reverielogs | spoilers: this is gonna end terribly

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spoilers: this is gonna end terribly

» WHO? Raleigh and Yancy (sort of) and OTA for main log, closed starters in comments
» WHEN? 9am on the 20th - 9am on the 21st (this lasts EXACTLY 24 hours only though you can tag in whenever)
» WHERE? deck 2 corridors, mess hall, gym, Raleigh's quarters
» WHAT? Raleigh got an action. For a limited time only, a big brother!!! But there are a few catches...
» WARNINGS? massive pacrim spoilers, potential for violence/injury, discussions of death via giant alien monster and severe ptsd, will update if more arises!

[ As much as he doesn't really want to admit it, Raleigh is settling into a bit of a routine. The room he shares with Mako is even starting to feel... like theirs. It's strange, considering Raleigh has lived in many places without ever settling at all, has rented apartments that might as well have just been hotel rooms for all he nested. But the station feels sort of. Not homey but maybe like Shatterdomes used to. They've got pictures on the walls and a sense of camaraderie with their fellow captives. Though he didn't expect it to be the case, Raleigh actually likes most people he's met here.

Mako headed off to poke at the command deck early that morning and Raleigh hit the gym as usual, planning to meet her for a late breakfast after. That's where he's going now, freshly showered and running his fingers through his damp hair as he gets off the elevator on the mess hall deck. It's starting to feel a little longer than he likes to keep it, but it's not like the station has a barber. He ponders maybe asking Mako to try and trim it for him, but is thrown from his thoughts as he turns a corner and spots a jumpsuited figure lying on the metal floor, unmoving, a communicator droning the usual arrival message beside them. Somebody new is about to wake up. Raleigh breaks into a little jog, boots clanging, thinking that maybe he can be helpful. Help ease the stranger into this bullshit. That extra sound is enough to cause the man -- yeah, it's a guy -- to stir, groaning and sitting up. His back is to Raleigh, who notes idly that they have the same color hair. Go figure. ]

Easy, buddy. Take it slow, you'll be okay. Everybody wakes up with one hell of a--

[ He makes it to the end of the hall, slowing to a stop as the newcomer turns to look up at him and abruptly freezing mid-sentence because.

No.

This is impossible.

It's completely fucking impossible so clearly it's just the station fucking with him again, like people's visions and the voices in the walls. But Raleigh can't tear his eyes away, just stares in shock at his big brother, sitting there looking as solid and real as anything he's ever seen. Looking alive, somehow. ]

...Yancy?

Raleigh. [ The ghost's mouth quirks, and Yancy carefully picks himself up off the floor and glances around, moving stiffly but not like he's favoring any injuries. If he were a hallucination, wouldn't he be ripped to shreds? Not in a station jumpsuit looking like maybe he just had a few too many last night and is pissed Raleigh woke him up to enjoy the hangover. But he can't be real. He's dead, he's-- ] What kind of afterlife is this supposed to be?

[ Raleigh's mouth opens but nothing comes out so he just shuts it again, at a complete loss. It has to be a trick, but he finds himself playing along. ]

You remember?

Knifehead, yeah. Got us good, huh?

[ Slowly, he shakes his head. ] No, just... just you. Yancy, how--?

[ Something dark flickers through Yancy's eyes at that news, as it settles. Conflicts. And oddly, seems to resolve. He doesn't ask how he's here now, standing tall and holding a conversation, or where they are, or how Raleigh survived. He just lifts an arm, the same one Raleigh remembers him reaching out as he was torn away. Raleigh, listen to me, you-- and then the terror, the pain, and that terrible void. ] C'mere, kid.

[ Really, he should object. He's older now than Yancy was when he died, technically he's the big brother. Does it work that way? Who the fuck knows but he'd claim the technicality if he were processing this well enough to be casual about it. Instead all he can process is that Yancy is reaching for him and Raleigh just goes, nearly falling forward into his brother's arms and holding on tight. And it sure as fuck feels real. It must be. Somehow, Yancy is here. Tears prick Raleigh's eyes and he squeezes them shut. There's a lot of ground to cover, a lot of questions neither of them are going to be able to answer but some he can. They'll get there, though. Right now... ]

There's somebody you've gotta meet.

[ Anyone is welcome to have witnessed the tail end of this encounter, to hear Raleigh speaking brokenly to the silence of the corridor. No one else can see or hear Yancy, as they're about to find out. The brothers break apart and Yancy does ask something, then, but the simplest of the possible questions. Where are they? Raleigh huffs, then starts walking again, back down the hall towards the mess. The conversation is one sided to anyone around, Raleigh explaining things about the station like he's being prompted but there's nobody there. Who's he smiling at, looking so hesitantly joyful? Has he just snapped? You know what, just go over and ask him. ]

--

(( OOC: Okay so to keep things consistent regarding other characters' perceptions, I likely won't actually be RPing Yancy/describing exactly what Raleigh is seeing and hearing outside of what he tells people he is! You can wildcard catching a different one-sided convo (they're going to start arguing soon enough) or hit me up at

cuddlebug to plot a closed starter, I may add something like a semi-OTA gym scene where they're sparring and Raleigh is inexplicably taking damage. ))

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[Daisy is on her way to the mess hall as well when she spots Raleigh, who she hasn’t seen in a minute. Smiling in amusement when she thinks she caught him talking to himself, Daisy waves at him.]

Hey. You talking to yourself?

[ frank wanders into the gym sometime in the afternoon, keen to find someone to spar with. if he can't he'll resign himself to the weight bench. his ever-present shadow max is with him this time, though he'd usually leave him behind. karen had been busy looking over footage on the bridge and he's half-expecting to find clary here anyway and they're his most consistent dog-sitters. max is getting acclimated to all the excitement around here anyway, so he's not too worried about bringing him down, at least not until he starts barking. and it isn't a playful or greeting bark but a loud, piercing, warning thing. frank grimaces as he looks out to see what max is seeing, because the dog doesn't run after anything or anyone. he just keeps barking, and it's the same way he'd acted when the hologram/ghost lady had shown up in his room. ]

Shit.

[ in the center of the mat where he usually boxes raleigh, and there's the man in question - but he's alone. alone and yet fighting for his life, seemingly, or at least getting a really serious fight sesh on. his eyes widen, hanging back to try to get a gauge of what's happening, but he has to wonder not for the first time on this station if his eyes are telling him the whole truth. ]

Raleigh? [ a belated call as he tries to hold max at his side. whatever it is the dog doesn't want to approach anyway, and frank's shushing eventually gets him to quiet some, though a persistent whine takes up its place. he turns back to the scene just in time to see raleigh's face snap back. fuck. there's someone really fighting him. his adrenaline is already spiking, not sure whether to reach for his knife or just go in with his fists. ]

[Mako is just finishing up on the command deck when she feels a sudden, intense rush of emotions—disbelief and shock, relief and joy, and it's so out of place she freezes for a minute. It's Raleigh, but she can't think of any reason he'd be having such a sudden, overwhelming reaction, so she drops what she's doing and heads out, trying to find him.

When she does, he looks happy. Happier than she's seen him in... maybe ever.]

Raleigh?

Raleigh?

[Asks Jasnah, with no preamble whatsoever. She'd seen just the last of that, rounding the corner.]

Are you speaking into your communicator?

[The most logical answer. But for all the world, it had looked like he'd been talking to a ghost.]

[ a voice coming from the end of the hall catches kovacs attention and he looks up, mildly interested to see if it's anyone he knows. it's not. the man is tall, broad and blonde -- someone who would absolutely be utterly ruined in a world like this.

but, wouldn't it be fun to be the person to take part in that deconstruction?

he's talking but there's no one else there. as kovacs gets closer, it becomes clear that he's not talking into a communicator, he's just...talking. ]

The wall that fucking interesting?

[ kovacs looks over, eyes the wall for any weird shit that might be happening because of this fucking station but sees nothing. all right, then.

he doesn't judge, not right away, because it's not like he doesn't see a ghost or two. ]

I'm feeling a little left out of this conversation.

[ Raleigh pauses in the middle of storytelling -- he was describing the spacewalk they did while the gravity was out, making grand gestures to show how the debris was arcing over their heads and trying to smack people from the hull. Yancy seems genuinely riveted, for what it's worth, and after they meet Mako he's going to take his brother up to the observation deck for a good view.

But now he's glancing up at Daisy and smiling easily, even as his expression is a little confused. Talking to himself? What? He takes a deliberate step back in case his body was blocking Yancy, since he's between them and is the slightly larger of the pair. ]

No. Here, Daisy, meet my brother. Yancy, this is Daisy.

[ The brothers do notice Frank's entrance, thanks to it being marked by Max's barks echoing off the inside of the tin can they're all in. But they're so into this fight that... whatever. Frank and Max can wait. They're honestly not trying to injure each other, but each want to win. Each has a point to prove.

Yancy used to be better than Raleigh at everything, but that was five years ago and Raleigh's motivations have shifted. Besides, this particular argument? Is over Yancy and Mako's lives, therefore too important to lose and words hadn't done the trick. Frank can just watch, if he can get Max to chill out a little. The dog's distress is actually encouraging, anyway -- at least someone besides him can tell Yancy is there.

But he is aware that Frank can't, and when the other man calls out he reluctantly takes a step away, only for Yancy to press in and hit him with an uppercut that snaps his head back. He scowls at his brother and holds his hands up in a cross in front of him ]

Quit it, man, give me a minute.

[ As much as he'd like to drop to the mat for a break, he won't give Yancy the satisfaction. So they both stand there breathing hard, Raleigh wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. ]

Frank, meet my brother. Except you can't, actually. Fuck if we know why... Max, you see him, right?

[ Oh, awesome, there she is. Raleigh didn't even have to call her to hurry up and get to the mess hall like he thought he might, if she'd gotten consumed by her work. He comes to a stop before her and beams like the sun, because even if this is weird and impossible, it's happening so.

He glances between Mako and Yancy with wide, eager puppy eyes, just waiting for her to recognize him and react. When she doesn't, immediately, he makes an encouraging gesture.

In his perception, Yancy is rolling his eyes a little at Raleigh's enthusiasm. You're so into this chick, little brother, don't embarrass yourself. But at the gesture he offers a greeting, his name, and a hand to her to shake.

But Mako is still only looking at him. ]

It's okay. I was freaked too, but... he's fine.

Hey, Jasnah-- what? No, we're...

[ He glances back at Yancy, confused, but his brother is as bewildered as he is. ]

We were just heading to the mess hall, if you wanna come.

[ It's a bit later in the day, and things have... devolved, a bit, since the brothers' reunion. The strain of everyone telling Raleigh he was just seeing things, and Raleigh eventually caving to the fact that they must be right because it's not like the entire station could be punking him at once, had brought out some bitterness in Yancy. One that had led to him punching Raleigh and storming off, but that, everyone was able to see. And had pulled him back around to thinking that Yancy was real. Something was happening, and it didn't make sense why no one else perceived him but he was clearly there. So Raleigh had given chase, a bruise rising on his jaw, trying to smooth things out. Yancy wasn't really having it. ]

What do you mean, I believed them because I don't want to face it? I've spent the past five years facing it, that's all I--

[ He's cut off mid-sentence by a stranger's voice, and glances up to see it's that guy who posted asking for drugs and hookers awhile back. Nothing Raleigh could help with. He doesn't recall the name, but he's a little occupied at the moment. ]

It's private anyway. But just for the record, I'm not talking to myself.

[She expects him to sheepishly admit to being caught, but that's not what he does. Her smile falters a little when he steps out of the way and 'introduces' his brother to her. Was it some weird joke? She doesn't know him that well to really know what his sense of humor was.]

What? Is your brother invisible?

You're not?

[ sure looked that way to him. he stopped, made a point of looking around, tapping on the wall to see if there was a secret compartment back there and then up to the ceiling. didn't see anyone but else but the two of them.]

Could've fooled me.

[ but again, should he really go judging someone for talking to what looks like thin air? when he sees quell sitting on his fucking bunk more often than not? she doesn't always talk but she's there and he's just so fucking fragged, it's sad. ]

Who you talking to, then? Mind if I say hi?

[ he lifts a hand, gives a two fingered wave. ]

Man's not talking to himself. Good to see the evidence of his words right here in front of my eyes.

[He's fine, Raleigh says. Mako can't see anything except the desperately happy, hopeful look on Raleigh's face, and she's utterly at a loss. She can feel that enthusiasm and excitement too, echoing off of him and she can't parse it.]

Raleigh... Who are you talking about?

All right.

[She says, following his glance, and feeling her eyebrows raise ever so slightly.]

But who is we?

[ the timeout gets frank to calm somewhat, or at least to not immediately go in swinging. though he's taken a few long strides towards raleigh anyway in concern. he finds himself holding his breath until the other man explains. his brother. his dead brother. his heart picks up speed, eyes wide with fear now. first he gets a strange visit from hologram captain, then alex is seeing ghosts, and now... what? at raleigh's question, frank looks down at max as if to try and capture his answer. the dog tilts his head to the side and starts whining again. he definitely sees something. and frank saw something hit raleigh alright. ]

Uh. [ fuck, what does he do? he turns to the spot max and raleigh are staring at and nods once. ] Good to meet you, Yancy. This guy loves to flap his gums about you.

[ does he feel weird talking to open air? YEP. but if that were maria he'd want people to pay her the same respect, right? except for one minor catch: what if it isn't yancy at all? ]

[ Wait, what? Is she... serious? She looks serious, smile faltering with confusion as she looks to either side of him and focuses on nothing. The pit of Raleigh's stomach drops out and he looks to his brother, who seems just as perplexed as both of them but is still there. Still solid when he reaches out and puts a hand on Yancy's shoulder. He's not hallucinating this. Sure, people were seeing other things, but they hadn't ever made physical contact, right? ]

He's right here, I swear.

[ Then suddenly he's swatting something in the air between himself and Daisy, as Yancy reaches up and waves his hand in front of her face. Quit it, man, that's just rude. ]

[ Raleigh seems pleased with Max's response, as the dog is clearly reacting to Yancy and that's a huge relief. He knows this is real, but everyone else's blatant denial of it really had him shaken for awhile there. And he's braced for Frank to act the same way, to go on about station tricks and how Raleigh needs to get his head checked, until... he blinks in surprise as Frank seems to decide to trust him and Max instead, and addresses Yancy directly.

No one's done that yet.

Yancy looks shocked for a moment, too, then grateful for just a flash before he turns to Raleigh with a knowing smirk. Uh oh. Gotta nip that in the bud. ]

Don't get so smug, he's exaggerating. [ Raleigh rolls his eyes at his brother, but there's a hint of a smile on his face now too. ] He does that a lot.

[ A beat, then he's shaking his head at whatever Yancy just asked him. ]

Frank was the first person I encountered here. Mako's the only one from home.

[ Wait... what?

No. Raleigh's expression falls, because he'd doubted too but then he'd been so sure... he is sure, this must just be a different kind of weirdness. It has to be. He reaches out and snags his brother's still-extended hand, reassuring himself. Yancy's fingers curl around his, warm and solid, and he frowns in confusion. ]

You really can't see him? It's Yancy.

[ Raleigh frowns a little now, settling a hand on Yancy's shoulder just to reassure himself he's not losing it. Because obviously that had been his first thought too, but. No, he's right here. Even if Jasnah's gaze isn't settling on anything, isn't focusing. Like no one's there, to her. ]

My brother? He just woke up.

Yeah, I know, we just can't explain it.

[ At least this guy is making an effort, though, looking around and then asking who it is rather than condemning Raleigh to insanity right away. Or so it had seemed. Once Raleigh gestures for him to go on and say hello, he proves to be an ass. (In Yancy's rather vocal opinion, anyway, and Raleigh's inclined to agree.) He mirrors his brother's scowl but quickly schools himself back under control. He's really only got two modes of angry -- quiet and tolerant to avoid a fight, or snapping and punching you in the face. Hopefully he can maintain the former while both men are ragging on him. ]

It's my brother, he woke up this morning but can't communicate with anyone except me. His name's Yancy. [ Then, for both their benefits: ] I'm Raleigh. You are?

Raleigh, I think something is wrong.

[Says Jasnah, quietly.]

Do you have someone you trust we can call?

[ it sounds...really familiar. too familiar. familiar enough that it makes his skin prickle and he actually has to fight off the urge to glance over and make sure quell's not standing there, not speaking, just watching. he's been seeing fucking ghosts since they'd pulled him off the ice but he'd chalked that up to just being incredibly fragged in the head.

so, apparently he wasn't the only one who'd taken a few too many shots to the head or this station was just spreading the love and letting everyone see a ghost of their own.

or something else. who the hell knew with this place? hadn't he just talked to that girl who'd died, been resurrected but without her sight?

this station sucked. ]

You're seeing your brother?

[ it would have been so easy to just call him crazy, tell him he needed to get his head checked and that was probably still going to happen but he just wanted to...check a few things first. ]

Kovacs.

[ and now he had a question: ]

What do you mean he woke up? You're saying your brother ended up her and was suddenly invisible. That doesn't strike you as strange?

[ Look, Raleigh knows how it sounds. How it looks. But they can prove it, and he holds up a hand both to stop Kovacs' argument and keep Yancy from protesting again. He's heard the rant already, he doesn't need to hear it again when he's the only one who can. ]

I mean he showed up here like everybody does, woke up in a hallway wearing a terminal jumpsuit not knowing how he got here. And yeah, it's extremely weird that no one else is seeing him. But I am. Seeing and hearing and getting punched in the face when I cave to what absolutely everybody else is insisting, that I'm hallucinating.

What kind of hallucination does this?

[ He turns his face to the side a little, indicating a swollen, bruising spot that definitely looks like he got punched recently. ]

It's the only proof we have, but I'm pretty convinced.

[ Jasnah's wary tone is as alarming as her words, honestly. She sounds like she's being careful with him, trying to break something gently or keep him from startling. He doesn't like it or what it implies.

And Yancy's asking questions, wants to know what the hell she's getting at, looks vaguely put out at the obvious suggestion being made. Raleigh squeezes his shoulder, and his voice comes out just as careful as Jasnah's. ]

...yeah, there's Mako. We were on our way to meet her.

[ he shrugs as if to say am i though?? but he's taking a few steps forward now until he can join raleigh and (invisible) yancy. ]

I'm a dramaqueen, it's a character flaw.

[ max barks once as if to confirm it, but he's really just giving one last warning before advancing towards the weird disturbance in the area himself. soon man and dog are beside raleigh, looking at the blank space he calls a brother. ]

Yeah, my world's not cool enough to have Jaeger... things. We do have a bunch of dickbags who call themselves superheroes though.

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spoilers: this is gonna end terribly

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