[Mostly Open] So we'll press, and press 'til you can't take it anymore!

[groupiedrifter]

CHARACTERS: Precursors and you. And Eventually Newton. Hopefully!
LOCATION: A holding room in Ximilia Station.
DATE: Est. two days post-mission, after the kaiju is defeated and the orb is retrieved.
CONTENT: The precursors are revealed — and are finally removed from Newt's mind.
WARNINGS: Possession and the bodily autonomy issues that come with that. More will be added if necessary!

Closed and opened starters will be added as I go, which will be announced on plurk! But if you don't use plurk or would rather keep an eye out by email/tracking, feel free to use the tracking option and mark to receive notifs any new top level comments posted to this log! The log will involve an open starter to visit the precursors where they're cuffed/contained in the room, so stay tuned.

Also no rush once the open starters are posted!

Feel free to focus on the player plot log first and come back to this later.

CLOSED STARTER | THE DOCTOR
DARKLING'S TOP LEVEL | WHILE NEWT WAS SLEEPING...
OPEN STARTER | THE PRECURSORS, REVEALED
CLOSED FINAL CONCLUSION | THE PRECURSORS, REMOVED
OPEN PROMPTS | NEWTON GEISZLER'S RETURN

Comments

[kikoku]

[It all really makes him think about Doflamingo. The way he'd seen Law, small and angry, a white monster from a white town, and had taken that anger and refined it, directed it, because he understood it, it was all he understood, being angry at the world for what it took from you. But he'd still managed to maintain the loyalty of so many people, on that arrogant anger alone. That child had looked up to him. Would have done anything he said. But the moment he'd done something Doffy hadn't wanted, he was disposeable. If he's already eaten the Op-Op Fruit, I'll just have to raise him so that he knows to die for my sake.

But Law had escaped. He'd beaten Doflamingo. And Newt had been able to get the Precursors out of his head. Because other people had jumped in to help.]

You don't have to be a god to mess with people's heads. But I'm sure it's a lot harder when they're literally in your head. Unfortunately, that's why we need other people. If you have people that know how you really are, they'll be able to tell when you're not acting like yourself, even when you can't.

[groupiedrifter]

[Mess with people's heads... yeah.

They definitely did that — a lot of it. Months of it, when Newton was asleep, was vulnerable and unaware and without anyone else knowing the danger he had been wrapped up in. People had no clue; he had no clue. But now he feels every memory pull so easily to the surface. Now he knows where the paranoia and anger and everything else came from.

'You'll feel better if you stop trying to push back,' they'd said.

'You'd be better for it, yanno. Just let go and let us do all the heavy lifting. The pesky human emotions, the suffering you cause yourself, the way you fuck everything up... you could just let us do it,' they'd told him.

Something with his eyes, cupping his face — 'We're making you better. We'll keep making you better.'

His body feels hot and itchy, and he swallows the lump in his throat. The heart monitor betrays a slight uptick in beats.]

Now that I know what to look for... At least I'll have that.

Everyone else, too; they'll know what to look for.

[kikoku]

[Law isn't going to bring it up though his glance does shift to it when it rises out of habit.]

Mm. Now I know next time you try to pick a fight with me I need to alert Dr McCoy to prepare the OR.
[This is like half a joke, to lighten the mood but also sort of not.]

[groupiedrifter]

[He doesn't laugh. But he'd considered trying to anyway.

Instead, his shoulders slump in defeat, and he breathes a soft breath.

But y'know. Law tried. And that's commendable, so.]

Yeah...

Sorry for all the trouble.

[kikoku]

You haven't really caused me any trouble. I've pulled hundreds of hearts out of people.
[LAW.]

Anyway, I came over here to check for sequelae. You don't have any physical residual symptoms, do you?

[groupiedrifter]

[... Scoff.

You know he's gonna make dumb jokes about stealing hearts in the future, right?

You brought that upon yourself, frankly.

More thoughtfully, he hums.]

... Headaches, mostly. Tired a lot, but I think that's just from the shock of what happened. But no nosebleeds like there were months back, or... seizures yet, or anything. McCoy's got me on anticonvulsants like before; he said something about repairing any brain tissue damage, but it's minimal. I mean, compared to what it could be. No golf-ball sized holes in my scans.

So... that's cool.

[kikoku]

[But that's specifically why he didn't use the word stolen!! No!!!]

That's good. You're lucky we have Dr McCoy on staff, given his specialty in Neurosurgery. You'll have to make sure to follow through on all the treatments and follow up scans he orders for you.
[Bossy.]

[groupiedrifter]

[He smiles, though it looks a little unhappy.]

Yeah... Wouldn't want my brain to leak out of my ears.

[A thought pause, and then:]

So... I'm cleared to stay out of the holding room? Threat assessment complete?

[kikoku]

Is that what you think I was doing?

[He already told you he'd turn you into cubes before you could actually be threatening, little man.]

[groupiedrifter]

... I mean.

I didn't think you were here because you had a super positive opinion of me.

[Law did take his heart out because of shit-talking; Newt figures maybe almost blowing up a train would be pretty high on the 'might be worth disassembling, please hold' train of logic.

... Frankly, he wouldn't hate it, but he's in a pretty wretched place.]

[kikoku]

[Certainly, the train wasn't a point in his favor. But Law had already gotten a vague sense something was wrong back when he'd confronted Newt prior to the last mission, and talking it over with Rosinante had furthered that. Rosinante didn't think Newt was a bad person. So when the bad behavior suddenly had an explanation, it all felt like it clicked into place. The person Rosinante had spoken well of was the strange little man who'd yelled at Law that he liked his tattoos.]

No. I came here because I can't form an opinion about a man I don't actually know without talking to him.

[groupiedrifter]

[He stares, a little thrown off.

Right. Law really doesn't know anything about him, not really. It just felt like... not knowing him wouldn't have mattered. Maybe that's just the precursors talking — or rather the ghost of them, with the way they still seem to force their way into his thoughts after they're gone.]

I guess we'll have to fix that.

[He holds up a fist, knuckles out.]

... Thanks for checking up on the mysterious stranger, then.

[kikoku]

[Law stares at the fist for what is probably an uncomfortably long moment, before he finally meets it with his own. Fistbump achieved.]

Consider it an apology for my behavior last time. Which means we're even now and I don't have to be nice to you.
[He is going to go back to being MEAN and RUDE next time!!! This is not the start of a friendship!!!]

[groupiedrifter]

[He grins at the fistbump, unapologetically taking advantage of being a weary pocket-sized dude in a hospital bed. C'maaan, he's just a little guy.]

C'mon, Law, don't kick a guy while he's down.

Can't you be nice while I'm a recovering patient at least?

[... But he appreciates the reason to smile anyway.]

[kikoku]

Technically, you're Dr. McCoy's patient, not mine. But fine. Once you're out of here, I reserve that right, though.

[For that matter why's he just "Law"?? Disrespectful.]

[groupiedrifter]

Mmmm, you got it. Once I'm out of here.

[He looks a little nervous at the thought of leaving.

Does it have to do with facing all the people who might feel hurt and betrayed?

... Maybe.]

After a nice long nap, maybe.

[kikoku]

[Newt you cannot hide in the infirmary forever. Law WILL kick you out.]

There's no hurry, you can't rush healing a brain injury.
[But he's getting up now, writing a few things down on his little doctor clipboard.]

But I'll leave you to rest, now.