Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Bonecrusher

I suppose a bit more of a recap is in order before I go into current events.


Weeks ago, about five days after this post, I think.  When I was screaming on the blog about redemption or so,  I looked through my old email account I don't use too much, back when I was the big go-to guy.  Not that I could do much back then, of course, aside from give advice.  Back before my hands got dirty...

Anyway, I noticed that one of the three bloggers that was still asking me for help lived down near where I was.  Considering that Arkady wasn't going anywhere, since he was apparently stuck in some mindfuck labyrinth, I decided to pay this other gent a visit in....fuck...was it...Mobile, or Oklahoma City?  I can't fucking remember anymore.  All I know is that I had to walk into the city, because the car I was using ran out of gas, and I certainly couldn't pay 4 dollars a gallon for gas, being as broke as I am.  So, the swordsage hit the shoeleather express, with the sides split out of his sneakers.

Makes puddles interesting.

Anyway   Dean McMillan was his name, the tortured soul I went to visit.  I still have his email address, which is fortuitous, since I forgot his name until just a few minutes ago.  I recently responded to him that I would be in his neighborhood.

Dean, apparently, had read my current blog.  He told me that he moved, that he was better, that he was sane now.

In retrospect, not so good to let him know I was coming.  Yeah.

Anyway, google maps got me to his housing complex.  It's not as good as the Tablet for directions, but for a simple address, it worked well enough.  When I arrived that night, I saw the door was already kicked in.  Drawing my previously whole sword (thanks again for that, Robert), I investigated.

For someone as haunted as Dean, his house was drawing free, though I did see signs of arson, as well as a most likely emptied fire extinguisher, that laid on its side in the hallway.  I walked as soft as I could, pacing down the hallway.  A broken mirror hung on the wall beside me, the shattered pieces made a soft crack into the carpet as I continued past, towards what seemed to be labored breathing.

Within the master bedroom, a man, battered and bloodied, laid up against a wall.  The room was quite disturbed, and my now veteran experience in brawling told me that quite a scrap had taken place before I had shown.  

With his mouth hanging open, the man that I could only assume was Dean, panted as he looked over at me.  He held his arm close to his chest as he wordlessly watched me approach.  I felt that he should've been corrupted fully by now, judging by the frantic emails he sent me.  He showed all the signs.  Binary, possession, dreams.  Everything lined up properly with what I needed from him now.  And yet, he wasn't 'right', or rather 'wrong', I should say.


Things, obviously, were amiss.

Unknown>>> "That bone you wanted to collect ain't gonna do you much good, sugar. Guess you can't tell what you're looking for when it's been smashed up, huh?"

Me>>>  "Horseshit..."

Her again.  Rika.  That explains why she carries a hammer...she probably had this idea in her head probably the moment she set her sights on me

Me>>>  "....You again.  You brutalized this man...practically tortured him." 

I wanted nothing more right then, than to take her out.  Yet, I was...I was unable to take more than a step towards her.  My sword wavered, then fell to the side.  I growled in frustration, as I tried to understand what had happened to me just then.  I glanced back towards Dean.  Certainly I might've done as bad to him, in the name of hope, and in an act of mercy...This was a sick mockery.

Me>>>  "And you did it all, because why?  Because of me?"

Rika>>>  "Well that's kinda self centered of you. What makes you think you're that damned important? How do you know its not just a coincidence that we had the same target? After all, we're not that different in what we do."

Me>>>  "W...what?"  

My mind reeled for a moment, the thought that Rika had a list of targets as I did, and then pieces started to come together.

Me>>> "You're full of shit, Rika.  But I get it now, you're just antagonizing me." 

I stepped forward.  At least I could do that, if not fight her.

Me>>>  "You're doing all this to prove yourself to someone, aren't you?" 

I tried to convince myself to press on, to keep pushing her, get her to talk, nevermind the numbness.

She shrugged off my questioning, almost literally.  I could barely keep my eyes off of that sledge she was holding.

Rika>>>  "Sugar who do I have to prove myself too? Redlight? Eulogy? In the big picture they don't matter. Tall One's gonna eat us all in the end."

While her words were just as fluid and honeyed as her Southern accent allowed, I couldn't help but feel the grim thoughts behind it.

I gestured towards her with my one good hand, caught up in my assumptions.

Me>>>  "No, you're doing this for someone, or something.  You didn't accidentally pick your name, you didn't accidentally decide to stalk me.  You're constantly talking about how you're so much better than the Rika I used to know, and for what it's worth, your life seems devoted just to piss me off."

Again she laughed at me, brushing me off.

Rika>>>  " There's that arrogance again. You have met me twice, little boy.  Which doesn't come even close to counting as my life being devoted to you. I plenty of games that have nothing to do with you. Which reminds me, I've got places to go, people to smash, so I best be getting out of here."

Casually she swung her hammer over her shoulder and looked at me.  I was still in her path.

Rika>>> You mind?

I couldn't stop her.  I just couldn't bar her path.  My body refused to cooperate, as I screamed frustrated at myself to get up, and fight her...I stepped aside.

She strolled through as if she owned the place, then halfheartedly looked back at Dean, then to me.

Rika>>> "Come on Zero, crusader against monsters.  Make your choice.  He's obviously corrupted.  You said before that you don't enjoy taking lives, that you did it solely for your pet project.  Well...his arm's no good for you, shug.  Yet he's also just about proxied...so  justice or compassion...which is it?  Kill or spare?"

I hesitated as I looked at the man.  Dean grimaced as he looked up at me, sweat drenching his face as he tried to catch a breath to whimper.

Was I just a murderer?  I've always said, I still say, that with death comes a greater purpose.  So what could I do, could I self justify his death, if I chose to take it?

I closed my eyes.

I thought of those who had died.

I thought of Amelia, then made my choice.

And Rika laughed.

25 comments:

  1. Did you...did you kill him? I really don't know what to think if you did.

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  2. OK, Rika, if you're reading this, I officially take back everything I said about you. Masterfully executed. Five out of five stars.

    -STEWARD

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  3. "Was I just a murderer?"
    Yes. But that's common knowledge by now.

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  4. Zero is more than just a murderer.
    He is much more dangerous than that.
    For the sake mercy i hope you delivered a coup de grace.
    - Indrid

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  5. This is like the Lady and the Tiger, if the Lady was actually horrible death. So maybe just the Tiger.

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  6. Zero.

    You know better than to do anything a proxy manipulates you into doing. You KNOW better!

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  7. I'm totally shipping Zero and Rika now.

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  8. Don't let your religious bullshit sink you down yet another level, Zero. People still look up to you, despite how far you've fallen - EARN THAT.

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  9. And guess what, Mitch:
    PeOple that are askIng Zero for help are wiNding up dead. So yeah. Maybe faith might beabit hazArdous right now.

    Also, JuliaN or whoEver youare, it wasn't the "dYslexic" bit that botHered me. You want toseea seriAl kiLler, talk to OnePoundOfFlesh.

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  10. Steward- Why thank you sugar.

    Serenity- Oooh does that mean there's gonna be fanfiction?

    Zero- I was wondering when you were finally gonna tell your friends about our special evening together. Maybe we should schedule another?

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  11. Oh, there's definitely going to be a fanfic, at least a few chapters long! My M and Zeke fanfic fell through due to technical difficulties, but this one will not suffer the same fate!

    Zero/Rika 4evar.

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  12. I suppose I can understand the logic of giving someone suffering from someone like Rika a merciful death. Or you could have fought her, called an ambulance...really, you can slice it up however you want, your actions are a foul thing indeed. You can do better.

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  13. I wonder why you did not kill Rika.
    Surly you are filled with nothing but hate for her.
    She even chose that name to mock you.
    You are not adverse to killing proxies.
    Yet you let her live.
    Why?
    - Indrid

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  14. I don't think you are a murderer Zero. Like Amal, I refuse to give up on you. I refuse to think that you, just like any other person, is incapable of being saved.

    I don't care what you did.

    I don't care what you think.

    I know there's a chance.

    You just can't keep letting evil influence you. You're better than this. I know you are.

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  15. @Zed - If I knew that, I'd take steps to rectify that problem. God knows I would like her out of my hair.

    @Rebecca - I may be doing evil acts, but I do them for good purpose. To end this struggle. It's not the same thing as 'being evil', you know.

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  16. Aaaaaaand BAM! That's whyI want to kill you.

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  17. You know, Glass Man, your moral superiority complex certainly has done a lot of good for everyone lately.

    I love your baseless self confidence and posturing, your lifeless threats against myself, and tired 'bring it' buzzwords certainly have shown that you're a hollow little man.

    Tell you what.

    We wait to see if my plan works and if not, you can join the line of people who want me dead. Sound good?

    And you fucking wonder why I've called you an asshole...

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  18. I just think there are better ways. Yes, doing evil things doesn't make you evil. I don't think anyone in this situation is evil, except, well you know, HIM. But there are better ways. Don't ask me what they are, I have no idea.

    I just don't want to see you continue going down this path...

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  19. First ofall, yes. Iaman asShole. But the issUe is that back THEN you didn't KNOW Iwasan aSshole.

    Andmy threaTs might notbeso liFEless ifI knew exaCTly where you were. And maybe I've looseNEd up a litTle becaUSe Ino lonGer hold a baSEless persoNal grudge agaiNst you, soI'm apt tobe more joviAl.

    Also, waitiNg foryouto fiNIsh is kind of agaiNst what I'm tRying todo here, whicH is stop you from kilLing more peoPle in orDer to make a ruNner-bone caRPentry kit.

    So yeah, kind of an assHole.

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  20. The Glass Man is craving attention. That's all this boils down to. He can say what he wants, but like Zerosage said, he's just posturing. Kind of like a Rooster when it puffs it's feathers up.

    A swift kick and the rooster goes down.

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  21. Areyou ready to deliVer that kick? By all means.

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  22. Zero. Can we please ask a favor of you? Can you take Glass Man's bones for your God Smiting Weapon of Glorious Justice. Please. No one would miss him. Hell, I will send you all the bones you could ever NEED if you just silence the little bastard.

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  23. Dwelling on the past is a bad way to go about this. I wholeheartedly approve of going after your goals, but not if they get you killed.

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  24. I am immensely curious as to what course of action you took but I have a feeling you won't be very forthcoming about, if you'll excuse the reference, what you are in the dark.

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