[25] [Video/Action for Goldenrod] - "You Leave Philly and Bad Shit Happens"

[lieutenantantichrist]

[VIDEO]

[The flag behind Blake is scorched and askew from where one of his firehorses brushed too close to it. His eyes are dark-rimmed, and have a hint of a wild sheen. No fancy-ass combed hair this time. His beard is dark and thick.]

I tried playing nice.

[There's a bat-like squeak from somewhere offscreen. Yusuke's going away present. He doesn't seem to hear it.]

More people are vanishing off the face of the earth. The wolfkid disappeared the old-fashioned way. No trace of any of them.

[Suddenly, he slams his fist on his desk.]

That's enough!

[He jabs his finger at the screen.]

As of now, I am declaring martial law. You hear me?! Nobody leaves without my permission!

[A violent gesture knocks over a glass in front of him.]

We're on lockdown!

[The video cuts out.]


[ACTION]

[Blake is in his headquarters, prowling back and forth. He can't seem to stay still, and his Pokemon have caught his restlessness. His arcanine is sniffing the air, Steve is pacing and standing on her toes to peer out the windows, his Kingler is scuttling around the old bowling lanes with its legs clack-clacking on the wood floor. There a squeaking and rustle of wings every once in a while as the last damn Zubat out of reach flaps over to a new corner. The only one that seems at rest is a Beautifly perched on top of a bank of lockers.

Blake's tread is hard and heavy. Every once in a while he hisses under his breath,] Bastards.

[[OOC: THE TIME IS NOW. If anybody's looking to have fun punching an idiot in the head make history by overthrowing Blake's delusion government, now's the opportunity.]]

Comments

[Video]

[dangerousidol]

[Wow, can Blake not handle people leaving? That's... well, Rise can't blame him. People you care for leaving really sucks. She'll try and be reasonable.]

You know, even if you declare martial law, I don't think the people are choosing to leave... I know my friends that left loved it here. They wouldn't have left on purpose.

[Video]

[lieutenantantichrist]

[Blake's reply is rapid.]

Oh, I've heard that one before. Everybody always claims things aren't their fault. 'It was an accident,' 'I didn't mean to.' Well then you should've tried harder!

[Action]

[wing_attack]

[He should have taken care of this a long time ago. He should have confronted Blake about his behavior, but it had been mostly harmless in general. He'd been content to let Blake blow off steam, because no one really paid much attention to him, and no one seemed to be taking him that seriously.]

[But this? This is not sane. This is someone who needs to be talked down - and if not talked down, then restrained. It's not like there aren't other people who can't do it... but he's close, and more than that he's not the sort of person to punch first and ask questions later. He's aware that 'crazy people' can actually be right... but that doesn't mean he can let Blake get angry and frustrated enough to cause some actual damage.]

[He doesn't have any of his Pokemon out as he approaches. He doesn't want to be seen as 'armed and dangerous' by someone who seems more than willing to attack. That doesn't mean he isn't - he has a full team with him - but he's at least not approaching with intent to harm. He knocks on the door, taking a deep breath.]

Blake?

[Action]

[lieutenantantichrist]

[There's a knock. Blake and all the Pokemon inside jerk their head toward the door in the same instant.

What he wants is a shotgun. He grabs the closest thing.

When he yanks the door open a couple inches, he's holding a somewhat baffled Clauncher under one arm.] What-

[He relaxes only marginally when he sees who it is.] Oh. Tobias.

[He jerks his head toward indoors.] Get in here. There's no telling who's hanging around.

[Felix twitches his antennae at his friend. Hello.]

voice

[envy_the_sinners]

[ ... ]

You are a moron.

voice

[lieutenantantichrist]

[Blake's voice sharpens as his attention is suddenly centered. The cold, dismissive voice locks him into focus and knocks him out of the worthless spiral of his thoughts.]

Come here and say that.

[video]

[fatalissimo]

[Fucking hell, Blake - ]

So who the hell was it that left? And don't give me "no one" - somebody left and you're pissed about it. Who was it.

[video]

[lieutenantantichrist]

[He snaps back,] No one!

[He stands up fast enough to knock his chair over. He paces rapidly behind the desk. His hand cuts the air with each bitten-off word.]

I don't give a shit that some punk took off. All I care about is people pulling bullshit behind my back!

[Video]

[foolishwren]

_{[... Yeah, having just lost someone herself... she's reached a different stage of reacting to this stuff than the one that Blake is at, and she just looks tired and concerned.]}

... Blake, you know that's not how this place works.

[Video]

[lieutenantantichrist]

[Heather. She sounds older than her years, but Blake doesn't want to hear it.]

This place works how I tell it to work!

voice

[ifwishesweremustangs]

You're declaring martial law over people vanishing, something that, according to everything I've heard, happens naturally here.

Who are you, again?

voice

[lieutenantantichrist]

That's what they say. They also say 'He lent this car to me' and 'I'm just holding this for a friend.'

I'm Carter Blake, Philadelphia police lieutenant, Emperor of Monster Island, and the goddamn boss of you.

Video

[a_sin_for_him]

God, I'd like to know what it's like inside of your head.

[Lust is vaguely amused but mostly just in awe of how this man can so confidently act as though he has any power here at all.]

Video

[lieutenantantichrist]

[Like a pile of spiders with unaddressed emotional issues is what.]

You got a problem, lady?

[video]

[captainash]

[That's... not the soundest order he's ever heard. It doesn't even rate the top 100. And that tone... that tone is alarmingly familiar.

It might be useless for him to speak up now, but speak up he must.]

...You waste your words. No matter how hard you try, no matter what you say, people cannot force themselves to remain in this world. It's not our choice.

[video]

[lieutenantantichrist]

[Blake's answer comes just a little too fast.]

How do you know? Once somebody's gone you can't even ask them what the hell they left for.

[Video]

[seasaltkey]

[This kind of hits close to home.]

I don't know what Martial Law is... but I just left a little while ago, and I came back. I didn't want to leave. I just did. And then I came back. I didn't even know I left!

[Video]

[lieutenantantichrist]

It means what the police say goes, and the police are me.

[Grammar is the first against the wall when the revolution comes.

His hands brace on the desk, and he half-stands.]

You're saying you were drugged? Hypnotized? Kidnapped? Talk, kid! What the hell happened?!

[Video]

[tearsofademon]

[You must have just lost somebody important, huh. It's not like he can't empathize with that - it's been years but he still has moments where he looks through the door expecting Ferris to come through with dango, or flips through his 'gear half-hoping for a message from Fuji about this or that. Heck, even Cobra leaving made the place a little less interesting, though that's mostly because he was fun to torment.

...But he can't just leave this be, either.]

Kind of hard to enforce that unless you know how they're leaving in the first place. Ahh, though, if you've figured that out, please, feel free to share. I bet there're a lot of folks who'd love to know.

[Video]

[lieutenantantichrist]

[Now why would you think that? Maybe this is just what he felt like doing today.]

You leave enforcement to me. I'll find a way, come hell or goddamn high water. Nobody else is disappearing on my watch!

[video]

[infinityunlimitedflame]

And how do you plan to enforce such a decree? What sealing magicks have you cast? What barriers have you chosen to deploy?

[video]

[lieutenantantichrist]

Oh for-

[Blake is all out of patience.]

Kid, there is no such thing as magic. There's these little monster things, but there's no spells and there's no wizards. Grow up and deal with it.

video;

[diehardreaper]

'Fraid you're prolly a bit late, President Carter.

[ There's a sigh as he ruffles his hair slightly. This is probably not the same reaper that spoke to you before. For one, he's not as chipper. ]

My boss' gone missing too.

video;

[lieutenantantichrist]

[Blake snaps back] From where? When? Goddammit, you should've kept a better eye on him!

video | private

[aufsassig]

[Now this? This is something delicious and beautiful. It's exactly the kind of collapse he's always sort of sensed that Blake had the potential for, and now here it is: the simple, natural byproduct of common human experiences and emotions, no manipulation necessary. It's a work of art, the way he's lashing out at nothing and everything, more concerned with satisfaction than results.

This is, arguably, the kind of thing Schuldig lives to see. Which is why it's strange that he's seeing it, and yet isn't entirely sure if he likes it.]

Don't cut yourself on that glass, Mr. President.

video | private

[lieutenantantichrist]

Don't you tell me-

[He turns, and seeing the face on the screen cuts his snarl short.]

Oh. Dietrich.

[His expression calms for a moment, then firms.]

That all goes double for you.

[VIDEO]

[adai]

[...um. Well this is... new.]

What's martial law?

[--hang on, that's probably not the most pressing issue here.]

Do you have some way to prevent people from leaving? I thought it was something that just happened?

[VIDEO]

[lieutenantantichrist]

Martial law means what the army says goes, no questions asked, and the army here is me.

[Blake's voice heats up.] Well it's not going to happen anymore! I don't care what I have to do! I'll build a goddamn wall if I have to!

Video

[the_pilgrim]

But...I was under the impression we don't have any sort of choice in whether we go or stay?

You can't punch the supernatural into submission or will it out of existence. Trust me.

Video

[lieutenantantichrist]

That's what everybody thinks, but what proof've we got?

[Don't you tell him what he can or can't punch.]

Supernatural is just a word people use as an excuse.

[islandshore]

...But what if we aren't in Goldenrod right now?

[Riku spends most of his time in Kanto, and he's been pretty content milling about random cities. There's a small frown on his face, though his expression's otherwise calm, neutral. He's... not sure what to think about this, tbh.

It's kinda absurd, but it's totally something Blake would do. Seems he's already been chewed out a bit by some of the others, anyway.]

Sure you're not pushing things too far? There's only so much one guy can do.

[lieutenantantichrist]

[Blake's finger slashes at the screen like a machete.] The city doesn't matter. The point is you stay the hell in this dimension until I say otherwise.

[There's a jab of relief at seeing Riku. That's proof that at least one kid he knows hasn't vanished out from under his nose.]

I can't just sit here and do fuckin' nothing.