psychoshenanigans | GRATIA // PSL

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GRATIA // PSL

The first thing he feels is the cold.

It permeates everything down here on the lower levels. What little warmth humans have made for themselves is greedily gobbled up by the stone walls that surround them on all sides. Despite the stirring of people in the streets, in their homes, and around corners, this place feels like a grave. A similar sense seems to loom over the heads of most who make their way through this deep, dark part of the world, hovering around them like a cloud of inevitability. No one has been outright sentenced to death, but they may as well be.

Upon waking, Tek will have found himself in a dark, wet alleyway. Attempts to orient himself reveal that he has been brought, somehow, to an impressively large network of tunnels that all lead, more or less, to three or four larger chambers. There is far more vibrant life above him somewhere, far, far above the layer of caves he's in now, and there is also a very deep, sluggish form of life somewhere far below his feet.

No one is coming to get him. No one follows him in his immediate vicinity--the few stragglers hanging around doorsteps and windows don't give him a second glance, or even a first one. The place is crowded, but not busy. Everyone keeps their heads down. The people are all dressed poorly, in rags and robes and bundles that suggest a certain level of consistent poverty all throughout the level. The buildings in these tunnels look man-made, either built from scrap or carved straight out of the rock of the cave, but the majority of the actual roads and cave walls seem to have been formed with very little help from human hands.

The place is lit with lanterns and dirty-looking florescents suspended high above in the cave ceiling. The air is thick and stuffy, the smell of mold and mud prevalent over even the smell of human stagnation. It would not be hard to drag someone off, and he gets the immediate feeling that if he did, it's unlikely that anyone would come looking for them.

What does he do?

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[Robin smirks at the comment.]

You know me. Can't walk six feet without running into a veritable adventure.

[sometimes the adventure is bandits, sometimes it's politics. sometimes it's waking up on a spaceship in another dimension. sometimes it's running into someone he thought he'd never see again. he'd thought that, perhaps, his days of high-octane, chaotic adventure could be over... but it's clear to him, now, that the Gods are not done with whatever They have planned.

there comes a point where Robin has to let go of Tek's hand so that they can both climb safely--as the wall to their right falls away to reveal an open view of the world they're passing by. from here, Tek can see a massive, spiraling network of houses and buildings and strange structures built up from the ground. very little wood makes it down here, but there's a strong theme of scrap-metal and stone. the crowds are denser and far more lively.

the wall fills in again, first as reaching stalactites and then, eventually, as more solid rock. another tunnel takes them into a large, wide-open chamber with an arching ceiling. the floor is the smoothest they've found yet. groups of people congregate near the walls, chatting, laughing, catching up after a long day--but otherwise, this room has no purpose other than to connect one path to another. Robin leads him to another set of stairs, this one wide and well-constructed.

they climb again. with each progressive level, the structures and the people within them appear healthier and more lively. color and art come back into the world. the chill in the air starts to wane. the buildings start to look like residences mixed with businesses, game halls, restaurants, and other shops. each chamber seems a little wider than the last, with massive supportive columns of stone serving as more latching-on points for houses and stairs to other parts of the city.

and then, finally, they hit flat ground again. down a hallway, they go through one door that opens into a wide room filled with large, metal creates stacked up in huge towers all around them. various things are marked on the boxes--and several people are standing guard around them, dressed in armor and very obviously armed with clubs and swords. a female guard (with an impressive axe strapped to her back) steps forward to start asking them questions, but Robin reaches into his pocket and flips open a wallet, revealing some kind of badge.]

Sorry, officer, we're just taking a short cut.

[the woman, realizing what's on the badge, steps off immediately. she even smiles apologetically and waves them through. another guard, a male one, laughs and speaks up as the two of them pass.]

Heeey, Robin! You catch that crazy serial killer yet?

[Robin spins around, of course, to answer--but never stops walking, even backwards.]

Trust me, Rich, you'll be the first one to know when I do.

["Rich" the guard just laughs. maybe this is some joke they have between them, but the subject of a serial killer really doesn't seem all that dire to the people in this room. Robin takes them through another door and across one more large, crate-filled room... where an elevator is waiting for them at the end.]

Finally. [he sighs, relieved.] This thing will take us most of the rest of the way.

[he pushes a button for "up". somewhere, a bell rings. they have a moment of pause while the mechanisms and gears in the empty shaft in front of them start to turn and click together, slowly lowering the lift from somewhere high above.]

[Tek can't remember the last time he's felt this disoriented, but it's not an entirely negative feeling. if anything, it helps this whole thing seem like some kind of dream, instead of a real stone-and-blood, life-and-death situation. the feeling of foreign worldstuff clashing with his being, being surrounded by presences in more directions than he is used to experiencing, reeling at how unfathomably deep underground he is... and the haunting sensation that things seem more and more familiar as they ascend. it's exhausting.

by the time they pause at an elevator, he's grateful for the brief mental rest. here, he can focus on one room and one interaction. that's about all he can handle right now.

so, he lifts an eyebrow once it seems like they're mostly out of earshot of the others.]

...You have a badge now, hmm? Should I start calling you 'sir?'

[despite the gravity of their situation, Robin finds plenty of time to roll his eyes.]

Yeah, yeah. Shut up.

[and then he bumps into the other's shoulder, staying there, because he doesn't actually mind all that much. he'll regret inviting constant torment into his home after a while, certainly, but right now it's a fond reminder of the last few years of his life.

the elevator slowly rolls down to their level and stops with an uncertain wobble on their floor. the doors are just folding grates, which slide open automatically by some steam-powered hissing quietly near the ceiling. Robin leads them in and the thing seems to hold, though it wobbles again as the doors close. casually, Robin adds:]

It's "officer", by the way.

[though smirk that spreads over his face implies that he finds this fact humorous and, very likely, incredibly ironic.

the grate that covers the door of the elevator provides a very clear view of everything they pass. there are several more dark, tall rooms filled with crates, boxes, tarp-covered bundles, and as they elevate through the final storage chamber, Tek gets to see this labyrinth of boxes go on for maybe a mile. it's the first place around here that seems to have been set up with any sort of order or planning involved, and is a clear division between the low levels and the "civilized" levels of the city.

they pass through another largely residential layer, but it is the first time that these collections of houses and structures have looked like an actual city. street lamps line actual streets, bars advertise with neon signs, and the large cavern hosts multiple layers of organized walkways and buildings to fit a ton of people into a limited space. it gets even more vibrant the next level up, and the people here are look healthier and better dressed. the buildings are carved artfully, the air smells cleaner, and the artificial lighting installed in the ceiling looks closer to sunlight than the dirty synthetics running far below.

another layer reveals a vibrant marketplace, a bustling jumble of smells and sounds coming from hundreds of colorful booths lining the packed streets. suspended far above their heads is a platform with a running fountain, propped up by four massive stone bridges connecting it to the walls around them. the elevator shutters to a stop on this level, and Tek can quickly guess why--at the far end of those bridges, a massive hunk of black stone has been left hanging from the ceiling, wide at the top and narrowing dramatically by the time it meets the market floor below.

Robin steps out as the doors open. the rock structure seems to glitter as they move, but only because hundreds of small windows have been carved out of its exterior, all of them lit with candles. this is definitely the structure that Robin had thought of when he had explained to Tek where they were going.]

This is the market level. We're pretty close to the surface now... [he points up at the ceiling.] Just one more layer before you hit open air, up there.

[he looks in a couple of directions--seemingly checking for something specific, but in this busy place, who could say what he's looking for--before taking Tek's hand again and guiding him over the bridge. there are well-made guard rails here, and no real danger of getting lost... so the gesture is more for Robin than anything.

there are a lot of people here, mingling and hurrying along these platforms, but they've finally reached a level where the both of them look like they might be at-home here.]

["officer?" ...that gets a laugh. it's so damn amusing to him that it refuels the reserves he needs to continue ignoring everything. a little bit of levity goes a long way when delaying unpleasant thoughts.

and then they eventually rise into a world where Tek finally--finally--feels underdressed in his robes and rags. the compulsion to push his hood back and show off a little is nearly too powerful to resist. his senses of paranoia and self-preservation are just stronger than his vanity, and he manages to tolerate looking like a scummy creature from the lower levels a little while longer.

his hands do fidget in his gloves, though. it hurts not to be able to flaunt the perfection of his latest lacquerwork]

[the walk across the platform is beautiful. up here, one could almost forget that they're living in a cave. their destination is ringed by a suspended garden that even has real trees and living flowers growing in neatly-kept pots and planters. sure, they're being sustained by sun lamps and seem a shade paler than they should--but you work with what you've got, down here.

as they cross this garden, several figures in white tunics can be seen busying about, lighting candles and speaking with visitors on their park benches. a round symbol is embroidered in gold thread on their shoulders. a woman in a similarly tailored white robe stands just beside the large wooden entryway, and nods to both of them politely as they pass through into the halls of "the church".

the interior is a sight to behold, truly. the floors are marble, beautiful jars and sculptures line the walls, and candles burn in alcoves all around them. the most striking thing about this place, however, is how quiet it is.

the caves tend to bounce sound every which-way until every tunnel and chamber is filled with a perpetual white noise. the market was the worst of all, with vendors shouting, friends laughing, people arguing, goods being moved around--but in here, the sound is nearly nonexistent. as Robin leads Tek through the entry and up a shallow marble staircase, the outside world sounds further and further away.

it's the tapestries on the walls, mostly. many of them are works of art, exquisite depictions of history and myth--but they're also big and heavy, and do a lot to absorb echoing sound. as they walk further into the structure, they also get further and further from any windows.

Robin has told Tek about the Priesthood. they're dangerous if you're connected to magic in any way, shape, or form--and Robin's always had a particular spite saved up for them. still, it isn't a long shot to imagine why Robin has decided to bring Tek here. if there is a spot in this city where no one will see or hear them, it will be in the middle of this massive stone.]

Okay, we just need to get to the--

[Robin was about to explain when someone suddenly shouts his name from down the hallway. the demigod nearly jumps and drops Tek's hand in surprise--which is instantly replaced with unmasked irritation as soon as he realizes who it was that just called his name.

he turns. a woman with slick blonde hair and dark eyes comes striding up to them, dressed in some imposing splint mail armor and very obviously armed to the teeth. she is almost as tall as Robin and certainly looks like she could (and would) beat him in a fistfight.]

We need to talk. [she sounds about ready to make an arrest... and the golden circle painted on her shoulder suggests that she may just have the power to do that. she looks over at Tek as though he was a second thought, and then seems a little surprised (and further irritated) that someone else is standing there at all.]

[as much as Robin detests this Church and all that it stands for, and as much as Tek is sure that he feels the same way about them himself... he really can't help a little awe and appreciation for some well-executed grandeur. he has missed the sight of gleaming, overdone temples, regardless of the trouble they usually represent.

so, he's distracted by nostalgia when Robin speaks up and is then immediately interrupted, startling just as much as his partner.

when he's eyed by the imposing woman, however... he casually turns to look at Robin instead--equal parts curious to hear what his response will be, and hoping that he can deflect attention off of himself in the process.]

[the woman starts to look Tek over more thoroughly, perhaps confused by his clashing choice of clothing--but then Robin starts talking, none too kindly, and her attention snaps back to the subject of her ire.]

Now? I'm in the middle of something.

[for what it's worth, Robin looks angry. he's rarely shown that face around Tek, even less so around most other acquaintances. is this a new development for the demigod, or is he truly this furious about being interrupted so close to their goal?

all the same, this woman doesn't seem at all threatened, and continues with her demands.]

I don't care what you're doing. We talk now, where you can't weasel out of it.

[Robin sighs, irritating, starting to say that he's not... but he drops it a second later, shoulders dropping as he looks back at Tek... and then back at this woman, who crosses her arms impatiently. finally, he lolls his head in temporary defeat.]

Fine, fine. We'll talk. I'll meet up with you-- [he points back at Tek, and then gestures further down the hall. it's a straight shot down to some double-doors.] --if you want to go on up ahead.

[before Tek can comment, the woman interjects:] Good. Downstairs.

[she turns her back, and Robin follows after her. it isn't long at all before they start arguing--though whether Tek sticks around to listen is entirely up to him.]

[as eager as Tek is to retreat somewhere dark and safe... there just isn't much point in doing so alone. it's not a thought that he would have expected to ever catch himself thinking, but it's easy enough to explain away. there are logistic reasons for it. if anything, something could call Robin away or otherwise further get in the way of their previous plans, and Tek wouldn't know about it if he left the hall now.

so, deciding for reasons of curiosity and strategy, he takes an easy lean beside the doorway to wait and listen.]

[the point of them moving downstairs was so that their disagreement would not be right in front of Robin's new friend... but their back-and-forth is heated enough that Tek barely has to try to listen in.

the woman demands to know why Robin has been avoiding her, and Robin insists that he has not been avoiding her. she asserts that all information regarding mages is to be reported directly to her, as head of some Priesthood "protection" division... and implies, heavily, that Robin has been withholding information from her.

which Robin cuts through right away, saying that he has nothing to report. he explains something about his employer, explains his leads are insubstantial, points out that he's not about to send her organization looking for wolves when all they'll find are rabbits.

she doesn't appreciate the metaphor, but the two of them reach a tense silence where neither is happy but neither of them have a proper retort.

after that, the woman finally speaks again, finally lower:]

Do not think that just because Officer Leda offers you special sanction, that you can skip around just law however you please.

[Robin scoffs.] Would you rather I come get you every time I find a brick out of place? Surely, you can't enjoy my company that much.

Just-- [Tek can imagine, if not outright sense, the woman's frustration nearly bubble over. another pause. Robin speaks again, but he's finally taking on a calmer tone.]

Tanit, we are going to get to the bottom of this, okay? But you have to give us time, and we have to stay out of the ropes. That's the only reason we're able to even get down there, and you know it. [after a silence, where "Tanit" does not answer...] Go ask Vincent, anytime. He'll tell you the exact same thing.

[the woman finally growls.] That man is an idiot.

[with a patting sound, Robin replies with some semblance of charm--] Yes, but he's my idiot. Relax, okay?

[the sound of boots walking across the carpet, towards the exit, as she quips one final time:] Don't chastise me. Just do your job.

[...and Robin finally gives one last sigh as the woman heads out the door, muttering under his breath:] That's what I'm fucking doing...

[...and now Robin is heading back up the stairs. he looks disgruntled, though that changes to mild surprise as he sees that Tek has been waiting at the top of the stairs.]

[whatever itch he'd felt during those few moments he'd had to observe Robin before the other had first spotted him, gets a little scratch while he eavesdrops. he likes being privy to moments when Robin is wearing some other face than the ones he puts on while they're together. the precious demigod and all of his inner workings have always been fun to watch.

so, Tek is in a somewhat buoyant mood by the time Robin reappears. leaning against the wall beside the doorframe as if he belongs there, he even drums up a little smile for him.]

...I think she likes you.

[still in a bad mood, he shoots Tek a flat look.]

Of course she does. I'm fucking charming.

[but, with all of that finally behind them and a clear path in front of them, Robin walks on down the hall as he'd originally intended to, waving for Tek to follow him.]

She likes me almost as much as she likes arresting people. Vincent has a huge crush on her.

[or... was that the other way around? he shrugs to himself, making an attempt to leave the worst of his mood by the wayside for as long as it takes them to get to safety. the warm silence settles back in around them as they walk, even as Robin turns them through a side-door at the last moment and their heels click on hard marble floor again.

it's in the middle of this hallway (a thing Skeleton City seems to have in ample supply) that Robin reaches behind a tapestry and pushes against something in the wall.

the smooth stone slides backwards as if on a hinge, but it does so almost silently. with the open door revealed, Robin gestures for Tek to go in first. he looks down the hall, just in case--though he doesn't sense anyone coming.

the inside of the room is very dark, but Robin will follow along in a moment.]

Mysterious... [he teases under his breath while he peers into this new corridor, using it to cover one last pang of apprehension. if this doesn't look like a trap, nothing in this world does. but, with how low the odds are that the Universe has waited this long to spring some nasty surprise on him, his hesitation is a short one.

he'll take the lead then, brushing off the urge to glance over his shoulder at Robin as he does so.]

[while no one would argue that Tek deserves a good scare, Robin wouldn't dare even joke about something like that. he slides into the room a moment after Tek, pushing it closed again. for the brief moment he can see, Tek may notice there aren't any handles or knobs to open the door from this side, but hopefully Robin has a plan for that. as the door seals, the narrow corridor plunges into complete darkness.

but not for too long. a red light comes on--Robin's glowing amulet--and the thin striations in the dark stone walls begin to glow enough to see by. this does not look like a natural cave tunnel, but whoever created it did not spend much time evening out the walls.]

Okay... [this light really brings out the red in the demigod's eyes as he holds his trinket up towards the passage in front of them.] Almost there.

[it's a tight squeeze, but Robin takes the lead and brings them to a final chamber. even in the dim light, Tek can immediately identify where he is. the cave walls are different, but he's been in this room a dozen times already.

it's Robin's. it follows the same pattern with which he always sets up his rooms: a desk, stacks of books, a music player, storage shelves, and a bed. it's almost surprising that this room doesn't have a second door leading to a blood-stained bathroom.

Robin himself sets the pendant down on his desk and says an incantation--a little bit of the Gods' Language, asking the sun to stretch its light down into its roots. above their heads, a dozen hanging crystals slowly begin to give off a light of their own, brightening until the room is lit enough to make out details.

like all the pillows piled up on the bed, for example, or the ring of dried blood that runs along the edge of the room, partly concealed with furs and woven blankets all over the floor. the crystals hanging above them provide heat as well as light, so the chill of this secret room is not a long-lasting one.]

Well... This is it.

[and, as if this whole thing has been a weight carried on his shoulders, he slumps back into his desk with a sudden look of exhaustion. Tek can feel Robin's energy wash over the room in a familiar wave, so it must be safe for him to do the same.]

[this room should probably feel more surreal than it does. however, with an entire alien world finally shut out behind him, something even a little familiar feels like home. he gives a cursory glance around (the crystals are a nice touch) but otherwise just seems relieved to be here. he already knows this space.]

Cozy... [he mutters, as he finally pushes the hood back from his face for the first time since he'd put the thing on. the cloak had been his only shield, the only thing saving him, and now he wants nothing more than to get the damned thing off of him. the gloves are next.]

[Robin, who has not seen Tek in months, looks over every revealed detail of his face almost as if counting them to a total. as if coming up short might prove that Tek isn't real and that this whole thing is just (another) surreal dream.

only it wasn't a dream. it couldn't have been. not with Tek here. right?

he runs a hand anxiously through his own hair while his wheels spin.]

Used to be a trap room... From, uh, a long time ago.

[but that hardly matters. he continues to stare, and only one phrase seems to come to mind, over and over again. he's stunned, voice quiet.]

I can't believe you're here.

[that little bit of genuine sentiment is enough to glance at, before Tek occupies himself with shrugging off his cloak and folding it up to set aside. it provides a nice, casual distraction to get him through the next few moments.]

Where else would I be?

[Robin shakes his head. that's not a statement that makes a whole lot of sense in the context he's been living with these past couple of months. still digging fingers lightly into his own scalp, he looks away to try and put this new reality into proper order.]

I don't know. Somewhere else. I didn't think it worked this way.

[yes, he had been to Tek's world, but that was far in the future. besides...]

And with no one else here, I really... Started wondering if maybe it really was just a dream and I was... Going crazy again...

[oh... he slowly ducks his head, now holding it with both hands. he closes his eyes almost as if to fight off a headache--but Tek can sense better than that. he says nothing, momentarily trying to ignore much louder sounds that only he can hear.]

[ah. and there's his cue.

Tek would have to be at his coldest and most distant to ignore that, and here he is only pretending that whatever layers he's hiding behind can actually protect him. it draws him like blood in a new wound, every time.

as he always does, he sees the need for an anchor and steps in. nice and quiet, just closing the gap until his hands can come to rest on Robin's upper arms. he won't try pull Robin's hands away from his face--he'd learned to avoid that move years ago.

Tek just offers a touch to bring them both a little proof of reality.]

[and just like every time before, he opens his eyes with a start. this time, the touch makes him shiver, but the tension eases out of his fingers as he stares back at the death dragon.]

I'm not crazy. It was all real, and now you're here.

[and then he smiles, just a little. he's playing on frayed nerves and feels exhausted already, but he moves his hands to start pulling off his gloves. he wants to experience what it's like to touch him again, after thinking he may never have another chance.

he giggles, weak, helpless, and deliriously relieved.]

Gods, you're going to get us in so much trouble...

[that look, that weakness, and some of Tek's favorite words--how could he not smile at that. it's easier to ignore all of the things he is unsure about (the gap in his memory, the changes he has missed here, the meaning behind any of it,) when he has this kind of affirmation right in front of him. he still can't call any of this normal, but he's at least collecting a small foundation of familiar things to start building on again.]

Oh, that's a shame. I would hate to be a bother.

[Robin giggles even more at that, his shoulders coiling in as it turns into a bigger laugh... and then, rather suddenly, he ducks forward and shoves his face at Tek's chest like a needy dog looking for attention.

he's still laughing, though. he may have worked himself up into a bit of a fit. but he snuggles up against Tek's chest whether the dragon wants him there or not, drawing arms around his waist to keep him from leaving.

if Tek finds it in himself to look down at this atrocity, he'll notice that Robin's face isn't without a few tears--but that's probably to be expected, at this point. maybe the aggressive hug would be stranger if he wasn't also crying.]

[when Tek's arms loop around Robin's shoulders in return, it's initially a sort of containing action--following that same urge to ground the unpredictable demigod. but once it's clear that Robin is hooked onto him pretty securely, he doesn't let them drop again.

part of it is not knowing what else to do with himself, really. he can't remember the last time that someone had latched onto him with so much affection. and the rest of it... well, he can't find much reason to remove himself from this when he's so starved for a sense of safety. there's nothing to look over his shoulder for, here.

and who is there to see him? he is so very far from any prying eyes that he could care about; even the gods themselves might be gone. he doesn't have to play by old rules, at least not right now. he'll make a plan and rebuild walls and traps later. for now, he can stay right where he is and not care.]

[and while the months have not been kind to him, he remembers very well what a rarity it is for Tek to show any sort of affection in return. he soaks up the touch just a few seconds longer than he would normally dare, just to savor it--just to be sure that this Tek is real, and not some vision of a dream come to haunt him in his waking hours.

when he finally pulls away, he still reaches up to brush his fingers along the edges of Tek's face. his cheeks are a little wet, still, but with a reintroduction like this... he can make a quick recovery.]

Tek, it's been terrible. [he says this with a huge grin, of course, and then dives right into something else as he switches gears:] Are you all right? I started looking as soon as I felt you show up, but you vanished so fast... I didn't even realize it was you until I saw you...

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GRATIA // PSL

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