Taako (
tacosgay) wrote in
lostcarnival2017-09-18 06:19 pm
Entry tags:
stranger I know so well (open)
Who: Taako and whoever comes to see him.
When: Days 159-16something. Let's say 162 for now.
Where: Trailer #18.
What: Taako had a realization and has shut down completely, and is hiding away in his trailer. Anyone want to check on him...?
Warnings: Massive spoilers for The Adventure Zone; language, grief, and Taako likely being a huge asshole because he's upset.
It's funny how one realization can both answer so many questions, and also make everything infinitely more confusing. Taako's head feels as though it's overfull and thick with cotton, numb and aching at once. He doesn't know how much time has passed, and he honestly doesn't care. He doesn't care about anything anymore.
Lup. Fucking. Lup.
How did he forget her? Who the hell made him forget her? Who could possibly do something so heinous-- who would take away Lup? And why? What good could it have possibly done anyone to ruin his life?
She's gone. She's just gone now. The only pieces of her that existed have blown away over a year ago, turned to dust except for the umbrella he clutches in his fingers, too tight. How many years has it been that he didn't even remember her?
Over a decade.
He spends much of his time sprawled across his bed, or sitting on the floor with his back to it, staring into space. He hasn't answered his radio in days. His hair is a wild mess, his makeup smudged when he does bother to apply it, not that he ever leaves the trailer.
He doesn't even think about that someone may come to check in on him.
Flauta tries, at first, to get him up, to work through it, but his confusion and anger and despair weigh on her as well, and she ends up giving in and going under, every bit as crushed as her body. She curls in the crook of his neck, still, a warm, silent presence that he doesn't really take that much comfort in, given he knows she's just another fucking carnival trick and in a few days, she'll probably be gone, too.
When: Days 159-16something. Let's say 162 for now.
Where: Trailer #18.
What: Taako had a realization and has shut down completely, and is hiding away in his trailer. Anyone want to check on him...?
Warnings: Massive spoilers for The Adventure Zone; language, grief, and Taako likely being a huge asshole because he's upset.
It's funny how one realization can both answer so many questions, and also make everything infinitely more confusing. Taako's head feels as though it's overfull and thick with cotton, numb and aching at once. He doesn't know how much time has passed, and he honestly doesn't care. He doesn't care about anything anymore.
Lup. Fucking. Lup.
How did he forget her? Who the hell made him forget her? Who could possibly do something so heinous-- who would take away Lup? And why? What good could it have possibly done anyone to ruin his life?
She's gone. She's just gone now. The only pieces of her that existed have blown away over a year ago, turned to dust except for the umbrella he clutches in his fingers, too tight. How many years has it been that he didn't even remember her?
Over a decade.
He spends much of his time sprawled across his bed, or sitting on the floor with his back to it, staring into space. He hasn't answered his radio in days. His hair is a wild mess, his makeup smudged when he does bother to apply it, not that he ever leaves the trailer.
He doesn't even think about that someone may come to check in on him.
Flauta tries, at first, to get him up, to work through it, but his confusion and anger and despair weigh on her as well, and she ends up giving in and going under, every bit as crushed as her body. She curls in the crook of his neck, still, a warm, silent presence that he doesn't really take that much comfort in, given he knows she's just another fucking carnival trick and in a few days, she'll probably be gone, too.

day 161
He was still a bit worried about the man. It had been a few days before Strange remembered that he should check up on Taako after he collapsed and a few more days after that before he actually did so. Flightiness and forgetfulness make a terrible combination.
Strange knocks on the door rather loudly. "Taako? May I come in?" He may have done a bit of scrying to make certain that Taako was in his trailer before Strange actually came over to visit. Again, boundaries are for losers.
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He...
... Taako climbs to his feet from where he was slumped on his bed, and he holds out a hand for Flauta to join him; she crawls up it, wrapping loosely around his wrist before he turns to go to the door.
When the door is opened, the Taako Strange will be met with is not one he's used to; his hair is down and messy, what little makeup he's got on smeared and nearly gone. He looks exhausted.
"... hey, uh. Did you need something?"
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At Taako's question though, Strange looks a little surprised. "I wanted to check on you, of course! The last time we talked, the conversation started with you collapsing. I wished to see how you were doing."
But that was a few days ago. There are times when Strange is a downright shitty friend and, though he doesn't realize it, this is kind of one of them.
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"... uh. Yeah, that's right." There's a long beat of silence, then, in which he glances over his shoulder, back into the trailer; while it's unkempt at the moment, Foster hasn't bled all over the fucking place recently, so it's not as bad as it could be. He still needs to work on getting them some real furniture, however.
He takes a step back to invite Strange inside, his gaze dropped low.
"... do you wanna come in? I wanted to, uh... talk to you, anyway."
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Honestly, the unkempt nature doesn't bother him in the slightest. He was an utter slob back in Portland so a little mess can easily be tolerated. At least it's not a worrying level of mess or a level of mess that would make someone seriously wonder just how many people would be needed to clean it.
Once he enters the trailer, Strange waits near the front, hands behind his back, for Taako to tell him where to sit. Of course, they can still talk while he waits. "What did you want us to talk about?"
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"You can, uh... shit," he mumbles to himself, realizing there isn't actually anywhere to sit. He shoves some of his belongings off of the little built-in seat by the table, gesturing for Strange to have a seat there. "There. We've gotta get some fucking furniture in here."
He sighs, rubbing his temple; but then he remembers what he was going to say, and he glances off.
"... I wanted to say... thanks for telling me to look harder at the whole brain thing."
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As Taako continues talking, Strange watches with interest. And that interest just grows as Taako mentions the whole brain thing. He had to be bringing it up for a reason, right? Did he remember what he had forgotten?
"You're welcome," Strange simply says, before continuing. "Do you remember now?" Because that's what matters the most. Not how Taako forgot, but that he got those memories back in the first place.
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"... yeah, you fuckin' bet I did, uh." A mirthless laugh as he tries to think of how to explain it, or even whether he has the energy and will to or not. He finally decides that, after what he's done, he at least owes him some kind of clarification. "So, uh... turns out somebody decided to randomly block out about a hundred fucking years of my life, and also my entire sister because hey, go big or go home, right?"
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"No one should have to suffer that," he quietly remarks, as the horrified expression changes into a small frown. At least Taako remembers her now, though. That's what matters.
"Do you know who removed your memories to begin with?"
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"Nope," he says, and the edges of his voice are ragged with something, something dark and wet and aching. He clears his throat, glancing off for a beat before he can look back at Strange; but, when he does, it isn't just despair visible in his expression. Anger burns there, cold and sharp, betraying Taako's ordinary demeanor entirely. "But when I find out who it was..."
Heh.
He breaks off, but the darkness in his eyes is enough to finish that thought for him.
On the bed, Flauta curls into a pile of sharp, wound-up curves, her body a spring ready to snap, echoing out loud the potential violence building inside of her body's chest.
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"If you wish, you could take on another contract with the Ringmaster to find out who changed your memories." And, anticipating that Taako will butt in, Strange raises a hand to try and stave off any interruptions. "I know that you don't particularly enjoy it here. But my contract with the Ringmaster was for information, and now I know what I came here to learn."
The method was a little...obtuse, but Strange received the information he wanted all the same.
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He suddenly makes pointed eye contact with Strange, though it's not violent-- it's inquisitive.
"Hey. I've heard some people have gone home for a little while and then come back to finish out their contracts. Do you know how that whole thing works?"
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It literally was yesterday. But Strange is speaking around the details, keeping the information of what happened to him when he vanished and just how long he vanished in the first place to himself.
"I asked the Ringmaster if I could return home long enough to fulfill a duty that I learned about during my stay here. She granted it, I returned to my world, completed what I needed to, then came back here."
It's all terribly vague, but as much as he likes Taako, Strange knows that the man might be a bit uncomfortable with a billion tons of fae nonsense and sad backstory dropped on him when he's already in a bit of a state.
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Day 159
9S shifts on his feet before calling out, "Hellooooo? Can you hear me?"
He hadn't introduced himself -- nor had the other guy -- but 9S figures the sound of his voice should be a recognisable enough identifier. And, because 9S also has no sense of modesty, he tries opening the door to the trailer.
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Sprawled on his bed like a big, angry starfish is Taako, who is holding up his left arm-- the arm with the bracer, a solid piece of plain silver-colored metal-- and fidgeting at the bracer in irritation, trying to slip fingers under the bottom edge. When he realizes that 9S has arrived, he sits up, his unkempt mop of blond curls falling over his shoulders and into his face.
"... oh, right, you," he says finally, and he shoves his hair back out of his face, looking up at 9S tiredly. "Yeah, uh... this thing right here. Do you think you can do anything about it?"
He holds up the arm expectantly.
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Well, the guy hasn't objected to him just entering like that, so 9S just walks on over. Nice ears. Probably fae magic, maybe? Curious, 9S scans the guy as he approaches, wondering if he'll pick up as human, human but changed by the lingering fae magic, or something else.
"Yeah, I think I could do something." The bracer looks kind of more snug fitting than he imagined it was, though... "You're gonna have to go outside. If I did anything in here, it'd make a huge mess."
Wouldn't want that!
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From the bed, his daemon lifts her head silently; a violet bush viper, a snake with wild, pointed scales and round, vivid eyes. When he says that they'll have to leave, she crawls up his arm that he isn't using, staring up at 9S with those bright eyes of hers. She's silent. She'll let Taako do the talking for now.
"Ugh," he sighs, rolling his eyes. "Fine. Where do you wanna go? Just... pick somewhere, I'm up for whatever, I guess."
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9S' gaze slides to the daemon. Yet another animal that he can't identify. Too bad he can't connect to the Bunker; there would probably be something in the database about it.
"We don't have to go far. Just outside this trailer should be fine." He spreads his hands as he talks. "I just need some space, otherwise I might wreck your trailer. And that would be a real pain to clean up."
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"We're kind of attached to it," she says, and Taako very nearly smirks, but the twitch of his lips is gone as soon as it appears.
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That gives 9S pause.
"You can't reattach it?"
Legitimate question here. Yeah, sure, it hurts a ton to get limbs blown off, but he could, theoretically, jam his arm back on and let the nanomachines do most of the work integrating it back together.
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That sounds real inconvenient, buddy. But uh. 9S holds his hands up, placating.
"Alright, alright. No cutting off arms, I get it. I promise I'll be careful?"
Real reassuring words, right there.
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"Fine, whatever, let's just do it already." He's thoroughly tired of having to look at the logo of that organization by now; it's just a constant reminder of the people he trusted.
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9S holds out his hand, the katana hovering at his back floating over towards it. But he doesn't grip the sword -- actually holding it has always been rather uncomfortable -- instead using his magnetic field to casually spin it vertically in place.
"My sword's sharp enough to cut through machines, so unless your bracer is made out of weird stuff, it should cut through it no problem.
Yes the plan is to cut the bracer off with his very sharp sword that could also probably cut off an arm. The very sharp sword he's current floating above the palm of his right hand.
"When you're ready, hold out your arm with the bracer."
If Taako has protests, speak now, or forever hold his peace.
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"... uh, hold on just one second," he says, and then he pulls out his radio, making quick call.
Taako doesn't pause to respond to Zecora before he puts the radio back away, tucking it into his bag; and then he holds his arm out, looking at 9S with grim determination written on his face.
"Okay, we're covered. Do it."
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I COULDVE SWORN I REPLIED TO THIS THREAD???
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