expiationlogs | [CLOSED] green gardens are not what's growing in my psyche

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[CLOSED] green gardens are not what's growing in my psyche

Who: Morph and Douman
Where: The X-Mansion
What: When Morph's sentencing-induced paranoia causes them to lash out, it's a little like the first time they met Nurarihyon, which is to say it's not romantic in the slightest.
Warnings: Violence, a sprinkle of sadism

[Morph has been increasingly scarce lately, to the point that they were practically haunting the mansion, taking such pains to avoid the other residents that they've been using small animal forms to scamper through the halls and keep away from the others. They stopped going to work, and finding them out and about in town has become nearly impossible. While they're still a little active on the network, it's not much, and what they've been posting is far from their usual cheer.

The feeling that something was wrong had just kept growing. Now Morph was sure the other Chosen were staring at them every time they showed their real face in public, but worse than that, they were absolutely positive that their friends knew the truth and were only biding time for the right moment to strike. Morph was no longer entirely sure if they were the real Morph anymore, but over time it had become obvious that their friends didn't think so. At this point, it was a matter of survival.

It's a white mouse that scampers down the hall to Morph's room, looking around to make sure they were alone before they grew, shifting back to their humanoid form to turn the knob and step inside. There were a lot of places to hide in the mansion, but leaving had been on their mind the last few days. It would be safer to take off one night and hide somewhere that no one could find them. Morph had a few too many powerful friends to feel entirely comfortable that all of them knew where they lived, or even lived in the same building. How could they have been so stupid in the first place?]

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[The room that greets them seems as empty as they had left it behind. And yet it isn't. Douman has made himself comfortable on their bed, wearing nothing but socks and a dark kimono and holding a bottle of fine alcohol. Their disappearance hadn't stayed as unnoticed as they might've thought, considering that even the Nurarihyon had picked up on it slowly when their usual hounding of him had stopped. At first he had thought that they had just finally gotten the hint and retreated into an embarrassed sulk, but when he had overheard one of their co-workers mentioning that they hadn't come to work for a few days already he had started to suspect that there might be more to it after all. Seeing their weird posts on the last AI-mandated network 'mingle' ~~thankfully he'd managed to switch his own phone off in time~~ had reinforced his decision to check up on them. Not very smart considering that he's trying to get some distance in their relationship, but it's what he feels he owes a friend. And whether he'd asked for it or not, a friend they'd been.

So he shifts just enough to make his presence known and speaks up.]

Hey.

[Now there was a sight that Morph should've been happy to see. Nura lounging in their bed, with a bottle he might reluctantly share? That was practically a dream come true after they spent most of last month unsuccessfully trying to corner him with the missile toads.

Instead, Morph stops just past the doorway, going shock-still for a moment before they plaster on a smile. The quip comes easily, even if their expression is a touch too strained to look quite natural.]

We gotta stop meeting like this, Nura. People will talk.

[This was bad. Nurarihyon was one of those powerful friends that Morph had been worried about - and he was possibly the worst of all of them. They had trained with Rogue in the Danger Room often enough to know how to counter her, but they still hadn't figured out how to deal with Nura. It was hard to avoid someone that could just ghost their way into your house.]

[Yeah. He doesn't like that smile at all. Douman has spent far too many years as a teacher and then the boss of teachers to not to know when somebody's lying to him. At least when it got them scrambling.]

Is that so? I thought that's what you wanted, Morph.

[The tone of his voice makes his frown behind the mask obvious. The youkai reaches to his side and holds up the box of expensive sweets that Morph got him.]

I came to say thanks for your Christmas present, but it looks like there's more urgent business. You've been missing work and not acting like yourself on the Network. What's up?

Well, lounging sexy on my bed is a great way to say thanks...

[There's not as much enthusiasm even behind their teasing, though. Morph had always been comfortable around him before; but now they felt a little like they had just opened the door to a tiger, one that would shred them at the first opportunity.

The cold trickle of fear that slid down their spine when Nura called them out was proof enough that they had fucked up. They must've let on that they knew too much about the plot against them...]

You were looking for me at work?... Maybe I'm just getting tired of it. Watching everyone else drink isn't very fun. Who cares if I ditch it for a while? And what am I supposed to be acting like, huh?

Edited 2025-01-06 00:52 (UTC)

[The 'sexy' comment is rewarded with a scoff and a stretch that shows off a flash of a pale calf. Douman wants a better pose from which to spring into action.]

No, not particularly. But you know that I like a drink from time to time, and hiding where you would the least search for me seemed logical. I just overheard your colleagues worry about you.

[There is a long silence as he lets those words ring out. Then, Douman gets up with a sigh. His voice is disappointed but not surprised when he slowly walks up to Morph. The rustle of silk from his clothes builds a sharp contrast to the disturbingly muted quality of the sound of his footsteps.]

You're scared of me.

[It's an observation, not a question. Douman has seen that expression before. The look people give him when they "suddenly" realize that he really is who those stories have talked about all the time. When they wonder when he is going to strike out at them, not if.]

I must say, this is coming a lot sooner than I expected. Your little show of "stubborn conviction" was really quite something. While it lasted. ...... I take it you got bored of it?

[When Nurarihyon says it out loud, Morph freezes.

There's a part of them that wants to deny it, but knowing - or thinking they know - the real reason he's here is starting to make them panic. It's like the closer he gets, the harder it is for Morph to think straight, and not for any fun reasons. They are afraid, and that fear is clawing its way up their throat, nearly choking them.]

That's not - I - Don't act like I don't know why you're here!

[They take a step backwards, just out of the doorway, holding an arm up against their chest in a defensive posture.]

Did they send you, or did you decide to take matters into your own hands?!

Edited 2025-01-08 04:24 (UTC)

? Of course you do, I just told you. What- They? Who are you talking about?

[He is still upset, but that sudden accusation comes so unexpected that it throws Douman's anger right off-track. His upset gets shoved off to the side to simmer as he blinks and looks Morph up and down. Does this mean that somebody is after the mutant?]

Is somebody threatening you?

[The sudden concern does briefly throw Morph off guard, before they remind themself that it must be a trick. Either Nura didn't know what they knew, or he was trying to lure them into a false sense of security. Maybe he even thought it would be more merciful this way.

Too bad. Morph had no intention of sitting quietly and waiting to die.]

The team! Do me a favor and stop playing dumb! I know what you're all thinking, but you're wrong, okay?! I'm still me!

[They're starting to sound increasingly desperate. The tiny little hope that they could convince Nura is there, but it's nearly drowned out by panic.]

Yeah? Who else would you be?

[The way the mask and Douman's head behind it tilt is reminiscent of a confused cat.]

Is somebody confusing your physical shapeshifting powers with your actual mind, or something?

You know! We all had doubles of ourselves running around not long ago!

[The more questions he asked, the less Morph could believe he was sincere. Their panic was only getting worse and worse, a hopeless anger welling up inside of them. They wanted to run, but more than that, they wanted to make Nura stop playing this stupid game.]

Stop fucking with me, Nura!

[In seconds, their right hand shifts - and it's just the hand and forearm this time, into the blue glove of Wolverine's costume, including a trio of dangerously sharp claws that stick out of the back of their hand. Morph swipes those claws at him, stumbling backwards almost immediately after, out into the hallway where they had the space to run.]

Yeah... [and?] That one's done and over for a while now.

[Do they want to blame him for that one? Can't be. One, there's already somebody who took responsibility for it publicly, and two, they should know Douman's style and skillset better than that by now. If he had been behind it, he wouldn't have bothered with all the inefficient children's games and just shot to (proverbially) kill from the get-go.

Which means that Morph's just being crazy. Great. He is just about to complain about them giving him a headache when he sees something glint and claws tear through his skull.]

Whoa!

[His youkai ability saves him before Wolverine's claws can do more than to scratch the first layer of golden veneer of his mask, but the unexpected attack still has him stumble back as he's forced to reassess the situation. Quickly.]

Morph! What the Hell!?

[They don't stop to wait and see what the result was of their swing; Morph had felt the lack of resistance and knew that Nurarihyon's powers had kicked in. That didn't change how good it had felt to lash out at him, something that scared them as much as it thrilled them.

Morph needed to leave. They already knew that they couldn't win in a fight against Nura, and made fleeing their only option.

They shift quickly, taking the form of an animal this time, a lean cheetah. Only seconds later they take off running down the hallway - but not towards the stairs. It was a move that would otherwise leave them cornered in the study hall at the end of the wing, but there were windows aplenty there, and being a couple of stories up didn't matter to a shapeshifter.]

Tch! That idiot... Running? From me? Seriously??

[His fist curls tightly as he sinks into the ground, homing on in the pitter-pattering of clawed paws and the already familiar sense of Morph's spirit presence. It's a concept that'd be hard to explain to a human, but most youkai understood it even before they could properly walk. It's like a whiff of a person's soul, mixed with all the things they do and are and surround themselves with, as well as their current emotions and with their residual inherent magic as a cherry on top. You felt it like you could sometimes just smell that it is winter in the air. It had been one of the new senses that had initially nearly overwhelmed Douman after he'd become a youkai, even when he hadn't been completely 'deaf' to it before. It's just like taking a gut feeling and ramping it up to a scent hound's excellent sense of smell.

So trying to run from him is really stupid. His head and shoulders raise out of a pool of whirling pitch-black just before Morph can get close enough to the windows with a small noise of nurari.]

Do you think I'm going to let you just get away with that, brat? Run all you want, your fear's reeking all over the place.

[Oh shit.

Cheetah-Morph skids to a stop only a few feet away, ducking their head down below their shoulders, giving a low throaty growl and baring sharp teeth.

The urge to fight or run was overwhelming, so much so that doing both was an easy decision to make. They go tense one second and then spring at Nura the next, their claws extended - aiming to go either through him or perhaps over him, if he hasn't fully emerged from the floor yet. They knew from experience now that they could force Nura's powers to activate, so his physical presence wasn't a real barrier to their escape.]

Bad idea.

[Douman bobs back 'underwater' like a diver, only to reappear and grab one of the cheetah's back legs' ankles tightly before they can even land properly. Then he starts sinking again and thugs, dragging the mutant back and toward the pool of his black powers.]

You can run all you want, but I'm just going to drag you back again.

Mrrrow?!

[When Morph gets yanked backwards, they dig their claws into the carpet, leaving long scratches behind. Despite being in the form of a big cat, they only weighed as much as a child or perhaps a skinny teenager right now, so despite the frantic clawing it's not that difficult to haul them backwards.

They didn't have a clue what that portal would do, and unwilling to find out, kicking backwards with their other leg in what amounted to futile flailing. It's only now that Morph shifts back to their normal form, shouting back at him,]

If you're going to kill me, then just do it!

[Apparently somebody doesn't know that the Cheetahs claws are worth shit outside from being used as spikes. Douman's lips curl into a sadistic smirk behind his mask as he enjoys the taste of victory for a moment. A normal person shouldn't take pleasure in the fact that they are causing so much terror in another person who knows them, but he does. He isn't even a youkai that feasts on fear. The feeling of utterly dominating another just scratches a deep-seated itch in Douman's soul. It's one he usually tries hard to keep hidden and tempered, but that makes the few times he gets to let loose just all the sweeter.

And Morph deserves it.

The mutant hurt his feelings for a split second that he will later deny, but more than that they were keeping secrets and trying to run away from him after goddamn trying to fatally maul his face! Each single one of those are offense enough to get a good trashing from the Principal.]

Kill you? Don't make me laugh. I am merely going to teach you a lesson for trying to hurt me. Fair's fair, after all. You got your hit in, so it's my turn now, no?

[Another ruthless tug. Douman might be lanky, but he is also tall and right now all he needs to do is to let himself fall with all his weight into the portal that Divine Step creates while not losing his grip.]

And after that we are going to have a nice long talk~

[If it weren't for their current mental state, Morph might've gotten something out of this scuffle as well, but their usual enjoyment of a fight was completely drowned by their fear. There was no way they could take Nura at his word - no, it was more likely that the youkai would torture them first and kill them later - so Morph continues to struggle, but in a humanoid form like this they're even less capable of staying put.]

No, NO! Don't do this, Nura!

[It's with a panicked shout that Morph is pulled through the black pool ... and they fall through to the other side, landing on the floor of their room. It's not the hardest fall they've ever taken, not by a long shot, but they hadn't been prepared for it. Momentarily a little dazed, they push themself up only halfway, casting a wide-eyed look over at Nurarihyon.]

[They barely get to push themselves halfway up before Douman parks his skinny ass on their back with the intention to keep them down. He grabs them by the back of their collar like a scruff and gives them a light shake.]

Now. Speak.

[A small shake as he adjusts his weight to make sure that they'll still be able to breathe even with him on their back.]

What happened to make you think something as ridiculous as that I'd kill you?

[Nura's weight on their back forces them back down against the floor, and though Morph could've easily disloged him if they shifted to another form, the risk of angering him more is what makes them stay put. Knowing now how tough it was to run from him was extra incentive; Morph is well aware that Nura has magic up his sleeve that he hadn't even used yet.

Still, the question makes them pause. Morph has to think about that one, because nothing really did happen during the holidays. No single clue had tipped them off; they had just become more and more sure that their friends were up to something. But if it wasn't the doppelgangers, the only other thing was...]

I broke a window. Quentin and I broke some windows because Kurt was turning into a statue and we had to make him turn us in for a crime to stop it from happening.

[Morph sucks in a breath, squeezing their eyes shut. They hadn't stopped to think about it, mostly because their immediate decision had been to ignore what they were told, but now...]

I had a dream and that guy, I think Jerry? Said that I was guilty of vandalism, and if I didn't turn in someone for my crime, there'd be consequences. I'm not doing it. I don't care what he makes you all think, that punishment would've killed Kurt.

[~~Poor Morph is literally that dog being scared of moving because of a kitten on top of him.~~ No more struggling? Good. Douman breathes a silent sigh of relief in his mind, grateful that he won't have to keep reminding himself not to hit the mutant too much. Seriously, all the people in this place and back home are far too relaxed. They just count on the fact that Douman would never hurt them for real and do whatever they want- Hm?]

You broke a window? That's hardly- [but they keep talking and a picture is slowly taking shape] So this is all about this crime and sentencing nonsense? Ugh, I should have known that that'd become relevant again sooner or later.

[He thinks for a moment, the front of his boot tapping a quick, dissatisfied rhythm dangerously close to one of Morph's hands. They better keep obediently holding still or they'll have a heel on that hand really fast.]

I don't see why you idiots couldn't just let him die and come back like everybody else, but whatever. I got it. Contact them.

[~~Look, those kitten claws are sharp, okay?~~ As it is now, Morph is definitely tense, but they're too frightened to squirm very much. And since they don't have to worry about things like bruises or parts of their body falling asleep while they're in this form - they didn't have real blood vessels to speak of, or blood for that matter - the weight on their back is nothing they can't deal with. Nura's presence right now was a lot more uncomfortable than being sat on.]

No way. Kurt's a kid, and he's one of ours.

[Morph would've done the same for a human, sure, but it happening to one of their future teammates made it a lot more personal. They still felt that way now, even though if Kurt were in the room right now they would've likely tried to attack him, too. That they felt like the people they cared for the most had betrayed them made it pretty difficult for Morph to decide just what to do about it over the last couple of weeks.]

What? Contact who?

[Ugh. Yeah, him being a kid is a good argument, although it's also still one that'd Douman like to ignore. But he wouldn't let any of his kids have to live through the terror of dying, either. ~~Now the teachers-~~]

Still.

[That's all he says. No need to express how stupid Morph's and whatshisname's actions were, all good intentions be damned. All they did was to remove one victim out of the line of fire and stick two others in there instead.]

Jerry. They must have given you a way to contact them if they want you to turn somebody in. I want you to use that.

[Morph's reply is a touch hesitant,]

No, they didn't. I think we have to go to the courthouse.

[Presumably Jerry could be contacted over the network, but Morph had never tried it. They hadn't been entirely sure the guy was around anymore, not until he had popped up in Morph's sentencing dream. And now...]

Nura... you're not planning what I think you're planning?

Shut up. Your head's filled with nothing but goo anyway, so leave the thinking to an adult. Do you remember when I said that I'm looking out for those who I consider 'mine'? That also counts for the idiots.

[Especially for the idiots.]

[Morph just lies there for a moment, and then they really start squirming, trying to dislodge Nurarihyon without fully bucking him off.]

No, no way!

[Was it a lie? Another trap? Maybe, but they still didn't want it to happen! Even in the state Morph was in now, the idea of Nura walking headfirst into that lion's den makes their stomach tie itself up in knots. Whatever the youkai was planning against them, they still didn't want Nura to even pretend to turn himself in.]

You don't know what they'll do to you! After they nearly killed Kurt?!

[They get a brief noise of complaint for their efforts before his weight vanishes. Douman doesn't need any magic tricks as he beelines for the door.]

You're misunderstanding one thing. It's not "you don't know what they'll do to you."

It's "they don't know that I'll happen to them."

[Morph scrambles to get back up on their feet, and by the time they do Nurarihyon is already at the door. Their first instinct is to run after him, but a fresh wave of doubt roots them in their tracks. The idea that this could be another trick is hard to keep out of their mind; surely he wasn't really going to risk that? Between Morph knowingly being a pain in the ass lately, and that whole idea that they might not be the real Morph...

It was confusing, and a lot to process right now. This just didn't match every theory they had developed over the last month, everything they'd been so certain of.]

Nura... whatever you do, be careful.

[He slips his mask to the side and waves the warning off, flashing Morph a rare almost-glance of his face. Yeah, yeah, he's going to be careful while confronting a big unknown with yet to be revealed agenda and powers. Of course. Truth be told Douman doesn't have any clue what he is about to get himself into at all. But this is a 'big bad' that needs to be confronted sooner or later anyway, so he might as well make the best of it and combine the necessary with the useful. Getting a versatile (if a little annoying) ally back into reliable working order is a pretty good fringe benefit to a gambler like him. Besides, with this Douman is going to enter the game with a very clear-cut accusation that's also not seriously-bad verdict worthy.

Those are much better chips than Jerry picking the time and place of their confrontation while also getting the freedom of interpreting Douman's own "crime" as he/they/it will.]

I'll count on you to get your head clear and find a way to bail me out if everything else fails.

[Whatever else Nura was doing behind Morph's back, whatever he was scheming, the fact that he was promising to fix whatever Jerry had done was... big. Morph just didn't know what his angle was. There had to be an angle, but even so, they couldn't tell what it was right now. Nura could've killed them on the spot, or started with torture first, and instead he was just... walking away? To help them?

Of course, he might just be leaving to tell the rest of the team, in which case Morph had better take advantage of the respite to start packing.]

Rescuing people is my job, [they pointed out, tone a little weak.] So how is it that you're the one that keeps rescuing me, huh? ... It might be nice to get to bail you out for a change.

Mattaku. That's an answer that I'd really like to know myself.

[Rescuing people hasn't been his job for over ten centuries by now, and even before Douman had never been particularly good at it. All he did was kick up dust, ruffle feathers and upset people. Even now he's just a self-serving jerk who's doing what he thinks needs to be done.]

After all I'm just a humble principal.

[And with that he's out of the door, his voice carrying through the empty hall like a promise in the autumn wind. The bottle and the chocolates Douman had brought are left still resting on Morph's bed.]

[That was the understatement of the century, wasn't it? Morph is rooted to the spot for a long moment, until they move back to the doorway, looking down the hall and of course no longer finding him there. A part of them was relieved that he was gone, but they weren't happy. Far from it. Instead, Morph was even more certain that this was going to end badly.

They firmly close the door, then move to the closet to grab a duffel bag to start throwing things inside. Morph intended to take just the essentials... but the goodies Nura left behind go into the bag, too. Maybe it was all poisoned, but that was something they could waffle over later, when they were in a safer location. As they rushed to pack, even the flurry of activity wasn't much of a distraction from their regret.]

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[CLOSED] green gardens are not what's growing in my psyche

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wrapping up :)