[ goddamn it why couldn't anyone every treat her like this in one of the timelines. homura's not seen dave fight, but she knows that allies should be a priority against anything bigger than you. there's no way this is on the scale of walpurgisnacht, so no, she's sure she could handle this alone, but...
her response is sinking shoulders, pursed lips and knitted brows. it's clear something's bothering her, but who knows what it is, clearly. not twelve years of trying to save people, no way. ]
Stay close.
[ because like, yes, she can power through a high rise tower being launched into her, but that doesn't mean bones don't break or shatter under the pressure. homura can feel the distant thrum of a headache. if she has to go forward alone, then she will, but it doesn't mean she doesn't know the possibility of danger still looms.
for now, though, she brushes away from dave. the portal's waiting. ]
[ he won't ask what's bothering her right now, when they have something to deal with, but maybe later. maybe not. homura never pushed him about what was wrong on their little time loop expedition in december. he can at least return the favor here; if she wants to talk, someday she'll talk.
if not, at least he's around to listen if she changes her mind ever.
when they go through, they may as well show up far away at the lost river because why the hell not?
per mods: "Going through the portals is quite a trip. Aside from time feeling wonky as all hell and probably very irritating in that sense, it leaves the traveler heavily disorientated for a few minutes after. Nothing life threatening but not fun, especially when you don't know if you're about to be dropped near a Reaper Leviathan or some other creature." ]
[ she's not an expert in time or how it should flow, but she's positive it doesn't feel like this. she's very rarely done anything but run through and burst into the next timeline in the stain glass mess of a time reversal. this is different and by the time she realizes there's no fight, she hits the ground and her hand feels like there's a pile driver making it's way through her skull.
homura's head aches and it's making her vision blur, but she knows her back hit something hard. her first order of business is to pat the ground next to her to try and find dave. if she's successful, she'll grip his shirt with a vice to try and find some sort of sense of person - it's easier to come back to earth after what feels like a long weekend in vegas if she's using something as a means to motivate herself. ]
...You've felt this for how long? [ it's about all she can choke out before she sits up.
the lost river is a familiar sight, even if her vision's only starting to sharpen. homura picks up the machine gun, and the drum's not attached - it must have fallen off when they landed. ]
[ the flow of time is second nature to dave. feeling homura stop it when she had first arrived had been strange, but it hadn't felt half as unnatural as this and it never gave him a headache. it always felt a little odd, because her timestops were different from his, devoid of color and with that ever-ticking clock, but they were...allowed. they made sense in the way of things and he's never felt ill when she's reached out and stopped the clock from ticking.
the warpers have been using portals that twist his aspect for the better part of a day and a half or so. every time they do it gives him a lowkey version of the sick disorientation, the vehement feeling that someone is messing with his shit, and a headache a mile wide. it has not particularly made him easy to deal with in certain situations.
it's actually worse going through one of the portals and dave instantly regrets every decision he made that led him to this point. he deals with the disorientation and nausea a little better than homura - he's at least kneeling as soon as he's through, breathing measured as he grips his sort and tries to reorient his vision. he doesn't complain when she grips his shirt, though, just steadies her elbow so she can try to regain balance. ]
Started up when they showed up and started doin' this shit.
[ he sounds disgusted and annoyed, but it is most definitely at the creatures - who are nowhere to be found. the portal is gone, too. his iron grip on time had been lost in the transition, and they're in realtime again, the freeze gone. ]
[ thankfully, there's two time travelers here - when homura realizes that they're not hiding out in their own domain, she picks up her slack. it doesn't take anymore than letting go of him and moving her hand to the shield. the gears click and it opens, the ruby red gems glowing bright and deep. the world goes monochrome and the ticking from her arm kicks up without any fanfare. ]
They won't be doing it for much longer.
[ tick tock tick tock and homura is taking sure strides toward the machine gun's drum, which is put in place easily. for someone who works on a time limit, she sure doesn't seem to care for it. ]
It might be a diversion. Stay sharp.
[ the gun is replaced, sucked back into the shield. with that hand free, homura holds her palm out and a purple faberge egg is glowing; she wants to follow where it feels magic but homura is pretty positive this won't do anything judging by how there's no pull. still, it stays out as she stalks off, away from him and deeper into the Lost River, heels clicking on stone. ]
[ it's always different to move through an ocean that's frozen in time, but as soon as homura stands dave forces himself to his feet and keeps pace with her. he doesn't take back control of the time stop because whichever of them does it doesn't matter; homura's, he thinks, takes less concentration. the thing they were following is gone, but they should be able to find another alien and another portal... ]
No worries. I'm never off my game.
[ lies
but he is actually an excellent person to have around in a combat situation, so. ]
[ so homura's just gonna wander around until she gets a headache, basically. because, yes, the soul gem is not giving her any kind of information on the actual whereabouts on this thing, and she's growing testy. it probably becomes increasingly obvious that she's wandering around in search of something and not following the glimmering magic stone in her hand quickly, but homura's not going to answer any questions.
that would be embarrassing, and she is cool. elegant. reliable.
...anyway.
their target is tucked away in a corner, but it's easily found by the hum of a headache that won't quit. this time, homura feels it as soon as she sets eyes on the portal and the gem's gone, disappeared to who knows where, as it's replaced with a m-26 grenade.
no she does not talk this entire time because again she is cool. she does, however, take quick, long strides to the portal, and turns to dave. ]
[ yeah, he's just following the weird flow of time as well, with a grimace. he won't fill the silence with babble for once, but instead is still quiet and focused when she turns to him, after which he nods. ]
[ homura just nods before biting the pin of the grenade. it's not pulled, but she's ready to do so, and throw the moment they make their way through. a grenade explosion is an easy way to cause damage and escape, so it seems like it'll be a better way to fight back in the moment.
the portal is still a whirlwind of wooziness and headaches and it's pretty much reflex that makes her rip the grenade away from her body. it's tossed high into the blue sky with a grunt and then she hears the splash before she's underwater so maybe dave hit before her? she's probably lighter by virtue of being a lot shorter? homura doesn't know. her head hurts and the rush of cold water that smacks at her back and then wraps around her isn't helping that.
the explosion goes off. time's not stopped - there is no ticking of a clock, and floater island is bright as it should be.
thankfully, neither of them will go deaf today. ]
Where are you?
[ it's telepathy, of course. the "lake" isn't deep but she's pretty sure they were just hurled into it mid-air, so hopefully he either landed near by or somewhere a lot less likely to bruise later. maybe. ]
[ lightweight though he is dave is heavier than homura, yes. so he can have landed first. his first thought through the haze of disorientation is that everyone he knows needs to stop carrying around bombs and setting them off at the drop of a hat.
the second is that maybe they should stop going through portals? the alien thing doesn't seem to be around, though maybe. homura's bomb exploded it. either way, they're just in another random place. floater island? shit, they're going to have a bit to travel back to base, but it's not as bad as it could be. ]
Here. I'm beginnin' to think they don't have any of these portals anchored any place in particular.
[ homura climbs out of the lake, because there's nothing to be gained from sitting in the water. if she catches dave's displeasure with her bomb stunt, then she doesn't show it. instead, she wobbles on shaky legs and puts an arm on the closest rock. she's dripping wet in her magical girl get-up for all of two seconds before, with a surprisingly dramatic hair flip, she's bone dry. ]
Yes. This is unnecessary.
[ it's said in such a way that it's easy to see she agrees with him. ]
Go back to the base. I'll handle them. [ remember the desert eagle? the james bond gun is making another appearance. homura makes sure it's got a round in it, and then stands straight. ]
[ homura's body tenses. she doesn't like that answer, and it's apparent. ]
Protecting ourselves against them is different.
[ this is a nuisance, now. she doesn't like it. maybe she's just mad because her head hurts - but between wasting a bomb (they don't grow on trees, where is she gonna get what she needs for another now), knowing dave's been feeling this since they got out, and feeling that, yes, these things are likely hostile, she's not really for a non-murdery option. ]
How do you feel?
[ she means in general but she sure doesn't specify!! ]
I'll live. [ he waves a hand, even though he. definitely is going to go just lie down and pretend to be dead for a bit after this lmao... ] At least I know what was causin' it, now. It's better than thinkin' I was worked up about unrelated shit or just. Going insane?
[ now he knows he is literally just feeling his own aspect get fucked around with by amateurs. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ they are both stupid. ]
Besides - if they're usin' that shit to get around, what if it takes one of us to the source of this idiocy? Better both than one of us alone.
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replaces the handgun with an fn minimi because light machine guns are apparently how she wants to show she's the baddest dude on the block? ]
I'll be fine. You might be needed here. I am used to fighting alone... and I'm more capable than you realize.
[ this is dumb?? ]
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I'm not sayin' you're not capable. I'm sayin' I am not goin' to let a friend go through that portal alone. Capable or used to it or not.
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her response is sinking shoulders, pursed lips and knitted brows. it's clear something's bothering her, but who knows what it is, clearly. not twelve years of trying to save people, no way. ]
Stay close.
[ because like, yes, she can power through a high rise tower being launched into her, but that doesn't mean bones don't break or shatter under the pressure. homura can feel the distant thrum of a headache. if she has to go forward alone, then she will, but it doesn't mean she doesn't know the possibility of danger still looms.
for now, though, she brushes away from dave. the portal's waiting. ]
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[ he won't ask what's bothering her right now, when they have something to deal with, but maybe later. maybe not. homura never pushed him about what was wrong on their little time loop expedition in december. he can at least return the favor here; if she wants to talk, someday she'll talk.
if not, at least he's around to listen if she changes her mind ever.
when they go through, they may as well show up far away at the lost river because why the hell not?
per mods: "Going through the portals is quite a trip. Aside from time feeling wonky as all hell and probably very irritating in that sense, it leaves the traveler heavily disorientated for a few minutes after. Nothing life threatening but not fun, especially when you don't know if you're about to be dropped near a Reaper Leviathan or some other creature." ]
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homura's head aches and it's making her vision blur, but she knows her back hit something hard. her first order of business is to pat the ground next to her to try and find dave. if she's successful, she'll grip his shirt with a vice to try and find some sort of sense of person - it's easier to come back to earth after what feels like a long weekend in vegas if she's using something as a means to motivate herself. ]
...You've felt this for how long? [ it's about all she can choke out before she sits up.
the lost river is a familiar sight, even if her vision's only starting to sharpen. homura picks up the machine gun, and the drum's not attached - it must have fallen off when they landed. ]
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the warpers have been using portals that twist his aspect for the better part of a day and a half or so. every time they do it gives him a lowkey version of the sick disorientation, the vehement feeling that someone is messing with his shit, and a headache a mile wide. it has not particularly made him easy to deal with in certain situations.
it's actually worse going through one of the portals and dave instantly regrets every decision he made that led him to this point. he deals with the disorientation and nausea a little better than homura - he's at least kneeling as soon as he's through, breathing measured as he grips his sort and tries to reorient his vision. he doesn't complain when she grips his shirt, though, just steadies her elbow so she can try to regain balance. ]
Started up when they showed up and started doin' this shit.
[ he sounds disgusted and annoyed, but it is most definitely at the creatures - who are nowhere to be found. the portal is gone, too. his iron grip on time had been lost in the transition, and they're in realtime again, the freeze gone. ]
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They won't be doing it for much longer.
[ tick tock tick tock and homura is taking sure strides toward the machine gun's drum, which is put in place easily. for someone who works on a time limit, she sure doesn't seem to care for it. ]
It might be a diversion. Stay sharp.
[ the gun is replaced, sucked back into the shield. with that hand free, homura holds her palm out and a purple faberge egg is glowing; she wants to follow where it feels magic but homura is pretty positive this won't do anything judging by how there's no pull. still, it stays out as she stalks off, away from him and deeper into the Lost River, heels clicking on stone. ]
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No worries. I'm never off my game.
[ lies
but he is actually an excellent person to have around in a combat situation, so. ]
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that would be embarrassing, and she is cool. elegant. reliable.
...anyway.
their target is tucked away in a corner, but it's easily found by the hum of a headache that won't quit. this time, homura feels it as soon as she sets eyes on the portal and the gem's gone, disappeared to who knows where, as it's replaced with a m-26 grenade.
no she does not talk this entire time because again she is cool. she does, however, take quick, long strides to the portal, and turns to dave. ]
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Second time's the charm?
[ to find the source. ]
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the portal is still a whirlwind of wooziness and headaches and it's pretty much reflex that makes her rip the grenade away from her body. it's tossed high into the blue sky with a grunt and then she hears the splash before she's underwater so maybe dave hit before her? she's probably lighter by virtue of being a lot shorter? homura doesn't know. her head hurts and the rush of cold water that smacks at her back and then wraps around her isn't helping that.
the explosion goes off. time's not stopped - there is no ticking of a clock, and floater island is bright as it should be.
thankfully, neither of them will go deaf today. ]
Where are you?
[ it's telepathy, of course. the "lake" isn't deep but she's pretty sure they were just hurled into it mid-air, so hopefully he either landed near by or somewhere a lot less likely to bruise later. maybe. ]
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the second is that maybe they should stop going through portals? the alien thing doesn't seem to be around, though maybe. homura's bomb exploded it. either way, they're just in another random place. floater island? shit, they're going to have a bit to travel back to base, but it's not as bad as it could be. ]
Here. I'm beginnin' to think they don't have any of these portals anchored any place in particular.
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Yes. This is unnecessary.
[ it's said in such a way that it's easy to see she agrees with him. ]
Go back to the base. I'll handle them. [ remember the desert eagle? the james bond gun is making another appearance. homura makes sure it's got a round in it, and then stands straight. ]
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[ he is just. following her. dave doesn't magically dry but doesn't seem bothered by the wet, so. ]
We should ask Rose if she sees a way to settle this sans murder.
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Protecting ourselves against them is different.
[ this is a nuisance, now. she doesn't like it. maybe she's just mad because her head hurts - but between wasting a bomb (they don't grow on trees, where is she gonna get what she needs for another now), knowing dave's been feeling this since they got out, and feeling that, yes, these things are likely hostile, she's not really for a non-murdery option. ]
How do you feel?
[ she means in general but she sure doesn't specify!! ]
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[ now he knows he is literally just feeling his own aspect get fucked around with by amateurs. ]
And we're not protectin' ourselves yet.
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Do you think you're going insane?
[ she'll touch on protecting themselves, soon. ]
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[ KIND OF. ]
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It being the headaches.
[ is she patronizing him or just trying to make sure he knows that doesn't sound entirely right... unanswered questions... ]
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[ HIS ASPECT BEING MESSED WITH ]