1) Shadow Eridan | Open

[hopelessprince]

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!]

Comments

[thekidsare0kay]

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.

[papshooshing]

[ 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.

[hopelessprince]

[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?

[thekidsare0kay]

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

[papshooshing]

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

[hopelessprince]

[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?]

[thekidsare0kay]

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?

[papshooshing]

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

You're not making any sense, Eridan.

[hopelessprince]

[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?

[thekidsare0kay]

[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.

[papshooshing]

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.

[hopelessprince]

[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.]

[thekidsare0kay]

[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!

[papshooshing]

[ 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!

[hopelessprince]

[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.]

[thekidsare0kay]

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!

[papshooshing]

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. ]

[thekidsare0kay]

Yeah, yeah of courthe.

[He raises his hand and grabs Eridan with his powers, wrapping his power around him and holding without hurting]

[hopelessprince]

[He flails, trying to push against the psionic restraints.]

If it--

Wwhat you wwere--

Fuckin' pissblooded--

You aren't--

[Everything else is too distorted and garbled to hear.]

[papshooshing]

[ Karkat watches, waiting for Sollux to get a good grip on Eridan. then he gives his moirail a gentle touch to the face and an apologetic look.

yes, he is marching right up to that shadow beast. hands go to where cheeks should be. ]

Eridan. Man, if you're really in there, you got to let us fucking know. You're scaring us and that says something, okay? We don't want to leave you behind. All we want to do is fix this, whatever it is, so that all three of us can be together like before, you idiot.

Please, just work with us.

[thekidsare0kay]

[Sollux is confident enough in his own abilities that he's not too worried about Karkat. But he's still worried. He is cautious with his hold, trying to keep it from hurting, not wanting to panic Eridan any more than he already has - if it is Eridan.

He watches closely, saying nothing. This is a job for someone Eridan pities, that's for sure]

[hopelessprince]

[Eridan bares his teeth and snarls, and then abruptly goes really quiet and still, staring at Karkat.]

Kar.

[And then he tries to sit down again, only it doesn't work because he's being held in place by Sollux's psionics. It manifests as slumping instead.]

[papshooshing]

[ he pets Eridan, features smoothing out from his usual scowl. ]

Yeah, it's me. You okay in there?

[ and Karkat just presses his forehead against Eridan's, trying to convey all his worried feels. ]

[thekidsare0kay]

[Okay, now Sollux is a bit tense. He grits his teeth and gets ready to restrain Eridan more if he tries to bite. Karkat is just too close, and he can't immobilize every part of the creature at once without suffocating him or accidentally crushing him]

KK...

[hopelessprince]

[Eridan is suddenly desperate. He looks towards the pit and tries to move his hand to tug on Karkat's sleeve. Only he can't, of course. He just looks between Karkat and the pit a couple of times.]

Kar, I'm dead. .....t do I d--? --wwant to fa-- --lf.