Orb, RD11, somewhere in or just outside Schwanheim.

[bondsoflove]

[A young man is backing away from view, staring forward with confusion. He has no idea what the orb is, has never seen anything like it, and is threatened by its presence.

He tries hitting it, to no avail. The sword, which looks a little too big for him, doesn’t work either.

He makes a noise of frustration and drops the sword with a clatter, pacing the little room in circles. He keeps a wary eye on the orb, waiting for it, or something inside it, to attack him.

After a while, he balls his hands into fists and sinks down against the wall, teeth gritted. He glares, no longer at the orb but at the floor, and pounds one fist.

His face contorts with some unseen pain, and he rocks himself back and forth, jaw clenched around silent sobs--his eyes are screwed shut as water leaks down his face and drips from his chin, his jaw. If you listen closely, you can hear his breath hitching in time with jerks of his shoulders.

He shakes his head--releases and re-clenches his fists. He’s mouthing ‘no, no’; he bites his lip and stops breathing completely, terrifyingly still.

He lets out his breath with a gasp and sucks it back in, harsh. Freezes again.

This repeats for a few minutes, but it seems to calm him. The rocking slows, and his breathing is less jagged and desperate. Finally, rubs his forearm over his eyes.

He focuses on the orb again, and his gaze flashes murderous, wild red. His voice is raw and full of more fury than should fit in his small, slender body.]

If this is an imprisonment, let me the fuck out before I set this whole place on fire.

Comments

[goldeneyeball]

_{[Have a less-than-pleasant guy with a wonky eye and antlers! He's watched all this unfold with a slowly lifting brow.]}

That might not actually be such a bad idea.

[bondsoflove]

[Antlers.

Wonky eyes, Sasuke's familiar with.

But antlers. Not so much.]

What stake do you have in its destruction?

[goldeneyeball]

Stake...? Hell, you look trapped and fire is as good a way to get out as any! _{Unless everything in there's stone, I guess...}

[bondsoflove]

I'm not talking about getting out, I'm talking about getting back. Which means I need to find the source of the transport.

[goldeneyeball]

_{[James's brows meet. Oh. He's a new guy. He feels stupid for not picking up on that, what with the way he seemed to be watching the orb like some kind of pacing tiger.]}

F'raid I got some bad news for you. Far as I know, there aint no goin' back.

[bondsoflove]

[There's madness in his eyes, now. His voice is dangerously quiet.]

I have a mission to finish. Going back is not optional.

[goldeneyeball]

Yeah, yeah, I know, you and everybody else. I was buying eggs. We're stuck here in Once Upon a Whatever land for God knows how long.

[bondsoflove]

Every second that I'm here, the scum that murdered my family is walking around happy as can fucking be. Going back is not optional.

[Trembling.]

[goldeneyeball]

I hate it for you, but there's nothing we can do.

_{[He does feel sympathy for the guy, but it's become draining to try and break things gently to new heroes.]}

...save maybe murdering the King, but I haven't gotten around to testing that theory. There are...a lot of us here.

[bondsoflove]

I'll kill him and his whole family if it sends me back.

[goldeneyeball]

Hey, just in case that don't work, don't tell the guards I gave you the idea. I get enough shit from these people already.

[bondsoflove]

I have to find him first.

[He slumps back against the wall. Tired. He's been going for days and now this.]