The ego is only an illusion, but a very influential one.

[thecourier]

Who: Dan Palmer/Courier Six, Nathaniel Howe, Regis, Crowley & R AND ALSO YOU
Where: The Bathhouse
When: 11/17 - 11/20
Rating: PG-13 & up
Summary: “One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.”
The Story: All top-levels for the event can be found inside~ If you want a safe-zone thread, just reply with that in the subject. Assume all characters in safe zones are in some level of 'fuck this mess'.

Comments

Regis | OTA

[mandrakes]

[When Regis comes across his supposed 'true self', he isn't surprised by how it chooses to look, if it was even a choice. Its voice comes out in a low growl, and Regis has little reaction to it at first. It isn't the first time he's come up against something like this in Wonderland and he has his doubts that it will be the last.]

Out of sight, out of mind, isn't that what you said?

[Regis sighs, rubbing two fingers against his temple.]

If you're referring to what I assume you are, then yes, I believe that I did.

[The Shadow hesitates, but barely misses a beat before it goes on.] Self-imposed isolation is one thing, but eventually, you're going to bring their wrath down on everyone you care about.

[Here, the vampire flinches. He lowers his hand slowly, appearing to finally give the Shadow his full attention. Buoyed by this, it grins viciously - an expression with far too many teeth.]

You won't stay in Nilfgaard for long. You can't. You'll go north again and put all of them in danger. Because no matter what, you're never going to escape this. [It pauses, to gesture at itself.] You, Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godefroy, will always be nothing more than a monster to them. A blood-drinking freak.

[Regis is silent, knowing he is more than that to his friends but also... knowing that there is truth in the words being thrown at him like barbs. The Shadow bristles under his reticence.]

You'll be the death of them all. You'll kill them, just like you killed Dett--.

Enough. [Regis hisses, distress manifesting in anger as his claws lengthen without his knowledge.] No more of this.

[geiger]

[ Nora rounds the corner slowly as she hears arguing, then comes to a stop as she sees Regis facing off against his other self. She wasn't sure that her usual strategy, to shoot her way through her problems, would be much help here, but she raises her gun at his shadow's head nonetheless. ]

Is there a problem here, gentlemen?

[mandrakes]

[Immediately, like a reflex born of surprise, Regis' claws retract and he quickly clasps his hands together. She knows what he is, and what he could become is standing in front of the both of them with no need for him to demonstrate it, but the last thing he wants to do is provoke a situation that will lead to bringing harm to her.]

Lower the weapon, Nora, if you would.

[Perhaps she hadn't seen the message?]

It will do no good here.

[geiger]

[ Nora lowers the gun a little, but still keeps hold of it. She knew they wouldn't do vampires much good, but she still felt better having it than not. ]

I don't think either of us will do much good here. How about we leave this jerk and head back to the safe area?

[mandrakes]

I would not be so quick to dismiss this creature.

[There's a warning in his voice; a hand brought up as if to bid her to settle down. The creature - the Shadow - isn't speaking now, but observing them as if calculating their next move.]

Turning my back on it would be tantamount to rejecting it, and that would result in an outcome that neither of us would want.

[geiger]

[ She raises an eyebrow, it's not often that she's genuinely surprised but he's managed it. ]

I can see why long, tall and ugly over here wouldn't want to be rejected, but I'm surprised you agree with him.

[mandrakes]

It is always wise, in events such as these, to listen to those who have claimed them as from their own world. They often have good advice on how to tackle the situation.

[If he hadn't listened to Kanji, then who knows? This thing could have attacked them already, and they might both be dead.]

And in this case, turning my back is not an option.

[geiger]

[ Nora was determined not to listen to her own shadow if she encountered it, thinking that anything this place had manufactured was only bound to hurt her.

She looks from Regis to the shadow and back. ]

In that case, it seems to me like we're heading for a good old fashioned Mexican stand off.

[mandrakes]

Hardly.

[He won't ignore it, because that would be foolish. He won't stay silent... because that would amount to the same. The Shadow waits, as if anticipating that Regis' reaction to it will be to do anything but run.

But, Regis supposes, if this thing is truly the worst and most denied parts of himself, it already knows that running away is something he does not often do willingly.]

You should let me deal with this. It has no business with you.

[geiger]

[ Nora actually looks a little hurt, but she finally holsters her gun, shrugging her shoulders. ]

Okay, fine. But I'm on standby in case the worst happens.

[mandrakes]

[Better hurt feelings than dead, Regis would say. She's here now and is apparently not the type of person to walk away (not what he expected, in fact) and he would not want to see her harmed by some figment drawn from his own mind.]

Very well.

[Since he doubts he's going to be able to change her mind, and the thing in front of them is already getting restless. He looks at it, quite calm now, though his reaction before proves well enough that he's putting up a very good front.]

If Dettlaff's fate is to be wielded as a weapon against me, it will be done on my own terms. [Briefly, he glances to Nora.] And I do hope that anything you hear here will not tarnish what good opinion you might have of me.

[geiger]

Don't worry about that. I don't think anyone can be held accountable for how they act in these sort of events.

[ She stands well back, but she isn't about to abandon him to his inner demons made flesh. ]