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Post by Zuyuri on Jan 25, 2019 4:06:36 GMT
Shadow turned over, getting out every little bit of black fog in his mind. The last thing he remembered was that final strike to Disparion. He had blacked out after seeing the blue sky. And now...he was in a hospital bed. He looked at his fur. Back to red and black. The sun power or whatever the professor said was in him now was off, but he could still feel its heat in his system. He sat up, feeling his bones popping back into place. He was stiff from the cliffside, and he was in desperate need to get himself washed up Strange matter was on him, and he didn't like it.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 26, 2019 19:33:56 GMT
The whole ending to the apocalypse almost seemed abrupt. Yang had been taking out monsters for several hours and had finally returned to her place to recuperate before setting out again. Then, she'd seen something on her TV, the same thing that everyone else saw throughout the city: Professor Gerald, and little Maria. The whole world had seemed to shake, and Yang wondered for a moment if the end had finally come. But almost as quickly as it had started, it suddenly ended with the blue sky finally being visible. The news that the end of the world was finally over had spread quickly, and when people weren't too busy gawking at the blue sky, they were busy cleaning up the city. That was what Yang had been on her way to do when she'd gotten a text, saying that Shadow had been found. After that, cleaning up the city had taken a backseat and she'd driven her motorcycle at almost breakneck speed to the hospital. No doubt others were on their way to see Shadow, but Yang didn't care about that right now. He was alive, and she felt happy and mad and relieved all at the same time. Doctors and nurses took one look at her and practically leaped out of the way as she headed up the stairs and down the hallway. When she found Shadow's room, she didn't even say anything as she threw the door open. And when she finally laid eyes on him, she couldn't say anything even if she wanted to. Shadow looked like he had gone through Hell, literally. And she didn't know whether to hug him or yell at him. So far, the only reaction she had was having tears fill her eyes.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 27, 2019 2:19:39 GMT
Apparently Yang didn't need to say anything for in the next moment the doors opened once more so violently they dented upon contact with the wall. Another figure stood on the threshold, this one so large he nearly knocked Yang over by accident as he stepped into the room, panting hard from running practically all the way to the hospital upon hearing the news.
"Shadow..."
In that moment, it was all Ralph could even say as he looked down at the form of his former partner and close friend. He didn't even seem to realize he wasn't the only person in the room. His brown gaze never moved away from the homunculus, almost as if he were afraid this was a mirage that would disappear if he so much as glanced away.
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Post by Zuyuri on Jan 27, 2019 4:07:33 GMT
The doors were suddenly burst open, making Shadow wince. No, no, the last thing he needed was to be carted out. He needed silence to absorb that all of this wasn't a dream. Yet the figure in the door wasn't a demon or any monster. Instead, it was Yang. One of the last few people he had fought so hard to protect was here. He looked at her in silence. She looked ready to cry, and Shadow had no energy to just get out of the bed and hug her. The most he could do was lift up a hand and raise a hand, saying,
"Hey."
It hurt even to talk. How long had been knocked out? He looked over to the table, noticing a small bundle of sunflowers nearby. Well, he didn't need to ask twice wh left those. It wouldn't be Sunshine's last visit. But someone else was rushing in, bursting the door open again. The Giant was practically swallowed by the door frame, and just seeing the big tough guy look concerned ushered a silent laugh.
"You can say I look awful, Ralph. I know I do."
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 27, 2019 15:09:11 GMT
In any other situation, Yang might have been more concerned about being so emotional in front of Ralph, someone she didn't know entirely well. But Shadow's little "Hey" made the frustration that had been building inside her for so long finally come out. "Hey? Hey? That's all you can say?" she asked. "What were you thinking? You disappear with hardly a word and no one knows where you are and then you're found nearly dead! Do you have any idea how worried I was? Do you know how scared I was that you were...that you might be..." She wiped her eyes, too upset to even finish her sentence. She'd just been so afraid that Shadow would end up dead like her parents. Even now, she felt like she'd failed him, that he was just another person that she'd shown up too late to help. "You can't...you can't do that anymore, alright?" she said, her voice trembling. "Don't just vanish like that. You don't have to do things alone anymore. Just...let us help you. Okay?"
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 28, 2019 3:50:25 GMT
For a moment Ralph looked like he might just punch Shadow in the face, he was so angry at the homunculus. However, Yang's sudden outburst cut across the Giant before he could act on the impulse and perhaps it was just as well. Even if Ralph didn't know how to put his feelings into words, the young woman shouting at Shadow seemed to say everything that he felt perfectly.
Ralph didn't bother trying to speak until Yang had said her part and lapsed into a very tense silence. And what could he say in the wake of her own outburst? Only one thing, it seemed like.
"She's right, Shadow. So just... just stop running from your family."
His voice was steady enjoy as he spoke, even contained the smallest hint of reproach. However, he had to raise one massive hand to brush lightly at his face. And there was no point in pretending the wetness beneath his eyes wasn't there.
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Post by Zuyuri on Jan 28, 2019 5:48:17 GMT
“I’m sorry...”
Shadow said the words so quietly that he didn’t think that they could hear him over their shared anger. He had no excuses to give. They were right. He had run away from them and shut them out; again. He didn’t even tell them what they were going up against. He knew everyone was smart and brave and could hold their own, he dudn’t expect it to be so much. At least, not ones he knew were the truth.
“Disparion threatened to kill you both if I didn’t follow through on the professor’s deal. I wanted to tell you, but I knew he’d hurt anyone I cared about if I even uttered a syllable. You all were so much stronger than I was. I...” he couldn’t even look at them.
“I don’t even know what I did to earn this. I should have told you the truth...I’m sorry.”
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 29, 2019 0:34:39 GMT
Ralph seemed to echo the same sentiment. Neither he or Yang cared about what they were up against, as long as Shadow didn't run away anymore. Yang didn't want to feel abandoned again. But she knew why he had to do it, and he even said as much. Disparion had threatened to harm everyone Shadow loved. He had good intentions by keeping them in the dark. He loved them enough to want to protect them. And in all honesty, that was what Yang wanted too: to keep her loved ones safe. She wanted to do better next time. If anyone she loved was in trouble or hurt, she wanted to be there for them when they needed her, not after. With all her frustrated feelings vented out, she went over and gave Shadow a hug, trying not to squeeze him too hard. "I'm glad you're back," she said softly.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 29, 2019 7:28:43 GMT
Ralph merely stayed quiet as Shadow apologized. He didn't utter another word as Yang went over to sit on the side of his bed and unfold him in a hug. However, he did walk to the bedside opposite Yang, using great care to not knock over any of the medical equipment hooked up to Shadow.
He didn't speak as he stood there but instead reached out and put a massive hand lightly on Shadow's shoulder, giving it a firm but gentle squeeze. That touch alone seemed to communicate all the things that the Giant couldn't expression in that instant. It was enough.
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Post by Zuyuri on Jan 29, 2019 18:48:18 GMT
Out of nowhere, Shadow was pulled plush against Yang. He stayed in one spot before, despite the restraints, he held her to return the sentiment. This time it was no illusion. It wasn’t a weird trick of the shadows making her appear like she was there. He was hugging her, and even feeling the large comforting hand of Ralph. “Purgatory sucked. There was nothing there. Literally.”
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 29, 2019 21:44:16 GMT
Yang finally felt calmer since first hearing that Shadow had been found. And it looked like Ralph felt the same. Both of them had been worried sick, but now they felt better that Shadow was here, alive and well. He made an off-hand comment about purgatory, and while it might have been an attempt to lighten the mood, Yang knew that it was probably rough to get through. "I can't even imagine," she said as she scooted back. "You're probably one of the few people who's actually gone to purgatory and back." She paused for a moment before turning to Ralph and saying "Unless you know anyone who's done it."
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Feb 1, 2019 11:16:53 GMT
Ralph merely shook his head at Yang's question. He had been witness to plenty of horrible, wondrous and downright bizarre things in his time as a BPD officer and a private investigator, but this went far beyond anything he'd ever heard of, let alone experienced.
"Before all this happened, I wouldn't have even said I believed in a place like that. Now, well.... guess I know better."
The Giant looked down from his great height at Shadow, debating on whether he should even ask about what his friend had experienced. It was all so fresh and raw that there was no way to tell how he might respond to even a simple question about what had happened since he had disappeared. However, after a few moments of silent deliberation, he finally did ask what he thought of as perhaps the easiest question he had.
"So there really was absolutely nothing there? At all?"
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Post by Zuyuri on Feb 6, 2019 2:55:26 GMT
Shadow shook his head.
"Nothing. It was like...being half asleep, or drinking too much. I could hear things, but I couldn't see them..."
It was the only way he could describe 'purgatory' to them. It was a peaceful part of the inferno. The calm before the storm. He wasn't sure if Dante portrayed it accurately. Yes, he had been forced to read the divine comedy and it had bored him to tears. Maybe that was what sucked the most. Being trapped someplace and having no way to help people while also fighting crippling boredom.
"I only got pulled out by Maria."
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Feb 7, 2019 0:56:34 GMT
So, as far as Yang and Ralph knew, Shadow was the only one to actually come back from purgatory. Yeesh. And from the way Shadow described it, it wasn't fun. Yang couldn't imagine being surrounded by nothing. She'd go stir crazy pretty quickly. And Shadow had had to deal with it for a long time. It was probably a miracle that he was still sane. However, he mentioned Maria, and Yang looked up. "Maria? Like...the Maria?" she asked, just be sure. Shadow had finally seen her again after all these years? She wondered what it was like.
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Post by Zuyuri on Feb 12, 2019 2:58:33 GMT
"Yeah...kind of. The best way to describe it is her...spirit, I guess. She was...happy. Happier than I ever saw her when she was alive. It was like talking to her, catching up with her like I was just taking a walk. It's bittersweet, knowing I can't do that again. She's moved on, so she won't be haunting any places any time soon." Funny how after one trip to the underworld, he felt like an expert on death. Did that mean he'd volunteer to hop in to officially solve murder cases? Heck no. Shadow didn't even think with all the powers, he had the ability. Besides, he had no intentions on visiting Maria except at her grave.
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