castleinthemist | 1) Shadow Eridan

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1) Shadow Eridan | Open

Something wakes up. Something attains literal consciousness but not figurative consciousness.

A shade walks the tightrope between sentient and mindless shadow, and pools into being out of a portal.

It looks an awful lot like a dark, monochromatic version of one Eridan Ampora.

All it knows is that it feels unsettled. It remembers horns, and grey faces, and a chainsaw. And then fish, for some reason.

Something is wrong and it can't work out what it is.

[ooc: Eridan is a shadow monster! He's going to be trying to pull people into shadowy pits if he can stop being self-absorbed for a second. Feel free to try and interact with him!]

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[ by now Karkat ( with Sollux in tow ) has ventured out beyond the area they had been gathered at. sickle in hand, he's ready for just about anything to pop out.

these feels, man. something doesn't feel right. ]

You better have my fucking back, Captor.

[There's a shadowy pit off to one side in the room. Possibly something came out of it at some point? Came out and might very well be lurking somewhere in the general area?]

What the fuck do you take me for? Of courthe I have your back!

[Sollux rolls his eyes and punches Karkat just a bit. He smells...black, inky, licorice black coming from that pit in the corner, and it is a foul smell.

Then he blinks and turns as a bit of movement attracts his attention. His eyes widen at the sight of Eridan, and he takes a step forward. It looks like his kismesis, but it doesn't look right at the same time]

ED...?

[ grunts and hisses. stupid moirail. Karkat opens his mouth to say something snappy back, but Sollux is distracted. his own eyes follow in the direction that Sollux's gaze is lingering in. those orbs go wide, hand immediately settling upon Sollux's arm.

yes, it looks like Eridan. his matesprit and Sollux's kismesis. that doesn't mean that they should run towards him. ]

Eridan?

[Eridan's head turns slowly as he hears sounds that sound familiar. He has a name, he supposes? He is Eridan. And they know it? The familiar shapes, grey skin, small horns. Yellow. That's yellow. Something more than shades of grey. They spoke. Probably he can too. What does he say to them, though?

He makes a quiet noise, first, almost like static, and then takes a step back, even further into the corner.]

Leavve me alone.

[It feels familiar, so that's probably what he wanted to say, right?]

[Sollux glances at Karkat, eyebrows drawing together with worry. Sure, he has more of a rivalry with Eridan, rather than pitying him, but that doesn't mean he isn't a little concerned.]

What'th going on, ed? What'th wrong?

[ Karkat frowns, worried. yes, he is a little worried as well. but he doesn't want to step forward yet. ]

We're not going to fucking leave you alone. Not yet.

[Is something wrong? Is HE wrong? He must have done something. He remembers them always being after him for SOMETHING.]

Leavve, I didn't do nothin', ok, wwhy do you alwways blame it on me?

We're not blaming you for anything!

[That's it, he's moving forward a little, trying to get a better look at Eridan]

Come on, ed, thtop freaking out. Thith ith jutht a curthe, tho whatever ith going on with you, it'th not real. And we can help you figure it out.

[ Karkat is cautious about moving forward, but he can't let Sollux do it on his own. So Karkat takes a few steps in Eridan's direction. ]

No, idiot. We're wondering what's going on so we can help you.

[What are they advancing for? He doesn't even understand this anymore. What do they want from him? Eridan needs to...get them into the shadowy pit with him. That's what he needs to do. He glances around, and then starts backing up toward it.]

Wwhat do you wwant from me?

We jutht thaid what we want. Don't you remember who we are?

Sollux, I don't think he does. Not exactly.

[Eridan backs up a bit more and looks to see if they're following him.]

It's not fuckin' fair...

[Mumbled. Did that even make sense? What's context for?]

Yeah, I don't think tho, either. [But Eridan's retreating, so Sollux does follow, frowning and uncertain] What'th not fair, ed? Why don't you come over here and tell uth what'th going on?

[ something doesn't feel right. Karkat's eyeballing that shadowy blackness with suspicion. ]

You're not making any sense, Eridan.

[Eridan just eyes the both of them, and then retreats again to sit right beside the pit.]

I can't believve you'd...I...

[No, he's not paying any attention anymore.]

Wwhat's happened?

[Sollux doesn't like the look of that pit, either. He reaches towards Eridan, gesturing towards him like he's trying to tempt an animal]

Hey, hey get away from that. Jutht come here, ed. Come on... we can fikth thith.

We're someplace else, Eridan.

[ because he's looked for the clock and can't find it. the City misplaced them. that has to be it. ]

Now please do what Sollux says and come here.

[They aren't coming here. They are ABANDONING HIM, it's the only answer, it's the true answer. He can't let them leave him alone, he can't he needs
He needs

Eridan looks wistfully off into the middle distance for a moment before he stands, and starts heading toward them. About halfway there, he starts jogging, and then breaks into a run. In the last couple of metres, his hands come up, claws ready to strike.]

[Sollux senses that something is definitely wrong as Eridan breaks into a run. He's always been more paranoid about Eridan than was probably warranted, but it was understandable.

He throws himself between Eridan and Karkat with a snarl, and rips his glasses off, catching Eridan with his powers and throwing him back several feet]

What the fuck, athhhole?! Thith ith your fucking matethprit!

[ well. it's a good thing that Karkat is a paranoid worry wart. really, even with his sickle in hand what's he going to do? hurt Eridan? ha ha. yeah right. so there's a mix of relief when Sollux jumps in mixed right along with fear. ]

He probably can tell the fucking difference right now, Sollux. Take it easy!

[Eridan hisses as he's thrown back, the sound muffled like it's coming from inside a radio. He scrambles jerkily back to his feet and lunges at them again. His outline is starting to jitter, shaking in and out of formlessness and Eridan-shaped.]

That ith not Eridan! [Sollux is snarling, defensive of his moirail. He's also shocked by the way Eridan is flickering in and out like that.] It'th a fucking fake that jutht thoundth like him!

One way to find out. Can you hold him there instead of fucking tossing him around for a second?

[ Karkat has an idea. It's probably stupid, but he has to try. ]

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