[OPEN] There is an exit here

[manufactured]

WHO: Albert Wesker, whomever else decides to join him (presumably you!)
WHERE: Subway tunnels
WHEN: Sometime in January
WHAT: January event catch-all! Featuring going through luggage from the 1950s, playing piano kind of badly, memory-sharing, fighting a train, having a mild existential crisis, and otherwise exploring the subway tunnels with a bunch of guns. If there is something you want to do in these tunnels, we can come do it in these tunnels.
WARNINGS: None for the log itself? If things come up in the entertainment car, memory-wise, I'll put warnings on the individual threads, though.


[A. ENTRANCE]

[You know, there are a lot of things that can be done with the sudden appearance of tunnels like this; it seems like the one option that's not on the table is avoiding them entirely. Following that light down here today will lead you to find someone sitting on the edge of the commuter platform, above the tracks; he's dressed in what looks like black leather and from the look of it, you've come across him while he's checking his guns.

...His several guns. He's verifying that his handgun is loaded to his liking whenever you approach, but he's also got a large shotgun strapped to his back and what looks like an automatic pistol lying just to his side, well within his reach. And in case projectile weapons aren't going to get the job done today, he's got a good-sized combat knife sheathed on him as well, because why the fuck wouldn't he.

Whatever's going on with him, Wesker appears to be preparing for war, or at least some kind of battle in those tunnels; whether you're meeting up with him for pre-arranged exploration or you're just stumbling down here today and deciding that the guy who's armed to the teeth might be a good idea to take along (hey, maybe he knows what he's doing, maybe he's been down here before), feel free to approach him and figure out a game plan. After all, he's not opposed to moving in numbers, and maybe you'll get an adventure out of it.]


[B. TRAIN CARS - PART I]

[Granted, if you find him later, he's going to be taking his sweet time looking through those train cars; Wesker has always been odd about what's socially acceptable and what isn't, but it seems he's having literally no qualms whatsoever about simply raiding a bunch of currently-nonexistent people's stuff. In the passenger car and sleeper cars both, he'll be going through personal items – small journals that either have nothing in them or don't seem to be important and are quickly discarded, newspapers being checked for dates and events, clothing being laid out so he can get a better look at all of it...

...He seems to be looking for something in particular, though it's difficult to say what, exactly; either way, he's a weirdo on a mission going through a bunch of stuff that isn't his, just in front of God and everyone, and he's having...well, saying he's having a great time is an overstatement, but he's at least having an acceptable time. Sure.]


[C. TRAIN CARS – PART II]

[The fourth car will catch his attention eventually, once he's done invading the previous passengers' privacy; his handgun is drawn when he enters, though he'll put it up once it seems evident that there isn't a threat in here. The instruments hold his interest for a short while; there's an upright piano in here, and he can be found standing at it just kind of idly plinking the keys for a while. The sort of thing that indicates that maybe he knew how to play at one point, but hell if he really does anymore.

...He'll likely be in here until those doors slam closed behind him and anyone else who happens to be here with him; basically, let's see where things go in here and then you can get one of his memories on that screen – or one of your character's, if you'd prefer! I'm easy, come hit me with whatever. Or just deal with his shit piano-playing, that's also cool.]


[D. TRAIN CARS – PART "THIS IS STILL BETTER THAN THE ECLIPTIC EXPRESS"]

[...Okay, you know what, he's willing to deal with things like rats and vines and disembodied eyes and train cars with minds of their own, but he is not particularly here for the train car with a mind of its own. He'd been going to see what's inside it like your average Resident Evil person with absolutely no sense of boundaries when the thing had decided that it was a great time to be alive, and likewise a great time to, you know, develop approximations of eyes and limbs and shit.

Wonderful.

So today we have a man with an assault shotgun, absolutely no sense of self-preservation and not a single fuck to give, standing his ground and facing down a train like he's daring it to come at him. After a moment he unloads a well-placed shot into whatever the hell this thing has passing for a face; the gun has an alarming amount of stopping power on it but seeing as this thing is, in fact, a train, he's probably just pissing it off.

You might want to. Assist? Make him move? Tell him to something that isn't shoot a train. Um.]


[E. CENTRAL STATION]

[A literal light at the end of the tunnel, how...tacky? It seems kind of tacky. But you know what, it actually gets Wesker to lower his weaponry a bit, and after a while he's more than content to start looking around; the travel guides will get his attention before too long, and some of them seem more relevant than the others.

Welcome to Africa. Welcome to Brazil.

Welcome to the Arklay Mountains.

It's that last one that catches his attention fully; he picks it up immediately, paging through it for a moment before the whole thing begins to seem too surreal for his liking. He...knows this place, despite having never seen it in person – the dense forests, the estate that houses the large research compound and executive training facility (it even states that it was once run by A. Wesker and W. Birkin), the grand mansion nearby that's buried among the trees...

He's gone strange and very still; it's obvious that he doesn't know how to react and as such he quite simply isn't. He'd never had an attachment to these places in his memories; they were just a means to an end to him, then. But now...

He'll be here for a while.]


[F. WILDCARD]

[Have something else you want to do? Feel free to PM me or grab me on plurk at InstantEternity, and I'll see what we can do! Either that or just sling a prompt at me and I'll roll with it, I'm flexible. o/ ]

Comments

[manufactured]

[It doesn't happen often, granted. But once in a while...well, once in a while it's things like this.]

Well, when it came to fighting Chris, I think it also had to do with proving that I was better than he was. I liked the challenge of it, of course, but there was always a sense of competition there as well. Not jealousy, just rivalry. I enjoyed it about as much as I supposedly hated him.

[...]

A lot of the things I remember involve fighting someone. Chris and varying people connected to him - sometimes it's some woman I don't really know that's with him, once it was his younger sister. Sometimes it's Sergei or his 'brothers', sometimes various mutated things that I don't really have much context for. I think I thrived off it, in a way; after receiving these sorts of memories for so long, I think I can understand why.

[scythegun]

[If he's perfectly honest with himself, that idea is sort of scary: that Wesker could enjoy fighting so much in his memories that it's bled over to how he feels now. But if he's honest with himself about that, he has to acknowledge that he feels the same way.

...So he won't think about it.]

It certainly sounds like you led a very interesting life. I can't say I'd appreciate fighting that much.

[manufactured]

[That's...]

I didn't have control over much in my life back then. I did what I was told, largely; wherever I was sent, I'd go. Everything was according to the will of someone else, if that old man was to be believed.

But fighting was something that was my own. It was about my power, not anyone else's, and it was something I did because I chose to. If the outcome was unpredictable, then all the better.

[...Is it weird, talking about it like this? He suspects that it might be strange, but it isn't anything he particularly sees a need to stop doing, either. He's...kind of had a long time to think about all of this, after all, and he likes the understanding that comes with it; if there's any bleedover happening, then he doesn't seem terribly aware of it, at least not in the way he's discussing it.]

[scythegun]

[Well, when you discuss it like that it's obvious that there's still a barrier there. That's how he used to be, that's not how it is right now. That's a bit of a relief, honestly.]

It sounds difficult, living like that. Using fighting as an outlet like that... Well, I can see why you'd enjoy it so much.

[manufactured]

I don't know if I'd say it was difficult or not. All of it felt like my decisions, whether it was before or after I talked to the old man. I was just decidedly angrier about it after the fact.

[The fact that it all felt like his decisions are probably why he was so fucking angry about it after the fact.]

[scythegun]

Understandably so. Hearing that sort of thing... it really does seem like it would be frustrating at the very least. But if you actually believed him...

[Well, that makes it so much worse.]

[manufactured]

Of course I did.

[And that's...immediate, in a way he doesn't really like.]

[scythegun]

...Why?

[Is it obvious he doesn't get it? Because he doesn't get it.]

[manufactured]

I don't know. I tried not to listen to him. To tell myself that I was better than he was, that he had no hold over me. But things were different after we had that discussion. I don't think I would have been so furious if I hadn't believed him.

[...]

...It hardly matters now. We should keep moving, shouldn't we?

[scythegun]

[...]

I think I understand.

[It must be difficult to talk about it, even if it was a lifetime ago...]

But yes, let's keep going. If it's something you want to talk about at some point, I'll listen, of course.

[manufactured]

I'll be all right. It isn't though there are many other options.

[...He knows Jaeger hates that answer, but it is what it is.

He pushes himself away from the wall at that; come on, let's go. ...Preferably in the direction away from the rabid train car.]

[scythegun]

[Mmngh, he really doesn't like that answer...]

Well, that's true, but...

[But he doesn't really have a response, so with a sigh he'll follow Wesker.]

[manufactured]

[...Well, unfortunately for everyone involved in this conversation, talking is a free action. Something we can move and do at the same time, in other words.]

What is it...?

[scythegun]

[That's true, it absolutely is something we can do while walking!! Jaeger doesn't exactly look pleased at the question, but Wesker's leading the way anyway, so...]

I suppose I just don't like that answer. I understand that it is a necessity, but... I don't know. That answer just doesn't sit well with me.

[manufactured]

[He kind of has to think about it for a moment.]

I assume you would prefer that I would be fine because I legitimately am, not because I have to be.

[scythegun]

...Yes, that's exactly it.

[It's sort of a relief that Wesker can put it into words so easily.]

It's... sort of frustrating, really. Being okay because we have to be and not because we've had enough time to actually process these things. Though really, I don't know if there'd be enough time in the world for that.

[It sucks, but as long as it works, he supposes...]

[manufactured]

[He'll take a moment to consider that before responding; he isn't altogether sure how to, but...mnngh.]

I don't know how much more time I want to process it.

[It's not quite what he wants, but it's close enough; after a moment, he'll try again.]

I don't hate him anymore, you know. The person I used to be.

[scythegun]

[Well, that certainly isn't what he expected. He can understand the first part, but the second...

After a moment, Jaeger moves to catch up so he's walking beside Wesker.]

You don't? Why?

[manufactured]

Don't misunderstand me. My stance on whether or not I deserve to die for the actions I've carried out hasn't changed.

[That's...sharp, a bit, but it's not angry; more abrupt than anything.]

It isn't acceptance or forgiveness so much as it is understanding.

[Which bothers him on a completely different level, but he'll work through it. Probably. Maybe. Eventually.]

[scythegun]

[Understanding.

...He's not sure he likes the sound of that.]

No, I didn't think your stance on that would change. I didn't think it'd be acceptance or forgiveness either, but I'm not sure I follow. Are you saying you understand why he did the things he did?

[manufactured]

...Something like that.

[And that's...god, that's quite suddenly all he wants to say on this subject; he doesn't know why he bothered trying to explain this in the first place - it isn't that he doesn't think Jaeger won't understand, because Wesker is fairly sure that he will with enough explanations, but he isn't sure why he thought this was a good idea in the first place-

So he'll just withdraw, as he does sometimes, and try to shake it off.]

Don't worry about it, Jaeger, it's fine.

[scythegun]

[...Is it really fine?]

If you ever want to talk about it, I'll listen. I can't guarantee that I'll understand, but I'd like to try.

[He won't press any further than that, though.]

[manufactured]

[He goes silent at that; he isn't ignoring Jaeger at all, and that isn't his intention, just...let him have a few minutes to think about how he wants to put this into words. He'll keep walking while he considers; this tunnel has to come out somewhere, doesn't it? Even if it is starting to get creepy as hell through here, those fucking red eyes everywhere are back...]

...I've noticed for a while now that my thoughts have been becoming more like those that I remember. More violent, more...callous toward people who don't deserve it. Quicker to anger and lashing out. I've never frightened easily, but now it's less of a lack of fear and more a fascination with things that shouldn't elicit that reaction. There's an interest in people still, but it's more geared toward what they're capable of doing for me or whatever I'm trying to do at the moment as opposed to any interest in them or their well-being. How convenient they are, I suppose.

It's more than the fighting, it's everything. I know a part of me has always been that way, but the more memories I receive, it's harder for me to tell how much of it is genuinely that part of me and how much of it is him.

[scythegun]

[Jaeger doesn't interrupt the silence, but he does keep a close eye on the red eyes that have surrounded them again. Nothing seems to be making a move just yet, but it doesn't hurt to be cautious.

Of course all that goes out the window when Wesker speaks up again. There are a lot of things that scare Jaeger when it comes to what Retrospec is doing, but the thing he's been most afraid of is becoming more and more like the man he was in his past life.

Needless to say, this terrifies him.]

...Oh.

[It's quiet and sort of hesitant, but it reminds him that he needs to say something in response to that. His free hand has come up to settle on his chest at some point during Wesker's speech and he forces it down to his side now.]

I see. I...

[Is I'm sorry the right sentiment here? He decides not to say it and changes direction instead.]

I can't say I've noticed anything like that myself. I think it's because I'm still so confused about everything that was going on. I don't really know my other self all that well yet. I have an idea of who he was, but I couldn't tell you why he was doing any of that.

Understanding like that... I'm not really sure what to make of it, honestly.

[It's scary. It's the most terrifying thing he's ever heard.]

[manufactured]

...I know that sort of thing troubles you.

[He'd seen Jaeger's nightmares in October, after all; it'd be impossible for him to not know.]

I'll be all right. I'm not afraid of it, and as I said, I don't hate him anymore.