Trapped in Madness: Part Two

[omnomspecimens]

Who: Szayel Aporro, Shikamaru, Ishida, and Nill, with guest star appearance by Celes
When: 1/21; night time
Where: SERO Headquarters
Summary: Szayel begins his plans from SERO Headquarters. Ishida and Nill throw a wrench in his plans.
Warnings: Angst, Szayel being a bastard, character death.

Comments

[underachieves]

Shikamaru couldn't feel pain anymore, but the sudden blast of energy sent his sensors screaming about the damage sustained to various parts of his robotic body. He had takes a direct blow and he could tell that his helmet - the only thing that kept Uryuu from recognizing his identity - was barely hanging on its hinges.

But that was suddenly the least of his worries, because Nill's voice had answered his thoughts. Nill. That was the other person who'd arrived with Uryuu.

Get outta here, Nill! he thought. Szayel had given him vague orders, thankfully, not a kill order. But that would probably change in a few seconds.

The cyborg got back to its feet and stepped forward, but that simple movement caused what remained of his helmet to crack and splinter, falling to the floor and revealing Shikamaru's lifeless face.

[sequincy]

Everything moves quickly from that moment. A quick assessment - Szayel is uncharacteristically preoccupied, with only a single pseudo-fraccion. An android of some sort, it appears. Good. Easier to disable (it couldn't be that strong, the initial blast had already damaged it) and then he'll be able to focus in on the Espada himself without distraction. He can't see where Shikamaru's being kept yet, but surely it's close. Nill seems to be hiding herself with some ability, so thankfully she won't be a liability

[reassures]

"The only way I'm leaving is if you kill me."

Despite the calmness with which she tells Shika that, she can't stop her hands from trembling. She stays near the wall, her hand gun held between both of her hands, and it does nothing to settle the shaking. She was glad that Shika couldn't see her, because she was so far from terrified.

No matter how she tried to lift her gun and aim for Shika's face now that it was revealed, she couldn't hold her hands still enough to fire a shot. He was too far away. He looked so wrong. Lifeless and empty and nothing like Shika, made all the worse by the mechanical eye. She had no idea it was that bad. She could only tell that he was trapped, couldn't move, and though he had lost the ability to function he wasn't in pain. She knew that she wouldn't be able to end it by herself, but this--

It was so much worse than she expected.

"Uryuu. Uryuu, I'm sorry-- I wouldn't have called you if I thought I could do it by myself." She knew this would be the outcome all along. They couldn't bring Shika home.

[omnomspecimens]

Once the light had cleared and he could see the Quincy moving, Szayel could appreciate the gracefulness with which he attempted to attack, right up until the dramatic fall. It took him a moment to realize why he had reacted that way, not noticing Shikamaru's faceplate had been blasted off until he heard the clank. He let out a faint sigh; so much for carefully laid plans.

His eyes flicked toward the wall, where he could just make out the dim outline of... someone. It was the person Ishida had came here with, that much he could sense, but beyond that he could not tell. It didn't matter, at least not at the moment.

Szayel's attention returned to Ishida, his gaze as stern as his voice as he spoke:

"Ishida-kun, you should not be here," he said, sounding like he was scolding a petulant child instead of being caught with a cyborg of the Quincy's former lover. "Leave. Now."

[underachieves]

The cyborg turned, tracking Uryuu's movement by default because he posed the greater threat. However, no orders followed to contradict the previous order of do not fire on the Quincy, so it remained still. Staring like some grotesque doll, a puppet waiting to spring back to life.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru's thoughts were frantic. He tried to organize them into something that would make sense to Nill - show her his weak points, maybe, or explain how to disable him - but he could hardly move his focus off the horrified look on Uryuu's face. He didn't want Uryuu to remember him like this. But he didn't want Nill to take charge, either, because if she fired on him, he would be forced to kill her. So Uryuu would have to do it. Somehow, he would have to get the will to do it.

Tell him! Shikamaru ordered Nill. Tell him he has to destroy me right now! Before Szayel makes me do anything else! I'm not even alive anymore. Tell him I'm dead. Tell him it's only my corpse. Please, Nill... I'm nothing anymore. Just make him end it.