Track 09 - Toxic (Dated August 18-21st)

[princeofjunes]

AUGUST 18 - RAZOR BLADES

1-A: Action - Kitchen - Morning - Closed

[No more. Yosuke has had enough.

Between Teddie on tuesday and Rin on wednesday, he's done seeing the people he cares about take punishment from the town. Not when he can keep them safe. Not drinking the milk isn't an option, but he can drink it for them. He doesn't need his persona for that. Finally. Finally he can be a hero without it, he can protect his friends without it. He doesn't have to feel powerless anymore. He can do this.

He can do this.

With the rest of the bottles poured safely down the sink, one more remains, staring him squarely in the face. Popping it open, he steels himself for the worst and starts to drink it down. Huh, just milk. What was the big de-]

1-B: Action/Phone - 947 Beulah Living Room - Late Morning - Open

[The phone is off the hook as Yosuke tries to desperately call for help. It's a bit hard between all the gurgling and coughing up blood, but his voice is kinda sorta recognizable between all of that and the pained whimpers]

Someone... anyone...

...


AUGUST 19 - SPECIAL MILK

2-A: Action - Kitchen - Morning - Closed

[He's already dreading the prospect of another day of milk - more than he'll admit to anyone. But after a few deep breaths and punching the table, he steels his resolve for another day of the worst. Like the day before he empties the other bottles, leaving only one for himself. It takes another few minutes to work up the courage to pop open the bottle, and he chugs it without hesitation - it's the only way he can be sure he'll actually drink the stuff. Slamming the bottle down on the table, he smiles. That wasn't so bad. It sure beat razor blades.

Hey, was the kitchen clock always smiling? And singing?

Huh.]

2-B: Action - 947 Beulah St - Front Yard - Late Morning - Open

[Rin's steamroller is parked in the front yard like always.

Not like always is Yosuke atop it, waving a hat wildly as he grips onto his seat and yelling at the top of his lungs.

The steamroller isn't moving. It isn't even on, but he hardly seems to notice.]

YAHOOOOOOOOOO!

SIGNING UP FOR THE RODEO WAS THE BEST IDEA EVER! WHAT A RUSH!

2-C: Action - Afternoon/Evening - Around Town - Open

[Yosuke is wandering the town, eyes unfocused and giggling wildly wherever he goes. Where will you find him? What will he be doing? Only time will tell!]

( OOC: In your reply to this one, pick a location in your comment and I'll come up with something for him to do there )

...


AUGUST 20 - HORMONE FREE MILK

3-A: Action - Kitchen - Mid-Morning - Closed

[Only two days in and the thought of the milk already makes him sick. He's dragging his feet this morning, taking his time, and by the time he gets to the kitchen it's later than usual. Is it so wrong to want to enjoy his only moments of safety in the day? After pouring out the other bottles, he hesitates opening his own. Is this what he wants? Another day of misery?

The thought of Teddie or Rin suffering is enough to spur him to action.

It takes a bit more effort this time before he gets the entire bottle put away, but he feels okay once he does. Huh. Maybe today will be alright.]

3-B: Action - The Record Store - Afternoon/Evening - Open

[If the store clerk's swings between shouting, singing, and sobbing aren't indicators of his instability, his continual changing of the store's background music from manic to dirge-like and anywhere inbetween to compliment his mood might help tip customers off.

God help anyone who visits him at work today]

...


AUGUST 21 - SPECIAL MILK PART DEUX

4-A: Action - Kitchen - Early Morning - Open to housemates

[He can't sleep. Not after the day he had yesterday. So it's far too early when a Yosuke with bloodshot eyes crawls from bed to face another day. He works quickly this time, he has to force it. Too long thinking about what he's doing will only give him the chance to chicken out. The same routine. Empty the rest, leave one for himself. His hand is shaking as he raises the bottle to his lips, but once more he gets the contents down.

And in his last moments of clarity for the day, he lets himself have a few minutes to cry, face down on the table.]

4-B: Action - Afternoon - The Grocery Store - Open

[Everything seems normal as Yosuke goes around, collecting odds and ends they need at home. Aside from the fact that he's continually looking over his shoulder and sweat is trickling down his brow. Everything's fine. Totally normal.

How are you?]

4-C: Action - Late Afternoon - Mayfield Streets - Open

[As Yosuke walks home, grocery bags in hand, his symptoms in the grocery store seem to have only gotten worse. He's dodging from bush to bush as he makes his way home, trying to avoid being seen by who knows what and occasionally breaking into as much of a spring he can manage while holding grocery bags. He's breathing hard, and his body seems to be shaking, but who knows if it's from exhaustion or something else]

4-D: Action - Evening/Night - 947 Beulah St. - Bathroom - Open to hosemates/people coming over to chceck on him

[Yosuke has locked himself in the bathroom. Muttering can be heard from outside, as well as heavy breathing and the occasional blood-curdling scream]

Comments

3-B

[elevatoravatar.livejournal.com]

[Walking into the store looking well, MORE pale than usual there is Elizabeth, occasionally dabbing her forehead with a wash cloth and looking like she's running a major fever, but peering through the records]

"There is a tune from times yet to come that I was searching for...."

[princeofjunes]

[The tune is a fairly happy 50's pop song, or would be if Yosuke didn't keep intentionally scratching it like a madman before removing the needle entirely]

Oh, right. So that's how it is. You walk in here demanding a song that doesn't even exist yet, and I just have to drop everything to find it for you!

Alright, princess. What song.

[elevatoravatar.livejournal.com]

[In a sing songy tone]

"Every day's great at your... Something..."

[She ponders]

[princeofjunes]

... junes.

[His voice is barely a whisper, his entire body shaking slightly as memories come flooding in. Memories of home, of working, of Saki-senpai and the case, of Nanako-chan and the darkest months of all their lives. How could he forget. How could he ever forget, or take them so lightly, or for a moment hesitate about going home.

Anger turns to sorrow in a second as he fights the tears welling up in his eyes, the song coming out raggedly]

E-every day's great... at... y-your Junes...

[elevatoravatar.livejournal.com]

"Yes... That is the one! The one where the next ordeal is to take place... Do you have it?"

[She blinks and peers at him]

[princeofjunes]

[It takes him a few moments to recover from the tears, but when he does he seems almost normal. Let's see how long it lasts]

... the jingle's actually on my mp3 player, but I don't have it as a record. Like you said, it doesn't exist yet.

August 19, 2-C, comic book shop

[demonoaths.livejournal.com]

[Oh, look, it's Mao.

He looks pretty steamed over the stuff he did just last Tuesday, which was downright embarrassing and certainly won't win him any points in the Overlord department.

Probably why he's hunkered down in that corner reading comic books. Unread ones are in a pile beside him, and boy is that pile big.]

[princeofjunes]

[As Yosuke stumbles into the comic shop, he seems fairly inconspicuous at first, aside from the fact that he's stumbling around the shop and giggling madly like a drunk. Still, he seems to at least grasp where he glances over at a cover, decides he is a hero and can in fact fly, then holds his arms out as he goes WHOOOOOOOOOSH around the store.

When he gets near Mao, he stops and looks him over - but it's not the right white haired boy he's seeing sitting there with a huge stack of comics.]

Kanji?

You... you're not reading those gay comics, are you? And like, getting turned on here in the store?

[demonoaths.livejournal.com]

[Mao looks up from the comic book he's currently reading and immediately reins in a spit-take. What kind of idiot pretends he's flying in a public place?]

I'm not Kanji! And these comics aren't gay either.

[princeofjunes]

[It's not pretending. He IS flying! Also his eyes are incredibly unfocused]

Oh! You're not Kanji? Are you his evil twin from another dimension who is the opposite of him in every way so since he would read gay comics you're reading all the straight stuff?

[He gasps for breath at the end of that particularly long sentence, then cackles like mad]

[demonoaths.livejournal.com]

...I've never even met him before.

[princeofjunes]

Oh.

[He blinks a few times, his eyes trying so hard to focus. Oh, so that's not Kanji! Huh, go figure.]

So! You're a superhero like me then? I can fly!

1B; [ Action ] - 947 Beulah, around lunchtime

[inababanchou.livejournal.com]

[ Souji opens the door to the front letting himself in. ]

Please excuse me...

[ He says out of habit, nonchalant, stepping into Yosuke's home. He has a backpack slung over his shoulder, and when he steps into the living room he freezes. ]

Yosuke!

[ Kikuri-Hime materializes from behind Souji and bestows all sorts of healing goodness from a fully powered Diarahan spell. All that ails Yosuke is purged from his body, and all the cuts, wounds and scratches heal instantly. The grievous pain subsides immediately too. ]

[princeofjunes]

[His head snaps towards Souji as he hears his name - a bad move that triggers another coughing fit, his blood covered hands going up to cover his mouth once more. Thankfully Souji's got the tools for the job, and Yosuke is bathed in the glow of a Dia spell.

Oh god Dia spells. He didn't know how much he missed them.

The pain, the cuts, the mouth constantly pooling with blood - all gone, and in an instant. Sure his hands are still covered in the stuff but he'll take what he can get as he looks over at his partner fighting the tears welling up in his eyes]

So... how many times have you saved my life now?

[inababanchou.livejournal.com]

[ Souji shakes his head a little. ]

I'm still trying to catch up to you...

[ He comes inside. ]

[princeofjunes]

Well, now we're that much closer to even.

[He takes a few moments to calm himself down, breathing deeply as he glances at the room around him. That's a lot of blood he's coughed up everywhere - and his hands are covered, too. Cleaning this is going to be just awesome, but at least he'll be alive to do it]

I forget, do your personas know any skills that clean? Because I'm not looking forward to scrubbing the carpet.

4-A I wanted to tag so many of these prompts... ^^;

[pretty-bear.livejournal.com]

Y- Yosuke?

[Teddie's first week in Mayfield has been kind of... hectic. After what happened when he drank the milk, and after hearing about the things that were happening to everyone else, he wasn't about to try that again. But then Rin-chan had done it. And she had suffered. And now Yosuke had been taking the full burden on himself. All because Teddie was too much of a coward to face a little poisoned milk.]

Are you okay...?

He regrets asking immediately, because even he knows that's a stupid question.]

I won't complain if you want to tag another =D

[princeofjunes]

[Dammit. That's what he gets for crying on the table. He hadn't wanted them to see him like this, hadn't wanted them to see how hard it was to keep this up. But it wasn't like he could hide it forever. He lifts his head, wiping away some of the tears with the back of his sleeve]

Y-yeah... sorry you [sniffle] saw ths, Ted...

Just... just a long week.

[pretty-bear.livejournal.com]

[He looks down at the floor, feeling like he might start crying himself.]

I'm the one who should apologize. After what happened, I was scared to drink it myself. And then Rin-chan... and you...

..................

I'm sorry....

[princeofjunes]

No.

[His voice is more forceful than he even expected himself, but he looks over at Ted with his last bit of courage gleaming behind those bloodshot eyes]

No one made me do this but me. And even if you wanted to drink the stuff, I wouldn't let you.

I'm not about to let you guys suffer when I can stop it, so don't even think of blaming yourself, Teddie.

[pretty-bear.livejournal.com]

Yosuke....

[He's a little taken aback. And also... impressed. The kind of impressed he usually only associates with Sensei. Teddie wishes he was half that brave. Nevertheless...]

But.... but it's not fair for you to have to do this all on your own! It's not fair for anyone to have to suffer like this. At all....

[princeofjunes]

No, it's not fair.

But... [He shifts uncomfortably. Is this the sort of thing he really wants to share with Teddie?

But then, he can't keep it bottled up inside anymore. He needs to talk to someone, and Teddie's there, so it all comes pouring out]

You know, at first I was doing this because I felt useless. Like I couldn't do anything without my persona. But this proves it, Teddie. I can protect the people I want to without my persona. I just need to have the courage and guts to do it. I'm not a slave to that side of me - I use it's power. I don't depend on it.

So don't feel bad, alright? Just... try and make sure I don't do anything too stupid today. No razors in the milk, so who knows what'll happen.

2-B

[roadroller]

[Yosuke

The fuck

are you doing

with her roadroller.

Well, as she gets closer, she overhears what he's saying. Damn it bro, you drank the same milk Teddie did, didn't you? Dealing with Teddie was a pain in the ass. So she decides to just. Kick him out while playing along.

Literally. She dashes over, jumps, and tries to kick him.]

Moooooo! ♪

[princeofjunes]

[In his right mind, Yosuke would be able to dodge the attack. But then, in his right mind, he also wouldn't be bucking up against her roadroller like some perverse construction equipment enthusiast.

WHAM!

She connects solidly and he goes tumbling to the ground, laughing all the while even as his body takes a beating from the fall and rolling on the ground]

That was a low flying plane... woooo...

[roadroller]

[beatings? whatever!!! it's just pavement, he can take it obvs.]

Dumbass... ♪

[for one thing, she can't believe he drank the milk again since apparently it had razor blades yesterday. The one thing worse than spiders!!]

I'm taking this somewhere else so you don't do anything weird to it. ♪