legionmissions | TOTAL ECLIPSO THE HEART [modplot/log]

Apokolips was intimidating enough when it was bleak and dead but now it's even more of a living nightmare. As Eclipso, Catastrophists, and monsters menace the defense garrison, screams cut through the air the way they used to back when Apokolips' old ruler was alive.

Catastrophists toss themselves into the firepits in droves and smoke starts to rise from them. Somehow their sacrificial bloodshed seems to be doing something to the core of the planet. It groans and strains and the ground shakes as machinery under the surface starts to slowly get stoked back to life.

Some of the Catastrophists even rise into the air while wearing winged uniforms and clash with garrison members capable of flight - Apokolips' old parademon troops, reborn in a new form.

This world is a death engine, and if they don't manage to stop it it from restarting, Chronoblivion's forces will have an entire world to make war from.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There's something there, something in the light cutting through the hell that is his memory-sodden mind, and Wash struggles towards it, fighting off memory after memory - all the pain and sorrow and fury and madness that doesn't belong to him, and then, as he gets closer, all the pain and sorrow and madness and fury that does.

He falters and starts to sink as the memories bear down on him, actions he'd committed and consequences he'd brought on himself, and he can't deny any of them - every friend he'd hurt; every person he'd lost; every mistake and shortcoming and fuckup were all his - he'd shot South - he'd lost Delta - he'd betrayed people who'd helped him - he'd made so goddamn many mistakes - he'd hurt so many of his friends - he'd shot Connie - he'd shot Pidge-

And Connie and Pidge were going to be fucking furious with him if he didn't come back from this.

It's that golden-edged thought that spurs him back on again towards the light, shoving memories away and struggling towards it until he recognizes that voice, until he can hear exactly what that voice is saying-

It's Freelancer in the field, he thinks, just this side of delirious from exhaustion and overload, as he finally manages to stagger into that golden warmth-

And his back arches and he gasps for breath, back in his body instead of locked in his mind. The shimmering mist rises off of him as he finally breathes again; it hovers for a moment, then dissipates completely.

He should feel relieved - after all, he's just survived being dragged through his own personal hell. Again. He really should have a punch card at this rate. Instead, he's just dizzy from oxygen deprivation, and he's not doing a damn thing until he can manage to catch his breath. "Fuck," he manages between gradually slowing gasps, "that."

Whatever memory or thought Wash uses to pull himself, Zenyatta encourages it. He feels the connection strengthen, and it's easier for him to harmonize with Washington's spirit. When the Woe vanishes and Wash gasps for air, Zenyatta tries to steady him. He's relieved that Wash was able to break through in time. He doesn't know the whole of it, but this was a battle of the mind with the body as hostage. The Woe disappearing (hopefully finding peace like the Fragmented) is also a relief.

The orb remains attached to Washington, trying to heal any residual damage done and continuing to soothe his spirit. However, Zenyatta eases on his near solitary focus on it. A few processes that were redirected to aid Washington have also returned to their normal priority.

"Not entirely the first words I thought I would hear from you, but they are welcome nevertheless. Can you stand?"

For whatever it's worth, he's starting to feel better. The darkness and the agony and the panic are all fading from his mind, faster than he'd normally be able to recover from a memory attack of that magnitude, and that's odd. He blinks and focuses and-

Oh. It's that orb again. Zenyatta's been here the whole time. As much as he gives the Omnic grief over his methods, Zenyatta has probably - no, definitely - saved Wash's life here. He'd never have been able to pull himself out of those memories otherwise.

So while the dizziness fades and Wash remembers how to breathe, he reaches up and grasps Zenyatta's hand tightly. He can't quite manage a thank you yet - too busy catching his breath - but God damn if he doesn't owe Zenyatta some gratitude, and this is the only way he can think of to show it right now.

(And it's nice to be able to hold on to someone after all of that. It warms some small part of his soul that the orb hasn't managed to reach just yet - not that he'll admit it.)

His breathing eases and evens out, and he lets go and pushes himself to his feet. "Yeah." And because he can manage words a little more consistently now: "Thanks."

Zenyatta closes his fingers around Wash's hand to help ground him. It's another unexpected response from Wash, but it is not unwelcome. A physical gesture can do just as much as comforting words and do better at times.

The sense of the darkness within Washington seems to fade back into something more akin to "normal." Normal for Washington at least. There is discord within Washington's own heart, but now is not the time to reflect on it.

"You are welcome. Let us reunite with the rest of our team. Let's go, Legionnaires!"

No, that was completely the wrong time to say that; that should have been yelled from the start of their mission, but perhaps, that's exactly why Zenyatta decided to say it now.

TOTAL ECLIPSO THE HEART [modplot/log]

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