pick my brain all you want

[fantasmaniac]

Who| Reaper & Co. [ That means YOU♥  -- OPEN ]
What| Introduction to Legion World. Decked out in his edgelord gear, he goes for a walk.
Where| Ghosting around, locations will be noted.
When| Roughly after TTHS?
Warnings/Notes| None in particular


[ ɪɴᴛʀᴏ – ɴᴏ ᴘᴄ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ]

They almost seemed a little worried about how calmly he took to being explained everything that's been happening, a look almost like pity or genuine concern, and he couldn't understand why. His first train of thought was 'this is a dream, isn't it?', until he remembered that he doesn't really dream anymore. It's just blurry images and smoke, and he's pretty sure he doesn't sleep.

Which then brought him to question the bits and pieces of what happened before he blacked out. Suffocating, then feeling his skin burn more, alongside the ever-present crackle of decay that he always feels. He's just glad that wasn't the killing blow, because damn, choking to death sucks. What a way to go. More importantly, it's not the method that bothers him but the circumstances surrounding it. He's a busy guy, he had shit to accomplish before he disappeared from existence entirely. Hell to raise. People to torture. All that fun stuff. Like hell he was going to cease to exist permanently before he did any of that.

So it's almost a relief. Hah.

He barely spoke, only replied in short, almost curt, answers as he understood perfectly. His recovery time was relatively quick, so by the time the portly fellow barged into his room, he was well aware of the situation. That's not to say he believed it (this could easily be mind tricks, an illusion, something involving a virtual simulator), at least not until he could prove he wasn't being tricked. So when the offer was made, he didn't exactly reply. Chalking it up to confusion and perhaps a needing a little time to adjust, they gave him the option of coming back to the decision later, and they left him alone after running a routine scan to make sure he was fit to leave the facility.

He didn't notice it while they were talking, but his mask was sitting by him on the table the whole time.

▶▶▶

[ ʜᴀʙɪᴛᴀᴛ ᴅᴇᴄᴋ ]

A. Watchpoint: Gibraltar
If he didn't think he was being tricked before, this sure convinces him he is being tricked now more than ever. Watchpoint: Gibraltar is a very distinct landmark, and how it's just oddly placed alongside other foreign structures make this all the more confusing. What's the point of all this? Why is this landmark here, placed like this?

He reaches out to touch the side of the wall as if testing to see if it's real, clawed fingers clacking audibly against it.

B. The Temple of Anubis
The Temple of Anubis also stands alone on its own, like someone just laser-cut around the area, lifted it up, and placed it down onto this plot of land. It's jarring. Suspicious. He has nothing to work with though, only able to continue along with presuming this is all just some elaborate plot to get into his head.

The more he wanders around, flitting through the darkest shadows and corridors of the temple, the more real it all feels. It's unsettling. He entertains the thought of this all being real– but if it is, the coincidence of being brought to some place (another universe?) that reminds him too much of Overwatch is almost a little too ridiculous to consider.

Comments

[mylawn]

It works, and 76's grip loosens as his head snaps to the side, but it doesn't throw him off completely. He tries to keep his balance even as white explodes behind his eyes, still scrabbling for Reaper's throat as he struggles to stay on top.

"It's real."

76 had his own doubts, but it's been a few days for him, enough to become convinced. Unable to get his hands back around Reaper's throat, he goes for the collar instead, trying to slam his head into the ground.

[fantasmaniac]

It's either one of two things: Whoever created this simulation is trying make him bust a gut, or this is Actual Jack in Actual Alien World convincing him that this is indeed real. No idiot would place someone he knew for so long and program him so wildly out of character. He'd expected him to ignore his taunt, or say something completely different, but not outright tell him it's fucking real.

So, yeah, that's actually a big fat surprise. Such a surprise that he finds the back of his skull impacting with the ground with a satisfying crack.

"Hrrnngh!"

That smarts. He can feel the black blood stick to the back of his hood, the dizzying sensation disorienting him for a hot second. He curls his claws around 76's wrists, sliding his thick arms covered in metal and spikes between his arms to force them apart, loosen his grip before striking up under 76's chin in an uppercut. A bit weak with the distance, but should be enough to distract him before he goes in for another punch.

"Says who?"

[mylawn]

Perhaps unsurprisingly, 76 had many of these same thoughts upon arriving, but he’s at least had a few days to come to terms with things. Ana’s research certainly helped when it came to convincing him, and though he’s still suspicious of the Legion’s motives and their general existence as an organization, he’s at least accepted that all this is really happening.

76 isn’t sure what will get Reaper to come to the same conclusion, but what he does know is that it feels really good to bash his head into the ground. He isn’t certain as to whether or not Gabriel can feel pain or die like this, but that crack noise is one he won’t soon forget.

Just like the feeling of getting caught with a punch right under the chin. His head snaps back, and he’s momentarily stunned enough for his grip to loosen around Reaper’s collar. Any answer he would’ve had is lost as he tries to clear his vision from the blow.

[fantasmaniac]

Ana has been most helpful, further strengthening her arguments and facts with the tidbits he'd picked up here and there as well. Like 76, Reaper will most certainly come to the same conclusion. Birds of a feather, these two, in certain ways. Always so suspicious, so paranoid– but usually with good reason.

He snarls should well indicate his pain, but it could also be easily interpreted as extreme frustration. Being bested by Jack in strength never did sit well with him, always priding himself in his strength, even way back then.

It was probably a rhetorical question, anyway. Reaper doesn't even care about the answer as he winds his arm back while shaking his head to try and realign his vision, preparing for another punch at 76's face. Rather than aiming, he opts for a wild swing, in case 76 recovers faster than anticipated (or if he just starts swinging wildly, too). This isn't a tactical fight or takedown anymore- it's simply a vicious brawl spurred by his own frustration of this fucked up situation and of course, 76's entire existence.

[mylawn]

76 would be more than content to keep slamming Reaper's head into the ground, of course, but he's never been that lucky. He also knows, somewhere underneath his burning desire to just do as much damage as possible, that it's not going to matter. Whatever Reyes is now, he isn't human--doesn't take damage the same way, and it's likely he won't be able to properly put him down with just his fists.

Still, that doesn't change the fact that beating the shit out of him is satisfying, even if his accuracy and finesse suffer under the increasingly feral way they go at each other.

He flings himself at Reaper in an outright tackle, not particularly caring for the fist that's coming his way in return.

[fantasmaniac]

76 flies at him, to which he can only respond with his still wildly flailing fists, clipping the mask along his jawline, one smashing right into the side of his neck as they go down once more.

Using the momentum of 76's leap, he tries to roll him over onto his back, gripping at his collar and trying to edge his elbow up across 76's neck. It's pretty clear that Reaper is starting to tire– he's been in a couple of fights already within the short amount of time he's been here, and while being augmented has its perks, being a death ghost also takes its toll. But his efforts are still as vicious, every punch he throws (hit or miss) punctuated by snarls and grunts.

"So, Soldier Boy- what does that make you?" It sounds like a dare, like he's daring 76 to say that he's become part of this heroic team.

[mylawn]

He picks up what Reaper is trying to get him to admit--and he doesn't want to, because all it proves is that he really hasn't changed. That he's still a boy scout looking to save the world, and no amount of assuring people that he was forced into this contract is going to change that. Reaper knows him better than he knows himself, at times. 76 was going to join the Legion one way or another, because making things better is still a fundamental part of who he is and what he wants to do, no matter how deep he tries to bury it.

None of that makes it out, however, because he's too busy punching and getting punched, slowly exhausting himself as they all but scramble for holds on each other. 76 raises his boot, tries to nail Reaper in the gut, even as he's pinned.

"Just because they want me on their little team doesn't mean I ain't gonna end you."

That's a promise.

[fantasmaniac]

Gut-checked, he lets out a strangled cough which tapers off into a harsh cackle. He grabs 76's ankle, swatting it away as he ghosts back a few meters. They can be here all day, duking it out, trying to kill him, but at this point he knows he's going to need more time to gather himself. Weaponry. Strategy. They're both too neck-and-neck in strength to do any real damage here.

Besides, this isn't the hill he wants 76 to die on, literally.

"Think they've got their little rules for that sort of misconduct." Not that he really cares, but he's definitely interested to see how Jack will act if he accepts their terms.

[mylawn]

"You think I care about rules when it comes to you?"

He's already accepted the terms, but 76 is also willing to make that sacrifice if it means putting Reaper down for good. So he'll sit in intergalactic prison for an indeterminate amount of time. If Gabriel is dead, it's worth it.

That's what he tells himself, anyway, even knowing full well that Overwatch's fall goes much deeper than the two of them.

He also knows that he can't just beat Reaper to death, and when he ghosts away, 76 takes a moment to regroup, circling and picking up his gun, ready in the event that Reaper tries to close the distance again.

[fantasmaniac]

He laughs again, mirthless and cold this time.

"Too little too late, if you ask me."

Should've cared less about rules and used that pretty little head of yours before it all went belly up.

That ever present bitterness hangs in the air, for whatever crime he's blaming Jack of, it's hard to say. There's too many layers to pick through and think about, and the more he does it, the less it seems to matter in the end. All he can do is cling to the last moments of his previous life, what he felt in that last minute, because it feels like that's all he can remember. Pain, agony, anger... there's no room for much else.

His breathing is labored, smoke starting to waft off of him as he prepares to gather what strength he has left to retreat. It's not so much that he can't handle it, but, honestly– this is a waste of time. The likelihood of 76 winning this fight is higher, if only for the fact that he has more allies (like Ana) and the fact that people would probably shoot first at the guy dressed like an actual 90's supervillain.

[mylawn]

Too late for a lot of things, he knows.

When 76 first heard about the Reaper, he recognized the tactics and the equipment and the style. What he didn't recognize was the apparent supernatural abilities--a ghost on the battlefield, corpses drained of all life. Seeing it in action has been something else entirely. He isn't sure what to think.

"What happened to you, Reyes?"

[fantasmaniac]

There's silence on his end, almost uncomfortably so. It feels like a stupid question that he shouldn't have to answer. He should fucking know- you did this to me.

But instead he just seems to hover for a moment, the pulsing waves of smoke pluming out in time to his breathing. There's a barely concealed rage, like he desperately wants to attack again but is reining himself back because he knows better. The stark contrast of the mask against the darkening background makes him appear to be hovering like a porcelain ghost, before the entire image appears to shudder and slowly billows away into nothing.

[mylawn]

[fantasmaniac]

this image has never been more true