there.

Bigby slowly inhales when the other man makes that suggestion, casting his gaze over in his direction. There's a slight moment of thought, but.. ]

.. nah. I know I'll be able to remember him just fine in my memories.

[ It's way closer to how death works for Bigby, given that he's actually a wolf. If someone dies, then.. you remember them by memories, not by stuff. It feels like too human a thing to really consider right now. ]

But if you were looking for-- for stuff, or clues, we could take a look together. I did this shit back home for a living. [ Maybe.. a little bit vague on what exactly said 'shit' is, but it's not Bigby trying to hide something as much as he's just not being very elaborate in the face of the grief he's still dealing with.

(He totally means 'murder investigations' though..) ]

[ Konstantin had never been a particularly sentimental man. Never one to form... attachments, it could be said — for most things. Certainly not to little tangible items.

But these days... He finds himself picking up that small nevalyashka doll almost daily, to hold it in his hands, as though afraid to forget the shape of it. It hurts, what it reminds him of. But it's a bittersweet hurt, something he doesn't quite want to let go of. It's the only physical reminder he has of his son, and although the item didn't even belong to Aleksei, perhaps some part of Konstantin even equates it to the boy. Puts that sort of value on it, as though the little thing is a literal piece of the child he mourns daily.

Sometimes it might help. Or... not help, exactly; that actually seems the wrong word for it. It does something. But there's a solemn nod as Bigby says he'll simply remember the man — and that, too, is an importance of its own. Keeping someone in the memory.

He looks up again as the other offers to help him look, hesitating only a moment as he glances back to the modest living area in the back of the church. This man really could be dangerous, given he believes he's a werewolf and feeds on raw, wild animals, but.... face to face, he's never really been anything other than a bit gruff around the edges. Besides, he'd like to learn more about the other guy... what his deal is. How all of them ended up here. So Bigby's statement is a perfect segue into that, and Konstantin's smiling at him, invitingly. ]

Detective work is a lot more fun with a partner, right? [ He takes a step that way, tilting his head towards the room that the men lived in, casting a quick glance around the place. A few leftover tools, a bed, and... more of those feathers on the floor. ]

You said you did this kind of thing back home.... What exactly did you do, if you don't mind me asking?

[ Bigby follows the other easily. Maybe that smile disarmed Bigby, or maybe he doesn't think he has anything to worry about from Konstantin. Even while they're in a relatively secluded place together with no one else present, and even though Konstantin is one of the few people in town who actually looks like he could take Bigby in a fist fight.. and even win, likely..

In fact, he doesn't even really seem on his guard. As soon as they're in the room, Bigby is looking around just as much as the other man, not even paying any real attention to Konstantin. By the time he's asked that question, Bigby is squatting next to a bunch of those feathers. ]

I'm a sheriff. [ He asks, picking up one of the feathers and holding it in his hands. ] Which also means carrying out investigations when crimes happen.

[ Even if they know the culprit in this case, ironically enough.

Bigby turns his head, holding up one of the feathers towards Konstantin. ]

I think these are Vash's.

Ahhhh, a man of the law. Very cool. [ The corner of Konstantin's mouth tugs upwards in a crooked smile, but on him it's boyish, easy. Assuming that detail is actually true and not part of some delusion (sorry Bigby.....he still thinks you might be living in La La Land,) he wonders how the other man might feel to learn that he's technically a fugitive.

...How strange to think that someone like him could ever end up like that. On the run, no longer a revered Hero but a monster? At least he'd escaped that place before they managed to turn him into an even worse one.

He looks over at the item Bigby holds up, and moves closer so he can narrow his eyes at it thoughtfully. ]

I noticed a few of those around the church itself, too... [ He can't quite identify what kind of bird they came from. Something big. ]

He collected them?

[ The man shakes his head. ]

They're his. [ Which is.. practically the same thing Bigby said a moment ago, and technically also the same thing as the other man is saying here.

But he doesn't mean they were Vash's property or collection. Not in that sense. What he's about to say may not really work in Bigby's favour when it comes to convincing Konstantin that he is not some delusional weirdo, but-- ]

He had wings. Only whenever the Aurora hit town, for some reason. But that's where all those feathers around here had to be coming from.

Wings.

[ He repeats the word, staring at his companion. ]

As in.... on his body? Like some kind of angel?

[ That's the mental image... especially given how big and white the feathers are. But it's extremely difficult for him to accept that image as real; still, Konstantin doesn't challenge it. Not now. Not when this man just lost a friend. Instead, he stares for a moment longer and then gives a soft exhale, stooping to collect one of the feathers and hold it up in his hand, fingers pinching the quill of the thing. Thoughtfully, mouth tugged tight at the corners— ]

....If that's the case, I suppose it was fitting he lived in the church.

[ When the other looks over at Bigby, he'll be able to see them nod in regards to the angel question. Truth to be told, Bigby never did get to ask what exactly Vash was. It was just obvious that he wasn't human, and he seemed too uncomfortable with it to say anything more than that about it, and Bigby respected that. It wasn't like Vash was going to hurt anyone, just because of what he was.

.. though his thoughts can't help but linger on that for a moment, even in the middle of the ache he feels in his chest when he thinks of Vash now.

Vash didn't want anyone to know what he was. He seemed so ashamed. It makes Bigby think of an encounter a while ago, in the forest. The blood Konstantin was throwing up. The things he said afterwards. They'd put you in a laboratory. Do tests, study you.

It's an inkling Bigby has had in his mind since that day. The thought that it's likely Konstantin's condition wasn't just medical. Not in the plain old human sense, anyway. He hadn't wanted to confront the other about it back there, given how vulnerable Konstantin had been, and given the chance the other lashing out, but..

After being quiet for a moment, Bigby turns his head to look in the other man's direction. ]

He didn't want people to know he wasn't human. [ He says, slowly. His gruff tone thankfully mostly masks the thought that he might means a little bit more with his words.

But he does. He's saying them to Konstantin specifically, and for a reason. ]

He was terrified what it'd make people think of him. Of what would happen to him, if people knew. He didn't even want to tell me, even though he knew I wasn't some regular human either.

[ Konstantin pauses at the words, eyes slowly moving from the feather and back over to the other man. He's well-adapted at controlling his expressions, his emotions; to be what he is, a person must be — and yet he can't suppress a certain surprise.

It does sound almost... specifically for him, though he's not necessarily assuming the other man is doing that intentionally. It's more that he feels the weight of the words, things that strike him particularly hard, relevant to his own situation. He's never heard someone say such a thing aloud before, and he's staring in silence.

That's part of it, isn't it. A huge part. He's afraid. Sometimes it's easy to pretend that he isn't, to fall back into the person he was before — strong, capable, unafraid. Commander Veshnyakov. In comparison to how most people would handle suddenly becoming infected with something so.... grotesque, he'd even been able to deal with it almost abnormally well.

...But that was just because he had a goal, which was escape and then to rescue his son, and he was able to fixate on that hard enough that his own upsets didn't matter. He could ignore the constant awareness of this disgusting thing inside of him, play the part needed for the scientists; he could do anything if it meant getting to Aleksei.

But he hates it. Hates what's inside of him, hates what he's become. He's fucking terrified of what might happen to him. And he's terrified to be looked at like some kind of monster. He's supposed to be good. A Hero.

All of this to say that Bigby's words have him pausing for a beat that stretches on maybe a little too long, surprised, taken aback. Then he's blinking, clearing his throat as he looks back down to the feather, taking his eyes away from the other man's. ]

It must have helped him, though. Ultimately. Telling you about it. [ Again, hypothetically, let's say Bigby really is a werewolf, and Vash really was some sort of supernatural being— ]

It meant he wasn't alone in that. I'm sure that he was glad to have you.

[ That pause is so telling. It's not even like it's super long, but given what Bigby just said, and given the intentions he said it with.. He's so sure that it actually made the other man think about all of this a little. Which is exactly what Bigby wanted.

He just hopes it's a good sort of thought. It'd be nice if Konstantin could realise that he can trust Bigby when it comes to this - especially when he knows how isolating it can be to have to keep a secret. Even if he dropped his own partially out of necessity, he can't deny that it feels better to just be open with people about what he is. ]

I hope so. [ He replies, shrugging a little bit as he does so.

Bigby can't ask Vash that now anymore, after all. It sucks. ]

I also told him that I'm not going to let anyone here in town discriminate or outcast anyone else for being different. It's the last thing we need when we're also dealing with..

[ .. his voice trails off. He stares at the feathers, something a little softer - and perhaps sadder - entering his expression. ]

.. with this shit.

[ Konstantin's looking back over to Bigby at that, staring at the other man. Again, all of this is so... new to him, this concept of other people having something wrong with them in the ways he does, or ways similar at all — ways that could earn discrimination, ostracization.

He's quiet for a few lingering moments, feeling that overarching, lingering weight in the air, something that the other man's softening tone is a reminder to. After a moment, Konstantin takes a little half step closer, reaching to clasp a hand against the other man's shoulder for a brief moment, giving it a soft pat. Soft, but meant as a comforting gesture. (A bold move, some might say, considering what Bigby was doing the last time he saw him — but Konstantin isn't shy to boldness, and... this man just lost a friend.)

But he doesn't push, doesn't linger, stepping back again to give him his space after a moment, moving back towards the nearest wall so he can lean against it a little, slowly folding his arms. He knows eventually he might have to divulge some things about himself to others, or either isolate himself entirely. This precarious balance he's found may only be temporary. (He heard there was a snowstorm here, not long before his arrival. What if another one happens? What if they lose supplies, or run out of them over time? What if there are no more grouse to find? What if the thing inside of his body becomes desperate? He can't stop it. He can't control it.) ]

What if.... the ways in which someone is different could be dangerous to others? If they could be a risk to the rest of the people here?

[ The questions stay easy, conversational — curious but not insistent. It's a nice idea, truly, that no one would face backlash for such a thing, but as much as he fears such a thing happening to him again, the truth is he knows he should be locked up somewhere. Monitored. At least Vasiliy's able to monitor his situation as much as possible, but... it's so unpredictable. ]

[ Bigby really didn't expect the touch. He doesn't ever expect touch that isn't violence, really - and even more so at a moment like this. A moment where he feels a little more vulnerable than the usual. It's a good thing it's only brief, since he would know even less what to do with anything beyond that, but..

.. just the touch itself is already a little strange. He hardly seems to react to it, but Bigby's mind is very much busy with trying to register and process it.

It's another sign, right? Whatever the hell Konstantin is, whatever is going on with him that clearly is not just a medical condition - it doesn't make him a bad person if he's going out of his way to comfort people who are having a rough time.

It makes the answer to this question exceptionally easy. ]

Isn't it then only more important for people to know? [ Granted, this isn't new rhetoric to Bigby. He told Louis the same thing, even if he didn't seem to agree with Bigby on his one.

That didn't change Bigby's own mind though. This still feels like the most logical thing to him. It's what he'd do too if his own otherworldliness was actually dangerous in any way. ]

That way we can jointly figure out what to do about it, rather than anyone having to deal with it by themselves. It's much more likely that we can find a solution where no one has to get hurt if we do it collectively, rather than wait for some bomb to go off and catch us all by surprise.

[ It's definitely aimed at Konstantin. Not too obviously so, you could easily take it as just him being conversational in return, but.. Bigby definitely means for it to get through to the other.

Maybe that's why his tone seems to strengthen itself a little again with honesty. ]

There's a young girl here in town who's a vampire. I let her drink some of my blood. [ Maybe not the most normal thing ever to say, but Bigby makes it sound so normal. Like he thinks it's normal, somehow. ] That's how we solve shit.

[ Yeah. Yeah. He's had that thought, more than once — that it's all the more important that he let people know. They deserve to know if something like him is walking around among them.

(Tatiana would want him to tell people, if he's going to live here and engage with them. He can hear her voice in his mind, as clearly as anything. She'd sharpen the edges of it, not holding back her frustration with him. She'd bring up the fact that a hero would never put innocents' lives at risk. She was furious enough with him for letting those horrible criminals meet a gruesome end, but these people aren't like that. They're.... civilians. Men and women and some much younger than that. It's all the more horrifying that he would let himself be around them.)

He hesitates, uneasy, stomach curling with something that feels like guilt, and as it tightens, he can feel the creature stir a little, sensitive to the movements of the tight walls that surround it.

Bigby's words make sense and they're also the right thing to do, but not for the first time in his life, Konstantin finds that "the right thing to do" could be the most threatening, to him. To his survival. To what he needs to get done, which is to survive this place long enough to escape it, and to find his child. What if someone does try to hurt him, because of what he is? Or locks him up? What if some kind of authority are called? The scientists will still be looking for him. They'll do anything to get him back.

He blinks in surprise at the mention of a vampire, still unable to wholly believe such a claim, but.... with a bit less doubt than before. Is he truly just one monster among many, here? ]

I see. [ He finally says, and it's with as much nonchalance as he can muster, and a small smile. ] It does make sense. Keep one step ahead. Stop a problem before it can ever become one.

[ ....But he can't. He can't do that, not yet. He doesn't know who he can trust. Is it selfish? To want to protect himself this way? Tatiana had accused him of all the worst things. Coward. No better than the creature inside of you. ]

If I happen across any other monsters, I'll point them your way.

[ It's not said with sarcasm. He does mean it. But he needs to shrug this off, and pretend that he's something he's not, which is someone who's safe. And he needs to leave, before this conversation turns into something he can't come back from. It wouldn't be the first time Konstantin Veshnyakov ran away. ]

In the meantime, I should probably get going, my friend. Doesn't seem like a good idea to be out after dark.

[ Bigby quietly watches the other man for a moment.

He could tell Konstantin how obvious he's being. Maybe not to your regular person, but to someone who knows exactly where to look for the signs like Bigby? He couldn't possibly be more obvious. Just the choice of the word monsters by itself is saying so much, and it's also saying a lot about the reasons why Konstantin isn't coming clean to him about whatever specifically is going on with him.

It's because he thinks himself a monster. It's not a sentiment that's foreign to Bigby. He's been called a monster. Still called that, sometimes.

He doesn't think they're wrong.

But at least he can be open about what he is. Konstantin clearly hasn't reached that level yet. He's running away from it - quite literally, with what he's saying in the end there.

.. Bigby doesn't say any of it. Maybe it's better to let the other man live with it for now. It's not like there's many people in town who can see the signs of something other as well as Bigby can, having been surrounded by it all his life, being born from it.

Instead-- he just nods. ]

Sure.

[ He will just let Konstantin go. ]

You can go. I'll stay here for a while more. For-- [ .. he pauses, gesturing vaguely at the feathers that litter on the floor of the church. ] For him.

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you can run but you can't escape

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