Ragna=the=Bloodedge (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rebellions) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
expiationnet2025-03-11 04:35 pm
rebellions) wrote in expiationnet2025-03-11 04:35 pm
004=audio; un: grimreaper666
M'kay, let's get this over with.
[ Despite the utter chaos that's engulfed Aldrip once again, Ragna's tone is closer to "Ah shit, here we go again" than genuine distress. ]
Those giant monster heads poking out around Aldrip? That thing's from my world. They call it "the Black Beast". Don't even think about mindlessly throwing yourself at it, unless you wanna end up as a snack. If you can't fight it, run. And even if you can, make sure you don't stay around it for too long. Trust me, seithr poisoning ain't pretty.
[ Surely they can't mess that up. The way it is now, the monstrosity is basically untouchable, so that should dissuade anyone from throwing themselves at it without a plan. Speaking of which─ ]
... I know a way to stop it... or, at the very least, slow it down. It's a bit different this time, so I dunno how much time I can give you. A week maybe? Either way, don't make me wait too long.
[ What does he mean by that, exactly? No time to elaborate! Instead, he swiftly moves on to the more important topic. ]
Any of you who can use magic? Now's your time to shine. That's gonna be super effective against it, so go all out. Don't think there's any causality weapons lying around here, but things with any kind of magical enhancement should do the trick, too. Forget your run-of-the-mill swords and guns unless you're completely outta options, those things ain't gonna leave a scratch on it; at best, maybe they can keep it occupied for a moment or two.
[ He makes a pause to let that sink in. He may not sound overly stressed, but it's clear he's serious about this and wants to get his point across. ]
... It seems stationary for now, but I'm not sure it'll stay that way, so chop chop. It's a small miracle it hasn't leveled the city yet, so let's take advantage of that.
[ That should about cover the most pressing things, right? Unfortunately, he has no way of knowing if things will work exactly the same way as they did back home, so the most he can give them is these general pointers and hope for the best. And make no mistake, he hates the idea of relying on others, but... that's the only way this time. Ragna lets out a small sigh, signing off as he starts preparing to head out. ]
If you've got any questions, ask them now or forever hold your peace.
[ Despite the utter chaos that's engulfed Aldrip once again, Ragna's tone is closer to "Ah shit, here we go again" than genuine distress. ]
Those giant monster heads poking out around Aldrip? That thing's from my world. They call it "the Black Beast". Don't even think about mindlessly throwing yourself at it, unless you wanna end up as a snack. If you can't fight it, run. And even if you can, make sure you don't stay around it for too long. Trust me, seithr poisoning ain't pretty.
[ Surely they can't mess that up. The way it is now, the monstrosity is basically untouchable, so that should dissuade anyone from throwing themselves at it without a plan. Speaking of which─ ]
... I know a way to stop it... or, at the very least, slow it down. It's a bit different this time, so I dunno how much time I can give you. A week maybe? Either way, don't make me wait too long.
[ What does he mean by that, exactly? No time to elaborate! Instead, he swiftly moves on to the more important topic. ]
Any of you who can use magic? Now's your time to shine. That's gonna be super effective against it, so go all out. Don't think there's any causality weapons lying around here, but things with any kind of magical enhancement should do the trick, too. Forget your run-of-the-mill swords and guns unless you're completely outta options, those things ain't gonna leave a scratch on it; at best, maybe they can keep it occupied for a moment or two.
[ He makes a pause to let that sink in. He may not sound overly stressed, but it's clear he's serious about this and wants to get his point across. ]
... It seems stationary for now, but I'm not sure it'll stay that way, so chop chop. It's a small miracle it hasn't leveled the city yet, so let's take advantage of that.
[ That should about cover the most pressing things, right? Unfortunately, he has no way of knowing if things will work exactly the same way as they did back home, so the most he can give them is these general pointers and hope for the best. And make no mistake, he hates the idea of relying on others, but... that's the only way this time. Ragna lets out a small sigh, signing off as he starts preparing to head out. ]
If you've got any questions, ask them now or forever hold your peace.
no subject
[ Her voice is so quiet - and filled with emotion on top of it. He's getting to hear her realization in real time here, practically speaking. ]
Ragna, that's exactly what my magic is like! It's meant to be something that goes against logic specifically!
no subject
[ He's only seen a little of what she can do, and given the different worlds and all that it may very well have been something completely unlike what he knows, but he did have a feeling it might be sorcery that she uses. ]
Looks like you're gonna be one of our most important assets in this fight. [ A beat. ] No pressure or anything.
no subject
I'll be there.
[ Apparently she doesn't seem to mind the pressure, huh.. ]
I'll need to arrange some things. [ Because even though her magic seems to be effective here for once, Ange knows that without backup she is going to just get killed out there before she can do all that much. And she knows where she has to go for backup. ] And--
[ She pauses.
It's like she suddenly realized something in the middle of thinking a million thoughts a moment. ]
Wait, what about you then? [ Apparently Ange's brain decided to pick this moment to shove the thought that something was off about Ragna's message back to the forefront of her mind.. ]
no subject
[ Normally, it would take a lot of effort for someone to get a straightforward expression of gratitude out of him, but he figures he might not get another chance to say it, so he only hesitates for a brief moment. Better get it off his chest while he still has the chance to. ]
What about me? Like I said, I'm gonna make sure you guys can attack it effectively.
[ Yeah, he's definitely avoiding the question while technically giving an answer. That's not the part Ange should be focusing on right now, anyway. ]
no subject
[ Don't think she can't tell that! Sure, it helps that she at least knows Ragna pretty well, and even knows some things about him.. but Ange is pretty sure even people who don't know Ragna would be able to tell that there's something weird going on here! ]
You said you could give us a week. That makes no sense. It's not like you're going to single-handedly fight it off for a week, so what are you going to do?
no subject
[ He comes off extremely smug and he knows it; in fact, there's even a hint of amusement in his voice? If only because that's more or less what he's planning to do, just... withholding the fact he wants to fight it from the inside. ]
no subject
Because you would have said so if you were! I know you!
[ At least enough to know this, Ange feels. ]
Don't you realize the fact you're not saying that is what makes this so worrying?
no subject
... Would knowing that really make you feel better?
[ The jokey, sarcastic tone he'd previously used to make light of the situation is now gone, and he seems at the very least to recognize how earnest the girl is. It won't change his mind on what needs to be done, but it's the least he can offer her. ]
no subject
[ Because she knows she wouldn't like the answer. Partially since Ragna sounds so serious about this. If he's dodgy and sounding less serious, then it's more likely he's trying to avoid embarrassment or not wanting to be open about his feelings. That's just what Ragna is like, and Ange knows it.
But it's not like that when he sounds so serious. He's hiding something for a different reason, and Ange knows it can't be good.
So-- really, the chance that it would make her feel worse is much more likely than the knowledge making her feel better.
Still.. ]
But I don't want to only know a lie. Not when you're involved.
no subject
... You know how to make these things private, don't you?
[ Listen. With how shit he is with technology, it's a small miracle he even manages to keep replying; you can't expect him to do more than that. But at least he seems willing to share more details with her, if not publicly? Honestly, he has no right to keep secrets considering the situation, but he thinks it would only make things worse if he came out and said it where everyone can see it. ]
private from here on!
Still-- Ange wants to know. So despite the fact that a sense of dread is forming in the pit of her stomach, she says: ]
Hold on.
[ There's a second where she has to do as much, but then the feed has definitely switched to private. ]
There. Now no one should be able to listen in on us, unless there's someone around you right now.
private
That thing... the Black Beast. It's me.
[ Well, there goes nothing. The cat's out of the bag now, though he's not sure if that's a good enough explanation. Or if it even makes sense. ]
Or, well, a part of me, rather. My arm, to be specific.
[ That... probably doesn't help, but he's not sure how else to put it. Maybe it's best to leave that and move on to his plan. ]
Like I said, I should be able to at least influence it... from the inside.
private
[ Ange is quiet. Thinking. And-- well, mostly just kind of surprised by this. She did figure there must be something big going on, with how weird and cagey Ragna was being about all of this. But even Ange didn't arrive at this specific conclusion of all things. ]
What do you mean?
[ It's not even that she's dumb, it's just-- this is a lot to process all of a sudden. ]
How come that thing is part of you if you're here talking to me right now?
private
A couple of months ago, I, uh... lost my arm.
[ He says that like he's admitting to have misplaced his keys, not a limb. Look, it could happen to anyone! ]
And now it's back. With a vengeance.
private
[ This is crazy even to Ange. And that's saying a lot, given that Ange's world features so many weird things. One can get used to goat butlers after a while, sure, but this is a whole new level of weird.
Especially when she didn't even know this about him. And she's known him for so long now! ]
Do you sometimes lose your limbs like you're some sort of regrowing salamander, and then they turn into monsters on their own?! [ If the situation wasn't so pressing, or if she didn't trust him so much, she would totally assume he was pulling the world's dumbest prank on her right now.
But alas. This seems legit. Which makes it all the worse. ]
private
[ It's "only" the third time he's lost an arm! And sadly, they never regrow. ]
Look, this is new to me too, okay? Usually, it's─ different.
[ Under normal circumstances, he'd simply turn into the Black Beast as a whole, leaving him with no way of warning the others or giving them pointers before the fight. So, when you think about it, this is actually an improvement. ]
Maybe it's for the best. Trust me, it could've been worse.
private
[ Bad news is not made better by knowing that this is apparently some regular thing for Ragna. Especially since Ange can kind of infer what he means by it usually being different. He's got to mean that usually he transforms in whatever that thing is entirely, right?
But-- why? What? Ange has so many questions, and being very worried in this moment sure isn't helping that. ]
How often have you turned into a monster?!
private
... I don't know. I don't remember each of them.
[ He replies slowly. He knows what he's about to say will only make things more confusing, and he doesn't think he has the time to explain it all in detail, but the least he can do is be honest for once in his life. ]
I guess it must've happened every time the world ended. So we could be talking hundreds, maybe thousands of times.
private
Most of what he's saying would make no sense in any normal context. Or to someone who hasn't had a very specific experience that makes this sort of thing make a whole lot more sense. But considering what Ange herself had encountered back home.. ]
Ragna, all this time you've been stuck in a time loop?! And you never told me?!
private
As for her question, well. When has he ever willingly disclosed any information about his past or himself? It really shouldn't be all that surprising that it's never come up before. ]
Er... 'Cause you never asked?
[ He's not wrong, there. ]