vatheon | It doesn't hurt me...

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It doesn't hurt me...

Who: Rin, Kid, and Maka
Where: Da Villa
When: Late evening, 26th, after the confrontation with Night
Style: [] because all the cool kids are doin' it
Status: Closed

[The trail of blood leading from the rubble of a certain demon versus demon-turned-witch battle may have been concerning and startling to some, but Rin really didn't have time to think about it. Not that he wanted to after what happened. Night had run off, leaving Rin thoroughly trounced for his efforts, especially after Kid had shown up. Rin knew just from the stories that any other time that would not have been an issue, but this time Rin's bad luck seem compounded in to Kid's curse as the reaper was now a black rat, no bigger than Rin's hands, and otherwise completely helpless.

At the very least, Kid had provided valuable information regarding just what was going on with Night. He hadn't simply given in to his demonic nature as Rin had feared, but had instead also been put under a curse, possessing the powers and mentality of a witch from Kid and Maka's world.

It had been a relief... for all of three seconds before Rin wound up blasted yet again. By then he was put in a even nastier predicament, since Kid was in no state to defend or protect himself yet refusing to leave Rin behind. Kid had tried to fight as best as he could in that form, but Rin was put out of commission quickly and there wasn't much that could be done as a rat.

To say it had been a one-sided fight was like saying water was wet.

At the end of it all, Night closed Rin's sword and fled rather than finish him off, though damned if Rin knew why. At that point he didn't bother to call anyone and instead dragged his broken self home, limping on a gashed and burned leg and loosely carrying his sword in a hand with an arm that might have very well been broken. The other arm curled to his chest held Kid, and he was suspiciously quiet as he approached the Villa with every intent of sneaking in.

The residents didn't need to know what happened. They didn't need to know that some one they had brought in and trusted had given in to a curse all too easily.

Right?]

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[When Kid had risen from an afternoon nap to discover the world had increased many times its former size, he almost rolled over and went back to sleep.

Which is around when he realized that he had become a small creature popularly referred to as vermin, and what's worse -- asymmetrical vermin. He had glimpsed himself in his bedroom mirror before resolving to hide himself until the curse was over; mocking him, the three white stripes permanently part of his black hair were now emblazoned on his fur.

...He may or may not have wept in abject dismay.

That was a good, long while before he adamantly insisted on coming with Rin, drawn by the same commotion that resulted in his injuries. One might have much to comment on, when one considers how Kid had broken his own promise to keep himself hidden for the sake of aiding a friend, but that hardly mattered now.

Rin, your injuries need to be tended. and other such reminders sternly rising from an... embarrassingly squeaky, tiny voice from somewhere beneath Rin's fingers went unheard. These were followed by You need to rest, you'll only worsen your condition.

The escalation from there went to a single Rin! before Kid lapsed into a tense silence, mortified at his own helplessness and the profound realization of just how little Rin regarded his own safety when it came to protecting another.]

[Rin was hearing him. It was hard not to, with his own demonic abilities that allowed for hearing far above most humans. A squeaky voice that close to his body was difficult to miss, but ignoring was another story entirely.

He didn't want to ignore Kid, but he was having difficulty keeping focus on just walking. Attempting to speak would have just added to the dizzying, sickening feeling that was weighing down his entire body.

I'll heal, it'll heal, I have to keep movin'... kept the mantra in his head, at least until that last cry followed by silence.

His feet stopped shuffling along, the scrape scrape of his shoes cutting in to abrupt silence. His mouth worked, but for a moment no words came out, and all at once his knees gave out from underneath him.

The Villa was right there yet he couldn't get the strength to make it those last couple of feet. Damn.

Weakly, a shaken smile appeared and he tilted his head down to look at Kid before blurting out a slurred lie.]

I'll be okay...

[He's at his limit. There is no way Rin's making it into the Villa unaided, and quite frankly, Kid's surprised he made it this far before succumbing to fatigue and the extent of his injuries; making every effort now to wriggle out of the cup of Rin's hand, he scrambles up his shirt to his shoulder, putting tiny rodent paws up on his jawline.

There may be some unintentional whiskering going on.]

Don't move, I'll get help.

[And then he clambers unsteadily down the side of his shirt, headed for the silver clasp holding his SFC to his belt.] I know it's a lot to ask, especially after you've been put through this much, but try to stay awake.

[It's a lot more difficult to wrest his SFC from his belt clasp than it is in a more human form, but he gives it his all.] Can you do it?

[...Speaking of the SFC, it now falls free of its clasp, carrying the striped rat with it, bouncing on impact with the ground, a short distance below. Undeterred, if not bruised, the rat starts nudging it over to face him. Hopefully, Rin's recently had a conversation with Maka on the network, and re-initiating that communication will be easier than trying to navigate its menus. In fact, he's counting on it.]

[Rin was actually grateful Kid saw through that lie. Chances were he wasn't going to be getting back on his feet any time soon, not without help anyway. Sure he could lay there for hours, bleeding and waiting for his demonic healing to work it's way through all the injuries he sustained, but that would have been the most unpleasant way to go about it.

He'd just taken too many hits in too short of a time. It was like the battle with Satan, where hit after hit came and left him sputtering up blood and barely able to move. Then he had refused to lash out in order to spare his brother who the powerful demon was possessing, but this time it had been an issue of protecting Kid once he had shown up.

Once that happened there was nothing he could do but take the hits Night dished out, and now he felt like he was breathing glass and coughing acid. He just wanted to sleep until it was all over and he was back to normal again, but sleep would likely be painful in that state.

He felt the little paws on his face, and heard the tiny voice speaking to him, but all that came out was a strangled noise in response. He shut his eyes against the spinning in his head, curling up where he knelt on the cool ground. To Kid's question he at least managed to nod.]

[He comes upon a recent conversation between the Maka and Rin, but doesn't bother to skim its contents, knowing that it involved them both was good enough; Kid didn't want to waste time attempting to type out a message. There was nothing else to do, then, but to rely on the old saying: a picture says a thousand words.

In this case, a short, rough video clip of Rin, and then the SFC is rolled over to take a very lopsided shot of the Villa, in the hopes of giving a good enough indication of where he is in relation to the well-known landmark, and a blur of black as it shuts off.

Kid leaves the SFC there on the ground, climbing up onto Rin's knee.]

Hang in there, Rin. Help will definitely come!

[Rin opens his eyes after hearing the SFC get shoved along the ground a couple of times, just as Kid returns to him, sitting on his knee. It would have been almost cute, if it weren't for the beat up half-demon involved.

He puts that pained smile back on, though, a trembling hand reaching out to gently pet a finger against Kid's furry little head.]

Jus'... glad you're okay... M... Maka... woulda thrown a fit if somethin' happened to you...

[As if she's not going to throw a fit over something happening to Rin. Idiot.]

[It only takes seeing the clip of Rin before Maka leaves the house in a panicked dash. She can no longer use Soul Perception, by all accounts she no longer has a soul for the duration of this curse, but she still felt emotions--roiling around inside of her, prompting ugly thoughts of making whoever hurt Rin like that pay.

But when she sees Rin, just outside the Villa, those thoughts vanish and she goes to him.]

Rin!

[Not even waiting for him to respond, she kneels and pushes up so he's leaning on her.]

C-come on, let's get inside.

[Upon Maka's arrival, something dark leaps down from Rin's knee and scurries around to bury itself in the shadow between the curb and the half-demon's body.

Ew, gross, rats.

Better go bring Rin inside before ~~he bleeds out~~ ~~Kid considers his own uselessness too much~~ your boyfriend starts imitating a sack of blood-stained rice and becomes even more difficult to carry!]

Ki-- ...

[Rin starts to call out for him, but seeing the little rat duck in to the shadows he thinks better of it. Too hazy to figure out why, all he can think is that he must have a reason for it.

There's a groan and another cough as Maka starts to get him on his feet, body feeling like lead but with just enough strength left to move with her.]

[Well, even if he wasn't able to move, she's discovering a little thing called demon strength anyway. It's funny how she's for once grateful that she's cursed in a horrible moment.

So the two drag themselves into the Villa where Rin's deposited on the couch and Maka leaves to find a first aid kit, or Yukio, whichever comes first.]

[Apparently a first aid kit came first, since she soon reappears and gets to work. You wouldn't think a Meister would know anything about first aid, but she has had to treat herself a few times.]

What happened to you? Who did this?

[Kid had followed, of course, but at a distance (trying to drag along Rin's SFC may have had something to do with the delay), and as Maka sought out a way to treat the half-demon's injuries, the striped black rat crept into the room.

He hid himself under the couch as Maka returned.]

[Maka probably could have carried Rin as she is now, if she'd been so inclined. But he manages well enough, and is rather glad she didn't have to resort to such drastic measures just to get him inside.

After he's dropped on the couch, he attempts to get a look at his injuries for the first time since the fight, but all it takes is one wrong move in the wrong direction for a sharp, searing pain to jolt up the entire length of his right arm. He lets out a swear louder than he meant to, instantly clamping his mouth shut to silence the rest of the pained noises. If anyone was asleep he didn't want to wake them.

He saw Kid scamper in with his SFC, but said nothing even after Kid hid, waiting for Maka to come back and ask that question.]

... Night. He's cursed. Somethin'... Kid recognized. I'unno what was goin' on but he was throwin' these... bomb things at buildings and when I confronted him he started throwin' 'em at me...

[A shudder and a single hiss of a word filled with hatred before the rest of her mind catches up with the situation:] Witch.

[There it is again, the desire to hunt and kill, rip someone that she considered a friend just the day before to pieces.

Stay calm, Rin needs her right now.]

Hold still. [She can at least start on treating the abrasions and search out a splint whenever she comes to that.] Anything broken?

[Witch. That was it. Maka had told him about witches in her world before, but he'd been so wrapped up in what was happening he hadn't made the connection on his own.

He doesn't say anything, but a glance catches that look of anger and bloodlust in her eyes. He feels his chest tighten - no, not you too-- but just as fast as it shows up it's gone and he lets out a faint sigh of relief.

At least she seems to have control of herself.]

Y-yeah... my arm... I think I landed on it...

[He tries to move it again, but even just twitching his fingers results in a cry of pain.]

Ah--stupid! I said don't move!

[Okay, so a splint has to come sooner rather than later. Getting that started now, all the while repeating the mantra of "stay calm" in her head.]

...By the way, why do I smell Kid? I don't see him anywhere.

Okay okay n-no more movin'...

[Don't have to tell him twice, not after that. His hand is starting to swell up from the injury, but really it could have been worse. He'll still likely heal in less time than most people would take to recover from an injury like that.

The question gets him to open one eye and look at her, and for a second he almost forgets that Kid was under the couch. Not that Kid is forgettable - he's still woozy enough to not be completely there.

With his good hand he points down at the floor.]

He got cursed, too. Hope you don't mind rats...

...Tsk, of course I don't, I'm friends with Mrs. Brisby remember? Even though she's a mouse and not a rat...whatever, Kid--come out, you're being ridiculous again.

[She's only being snippy because she's stressed, really.

By the way.

Hope you weren't attached to this shirt, Rin, because Maka's ripping it at the seams to get clearer access to the wounds.]

Right. Pretty sure he's a ra--

[That's his shirt being torn off.

Well... he did kind of get blown up multiple times, so the shirt was pretty much trashed by then anyway. And since he can't very well get it off himself he's not about to complain.]

Rat.

If he doesn't come out on his own just drag him out when you're done. He's probably sulkin' cause he couldn't help. But I kept him in one piece, at least.

[There's a sharp inhale through her teeth.

Strained.

Angry.

Not murderous, however.

She wants to slap him across the face for saying something like that, but instead her tail begins lashing--whapping against the floor as it goes.

It would be comical if it wasn't so clear that she was pissed.]

Worry less about Kid and more about yourself.

[Bleary as he is, he doesn't miss that look at all. And even if he did, the tail whapping gives it away. He instantly tenses as though he really is going to get slapped, leaning back as much as he can.]

Wh-what's with that look?! He was a rat, he can't defend himself like that! Any other time I woulda--

... w-well I still woulda fought b-but c'mon I can take it! You know I can!

Shut. Up.

[A flash of red in her eyes. Better listen to her, Rin.]

Rat or not, Kid can take care of himself. You, however, only show how little self-preservation you actually have every single day. [Her hands shake as she tightens the knot on the splint, out of fear or anger she's not certain. Maybe it's both.]

You don't know what it's like fighting a Witch! Even one that's relatively young and inexperienced like Night would be. If he knew his own potential, he would have been able to reach into your mind--your very soul and turn it inside out so you're only left with your weaknesses. He really could have--

[Then the anger abruptly stops and she's hunched over, face in hands, tears pouring out.]

He could have killed you...

AHHH--! M-Maka that hurts--!

[The rant nearly went unheeded since she was coming down so hard on the splint, but even over his yelps he could hear her.

He really hadn't given it any thought at the time - he just wanted Night to stop before things got even more out of hand. He only had second hand accounts of what Witches were like, and since he hadn't known at the time he figured he could take Night even with the threat of those explosives.

Everything she had described sounded worse than any demon he'd ever faced - even Satan himself.]

... Maka...

[It still hurt to move, but he didn't care. Sitting up as much as his arm would let him, he tugged on Maka's arm with his uninjured hand, pulling her up to hug her with one arm.]

Okay... I won't do it again, I promise... I'm sorry...

[She only hears "hurts" and worries that she just made it worse.

But then he's hugging her and making promises and apologies.

They're pretty words. Any other day she would have taken them in good faith. But she knows Rin can't keep a promise like that, if he sees someone--Witch or not--being a threat he's going to be a big damn hero about it.

Instead she wipes her eyes on her sleeve, waves him off and gets to re-tying the splint.]

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