The Inspection

[acciomod]

On the whole, the weather had been temperamental lately. One minute, it was absolutely bucketing it down, and the next, it was bright sunshine. The amount of rain had turned the ground into a muddy mess, but at least the tents provided perfectly adequate shelter, and a gazebo had been erected over the community dining table to protect everyone from the elements.

Despite the temperamental weather, however, it had been fairly warm throughout the past two weeks, so the chill in the air during dinner that evening was particularly noticeable, even before the dark, hooded figure by the Ministry's representative's desk had been seen.

Nervously, the Ministry representative approached the table.

"I'm afraid we have a visitor," he said, addressing everyone at the table and hoping that anyone not there could hear him. "This is a Dementor, one of the Guards at Azkaban. It's a high security prison. He's just here to, well, ensure that a certain escaped criminal isn't hiding amongst you.

"I don't expect he'll be here for more than an half an hour, so do try not to worry too much. They can make people rather, well... uncomfortable."

Bowing his head slightly, he left the Outsiders to their meal.

[And so, a Dementor is lurking around the camp, just in case one of the Outsiders is secretly Sirius Black. They're known to sap the happiness out of the environment, and - in cases where there are true horrors in someone's past - cause traumatic memories to resurface.

The chilly, depressed feeling can be lifted by the deliciousness of chocolate, though the Outsiders will need to discover this on their own. Good thing there's dessert.]

Comments

[espio]

[Espio's noticed Tobias before. This is that wary, skittery kid who seemed to be very keen on avoiding everyone and always ran off with the food as though worried someone would catch him committing the unforgivable crime of eating.

So, yeah. Espio knew full well the kid was the nervous sort. However, screaming his head off seemed like a large jump from being skittery! Sure, the Dementor made things really uncomfortable, but surely it wasn't so bad as to provoke screaming?

With a sigh, he decides to go and check it out and - if need be - haul him back into a tent or something. He kneels next to him, and tries to place a hand on his shoulder.]

I know it's not nice, but screaming at it won't make it better, you know. Let's get somewhere further away, okay?

[corruptedsouls]

[The moment hand touches shoulder, it's like a spark. A sharper, more centralized scream comes from the boy's throat as he almost throws himself away from Espio, turning around to a psuedo-sitting position and watching the chameleon with wide eyes as if he was a starving lion.

His chest heaved up and down, the boy clearly struggling just to get enough air at this point.]

[espio]

[BLANK STARE.]

Whoa! That was...

[Abrupt. Also, he doesn't like being stared at like he's terrifying. He has no idea how to deal with this situation - how the hell do you reassure a panicking kid?

...and that's why Espio doesn't really try for "reassuring."]

Okay, okay okay. You need to calm down.

Start by thinking about your breathing, okay? You're not gonna be able to be rational if you don't breathe properly - think only about your breathing, and try to ignore everything that Dementy-whatsit's making you feel.

[He has a funny feeling that this will absolutely not work, and is already trying to think of something else to try short of outright dragging him off.]

[corruptedsouls]

[It does work, but not quite in the way that Espio wanted, most likely. The fact that something is talking to him -- in English -- and not yelling means that his brain isn't quite catching up fast enough to continue the panic fit.

Meaning that his breathing slows and he calms down sheerly because Espio has caused him to become too confused to panic.]

....

[espio]

[...well, it's something.]

Can I actually talk to you, now?

[corruptedsouls]

....

[A soft nod. He'll listen, it seems.]

[espio]

Good.

[Sigh.]

Look, that thing over there? [Points at the Dementor on the other side of camp.] Seems to be screwing with people's heads. Rather than sit here, screaming your lungs out, how about we just get away from it?

[corruptedsouls]

[He looks down again, rubbing his hands a bit too fiercely before fiddling with the bracelet almost as violently.

...Unfortunately, the clasp on the bracelet comes off at that, giving a click as the boy's expression goes into abstract horror.

His hand, once normal, dissolves, turning into some sort of mish-mash of purple colors, data flickers, and corrupted pieces of... something. His eyes, as well, take on a difference appearance, glowing piercingly bright and disturbing.

The boy only gives a choked breath that sounds like he's being strangled from the inside.]

[espio]

[Espio doesn't process that it has anything to do with the bracelet. Nope. He just sees SOME MAGIC JUST ATTACKED THIS KID. The Dementor?

Instinctively, he reaches out to grab the kid's arm for a closer look.]

[corruptedsouls]

[His mind, augmented by the unleashed data, begins to work swiftly.

Espio is reaching for him.

His hand is exposed.

This should not be.

The boy's foot strikes out almost impossibly fast, intending to catch Espio in the chest hard enough to force him backwards. In the same movement, he jerks up his hand, snapping his bracelet roughly down onto his wrist and causing the... whatever it is to disappear back into a normal, fleshy hand, the glowing eyes now fading back to normal as he chokes, tears falling.]

[espio]

[Espio didn't really feel it much, but the kick did push him away, and man is he now confused. It takes a few seconds for this all to click into place, before he figures it out.]

That... was actually your own thing? Man, I thought it was some stupid spell! Like you were hurt or something!

[corruptedsouls]

[His heart is racing now, his voice overly labored as he desperately tries to get enough air to move.]

Go away...

[It's the most he can manage, wheezing and crying and trying to push himself backwards and in on himself all at the same time.]

[espio]

[Go away? While there's a kid still freaking out and panicking and all that stuff? AHAHAHA no.]

Not until I make sure you're fine.

[corruptedsouls]

Go away!

[The voice sounds even more hoarse now that he's yelling, but he's in too much of a panic to really register how it hurts to yell.]

[espio]

Why should I?

[Yelling right back, because obviously this is how you deal with a problem!]

I can't just leave someone when they're obviously in distress! It goes against my nature!

[corruptedsouls]

[Huh? He blinks, taking in a violent breath and staring at Espio like he has three heads now.]

...Distress...?

[espio]

You know! The screaming, the panicking, the general freaking out, the kicking? Those aren't good things! I hate seeing people suffer - I want to help!

[corruptedsouls]

...Why?

[His voice is louder this time, but still as timid.]

[espio]

Do I need a reason to help people?

[corruptedsouls]

Yes.

[espio]

Yeah, right. I never needed one before!

[corruptedsouls]

People don't help people for no reason.

[espio]

I do! And I know plenty of others who do the same!

So don't just lump me in with people.

[corruptedsouls]

...

[He just pulls his legs up, burying his face in his knees and saying nothing more.]

[espio]

Head up, kid. Let me make this clear:

I have no intention of ever just being a bystander. Got it?

But if you want to hide and be afraid of me, I don't care. I'm used to people rejecting my help, but you know what? I protect them anyway. Everyone. You too.

Because I'll never forgive myself if I just allow people to suffer when there's no need for it.